The Other Paper - 04-07-22

Not so new

For public works, city promotes from within Page 2

Don’t feed the ... ‘A fed bear is a dead bear,’ wildlife officials warn

Page 17

the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977

In redistricting

City gains in House, Senate

AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER

South Burlington is set to be a heavyweight in Vermont’s newly redrawn legislative maps, gaining another state representative and cornering a third majority in a new Senate district.

But the city’s gain could also potentially overshadow several smaller Chittenden County towns lumped into those new districts.

In the House, the city will share a fifth state representative with a portion of Williston and could rule one of three new Chittenden County Senate districts should Gov. Phil Scott lend his signature to the maps, which headed to his desk last week.

“We will be well represented,” South Burlington city clerk Donna Kinville said. “Not to displace anybody else, but I mean, technically we are kind of the largest municipality in this group, and therefore have the possibility of having three senators.”

The Legislature has broken up Chittenden County’s six-member Senate district, replacing it with two proposed three-member districts and one single-member district: Chittenden Central, Chittenden North and Chittenden Southeast.

Two Chittenden County senators who currently reside in South Burlington, Thomas Chittenden and Michael Sirotkin, both Democrats, would keep their seats, alongside Sen. Ginny Lyons of Williston in the new three-member Chitten-

Developers feel ‘unwelcome’ in South Burlington

Legislature attempts to reform landmark Act 250 law, reactions remain mixed

AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER

Roland Groeneveld pulled out a sheet of paper printed with a list of 35 items, all permits his company OnLogic had to acquire in their attempt to build a new building near their headquarters in South Burlington. In total, permitting cost about $1.3 million, he said.

A native of the Netherlands

who’s lived and worked in Vermont for 20 years as a cofounder of OnLogic and its executive chair, Groeneveld doesn’t dance around the subject of development in Vermont. He’s candid about what he describes as a redundant permitting process, calling the local environment unwelcoming to business growth and a reason why the state is in a housing crisis.

One of his biggest qualms is

with Act 250, Vermont’s nearly 50-year-old land use law that has, some developers argue, become a harbinger of doom, tying up projects in years of review and appeals.

“I think Act 250 should go away,” Groeneveld said, leaning back in an office chair near a bright orange wall in the OnLogic offices. He’s not anti-government or anti-regulation but argued that the law is duplicative, especially

with extensive local zoning like in South Burlington, and holds back economic progress.

Written into law to control development in the 1970s, in a time of mass migration and “significant development pressure” per the Vermont Natural Resources Board, Act 250 is now often at the heart of grumbling

PHOTO BY COREY MCDONALD

A man sketches the scenery of the Red Rocks Park beachfront in South Burlington on a sunny day, April 4.

Spring sketch

City hires new public works director

AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER

The new leader of public works in South Burlington has stormwater in his blood and the community at heart.

A 16-year veteran of South Burlington government, Tom DiPietro took up the gauntlet on a temporary basis in January after former director Justin Rabidoux’s departure, previously serving as deputy director of the department and the city stormwater superintendent.

“My favorite things about working in South Burlington are my coworkers and the community,” DiPietro said, adding that he appreciates how supportive the community is for local government.

“I notice it in my day-to-day interactions with residents and business owners,” he said, and in city-wide votes supporting bonds and projects like Garden Street, a major connector in the growing downtown area.

Before grabbing the government gig as stormwater superintendent back in 2006, then as deputy in 2012, DiPietro worked at the Vermont Depart-

ment of Environmental Conservation water quality division in the stormwater section. He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in plant and soil science from the University of Vermont.

Last fall, DiPietro received the Elizabeth Walker Meritorious Service Award from the Green Mountain Water Environment Association for his contributions to the association and dedication to water quality in Vermont.

Looking ahead, there are too many important infrastructure

projects underway or planned in South Burlington for him to count, but some highlights include traffic signal replacements on Dorset Street, wastewater system upgrades and the ongoing development of City Center.

Traffic signals will be replaced on Dorset Street from Williston Road to Kennedy Drive, with new software to make the intersection more efficient. Assuming no hold-up for parts or equipment, the project should kick off this summer or fall.

All wastewater facilities must undergo an upgrade every 20 years or so, including the city’s Bartlett Bay Wastewater Treatment facility, DiPietro said. Engineering and the construction for the major project is expected to span multiple years. The city’s stormwater division is also working on more than a dozen projects throughout the city to address runoff.

“Lastly, but certainly not least, the city continues to implement its vision for City Center,” DiPietro said, including the completion of Garden Street, new bike and pedestrian infrastructure, construction of a boardwalk through City Center Park and other initiatives.

City condemns Ukraine invasion

Emotion gripped South Burlington city councilors Monday night as they passed a resolution condemning the deadly invasion of Ukraine by Russia earlier this year.

It was the first act Meaghan Emery made as a city councilor during a time of war, she said quietly at the council meeting. She was reticent at first, because wars are going on all the time in countries across the globe.

“So why speak on this one war?” she asked, and then quoted council chair Helen Riehle. “‘Because democracy is at stake.’ That really struck me as the reason why we have to move forward with this resolution.”

The South Burlington City Council resolution, first drafted by councilor Tim Barritt and introduced at a meeting last month, describes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February as “systematically destroying” the country’s infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, government buildings, transportation routes, cultural heritage sites and people’s homes.

The violence has only worsened since Barritt first introduced the resolution, he noted, pointing to “indiscriminate killing of civilians” and “bodies left in the street, bodies left in mass graves.”

According to the Associated Press, at least 410 civilians have been found in Kyiv and surrounding towns in the wake of Ukraine’s recent recapture of the

area from Russian forces.

Earlier Monday morning, U.S. President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal and told reporters he would seek more sanctions against the country following reports of humanitarian atrocities, including rape and murder, in Bucha, Ukraine, near Kyiv.

“This resolution is a drop in the bucket but at least expresses our sincere solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the soldiers in Ukraine, Ukrainians living abroad,” Barritt said.

A copy of the resolution will be sent to Gov. Phil Scott, Biden, senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, Rep. Peter Welch, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via channels in Washington, D.C.

House fire injures South Burlington firefighter

The South Burlington

arriving within four minutes after a call to dispatch about heavy smoke coming from a vehicle fire. Firefighters found a large panel truck ablaze in front of a home under construction, with the fire extending into the second floor of the two-story single-family house, according to a press release.

Firefighters extinguished the main body of the fire in less than eight minutes, spending another hour extinguishing “hot spots” and removing smoke from the home.

The fire allegedly was ignit-

See FIRE on page 3

Tom DiPietro

AVALON STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER

A construction site at a new home in South Burlington turned into a fiery blaze last week, causing up to $75,000 in damage and leaving one firefighter injured.

Fire Department responded to the Highland Terrace neighborhood a little after 10 a.m. on April 1,

FIRE continued from page 2

ed in the truck owned by Bugbee Insulation, whose crew members had been installing spray foam insulation at the home when the fire began. Investigators believe that a mechanical anomaly in the truck’s pump and pressure assemblies triggered the incident. Because of the flammable properties of the liquid foam, the fire grew rapidly in size and intensity,

Grant keeps stormwater out of Lake Champlain

A new stormwater project in South Burlington will keep close to three gallons of phosphorous pollution out of Lake Champlain every year.

The city of South Burlington and Burlington Country Club were awarded a grant from the Mount Ascutney Regional Commission, formerly the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, in 2020 to fund the engineering design of a new stormwater treatment system using a gravel wetland.

The commission and the Lake Champlain Basin Program awarded construction grants last December to implement the treatment wetland, giving South Burlington the go-ahead for construction this coming fall.

“This project is a great example of the public and private sectors working together to

improve water quality,” said director of public works Tom DiPietro.

According to a city press release, the public-private partnership will treat runoff from 5 acres of impervious surfaces from both the city’s municipal pavement and the country club’s private impervious surfaces, spanning approximately 80 acres.

The project will reduce the peak flow of the one-year, 24-hour storm event by 97 percent and will reduce the amount of phosphorus going to Lake Champlain by 10.5 kg per year, according to the press release.

In addition to design and construction grants through the Vermont Clean Water Initiative Program, funding will come from a local match and additional funds from the city and country club, for a total project cost of $609,000.

City council warns new zoning regulations

Parking amendment gives Beta project hope

STYLES-ASHLEY STAFF WRITER

A recent amendment to the South Burlington land development regulations offers some hope for Beta Technologies’ expansion project, which was recently stalled in review discussions.

A decision by the South Burlington Development Review Board, that has since been reopened for further discussion, cast the project in doubt over the city’s parking ordinance that disallows new developments to place parking lots facing the street. Public outcry, from South Burlington residents, local developers and even Gov. Phil Scott, followed the decision March 22.

parking lots that serve buildings that “make up or are contained” within “the Secure Area perimeter of a publicly-owned and operated airport.”

