Meet the faith guided leaders backing SB’s food shelf
BUSY ANDERSON
Patrick Leduc is in pursuit of an answer at the intersection of faith and public service: “How do we best love our neighbors?”
That’s what he began asking a group of friends who met over breakfast back in 2018. Those sit-downs evolved into the nonprofit Faith Influenced Leaders, which lets professionals put their skills toward efforts guided by religion. The group meets twice a month and has grown to 15 fulltime members.
Part of the group’s answer to Leduc’s question? Feeding people. Seeing food insecurity across the city, particularly with kids, compelled Leduc and friends to devise a major response to a major problem. In 2019, their group helped open the South Burlington Food Shelf at 356 Dorset St.
“We want to bring to bear for good, but we also want to do that in a very humble and a servant style,” said Leduc, 57, the chief operating officer of the Vermont Student Assistance Corp., who also serves as an ordained Catholic deacon.
The nonprofit handles the money, paperwork and logistics for the food shelf, rather than taking center stage, Leduc said.
second ambulance will be staffed 24/7, 365 days a year, and respond from Station 2 on Holmes Road.
South Burlington considers committee structure revamp
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Following the adoption of the 2024 City Plan in January, South Burlington’s city staff, councilors and volunteers have been working to revamp the city’s committee structure.
One of the priorities for the city council
this year is to re-examine current committees to see where adjustments can be made to better reach the goals outlined in the city’s new blueprint for its future.
The city, like other towns and cities across the state, has two sorts of committees: statutory and advisory. Statutory committees like the planning commission, development review board and library
board are mandated.
Policy advising committees govern such things as parks and recreation, bicycles and pedestrians, and affordable housing, and are set up by the council under authority in the city charter for the sole
See COMMITTEE on page 13
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
Last week marked a significant milestone for the South Burlington Fire Department as its minimum staffing increased from eight to 10 people on duty at all times. This means the city’s
JUNE 1 - SEPTEMBER 28, 2024
FOOD SHELF
continued from page 1
Faith Influenced Leaders is now deliberating on a youth mental health initiative and an upgrade to the South Burlington Food Shelf in the wake of climbing demand for its charity.
A project “gently guided by the Faith Influenced Leaders,” as the group puts it, the South Burlington Food Shelf lives symbiotically with its parent nonprofit, removed from any house of worship so that all feel welcome.
“We’re kind of the protectors of the food shelf,” Alan Luzzatto said.
Luzzatto, 77, has been volunteering at the food shelf since its opening and later joined Faith Influenced Leaders.
“If there’s anything that I don’t want people to have to make a decision about, it’s food,” Luzzatto said, stressing that food access is mandatory. Luzzatto acts as an intermediary between Faith Influenced Leaders and the South Burlington Food Shelf, applying his experience as a Methodist Protestant, former grocer and school guidance director to the nonprofit’s cause.
The South Burlington Food Shelf opened in November 2019, just before the pandemic disrupted social services.
“We wouldn’t have said that was a coincidence — we would say we were called to do this; we were put in this position because that’s when the need really skyrocketed,” Leduc said.
The food shelf remained open, delivering pre-made donation boxes to people in their cars. “Which served the logistical need of getting people food, but it didn’t serve the need of relationship connection,” he said.
The shelf has now served
1,200 households as its fifth anniversary approaches. Over 40 volunteers help the operation run smoothly three days a week.
Through a partnership with Food Rescue US, a nonprofit that saves food surplus from becoming waste, South Burlington volunteers pick up between 1,200 and 1,600 pounds of donations from Trader Joe’s each week, according to the shelf’s director, Peter Carmolli. In turn, guests at the food shelf can each walk away with anywhere from 20 to 80 pounds of food.
“From 2022 to 2023, (visits) increased 44 percent, and we’re setting records monthly now,” Carmolli said.
Carmolli, 60, is not a member of Faith Influenced Leaders but a 25-year veteran of food security efforts like Meals on Wheels. He attends meetings for Faith Influenced Leaders quarterly to update members on what is working and what needs improvement at the food shelf.
