The Other Paper - 1-19-23

Regional dispatch in limbo

Sunset that keeps giving

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

The Chittenden County Public Safety Authority (CCPSA), and its efforts to create a regional emergency dispatch, are now in limbo after Colchester told the board they would not be contributing financially this year.

Now, with questions over whether the entity will be able to get a regional operation up and running, the city of South Burlington is mulling whether to continue regional efforts in-house.

“Whether it’s through CCPSA, or just our expert dispatchers providing regional support, we are exploring all of those models with all of our partners,” Jessie Baker, South Burlington’s city manager, said.

Colchester, a partner of the public safety authority since its inception in 2018, failed to authorize the annual funding for the

Racist TikTok post prompts schools to protest CVU game

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

Two Champlain Valley Union High School girls’ basketball games were postponed — one by Rice Memorial High School and another by Burlington High School — after students at the schools learned of a social media video that a CVU player posted last month that included

racist language.

Champlain Valley Union High School principal Adam Bunting, in an apology letter to students, said that in December, “a student-athlete on the CVU varsity girls’ basketball team made the terrible decision to follow a TikTok trend and post a video that was racially insensitive at best.”

The video has since been taken down. The student “made the video with a family

member who is a person of color,” Bunting said, and “she wrongly believed it was okay to post something that used the N-word.”

“The student took down the video within an hour, but the damage was done as it was recorded and widely distributed by others,” he said.

The school was notified on Jan. 12 that Burlington High School students would not play CVU in protest of the video. Students

at Rice Memorial High School did the same the week prior on Jan. 6.

“We as a team believe that racism is not a trend, nor is it any type of entertainment for social media,” the Burlington team said in an Instagram post on Jan. 12. “We dedicate this day to remind everyone that sadly, racism is still alive in our community.”

PHOTO BY LOUISE HAMMOND

“This was the most gorgeous sunrise I have seen here in the past 17 years,” said Shea Drive

resident Louise Hammond, who took a series of photographs of the sun’s

emergence on her husband’s birthday, “a nice wink from God.”

SoBu mulls moving ahead with own emergency service

The South Burlington Public Art Gallery is featuring an exhibition of 40 paintings by Charlotte artist Marvin Fishman.

Curated by Jessica Manley, the solo show represents a broad retrospective of his main series of two-dimensional work from the last several decades.

“I am a promiscuous art appreciator,” Fishman said. “Figurative, abstract, cubist, impressionist, minimalist, surrealist, expressionist, naive, primitive, mixed media, portraiture, landscape, outsider — whichever, doesn’t matter. I can love some of all. At its most basic, a piece of art has to awaken in me an emotional response and arouse my curiosity. The art does not have to be ‘beautiful.’ It does not have to be harmonious, but it does have to have impact, evoke emotionality, and impel me to dig deeper into the work.”

The exhibit runs through March 14, with an opening reception on Thursday, Jan. 26 from 5:30-7 p.m.

Fishman, who was born in New York City, graduated from Brooklyn College and attended the both the law and graduate schools at the University of Chicago. He initially worked as a journalist in Chicago and as a freelance writer in Mexico.

Returning to New York, Fishman and his friends established The Third World Film Group, and later he and a partner opened their own studio, M2. Fishman became a founding member of Newsreel, a political activist filmmaking group.

After moving to Vermont in the 1970s, Fishman headed the University of Vermont’s media facilities and returned to independent media work and journalism, among other endeavors.

Desiring more physical contact with materials in his creative

pursuits, he turned away from film to the more “primitive” and equipment-free medium of painting.

Now in his eighties, Fishman has enjoyed working in his Charlotte studio for the last several

decades. His work spans a multitude of genres primarily rendered in acrylic paints and on a variety

of media, such as canvas, wood, stones and even dead tree roots. He often works in the wet-on-wet method (alla prima), pouring paint into other wet layers then manipulating it to shape and blend the colors.

“My subjects are imaginary — imaginary faces, landscapes and abstracts. Degas said, ‘Art is not what you see but what you make others see.’ Often enough, the viewer sees figurative images in my abstractions where no such images were purposely made,” Fishman said. “In most of my work, my concerns are density, texture, contrast, movement, design and balance.”

“My aim is to give viewers free rein to use their imagination.”

For more information, contact gallery@southburlingtonvt.gov.

The gallery, located at 180 Market St., is free and available to the public whenever the public library, city hall or senior center are open: Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

COURTESY PHOTO

South Burlington police Jan. 14 recovered a stolen truck while patrolling the Quarry Hill neighborhood in response to a recent rash of thefts from motor vehicles and arrested two people for possession of stolen property.

The late-model Dodge Ram was stolen from the Market Place Parking Garage in Burlington on Jan. 13, police said.

While on patrol, officer Aaron Schwartz stopped the truck and subsequently arrested Jeffrey Finnegan, 28, for possession of stolen property. The investigation into his passenger, Ashley Richards, 39, continues. Police listed both as homeless.

During the investigation, South Burl-

ington police responded to a call from Quarry Hill Road and found Joselyn Chambers, 40, also homeless, in the parking lot of a multi-unit apartment complex.

Chambers was arrested for violating conditions of conditions of release and possession of stolen property.

Police said she had a wallet that was in the stolen Dodge truck, which was reported stolen to Burlington Police around 2 p.m. on Jan. 13 and may have been involved in a theft of construction materials and tools in Burlington’s South End about an hour later.

Those incidents are under investigation by Burlington Police.

Rehearsals begin Tuesday, January 31, 7-9 p.m. at South Burlington High School, 550 Dorset Street The first two are free...Come give it a try! Information/Registration: sbchorusvt.org • 802.846.4108

Jeffrey Finnegan Ashley Richards

SB man charged with attempted murder following prison assault

A South Burlington man has been charged with attempted murder in the near-fatal beating of another man in a cell at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans.

Mbyayenge Mafuta, 21, was charged following a Vermont State Police investigation in an altercation in a prison cell that he shared with Jeffrey Hall about 2 p.m. on Dec. 22, Vermont State Police said. Hall, 55, a Burlington-area resident, sustained critical head and neck injuries in the beating and was initially taken to Northwest-

ern Vermont Medical Center and later transferred to UVM Medical Center, according to a spokesperson.

Mafuta, a former South Burlington High School student, remains at the St. Albans prison, on unrelated charges. His arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 14 in Vermont Superior Court in St. Albans.

