The Other Paper - 6-15-23

Standing at the Crossroads

Farm focuses on bringing people together

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Scout Support

Two volunteers get Silver Beaver awards

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the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977

Homelessness has tripled since before start of pandemic

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

A report released this month found a nearly 20 percent increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in Vermont compared to last year, and an almost 200 percent increase since a pre-pandemic count in 2020.

Across Vermont, 3,295 people said in January that they were experiencing homelessness, an 18.5 percent increase from the 2,780 people counted last year, and a 197 percent increase from the 1,110 people counted in 2020

See HOMELESSNESS on page 12

Parents raise concerns over school safety with district officials

Parents of South Burlington School District students came before the school board this month to raise concerns over school safety regarding the district’s active shooter protocols.

“There is a large portion of the parental community that is concerned about this,” resident and parent Jennifer Swanson said. “We have had some separate meetings over the past year between last spring and this spring with individual teachers at Orchard School as well as Mr. Trifilio, the principal.”

She explained that the meetings with teachers and other staff caused concern mostly because they found there may not be a clear, standardized approach to district safety, leaving many parents wondering what protocols are exactly in place.

“When I interviewed some individual teachers at Orchard School, all of them said they did not feel safe in their jobs with the policies and procedures in place,” said Swanson. “So if the teachers don’t feel safe, then how safe is the building? How safe are the children? Clearly what’s in place might not be sufficient based on what we’ve heard from teachers.”

Board members and superintendent Violet Nichols explained that, although each crisis plan is highly scenario-dependent, exact answers to those questions are purposefully not made readily available to the public in order to protect student safety.

In addition to following guidelines put out by the Agency of Education, Nichols explained, “We

See SCHOOL SAFETY on page 11

COURTESY PHOTO

Mike Dean of South Burlington captured this scene of a sailboat framed by a Lake Champlain sunset.

Setting sail

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

Farm brings food fans together

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

“Do you have any eggs today, Breana?”

This is a question that Breana Killeen, co-owner and operator of Killeen Crossroads Farm, is asked on a regular basis.

On any given day of the week, the one-and-a-half-acre farm located at the bustling corner of Cheesefactory Road and Dorset Street in Shelburne can be seen lined with cars as residents funnel in and out of the farmstand for a dozen farm fresh eggs, a CSA share or other locally made goods.

“We also do flowers and meat,” Killeen said. “We beef one or two cows a year. Then we do poultry, so we have 150 egg layers. We also do Cornish hens, which are basically young chickens. And, I just counted this morning, we have 40 CSA shares.”

To honor her Chinese roots, Breana explained that in addition to growing vegetables like peppers and tomatoes, the farm also grows a slew of Asian vegetables like Carlton, Koji, and Asian eggplant.

“There are a few local Asian markets, but they all get their produce from Boston; They drive it up every day,” she said.

Surprisingly, when she moved to Vermont ten years ago to be a food editor and test kitchen manager for Eating Well magazine, owning a farm was never in the playing cards. But, when she met her husband, Kieran Killeen, who passed the property where the farm now sits on his way to work at the University of Vermont every day, the duo immediately saw the potential.

However, like any great story, the onslaught of a worldwide, catastrophic pandemic stopped them dead in their tracks.

“We had been looking for years for something that was a little different,” Killeen said. “We didn’t just want to live in a neighborhood and (this property) came up. That was in August of 2019. And all of a sudden, the pandemic hits and the world’s ending, and we’re like, ‘What do we do now?’ I’m a public health dietician by training. All I

really want to do is feed people.”

She explained that her background with Eating Well allowed her to master sharing information about how to eat better by creating specialized recipes and facilitating tons of cooking classes, but farming was one piece of the puzzle she had never tried.

“I grew up in North Carolina and I had 18 chickens and a garden that was about an eighth of an acre, but I never did it on a scale of this capacity,” she said. “But we now had this lovely piece of land on this corner and we thought, you know what? Let’s, give it a go.”

The first step was hiring a crew that could help execute the vision that both Breana and Kieran had. The couple put out their first job description in the fall of 2020 and began interviewing people from all over the world: Hawaii, California, and Boston. But, it turns out the perfect person for the job was right in their backyard — 25-year-old University of Vermont graduate, Kara Winslow.

“Kara actually applied for the assistant position,” Killeen said. “And both Kieran and I decided that we were going to ask Kara to take the farm manager job because we wanted somebody that would grow with us, and we needed somebody that had the foresight to be able to say, ‘OK, it’s not all in place right now. Yes, it’s going to be hard,

but we’ll figure it out.’”

“(Kara) has a touch of the same kind of crazy as we do,” she continued.

Winslow explained that she had no real farming experience before going to college, but soon after her time at the University of Vermont, she fell in love with agriculture.

“I worked on small farms around Vermont and learned and did things there. Then I went into the wine industry, and I farmed there and I did love that,” she explained. “But during that time, they were doing a hoop house project and they put me in charge of it and I just fell in love with vegetables.”

“I feel like a mad woman every single day because I love what I do,” she continued.

Zoe Nicholson, who moved to Vermont in 2016 to attend Champlain College, joined the team a few months later as the assistant farm manager and now runs the flower production.

“We’re really like partners in crime,” Winslow said.

Although Breana and Kieran — who has a degree in city and regional planning — had concrete plans for how the farm should look and operate, she said, “We told Kara, this is yours to do with whatever, obviously yes, we’re going to dictate a little bit of what we want to grow, but not really. Honestly, we can’t do this without Kara and Zoe.”

Adventure dinners

On top of the everyday duties, the farm has partnered with Adventure Dinner — a collaborative event company that hosts unique food and drink experiences in unexpected places — to bring guests on a journey through the innovative and sustainable agricultural practices the Killeens use in farming.

Chef James Kitchens with Adventure Dinner, alongside Chef Breana, host a fourcourse ode to their resective heritages using the Asian vegetables, eggs, and chickens raised on the farm.

“The chef at Adventure Dinner is half Filipino and I’m half Chinese and so we always do a completely Southeast Asianthemed menu. And it’s been so neat to see that people are so into it,” Killeen explained.

The 60-seat table is placed in a grassy section of the property lined with lights and tikki torches, alongside a newly built patio — done by Church Hill Landscapes in Charlotte — where the open-air kitchen sits.

“We set up this Uruguayan grill, which (Kieran) built, and (Adventure Dinner) sets up another grill, and all the food is coming

COURTESY PHOTO

An intimate Adventure Dinner set-up at Killeen Crossroads Farm.

See FARM on page 3

SB city council approves solar regs

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

After a public hearing this month, the South Burlington City Council approved land use regulations that will require the installation of solar photovoltaic systems in new commercial buildings and some new residential buildings.

The regulations, passed at the council’s June 5 meeting, take effect immediately and follow an amendment passed in February 2022 that mandated new buildings keep 40 percent of their roof “solar-ready,” or have a section of their roof designated and reserved for the future installation of a solar-energy system. The new rules now mandate that any commercial building or residential building with four or more stories be required to use that roof space to generate some of the building’s energy through solar.