The parking amendment, introduced by city councilor Matt Cota, would allow the development review board some “creativity” when it comes to the city’s parking ordinance, he explained.

“We understand why we want parking in the back. We don’t want to see the pavement, we don’t want to see the cars, we want to see buildings. Looks better. Makes a lot of sense. Except for sometimes when it doesn’t,” Cota said.

officials explained.

The outside of the garage sustained the heaviest fire damage, but the room above the garage sustained smoke and heat damage. The rest of the home was undamaged.

Firefighters from Burlington, Williston, Vermont Air National Guard and University of Vermont Rescue all responded to assist

South Burlington, making up a total of 26 firefighters. While they fought the Highland Terrace fire, mutual aid fire departments responded to six other emergency calls in South Burlington. No civilians were hurt in the fire, but one firefighter was injured in the response.

Damage to the $800,000 home is estimated at $50,000 to $75,000.

“This is too important for Vermont. This is not just about jobs for Chittenden County; this will have a ripple effect across the state,” Scott said at his regular Tuesday press conference, March 29.

At Monday’s city council meeting, the South Burlington City Council warned a public hearing on a new section of the land development regulations, covering planned unit developments, rules on subdivisions, guidance in site plan review standards and more, as well as an amendment specifically related to

Paul Conner, director of planning and zoning, noted that the “standard would only apply to an application submitted under these regulations, so no current application in front of the city would automatically be moved over to it,” but added that Beta Technologies would be an example of an application that falls under this amendment.

The city council approved the hearing warning on the additional land development regulations for May 2, putting them temporarily into effect.

The development review board will discuss the Beta Technologies application at its meeting April 25.

PHOTO BY COREY MCDONALD

The Wolf Tree in South Burlington’s Red Rocks Park dates to when the land was farmland — before it turned back to woods. Experts say it’s almost impossible to accurately date the tree’s age, but estimate it dates to the 1700s. Passersby can’t get too close, however, as the tree is at the end of its life and is beginning to lose branches to decay.

Wolf Tree

AVALON

Total incidents: 180

Welfare checks: 15

Suspicious events: 13

Public assists: 12

Larceny: 8

Mental health issues: 7

Retail theft: 5

Incidents:

March 27 at 5:52 p.m., police investigated a suspicious event at Patchen Road.

March 27 at 10:16 p.m., an officer assisted a member of the public on Ethan Allen Drive.

March 28 at 2:25 p.m., a domestic incident on Williston Road prompted police to respond.

March 29 at 9:34 a.m., police trespassed someone from a resi-

CRIME & COURTS

South Burlington Police Blotter

dence on Shelburne Road.

March 29 at 8:03 p.m., police responded to a report of threats and harassment at apartments on Dorset Street.

March 30 at 2:54 p.m., police patrolled around Hannaford.

March 30 at 8:55 p.m., police responded to Country Club Drive for a juvenile problem.

March 31 at 1:56 p.m., K9 officer Rush assisted officers on a case at the police department.

March 31 at 9:34 p.m., police checked on the well-being of someone at Rye Circle.

April 1 at 11:23 a.m., a car crash on Shelburne Road caused property damage but no known injuries.

April 1 at 3:09 p.m., a car left the scene of a crash near the University Mall.

April 2 at 1:04 p.m., police responded to a mental health issue on Grandview Drive.

April 2 at 6:43 p.m., police mediated a citizen dispute on Proctor Avenue.

April 3 at 6:12 a.m., police checked on the welfare of someone on Williston Road.

Arrests:

Charles E. Connelly, 41, of Burlington, was arrested last December for unlawful trespass and credit card/ATM Fraud.

Michael G. Thompson, 39, of South Burlington, was arrested March 29 for simple assault.

Jason P. Colebaugh, 37, of Winooski, was arrested on an in-state warrant.

Untimely deaths:

Police responded to the death of Ray Maring, 37, at the Anchorage Inn in South Burlington on March 30 at 5:18 p.m. The medical examiner’s office is determining cause of death.

Local man charged in Burlington shooting

A South Burlington man has been charged with second degree murder, among other charges, following a shooting in a Burlington parking garage last week that left at least one person with life-threatening injuries.

Roderick Hudson, 21, of South Burlington, surrendered himself to the Burlington Police Department March 26 after the department responded to reports of gunshots in the early morning hours, discovering two male gunshot victims at the parking garage on 47 S. Winooski Avenue, according to a press release.

Both victims were transported to the hospital by the Burlington Fire Department. One had an

abdominal wound and “received potentially life-saving tactical field medicine intervention from officers on scene,” police said, though the man remains in critical condition.

Hudson was not on the scene when Burlington officers first arrived at 1:59 a.m. After police released photos from security cameras of the suspect, Hudson retained an attorney and turned himself in to police. He was held without bail and charged with attempted second-degree homicide, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and two counts of reckless endangerment.

Hudson was arraigned March 31 and held without bail.

A South Burlington woman was almost kidnapped at knife point in a parking lot on Williston Road last week, according to a press release from the South Burlington Police Department.

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An unknown man approached the woman from behind, held a knife to her stomach and demanded her keys, saying he was going to take her for a ride.

At around 5:30 a.m. April 1, officers responded to the parking lot at 1174 Williston Road for a report of kidnapping. According to the press release, the victim was able to free herself from the suspect’s grip, throw her keys away and yell for help. Police say the suspect fled south on foot, crossing Williston Road, and was last seen near the end of Mary Street.

The victim described the suspect as a white male, about 5’4” to 5’6”, wearing prescription glasses, a dark hooded sweatshirt, a black bandana or gaiter face covering, and carrying a dark colored backpack. She described the knife as a foldable black blade with an orange handle.

Police have not yet located the suspect. Investigators are in the process of locating surveillance footage from the area.

The department is asking for the public’s help with identifying the suspect. Contact Det. Corp. Sarah Superneau at ssuperneau@ southburlingtonpolice.org.

Woman held at knifepoint on Williston Road, police say

Letters to the Editor

Don’t forget to scoop the poop

To the Editor:

Along with the arrival of spring come reminders of the outdoor fun and exercise our doggies enjoyed this winter. The snow is gone and now Mother Nature begins her struggle to recover from all the waste they’ve left behind. So, here’s the scoop on poop!

South Burlington has an estimated 3,000 dogs, but only 1,100 are licensed. It may surprise you to learn the average dog produces four pounds of poop a week. That means our licensed dogs alone produce over two tons of poop a week. Keep in mind, they also must pee. While there may not be much we can do about

that, we can do something about poop by picking it up in a plastic bag and disposing of it in a receptacle or trash can.

Many of us spend a lot to make sure our dogs eat the healthiest food. It’s easy to assume dog poop is fertilizer that doesn’t pollute the environment. But a lot of dog food is high in nutrients and is so concentrated that Mother Nature just doesn’t have the energy needed to break it all down before it reaches our streams and Lake Champlain.

Dog waste is such a major source of water pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Vermont Agency on Natural Resources reference it in their pollution regulations and educa-

See LETTERS on page 6

Jonathan

Shoshanna, Alice & Olivia, Shona Joy, Trina turk, Ted Baker, Halston, Julie Vos, DVF, Monique L'huillier, Toccin, Mac Duggal, tadashi shoji, Marella, Alexis...

Lawmakers address opiates, harm reduction, saving lives

Legislative Update

Rep. Ann Pugh

Over the past two years fatal overdoses in Vermont, and nationwide, have increased at an unbearable rate, largely due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an increased prevalence of fentanyl, a powerful and often fatal synthetic opioid.

In 2021 alone, at least 181 Vermonters died of fatal overdose from opioids, over 90 percent of which involved fentanyl. Over half of these deaths were Vermonters under 40, and the numbers for December 2021 have not yet been released. These are our family, friends and neighbors.

The committee I chair in the House, human services, received testimony that if primary prevention is reducing substance use disorder for future generations, then tertiary prevention is providing a lifeline for the Vermonters who today are at immediate risk of overdose. It saves lives today. The programs and policies within H.728 and H.711 were created with the goal of saving Vermonters’ lives, through the pathways of treatment, recovery and harm reduction.

H.728, now in the Senate, creates initiatives to provide mobile substance use treatment units for rural communities for substance use treatment, connect justice involved Vermonters to substance use counseling and peer support, and foster collaboration

between emergency medical services, recovery coaches and treatment providers.

It also expands the organizations eligible to provide safe syringe exchange services, addresses barriers to treatment for Medicaid and investigates the logistics of establishing overdose prevention sites in Vermont. The work in H.728 is in addition to over $9 million of investments in substance use programming contained within the budget as passed by the House.