Last May, South Burlington Police arrested Mafuta on charges of unlawful restraint, aggravated operation without the owner’s consent and grand larceny follow-

Vermont State Police Blotter

Jan. 13 at 10:46 p.m., Daniel Martin, 29, of South Burlington, was arrested for driving under the influence, second offense, criminal refusal. Police

say they stopped Martin driving 83 mph in a 55-mph zone on Interstate 89 in South Burlington and subsequently arrested him on the suspicion of DUI.

ing the carjacking that involved an elderly out-of-state woman. Mafuta also was arrested on charges of larceny from a person, petit larceny and interference with emergency services, police said.

The woman was seated in the truck while her husband was stand-

ing outside, police said. Mafuta reportedly drove south on Shelburne Road and a short time later the woman was released unharmed near Direct Auto at Bartlett Bay Road, police said.

She sought help from bystanders, police said. She reported her

South Burlington Police Blotter

purse, wallet, watch, $700 and her military identification were taken during the incident, police said.

South Burlington police later stopped the truck on Shelburne Road near Imperial Drive, Sgt. Matthew Plunkett said. — Staff report

Agency / public assists: 26

Traffic stop: 24

Directed patrol: 22

Welfare check: 18

Retail theft: 14

Suspicious event: 14

Alarm: 10

Accident:property damage: 6

Motor vehicle complaint: 6

Total incidents: 247

Arrests:

Dec. 3 at 2:05 p.m., Donald P. Raab, 31, of Colchester, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

Jan. 3 at 6:23 p.m., Brooke A. Gurley, 62, of Cambridge, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

Jan. 4 at 4:16 p.m., Dujuan S. Williams, 28, of Burlington, was arrested for criminal threatening and violating conditions of release on Garden Street.

Jan. 9 at 12:15 p.m., Justin R. Abare, 38 of Burlington, was

arrested for eluding a police officer while operating in a grossly negligent manner, a felony, on Shelburne Road.

Jan. 9 at 1:37 p.m., Rene Marie Dalley, 44, of Berlin, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

Jan. 11 at 6:54 p.m., Dayana T. Sylvester-Spencer, 40, of Williston, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

Jan. 12 at 1:54 a.m., Joselyn E. Chambers, 40, of Burlington, was arrested for violating conditions of release on Williston Road.

Jan. 14 at 4:07 a.m., Joselyn E. Chambers, 40, of Burlington, was arrested for violating conditions of release on Quarry Hill Road.

Jan. 15 at 1:08 a.m., Christopher L. Handy, 39, of Burlington, was arrested for aggravated assault, negligent operation, and unlawful mischief on Shel-

burne Road.

Jan. 15 at 12:33 p.m., Elijah Allen Sigmon, 28, of Blowing Rock, N.C., was arrested on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.

Jan. 16 at 6:28 p.m., Mandy L. Wells, 47, of St. Albans City, was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended license.

Top incidents:

Jan. 9 at 10:26 a.m., police are investigating a reported sex crime on Williston Road.

Jan. 9 at 10:32 a.m., police were called to Baldwin Avenue for a problem juvenile.

Jan. 9 at 7:11 p.m., police took a report of identity theft on Richard Terrace. The case is pending.

Jan. 10 at 8:14 a.m., a suspicious event was reported on Hayes Avenue.

Jan. 10 at 9:34 a.m., police are investigating a larceny from a structure on Dorset Street.

the

South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977 A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC otherpapersbvt.com

Advertising Director

Judy Kearns judy@otherpapersbvt.com (802) 864-6670 x21

Advertising Wendy Ewing wendy@shelburnenews.com (802) 985-3091 x12

Managing Editor

Dylan Kelley dylan@stowereporter.com

News Editor

Tommy Gardner

Staff Writers

Aaron Calvin Corey McDonald Liberty Darr

Production Manager Stephanie Manning stephanie@shelburnenews.com

Editor/Publisher Gregory Popa gpopa@stowereporter.com

Billing inquiries Leslie Lafountain leslie@stowereporter.com (802) 253-2101

Advertising submission deadline: Thursday at 5 p.m. advertising@otherpapersbvt.com classifieds@otherpapersbvt.com

Editorial submission deadline: Friday at 5 p.m. news@otherpapersbvt.com

Calendar submission deadline: Friday at 12 p.m. news@otherpapersbvt.com

Contact: 1340 Williston Road South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 864-6670

The Other Paper is published weekly and mailed free to South Burlington residents and businesses, and rack distributed in select high-traffic areas. The Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC assumes no responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements and reserves the right to refuse advertising and editorial copy.

Jan. 11 at 8:24 a.m., the morning started with an animal causing a problem at Kennedy Drive and Hinesburg Road.

Jan. 11 at 2:40 p.m., an accident resulted in injuries on Williston Road.

Jan. 12 at 11:14 a.m., police are investigating a burglary reported on Palmer Court.

Jan. 12 at 6:38 p.m., police performed a welfare check on Tilley Drive.

Jan. 13 at 11:30 p.m., a suspicious event was reported from Blackberry Lane.

Jan. 13 at 10:58 a.m., police were called to three motor vehicle complaints within 20 minutes, the first from Airport Parkway and Lime Kiln Road, followed by one at Dorset Street and Nowland Farm Road and another Hinesburg and Cheesefactory roads.

Jan. 14 at 3:09 p.m., a report of illegal dumping on Hannaford Drive was reported to police.

Jan. 15 at 5:32 a.m., a stolen vehicle was reported from Ethan Allen Drive.

Jan. 15 at 12:33 p.m., police are investigating a domestic situation on Dorset Street.

Jan. 16 at 9:09 a.m., police dealt with a mental health issue on Farrell Street.

Jan. 16 at 4:24 p.m., police directed patrol on Williston Road.

OPINION

Potential savings to retirees’ Medicare Advantage health care could be short lived

Many thanks to you the voters of South Burlington Chittenden-10 for supporting my 2022 candidacy for state representative. It’s been an honor to get to know and work with the city’s other representatives — Martin LaLonde, Noah Hyman, Kate Lalley, Brian Minier and Emilie Krasnow — as well as many new and returning House members.

In this update, I will summarize what I heard from residents during my campaign and my first two weeks in the Legislature. As Gov. Phil Scott shared in his inaugural address, two of the overarching themes I heard from voters were economic opportunity and growth and public safety.

Most of what folks wanted to talk to me about were kitchen-table issues — feeling like their hard work is not leading to financial stability or the ability to pass something down to their children. Many homeowners, especially those with the lowest-value properties, saw their taxes rise disproportionately following the recent reappraisal. Many were worried they might eventually lose their homes due to the increase in the cost of their rented or owned housing.

People also mentioned safety and crime frequently, including violent crime, substance use and property crime and concerns about the perceived lack of progress made in addressing these issues. Additionally, some people mentioned abortion, climate change and civilian ownership of military-style automatic weaponry.

technology to hold meetings and provides more authority over town meeting formats and dates. These allowances will allow cities and towns to continue to have at their disposal additional tools with which to carry out their functions. I supported this bill and plan to vote for it when it comes to the floor.