With structural issues like a leaking roof and limited space, the Dorset Street spot is set to be demolished by the end of next year. Now leaders from the two organizations are searching for a space that can welcome more customers and volunteers at once. Carmolli and the nonprofit are looking at buildings — to buy, not rent, they hope.
The success of the food shelf is a good sign for the organizers behind Faith Influenced Leaders’ most recent undertaking. In May, nonprofit leaders hosted an in-person forum on youth mental health to address a crisis they fear is looming over Vermont’s adolescents.
Preliminary meetings with
experts and stakeholders, like the Howard Center and University of Vermont Medical Center Emergency Department, gave context to what they would find, according to Leduc. The conversation uncovered difficulties among students of color to speak openly about their mental health, the dangers of unmonitored technology use and a lack of spaces for young people to go after school.
In response, members of the group have wondered whether South Burlington students could get their own after-school facility.
“Our neighbors are struggling,” Leduc said. “If it was my own kid that I love, I would do something. Well, these are all our kids as a community, what can we do to help them? Building a space for them is the right thing to do.”
In an ideal world, Leduc said, such a drop-in center would be open after school, on the weekends and over the summer for students to find company in peers and caring adults.
“All our systems are largely built to address the crisis that happens when it happens, there’s very little that is happening in that preventative space,” Leduc said. He hopes a drop-in center would be a proactive step in alleviating mental stress.
Faith Influenced Leaders plans to present findings from the mental health forum to the South Burlington School District and city council later this year.
Busy Anderson is a reporter with the Community News Service, a program in which University of Vermont students work with professional editors to provide content for local news outlets at no cost.
MOUNT MANSFIELD MEDIA/SOUTH BURLINGTON FOOD SHELF
People browsing inside the South Burlington Food Shelf.
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
The South Burlington City Council adopted a slightly lower tax rate increase than originally anticipated for fiscal year 2025.
The voter-approved $64.9 million budget was expected to bring a 5.82 percent municipal tax rate increase, but the rate will be a 5.4 percent increase over fiscal year 2024.
Residents will now see a total 20242025 municipal tax rate of just under 52 cents. Combined with an 8.18 percent education tax rate increase, South Burlington residents can expect to pay a total tax rate of $1.98.
For a home value at $500,000, the combined municipal and school tax would total $9,900. Each $100,000 in value would add $1,980 to a homeowner’s tax bill.
The slightly lower municipal tax increase can be linked to a nearly 3.3 percent increase in the city’s grand list, or the total value of property.
In 2023, the city had the second largest grand list in the state. This year, the total $4.3 billion grand list went up about $1.4 million from 2023.
“This was largely due to the buildout of City Center, several large commercial projects and residential housing projects being assessed higher than projected,” city manager Jessie Baker wrote in a memo to councilors.
The total Tax Increment Financing District grand list increased by 34.26
percent over the previous year, which is primarily due to the buildout of center more quickly than anticipated.
“We anticipate another significant increase in value of the TIF District in 2025 given the number of buildings under construction,” she wrote.
Residential and condominium properties make up nearly 63 percent of the total grand list with commercial properties accounting for 33 percent. The remainder is open land and utilities.
The value of residential and condominium property increased by 1.35 percent over the previous year, primarily due to the Hillside at O’Brien Farm development as well as new housing on Vale Drive, Aurora Road and Farm Way.
On the other hand, the value of commercial property increased by 7.58 percent over the previous year with the biggest drivers being the Beta Technologies complex, OnLogic Industrial Computers, Market and Garden Street properties as well as the North Dorset hotel and apartment project.
“I mean, we can see that commercial property values increased by almost 7.6 pecent because of the policies that were set to allow Beta to build where it did,” council chair Tim Barritt said.
“Because I think all of us would welcome, I think our residents would welcome that we saw sort of a growth in the tax budget being carried by the commercial sector while keeping our neighborhoods the way that we enjoy them,” council member Andrew Chalnick said.
City continues wastewater monitoring after toxic spill
Operations at the South Burlington wastewater treatment facility on Airport Parkway are back to normal after an 800-gallon foam spill of toxic chemicals at the Vermont National Guard’s aviation facility partially leaked into the treatment facility two weeks ago.