“We should be very proud of ourselves in this city,” city councilor Andrew Chalnick said. “There’s only a handful of jurisdictions nationwide that have this requirement and it makes so much sense, so really, kudos to the city for being forward on this issue.”

The regulations have been in the works since 2019, originating from the city’s energy committee and its Climate Action Task Force — which has worked over the last several years to generate provisions to combat climate change on the municipal level — before making its way through the planning commission and council.

The regulations would apply to any building that is seeking a zoning permit after the effective

date of the “solar-ready” amendments passed last year, according to Paul Connor, the city’s planning and zoning director.

“Under this standard, those buildings would now be required to include the installation of a solar PV system on that solar ready zone,” Connor said.

Steve Crowley, a resident of South Burlington and energy chair for the Vermont chapter of the Sierra Club, lauded the adoption of the regulations, but added that “if anything, I feel like it’s not enough.”

“About 5 percent is the small, tiny, minuscule bit of in-state solar that’s required, and it’s not nearly enough and we’re not nearly on the right path yet,” he said. “So, the more that we can do here at the local level the better.”

The amendment follows similar regulations the city has approved as part of its Climate Action Plan, a roadmap to guide the city in reducing its carbon emissions through provisions on transportation and infrastructure.

Officially passed in October, the plan recommends reducing South Burlington’s 2019 greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2030 by addressing the city’s biggest contributors — transportation, commercial and industrial building energy usage, and residential energy usage.

By 2050, the city hopes to reduce emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels.

An ordinance approved in November requires new build-

See SOLAR REGS on page 13

South Burlington land truSt So.

FARM

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out of here,” Killeen said.

“Our first adventure dinner, we served something called Kanji, which every Southeast Asian culture has some version of it, but it’s a rice porridge and (Kitchens’) is slightly different than mine and people loved it,” she continued. “This is a dish that my dad eats for breakfast, but we really amped it up. Ninety-five percent of everything but the condiments that went into the dinners comes off of our farm.”

The next dinner will be on the summer solstice, June 21, and will feature an array of food varieties including chicken dumplings, beef braised in peanut sauce with sesame noodles, vegetables and rice, a root vegetable salad, and

more, all paired with four specialty made cocktails.

Community effort

While still maintaining fulltime jobs, the Killeens lean heavily on support from each other, their dedicated farm staff and members of the surrounding community who are always willing to lend a helping hand.

“We joke that it’s our gift to the community that we’re able to do this,” she said as somebody passed by in their car yelling out the window, “Hi, Breana!”

The future goal is to convert part of the barn into a full, industrial sized kitchen to teach cooking classes.

“That’s really what I ultimate-

ly want to do, is cooking classes,” Killeen said. “My husband and I are teachers. Before I came here, I was working at a cooking school. I learned how to write and I learned how to edit (at the magazine), but really it was to write recipes so people could know how to eat better.”

At its core, the whole endeavor has always been about good food bringing people together.

“It’s about food, yes,” she said. “But food is so much more than that. It’s a joiner for people. I love working in kitchens because you just learn about who people are. We’re so lucky to be able to do that. I really recognize how incredibly lucky we are that we get to choose to farm.”

Rotary Strengthens South Burlington Community

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

• Helped purchase four new little libraries

• Purchased almost $5,000 in gift cards for the South Burlington Food Shelf

• Donated thousands to local organizations, such as: Common Roots, Sara Holbrook Community Center, Age Well, Humane Society

EDUCATION

• Provided dictionaries to all South Burlington 3rd grade students

• Made a multi-year commitment to the South Burlington Library

• Gave $3,000 to Academic Boosters

• Gave $3,000 to elementary schools

• Supported four different scouting organizations

INTERNATIONALLY

• Supported relief efforts in Tigray and Ukraine

• Supported Rotary International’s fight against polio

How your support of South Burlington Rotary Club helps the community...

When you attend or sponsor a South Burlington Rotary Club event, you are supporting Rotary and participating in the community.

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you, join the fun at South Burlington Rotary’s annual golf tournament, the Ugly Sweater Fun Run, or a curling event in early 2024.

The South Burlington Rotary Club is made up of volunteers who invest in the health and well-being of our community. We support both local and global initiatives through contributions of time, talent, and treasure. Non-denominational and non-political, we welcome all members of the South Burlington community and beyond.

COURTESY PHOTO

A view of Killeen Crossroads Farm.

South Burlington Rotary wants to thank everyone who supported its mission to help the community this year.

We were able to donate more than $40,000 — and contribute hundreds of volunteer hours — to help our local and international communities.

Jogger spooked by man driving moped

South Burlington Police officers on Sunday, June 11, at approximately 7:41 p.m., responded to the area of Dorset Street and Kennedy Drive for a reported suspicious event. An 18-year-old female reported that she was being followed by two vehicles while she was running in the area.

The jogger told police she was running on Grandview Drive when

she perceived a male on a moped following her. She said the male appeared to be talking with another person in a gray truck.

She said the man on the moped attempted to stop her, pulling across her path of travel into a parking lot. She called 911 and as she was on the phone, the moped and truck left the area travelling south on Dorset Street from

Grandview Drive.

The jogger said the moped driver was a white male, wearing a hat, with no helmet, and a shortsleeved shirt. The driver of the truck was not described.

This incident is under investigation and anyone who witnessed this event is asked to call the South Burlington Police Department at 802-846-4111.

Two drivers hospitalized after rollover crash

South Burlington police, fire, and ambulance personnel responded to a two-car crash at the intersection of Williston Rd and Hinesburg Rd on Sunday, June 11, at 9:06 a.m.

Police say a Kia Sorento driven by Elizabeth Carlisle, 33, of Burlington, struck a Chevrolet Avalanche driven by Erica Fitzgerald, 33, of Pittsford, causing the Avalanche to roll onto its roof.

The Avalanche leaked a significant amount of gasoline, closing Patchen Road to White Street for approximately one hour while responders contained the spill.

Witnesses say the crash was a result of Fitzgerald running the red light at Hinesburg and Williston roads. Both drivers were transported to UVM Medical Center for evaluation and minor injuries.

A juvenile passenger in Carlisle’s vehicle was evaluated at the scene by medical personnel and released to a family member.

Fitzgerald was cited for driving after criminal license suspension, while Carlisle was issued a civil ticket for driving without insurance. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact officer Joanna Morse at 802-846-4843.

Total incidents: 436

Arrests: 17

Accidents: 37

Alarms: 17

Agency assists: 17

Public assists: 28

Directed patrols: 16

Motor vehicle complaints: 17

Suicidal person incidents: 24

Suspicious events: 15

Traffic stops: 15

Welfare checks: 36

Trespass: 29

Arrests:

May 30 at 8 a.m., Christopher A. Billado, 51, of Winooski, was arrested for petit larceny on Dorset Street.

May 30 at 1:37 p.m., Teilya M. Brunet, 34, of South Burlington, was arrested for violating conditions of release on Forest Street.

May 31 at 12:08 a.m., Austin B. Robinson, 30, of South Burlington, was arrested for driving after criminal license suspension on Shelburne Road.

May 31 at 12:25 p.m., Shaun M. Shea, 44, of Milton, was arrested for unlawful trespass on Dorset Street.