Additional funding for other initiatives focused on prevention, treatment and recovery will also become available through the designation of an opioid settlement fund outlined in H.711.

The Vermont Attorney General’s Office, along with other state attorneys general and thousands of other state subdivisions — cities, towns and counties — have been fighting to end the opioid crisis and hold industry accountable for its role in promoting and profiting from the opioid epidemic.

As a result of these efforts, settlements have been reached with major opioid distributors and manufacturers. H.711, now in the Senate, will establish an Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee and Opioid Abatement Special Fund in compliance with any settlements to which Vermont or municipalities are parties. The state anticipates approximately $60 million over 18 years to address the opioid use disorders. Uses of the fund are specified in the terms of the settlements and

an advisory committee must be established to make recommendations to the designated state agency, the Vermont Department of Health, for spending the money. The advisory committee must be comprised of an equal number of state and local representatives. The settlement agreement also requires the advisory committee to have written guidelines for the appointment, removal and terms of service for its members, a meeting schedule, and a process for receiving information from cities and towns regarding their needs and proposals for abatement.

Fifteen percent of funds will

LETTERS

continued from page 5

tional information. Dog waste produces toxins, like giardia, E. coli and blue green algae. Consequently, the puddles our kids splash in, the grass they roll in and the beach where they swim can make them very sick, and ironically, make dogs sick too. When dogs run off-leash, they leave their waste behind in other places, like natural areas. It spreads these toxins that are detrimental to wildlife.

So when you take your dog out for a walk, to play or for a potty break, make sure you bring your doggie bag and another one to share. If your dog is one of South Burlington’s 2,000 unlicensed dogs, show them how much you care and get them licensed. There are free doggie bags waiting, as a thank you.

To learn more about South Burlington’s efforts to support dogs, you can attend meetings

be allocated directly to municipalities, 15 percent will be allocated directly to the state, and the remaining 70 percent will be placed within an abatement fund. This special funding must be used to support a wide variety of public health evidencebased interventions directed at prevention and treatment of opioid use disorders rather than general state revenue.

In 2021 alone, at least 181 Vermonters died of fatal overdose from opioids, over 90 percent of which involved fentanyl.

This is how we save lives. I appreciate the input of so many of my neighbors on the importance of addressing this critical issue and for sharing their expertise as the Legislature has crafted responses.

I welcome your continued feedback and thoughts for how we can support all Vermonters.

of the Committee on Common Areas for Dogs, the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. For more information about the committee contact Betty Milizia, chair, at bmilizia@comcast. net, or Holly Rees, director of the Department of Recreation & Parks at (802) 846-4108.

Elizabeth Milizia

South Burlington

Nuclear power should play role in climate solutions

To the Editor:

In a March 24 letter to the editor, Andrew Chalnick urged senators to pass a climate package and urged support for congressional action for the Build Back Better bill (“Urge your senators to pass climate package,” The Other Paper) He said that climate change is

a threat to human well-being and serious action is needed to reduce carbon emissions. Missing from the long list of clean energy sources that he listed is nuclear power.

The long-delayed Build Back Better bill does include proposed funding for nuclear power, including a new production tax credit for operation of nuclear power plants, funding for the availability of fuel for advanced reactors, and funding for research for fusion energy. This is a start, but it is not enough.

For far too long, nuclear power has been ignored or missed by politicians and others when discussing climate solutions.

The United States and other countries have numerous companies developing the next generation of nuclear power technology, primarily small modular reactors. Advanced nuclear power and these small reactors need to be an integral part of the climate change solution, along with renewables, such as solar, wind and geothermal.

The ability of nuclear reactors to provide energy storage and reliable energy all day is critical to a reliable electricity grid that will rely on no-carbon energy sources. Nuclear power is an essential resource for the largescale replacement of fossil fuels.

The time has come to challenge the old assumptions about nuclear power and recognize that the nuclear power systems have a vital role in deep decarbonization. It is well past time for environmentalists and those who support climate change solutions to enthusiastically support nuclear power as part of a new clean energy future.

Steve Comeau South Burlington

Ann Pugh Vermont House of Representatives District 7-2

Consider supporting the library, the heart of the community

Guest Perspective

Emilie Krasnow

As gateways to knowledge, libraries play a fundamental role in society. The resources and services they offer create opportunities for learning, support literacy and education and help shape the new ideas and perspectives that are central to a creative and innovative society. Libraries hold energy that fuels imagination. They open windows to the world and inspire us to explore and contribute to improving our quality of life.

South Burlington is so lucky that a new, state-of-the-art public library opened to the community last July. If you haven’t visited yet, here is a peek at what you will find there.

Public libraries support education and literacy. They provide countless resources, educational materials, trainings, courses, scientific publications and more. Public libraries have integrated e-learning.

Patrons not only go to the library to find what they will read next or for information, but also to find themselves and their communities. In addition, libraries serve as community centers for diverse populations by supporting non-English speakers to help them integrate into the community.

For artists and art enthusiasts, the South Burlington Library offers space to display artwork and collections by members of the community. The library also offers an auditorium that is acoustically designed and fully wired for streaming performances or remote participation meetings with seating for 100.

Our library is a valuable resource for everyone in the community. According to a survey done by the American Library Association, public libraries are the number one point of online access for people without internet connections at home, school or work.

That same survey also found that over 97 percent of libraries offer free wireless internet access, technology training and educational opportunities. For many patrons, the library is the only place they can access these resources, making public libraries necessary for providing equitable access to technology and digital information.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic school, business and public space closures across the country have only strengthened local libraries’ commitment to addressing the changing needs of their communities. Our library has stepped up to support the community in new and innovative ways due to the hard work of our library

staff and our ardent director Jennifer Murray.

It’s clear that today’s public libraries are just as vital as they were years ago — and we’ll need tomorrow’s libraries just as much.

Even when its doors are closed, the library remains a lifeline for all. It is one of the only places that doesn’t cost money, is a safe space and recognizes that diversity isn’t just about ethnicity, language or culture. Public libraries also provide unique and adaptable spaces and services for patrons

with disabilities.

South Burlington’s library plays an essential role in providing safe, accessible and free educational resources for every member in our community. It doesn’t matter how much money you make because library resources are free. Individuals and families, no matter their socioeconomic status, can count on libraries to provide them with the resources they need to succeed and the answers to important questions they can’t otherwise find.

It serves as a vital social service by helping bridge the gap between the haves and the have nots, especially when it comes to literacy and computer skills training. In libraries, community-building connections are happening all the time. Place-based economic development stresses the importance of offering attractive, functional and community-based places, such as libraries, in town and city centers. Libraries attract large numbers of people, creating economic opportunities for busi-

nesses and organizations in our community.

Please join me and many others in supporting our public library.

Emilie Krasnow has lived in South Burlington since 2005 and is a South Burlington Library ASPIRE campaign volunteer. To contribute to the ASPIRE campaign, visit southburlingtonlibraryfoundation.org. Find more about programming at southburlingtonlibrary.org.

PHOTO BY GORDON MILLER

The South Burlington Public Library opened in July 2021 and has quickly become a center of community activity in the city.

Legislature pushes through major, potentially costly changes

Guest Perspective

John McClaughry

The Vermont Legislature is moving swiftly into its final six weeks. A major issue, as always, is parceling out revenues to cover the $8.1 billion general fund and transportation budgets. That process is eased this year by the tsunami of federal dollars rolling into the state, allowing the solons to fund programs and causes that in ordinary times, with normal state revenues, would not make the cut.

A major feature of next year’s spending bill is the Climate Action Plan’s imperative to put an astounding 170,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030 — 164,000 more than the state has now. To race down this pathway, the state will spend $10 million to install charging stations and pay people $12 million to buy electric vehicles.

Of special interest are bills that change the rules or add new restrictions and entitlements. One such is the child tax credit proposal (H.510) that the House approved 102-46. This would confer $1,200 a year on families for each child under age 7. Lest it

be seen as a nontaxable handout to the wealthy, the credit would phase down at $200,000 of adjusted gross income, disappearing at $220,000. Above that, families will have to make do without this benefit.

Once approved, no Legislature will ever vote to repeal this. With inflation taking its toll, there will be regular efforts to increase the $1,200, expand eligibility to age 12, or make it available to struggling families with adjusted gross incomes greater than $220,000.

The House has passed (98-42) another climate council must-have bill, the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act (H.606). It loftily declares that “nature is facing a catastrophic loss of biodiversity, both globally and locally,” so we must increase the pace of permanent conservation to 30 percent of total land area in Vermont by 2030 and to 50 percent by 2050.

Rural land is conserved when the state and federal government owns it, or an environmental organization or trust owns it, or you own it, but can’t do much of anything with it except pay taxes on it. This is a reincarnation of the conservation areas of the 1972 State Land Use Plan of unhappy

memory, that expired without action in 1976.