The foam, a fuel fire suppression liquid that contains perf- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, which are linked to many known health problems, leaked June 20 and by the next day had already made its way to the city’s treatment facility.
“I saw the foam here,” Bob Fischer, the city’s water quality superintendent said, adding that the environmental remediation firm contracted by the Army Guard to remedy the spill, Republic Services and Atlas, had been testing since last Wednesday. He said although nearly 650 gallons of the foam was recovered, it was hard to
say exactly how much actually entered the facility, which pumps treated water into the Winooski River, but clearly enough that it was visible, and it had an impact.
“We put out very low volumes compared to the size of the river, and then, once again, it goes into a lake, where we then become almost insignificant,” he said. “But this is not insignificant. This is a significant thing, and we still have to continue to test for weeks, because you never know if it somehow ended up somewhere in the facility that we haven’t really dealt with.”
To give some perspective, the Airport Parkway facility on a typical day processes about 2 million gallons of water. He said using data at Essex Junction, about 650 million gallons went by that day.
“So, we’re only putting out about .3 percent of that flow,” he said.
So far, initial testing results have come
champlainvalleyfair.org
Total incidents: 228
Agency / public assists: 15
Directed patrol: 19
Traffic stop: 16
South Burlington Police Blotter: July 1-7
Accident: property damage: 6
Alarm: 16
Foot patrol: 17
Suspicious event: 11
Retail theft: 4
Threats: 4
Motor vehicle complaint: 5
Welfare check: 18
911 hangup: 3
Trespass: 4
Domestic: 3
Disturbance: 8
Field contact: 16
Animal problem: 5
Fraud: 5
Paperwork service: 4
DUI: 2
Domestic: 3
Accident: leaving the scene: 4
Larceny: other: 3
Larceny from a vehicle: 8
Simple assault: 2
Larceny from a person: 2
Mental health issue: 7
Arrests:
July 1 at 3:51 p.m., Jody S. Pierce, 50, of Essex, was arrested for simple assault and criminal threatening on Central Avenue.
July 3 at 1:38 p.m., Janna M. Campbell, 41, of Essex, was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended license at Williston Road and Dorset Street.
July 4 at 3:13 a.m., Byaombe
Vermont State Police Blotter: July 2
July 2 at 10:37 p.m., police arrested Sherman Adams, 91, of Fairfax for gross negligent operation after he was stopped in South Burlington going the wrong way on Interstate 889. He was first spotted at mile marker 91 in Colchester, and eventually stopped at mile marker 86.8. Police said he was taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center for evaluation.
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Shukuru, 24, of Burlington, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on Dorset Street.
July 4 at 4:58 a.m., Natalie A. Davis, 30, of Winooski, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Interstate 189, mile marker .8.
July 6 at 4:22 a.m., Leon Khan, 23, of South Burlington, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, at S. Jefferson Road and Chipman Street.
July 7 at 4:49 a.m., Kainen B. Hayden, 38, of Stowe, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Williston Road.
Untimely deaths:
June 14 at 9:20 a.m., police responded to Shelburne Road for the death of John Rich, 75, of South Burlington.
July 1 at 1:32 p.m., police responded to Dorset Street, for the death of Damon Vrabel, 54, of Sedona, Ariz.
July 2 at 3:10 p.m., police responded to Eastwood Drive for the death of Philip Kelleher, 68, of South Burlington.
The medical examiner’s office determines the causes and manners of death.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.
TOXIC SPILL
continued from page 3
back completely fine, he said, but the city is still waiting for the results of some additional testing that was completed last week.
Other than a few process changes the team made to reduce any possibility that the leakage would infiltrate other parts of the system, the overall operations of the facility were unchanged and continued normally.
“At the facility itself, we had no impact to our internal processes as of yet, that we know of,” he said.
“Our results came back fine. The facility seems to have passed without any effect on the bacteria at all.
Our numbers, nothing’s changed. Everything’s exactly the same.”