May 31 at 5:40 p.m., Brandon S. Douglas, 26, of South Burlington, was arrested for unlawful trespass on Village Green Drive.

June 1 at 1:06 a.m., Cher S. Sheltra, 46, of South Burlington, was arrested for false alarms to public safety on Lime Kiln Road.

June 1 at 10:51 a.m., Jessica L. Goodwin, 42, of Johnson, was arrested on an active warrant on Dorset Street.

June 2 a 10:05 p.m., Elaine M. Limanek, 33, of Shelburne, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense.

June 2 at 10:28 p.m., Zephanaiah D. Desormeaux, 33, of South Burlington, was arrested for domestic assault on Anderson Parkway.

June 6 at 11:26 a.m., Lacey L. Partlow, 30, of Swanton, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

June 6 at 3:44 p.m., Shawn L. McAllister, 52, of Johnson. was arrested on an in-state

See BLOTTER on page 13

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Impeachment investigation closed to protect participants

From the House Rep. Martin LaLonde

On the last day of this year’s legislative session, the House passed House Resolution 11, which created a Special Committee on Impeachment Inquiry. The resolution recognized credible accusations of separate misconduct by Franklin County State’s Attorney John Lavoie and Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore. The Speaker of the House appointed seven representatives to the Special Committee, and I was named as Chair.

The Special Committee is not a typical legislative committee. Its task is to investigate sensitive matters and decide whether its findings should lead to the impeachment of one or both of these elected officials. We have heard calls for the committee to open its work to the public in full, but I am writing to explain that parts of the committee’s work should not be done in public.

Its work is not the equivalent of a civil trial, a criminal trial, or a pre-trial hearing. It is an investigation. The committee is the equivalent of a prosecutor or a grand jury determining whether to bring an indictment. Such investigations are not done in public. Investigations such as this one are kept confidential for several good reasons. Most fundamentally, confidentiality is necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation. While the committee’s investigation is ongoing, premature disclosure of sensitive information could lead to interference, tampering, or manipulation of evidence. By limiting access to information to those directly involved in the investigation, confidentiality reduces the risk of external

influences and helps maintain the integrity of the process.

Confidentiality helps to ensure that committee members approach the evidence and facts objectively, without being influenced by external factors or public opinion. When sensitive information remains confidential, the committee can focus on gathering and analyzing evidence impartially. This promotes a fair and thorough investigation, preserving its integrity.

Confidentiality is also essential to safeguard the identities and statements of witnesses who provide crucial information to the Committee. For witnesses, testifying about traumatic events can be emotionally challenging, especially for victims or witnesses who have experienced abuse or other forms of harm. Testifying in a public session with numerous spectators can be intimidating and affect a person’s ability to provide an accurate and honest account of events. It can also have significant psychological impacts on individuals involved in sensitive cases such as the ones the committee is investigating, especially when their personal experiences are recorded and available online, subject to possible copying and rebroadcasting outside of their control.

Allowing witnesses to testify behind closed doors in executive session addresses these concerns. Witnesses can share their experiences with the committee without fear of intimidation or retribution. They can express themselves more freely and provide clearer and more reliable testimony. In addition, if assured confidentiality, addi-

Rep. Martin LaLonde

See LALONDE on page 7

Recapping an eventful first half of the biennium

From the House

Rep. Emilie Krasnow

Every day, I’m so grateful to the voters in Chittenden-9 for supporting my candidacy and electing me to be your representative in the People’s House in Montpelier. This was a historic year in the Vermont State House, and I was honored to have been a part of it. I’d like to share a few of our major accomplishments from this first year of the legislative biennium.

A balanced budget

On May 12, the House and Senate gave final approval to a balanced $8.4 billion budget that funds our state government for the 2024 fiscal year. H.494 is a fiscally responsible, values-based budget that invests in shared priorities, including housing, childcare, workforce development, climate and conservation, and vital human services that help Vermonters across the state. This is a responsible approach to good governance — one that carefully weighs costs and benefits, makes tough choices, and then delivers sufficient dollars to meet the needs of today while moving toward a stronger future. Key investments include:

• Housing ($211 million): The budget includes $109 million

to expand affordable housing and $102 million for emergency shelter and support services for unhoused Vermonters, recovery housing, transitional housing for Vermonters exiting prison, and housing for young people exiting the foster care system.

• Raising Provider Rates ($99.7 million): We’re boosting the rates for primary and specialty care, dental care, home health, nursing homes and residential care, adult day care, substance use and mental health, ambulance services and more. Increasing these rates will help us attract and retain workforce, meet demand for services, and free up hospital emergency rooms.

• Childcare ($76 million): This investment — the first in a multi-year system transformation — will make childcare more affordable for families, raise rates to provide financial stability for childcare providers, and boost pay for our valued early childhood workforce.

• Workforce and Higher Education ($74 million): The budget contains a $47 million package to attract and retain workers in fields with severe shortages, including nursing, dental hygiene, teachers, psychiatric care and the skilled trades. It also funds successful scholarship programs like 802 Opportunity and Critical Occupations.

Housing for all in the right place

The HOME bill, or S.100, lays the groundwork for more affordable housing stock for Vermont’s working families. It updates our land-use policies to encourage housing development where we want it — in vibrant, livable and walkable downtowns — while discouraging sprawl.

These land-use updates include zoning changes to enable more housing density, like allowing duplexes wherever single-family homes are allowed and at least five housing units per acre in areas served by water and sewer. Vermont faces a housing crisis. It is deeply connected to the intersecting crises in our child care system and our workforce.

There is a lack of housing that is affordable to residents across the income spectrum. In order to solve this crisis and work toward communities where working Vermonters can afford to live, we need to make simultaneous investments in construction, renovation, and services. Taken together, these historic investments and targeted regulatory reforms will help guide us out of the current crisis.

Child care and early childhood education

H.217 develops a blueprint for a significant investment in our children, families, and communities. The bill increases state-funded financial assistance for children in child care; plans for the expansion of part-time pre-K to a full-time program for all 4-year-olds in Vermont; increases the reimbursement rates for community and home-

based child care programs by 35 percent; and elevates and streamlines state-level oversight of early childhood education. This bill also provides a substantial increase to family home care providers, a critical component to solving the child care crisis.

H.217 will infuse over $140 million into the child care sector and, starting next year, will be funded by a payroll tax of 0.44 percent (employers pay 0.33 percent and employees pay 0.11 percent). H.217 passed by a vote of 118-27 and will have a lasting impact on the lives of Vermont families and our economy.

Linking housing and transportation

Access to transportation and creating more walkable and bike-friendly communities improves the quality of life for

Opinions about diversity not backed by facts

To the Editor:

I am surprised and disappointed that you chose to publish two letters to the editor in the June 8 issue expressing very negative views about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and Vermont public education in general (“Test scores down, education costs up” and “Glad to no longer pay SoBu taxes”).

Neither one complies with the guidelines for submission of such letters, which state that “all points should be supported by facts.”

“Test Scores…” contains many assertions, and no factual

residents of all ages, increases health and social equity, and revitalizes local economies. Investing in walkable, bikeable, and transit accessible communities can help Vermont address the critical state housing shortage. This year’s transportation budget included funding for public transportation, transportation alternative projects, and Mobility Transportation Initiative grants.