In addition, we heard from the Cannabis Control Board, the regulatory entity overseeing cannabis cultivation, processing and manufacturing and retail, set up by Act 164. The board is required to evaluate the regulatory framework it has developed and report on its effectiveness to the Legislature by November 2023. The board wants that requirement removed because it feels not enough time has passed to report on it.

I support keeping this requirement because evaluation is an important component of any program or project, especially early on. The capacity to fix small issues before they become big ones later often saves time and money.

Finally, we heard testimony from retired state employees, agency administrators and the lobbyist for retired state employees about the Medicare Advantage Plan Scott proposed to replace the current health care coverage. The administration is trying to find ways to maintain similar coverage and save the state money.

The danger is that once retirees are removed from their current plan, they will not be able to return to it. In addition, it is not yet clear whether the Legislature has a role in this matter.

However, from other testimony we heard, the savings may be shortlived, and the danger is that once retirees are removed from their current plan, they will not be able to return to it. In addition, it is not yet clear whether the Legislature has a role in this matter.

To shift to the Vermont House of Representatives, the Democratic caucus has started work on legislation providing 12 weeks paid family leave, which, depending on how it is paid for, could help increase the financial stability of many Vermonters.

In the committee I was assigned to, government operations and military affairs, we voted to move our first bill, H.42, which allows cities and towns to continue to use hybrid or fully remote

I understand and value financial frugality, but we need to understand more about the long-term impacts this plan would have and make sure we keep the promises we’ve made as a state. I look forward to hearing and learning more about this issue in the weeks to come.

It’s been a busy first two weeks, and I’m more grateful than ever to be a part of this wonderful community. Reach out to me any time with questions, thoughts or needs at knugent@leg.state.vt.us or 802-391-4095.

Kate Nugent, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-10 House district.

Vermont’s

Choice For Independent Seniors

All Inclusive Monthly Rent

starting as low as $2,895.

• Six beautiful apartment styles

• Washer/dryer in every apartment

• Private balcony

• In-apartment storage

• Underground parking

• All utilities, cable & internet

• Pub & lounge with dance floor

• Chef-prepared daily meal

• Weekly housekeeping

• Raised community garden beds

• Daily social opportunities

• Full life enrichment calendar

• 24-hour onsite staffing

• Transportation

• Conveniently located

• Local ownership

From the House Rep. Kate Nugent

Rep. Kate Nugent

Fair housing, economic justice: unfinished work of Dr. King’s legacy

Senate Update

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Our annual remembrance of the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. affords us many opportunities to reflect on the pursuit of equality as members of our communities, in our state, and across the nation. We often remember MLK’s unifying message in his famous 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech that our children ought to one day be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.

In that speech, however, King began to articulate other dreams that we must still strive to make a reality. Among them was that Black Americans receive a fair shake at accessing housing and economic opportunity. As he states of the post-Emancipation era, “One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. … America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’”

Access to safe housing and stable homeownership remained an integral part of King’s work. In fact, the Fair Housing Act, which prohibited discrimination in the sale and rental of housing, was signed into law one week after his assassination. Today, 55 years later, the act is still in place, but we remain a long way off from realizing King’s dream of housing for all. While we have achieved victories in equitable and affordable housing, we should remain steadfast in the fight for housing equality.

We are not immune from this fight here in Vermont. Unfortunately, though often unintentionally, Vermont has the fifthlargest racial homeownership gap in the country. While homeownership for white Vermonters tracks the national average at around 72 percent of families, it is a deeply concerning 21 percent for Black families. However we got here, this gap must be openly discussed and addressed, especially

with 24,000 open jobs statewide and 90 percent of our population growth in the past decade coming from the increase in people of color.

The lack of affordable options like townhouses, duplexes and starter homes have worsened the prospects for young families and newcomers. Black Vermonters are actually worse off than they were 50 years ago, when their state’s homeownership rate was 38 percent. This speaks to an ongoing housing and demographic crisis that is trending in the wrong direction.

As the chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Housing, these figures weigh heavily on my mind.

“The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein is prominently displayed and discussed in my committee this year as we write an affordable housing and homeownership bill. I encourage others to read it to better understand how we have continually failed Black Americans and others in the pursuit of the centerpiece of the American Dream — a place to call home.

It is now up to all of us to make it right — for our Black neighbors, for our young families, for our rural communities and for all Vermonters. Every family deserves not just housing, but a home. Home is where we find warmth and safety, peace and sanctuary.

Home is where we gather to celebrate life’s gains and losses, where our children can do their homework uninterrupted, where our grandparents can transmit wisdom.

This work will not be easy; the most meaningful change never is.

I leave you with a quote from Dr. King that I return to most often: “Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’

Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’

Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’

But, conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’

And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one’s conscience tells one that it is right.”

Have a blessed and reflective Martin Luther King Day.

Kesha Ram Hinsdale, a Democrat from Shelburne, serves the towns of South Burlington, Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Milton, Burlington, St. George, Westford, Underhill, Jericho, Richmond, Winooski, Williston, Essex and Bolton in the Legislature.

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

It is now up to all of us to make it right — for our Black neighbors, for our young families, for our rural communities and for all Vermonters. Every family deserves not just housing, but a home. Home is where we find warmth and safety, peace and sanctuary.

Our withering winters

Walt Amses

Watching the delicate, early morning snowflakes fall Tuesday was all too briefly mesmerizing. A decade ago, the couple of inches already on the ground would have adorned an already deep, mid-January snowpack building since early November, hefty enough by now to all but guarantee winter sports easily lasting until early spring. But the new normal quickly intervenes on my fantasy.

Winters are no longer what they used to be, and this snowfall isn’t nearly enough to make much difference: too little to ski on or snowshoe but a perfect disguise for frozen ruts, intermittent craters and patches of ice, rendering long walks on the road both the only readily accessible winter activity and the easiest option for a quick trip to the emergency room. Though there are many forces at play here and much can change, one thing looks certain in the extended forecast: the freeze-thaw, snowrain cycle will continue agonizing snow lovers for several weeks.

Those of us who’ve descended upon Vermont for myriad reasons over the last half-century, I can safely attest, were not anticipating cold, wet and uncomfortable winters. We could have relocated to the Pacific Northwest for that.

I’ve never heard anyone say, “Great, we’re having slush,” but that’s exactly what we’re having, at least until it turns to ice or mud, and we’d better get used to it, according to some scientists, because that’s the way future winters are shaping up.

Climate change writ large? Probably, but it’s complicated.

