The Other Paper - 8-31-23

New school

District aims to launch new therapeutical program

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Repeat defenders?

SB soccer team aiming for second state title

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the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977

Sign of the times

South Burlington sees $2 million in budget surplus

up on operation costs in the event of emergency.

The South Burlington City Council last week was presented with a pretty good problem: how to spend all its extra money?

Following two years of conservative revenue projections made back in Dec. 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the city now has well over $2 million in surplus funds that it is allocating towards 11 different departments and projects, as well as to its fund balance — money kept in reserve to keep

“We are in a really privileged position with this conversation tonight. We have a significant surplus being driven by revenues,” city manager Jessie Baker said. Expenses came in roughly $100,000 over budget on the city’s $28 million budget, she said, “which is very tight, so this privilege is really driven by revenues.”

The main drivers of the reve-

See BUDGET SURPLUS on page 13

David Cross on Hollywood and joys of being a dad

Davis Cross has won numerous awards, but this one might be his most prolific of all: Worst Daddy in the World.

His full biography is too long to list. An Emmy Award winner and two-time Grammy Award nominee, Cross has had a prolific, decades-long career as an actor and writer. He’s appeared in dozens of TV and movie productions — the sketch comedy “Mr. Show” with Bob Odenkirk, and “The Ben Stiller Show;” he voiced roles in Boots Riley’s film, “Sorry

To Bother You,” and was in Steven Spielberg’s “The Post;” and, of course, he starred as Dr. Tobias Fünke in Netflix’s “Arrested Development,” for which he was twice-nominated as part of the ensemble cast for a Screen Actors Guild Award and won.

He’s currently starring in the Julia Louis-Dreyfus film “You Hurt My Feelings,” the FX series “Justified: City Primeval,” and he will join the cast of the Netflix series “The Umbrella Academy” for its fourth and final season.

See CROSS on page 12

COURTESY PHOTO

South Burlington Department of Public Works crew members Pat Adams and Tony Spillane set up new four-way stop near Rick Marcotte Central School. See story on page 3.

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER

School district to launch therapeutic program

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

South Burlington School District officials have been at work this summer preparing to launch a new therapeutic alternative program for students directly affected by the closure of several of these programs regionally.

On a morning in late June, school officials received word that one program that was serving five South Burlington students, Centerpoint, was closing. Superintendent Violet Nichols described this moment as the launching pad for a fast and furious next few months of spearheading a brand new extension of the South Burlington School District, one she says the district has an obligation to uphold.

“South Burlington, as well as our neighboring districts, have students who benefit from alternative programming each year

and, in turn, I believe this benefits our community,” she wrote in an email. “Not only do we districts have the legal obligation to provide free and appropriate public education to students, it is a real issue of equity and inclusion for me.”

Centerpoint — the program previously ran through the Howard Center, Northeastern Family Institute Vermont and Matrix Health Systems — was a combination substance abuse and mental health clinic, and an independent therapeutic school program for hundreds of at-risk students faced with emotional, behavioral, or special learning needs.

Although the program’s dissolution, along with others, has shed some light on the gap in resources for certain students, Nicholas explained that it, more than anything, has urged the district to find solutions quickly before the start of the next school year.

“Therapeutic alternative programs are disappearing,” Nichols wrote. “Last year was spent troubleshooting how to redesign the individualized educational programs of many students with fewer resources in our community, many of whom require supports not typically provided by public schools.”

Kristin Romick, the school district’s executive director of education support systems, said she initially contacted Centerpoint to learn how they could work together to sort a conclusion.

Six weeks later, the district has successfully onboarded four Centerpoint staff to run the new alternative program, including director of the district’s new program, Katie Cunningham.

“We quickly found that in order for us to be able to do this in a way that would be as quick as possible, we needed to have any type of an alternate program be directly part of our South Burlington School District,” Romick explained. “Folks would need to be employed by us.”

In doing so, the district has been able to preserve many of the relationships already built by these students while also ensuring the necessary expertise required to create a specialized program that can run effectively.

“We were so fortunate to be able to get people who have relationships with our students already and who had that therapeutic alternative expertise that we needed,” she added.

Financially, the district has already budgeted for these students to be placed into alternative programs. “There was already tuition and money set aside for that,” Romick said. “Rather than use those funds to support students in an outplacement we are able to use those funds in our own program.”

Nichols said that, since an outplacement is unable to be provided, the district is required to provide alternative services and within that, maintain the student’s access to public education.

“With program closures, districts must seek to meet students’ needs nonetheless, but with far fewer resources,” she wrote. “Tutoring is often a solution employed, however, it’s often more costly, can’t typically focus on social skills, and there are shortages for many of the specific educational services needed.”

Cunningham said the curriculum will still ensure that any graduation requirements and academic needs are being addressed, but through a flexible pathways model. She said the ultimate goal is to have social and emotional learning integrated into nearly every experience that students have throughout the day in order to ensure a grounded foundation for building skills and addressing student strengths.

“We really see and know that handson academic opportunities are incredibly effective and successful for this population of students,” she said. “Really integrating as much of those components as we can, while maintaining the necessary graduation requirements with a therapeutic overlay for the whole program.”

Although the new program is under the South Burlington School District umbrella, Nichols assured that they will continue to allow students from districts to attend at a tuition fee similar to other outplacement programs that most districts have already budgeted for. Once total program costs have been finalized, that number will then be divided by the number of students to determine the tuition for neighboring districts.

“One thing about education in Vermont is that we really are all in it together,” Nichols wrote, noting that continuing to foster student relationships is an integral part of the program. “Districts have budgeted outplacement tuition. Also — and the problem here really has been about lack of programs available — the funding has been approved by voters/communities since Town Meeting Days.”

As the district still battles with spacing issues, the program will still be housed at the Centerpoint campus on Airport Drive, and costs for the lease will be factored into tuition rates.

“We have classrooms — large classroom spaces, small classroom spaces — as well as some office space,” Romick said.

A name for the program has not yet been finalized, and the hope is to include students in that process in order to cultivate an even greater sense of belonging.

“We want the students to have some voice and choice in regard to that,” Romick said. “We are going to have students from other school districts participating, and we want to make sure that they feel like it’s theirs too.”

City Council approves school zone, new four-way stop

DARR STAFF WRITER

Following a slew of requests from South Burlington School District board members regarding safer traffic conditions surrounding the district’s five schools, the city council last week approved establishing a school zone at the Rick Marcotte Central School along with a four-way stop on Market Street at the driveway to the school.