Universal school meals

Universal school meals offer many benefits, including more predictability for schools in meal planning and purchasing, less stigma in the cafeteria, access to more federal funding, and increased partnerships with local farms. Across the state, schools report that providing

support regarding educational costs or outcomes anywhere, let alone in South Burlington or Vermont as a whole (it is unclear which is the subject of the author’s complaints).

Furthermore, contrary to his apparent assumptions, DEI is not a subject of instruction and grades and homework have not been “eliminated.” A reference to the “infusion of illegal migrant children” is both offensive and untethered to any substantive point, but references to Democratic and Republican political actors suggest that the actual basis for the letter is partisan dissatisfaction.

Similarly, the other author moved out of state prior to the hiring of a director for DEI in South Burlington schools, so that action could not have been the reason for his move.

Furthermore, I can’t resist noting that according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, in FY 2020 the taxpayers of Florida paid over 66 times more interest on school debt than those in Vermont, and according to the most recent US News rankings Vermont K-12 public education is ranked number four versus Florida’s 14. It is best to look at educational expenditures in context before characterizing them as “stupidity.”

There are legitimate issues for discussion regarding public education, but let’s tie our comments to the facts and not use pejorative terms.

Therese Kurtze South Burlington

Rep. Emilie Krasnow

Busy session heads to veto overtime

From the Senate

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

This legislative session came after an election that saw historic margins of victory for both Democrats in the legislature and our Republican governor. Neither branch of government should forget the importance of working together to advance the needs of all Vermonters, especially as a special session looms in late June, largely focused on the state budget that was recently vetoed by Governor Scott.

Here are some highlights from the year and their recent fate or current trajectory.

Budget: Embedded in the budget are critical investments in our children and families — an infusion of much-needed funding of our early education workforce and family supports, as well as school meals as part of the universal benefits of public education.

Overall, the Legislature and the Governor differ by only 3 percent total in our budget proposals, and most of that difference comes from our additional investments in the much-needed mental health and social service workforce. Furthermore, the budget included funds for emergency shelter and further transformation of motels into permanent housing to stem

continued from page 5

tional victims or witnesses may be more willing to come forward to offer testimony and evidence. This promotes the flow of accurate and reliable information, enhancing the integrity of the investigation.

The rights of the respondents must also be considered. Preserving confidentiality prevents the unnecessary public exposure of potentially unfounded allegations or unverified information. It safeguards the respondents’ privacy and reputation until a thorough investigation is completed and wrongdoing, if any, is established.

The Special Committee has considered multiple precedents that support going into executive session to conduct parts of its investigation. Other legislative committees with investigatory powers, such as the House Ethics Panel, Sexual Harassment Prevention Panel, and Discrimination Prevention Panel, have even more stringent confidentiality rules and procedures than those for the Special Committee on Impeachment Inquiry. These panels conduct investigations and hear

the homelessness crisis. It is anticipated that the Legislature will have the necessary two-thirds majority to override the Governor’s budget veto.

Child Care: The landmark child care investment is being celebrated nationwide as leading the way and was funded with a payroll tax. While no stakeholder group ever shares universally agreed upon sentiments with the legislature, many businesses came forward and urged passage of this bill funded through payroll because they are having a hard time keeping parents and caregivers employed with virtually no access to affordable child care. This investment is embedded in the budget, which is likely to pass when the legislature returns for its veto session.

Housing: S.100 expands access to affordable housing and homeownership, reducing duplicative and expensive permitting processes at the state and local level. Importantly, it ensures multifamily housing cannot be discriminated against in local zoning. As the main author and chair of the Senate Housing Committee, I am proud this bill received tri-partisan, near-unanimous support and was signed by the Governor.

Gun Safety: As a new mother, creating a future free from gun

violence is a personal priority of mine. H.230 requires the safe storage of firearms and institutes a 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases. The governor let this bill become law without his signature, meaning he does not celebrate it, but he also does not oppose its implementation.

Health Care: At a time when women’s rights and LGBTQ+ health care are under attack across the country, Vermont protected abortion access and gender-affirming care by passing S.37. This is a “shield law” that protects Vermont doctors from out-of-state investigation, ensures access to abortion pills, and stops “crisis pregnancy resource centers” from using misleading information about their services. The Governor has signed S.37 and Sen. Ginny Lyons and I are being celebrated for this work in the White House later this month as the first anniversary of the devastating Dobbs decision is marked.

Thank you for the input and kind messages over the session as I juggled being a new committee chair and a new mom. Your feedback is always appreciated.

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.

testimony in nonpublic settings, and rarely are the witnesses or the information gathered during those investigations made public.

Legislatures in Connecticut, South Dakota, and Illinois have recently conducted impeachment investigations. These states as well as the U.S. Congress have procedures requiring confidentiality and have conducted hearings in executive session during their investigations to determine whether to bring articles of impeachment.

Most on point, however, is Vermont’s own impeachment precedent. In 1976, the Vermont House Judiciary Committee held closed-door sessions to hear testimony from witnesses in the investigation that lead to articles of impeachment against Washington County Sheriff Malcolm Mayo.

Chapter 1, Article 6 of the Vermont Constitution provides “that all power being originally inherent in and consequently derived from the people, therefore, all officers of government, whether legislative or executive, are

their trustees and servants; and at all times, in a legal way, accountable to them.”

I certainly agree that the committee is accountable to the people of Vermont. The people of Vermont expect us to ensure that elected officials who breach the public trust, who are unfit for office, are held responsible. To determine whether to hold them responsible through impeachment, the committee needs to weigh credible allegations against the investigated officials.

To do so, the committee must conduct a thorough investigation and maintain the integrity of that investigation. And to ensure the integrity of its investigation, the committee will need to, at times, take testimony and deliberate in executive session.

If you have input on this or other issues before the legislature, contact me at 802-863-3086 or mlalonde@leg.state.vt.us.

Martin LaLonde, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-12 House district.

Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Community Notes

VSO concerts bring swing, jazz, spirituals, marches

The VSO TD Bank Summer Festival Tour is back with a lineup of American favorites to get you dancing and celebrating the most anticipated time of year in Vermont with five stops across the state. Guest trumpeter and jazz legend Ray Vega joins the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and Argentinian/Italian conductor Michelle Di Russo in a concert of swing, jazz, spirituals, and marches.

Di Russo, known for her compelling interpretations, passionate musicality, and contemporary music, said, “We have been working hard curating an unforgettable experience for our audiences, including commissioning arrangements for the VSO and classic tunes from Jazz masters like Johnny Mandel and Duke Ellington that have influenced other composers like Bernstein and Gershwin.”

Vega is known as a prolific, state-wide performer and as host of Vermont Public’s Friday Night Jazz program.

“This July marks my 15th anniversary as a resident of the Green Mountain State and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than

to play with the VSO,” Vega said. “This is a fantastic ensemble and it’s sure to be a fun-filled series of concerts.”

Relax under balmy summer skies with feisty, soothing, and unforgettable music by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk, George Gershwin, John Philip Sousa, Johnny Mandel and more. Bring your picnic baskets and summer spirit!