The bill charges the secretary of natural resources with working out the details, and the Legislature will impose the needed regulations in 2024. At least there’ll be a legislative vote before rural landowners are “conserved,” which is more than the climate council can say for its disgraceful clean heat standard.

That measure (H.715) passed the House 96-44. Simply put, it will make your fuel oil and gas bill constantly go up. The extra dollars you’ll have to pay will end up in the pockets of the heat pump installers, weatherization contractors and the army of bureaucrats required to track and police an unlimited flow of Public Utility Commission-created credits bestowed on politically favored businesses. No legislator will vote on putting this stealth tax into effect.

(S.234) adds “no adverse impact on forest blocks and connecting habitat” as one more criterion for Act 250 permit approval, and authorizes requiring costly and unpredictable mitigation requirements.

The bill would exempt residential housing in bureaucratically designated neighborhood development areas from compliance with Act 250.

Then there’s the omnibus housing bill (S. 226) that just passed the Senate 28-0. It does relax some strictures on multifamily and accessory housing units, which is good. It also authorizes newly created municipal or regional land banks to accept title to blighted properties and presumably arrange for their improvement and reoccupation. The land banks won’t have the power to tax, so it’s not clear what funds they’ll use to pay their operating and legal expenses and finance their properties.

ance with Act 250. This is another example of setting a high and expensive bar to development (Act 250), and then exempting politically favored projects in politically designated places.

The same bill would create a homeless bill of rights, to protect people who are homeless or are perceived by somebody as being homeless. The bill exempts homeless people from prosecution for panhandling, an exemption not available to people who have homes.

Nor could a homeless person be denied voter registration for being unable to offer evidence that he or she actually lives in the town. This can be viewed as a green light for election day tourism.

Another Senate-passed bill

The bill would exempt residential housing in bureaucratically designated neighborhood development areas from compli-

These are only a few of the measures rapidly moving through our House and Senate that, aside from the electric vehicle subsidies, don’t merely make questionable use of money. They’ll make real changes, and in some cases — notably the clean heat standard — they will make a mockery of the Constitution’s prescription of legislative accountability.

John McClaughry is vice president of the Ethan Allen Institute.

Community Notes

Film by South Burlington student airs on public TV

Brenden Provost, a Champlain College student from South Burlington, participated in “Made Here,” a program from Vermont PBS that aired on March 31.

The program was made possible through a partnership with the station and the college’s division of communication and creative media and featured the films of over a dozen student filmmakers.

Provost participated in the film “Soul Survivor” about the Winooski-based musical group A2VT.

Game competition at Youth Center

On April 9, the Infinite Youth Center holds its first game competition at the University Mall. There will be two rounds of foosball and Jenga in the morning ahead of the afternoon championship.

First and second place prizes for both tournaments are a boat ride on the Austrian Eagle. Third place winners will receive $50 gift cards.

Check-in for the game competition is at 9:30 a.m., with round one from 10 a.m. to noon followed by a lunch break, then round two from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and the championship game at 3 p.m.

There is a $10 suggested donation per student and $20 suggested donation per adult. Adults can also feel free to sponsor a student

or students. All proceeds from the game competition will go to benefit the Trinity Educational Center Summer Camp, planned for June 13 to August 26 at the Infinite Youth Center.

The center is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For information, contact Jaxon French, youth council officer, at

jax.french@trinityedcenter.org or Dr. Travia Childs at tec@trinityedcenter.org; 802-777-8080.

Hinesburg event helps feed Ukrainian refugees

The United Church of Hinesburg last week sent approxi-

mately $4,000 to World Central Kitchen, which is distributing hot meals to Ukrainians fleeing their homeland.

The church plans to send a second contribution of donations soon. Want to help? Go to ucofh. org or send a check, with “Ukraine mission” in the memo, to United Church of Hinesburg P.O. Box

39, Hinesburg VT 05461. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be sent to World Central Kitchen.

Youth dancers bring

Dorothy Gale story to life

Vermont Youth Dancers bring the classic story of the “Wizard of Oz” to life in a full-length theater dance production to current music in “Far from Home, in Search of the Emerald City,” Saturday, April 9, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 10, 1:30 p.m., at Mount Mansfield Union High School in Jericho.

In the story, Dorothy Gale feels confined to her small farm and longs to break free on her own.

Once she is far away, however, it is her truest wish to make her way back home. As they become entangled in a battle of good and evil, both she and her new friends must complete a journey of self-discovery, learning that they each have what they need within themselves to triumph in the end. Will Dorothy realize that her own bravery and spirit will help her overcome evil and lead her home?

Vermont Youth Dancers blend

Epic AJ by Grayson Dailey

SoBu library welcomes artist Ephraim Schwartz in April

Ephraim Schwartz comes from a long line of painters, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, granduncles and two older siblings.

His paintings will be on display during the month of April on the second floor of the South Burlington Public Library.

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 10

hip-hop and compelling lyrical choreography, with song choices that tell the story. Dance itself is infused with drama as the cast brings characters to life through movement and acting.

More at vermontyouthdancers.org.

Upcoming blood drives

Thursday, April 14, 2-7 p.m., Charlotte Senior Center, 212 Ferry Road, Charlotte.

Somewhat intimidated by his lineage, Schwartz said he turned to writing and spent his career in publishing as an editor and writer for several consumer publications, including the magazines Ski and Cars and most recently, InfoWorld, a high-tech weekly.

But over the years Schwartz

always returned, somewhat sporadically, to painting. Now retired, the South Burlington resident spends all his time painting in his preferred mediums, watercolor and acrylic.

Being a city-boy at heart, Schwartz typically focuses on city folks and cityscapes.

1184 Williston Road is for lease as of May 1st. Chuck and Jann Perkins opened the Alpine Shop in 1963, and it has been a retail specialty ski shop for the past 59 years.

The Alpine Shop has carried tennis, backpacking, canoes, kayaks, hockey, extensive ski and clothing lines, and other specialty lines along with ski and snowboards. An extensive leasing program of skis and snowboards has been in place.

Chuck and Jann would like to see the use of the building as a specialty ski and sport shop continue, if possible. Other uses for the building might be a restaurant, furniture store, hardware store, brewery, antique store, or any of many other potential uses.

The building consists of over 18,000 square feet, and it is the desire of Chuck and Jann to lease it as one business, if possible. It could be divided up nto 4 businesses, if necessary.

The building is a stand alone structure with great eye appeal. There is plenty of parking for your customers. (Chuck is having the parking lot repaved as soon as possible, and any necessary repairs to the building will be done immediately). Williston Road has a tremendous high traffic count, so potential customers are driving by every minute of every day. There is a big sign out by the road, and the building has extensive outside lighting.

If you have any interest in this great building at this great location, please call Chuck or Jann at 802 734-5885 for more information.

COURTESY PHOTO

“Jerusalem,” a watercolor by artist Ephraim Schwartz.

Look out! Frogs, salamanders on the move

Vermonters are reporting a particularly horrendous mudseason this year, keeping some off the roads. But the warm, rainy nights in early spring give us another good reason to avoid even paved roads: breeding frogs and salamanders are on the move.

“At this time of year, amphibians cross roads in large numbers to reach vernal pools and other waters for breeding,” Luke Groff, fish and wildlife herpetologist, said. “If you find a crossing, you can see many individuals and species in a short period and small area, and some species may not be seen the rest of the year. Spotted and blue-spotted salamanders, for example, belong to a group called the mole salamanders because after breeding, they retreat underground or under logs or stumps and are rarely seen until the following spring.”

Biologists rely on amphibian road crossing events to document rare or otherwise hard-tofind species. For example, the four-toed salamander is rare in Vermont, and its distribution is not

See FROGS on page 13

PHOTO BY JOHN HALL

Vermont Fish and Wildlife is asking drivers to be cautious when travelling at night in early spring or to take alternate routes to avoid driving near ponds and wetlands where salamanders and frogs are crossing during their breeding season.

FROGS

continued from page 12

well understood.

This information is used by Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, the agency of transportation and conservation partners to assess the need for wildlife passages and barriers in road construction plans that allow all wildlife, not just frogs and sala-

Shape the community’s character

manders, to more safely cross roadways.

Groff is encouraging Vermonters to explore their nearby roads and report amphibian road crossings to vtherpatlas. org/sighting-submission-form. If you can safely take photos of the amphibian species crossing, include them.

PHOTO BY LUKE GROFF

Spotted salamander

Hellebores herald arrival of spring

NADIE VANZANDT UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT EXTENSION

For a stunning display of blooms in early spring, most New England gardens would benefit from the addition of a remarkable perennial — the hellebore.