Since February, the school board, along with superintendent Violet Nichols, have raised the alarm over safer traffic conditions at each of the district’s five schools: Rick Marcotte Central School located on Market Street, Orchard School on Baldwin Avenue, Gertrude Chamberlain School on White Street, and Frederick H. Tuttle Middle and South Burlington High School, both located on Dorset Street.

Although all of the schools have remained a concern, the situation at Rick Marcotte and areas surrounding Market Street have intensified significantly as construction on new developments has progressed, specifically with the construction of Catamount Run, a new 300-unit housing initiative.

The school board has made several written requests to the city council with most of the appeals remaining the same: reduced speeds, designated school zones with lights and radar, and crossing guard assistance — specifically at Rick Marcotte, a position currently filled by one volunteer, Sue Conley, a grandparent of a Rick Marcotte student.

The South Burlington Speed Limit Resolution, which is part of the City’s Motor Vehicle and Traf-

fic Ordinance, did not include a provision for the establishment of school zones until it was updated on Oct. 3, 2022, as part of an effort to address concerns about traffic speeds, specifically on White Street. There is presently one school zone — on White Street near the Chamberlin School— established under the resolution.

But in order for the city to implement more speed changes and school zones, the areas had to first undergo engineering studies and analyses and wait for the results to be finalized.

Studies done by Chittenden County Regional Planning found that of the 4,414 cars observed per

day on Market Street, most were traveling slightly higher than the 25 miles per hour posted speed limit.

“Based on all of those different things, the Chittenden County Regional Planning engineers have recommended a school zone be implemented on Market Street,” Erica Quallen, South Burlington’s deputy director of capital projects, said, noting that the school zone would be marked at 20 miles per hour. “It would be time-restricted to be about an hour or so during drop off in the morning and pick up in the evening. And that would be signified by the flashing lights and the radar speed feedback

signs, and that goes to a few 100 feet in either direction.”

Under current conditions, only one of the eight criteria for implementing new stop signs is met, but engineers determined that with more than a thousand new homes expected in coming years, as well as over 50,000 square feet of commercial space, traffic volumes are expected to increase exponentially.

“Instead of having to turn around really quickly after the next building opens up and doing this from the get-go again, we have decided, based on recommendations and conversations here, that the intersection of Market Street

and the driveways for the City Hall parking lot and the drive to school become a four-way stop,” Quallen explained.

The $30,000 in signs and equipment necessary to establish a school zone on Market Street has been approved for allocation from the city’s surplus funds of over $2 million at the close of fiscal year 2023.

On top of multiple studies currently being done, the city is currently planning to next evaluate lighting, traffic calming, and the establishment of school zones on Dorset Street, at an additional cost of $30,000 from surplus funding.

COURTESY PHOTO

South Burlington Public Works crew direct traffic during stop sign set-up.

MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT

2006 and 2011.

As part of the plea deal, a more serious sexual assault charge was dropped.

South

Burlington Police Blotter:

Total reported incidents: 289

Arrests: 14

Traffic stops: 35

Accidents: 20

Alarms: 8

Joshua Genalski, 19, of Richmond, was arrested for simple assault, following an Aug. 19 incident on Williston Road.

Jerry A. Normandin, 64, of Milton, was placed on paid administrative as soon as South Burlington School officials became aware of the misconduct on July 23, 2021, then-superintendent David Young said at the time.

Normandin pleaded guilty Monday in Vermont Superior Court to two felony charges of lewd and lascivious conduct with children by engaging in sex acts: with a South Burlington student under age 13 between September 2020 and July 2021 and with a Milton boy under age 16, between

Judge Alison S. Arms agreed to impose concurrent 5-to-15year prison terms with a specific requirement he spend three years behind bars. The remainder will be served on probation with strict conditions. Normandin must register as a convicted sex offender wherever he lives for the rest of his life.

He also is required to participate in the Vermont Treatment Program for Sexual Abusers, Arms said.

Arms had rejected a similar plea deal earlier that would have netted Normandin two years in prison because she believed it was an insufficient penalty. According to court records, Arms cited the number of victims, the length of time the conduct went

on, the grooming of children and the vulnerability of the victims. Normandin was then allowed to withdraw his guilty pleas.

Arms outlined those concerns again when she noted a line given by one victim about Normandin: “He destroyed my life.”

Arms, who has been known to push back on some proposed plea deals, said at the time she did not make the decision lightly and understood the victims wanted closure, but the deal was too lenient based on the compelling statements of one victim.

She said Monday that the added year still does not fully address the real and lifelong harm Normandin has inflicted on the two children, saying that, while he will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of

See NORMANDIN on page 16

We are closed Monday, September 4! EARLY DEADLINES

ISSUE DATE: Thursday, September 7

Real Estate and BANG/Combination Ads are due Thursday, August 31, 5 p.m.

Animal problems: 7

Agency assists: 8

Public assists: 16

Directed patrols: 21

Disturbances: 10

Foot patrols: 10

Larceny: 16

Mental health issues: 4

Motor vehicle complaints: 12

Retail theft: 12

Stolen vehicle: 6

Suspicious events: 11

Threats: 5

Trespassing: 9

Unlawful mischief: 8

Welfare check-ins: 21

Arrests:

Zackary T. Plante, 33, of Burlington, was arrested for retail theft, following a Feb. 17 incident on Dorset Street.

Shane M. Morrill, 36, of Colchester, was arrested for petit larceny, identity theft, unlawful mischief, credit card fraud and retail theft, after a July 5 incident on Central Avenue.

Larry M. Sweetser, 30, of South Burlington, was arrested for gross negligent driving, leaving the scene of a crash and eluding police, on Aug. 19 on Dorset Street.

Aug. 21 at 8:31 p.m., Xin S. Jin, 34, no address listed, was arrested for not having a license on Market Street.

Aug. 22 at 12:18 p.m., Ashley R. Skidmore, 36, of Burlington, was arrested for retail theft and violating conditions of release on Dorset Street.

Aug. 24 at 3:45 p.m., Devron M. Monahan, 26, of St. Albans, was arrested for retail theft and giving false information to police, on Dorset Street.

Aug. 25 at 11:34 p.m., Nicholas W. Balsamo, 23, of Burlington, was arrested for excessive speed and driving under the influence on Interstate 89 at southbound mile marker 88.2.