This summer’s concerts:

June 30: Saskadena Six, South Pomfret

July 1: Burke Mountain Ski Resort, East Burke

July 2: Trapp Family Lodge Concert Meadow, Stowe

July 3: Grafton Ponds, Grafton

July 4: Shelburne Museum, Shelburne Fireworks will take place following the performances in Grafton, Stowe, and Burlington.

American Pickers TV show looking for the new old

The American Pickers are excited to return to Vermont! They plan to film episodes of The History Channel hit television series throughout your area in August 2023.

“American Pickers” is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique “picking” on The History Channel. The hit show follows skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques.

They are always excited to find historically significant or

rare items, in addition to unforgettable characters and their collections.

As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, the Pickers are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, they want to meet characters with amazing stories and fun items. They hope to give historically significant objects a new lease on life while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way. The Pickers have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them.

The American Pickers TV Show is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a unique item, story to tell, and is ready to sell please send us your name, phone number, location, and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call (646) 493-2184.

Notes, the Pickers do not pick stores, flea markets, malls, auction businesses, museums, or anything open to the public.

Food shelf restocking after busy May

After its busiest month ever in May, the South Burlington Food Shelf we had a relatively quiet week at the food shelf, with 61 customers.

Trader Joe’s had a large load

of food and flowers last week, weighing in at 1,595 pounds. Common Roots had fresh, organic produce plus three cubic yards of soil for customers to take for container gardens, and also provided cucumber, tomato, pepper, and lettuce starts.

There were 23 other donations from the community, which weighed in at 697 pounds.

The food shelf received a grant from the South Burlington Rotary Club to buy new carts and shelving.

Here is a list of things the shelf is always looking for; canned meats like tuna, chicken, spam, hash, canned fruits, soup, pasta/ tomato sauce, cereals, canned vegetables, snacks, pasta and mac and cheese boxes, coffee and tea, sauces and salad dressings, ketchup being the most popular, baking products like flour, sugar and cooking oils, beans, especially baked beans, rice, peanut butter, jellies and jams, paper towels, tissues and toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, soaps (hand, face, dish, and laundry) and shampoos.

In a separate container we also take fresh produce, dairy items, and meats and fish.

The shelf can always use monetary donations, and gift cards to supermarkets are always welcome.

The shelf cannot take fresh or frozen turkeys — too big for the storage capacity, wild game, alcoholic beverages, baby food or formula and open containers of food.

COURTESY PHOTO

Ray Vega

Two Scouts receive Silver Beaver awards

The Green Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America awarded South Burlington residents Alison Hampson and Bill Kett the highest honor in Scouting — the Silver Beaver award. The award is the highest honor a Boy Scout Council can bestow on a volunteer.

Alison has served at many levels within scouting. She has been a commissioner in the Three Rivers District and served as an assistant scoutmaster for a newly formed female troop. She was the Three Rivers Day Camp Director for several years, growing the program year after year.

She has served on the staff of three different Wood Badge courses and will serve as the 2024 Wood Badge Course Director. In her non-scouting life, she assists in the transition for adult youth with disabilities to life after leaving an extended high school program.

Bill is also well known throughout Scouting. In his seven years as a Scout volunteer, he has helped to rebuild the Pack and Troop in South Burlington by growing both units by over 400 percent each.

At the district level, Bill has served as a district trainer, Fall Camporee committee member and

has provided technical support for event marketing materials and Scoutbook. At the Council level, Bill recipient was tagged as the Council Administrator for Scoutbook.

He has assisted with tent platform building at Mt. Norris Scout Reservation in Eden and has served on both Pow Wow and University of Scouting committees.

He’s also serving on the 2023 Philmont Contingent Planning Committee necessary for Scouts participating in the Philmont High Adventure program in New Mexico.

If you get a chance to see either of these recipients in the community, congratulate them on their honor and thank them for their service to the youth of our community.

continued from page 6

free, healthy meals during the pandemic has boosted students’ overall nutrition, health, and behavior. The bill includes new strategies to access federal dollars to help pay for the program— both through increased student participation and a new Medicaid eligibility criterion that automatically qualifies schools.

The 2023 legislative session saw unprecedented and welcomed legislative action and investments in housing development and services. We are looking forward to building on these positive steps in the coming months and in the next legislative session to ensure continued progress as we address the

state’s housing crisis.

Even though the 2023 session is over, my job to be your representative is not.

You can still find me volunteering at the South Burlington Food Shelf, at Rotary Club meetings, and our library.

My goal is to be your voice in the State House, but I need to hear from you to be your best advocate.

Speaking of our community, when I arrived at the South Burlington Food Shelf at 4 p.m. last Thursday to volunteer, we already had a line out the door. We just completed our busiest month ever! The need is great and there are no signs it is abating.

I am glad that our community knows where they can get

food. I am grateful to community farms, grocery stores, and neighbors who have stepped up. We live in a special community, where neighbors do help neighbors, and where many folks fight to ensure that everyone feels welcome and safe.

Now, more than ever, contributions are vital to the food shelf’s ability to serve our neighbors. Your direct impact can make all the difference for someone today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Stay tuned for my full end of session report. This end of session report will provide a detailed snapshot of the work accomplished in this legislative session. There is always more work to be done and during the off-session months I will continue meeting with residents and stakeholders on issues affecting our community.

I’m a big fan of transparency. I want you to know what I’m working on, how I’m voting and why.

As always, please reach out anytime with ideas, questions and concerns ekrasnow@leg. state.vt.us.

COURTESY PHOTO

Alison Hampson and Bill Kett are adult volunteers with the Boy Scouts.

Emilie Krasnow, a Democrat from South Burlington, serves the Chittenden-9 House district.

KRASNOW

The 2023 legislative session saw unprecedented and welcomed legislative action and investments in housing development and services. We are looking forward to building on these positive steps in the coming months and in the next legislative session to ensure continued progress as we address the state’s housing crisis.

Redawks handed loss in two-overtime heartbreaker

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

For the 12 seniors on the South Burlington lacrosse team, Friday night was their last chance at Division I lacrosse glory.

The last two seasons had come to an end early in the postseason. But this year, the Wolves had finished with just one loss in the regular season, the top seed in the tournament and had their sights solely on the D-I title.

“We’ve kind of been saying all year, we gotta bring it home, we’ve gotta be the next team to do it,” South Burlington senior Evan Knoth said. “That’s been the mindset since day one.”

On Friday night at the University of Vermont’s Virtue Field, South Burlington accomplished its goal, beating No. 3 Middlebury 14-6 in the D-I championship game to capture the program’s first title since 2012.

“It feels great,” Wolves captain Ryan Sweet said. “This group of guys, this group of seniors has been together forever. We’ve been working hard for all of our lives for this moment. It feels great to finally get it done.”

Middlebury and South Burlington both started slowly, trading goals in the first quarter as they tried to find their games.

The Wolves found their game first. With just over two minutes to go in the first quarter, Will Hershberg tallied to put South Burlington up 3-2. The goal started an 8-0 run for the Wolves that saw them gain control of the game.