Among the first plants to herald spring, hellebores have gained huge popularity due to their many laudable qualities.

Hellebores are non-invasive evergreen perennials coveted for their resistance to cold and their abundant, durable and colorful blooms. They can thrive for over two decades and are undeterred by hungry deer and rabbits.

Helleborus (hellebore) is a genus of about 20 species of extremely cold-hardy herbaceous perennials in the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family. This plant is native to mountainous regions of Southern and Central Europe from

See HELLEBORES on page 17

PHOTO BY NADIE VANZANDT

One of the many species of hellebores, the spring-flowering Helleborus x ‘Rio Carnival’ produces

blooms with burgundy speckling.

Vermont’s corn history goes back to Indigenous roots

Connect the Dots

Jane Dorney

Q: How can we see corn’s impact on the Vermont landscape through time?

A retired farmer I once interviewed told me that on Groundhog’s Day — winter’s halfway point — he always checked to see if he still had half of the feed his livestock needed to make it to spring. I think of him in late winter as I drive past farms and look at their remaining silage.

As I do, it reminds me how the corn plant, originally a wild grass from Mexico, has changed Vermont over time. Many of the story’s chapters can be seen today.

Today’s corn is descended from a southern Mexican grass called teosinte with cobs one-tenth the size of modern corn. About 9,000 years ago, Native Americans started selectively breeding teosinte for larger seeds using hand pollination and hybridization. By the time Europeans arrived in the late 1400s, corn had been shared by Native Americans from group to group across both American continents. They had bred many different varieties to grow in a wide range of temperatures and rainfall, including southwestern deserts, Canada’s cold areas, the high-elevation Andes, Amazon rainforests and many places in between.

New England settlers learned to grow corn from Native Americans.

Corn’s climate adaptability made it a good addition to the wheat, oats, barley and rye settlers brought with them from Europe. Farm animals, including cows, pigs, sheep and chickens, happily ate corn, allow-

PHOTOS BY JANE DORNEY

This late 19th-century-style square wooden silo still stands in Hinesburg.

20th-century concrete silos at Bread and Butter Farm off Cheesefactory Road in Shelburne. See CONNECT THE DOTS on page 17

DISTRICT MAP

continued from page 1

den Southeast district.

Chittenden argued that the Legislature’s move to two three-member and one single member Chittenden County Senate districts will avoid one town (like South Burlington) having too much power.

“Three-member districts really accomplished the following: it allowed for no one district to have one town that overrides or has a supermajority over other smaller towns,” he said.

An earlier iteration of the Senate map with two-member districts would have meant that South Burlington’s population consumed over half of the district, despite being grouped in with a few other towns, he said, but other legislators worried the city’s voice would be too loud.

Now, the city only makes up about a third of the population in the Chittenden Southeast district, which includes a portion of Burlington, Williston, Shelburne, Hinesburg, Charlotte, Richmond, Bolton, Underhill and St. George.

The three-member Chittenden Central district includes Burlington, Winooski and parts of Colchester and Essex, while the Chittenden North district, which will be represented by one senator, includes Fairfax, Milton, Westford and part of Essex.

Giving one community too much power was the prevailing concern that catalyzed the breakup of the Chittenden six-member district in 2019, and it still seems to concern many Vermonters.

Last year, as the state Legislative Apportionment Board began redrawing the districts, respondents to one of its surveys decried the county as too powerful and overshadowing less populous Vermont communities. Still, the county is the most populous in the state with over 168,000 people and steady growth.

The new legislative maps seem to be good news for South Burlington, which added 2,388 people to its population since the 2010 census and will take the title of second biggest city in Vermont after the village of Essex Junction breaks from the town of Essex.

In the House

Thanks to that growth, South Burlington will likely send a fifth representative to the House next year in a new district shared with neighboring Williston, which saw 16 percent growth in its population since 2010, one of the biggest jumps in the state. At about 10,100 people, the municipality is just under half the size of South Burlington.

Sharing a House representative with another municipality was not Kinville’s first choice — she

argued that the city’s rapid growth, about 13 percent in the last 10 years, qualified South Burlington for five insular House districts — but she’s happy that the city wasn’t split up.

Currently, South Burlington’s four House districts are served by Ann Pugh, John Killacky, Maida Townsend and Martin LaLonde, all Democrats.

At 30 percent, Killacky’s district had the biggest growth in the state since the last census, with Pugh’s district close behind him at 27.5 percent.

“I love that we will now have five districts representing South Burlington in the Vermont House. I hope that these district lines might also be adopted for our city council,” he wrote in an email.

Chris Shaw, chair of both the South Burlington Board of Civil Authority and the South Burlington Democrats, believes the city has some shared values with Williston but perhaps more in common with Shelburne.

“(Williston) probably will have more of a problem with it insofar as their numbers are smaller compared to ours. That gives us an electoral advantage if you want to have a South Burlington person in that office,” Shaw said.

Donning his South Burlington Democrats hat, Shaw noted that city councilors Helen Riehle, Matt Cota and Tim Barritt all live in the new House district and could potentially run.

As far as the Senate goes, he’s happy with the city’s representation in the new Chittenden Southeast district.

“Our representation is, in our mind as the board of civil authority, better represented with like towns like Shelburne, Williston, and so on. I’m not sure we have as much in common with Jericho, Underhill, Richmond and Bolton, but the problem is, of course, they haven’t the pennies and often get moved around like pawns,” Shaw said.

Slighter but still substantial, Shelburne grew by about 8 percent, Hinesburg grew by 6 percent and Charlotte grew by 4 percent, according to the census.

With new legislative maps, there’s also likely to be some confusion for voters. The names of House districts have all changed, a new shared district with Williston will mean a new polling location, and residents will be voting in a new Senate district for the first time.

A fifth representative will mean South Burlington residents in the shared district will have a new polling location, but those details and the exact boundaries of the districts haven’t yet been ironed out, said Kinville.

Willowing

ACT 250

continued from page 1

among developers across the state, while many supporters of the law, and even those somewhere in the middle, consider it a lighthouse for environmental stewardship and Vermont values.

Now, legislators in both the Vermont House and Senate have proposed bills to reform Act 250, although it’s unclear if they will help or hinder the process.

Last year, the District 4 Environmental Commission, which reviews Act 250 permits in Chittenden County, issued 77 minor permits, meaning they didn’t require a public hearing, and five major permits, which required public hearings, according to the Natural Resources Board. The average wait time from when the District 4 Commission received a complete application to when they issued a decision was 69 days.

Only one major permit was denied.

One of the reasons Act 250 is perceived to hold up projects is that the commission does not review an application until it is deemed fully complete, with all other required permits intact. It’s sort of the last step of review, looking at the whole picture, but that isn’t well

understood, according to Thomas A. Little, chair of the District 4 Environmental Commission.

Little explained, with the caveat that none of his comments bear any weight on pending applications, that 90 percent or more of Act 250 permits are issued with no hearings, and that if an applicant has acquired all their required permits before entering the Act 250 process, the review isn’t usually held up.

“Act 250 is the last permit that gets issued,” Little said. “So, if you hear people complaining that it takes forever, if you peel back a few layers, it may be that there was a stormwater permit that they had a hard time satisfying and the Act 250 held off until that was settled.”

The review process is somewhat duplicative, Little agreed, but since local zoning varies by municipality — with some towns lacking local zoning altogether — Act 250 covers a lot of ground that could be missed.

“There is no doubt overlap,” he said. “Act 250 and local zoning will look at some of the same things, maybe a lot of the same things, but not all of the same things.

For example, local zoning only

considers impacts within town borders, while Act 250 might examine traffic impacts across municipalities. Often, local zoning doesn’t examine wildlife habitat impacts which Act 250 looks at, he added.

This environmental piece is crucial for Brian Shupe, executive director of the Vermont Natural Resources Council, who argued that the law has helped protect the environment and preserve Vermont values.

“It’s been extremely positive for the state,” Shupe said, adding that, in addition to protecting the environment, it has boosted the state’s economy, keeping “busts from busting too low and our booms from booming too high,” he said. “However, it has been weakened over the years and is old — it is showing its age and it’s been time for an update now for years.”

Two bills in the Senate and House, both of which Shupe supports, seek to reform the law. H.492 would reform the Natural Resources Board, resurrecting a professional board to oversee the Act 250 appeals process instead

PHOTO BY LEE KROHN

Pussy willow buds swell as April dawns in Chittenden County.

HELLEBORES

continued from page 14

the eastern Alps through Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to the northern Balkans.

One species, Helleborus orientalis, is commonly known as the Lenten rose because it blooms during the weeks leading up to the Easter holiday. Helleborus orientalis cross-pollinates well with other species of hellebores resulting in stunning specimens.