See BLOTTER on page 16

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OPINION

Nature will be solution to Vermont’s flood crisis

Guest Perspective

Tom Rogers

Vermont’s increasingly destructive flooding disasters are happening because our rivers are doing exactly what we have spent more than 200 years intentionally designing them to do — rush water off the land as quickly as possible. As the devastation to lives, communities and economy makes it increasingly clear, it is time to reimagine what rivers can do.

If a present-day Vermonter were whisked away in a time machine to 1492, they would not recognize the Green Mountain State. The landscape was largely forested wetlands, shaped by beavers that were 10 times as abundant across the continent as they are today. A drop of rain that fell on the mountains back then would have many stops along its journey, collecting in beaver ponds — sometimes as dense as 200 dams per square mile in Vermont — winding in braided paths through floodplain forests, pausing in wetlands to deposit sediments, before finally reaching Lake Champlain or the Connecticut River.

When Europeans colonized what is now Vermont, high demand for pelts combined with unregulated trapping led to the removal of beavers from the state by the 1800s. When the fur trade was replaced by an agricultural economy, remaining wetlands were drained to make room for grazing livestock.

Rivers were channelized and straightened to access the fertile soil along their banks for growing crops. The practice of ditching and grading to remove water from the landscape continues to this day because standing water remains incompatible with roads, lawns and buildings.

It’s easy to understand the difference between a manicured city park and a forest. While a city park may have a few sparse trees among the freshly mowed grass, no one would confuse it with a forest. Similarly, we should not confuse much of what we have in Vermont today with real rivers. Vermont’s straight and narrow depressions, cut off from their floodplains, reinforced at times by artificial stone or concrete along their steep banks and free of natural obstacles like logs or boulders might in many places be more appropriately referred to as drainage ditches than rivers, no more able to accommodate the needs of a fish than a parking lot can accommodate the needs of wildlife.

flooding this July, Florida was experiencing historic ocean temperatures with the first 100-degree measurement ever recorded. Hotter air and warmer oceans around the world lead to more evaporation and increase the volatility of weather patterns. As a result, Vermont is not only seeing more precipitation, but we are also seeing more of it all at once during these extreme weather events. Climate change has turned depleted rivers from garden hoses into fire hoses, and they are pointed straight at our communities.

What do we do now? First and foremost, we must address the climate crisis, eliminating the use of fossil fuels and protecting forests and other natural places that sequester and store atmospheric carbon.

But just as important, we need to let our rivers be rivers again. We must return rivers to their floodplains rather than channelizing them and restore the floodplain forests along their banks to provide space for floodwaters to go. We need to protect and restore existing wetlands — the sponges of the landscape — and prioritize the protection of beaver habitat to allow them to create new wetlands that soak up excess water. We need to leave trees, root balls, boulders and natural debris in rivers to slow down floodwaters and improve fish habitat.

Most immediately, we must allow rivers to move and meander more naturally by prohibiting new development in river corridors statewide.

We already know this approach works in Vermont. During Tropical Storm Irene, downtown Rutland was devastated by flooding when Otter Creek jumped its banks. But Middlebury, located 30 miles downstream from Rutland along Otter Creek, was spared the worst effects of the storm. An extensive wetland complex, protected and restored by Vermont’s conservation community through many years of hard work and effective partnerships, soaked up the excess floodwaters and very slowly released them.

These noble wetlands saved Middlebury more than $1.8 million in potential damages according to a University of Vermont study.

Rather than continuing to manipulate rivers to rush water off the land, we need to work with nature to reengineer them to slow water down and store it. As we adapt to a new climate reality, we can turn Vermont’s rivers from our greatest adversary into our strongest ally.

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Celebrate summer at Shelburne Museum and join us for Free First Friday Eve events this season. Enjoy an evening of live music, lawn games, food trucks, and special exhibitions— the entire Museum campus will be open and FREE to all!

September 1: The Grippo Funk Band

shelburnemuseum.org

Free First Friday Eves is generously sponsored by

Climate change has turned depleted rivers from garden hoses into fire hoses, and they are pointed straight at our communities. OtherPaperSBVT.com

If our treatment of Vermont’s rivers was the fuel, climate change has been the match. While Vermont was experiencing historic

Tom Rogers is the associate director of philanthropy and a certified wildlife biologist for The Nature Conservancy in Vermont.

Climate change brings about necessary adaptation

Clean & Green

Fred Kosnitsky

Much of the attention devoted to the climate crisis is rightfully devoted to what is termed climate mitigation. How do we reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses? How do we reduce the concentrations of these emissions already in the atmosphere by using nature (to absorb them in plants and soils) and technology (removing the gasses and injecting them into the earth) to sequester these gasses.

Unfortunately, we have already set in motion climatic changes that will last for centuries or even longer. Even if we dramatically reduce emissions and drawdown greenhouse gasses already in the atmosphere, people around the globe will need to deal with climate disruptions that we are already seeing: rising sea levels, floods and droughts, heat waves, loss of species to extinction, the spread of animal borne diseases, ocean acidification and the list goes on.

As individuals and communities, nations and regions — and as a species — we need to also focus on climate adaptation. How can we and how should we adjust to a rapidly changing world? How can we do this in a just and effective way?

Think about some of the things that help define us as residents of South Burlington and as Vermonters: skiing in the winter, sugaring in the early spring, enjoying warm summer days, hiking and walking through woods and fields, the glorious foliage in the fall, plowing out the roads and driveways and parking lots as winter returns.

All these jobs and activities are already starting to show signs of major change, and these changes will only get more severe over the coming decades.

Ski areas will struggle to stay open and need to spend enormous sums to make artificial snow. Maple trees will become less and less suited to the new warmer climate; the maple industry will suffer and the bright reds of sugar maples in the fall will disappear decade by decade.

Oppressively hot days and dangerous heat waves will become more and more common, and will our buildings and public spaces be sufficiently air conditioned and shaded to keep us safe? Ticks and other disease-carrying animals will become more numerous, and a walk in the woods or fields will necessitate checking for these harmful critters on our bodies and pets. People who supplement their income by plowing might need to look elsewhere for side income.

Another major climate impact, rising sea levels, seems far from our concerns here in Vermont. But as coasts are inundated and hammered by storms, people will be moving to higher ground. They will be coming to safe places like Vermont from foreign countries and from the huge populations of the Northeast.

They will come here from areas more subject to violent storms. They will come here from areas facing intense heat. They will come here from places where water is becoming increasingly scarce.

How can South Burlington and Vermont prepare over the next few decades for this inevitable migration?