“We have so many good guys on our team (who can) get the offense going,” Sweet said. “All six of us, all seven of us can all score, go get a goal. So, it’s really hard to stop.”

South Burlington continued to build

its lead in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 4-0 in the frame to build a 14-4 lead heading into the final 12 minutes of the game.

“We want to come out physically and then, second quarter, we want to dial in mentally, think about what we can do better,” South Burlington coach Gar Smith said. “So, we adjusted a couple small things on defense and talked a little bit of offense where they threw a zone at us. And then the third quarter is what we call ‘we take a spirit,’ meaning we take the emotional and spiritual edge of the game.

“That’s kind of what we do. And then hopefully we’re in a good situation in the fourth quarter just to finish and wrap those three elements together.”

The Wolves brought it all together in the fourth quarter, keeping Middlebury off the board to secure the win and the title.

“This group, we’ve known for a long time that we could do it,” Knoth said. “It’s just a great game to go out on. We knew we could do it.”

Sweet paced the Wolves on offense, scoring two goals and five assists, while Hershberg added three goals. Will Goyette chipped in with three goals, while Will Anderson tallied two goals and one assist.

Brady Sweet added two goals, while Tayson Metz netted one goal for South Burlington. Knoth finished the game with 10 saves.

Wolves fall in Ultimate sems

No. 5 Montpelier 9, No. 1 South Burlington 8: Top-seeded South Burlington saw its season come to an end on Thursday,

See WOLVES on page 11

South Burlington High School gives out annual sports awards

On Monday, June 5, 2023, the South Burlington High School Annual All-Sports Award Night was held at FH Tuttle Middle School. Major athletic awards were given out to the following seniors.

Outstanding Male Athlete: Ryan Sweet

Outstanding Female Athlete: Miranda Hayes

Gary Iverson Memorial Award: Andrew Chandler

Donna Spooner Memorial Award: Mia Kaczmarek

Female Booster Sportsmanship Award: Cassie Scarpa

Male Booster Sportsmanship Award: Will Hershberg

Female Athletic Council

Scholar-Athlete Award: Izzy Redzic

Male Athletic Council

Scholar-Athlete Award: Rex Jewell

Special Athletic Council Awards: Brooks Balkan, Clara Margulius, Evan Pidgeon, Hannah White and TJ Maclay

NFHS Award of Excellence: Lily Hankes and Evan Knoth

Unified Sports Unsung Hero Award: Sydnee Ambrosino

Outstanding Unified Sports Athlete: Keyshawn Brochu

Coaches of the Year

Fall: Lindsay Austin-Hawley

Winter: Sean Jones

Spring: Gar Smith

Athletic Director Award for 12 athletes: Brooks Balkan, Sophia Bouffard, Bennett Bridges, Ollie Cloutier, Miranda Hayes, Evan Knoth, Vaughn Larkin, Taylor Larose, Izzy Redzic, Cassie Scarpa, Ryan Sweet, Hannah White and Oliver Vogt. The evening was sponsored by the S.B.H.S. Boosters.

FILE PHOTO

What a difference four years makes. South Burlington pitcher and slugger Emily Borrazzo, seen here in her freshman season in 2019, was named Vermont’s Gatorade softball player of the year for the second year in a row.

SCHOOL SAFETY

continued from page 1

don’t post them on our website to share, and part of the reason is that we don’t want a possible aggressor to have our response plans. We don’t want folks knowing our verbiage. We don’t want our responses anticipated.”

Each school within the district is equipped with a full safety team comprised of administrators, along with a variety of other staff. Because of the district’s policy governance model, board members also have the ability to examine all the safety plans to ensure that the district is in compliance with Agency of Education expectations.

Each school-based safety committee has leadership from the district committee comprised of the South Burlington chief of police, the district’s school resource officer, the South Burlington fire chief and the city’s public works director, along with superintendent Nichols and Tim Jarvis, the district’s senior director of operation and finances.

In coordination with the city, the school district has developed an emergency plan designed to provide a fast, consistent reference for handling emergencies and defining the communication steps and procedures necessary to handle a wide range of emergency and disaster situations.

On May 30, Gov. Phil Scott signed S.138, which requires schools to develop “access control and visitor management” and “all-hazards emergency operations plan” policies according to guidelines set by the Agency of Education. The access policy requires all school sites to lock exterior doors during the school day and requires all visitors to sign in at a centralized location prior to gaining full access to the school.

WOLVES

continued from page 10

falling to No. 5 Montpelier in the Division I boys’ Ultimate semifinals.

The Wolves lost in a nailbiter to the Solons, 9-8. South Burlington won the D-I title last season. Girls’ Ultimate falls in final No. 1 Burlington 15, No. 3 South Burlington 6: The South

“This really focuses on optionsbased training, which we do have in place, like ‘run-hide-fight,’” Nichols said. “There was also another piece of this legislation that talks about behavioral threat analysis, so that’s another newer component. But we’re already exercising compliance with S.138.”

School board members Chelsea Tillinghast and Kate Bailey were invited to thoroughly investigate the safety crisis planning materials alongside Jarvis and Nichols and found the materials to be not only in compliance but above compliance.

“I think initially, hearing these concerns and being a parent myself, I was thinking as a board member I should partner with our parents and our community to make these plans,” Tillinghast said. “Having had the opportunity to review them, I understand now why we can’t partner with the community to make these plans because any member of the community could then utilize those plans for not good things.”

For Bailey, school safety is personal. She said that, as a gun violence survivor, she feels the problem reflects much more on the reality of the country we live in.

“We could do everything that every website and every gold standard and every training says, and we still couldn’t guarantee that there’s not going to be some tragic school shooting, and that’s because of the country that we live in,” she said. “I would like to see a different culture change around guns and our tolerance for gun violence in this country.”

But some parents claim that a lack of community involvement is also part of the problem.

Lauren McBride, South Burlington School district parent and former Burlington High School principal, explained that policies really are only as good as the training and support that’s happening at the school. She added that she is “someone that has lived in a principal role, as someone that has trained teachers, and as someone that ran through these protocols every day, that went to school every day worried about a school shooting.”

“We can say that we are a gold standard,” McBride said, adding teachers ultimately need to have the training in order to know what they need to do.

As a former safety expert, board member Bryan Companion told the board that he felt alarmed to hear that teachers may not feel safe.

“That’s a concern to me,” he said. “If it means they don’t know the process or whatever. Something isn’t right if that statement is being made. I think we need to probe that.”

Although there are big pieces of the safety conversation that still need to be had in full detail, Nichols explained, “I can confidently say that we have a district plan, or school-based plans, that are tailored to those spaces that have teams of people who meet to ensure compliance on those.”

The school safety and district committees will also be convening on June 20 to review and update any of the plans for the next school year. With this, Nichols said she hopes to introduce a conversation on creating a fifth safety command on top of the four in place now.

Additionally, the Vermont school safety liaison, Rob Evans,

will be performing a direct inspection of the district’s safety plans and joining the Aug. 16 board meeting to further address the public.

Board member and teacher Laura Williams echoed Bailey’s comments regarding the risk it is sending children to school, but she does believe in the policies set in place at the district.