Even as we come to terms with global warming, we cannot take its implications for granted any more than we’re able to depend on clouds of snow that annually bury hillsides, muffle sound and spur rumination of the “old-fashioned” winters we remember. The complexity of climate science confounds easy labels and simple predictions. Warming itself isn’t easily categorized and doesn’t always mean what we assume, especially regarding its impacts, which are certainly global, with far reaching implications that defy conventional wisdom.

Warming in one place — the Arctic for instance — does not translate to warming everywhere.

Chatting with meteorologist Roger Hill who runs Weathering Heights in Worcester, a forecasting and consulting service, he explains how one seeming contradiction played out in the U.S. with dire results: “Although higher temperatures in the Arctic are increasingly leading to the loss of sea ice, in 2021 those surface changes up north led to cold waves here in the U.S.”

In Texas these fluctuations prompted the National Weather Service to issue unprecedented statewide winter storm warnings as a combination of snow, ice and bitter cold caused a catastrophic failure of the state power grid, stranding millions in the freezing dark, leaving hundreds dead.

While Hill believes that the melting sea ice plays a significant role in our day-to-

day weather, it’s only one factor, with some others even further away, making it difficult to fathom exactly how they could affect winters in Vermont.

“Take Siberia for instance,” he said. “When Russia’s far east has a snowy October, it becomes more likely that the Northeast and New England will have a colder, snowier winter.”

How this happens is not especially easy to grasp but Hill is patient with my questions, taking me very close to my pedestrian limit of scientific understanding.

“The Siberian snow cover reflects light, beaming much of the sun’s warmth back into space, dropping the surface temperature in the Arctic,” he explained, “which in turn impacts the stratospheric polar vortex, eventually causing cold waves here in North America.”

Although most people believe the stronger this much-dreaded climate phenomenon is the lower the temperature will go, but the opposite is the case, according to Hill.

“When the circulation around the vortex is strong, the colder air remains bottled up at the pole but as it weakens, that circulation is disrupted and waves of cold air flow southward,” he said.

As if this isn’t enough, there remains a whole other series of circumstances that influence the kind of winter weather Vermonters can expect in a given year, including El Nino or La Nina, conditions in the equatorial Pacific that respectively either warm or cool the surface water, subsequently affecting temperature and precipitation in New England.

Storm track is another vital indicator of whether Vermont will get rain, snow or something else out of a specific system.

If the upper-level jet stream takes a low-pressure system to our west, the counterclockwise flow of winds brings with them warmer temperatures and mixed precipitation or just plain rain. An eastern track is an entirely different story, ripe with the possibility as it nears the Atlantic coast of a developing nor’easter or even a bomb cyclone — short for bombogenesis — an explosion of energy that causes a storm to rapidly intensify in a short period of time.

An hour later the snow has stopped, and the sun is shining brightly, casting long, early morning shadows across a burnished field, lustrous gemstones, shimmering in the light. It’s completely gorgeous but I know it’s a facade, a superficial come-on, miles wide and inches deep, a tease, much like the last several winters.

It’s also not nearly enough to plow, of course, so whatever hazards lurk beneath will remain buried, requiring Yak Tracks, hiking poles and the kind of cautious gait that stresses muscles and tendons you didn’t realize you had.

Until it actually happens, I’ll continue dreaming of the kind of snowfall that carries me into the woods, absorbing most sound save the pair of ravens I consistently hear but rarely see as they go about their business and I go about mine through billowing drifts of powder that never fail to intoxicate, luring me into the kind of solitude only deep winter can bring.

Compassionate Dentistry

Quality, Expert Care for Your Entire Family

NEW LOCATION 5063 WILLISTON ROAD, WILLISTON, VT

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS / RESERVE YOUR VISIT: 802-863-0505 • WILLFAMDENT.COM Open Monday-Friday (Emergencies Seen Promptly)

Dr. Aerwen Stagers, DMD

Walt Amses is a Vermont writer from North Calais.

Guest Perspective

Let’s go camping

SB School Board approves budget proposal, bond vote

Board preps for next steps on over-enrollment

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

In addition to approving the $62.5 million proposed school budget, the South Burlington School Board also approved a bond vote for nearly $15 million dollars for capital infrastructure needs to meet enrollment demands.

This year’s budget sees a 7.17 percent increase from last year, which will result in a 3.96 percent residential tax rate increase, from last year’s $1.295 to $1.35. Before income sensitivity, for every $100,000 of a home’s value, taxes will total $1,347, a $51 increase from 2023.

“We’ve looked long and hard at tax rates over time trying to be responsible,” South Burlington Superintendent Violet Nichols said. “In looking at tax rates for this year at 3.96 percent and looking at staffing ratios, we’re trying to return to staffing levels with more of a historical trend line.”

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding (ESSER) that was used to offset pandemic-related expenditures and support education recovery efforts

is set to drop significantly, taking with it nearly 23 ESSER-funded full-time-equivalent positions.

In addition to employee retention and managing labor shortages, the district is expected see an increase of 50 students, also putting upward pressure on the cost of supplies, professional services and equipment.

The approved bond for nearly $15 million is set to cover $6 million of the costs of implementing eight zero-energy modular classrooms and $8.55 million for various capital improvements in the so-called “stewardship plan” that includes roofing, HVAC systems, window replacements, bathrooms, and work to parking lots, sidewalks and kitchens. Although the board had considered going to bond separately, they ultimately concluded going out for one bond would better meet all of the capital needs and improvements.

Although no principal payments will be required until 2025, the district will be responsible for two separate interest-only payments amounting to $436,762 for this fiscal year. Next year, the

principal payment plus the interest payment could cause that number to more than triple.

Ninety-one percent of the modular classroom costs will be covered by impact fees, or levies paid by developers. The bond will expedite the purchase of the new modules with the hope of having the modules in place by next school year and with impact fees projected to cover the financing of the bond.

The implementation of impact fees has not yet been officially approved by the South Burlington City Council, but there has been an air of support by council members. The final hearing on impact fees is set for Monday, Jan. 23, when the district will present this approved budget to the council.

Looking ahead

Although the board approved the plan to move forward with the zero-energy modules as a phaseone solution to enrollment issues, this ultimately sheds a cautionary light on long-term problems that are only expected to intensify in

COURTESY PHOTO

South Burlington senior firefighter and fire inspector Ed Spooner teaches campfire safety at Old School of the South Burlington day care.

SPORTS

SB alpine skiers schuss to second-place finish

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

Boys’ hockey

South Burlington 4, Spaulding 3: Cyral Vandromme tallied twice to lead the Wolves to a win over Spaulding on Saturday, Jan. 14.