We are fortunate to live in a

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place where these impacts are far less severe than elsewhere in the country and the world, but we still need to plan for changes. We need to do this in our own lives. How do we become more self-sufficient and resilient?

How can the city of South Burlington anticipate these changes and put in place policies and infrastructure that keeps us healthy and secure in a rapidly changing world?

You can learn more about how you can do your part by moving away from fossil fuels at the South

Proposal: prohibit parking during snowstorms only

To the Editor:

I recently raised the issue of a revised winter parking ban at our city council meeting. I know our city can better support and serve our citizens as it relates to our current ban.

Each night for four months, citizens and visitors in our beautiful community aren’t allowed to park on any city street — streets

Burlington Energy Festival on Sept. 30, at city hall, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

This free event will be a fun way to engage the whole family. There will be over 20 exhibitors, four food trucks, free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, live music, kids’ activities, induction stove demo, smoothie bike, and electric vehicle and e-bike demos.

There will be a full schedule of short interesting and informative workshops and demonstrations. There will be three raffles with 65 prizes worth $3,000. Hope to see

Letters to the Editor

paid for and maintained with tax our dollars. We can do better.

Rather than a nightly 12 a.m.-8 a.m. ban, I’ve proposed a revision to our ban for snow events only. During snowstorms, our public works employees need the streets cleared for safe, effective snow removal. Our current ban has vehicles in violation at 7:55 a.m. but not at 8:01 a.m. Our neighboring communities of Winooski, Burlington and Plattsburgh all have snow-event only bans. We

you there.

For more details visit bit. ly/3YS4lIG.

Clean & Green is a regular feature, initiated and managed by the South Burlington Energy Committee, and will feature a variety of perspectives from members of city committees and commissions, city staff and outside organizations on environmental issues facing the city. Fred Kosnitsky is a current member of the energy committee and has been a city resident since 1999.

can do better.

I ask our city council to address this issue to better serve our community members. The nightly impact of finding alternative parking or risk towing is quite stressful. It creates logistical and financial burdens on our neighbors. We can do better.

Please consider voicing your opinions/support to our city council members.

Kimberly A. Tavilla South Burlington

Positive buzz for F-35s from Air Force veteran

To the Editor:

I want to give the F-35 pilot who buzzed South Burlington on July 25 a gold star.

It was great. As a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, I hope all F-35 pilots will do it again.

Gorman Hebert South Burlington

South Burlington City Council rocks

To the editor:

In the past 30 months, I have been through fire repeatedly. It is difficult being in an environment that strives to marginalize. I

Changes already underway in Vermont will be highlighted at the South Burlington Energy Festival, held Sept. 30.

Beyond blood: consider donating plasma and platelets

Councilor Corner

Tim Barritt

I have always considered our city’s volunteers a great resource. Kudos to the people willing to give their time and concentration on important issues and long term planning on our boards, commissions, and committees. They work hard for the community. And of course there are many other volunteers out there; they are coaching on sports fields, working in the hospital, caring for others in homes and delivering meals. I am sure I don’t have all the types of volunteerism covered.

And there is another one that some people forget about or ignore because it might make them queasy. They don’t like needles! If needles stress you out and make your heart pound, then maybe you should stop reading now because the rest of this article is about how you can help other people with components in your blood.

The Red Cross has been taking whole blood donations from the public since 1949 and platelets since the 1970’s. Platelets are those special fragments in our blood that facilitate clotting at wound sites.

There is a difference in the donation of whole blood versus platelets. Whole blood is a relatively quick process with one arm and one needle, and you can go back and do it again eight weeks later. Platelets are needed by cancer patients, people with immune disorders and others who have had an organ transplant. Plasma (also extracted like platelets) is given to burn patients, liver disease sufferers and those with clotting factor deficiencies.

Platelet and plasma donation requires a longer visit because it takes more time and technology to separate out the components needed before returning the rest of your blood back to you. This means lying in a comfortable lounge chair with one needle in each arm while tubes conduct blood to a machine next to you where it is centrifuged, separated and returned (minus the platelets/plasma) to the other arm.

Your time in the chair varies because

LETTERS

continued from page 6

almost allowed a few people to throw me off my path of being a part of changing South Burlington to be a level playing field (equitable and inclusive).

Most people know that I founded and am the executive director of Trinity Educational Center, Inc. (TEC). located in South Burlington and am an outspoken, uninhibited SB resident who focuses on marginalized students and is not afraid to share her perspective on causes and issues connected to me, not TEC.

I am TEC and people do not understand

everyone is a little different. But, in general, it’s 90 minutes to two hours. Fortunately, there is a small monitor for watching Netflix, which can make the time fly. Headphones are included (but bring your own corded headphones if you really like yours best). And, of course, there is a small canteen for you to relax afterward and have a cup of coffee, some juice or a packaged snack before you leave.

There is also swag. Several times a year there are new T-shirts, magnetic car decals, beach towels and other sundries. You might even be enticed with a gift card. You can donate again after one week, but you are limited to 24 donations per year. It is a time-consuming process that may take two and a half to three hours total from walk-in to walk-out.

For platelet donations you need to go to the 32 North Prospect St. center in Burlington because the apheresis machines are located there. Regular blood drives don’t have platelet capabilities. If you decide to try it, you can call Brenda at the center at 802-497-6803 (she is there Sunday-Thursday) to make an appointment. You can also download the Red Cross app on your phone; it helps you make appointments, keeps your donor ID, logs your donations, and helps with the Rapid Pass “pre-questionnaire” you take the morning of your donation that saves you time when you check-in.

Before your donation, you will have a finger-stick to test your hematocrit, and blood pressure and pulse measured, too. Recently, the Red Cross changed some of its screening questions to be neutral on gender and sexual orientation.

I know many people don’t like needles but, to be honest, the phlebotomists there are so good you hardly feel any pain. And I love bumping into South Burlington residents when I go who are either volunteering at the front desk or donating. I have even met a member of our police department there once, too. Please consider giving it a try. You never know who you might help.

Tim Barritt serves on the South Burlington City Council.

that not supporting TEC is the same as not supporting youth of color. However, there is one group that has supported TEC from day one, and three years later is still supporting TEC, the South Burlington City Council. Thank you, SB City Council, for the past donations and the current donation of $13,000. Thank you for believing in me as a community leader and advocate for our marginalized students.

Dr. Travia Childs South Burlington

Tim Barritt

New Arrivals from

Garden club hosts yard sale at United Methodist church

The Burlington Garden Club is sponsoring a “lollapalooza” of a Yard Sale on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Faith United Methodist Church at 899 Dorset Street in South Burlington.