“It’s a leap of faith,” she said. “It’s one that I took with my own

children at the South Burlington School District. It’s one I take with myself in my own district. I hear the frustration out there and I sympathize. But I do think we’ve got to get the experts in and the power of the policies are really good in my understanding.”

“I appreciate what you’re saying,” responded Swanson. “But with all due respect, it’s my children, so a leap of faith is not good enough.”

CHANGE IN ASSESSED VALUE OF REAL ESTATE TO TAXPAYERS AS OF JUNE 6, 2023

Title 32, Vermont Statutes Annotated, section 4111(g) reads as follows:

“A person who feels aggrieved by the action of the listers and desires to be heard by them, shall, on or before the day of the grievance meeting, file with them their objections in writing and may appear at such grievance meeting, in person or by their agents or attorneys. Upon the hearing of such grievance the parties thereto may submit such documentary or sworn evidence as shall be pertinent thereto.”

Not all properties will have had a change in value. Properties with changes in value will be mailed separate notices. Grievance hearings for the year 2023 will be held by appointment, email, or telephone at City Hall – Office of the Assessor, 180 Market Street, S Burlington VT 05403. Property valuation appeal hearings will close on June 21, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.

Burlington girls’ Ultimate team made some history this season, advancing to the program’s first Division I championship game.

That was as far as their history-making season would go as the Wolves fell to top-seed Burlington 15-6 on Saturday in the final.

The undefeated Seahorses (13-0) built an early lead that had

climbed to 8-1 at halftime, making the comeback tough for South Burlington.

While the season ended, the Wolves celebrated a 10-6 season and the program’s first title-game appearance. With 15 players returning next year, South Burlington should have their eye on the state championship.

To expedite the process, please do not wait until the deadline to submit your request for a re-evaluation. Appeals need to be in writing; an email may be sent to request a hearing to Martha at mlyons@southburlingtonvt.gov

Please include your name, address of the property you are appealing and the reason why you are appealing.

Please include what you think the fair market value of your property is. All official valuation appeals must be received in the Assessor’s Office in writing by 4:00 p.m. on June 21, 2023.

www.southburlingtonvt.gov/departments/tax_assessor_office/

before the pandemic hit, according to this year’s Point in Time Count.

The count, a federally-mandated census conducted each year by every state in the country, offers a yearly snapshot of the state of homelessness in Vermont — with breakdowns in varying demographics such as household type. The count is conducted by the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance and the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness.

“I’ll confess that I was surprised by the percentage increase … over the prior year. I would not have anticipated that,” Martin Hahn, executive director of the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness, said. “Just based simply on that increase, it’s fair to say that on a per-capita basis, Vermont is very highly impacted by homelessness.”

Racial disparities were found in this year’s data. Black and Indigenous Vermonters disproportionately experienced homelessness in 2023 compared to the general population in both Chittenden County and statewide, according to the report.

The number of households with children experiencing homelessness, meanwhile, increased by 36 percent compared to the prior year.

“The increase in the number of children experiencing homelessness is heartbreaking,” the report states.

This year’s increase, the report’s authors found, is due in part to the termination last year of rent subsidies provided to lower income Vermonters through the Emergency Rental Assistant program, and the end of the eviction moratorium in July 2022; the “extremely low” vacancy rate for apartments in much of Vermont, ranging from 0.5 percent to 3 percent across the state, which allowed landlords “to increase rents and to be highly selective in choosing tenants;” and the operation of non-congregate emergency and transitional housing opportunities in hotels and motels, “allowing for increased eligibility to emergency housing and creating a more accurate reflection of the community need.”

This year’s count, taken on Jan. 25, comes as Vermont remains behind only California with the second highest per-capi-

ta rate of homelessness in the country.

It’s unclear if that is still reflected in this new data. Hahn said the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has not yet aggregated each state’s counts.

Adding clarity to the count’s data is Vermont’s low percentage of unhoused Vermonters who are unsheltered or forced to live outdoors.

Rural homelessness is often hard to track, as organizers face challenges ensuring an accurate count is taken in some of the state’s more remote areas. The report said that 137 people were counted as unsheltered — or living outside or in a car.

“This population is, by definition, difficult to count and is under-reported. Some people choose to not be included in the Point in Time Count, while others are hidden from sight, and many rural communities do not have the capacity to reach isolated communities,” the report states.

But organizers of this year’s count were able to get a more accurate reading of people experiencing homelessness thanks to the state’s motel-voucher program.

“You’ll see a significant portion of those people who are counted are people who are staying in hotels … being housed there with support through the state of Vermont,” Hahn said. “As a means of finding people, the fact

that so many people were in hotels, made the count probably closer to accurate than we might see in years where that’s not true.”

A separate but contingent count specific to Chittenden County, released earlier this month, showed a smaller increase: 758 people were found living on the streets or in a shelter this year, an increase from last year’s count of 668 people, as well as the 700 people counted in 2021.

The relatively smaller increase in people experiencing homelessness in Chittenden County “is likely due to the extremely tight

HOMELESSNESS

continued from page 12

market for hotel rooms in the county which required people to relocate to shelters in other counties,” the report reads.

But as the state’s motel-voucher program comes to an end — with roughly 3,000 people expected to be ineligible for shelter in a motel by the end of the month — experts predict that Chittenden County, and Burlington specifically, will see an influx of individuals in need of services.

“If somebody’s been housed out of the county because there are no more hotel rooms in Chittenden County and in Burlington, they may seek to return to their home community,” Hahn said. “It’s also fair to say that Burling-

BLOTTER

continued from page 4

warrant on Dorset Street.

June 7 at 6:32 a.m., Amanda L. Brunelle, 35, no address listed, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

June 8 at 2:30 p.m., Anthony M. Verchereau, 64, of Winooski, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.

June 9 at 5:02 a.m., David E. McGregor, 37, of Grand Isle, was arrested for excessive speed near the corner of Williston Road and Milham Court.

June 9 at 3:30 p.m., Zackary T. Plante, 33, of Burlington, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.

June 10 at 1:31 a.m., Brady Sheldrick, 26, of Charlotte, was arrested for DUI No. 1.

June 10 at 9:51 p.m., Jamie E. Bombard, 24, of Bloomingdale, N.Y., was arrested for fentanyl trafficking and possession of methamphetamine.

Selected incidents:

May 29 at 8:39 a.m., police investigated a report of larceny from a vehicle at the Double Tree hotel on Williston Road.

May 29 at 12:30 p.m., someone reported larceny from townhouses on Churchill Road.

May 29 at 4:10 p.m., police investigated a possible sex crime on Williston Road.

May 30 at 6:12 a.m., someone on Joy Drive threatened someone else.

ton has the most robust services available for folks who are experiencing homelessness. So, I would anticipate that Burlington will be disproportionately impacted by folks leaving hotels.”

How the state will respond to the crisis remains to be seen. With federal COVID-19 funds drying up, the state has declined to continue the program and has begun winding down its motel program.

Anne Sosin, a policy fellow

at the Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College who focuses on homelessness, said the Point in Time Count “just adds another data point to what we already know, which is that the crisis of homelessness is outrunning the state’s response.”