Trey Smith and Jules Butler each added a goal for South Burlington. Evan Knoth, Drew Dougherty and Finn McCarney each grabbed an assist.

James Bradley stopped 23 in goal for South Burlington, which moved to 6-4 with the win.

Girls’ hockey

Spaulding 8, South Burlington 1: South Burlington gave up four goals in the second period and fell to Spaulding 8-1 on

BUDGET

continued from page 8

the coming years.

“The enrollment committee provided a recommendation to the board for spacing solutions to address the current over enrollment,” said Nichols. “They fulfilled that and they acknowledged with the demographic predictions that we are in this reactive place with these emergency pods, but these cohorts are aging up.”

As students age, spacing issues are expected to continue through the middle and high schools. The enrollment committee’s recommended second phase is an eventual transition of fifth-grade students to Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School and, according to the final report, moving a whole grade from the elementary schools is estimated to alleviate enrollment pressure for more than 10 years.

Nichols said she supports forming a transition committee as a next step.

“Being in a reactive state with these ZEMs is, of course, not where we want to

Jan. 14.

Sabrina Brunet scored the lone goal for the Wolves, while Izzy Redzic had an assist. With the loss, South Burlington’s record falls to 4-6.

The Wolves also lost to Woodstock Friday, Jan. 13, 6-0 Friday.

Indoor track

The boys finished first and the girls’ team second on Saturday at the University of Vermont.

Vaughn Larkin had two first-place finishes (55-meter hurdles and triple jump) and one fifth-place finish (triple jump) to lead the Wolves. Sky Valin also got a first place, coming out on top in the 1500-meter race.

Evan Pidgeon (second, 1000 meters), Carter Higgins (third, 55-meter hurdles), Aidan Lybarger (third, shot put), Tucker

Hall (fifth, 55-meter hurdles) and Eli Buck (fifth, long jump) also had top five finishes for South Burlington.

Armani Lee was first in 55-meter dash and second in the high jump for the girls. Regina O’Leary was second in 55-meter hurdles, second in the triple jump and third in the long jump.

Gracie Lawrence (second, shot put), Kayla Kim (third, 1000 meters), Rama AL Namee (third, triple jump), Savannah Werner (fourth, shot put), Molly Birmingham (fourth, 1000 meters), Ella Stein (fifth, 300 meters) and Marina Fisher (fifth, 1000 meters) also had top five finishes.

Girls’ basketball

South Burlington 43, BFA-St. Albans 36: The South Burlington girls captured

their third win of the season, beating BFA-St. Albans on Thursday, Jan. 12.

Aleah Staley had 14 points to pace the Wolves, who move to 3-6 with the win. Tori Griffin added 10 points.

Alpine skiing

The South Burlington alpine ski teams hit the slopes with Rex Jewell coming out with wins at the Middlebury Snow Bowl on Monday, Jan. 9 and at Smugglers’ Notch two days later.

Jewell helped the Wolves to a team second-place finish on Monday, with Jay Eagle, Jackson Rothman, Dylan Karpinski and Russell Rothman also finishing in the top 20.

On the girls’ side, Penelope Harm had a top 15 finish at Smugglers’ Notch.

be moving forward,” she said.

The board ultimately approved the formation of a fifth-grade transition committee at its Jan. 4 school board meeting and, per the recommendations, the committee will be composed of teachers, administration and community members with board representation from members Kate Bailey and Laura Williams in order to explore the viability of a successful move and the anticipated affects over the coming years.

“We have already received one recommendation to move the middle schoolers, but we need to dig down deeper to what that process would mean, if we actually decide to put that process in place,” said Bailey. “That is what we need to undergo as soon as possible in my opinion.”

Bailey explained that the first task of the new committee is to form a timeline to present to community members and the board with the hope of having another report with next steps ready for June.

Marcoux’s use of force violated Shelburne department policy

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

The Shelburne Police Department’s internal investigation into Cpl. Jon Marcoux found that he violated four department policies following his use-of-force incident last year while arresting a teenager.

The internal investigation, conducted by Sgt. Josh Flore over several months last year, found he violated the following policies: abuse of authority, use of force, conduct unbecoming and failure to follow department rules.

The investigation stems from an incident that occurred Jan. 23, 2022, when Marcoux elbowed a teenage girl in the chin after she had spit on him. Video footage of the incident was released this month following a public records request by the Shelburne News.

“De-escalation by Cpl. Marcoux in this case was non-existent and directly impacted the outcome of the situation leading to an unreasonable use of force,” Flore concludes in his report, which provides further details of the incident. “Both parties report the strike in the back of the cruiser as being reactionary in nature due to Cpl. Marcoux being spit on. While this may be the case, we, as police officers, have the responsibility and the training to overcome the urge to be reactionary.”

Marcoux has since returned to work and has not been charged with a crime, although it is unclear if he was given a demotion in rank or any other disciplinary measures. He could not be reached for comment.

“I’ve been searching for the answer ‘why was I uncharacteristic’ on that day. There are no easy answers, but I think it’s a combination of the types of calls we’re dealing with, (and) the long work hours,” he told Flore in a recorded interview conducted as part of the internal investigation. “But

I can say that I recognized that that was out of character for me.”

On Jan. 23, 2022, after getting a call about a stolen vehicle, Marcoux pulled the teen over near Shelburne Village Cemetery on Falls Road. The teen, whose name has been redacted, had taken “(her mother’s) vehicle and left to go get coffee,” Flore said in the report.

The mother called the police on her, claiming that the vehicle had been stolen. At the time, the mother had indicated to Marcoux that “basically, she was being a bitch,” Marcoux told Flore in the audio recording.

After pulling her over, the teenager told him that her mother gave her permission and that characterizing the car as stolen was incorrect. She apparently asked to call her mother, but “(Marcoux’s) concern was if he had allowed her to make the call, the bullying behavior would continue,” Flore said in the report.

Marcoux later described it “as a domestic violence call.”

In later interviews with Flore, the teen said that Marcoux “knows her family very well” and said she thought Marcoux did “not like her very well.”

“I’ve had conversations with mom in the past,” Marcoux said, according to an audio of an interview Flore conducted as part of the internal investigation. There had been behavioral issues in the past and officers with the department had worked with the mother and daughter before, according to the report.

“I get it,” the teen told Flore. “I mean, I get anxious even walking into the house. So, I get it, (but) I feel that a lot of the issues that have been brought up to the police station regarding my house have been completely disregarded — what has been going on in my life.”

At the scene, Marcoux repeatedly tells her to get out of the car. She eventually says she’s going to call her mom. “Do whatever you got to do,” he said. “You wanted to be treated like an adult, you are going to be treated like an adult.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said.