The proceeds will go to the club’s scholarship program for outstanding students in the slant and soil science department of the University of Vermont, as well as other community projects the club funds.

“Many of our members have donated

some stunning items for the sale, including antiques, small appliances, cookware, small pieces of furniture, gorgeous vases, flowerpots and gardening tools, artwork, linens, dishes, lamps, some fabulous jewelry, and much more,” club co-president Linda Lane said.

Additional information and photos of

See GARDEN CLUB on page 11

Epic A.J. by Grayson Dailey

COURTESY PHOTO

Members of Burlington Garden Club, Linda Lane and Nancy Bell review some of the items for the club’s huge yard sale, Sept. 16, at First United Methodist Church in South Burlington.

Diane Von Furstenberg, Shoshanna, Alice & Olivia, Shona Joy, Trina turk, Halston, Hutch, Julie Vos, Monique L'huillier, Milly, Mac Duggal, Ted Baker, Joseph ribkoff, soia & kyo...

Dancing with Burlington Stars features local talent

Dancing with the Burlington Stars returns to the Flynn stage on Sunday, Sept. 17.

A community celebration of local talent, team spirit and generous people supporting a good cause, Dancing with the Burlington Stars is the annual fundraising event for the Vermont Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired.

All proceeds support the association’s statewide services for Vermonters with impaired vision to help them be more independent, cultivate adaptive skills and improve their quality of life.

Showtime is 6:30-8:30 p.m., and doors open at 6. Tickets are available at the Flynn box office.

Teams this year include Darren Springer and Caitlin Morgan, Heather Leibenguth and Rose Bedard, Doug DiSabito and Liza Matton Mercy, Sarah DeGray and Steve Wish Shannon, Cat Viglienzoni (South Burlington) and Eric Recchia, and Ali Dieng and Megan Stearns (Hinesburg).

Three guest teams will also perform: South Burlington High School Dance Team, BFA High School Dance Team and the Up North Dance Studio Team. Dancers come from South Burlington, Hinesburg, Burlington, Williston, Grand Isle, Milton and Essex.

South Burlington hosts energy festival Sept. 30

You can learn more about how you can do your part by moving away from fossil fuels at the South Burlington Energy Festival, Saturday, Sept. 30, at city hall from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

This free event includes more than 20 exhibitors, food trucks, free ice cream, live music, kids’ activities, induction stove demo, smoothie bike and more. There will be a full schedule of short informative workshop and demos. There will be three raffles with 65 prizes worth $3,000 worth of prizes.

For more details visit bit. ly/3YS4lIG.

Ready to rot? UVM offers master composter course

Want to start a compost pile, but not sure how to start?

Consider signing up for the online Vermont Master Composter course, which starts Sept. 1. The course will run for eight weeks with all course materials available to participants until November 16.

You will learn the basics of backyard composting, including site and bin selection, “recipes” to make healthy compost and tips for keeping rodents, bears and other

animals out of your compost. The course also will cover the biology of composting, the decomposition process and Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law (Act 148).

The registration fee is $50 for Vermonters and $150 for out-ofstate residents and includes all materials. You can register at https://go.uvm.edu/mastercomposter. The deadline is August 31.

To become a Vermont Master Composter volunteer, you must commit to a minimum of 10 hours, providing education and service around small-scale composting.

To fulfill these volunteer hours, you may give presentations at local libraries, schools and other nonprofits or work with school and community composting projects around the state.

If you live out of state or are not interested in the volunteer compo-

nent, you may take the online course at your leisure and earn a Backyard Composter Certificate of Completion.

The course is sponsored by the University of Vermont Extension Community Horticulture Program with financial support from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

For more information or to request a disability-related accommodation to participate, contact Deb Heleba at debra.heleba@uvm. edu or (802) 656-1777.

Scouting offers fun for all ages, experience

Cub Scouting has ready-made opportunities for your family to do fun things together, because together we can all grow into our very best future selves! Boys and

girls in grades K-5 can contact Pack 678 at Pack678vt.org.

Scouts BSA is the traditional Scouting experience where boys and girls can have their share of adventure in the great outdoors. Develop a love of service by volunteering in your community, boost your leadership skills through fun and exciting challenges, and create memories of a lifetime with no prior Scouting experience required.

Ages 11-17 contact boys’ Troop 611 at Troop611vt.org or girls’ Troop 6110 at sbvtscouts@gmail. com.

Venturing is a youth-led program all about building adventures with your friends. Choose to do activities that matter to you and develop essential skills like leadership, event-planning, organization, communication, and responsibility while having a blast!

Anyone ages 14-21 interested in Venturing, contact Crew 1914 at crew1914vt@gmail.com.

Participants from 2022’s Dancing with the Burlington Stars.

Wolves look to continue last season’s winning ways

Entering last year, the South Burlington boys soccer team was looking at a rebuild, with 15 players graduating and a lot of unknowns on the roster.

Instead, the Wolves captured the Division I state title.

This season will be a different story, with most of last year’s players returning and a target squarely on their backs.

South Burlington will kick off the season on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Harwood Union High School at 11 a.m.

With key players from last year’s winning squad returning as seniors, the Wolves, who beat Colchester 2-1 in the D-I final, will be looking to get off to a quick start.

Hammad Ali will be a focus for South Burlington on offense. The senior scored both goals in the state title game as part of a 10 goal season.

Senior Oliver Clifford and junior Connor Watson will anchor the defense for the Wolves, while Milo Schmidt will take on the forward role after starting every game as a first-year last season.

South Burlington will face stiff competition this season from the Metro Division. D-I runner up

Colchester will also return a large portion of their roster, perennial

contender Champlain Valley is always lurking and the rest of the division is looking to take down the defending state champs.

PHOTO BY LAUREN READ

Last year’s state champion Wolves hope to become this year’s state champion Wolves.

continued from page 8

yard sale items are available on the Burlington Garden Club Facebook page. For more information, bgcvt.org.

Last month garden club members around Vermont donated (and collected donations of) hundreds of planters and fresh plants, which members planted and drove to Barre to offer to local businesses which had lost all their potted plants in the flooding and debris.

Other Vermont garden clubs are digging in to do their part with their dedication to sustaining national and urban forests. The clubs raise donations from club members to replant disaster-struck forests.

The clubs work in partnership with the National Garden Club and the US Department of Agriculture. The project began in 1941 as a conservation project.