City manager Jessie Baker said that it takes roughly 25 days for the city’s system to completely process through so testing is expected to continue through that period.
“I can only say that overall, the facility is performing fine, but it is obviously a dangerous chemical. So yeah, I’ve had better days,” Fischer said. “We’re still working on it as we speak, and still testing.”
The city is expected to have a team meeting with the Army National Guard once the final report on the investigation is completed.
COURTESY PHOTO
The Air Guard rinses the pump station in response to a chemical spill on June 20.
OPINION
South Burlington’s city plan envisions a vibrant future
Councilor Corner
Laurie Smith
This past winter my wife, Laura, and I participated in a nine-week program titled “Resilience and Acceptance in the Face of Collapse.” This online international program focuses on the root causes of the current environmental crisis, potential future outcomes and ways that communities can help mitigate the impacts and prepare for what lies ahead.
This has had a profound impact on me, and I find myself both deeply concerned and feeling compelled to broaden the climate change conversation within South Burlington.
Drought. Fires. Floods. Heat.
We have all experienced these early impacts from a changing climate and all indications are that these events will become more frequent and more severe. Scientific communities have been predicting these changes for decades and warning that if we do not reduce our environmental impacts, Earth will lose its capacity to provide the natural bounty that we all rely on for our very survival. While it is true that CO2 is a prime cause of global warming, there is compelling evidence that the overall environmental crisis that we are facing is the result of centuries of overconsumption of the planet’s resources and a disregard for the delicate balance of the planet’s ecosystem. How do we address this fundamental imbalance and strive to provide a sustainable future for our community and world?
As a city councilor, my focus is on finding answers to this question, and on what we in South Burlington can do to mitigate the coming changes as we prepare for an uncertain future. How can we navigate this while we build resilience and adaptability? How do we grow in an equitable way that builds community and improves the quality of life? How much will it cost and how will we pay for it? What is the impact and future cost if we do not address these concerns now?
As we explore these questions, we will aim to find solutions that work for us all and guide us toward a sustainable future.
A significant piece of this work will require reassessing priorities and clearly focusing on how to create healthy communities and lifestyles that enable us to fulfill our dreams while dramatically reducing consumption.
This is a big challenge that is made
harder by the fact that so many of us are fully consumed with trying to meet basic needs, and we are in a time where as a city we have fewer resources than we have needs. However, we have already begun this work, and by working together we can succeed.
City Plan 2024, which was developed with over a year and a half of community input, is an ambitious plan. It has the capacity to help guide the city toward a future South Burlington where:
• We successfully transition away from being car-centric and grow into a truly pedestrian centered community where cars are no longer the primary means of transportation.
• There is a convenient, reliable, public transportation network that provides easy access throughout the city and county.
• We decrease our reliance on cars and reduce vehicle traffic, which enables us to reimagine how we utilize our roadways.
• The bike and multi-use trail network provides safe and convenient routes throughout the entire city for both transportation and recreation and e-bikes become convenient and reliable good weather transportation.
• Walking or riding to school or to shop becomes a better choice than using a car. Most goods and services such as groceries, a bakery or café and community gathering spaces are all easily accessible within a reasonable walking distance of our homes.
• There are parks and recreational facilities within a quarter mile of every residence in the city, so we all have equitable access to the natural world and outdoor pursuits.
• Neighborhood pocket parks are within walking distance, providing places for neighbors to enjoy a cup of coffee while visiting with friends, watch their children play, gather on weekends for local farmers markets and enjoy evenings of music and picnics.
• Scattered throughout the city are productive small farms on the remaining undeveloped prime agricultural lands as these provide healthy, locally grown foods and strengthen environmental resilience.
• Most of our electricity is produced locally with a network of micro-grids and energy storage infrastructure that provides a highly reliable and self-sustaining energy system, and where the noise and pollution
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City, schools, work to create safe routes
From the School Board
In South Burlington School District, our top priority is the safety of students and staff. That includes students who ride buses and those who walk, bike or roll to school. All our schools are located on highly trafficked streets that can be dangerous to cross but this school year has seen major strides in alleviating these hazards.