During the 1980s and 1990s, devoted German and British breeders used Helleborus orientalis to develop many stunning cultivars. These hybrid hellebores featured extraordinary colors from whites and greens to pinks and dark purples in single or double blossoms.

Hellebores have a relatively young history in the American garden. In the mid-1990s, American collectors caught the hellebore fever and gained national and international recognition for breeding exceptional cultivars.

Countless selections of hybrid hellebores are available to consumers, though they can be difficult to identify because many cultivars were incorrectly classified in the trade. This dilemma led to their reclassification as Helleborus x

CONNECT THE DOTS

continued from page 15

ing settlers to add more protein to their diets with more milk products, eggs and meat.

By 1850, corn was the second most common grain produced on Vermont farms, with more than two million bushels grown annually. Only oats for horses edged it out in production. Corn was harvested when the kernels were dry, husked by hand and stored in specially designed corn cribs raised on posts to keep rodents out — the Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh has one.

In the 19th century, Germans started experimenting with fermenting chopped green plants into silage using the same process used for sauerkraut. The still-green plants were harvested, chopped, compacted to exclude air and left to ferment for several weeks. The silage was so acidic it preserved itself for months with little spoilage.

After these successful experiments, New England farmers started making corn silage in the late 1800s. It had a dramatic impact, particularly on dairy farming. Silage was more digestible and palatable than kernel corn for cows and feeding the whole plant and

hybridus (where the × indicates that species have been crossed). Their former name, Helleborus orientalis hybridus, erroneously referred to a naturally occurring variety.

Hybrid hellebores grow into mounds up to 24 inches tall and 30 inches wide. Although their foliage varies in shape and color, most share glossy palmate leaves with serrated leaflets. Their stunning, longlived blooms are not flowers, but large colorful sepals that remain on the stems until the seeds mature. Although the blooms change color following pollination, they do not lose their aesthetic appeal.

Hybrid hellebores are easy to grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4-9. They thrive in partial shade in moist but well-drained soil. In New England, they can grow in full sun provided they receive sufficient moisture.

Hellebores tolerate most soils and will benefit from a yearly application of compost, preferably in the spring. You can plant them anytime from early spring through early fall to allow ample time for

Circus performer

not just the kernels provided much more food value per acre of corn. The higher quality feed could also be available all winter, significantly boosting milk production by milking year-round.

As local farmers continued to experiment, their silage storage methods evolved. At first, a few adventuresome farmers built underground pit silos. When it proved too hard to lift the silage out, farmers tried above-ground wooden silo rooms built in a barn corner or separate structures outside the barns.

strong root growth.

When planting, take care to keep the crown at soil level by digging a hole as deep as the pot they came in. Burying the crown too deep will discourage blooms.

Loosen the root ball if needed, level the plant in the hole and water the roots. Continue to cover the roots with soil, taking care not to bury the crown. If you plan to spread mulch, be sure to keep it away from the crown.

If your hellebore is established, consider pruning the previous year’s foliage to keep your plant looking fresh and to prevent the spread of diseases from the old leaves.

Creating a hybrid cultivar is a meticulous, time-consuming process that involves a lot of trial and error. Additionally, when grown from seeds a plant may take five to six years to reach marketable size. These factors have prompted many breeders to patent their cultivars and charge growers royalties and licensing fees, ultimately resulting in high consumer prices.

Although hellebores are pricey, don’t let this intimidate you from investing in such robust plants, especially ones that will take center stage in your shade garden for the next 20 years.

Unfortunately, the silage in the corners of these square spaces spoiled. By the early 20th century, farmers tried eight-sided wooden towers, some with more than eight sides and some of which can still be seen today.

As the average farm herd increased tenfold from the late 1800s to the late 1900s, the need for silage increased. Concrete became cheaper and farmers began building round concrete silos, still considered the classic by many. But the most modern silos are the large blue metal Harvestores that are virtually airtight and better preserve silage.

In recent years, many Vermont dairy farmers have moved away from using upright silos and instead use three-sided concrete bunkers. Silage is loaded in the bunkers, compacted by driving heavy equipment over it, and covered with plastic sheets weighed with tires to ferment. In 2020, Vermont farmers grew 80,000 acres of corn at 19 tons per acre. Much of it was stored in silage bunkers.

While farmers are still innovating with new corn varieties

State wildlife officials say it’s time to hang up your birdfeeders as spring approaches and bears emerge from hibernation. Officials warn that “a fed bear is a dead bear” and feeders and other human-supplied food sources compound the problem. Learn more at vtfishandwildlife.com/node/256.

and silage, some local groups are preserving Indigenous seed varieties saved for centuries by Native Americans. In 2012, the Seeds of Renewal project sought out Abenaki-saved seeds in the region and established a seed library with Sterling College.

Recently, the nonprofit Abenaki Helping Abenaki has partnered with Vermont farmers and gardeners to use some of the surplus Indigenous seed to grow food and distribute it to Abenaki citizens.

Corn changed Vermont, the Americas and the world. Developed by Native Americans over thousands of years, corn is now the

world’s number one grain crop. It’s raised on every continent except Antarctica and feeds billions.

We can see our story’s chapters in the silos and the silage bunkers along our rural roads. The silage may be over half gone, but our dairy farmers are planning the next growing season and will soon be planting corn again, as the cycle continues.

Jane Dorney is a consulting geographer who does research and education projects to help people understand why the Vermont landscape looks like it does. See more at janedorney.com.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Nadie VanZandt is a UVM Extension master gardener.

Jane Dorney

Prune the previous year’s foliage to keep your plant looking fresh and to prevent the spread of diseases from the old leaves.

Butternut canker affects enigmatic Vermont tree

Into the Woods

Ethan Tapper

Butternut (Juglans cinerea) is an enigmatic tree. Also called white walnut, butternut is the hardiest member of the walnut genus, with a range stretching north into southern Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, as far west as Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri, and south to Tennessee.

In Vermont, butternut trees are usually found on rich, moist soils, growing alongside sugar maple, basswood, white ash and plants like maidenhair fern and blue cohosh. It is shade-intolerant, needing lots of sunlight to thrive. While butternut was likely never a common or long-lived tree in Vermont’s forests, it is becoming increasingly uncommon and shorter-lived due to the prevalence of a non-native pathogen called butternut canker.

Butternut trees produce butternuts: a hard-shelled, fatty nut much like a walnut, encased in a fleshy, green, football-shaped husk. Butternut has a compound leaf of seven to 17 pointed leaflets, unfurling from brown twigs with distinctive large, lightbrown terminal buds and leaf scars that look like little monkey faces with yellow unibrows.

The bark is patterned with narrow, interlacing ridges, similar to that of ash trees but darker in color. When stressed or afflicted with butternut canker, as they usually are, butternut bark is black and ashy gray and its ridges look sanded off.

Butternut is culturally important to the Abenaki, who call butternut bagon. Abenaki and other indigenous peoples eat butternuts and use their fleshy husks and the tree’s bark as a dye, and the abundance of butternuts at archaeological sites suggests that Indigenous people may have planted and dispersed the species for millennia. After European colonization, butternut trees were widely planted by colonists and butternuts became an ingredient in traditional New England cuisine.

While butternut trees were historically prized for their nuts, rather than their wood, today butternut lumber is used for a variety of purposes — most of them ornamental. Butternut wood is soft, light and pretty, an excellent carving wood. Butternut logs can be sold living or dead, and butternut lumber is often full of character, including the wormholes prominent in dead trees.

Butternut is an awful firewood. An old-timer once told me: “It burns as well as a snowball and produces half the heat.”

In today’s forests, healthy butternut trees are extremely rare due to a fungus called butternut canker (Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum). Butternut canker was first discovered in Wisconsin in 1967, perhaps introduced on Asian walnut trees. Dispersed by wind, rain and insects, this pathogen creates black cankers on butternut’s bark that proliferate until they girdle and kill the tree.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, close to 100 percent of butternuts in their native range are infected, with mortality rates exceeding 90 percent.

Efforts have been made to study and promote resistance to butternut canker using a variety of methods, including crossing

butternuts with Japanese walnut (Juglans ailantifolia).

Interestingly, a certain amount of hybridization between butternut and Japanese walnut has been occurring for over a century: Japanese walnuts, especially the cultivar known as Japanese heartnut, have been planted in North America since the 1800s.

This species naturally hybridizes with butternut, creating a tree called buartnut,

which was noted in the United States by the early 1900s.

While buartnuts are more resistant to butternut canker than butternuts, hybridization comes at a risk: potentially eroding some of the unique and adaptive genetic qualities of the butternut species.

Each native tree species has a unique role to play in Vermont’s forests. Forests are natural communities: complex assemblages

of species that are greater than the sum of their parts and which are enriched by diversity. The loss of a tree species impacts forests in profound ways, and butternut is just one of several important tree species that we have lost, that we are losing or whose role in our forests has been radically changed due to a non-native pest or pathogen.