“I didn’t ask you that, OK,” he replies. “At this point you are going to be charged as an adult. I can bring you back in handcuffs to the station, we can go from there. Because my concern is that if I bring you back to the house that you are going to be abusive toward your mother.”

He opens the door and she eventually exits the car. He then handcuffs her. She told him the handcuffs were “really, really tight,” according to a transcript of the interaction. Marcoux then reportedly tightened them further.

“You’re hurting me,” she said. He put her in the backseat, and while he was buckling her in, she “became very angry and verbally abusive” to Marcoux, “yelling obscenities” until the seatbelt was fastened, Flore stated in the report.

The girl said she was frustrated because “it was the fact that ... a man put his hands on her,” Flore said the report.

“I believe that I am equal with everybody around me whether or not society says they are above me ... he could have followed me home to make sure I returned (the car) and have a conversation with us,” she told Flore. “For driving my (mother’s) car to a coffee shop, you think you can put your hands on me? Absolutely not.”

While she was in the backseat, she

State’s attorney George tried to retaliate against AG prosecutor, records show

MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT

While the Vermont Attorney General’s Office was fighting recently to convict a meat cleaver-wielding man for murdering his wife and trying to kill his mother-in-law, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George was trying to get a car owned by a prosecutor towed from the Burlington courthouse.

And even after the attorney general’s office successfully prosecuted the murder case that George refused to tackle, she subsequently tried to get the office banned permanently from the parking garage under the courthouse.

That’s the finding of a more than six-week investigation by Vermont News First that included multiple interviews and almost 200 pages of documents provided by six state offices in response to requests for public records.

The towing incident is the latest in an ongoing spat that developed when George dismissed two murder charges and two attempted murder charges in Chittenden County on May 31, 2019. The three defendants each said they would use an insanity defense and George indicated she believed she would be unable to successfully fight the insanity defense in each case.

Gov. Phil Scott asked then-Attorney General T.J. Donovan to make his own independent review of each of the three cases George dismissed. Donovan later refiled the charges against the three defendants.

The Vermont Attorney General’s office has now obtained convictions in two cases — Veronica Lewis and Aita Gurung. The third prosecution, which is pending, involved a brutal afternoon fatal stabbing on the Church Street Marketplace in March 2017. After the three dismissals by George, then-U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan also secured a criminal conviction in one of the cases. Nolan overcame the insanity claim in a felony gun possession charge against Lewis.

George said at the time she took personal offense that Scott made the request, and she also was unhappy Donovan, whose office has the same jurisdiction to prosecute crimes, would even look at the cases.

George said she thought the actions of both Scott and Donovan were political.

The dismissals by George also came nine days after she and veteran deputy prosecutor Susan Hardin deflated an insanity defense used during the high-profile trial of Steven Bourgoin, 38, of Williston on five counts of second-degree murder for a wrong-way fiery crash that killed five teens on Interstate 89.

Repeated attempts to reach George in recent weeks for comments were unsuccessful. She finally responded Friday afternoon with a text message that she was tied up in court all afternoon. George said a timeline included in the public records disclosure told the story.

(To read the complete story, go to otherpapersbvt.com.)

Sarah George

Cpl. Jon Marcoux

The CVU player in question has since been suspended from game play, has lost her captaincy, was removed from leadership clubs in the school, and “has begun restorative practices that follow this process: interviews, education, repair and growth,” Bunting said.

“Last but not least, this player has experienced significant consequences in her life outside of school, but this is not my story to

tell,” he said.

Bunting and the CVU athletic director Ricky McCollum met with administrators and students with the Burlington team shortly after to discuss “a path forward.”

“We agreed to play our next game after our restorative process has had a chance to be completed; after all, an apology without learning is hollow at best,” he said. “In addition, we agreed that the CVU

administration would review our practices and consequences going forward.”

He continued that other players around the state were considering postponing games or were planning to forfeit games.

“Before you make this move, I’d ask for your trust and remind you that the review of our policies is my responsibility — not our players,” Bunting said in his letter. “I

municipal entity in November.

“This was not intended to be a dismissal of the vision of regional dispatch,” Pam Loranger, chair of the Colchester Selectboard, said in a memo to the group. “Rather, it was due to the increased cost which represented a 28 percent increase in our dispatch budget in a year where we are facing unprecedented cost increases due to inflation.”

The authority had requested an additional $463,000 from Burlington, $235,000 from South Burlington, $206,000 from Colchester, $114,000 from Winooski and $128,000 from Williston.

The financial trouble is a familiar one for municipalities involved in the effort: Attempting to generate the capital costs for a regional center, while maintaining their own local dispatch, is a heavy lift for towns relying mainly on property taxes.

Burlington has also indicated that it may not be able to contribute financially to the Chittenden County Public Safety Authority.

“CCPSA was trying to get to a standalone regional dispatch center, which required a fair amount of initial capital investment, and which is really the financial hang up — how do you build a whole new system while you’re continuing to operate systems,” Baker said. “You can’t just shut down dispatch for three months while you build a new dispatch center.”

The issue has been considered

for decades, but efforts to create a regional dispatch have been under way since at least 2016, when a joint survey committee with representatives from Burlington, Colchester, Essex, Milton, Shelburne, South Burlington, Williston and Winooski conducted a study that “focused on the implementation of studies completed in 1995 and 2000, both of which determined that regional public safety dispatch was possible and desirable,” according to the Chittenden Regional Planning Commission.

The public safety authority was formally launched in 2018 when voters in Burlington, Colchester, Milton, South Burlington, Williston and Winooski all passed the ballot item. It did not pass in Shelburne.

Now, only Burlington, South Burlington, Winooski and Williston remain financially contributing members of the entity.

However, South Burlington officials are committed to regional efforts — even if it begins within its own dispatch and “moves more incrementally” with more than one municipal partner, Baker said during the Chittenden County Public Safety Authority’s Dec. 19 meeting.

“If we are going to take a more incremental approach to providing regional services, the first step of that increment we believe we can provide locally in South Burlington through our existing center,” Baker told the newspaper in an interview. “The plan is to contin-

ue our excellent services to South Burlington residents ... and then work with our partners to see who may be interested in in joining us at some point in the future.”

The authority’s board will “not dissolve at this point,” she said. “We are staying connected to one another in the hopes of future plans.”

The entity still has $757,000 in federal money in reserve that has been awarded but not drawn, according to Steven Locke, chair of the Chittenden County Public Safety Authority and South Burlington’s fire chief.

“We have another year or so before we have to finalize, really spending that money,” he said.

Meanwhile, $252,000 in state money was used to purchase equipment. The regional dispatch authority has asked the state to “transfer ownership of that equipment to the city of South Burlington and the city of Burlington to share, and we are awaiting that answer,” he added.