Over the last year, the superintendent and school board have worked closely with the city to establish school zones in front of all of its schools. Zones had been established at Chamberlin and Rick Marcotte Central School and this summer the city will install the final zones on Dorset Street in front of the middle and high school. As with the others, this zone will be 25 mph from 8-9:30 a.m. and 3-4:30 p.m.
In addition to school zones, the district has been working closely with Local Motion in finding alternate routes for students to travel. At a recent city council meeting, the council voted to approve a resolution establishing a Safe Routes to School Task Force.
The primary goals of the task force will be to identify safe routes to all South Burlington schools and related needs like infrastructure and crossing guards. They will also work to ensure that paths are safe and welcoming for students and their families and to develop and support school-based safe routes to school teams to build a school culture of walking, biking and rolling to school.
The council also voted to support a demonstration project to test a neighborhood greenway concept for safe walking and biking to school. The vision is to create a comfortable low-stress Neighborhood to Schools Greenway connecting the intersection of Route 2 and Elsom Parkway to the middle and high school campus by way of mostly residential streets.
Local Motion will work with the task force to design and install the greenway. This project is targeted for construction in late summer/ early fall 2024. Funding for this project is provided by Local Motion, through a grant from the Chittenden County Regional Transportation Commission.
The city has also continued to develop a bike and pedestrian infrastructure plan that would abut Rick Marcotte. We are working together to prioritize the safety of the students in the school as those plans come together and look forward to seeing the sidewalks and pedestrian paths open for all South Burlington residents.
Safe routes to school are a necessity, not a luxury. As South Burlington continues to grow, it is imperative for all of us to be conscious of the way we move around the city. School zones are only as effective as those that honor their limits. By investing in safer streets and encouraging alternate forms of transportation, we enrich our community and provide further assurances in keeping everyone safe.
Chelsea Tillinghast is chair of the South Burlington School Board.
Save the bobolinks at Hubbard Park
To the Editor:
I am deeply grateful to city council members for their thoughtful consideration of the proposed conservation easement at the Hubbard Recreation & Natural Area (“SB mulls conservation easement at Hubbard,” July 3, 2024)
For many years, I have derived great pleasure from listening to and watching the resident bobolinks that have nested in the large undeveloped field at Hubbard. Their bubbling, exuberant song lifts my spirits on the bleakest of days, and the jaunty males, with their tuxedoes on backward, are a joy to behold.
A recent eBird checklist showed that there were at least 10 bobolinks currently in the location, with likely three or more nesting pairs.
Bobolinks have a unique habitat requirement for slightly overgrown, un-mowed grassland, exactly like that which presently exists at Hubbard. They generally require about 3 acres per pair of undisturbed meadow, located away from human development. The numbers of bobolinks nationwide have undergone a steep decline in recent years due to loss of habitat and intensive agricultural practices.
To protect these beautiful birds and the ecosystem they represent, I would strongly encourage the city council to take all possible measures to conserve the open space at Hubbard in its current undeveloped form. Hubbard is a unique habitat in the city, which cannot be easily replaced. As a natural area, it provides a rare space where residents can enjoy an authentic experience of truly being in nature, with a minimum of human alteration or development.
The health benefits to man and bobolink alike of preserving this
Letters to the Editor
rare jewel are immeasurable and cannot be overstated.
For more information about bobolinks, go to bobolinkproject. com.
Frances Delwiche South Burlington
Thank you Bus 10 families
To the Editor:
Thank you so much to all the kind and generous Bus 10 families that gave me such a wonderful send off into retirement.
I feel privileged to have spent the last 13 years as the driver of Bus 10 and will miss seeing you all at pick up and drop off time. Thanks again, it means a lot.
Brice Goldsborough South Burlington
Voters! Please save us from a dictatorship
To the Editor:
I am the more worried today about our country than I have ever been.
If you all want to save our free country as we have always enjoyed it, I pray you all go out to vote in November to save us from a dictator. If you Democrats don’t vote, we will all have to live with the consequences. We will no longer live in a free country.
I have never written a letter like this before, but today it is a must.