Forestry officials predict that 100 percent of butternuts across their native range are infected with butternut canker.

180 Market St., South Burlington, 802-846-4140, southburl ingtonlibrary.org for information about any programming, cancellations or in-person changes. Some events may change from in-person to virtual. Some events require preregistration.

Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Email sbplinfo@southburlington vt.gov.

KIDS & TEEN EVENTS

Kids’ Book Club

Thursdays, April 7 and 28, 4-5 p.m.

Kids in kindergarten through second grade and their parents are welcome to join Ms. Natacha for a book club for kids. April title: “Leaping Beauty” by Gregory Maguire. Preregister.

Dungeons & Dragons

Saturday, April 16 and 30, 10:15 a.m.-2 p.m.

Join experienced dungeon master, Miss Jo, Saturdays at the library and get started on the Shadows of the Moonsea journey. Experience not required to play.

Toddlertime

Tuesdays, April 12, 19 and 26, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Join Miss Kelly and her puppets for storytimes geared to ages 1 to 3 with an adult caregiver.

Lego builders

Wednesdays, April 13, 20 and 27, 3-4:30 p.m.

Projects geared to kids ages eight and up, or ages six and up with an adult helper. Each week, builders explore, create and participate in challenges.

Babytime

Wednesdays, April 13, 20 and 27, 10:30-11 a.m.

A gentle, slow storytime that features songs, rhymes and lap play.

Music and movement with Miss Emma!

Thursday, April 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Join Miss Emma for singing, scarf play, movement and jam session. Geared to kids ages birth to 5. No pre-registration required.

Friday movie

Fridays, April 8 and 22, 3-4:30 p.m.

April 8: “Brave Little Toaster”; and April 22: “Homeward Bound.”

Art & crafternoons

Tuesdays, April 12, 21 and 26, 3-4:30 p.m.

From painting to print-making and from collage to sculpture, each crafternoon features a different kind of activity. For kids ages eight and up, or ages six and up

INTO THE WOODS

continued from page 18

Others include elm, beech, chestnut and ash.

In a changing world, taking care of forests means supporting their resilience and their ability to adapt. Doing our best to save butternut is just one piece in this puzzle. Others include stopping deforestation and forest fragmentation, controlling non-native invasive plants and addressing the many other threats to forest health and to biodiversity.

It’s up to us to help forests respond to the profound challenges of the modern world as they move into an uncertain future.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County forester for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. See what he’s been up to, check out his YouTube channel, sign up for his newsletter and read articles he’s written at linktr.ee/ chittendencountyforester.

with an adult helper. March 29: star stick mobile.

Youth advisory board meeting

Thursday, April 14, 4-5 p.m.

For teenage library lovers to help make decisions about how things run at the library. Looking for new members. Is that you?

ADULT EVENTS

Tech help by phone

Friday, April 15, 10 a.m.-noon

Do you have a new comput er or device that you don’t know how to use? Call during dial-in tech help hours for help.

Italian book club

Wednesday, April 27, 2-3 p.m. Join Marianne Lucenti McNamara and meet other club members at an intermediate level or above who want to improve their reading and speaking skills.

Classical clusters: early 19th-century romantics

Wednesday, April 27, 1:15-2:30 p.m.

Classical clusters is a series of four presentations, each focusing on a different group of composers and their music, all connected to each other in some way, with Lois Price, a library staff member and

News from South Burlington Library

CLASSIFIEDS

Classified ads are free for South Burlington residents. Ads run for two weeks, as space and time allows. Ads should be 30 words or less. Call 802-864-6670 with questions or to run a paid ad for Services, Real Estate, For Rent, Employment, Business Opportunities, etc.

HIRING EVENT!

Saturdays 11am – 3pm

On site interviews available for all full-time and part-time openings.

Saturdays • Now thru Apr. 9

All Hannaford locations. Hiring all ages, from 15-years old and up.

https://hannaford.careerswithus.com

Great positions in entry level and management at an award-winning agency . . .

... and that’s on top of being a “Best Place to Work In Vermont” for four years running.

Great positions in Residential Program Management ($43K) and Direct Support Professionals ($18 per hour) at an award-winning agency serving Vermonters with intellectual disabilities. Plus a $500 sign-on bonus and an incredible benefits package.

Make a career making a difference. Apply today at https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

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ACT 250

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of sending appeals to the environmental court. S.234 adds more environmental jurisdiction, covering things like forest fragmentation, and creates some exemptions for priority housing in growth centers, among other things.

Both bills were passed in their respective chambers and have moved on, with H.492 in front of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy and S.234 in front of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish, and Wildlife.

“The incremental carving up of our big blocks of forest into smaller parts has significant environmental, economic, cultural, recreational impacts on the state. This would recognize that and put criteria in place and jurisdictional tools to capture more of that scattered residential development to address

forest fragmentation,” Shupe said. “If people want to go because they don’t want to be held to a high environmental standard or a high level of responsibility to the local community, then let them go.”

Austin Davis, government affairs manager for the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce, argued that taking the appeal process away from the court could bring politics into the mix and is more of a step backward than forward.

“We’re in the middle of a housing crisis and we’ve overcorrected to the point where we’re not building the housing and infrastructure that’s needed,” Davis argued. Similarly, he does not support adding further regulations, like a jurisdictional trigger for roads, as the Senate bill proposes.

Evan Langfeldt, chief execu-

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Shared Living Provider

LCMHS is currently seeking a home provider for an 18-year-old girl with an Intellectual Disability. This is an in-home position and the individual would need their own bedroom in the home. We are looking for a quiet home with no teenage males but will consider homes with younger children. Preferably located in Lamoille County. Tax-Free Stipend plus Room & Board.

To learn more about this opportunity, contact Ross King at (802) 888-5026. Join our team of amazing individuals making a difference every day!

More information and all job opportunities: www.lamoille.org/careers

LCMHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Shared Living Provider

Open your home to someone with an intellectual disability or autism and open a whole world to them, and to you. Working with our team of professionals, you’ll help someone live a safe and fulfilling life at home and in the community. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household.

A $500 sign on bonus, generous stipend, paid time off, comprehensive training & supports are provided. Plus, CCS has been voted one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont for the fourth year in a row. Join us! Contact Jennifer Wolcott, jwolcott@ccs-vt.org or 655-0511 ext. 118.

ccs-vt.org

EOE

tive officer of O’Brien Brothers, one of the biggest developers of new housing in South Burlington, finds himself sort of in the middle. He does not have any complaints as far as the Act 250 process has gone regarding the company’s housing projects in South Burlington, but he noted the permitting process was extensive. It’s taken over two years to permit O’Brien’s current building phase, and much of the permitting feels redundant to him.

“Why does it take so long to get housing on the market here? Why is there such tight inventory?

William Ross Eckhardt

William Ross Eckhardt, 89, of South Burlington, died at his home on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, with his wife Shohreh and hospice nurse Ingrid by his side.

He was born in Portland, Maine on April 20, 1932, to Cornelius and Catherine Eckhardt. He grew up in Burlington and attended Cathedral High School. After graduation Bill attended St. Michael’s College before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. While in the Navy, he traveled the world aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. Upon returning home, he enrolled at the University of Vermont where he met the woman who would become the love of his life, Shohreh (Sherry) Batmanglidj. The two married in 1958 and enjoyed 63 wonderful years together.

Bill graduated from the University of Vermont and worked at

It’s because the permitting process is so extensive, and so elongated. I mean, unless municipalities are willing to staff up and put the resources towards it, you’re going to always have this log jam of projects that just can’t move along in an expedient manner,” Langfeldt said.

“I know it’s a cliche that time is money, but it’s real,” he continued. “When you have an under supply of housing, and one of the biggest housing developers around with one of the biggest housing projects around is delayed, it’s just further

exacerbating the issue. There are costs to the delay that at the end of the day, it’s just getting passed on to the homebuyer.”

As Groeneveld trudges through the Act 250 process in the hopes that the new OnLogic building will one day get built, he worries how South Burlington’s economic future will look in a landscape he argues is unfriendly to development.

“It’s really discouraging to see where this is going,” he said. “I think the economic viability of this community is at stake.”

enjoyed traveling, sailing, target shooting, do-it-yourself projects, fast cars and good food. He and Sherry could often be found tooling around the byways of Vermont in their convertible with the top down and he never met a lobster, oyster or little neck clam he didn’t like. He was preceded in death by his sister, Constance Holstein.

Bill is survived by his wife, Shohreh; daughter, Shireen Eckhardt and son-in-law, Jeffrey Trigg; son, Kiya Batmanglidj; his loving cat, Lynx; and several nieces and nephews.