Doris Van Mullen, president of Federated Garden Clubs of Vermont, states the “Penny for Pines” conservation effort entails planting replacement seedlings (not only pine trees) that are indigenous to forested areas damaged by insects, fires, or national catastrophes. The plantations provide soil and watershed protection, soil stabilization, as well as beauty and shade for recreation.

To learn more, gardenclub.org/pennypines.

Check Locally First

WHY

CROSS continued from page 1

But it was standup where Cross first began his career. Named one of the top 100 Stand-Up Comedians of all time, he’s back on tour, celebrating his new status as “Worst Daddy in the World.”

Cross’s 2023 theatre tour will visit 66 cities across North America Ireland and the U.K. For every ticket sold, Cross will donate $2 to The Innocence Project, an organization working to exonerate individuals who have been wrongly convicted.

As a father of 7-year-old daughter, Cross is doing things a little differently by breaking his tour up into segments, flying back and forth from his home to his touring cities so he can spend time with his family.

South Burlington will be his first show back for the fall leg of his tour. The Other Paper interviewed Cross in the lead up to his Sept. 6 leg of the tour at Higher Ground

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I’d like to offer an early welcome to Vermont, although according to my Google sleuthing it looks like you’ve been around here before.

Oh, many times.

Are you excited to be back?

I’ve outgrown some of my flannels, so yes.

You’ve been to dozens of cities on this tour already, and throughout your career. I’m sure after doing this for as long as you have there’s some familiarity with each city or state. What sort of thoughts come to mind when you head up to Vermont?

I was literally just there — not in Burlington but in Jamaica about two weeks ago with the family. I love Vermont. I spent nine years

and change in Boston, so I was up there a lot, mostly doing standup but also just skiing.

I love Burlington. My wife and I honeymooned there and would go up annually and go eat at Hen of the Wood and, you know, just go on little adventures and hikes and things like that.

So, congratulations on your recent accolade as “Worst Daddy in the World,” which I read was selected specifically by your daughter.

I mean, you know, she submitted me, and we still have to wait for the results. It’s done out of Sri Lanka. It’s a global thing. We’ll see. But I’m representing the northern hemisphere.

Of course. Well good luck with that. You’ve said in previous articles that your show is not all about your daughter —

Not even close.

But I’m interested — one of your last specials you do talk about her and just that experience. Has raising a child given a boost to your creativity for writing jokes on the stage or writing material for TV or movies?

I wouldn’t say a boost. It just opens up a new experience to talk about and to cull from. It’s not like I had a kid and I was rushing to the computer like, “I’ve got five new screenplays I want to write.”

It just broadens your perspective, which I think is exemplified pretty good in the show. As I said, it’s not an hour and a half of like, you know, “kids are funny.” I start off by talking about being a dad, but pretty quickly I’m off of that and into completely other stuff. But the idea of being a parent and those responsibilities informs a lot of the other material in a — I’m being purposeful about that, because it all kind of threads through, and

comes around at the end to being about why — well I won’t give away the ending, but it kind of comes back to the idea of kids.

You’ve said you look forward to going on tour — Always.

Has that become difficult now that you’re a father?

This tour I’m doing differently than any of the other ones. Before I had a kid, I could just do whatever the f--k I want and I go out for four months, and it was great.

And then the “Oh, C’mon,” tour, my daughter was two, and we drilled a portable crib into the back of the tour bus and the whole family went out. We went all over America and Canada. My wife

was doing a book tour in a lot of the same cities, and it was pretty amazing.

But now that (my daughter) is in school, I do not want to go out on the road for four months. So, what I’m doing is definitely way more of a grind — I go out for three, four or five shows, and come back for four days maybe. And then I go back out Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and back Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, that kind of thing.

So that’s a pain in the ass because there’s no tour bus, and the routing is still like, “I’m sorry, there’s no direct flight from Des Moines to Minneapolis, so you’re going to have to get up at 6:30 a.m.

and get to the airport and fly to Chicago.” It’s not convenient but, ultimately, it’s worth it because I get to hang out with family more.

You’ve had a prolific career, not just in stand up, but as an actor and writer as well. I’m wondering if you could talk about how the writers’ and actors’ strikes have affected you.

It hasn’t affected me as much as it’s affected other folks who were working or had something they were going to do that got shut down, and, of course, all the attendant industries that are part and parcel of creating a TV show or making movie.

I just got very lucky on the timing in the sense that this tour was put together because there was something that Bob Odenkirk and I had written and sold and we were going to do for Paramount Plus, but then they decided not to do it. So, I was like, “Oh, s--t, well, now what do I do?” I had well over 50 percent of the material, enough to go out on the road, so I just concentrated on getting an hour and booking it.

So, I’ve been doing stand-up pretty much since the beginning of the year and started the tour in March. So, I know I’m going to be doing those shows, I know I’ve got an income coming, and I’m quite lucky in that respect that, just the timing of everything, I’m less affected than other folks who are just sent home.

Have you been in support, on the picket lines?

Oh, f--k yeah. Absolutely. This is incredibly important. It’s so

COURTESY PHOTO

David Cross is set to perform at Higher Ground on Sept. 6

BUDGET SURPLUS

continued from page 1

nue surplus include local option tax revenues, ambulance billing services, planning and zoning permitting fees, interest-earned income, and fire and electrical inspection fees that significantly out-performed projected budget amounts.

Revenues from the local option tax, generated from room and meals taxes and sales taxes, for example, came in nearly $1 million over budget, according to city records, and revenues from fire and electrical inspection fees came in more than $850K more than originally budgeted.

CROSS

continued from page 12

egregious what (industry executives) want to do, it threatens the whole industry. And that’s not hyperbole, that is absolutely not hyperbole, that is the truth.

I’ve read all of this stuff about keeping the rights to actors’ AI likeness and things like that —

F--k these people. F--k em’ hard. They’re just disgusting.

Disney’s CEO really added fuel to the fire with his comments.

But that comment isn’t like — that’s what they feel and that’s what they think. And their whole thing is like, “Oh, well, we’ll wait until they lose their apartments,” says the guy with nine multimillion-dollar properties and three yachts and the private airplane — we’ll wait until half the industry gets evicted and is living on the streets. That’s the plan. But again, that’s not a strategic, tactical thing to say. It’s what they believe, he just sort of slipped up and said it.

You’ve been vocal throughout your career on politics and your criticisms of both the Republican and Democratic Party and obviously Donald Trump. The writers’ and actors’ strikes, they’re just one of many popping up. What do you think is driving these strikes? And what does that say about our political reality here in 2023?