Sandra Lucas South Burlington
Pickleball noises exceeds EPA’s standards
To the Editor:
Regarding Chris Tudor’s interest in the pickleball situation at Szymanski Park in South Burling-
ton, he offered some good suggestions for a resolution. (“Let’s keep talking to find fixes for Szymanski Park pickleball,” July 3, 2024)
With an open mind I am sharing the tribulations of the city’s decision to also find that resolution. I am bewildered that there has been no discussion of using soft paddles and soft balls as a step to lessen the noise of the sport. Sound proofing the courts is an excellent idea, however, that will not solve the traffic threat to the children in the neighborhood or the parking invasion caused by players.
Tudor named more appropriate places courts could have been placed. The decision to put four courts at Szymanski Park was indeed a “blunder.”
Pickleball is furiously carving a path into our culture but my dialogue addresses more than the pickleball trend. I don’t oppose the people who play the game. I am questioning how city decisions are made and the procedures by which modifications such as Szymanski Park fall into place.
This decision excluded tax-paying residents of the neighborhood who are directly affected. The city needs to take a serious look at the repercussions of pickleball in Szymanski Park. Things cannot remain as they are.
Pickleball has a noise level of 70-85 decibels, where tennis and basketball are 40. I have personally measured the decibel level at Szymanski to be 72.9 courtside, and in my bedroom window at 10 p.m. at 68.4. The Environmental Protection Agency states that 55 decibels is the maximum level of outdoor athletic noise acceptable. There are physical and mental health risks to constant exposure to pickleball noise.
This sport is breaking EPA recommendations and is fueling tension and anxiety in people
Chelsea Tillinghast
Chelsea Tillinghast, South Burlington School Board
Carillon Boat Cruises
Court signals return to the divine right of kings
Guest Perspective
Michael Caldwell
Three days before Independence Day, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its historic and democracy-shattering ruling that U.S. presidents have almost absolute immunity to criminal prosecution. Former President Donald Trump will now likely not be held accountable for trying to subvert the duly certified 2020 presidential election.
America, welcome back to the political doctrine of the divine right of kings.
Two years shy of the 250th
SMITH
continued from page 5
from internal combustion engines has been largely displaced by the transition to electric equipment.
• Our homes no longer use fossil fuels for heat, are highly energy efficient and designed to provide maximum comfort and efficient use of space.
• Employees can afford living in relatively close proximity to work.
• The community has reached net zero CO2 emissions, citizens are healthier and lower consumption has reduced household expenses, easing financial pressures on workers, families and seniors.
I encourage everyone to look at the South Burlington city plan, read the sections that are of interest to you, and get involved so your voice will be heard.
Ensuring that the city grows as a sustainable, affordable, vibrant, business, recreation and tourism hub that meets the needs of all future residents is a big challenge.
LETTERS
continued from page 6
forced to listen to it. It should be an indoor sport. I suggested to the recreation department for the time being cut the court time from 15 to 8 hours a day but the answer from the director was no. Instead, the city put up bigger and brighter lights that blare into bedroom windows in Stonehedge until 10 p.m.
I remain willing to work with the city and recreation department, but that will be short-lived if a child is hit by a car.
Jovana Guarino
anniversary of our republic, we revert to the tyrannical tradition of King George III. For thinking people here and now — Republican, Democrat, Independent — it was a painfully ironic moment, coming as it did so close to July 4.
Isn’t Independence Day the day we declared independence from monarchy? Isn’t part of the celebration remembering the sacrifices our founders made for freedom from unfettered monarchical rule? Why would we go so far astray with some kind of “originalist” justification for the ostensible revision of our beloved U.S. Constitution? How
can we read the Preamble and not weep? “Secure the blessings of liberty”?
What the Trump-infested court has done is to make liberty completely insecure. The stacked deck of his three appointments means “we the people” are now potentially subject to the vile wiles of a bigoted bully who can do anything he wants, if he gets re-elected, with almost no legal guard rails.
Implied immunity, of course, is immunity to deceptive practices. Presidents can now lie and deceive to their heart’s content, confusing and confounding the electorate with no real redress for new grievances and injuries.