South Burlington’s dispatch is fully staffed, according to police chief Shawn Burke, but still does not reach the city’s goal of having two people on 24/7.

“There’s several hours a day where there’s only one person in our center — but we’ve got we’ve got an eye on two pitches: Does regional actually come to fruition? Or are we doing more of a different arrangement with or without partner agencies here in the city of South Burlington?” Burke said.

Community Notes

Free youth event explores engineering

On Feb. 18, students in grades five through 12 will have an opportunity to meet engineering professionals and explore several types of engineering and career options through networking and skill-building workshops.

Discover Engineering, a free day-long event, will be held at the University of Vermont. Registra-

tion is required by Feb. 8.

Afternoon workshops will focus on a range of topics including Python coding, water rocket propulsion, robotics, nanotechnology, bridge design, aerodynamics, precision measurement and beam deflection and its relationship to motor and pump design. Students also can build a car with the university’s Alternative Energy Racing Organization or take part in an engineering

design challenge with staff from GlobalFoundries.

A Scouts’ Merit Badge Day will be held in conjunction with Discover Engineering. Registered Boy Scouts and Venturers, ages 11-17, will work on requirements for badges in composite materials, electricity, railroading, astronomy, oceanography, communications and soil and water conservation. For details or to register, go to bit.ly/3J4cFPR.

ask

trust that this player has and is experiencing consequences about which you don’t know. I ask you to trust that she views the video as the worst mistake of her life — because she is learning how much she hurt others, in addition to the consequences of her actions.”

MARCOUX

continued from page 10

began “yelling and screaming, and then she spits in my face,” Marcoux said, adding he “was being called a Nazi, a fascist ... things along those lines.”

After the teen spit on him, Marcoux said he had a bodily reaction to being spit in the face, he said. “My arm swung out and I caught myself before doing any harm.”

He described having the “typical adrenaline you would have taken someone into custody.”

Marcoux charged the teen with operating without owners’ consent and simple assault with fluids.

On the way to the station, she continued to spit in the backseat and said: “You bastard, you fucking assaulted me. You punched me in the face,” according to a transcript of the interaction.

After dropping her off at the station, Marcoux later went and picked up the teen’s mother, according to the report. He turned off his body camera and dashboard recordings and told Flore he did not have a reason when asked why.

When speaking with Flore, Marcoux said he thought “things could have been done different, and I think most people would agree that this is not characteristic of how I normally do things.”

“I can agree with you on that,

The CVU girls’ basketball played a game at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester on Jan. 14, and at St. Johnsbury Academy on Jan. 16. Their next scheduled game is Thursday, Jan. 19, at Mount Mansfield Union High School.

that this really is not the characteristic Jon Marcoux that I’m used to seeing on the side of the road,” Flore said during his interview with Marcoux. “Was there anything else going on that day that was in your head? Problems at home? Problems here? Was there anything that was clouding your judgment?”

“That is the million-dollar question,” he said. “I can say long hours ... it looks like I worked every day that week.”

Marcoux worked 100 hours over a 10-day period prior to the incident, according to the report.

“I’m not excusing it — who knows if that was a factor,” he said.

Following the incident, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George requested that Vermont State Police investigate Marcoux’s actions as an assault. However, after reviewing the incident, state police declined to charge Marcoux with a crime.

Since then, George has reasserted that there was “probable cause to charge officer Marcoux with simple assault. However, Vermont State Police disagree and have stated they will not issue a citation for the same.”

George said her only recourse to pursue charges against Marcoux would be to convene a grand jury.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Send

News from South Burlington Public Library

180 Market St., South Burlington 802-846-4140

Visit southburlingtonlibrary. 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. To register for programs or for more information, email sbplinfo@southburlingtonvt.gov.

KIDS & TEENS

Lego builders

Every Wednesday, 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

Every Wednesday, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Join Miss Alyssa for storytimes for infants and their caregivers with songs, rhymes and lap play.

Kids’ book club

Thursday, Jan. 19, 4-5:30 p.m.

A new book club for young readers and their parents. Join Natacha Liuzzi for two Thursdays a month to read, share and explore the book of the month. Pre-register at nliuzzi@southburlingtonvt. gov. For January, special guest reader is Rebecca Rupp reading from her book “Flight of the Dragon.”

Kids chess club

Saturday, Jan. 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

For kids ages 5 and up. Preregistration required to nliuzzi@ stoweburlington.gov.

PUBLIC NOTICES

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS to the

SOUTH BURLINGTON IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE

Public Hearing Monday, January 23, 2023 at 6:30 pm

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on Monday, January 23, 2023 at 6:30 PM, the City Council will hold a public hearing and second reading, on possible amendments to the City’s Impact Fee Ordinance. The hearing will be held in person and remotely via GoToMeeting. Participation options:

• In Person: City Hall Auditorium, 180 Market Street

• Interactive Online: https://meet.goto.com/ SouthBurlingtonVT/citycouncilandsteeringcommittee meeting1-23-2023

• Telephone: (408) 650-3123; Access Code: 242-658-301

Following the public hearing and second reading, the City Council may take action on final passage of the amendment. The proposed amendments would establish a School Impact Fee, applicable to new residential construction and newly-added bedrooms to existing homes. The amendment would also establish a flat administrative fee applicable to all projects to which Impact Fees are levied.

Copies of the proposed amendments are available for inspection at the Department of Planning & Zoning, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 180 Market Street, and on the city website at www.sbvt.gov.

Helen Riehle, City Council Chair January 12, 2023

Craftytown

Tuesdays, Jan. 24 and 31, 3-4:30 p.m.

Free projects geared to kids ages 8 and up or 6 and up with an adult. Jan. 24: rod puppet. Jan. 31: perfect parakeets.

Toddlertime

Tuesdays, Jan. 24 and 31, 10:30-11 a.m.

Short stories and familiar songs, rhymes and fingerplays, with time to wiggle and dance. For ages 1 to 3 with an adult caregiver.

Middle school makers

Thursday, Jan. 26, 4-5:30 p.m.

For students in grades five to eight. Jan. 26: homemade pizzas.

Friday movie

Friday, Jan. 27, 3-4:30 p.m. “Muppets Take Manhattan.”

ADULTS

Knit for your neighbors

Mondays and Thursdays in January, 3-6 p.m.

Yarn, needles and crochet hooks supplied. Knit or crochet hats and scarves to help keep your neighbors warm. All finished projects will be donated to the South Burlington Food Shelf.

Chess club

Every Saturday through March 25, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Join the Chittenden County Chess Club in a game or watch and learn more about chess. All ages. Masks required.