People are just getting fed up. It’s not like it was the status

“This is the biggest surplus, I would say, in the last two years,” said Martha Machar, the city’s finance director. “We’ve seen surpluses over $1 million, but this this is the first time we’ve had over $2 million at the close of the fiscal year.”

Machar continued that the recent construction boom in the city was a significant driver in the fire and electrical inspection fees, as well as the planning and zoning fees, which came in at $185,000 higher than originally budgeted.

“Not every year do we see a lot of buildings going up — that’s

why those fees are as high as they are currently,” Machar said. The council last week voted unanimously to allocate the surplus funding to 11 different one-time spending allocations, including:

• $13,000 for the Trinity Education Center, a youth center in South Burlington headed by Dr. Travia Childs that provides youth and young adults in the community with a safe, inclusive, educational, and empowering space.

• $24,028 for new talent acquisition software for the city’s human resources department.

• $200,000 for additional paving projects — the specifics of which will be determined by the city’s public works director.

• $60,000 for the implementation of a school zone on Market Street, and for a school zone engineering study on Dorset Street.

• $130,000 in surplus funds to complete the Dorset Street Signals project.

• $250,000 in surplus funds for upgrades to the city’s police dispatch center

• $100,000 to the 2024 Illuminate VT community event.

• $164,000 to pay for the costs incurred in fiscal year 2020 for the conceptual design and cost analysis for a public indoor recreation center and other assessed indoor recreation needs.

of social services organizations, including Age Well, Common Roots, COTS, Howard Mental Health, SB Food Shelf, United Way Northwest VT, and others.

• $100,000 for bathroom and kitchen renovations at the city fire department’s Station No. 2 location.

The remainder of the balance, officials said, will be directed toward the fund balance — a budgeted line item that maintains a minimum balance of one month of operating expenditures.

quo and then all of a sudden this popped up. This has been getting worse and worse for workers every single year, and every administration.

And then you see the frustration, understandably, that a lot of people have when Biden campaigns like “I’m going to be the first pro-union President since FDR,” and he didn’t do s--t. Where is he on this?

And because the Democrats are funded, in great part, by all these Hollywood trillion-dollar behemoths — it’s yet another of the multiple examples of the Democrats just being beholden to moneyed interests, and, you know, making a big noise but not doing s--t.

He should be out there with the Starbucks workers who want to unionize. They’re working for a guy who declared for the presidency who is so anti-worker and anti-equity and has said as much. As you can tell I’m very strongly pro-union, I’ve benefited from it in multiple ways over the years. I wish my union was a little stronger, but it’s all step-by-step.

What do you see as your role in politics and political activism as a comedian?

There’s always a role whatever you do. If you’re in the public arena and you make a statement that says, “I think Fascism is bad,”

then obviously you’re influencing someone on some side. There’s a role to be played, but I don’t think it’s incumbent on anybody to play that role.

If you want to just do jokes that are about being a Jewish lesbian, do that, who cares. There’s a million really great comics out there who don’t do anything that’s remotely political that I love and I’m a fan of. I’m just talking about stuff that’s important to me, hopefully in a funny way, and if somebody likes it, if it influences somebody, great. If not, whatever.

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• $50,000 to pay for grant consulting expenses toward acquiring grant monies to fund the bike/pedestrian bridge project over I-89.

• $15,000 in one-time funding allocations toward a number

The city, over the years, has grown its fund balance from less than $100,000 to approximately $2.8 million, but the city has made a goal of keeping the balance at a percentage of two months’ worth of operating expenditures, which the injection of remaining surplus funds achieves.

“This is a huge success for our community,” Baker said. “We’ve been able to secure a much more stable financial position for ourselves.”

PROPOSED SOUTH BURLINGTON MUNICIPAL PLAN

Public Hearing Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 7:00 pm

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the South Burlington Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 7:00 PM to consider the City’s Draft Municipal Plan (known as CityPlan 2024). Participation options:

• In Person: City Hall Auditorium, 180 Market Street

• Interactive Online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/9960639517

• Phone: (929) 205 6099; Meeting ID: 996 063 9517

The Purpose of this hearing is to consider the readoption of the City’s Municipal Plan pursuant to 24 VSA § 4381-4387. This draft Plan affects all areas within the City of South Burlington. A table of contents for the draft plan is as follows:

Guiding Principles; Introduction; People & Population; Housing; Economy; Energy; Environment; Transportation; Community, History, & Culture; Recreation; Community Services; Water & Utilities; Land Use Plan; Appendix A & B Act 174 Enhance Energy Plan Data and Assessment

Copies of the proposed Plan are available for inspection at the Department of Planning & Zoning, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 180 Market Street South Burlington, between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM Monday through Friday except holidays, and on the city website at www.southburlingtonvt.gov.

Jessica Louisos, Chair August 31, 2023

With every pair of Darn Tough & Smartwool socks sold, a pair will be donated to local non-profits serving the homeless.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

RABIES BAIT

continued from page 2

Eat

Be

Piano Lessons

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.

802-343-4820

www.pleasantvalleyvt.com

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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ARIES

March 21 - April 20

Aries, you may want to move your relationship in a different direction, but your partner is resistant. This could be a con ict, or something that opens up a dialogue.

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Taurus, you might feel like doing all you can to make a problem go away, and think that acting immediately is the way to go. But ponder a few options beforehand.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 21

Gemini, a professional opportunity that seems to have many positive nancial outcomes actually could have a down side to it. It’s best if you do your research before acting.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

You may think that others do not understand you, Cancer. But that may be a good thing. You can focus on explaining your position and maybe make a few friends along the way.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 23

Leo, you tend to be attracted to things that tempt fate or may even be considered forbidden. When others want you to walk the straight and narrow for a bit, it could be tough.

VIRGO

Aug. 24 - Sept. 22

Virgo, an opportunity to get away presents itself. Enjoy this much-needed respite and don’t he afraid to go the extra mile to ensure the trip is as memorable as possible.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

You may want to do it all, Libra, but sometimes you have to let others know you have limits. When you don’t, it is easy to get taken advantage of or run yourself ragged.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 22

Scorpio, are you ready for an adventure? Identify some new hobbies and then learn all you can about getting out there and doing those types of activities with frequency.