General Electric for over 30 years.

Bill loved life and endeavored to enjoy every moment. He often said, “You only live once, but if you play your cards right, once is enough.”

Bill loved cats and gazing out on Lake Champlain from his home on the lake in South Burlington. He

PUBLIC HEARING

Per Bill’s wishes, there will be a private celebration of life at the convenience of the family.

If you would like to make a donation in Bill’s memory, please consider a donation to the USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum (uss-hornet.org) or Franklin County Animal Rescue (franklincountyanimalrescue.org).

SOUTH BURLINGTON DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

The South Burlington Development Review Board will hold a public hearing in the South Burlington City Hall auditorium, 180 Market Street, South Burlington, Vermont, or online or by phone, on Monday April 25, 2022 at 7:00 P.M. to consider the following:

1. Re-opened preliminary and final plat application #SD-21-28 of Beta Air, LLC to consolidate five existing lots ranging from 1.53 to 736.2 acres into one lot of 747.92 acres and to construct the first phase of a new concurrent application for a master plan, to include a 344,000 sf manufacturing and office building, improving approximately 2,400 ft of private road, and constructing associated site improvements, 3070 Williston Road.

Board members will be participating in person. Applicants and members of the public may participate in person or remotely either by interactive online meeting or by telephone:

Interactive Online Meeting (audio & video): https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84766988723

By Telephone (audio only): (929) 205 6099, Meeting ID: 847 6698 8723

A copy of the application is available for public inspection by emailing Marla Keene, Development Review Planner, mkeene@sburl.com.

April 7, 2022

William Ross Eckhardt

Obituary

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Enhanced feelings of determination motivate you this week, Aries. You will be able to wrap up projects that you’ve thus far been unable to nish. You will be able to handle anything.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

The end of the tunnel isn’t as far away as it may seem right now, Taurus. Take one step at a time and you will nd out that the culmination of something challenging is near.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Think about making some plans for a getaway or a short vacation this week, Gemini. You likely can use the break and change of scenery. Use this as an opportunity to rest and refocus.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, try not to be too judgemental of others, especially as it pertains to a project at work. Be openminded to other ideas and value another’s perspective.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Leo, friends will come to you seeking advice or simply looking for a patient person to lend an ear. Give them all the time they need to share their thoughts.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Getting through the week shouldn’t be too much of a problem for you, Libra. A second wind of energy may come your way and you will have the determination to get the job done.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

When a project presents itself you don’t want to pass on it, Libra. Do your due diligence. Now is not the time for shortcuts or to rush through anything.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

There’s a good chance you will feel positive and upbeat for most of the week, Scorpio. Make the most of this good mood and catch up with friends and loved ones.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Sagittarius, don’t underestimate your ability to be resourceful when a problem lands in your lap. You will nd the answers to get through it.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Try not to let one obstacle get you down, Capricorn. You will have plenty of other opportunities to redeem yourself and nd success in the task at hand.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

Aquarius, it can be easy to fall into a rut, but by daring to be different you may gain a new perspective on things you never imagined. Try a new style and embrace the change.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Resist feeling self-conscious about some of your choices, Pisces. If you believe in yourself, others will start to ock to your side.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Midway between south and southeast

4. Celebrations

9. Pulpits

14. Pin

15. Rare laughing

16. Parts of the circulatory system

17. Financial term

18. Pearl Jam frontman

20. Cores of vascular plants

22. Strong sharp smell or taste

23. City in S. Korea

24. One from Damascus

28. Short message at the end of an email

29. It cools your home

30. Towards the mouth or oral region

31. Intestinal pouches

33. Boys and men

37. The 12th letter of the Greek alphabet

38. Former CIA

39. A way to arrange

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

41. Body cavity

42. The Great Lake State

43. A type of seal

44. Stop for a moment

46. Ancient kingdom

Here’s How It Works:

Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must ll each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can gure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

49. Of I

50. White clerical vestment

51. Songs to a lover

55. Prices

58. Sun-dried brick

59. Where to park a boat

60. One who values reason and knowledge

64. Partner to feather

65. Sailboats

66. Actress Zellweger

67. Type of screen

68. Country singer Haggard

69. Puts together in time

70. When you hope to arrive

CLUES DOWN

1. An involuntary muscular contraction

2. PA transit system

3. Leaves a place

4. Sweet greenish fruit

5. Lends support to

6. Chap

7. Singer Di Franco

8. Water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere

9. Asserts to be the case

10. Doctor (Spanish)

11. Auction attendee

12. Characterized by unity

13. Soviet Socialist Republic

19. Way to analyze video (abbr.)

ANSWERS

21. Nonclerical

24. Tree resin

25. The academic world

26. Khoikhoi peoples

27. Infer from data

31. Arrives

32. Apart

34. Takes on cargo

35. Beloved Hollywood alien

36. Takes apart

40. Dorm official

41. Secondary or explanatory descriptor

45. Relating to wings

47. Speaker

48. Situated in the middle

52. Loop with a running knot

53. Alaska nursing group (abbr.)

54. Beloveds

56. Establish by law or with authority

57. Border river between India and Nepal 59. Millisecond 60. Revolutions per minute

61. They __

62. ESPN broadcaster Bob 63. A place to stay

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Our company’s purpose is quite simple: To enrich lives through real estate by serving others & giving peace of mind during the process of change.

Beststelling author unveils novel, ‘Brides of Maracoor’

Bestselling author Gregory Maguire unveils the first volume in his new threebook series, “Brides of Maracoor,” Thursday, May 12, 6:30 p.m., South Burlington Public Library.

Ten years ago, Maguire wrapped up his popular four-book Wicked Years series with “Out of Oz.” Now, 25 years after it all began, a new trilogy begins with “The Brides of Maracoor,” which finds Elphaba’s granddaughter, Rain, washed ashore on a foreign island. Comatose, Rain is taken in by a community of single women committed to obscure devotional practices.

As the mainland of Maracoor sustains an assault by a foreign navy, the island’s civil-servant overseer struggles to understand how an alien arriving on the shores of Maracoor could threaten the stability and well-being of an entire nation.

Is it myth or magic at work, for good or for ill?

The trilogy will follow this greenskinned girl from the island outpost into the unmapped badlands of Maracoor before

LIBRARY

continued from page 19

musician. April 6: Bach. April 27: early 19th-century romantics.

Great decisions: Outer space

Thursday, April 7, 6-7:30 p.m.

Moderated by Bernie Carver, the discussion invites participants to explore important global issues. Read the article for the month in the briefing book. Zoom only.

Spring concert series: Eclectica

Saturday, April 9, 11:30-12:30 p.m.

Sofia Hirsch and Laura Markowitz on violins, Ana Ruesink on viola and John Dunlop on cello playing an eclectic mix of classical tunes by Black composers, traditional music from Scotland and Sweden, folk-inspired music of the Danish String Quartet, and sprinkle in a few snappy American tunes that blend genres and forms.

Refreshments follow the concert.

English conversation circle

Monday, April 11, 25, noon-1 p.m.

English as a Second Language discussion group, facilitated by an experienced instructor Louis Giancola.

she learns how — and becomes ready — to turn her broom homeward, back to her family and her lover, back to Oz, which in its beauty, suffering, mystery, injustice and possibility reminds us all too clearly of the troubled yet sacred terrain of our own lives.

Maguire is the New York Times bestselling author of “A Wild Winter Swan,” “Hiddensee,” “After Alice,” “Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister,” “Lost,” “Mirror Mirror” and the Wicked Years series, which includes “Wicked,” the classic that is the basis for the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical of the same name, “Son of a Witch,” “A Lion Among Men,” and “Out of Oz.”

Maguire has lectured on art, literature and culture, both at home and abroad. He lives with his family in New England.

Copies of Maguire’s books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. Seating is limited. Registration is required.

Reservations begin May 3 at southburlingtonlibrary.org.

Poetry club

Tuesdays, April 12 and 26, 11 a.m.-noon

Come share your poetry in a supportive, comfortable setting facilitated by local poet Jodi Girouard.

Vermont Reads

Wednesday, April 13, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

The Vermont Reads 2021 pick, “We Contain Multitudes” by Sarah Henstra, in this hybrid presentation. Jonathan Hopkirk and Adam Kurlansky are partnered in English class, writing letters to one another in a weekly pen pal assignment. With each letter, the two begin to develop a friendship that eventually grows into love. But with homophobia, bullying and devastating family secrets, Jonathan and Kurl struggle to overcome their conflicts and hold onto their relationship.

‘Ridgerunner’

Thursday, April 14, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Morning book group tackles “Ridgerunner” by Gil Adamson. After nearly 20 years, the notorious thief known as the Ridgerunner returns to Montana. Zoom and in-person.

Gregory Maguire