Tech help

Friday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-noon

The first and third Friday of every month in the digital lab for 1:1 assistance and to learn new skills.

Board game brunch

Saturday, Jan. 21, 10 a.m.-1:55 p.m.

Join Friendly Tabletop Gamers of Essex and Beyond in the digital lab and play some awesome games while meeting new people. This event is best suited for teens and adults over 18.

Italian book club

Monday, Jan. 23, 10:15-11:15 a.m.

“Un Nome da Regina” by

Saturday, Jan. 28, noon-1 p.m.

First of the 2023 Friends of the Library Concert Series with world-class violinist Letitia Quante and cellist Emily Taubl. They will perform eight pieces by Glière, Bach, Beethoven and Handel. Free and open to all. Doors open 20 minutes before the event.

Marina Pilati Lusuardi.

English conversation circle

Monday, Jan. 23, noon-1 p.m.

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

Legislative forum

Monday, Jan. 23, 6:30-8 p.m.

Join representatives Emilie Krasnow, Martin Lalonde, Kate Nugent, Noah Hyman and Brian Minier, along with Sen. Tom Chittenden to discuss what’s being debated in the Statehouse. In-person and on Zoom.

Poetry group

Tuesday, Jan. 24, 11 a.m.-noon

Come share your poetry in a supportive, comfortable setting. Second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

Tech help in other languages

Tuesday, Jan. 24, 5-6 p.m. Tech assistance is now offered in French, Swahili and Lingala. Virtual group.

Music of Another World: Kulturbund Orchestras

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 1:15-2:30 p.m. Germany in the 1930s restrict-

ed many aspects of its citizens’ lives, such as only allowing segregated orchestras, such as the Berlin Kulturbund, described in Martin Goldsmith’s book “The Inextinguishable Symphony” about his parents’ experience as players in this ensemble.

Lois Price, a library staff member and musician, will offer recordings they were permitted to play. Upcoming: Feb. 22, “Music in Terezin”; March 22, “Music in the Camps”; and April 26, “Music of the Ghettos.”

Evening book group

Thursday, Jan. 26, 6-7 p.m.

Discuss the memoir: “Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law” by Haben Girma. Copies available to borrow. Both in-person and on Zoom.

Portrait photography

Saturday, Jan. 28, 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.

In conjunction with portrait photography exhibit by Paul Van De Graaf and Gerald Davis in the library gallery, the duo sets up with their Deardorff camera — the black and white portraits in the show were taken using the camera — and will share tips about how lighting affects portraits and how to take better portraits with a camera or phone and answer questions.

Vermont Symphony Orchestra Ensemble

COURTESY PHOTOS

SHELBURNE

Assessing & Finance Administrative Assistant

The Town of Shelburne seeks a full-time Administrative Assistant to support the Assessing Office and provide customer service for the Finance Department. Responsibilities include maintaining the Grand List, providing support for the Town reappraisal, assisting the public with property tax and utility questions and receiving/ processing tax and utility payments.

A complete job description and list of qualifications can be found on the Town’s website: https://www.shelburnevt.org/237/Human-Resources.

Submit letter of interest and resume to: scannizzaro@shelburnevt.org. Resumes accepted until the position is filled.

EOE

Positions include a sign on bonus, strong benefits package and the opportunity to work at one of the “Best Places to Work in Vermont”.

Service Coordinator: Continue your career in human services in a supportive environment by providing case management for individuals either for our Adult Family Care program or our Developmental Services program. The ideal candidate will have strong clinical, organizational & leadership skills and enjoy working in a team-oriented position. $47,000 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Residential Program Manager: Coordinate staffed residential and community supports for an individual in their home. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a team-oriented position, have strong clinical skills, and demonstrated leadership. $45,900 annual salary, $1,500 sign on bonus.

Direct Support Professional: Provide 1:1 supports to help individuals reach their goals in a variety of settings. This is a great position to start or continue your career in human services. Full and part time positions available starting at $19/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Residential Direct Support Professional: Provide supports to an individual in their home and in the community in 24h shifts including asleep overnights in a private, furnished bedroom. You can work two days, receive full benefits and have five days off each week! Other flexible schedules available, starting wage is $20/hr, $1,000 sign on bonus.

Shared Living Provider: Move into someone’s home or have someone live with you to provide residential supports. There are a variety of opportunities available that could be the perfect match for you and your household. Salary varies dependent on individual care requirements. $1,000 sign on bonus.

Join our dedicated team and together we’ll build a community where everyone participates and belongs https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

https://ccs-vt.org/current-openings/

Champlain Community Services, Inc.

Why not have a job you love?

Make a career making a difference and join our team today!

community

rabies, and 14 of those have been raccoons. According to wildlife officials, rabid animals often show a change in their normal behavior, but you cannot tell whether an animal has rabies simply by looking at it. People should not touch or pick up wild animals or strays – even baby animals.

Shelburne Historical Society will have a display and president Dorothea Penar will lead a cemetery tour at 1 p.m. Food vendors round out the event with everything from coffee and lemonade to burgers and creemees. Kids will enjoy meeting animals from Shelburne Farms, craft projects, and

head the Golf depending land. Rotary’s

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

You may be in a meditative mood this week, Aries. You may think about mundane things or even complex issues. It’s an ideal time to stay indoors and relax with your thoughts.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Obligations to friends or family could interfere with other things you had intended, such as spending time with your partner. As more people call upon you, step back and consider.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

You have a strong desire to clean and organize your home this week, Gemini. Spring cleaning certainly comes early. Conquer that clutter.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

All of that extra work on the job will pay off in the days to come, Cancer. Expect an email or personal meeting from a supervisor to discuss.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Practical matters, such as the household budget, may need your attention this week, Leo. A big purchase is on the horizon, so get your nances sorted out.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Giving back to the community can boost your morale, Virgo. Think about offering to shop for an elderly neighbor or volunteer at a food pantry a few days a week.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Careful penny pinching may now result in a nice nest egg you can use any way you desire, Libra. Enjoy the fruits of your labor when you can loosen the pursestrings.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, a sense of duty to loved ones may have you taking on tasks that you otherwise may never consider. Your willingness to pitch in won’t go unnoticed.

SUDOKU

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!

CROSSWORD

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Don’t be surprised if the people you help this week are willing to go to bat for you in the future. Consider any assistance you provide an investment in friendship.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Some people know exactly which buttons to push to get a rise out of you, Capricorn. Try to be the bigger person and turn the other cheek.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

A momentary loss of confidence may catch you off-guard, Aquarius. Brush these feelings aside and take on any task or challenge that comes your way.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Nostalgia could hit you hard this week Pisces. Enjoy an unexpected trip down Memory Lane. Contact others who might enjoy it as well.