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

A loved one may want to be more cozy with you this week, but you’re content to have ample space and do your own thing, Sagittarius. Let your views be heard on this situation.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 20

Capricorn, you may want to tell a loved one what they want to hear right now to make a dif cult situation go away. However, that only postpones the inevitable tough talk.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 21 - Feb. 18

You have been feeling like it is time to break away from your regular routine, Aquarius. It could be because there has been added stress on your shoulders. A vacation may be needed.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

There are some limits to doing all of the work on your own, Pisces. First off, you may lack the time and the expertise. Bring on helpers this week if anyone is available.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Midway between east and southeast

4. At right angles to a ship’s length

9. William Penn’s business partner

14. __ de plume

15. Accomplished soccer coach

16. Bone cavities

17. __ juris: independent

18. Popular Philly sandwich

20. Northern Ireland county

22. Performing artist

23. S S S

24. Lacks avor

28. Commercials

29. Anno Domini (in the year of Our Lord)

30. Qatar’s capital

31. Indigenous peoples of Alberta

33. Popular footwear

37. Indicates position

38. Anglican cathedral

39. Aircraft part

41. Before

42. Blood group

43. Secretory organ

44 .Fencing swords

46. The small projection of a mammary gland

49. Technological

advancement

50. Male parent

51. Dissociable

55. More cold

58. Cape Verde Islands capital

59. Blood disorder

60. Creative

64. Sun up in New York

65. Made angry

66. Relieves

67. Brooklyn hoopster

68. Seasonsings

69. Movable barriers

70. Attempt

CLUES DOWN

1. Occur as a result of

2. Spiritual essences

3. Representative

4. Entering

5. Nobel Prize-winning physicist

6. Midway between northeast and east

7. Consumed

8. Tablelands

9. Kids’ craft accessory

10. Not known

11. Sound directed through two or more speakers

12. A major division of geological time

13. Wild ox

ANSWERS

19. Shock treatment

21. Turner and Lasso are two

24. Genus of owering plants

25. Relating to ductless glands

26. Stock certi cate

27. Satis es

31. Places to enjoy a rest

32. Edward __, author and writer

34. “__ but goodie”

35. One hundredth of a liter

36. Shabbiness

40. TV personality Roker

41. Triangular upper part of a building

45. Speed at which you move

47. Offend

48. A reference point to shoot at

52. Forays

53. Biblical city

54. Blatted

56. Northern sea duck

57. Shabby (slang) 59. Allege

Tax collector 61. Whereabouts unknown 62. Chinese philosophical principle 63. Indicates equal

WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE REHEARSALS FOR OUR WINTER CONCERT!

Rehearsals begin Tuesday, September 12, 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

NORMANDIN continued from page 4

his life, the survivors also have a life-long sentence inflicted by his actions.

One victim did speak in court and said he was glad Normandin was finally admitting his guilt. The victim said he has been going to church each week and determined he needed to forgive Normandin, but was disappointed he was not getting more time behind bars.

Normandin apologized to both victims and said he is looking forward to getting on with his life after serving his prison sentence.

Former school employee

Normandin worked various jobs at the South Burlington school district starting in 2009, when he was hired as a security officer to monitor driving and parking safety at the city’s high school and middle school parking lot on Dorset Street, Young said. By 2018, Normandin became a general paraeducator and served as a study hall monitor. Beginning in January 2021 Normandin was assigned as a driver for one of the schoolowned vans, Young said. The district used its own vans instead of using taxi cabs for certain student transports.

for Special Investigations, Milton Police received a late reported sexual assault complaint in July 2021.

While the Milton investigation was underway, South Burlington Police fielded a complaint that a developmentally disabled child had sexual contact with a school bus driver.

Graham said she also spoke with Gary Marckres, then-director of operations for the school district, who was aware of the complaint against a bus driver, later identified as Normandin.

Police continued to investigate and they eventually approached Normandin in the parking lot at the Tuttle Middle School in July 2021. They moved to a nearby picnic table for a formal interview. Normandin denied any improper contact, but eventually was placed under arrest, police said at the time.

“Judge Alison Arms outlined victims’ concerns again when she noted a line given by one victim about Normandin: “He destroyed my life.”

Normandin initially pleaded not guilty two years ago to lewd and lascivious conduct with the South Burlington student that he provided van rides during the previous school year.

He also pleaded not guilty in court at that time to a charge of aggravated sexual assault for his conduct in 2005-2007 and a charge of sexual assault for acts in 20082011 for incidents reported in Milton, police said.

Then-deputy state’s attorney Dana DiSano filed the three felony charges when the two unrelated complaints dovetailed into one criminal case, officials said.

According to the Chittenden Unit

BLOTTER continued from page 4

Aug. 25 at 9:36 pm., Shaun M. Shea, 45, no address listed was arrested as a fugitive from justice on Dorset Street.

Aug. 26 ay 12:39 p.m., Ashley Skidmore was arrested again, this time for retail theft and violating conditions of release on Garden Street. Police, in a separate release, say Skidmore stole a cart full of merchandise valued at over $6,000 from Eastern Mountain Sports. Skidmore was jailed for lack of $1,500 bail.

Aug. 26 at Kristin K. Verchereau, 38, no address listed, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Kennedy Drive.

Aug. 27 at 4:08 a.m., Feisel Omar Abdirahman, 40, of Winooski, was arrested for burglary, simple assault, grossly negligent driving, driving under the influence, eluding police, driving after criminal license suspension and violating conditions of release. Police, in a separate release, said they first respond-

Per Normandin’s probation terms, he is to have no contact, including in person, by phone, in writing or through a third party with the victims in the two cases or with any children under age 18. He also is not to harass or abuse the victims or their families.

Arms also ordered Normandin to stay at least 300 feet away from the two victims, their homes, schools, places of employment and their vehicles.

He also must stay away from all children under age 18 unless approved by his probation officer, is not allowed to give children rides and is prohibited from volunteering or working for any business or organizations that serve children.

Normandin is required to provide the sex offender registry updated information each year within 10 days of his birthday and within three days if he moves, enrolls in a school, changes employment, or has a child under age 18 move into his household.

ed to a burglary in progress at a Williston Road restaurant — they did not say which one — where an alleged victim said an intoxicated man was trying to smash through a glass door and threatening to kill the victim. Police say the suspect, later identified as Abdirahman, fled in a van, leading police on a chase that they aborted on I-89 due to the driver’s “extreme negligent operation.” Williston police later saw the same van and also gave chase until a South Burlington cop was able to pop the van tires on I-89. Police say Abdirahman resisted arrested and tried to reach for a knife. Abdirahman was held for lack of $15,000 bail until his arraignment.

Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.

Conductor Erik Kroncke