“I have yet to see a viable statewide plan emerge. We’re past due for that,” Sosin said. “What we’re seeing is a patchwork response to a statewide problem.”

May 30 at 10:22 a.m., police investigated a pair of possible thefts from vehicles on Green Mountain Drive.

May 31 at 8:34 p.m., someone may have overdosed on drugs on Hannaford Drive.

June 3 at 10:44 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from Farrell Street. Police are investigating.

June 6 at 4:20 p.m., another vehicle was reported stolen from Tilley Drive, and police are investigating that, too.

June 9 at 6:53 a.m., police investigated another possible sex crime on Williston Road.

June 9 at 12:11 p.m., one of numerous retail thefts in the past two weeks was reported at the University Mall. Police fielded numerous trespass calls there, too.

June 10 at 6:05 p.m., someone called in a bomb threat at the

mall. No bomb went off, but police are investigating.

June 11 at 8:20 a.m., police looked into possible drug activity the Shelburne Road Travelodge.

June 11 at 1:02 p.m., police investigated a possible sex crime on Gregory Drive.

Untimely deaths:

May 23 at 9:40 a.m., Miriam Oaks, 89, of South Burlington, was found dead at her home on Aspen Drive.

June 5 ay 1:12 a.m., Brandon Scarfone, 32, was found dead on Shelburne Road near Interstate 189. No foul play was reported and the medical examiner’s office is determining the cause of death.

June 10 at 7:50 p.m., Thomas Trainer, 94, of South Burlington, died at home on South Street.

SALES EXECUTIVE

Award-winning group of community weeklies with offices in Stowe, Morrisville and South Burlington seeks a sales person. Ideal candidate should have a basic knowledge of the local towns, business and communities we serve. A proven track record in sales and an ability to offer topnotch customer service is a required. In addition to servicing established accounts, candidate must be able to generate sales from qualified leads as well as establish new ones. Our company offers health benefits, vacation time, and provides on the job training in newspapers sales. Generous base salary during training and ideal hours (few nights or weekends). If you possess these qualifications and would like to be considered, please send your resume and cover letter to:

Bryan Meszkat at bryan@newsandcitizen.com.

SOLAR

REGS continued from page 3

ings permitted on or after Feb. 15 to use renewable energy sources for their primary heating and domestic water heating systems.

Another move by the city — a charter change that would have allowed it to regulate thermal energy systems in existing residential and commercial buildings — was voted down 3-2

earlier this year. That charter change would have mimicked language passed by neighboring Burlington voters in 2021 that was signed into law by Gov. Phil Scott in April.

Two of the three no votes on the charter change — Thomas Chittenden and Matt Cota — are no longer on the council. Councilor Tim Barritt also voted no.

Information Technology Director

JOB SUMMARY

The City of South Burlington is looking for an innovative, strategic and dynamic proven leader to be our next IT Director: oversee and lead all aspects of Information Technology for the City; design and develop IT strategies and infrastructure, hardware and software, network operations and security, server maintenance and connectivity, help desk and customer service operations and project management. Administrative functions include budget and resource management. As a Department Head, this position is a member of the City Manager’s Leadership Team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or a related field, plus a minimum of five years’ experience in information technology leadership and administration, equivalency considered. Learn more about the position and see a detailed job description by visiting: southburlingtonvt.gov/jobopportunities

APPLY NOW

Review of applications will begin July 5, 2023. To apply, please email an South Burlington City employment application form, cover letter, resume and three references to sbcityjobs@southburlingtonvt.gov with “IT Director” in the subject line.

“I have yet to see a viable statewide plan emerge. We’re past due for that.”

— Anne Sosin

Email judy@otherpapersbvt.com or call 802-864-6670 to place

Piano Lessons

RABIES BAIT

continued from page 2

The week-long bait drop is a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the potentially fatal disease.

Spring Cleanup & Mulch

Lawn Maintenance

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals. It is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but unvaccinated pets and livestock can also get rabies.The virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal or contact with its

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FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES

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ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Aries, despite your best efforts, you cannot seem to get much work done this week. Your head is in the clouds with matters of the heart. Soon enough your focus will return.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

This week you may tire from charging into battle and prefer others to do the ghting for you, mighty Taurus. You can use a rest from always putting yourself out there.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Adopt a more serious tone this week, Gemini. Your actions may be judged without your knowledge, so lay low. Put the most professional foot forward.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

People may respond much better to comforting words and gestures this week, Cancer. Carefully construct your approach to communicating to reach the widest audience.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

You may soon discover that a person who you consider a friend really is your perfect match, Leo. When you look at this person, the realization may suddenly dawn on you.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, others around you are especially sensitive this week, so even the slightest criticism could be mistaken for an insult. Rather than ruf e feathers, hold your tongue.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

These next few days you could present an opportunity to break free from everyday life and the mundane, Libra. If you don’t know how to proceed, follow your gut.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

You don’t always need to be in pursuit of some sort of intellectual betterment, Scorpio. Get outside and take a walk or swim in a lake. Engage in trivial things that bring you joy.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 23 - Dec. 21

Sagittarius, you are capable of producing impressive results if you set your mind on a plan. This is the week to dabble in a new hobby that will bring forth your creativity.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20 Some debates may not come to a swift resolution, Capricorn. You may need to accept that you simply disagree with someone on a particular topic and let things lie.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18 Aquarius, you may have been a little worried about your work or studies lately. This week things will lighten up and you’ll feel much more in control of your situation.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

This is likely to be a busy week lled with the potential for travel. Bring along a close friend or a loved one for the adventure.

CLUES ACROSS

1. In a place to sleep

5. Chemical compound (abbr.)

8. A way to sh

11. Classic Linklater lm “__ and Confused”

13. Legume

14. Indonesian island

15. Smooth, creamy substance

16. Arctic

17. Wood sorrels

18. De ed

20. Cattle

21. Tableland

22. Honorably retired and retaining one’s title

25. Repossession

30. Danced

31. Adult males

32. A type of section 33. Type of Japanese animation

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

56. Lique ed natural gas

57. Af icted

59. Electronic countercountermeasures

60. Popular HBO fantasy series (abbr.)

61. Spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation

62. Large body of water

63. __kosh, near Lake Winnebago

64. Impudence

CLUES DOWN

1. Payroll rm

2. Unit of transmission

3. Rockers Better Than __

4. Bambi is one

5. Highest parts of something

6. Correct behavior

7. Batty

8. Cyprinid shes

9. Expression of sorrow or pity

10. Site of the famous Leaning Tower

12. American rocker Snider

14. W. African language

19. Symbol to mark for removal

23. __ Squad

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!

24. Resident

25. Federal savings bank

ANSWERS

26. Paddle

27. Returned material authorization (abbr.)

28. One point south of due east

29. Winter melon

34. Last or greatest in an inde nitely large series 35. Anger

36. Central European river

37. First responders

39. Spanish noble 40. Persons with absence of skin pigment

41. Defunct airline 42. Small island (British) 44. The extent of something from beginning to end 45. Capital of Bangladesh 46. Dutch cheese 47. Imitates 48. A contest of speed 51. Swiss river 52. Prejudice