Striving to meet this challenge will be the greatest gift we can give to our children and grandchildren.
Feel free to reach out to me to continue this conversation and consider how you can help move our city forward.
Laurie Smith is a South Burlington city councilor. For more information about the resilience course visit acceptingcollapse. com.
Deception already plagues us. Conspiracy theories infect social media like a new pandemic with no vaccination or immunity. Our new idol, worshipped for its addictive charisma, is social media. Kids can’t take their eyes off a screen. Kids and adults now are force-fed fodder for far-fetched feudalism, with calculated agendas against the commonwealth. You’ll find the new feudalism alive and well on social media, often disguised as salvation.
The right claims that the left is responsible, with gay rights
and abortion rights, for example, for decline and decadence of America. Can we take a breath? Can the right look at its hypocrisy for promoting autocratic Christian nationalism in a nation of immigrants? The decline of the republic is much more to be feared if we don’t take a warning from the 1930s.
Decluttering my office, I almost recycled a pamphlet of Harry Emerson Fosdick, founding minister of Riverside Church in New York, in which he nudges us to shed our isolationism in the face of German “Christian” nationalism and Nazi authoritarianism. Fosdick wrote that in “Mein Kampf,” Adolph Hitler says this: “By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell and hell, heaven. The greater the lie, the more readily it will be believed.”
Trump takes this page from Hitler and makes it the backbone of his playbook. We all saw that in his repetition of despicable lies about the 2020 election and about Biden on the June 27 debate stage. Biden’s completely imperfect, as we saw in that debate; he is also the clear alternative to the startling willful deception of his opponent and
the whole MAGA nightmare.
Can Trump and his fearful followers win? Only if thinking people give in to deception and give up. The hope of John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the signers of the 1776 Declaration will be dashed.
The other sad irony is that the right refers to these founders as creating a Christian America that we must recover. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, there were Presbyterians from New Jersey and Catholics from Maryland, but most of the signers were Quakers or Deists (like today’s Unitarians) who reverenced the Almighty as a God of justice, diversity and liberty, not deception, theocracy and monarchy.
Who will we honor this, Independence Day? Honor the signers, or honor King George?
We’ll decide, with a clear and compelling choice, on Nov. 5.
Michael Caldwell is a member of the international ecumenical Iona Community. The Radical Center is a syndicated monthly column transcending current fractures in culture and religion. He lives in North Wolcott.
COMMUNITY
South Burlington schools host free meals
Through Aug. 9, Monday to Friday, free summer meals will be provided to all children under 18 at Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School, Chamberlin Elementary School and Rick Marcotte Central School. The meals must be consumed onsite.
Breakfast is served from 7:308:30 a.m. and lunch goes from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. There will be no meals on July 4 and 5.
There’s no application or paperwork necessary. Meals are free for all children 18 and under.
See the menus at sbschools. net/summermeals.
Make a tracking connection with Vermont naturalist
Join Sophie Mazowita, a naturalist educator, consulting ecologist and certified wildlife tracker based in Jeffersonville at “Adventures with Vermont Animals” in the South Burlington library’s community room on Tuesday, July 16, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Mazowita will share stories and footage of otter, fisher, bobcat, mink, fox and coyote captured on trail cameras throughout South Burlington and beyond. She will share pictures of scat and tracks in the mud and sand and show what signs of wildlife can be spotted during the summer.
This family presentation is appropriate for ages 5 and up and no registration is required.
Learn more at trackingconnection.com.
Free fitness series for recreation month
South Burlington Recreation and Parks, in conjunction with the National Recreation and Parks Association and the Vermont Recreation and Parks Association, celebrates July as Park and Recreation Month.
South Burlington legislators sponsored H.180 that designated July as Parks and Recreation Month in Vermont and they designated July 19 as Park and Recreation Professionals Day.
For nearly 40 years, the nation has celebrated Park and Recreation Month to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. This month is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals.
This year’s theme, “Where You Belong,” celebrates the many ways park and recreation professionals foster a sense of belonging in their community by providing welcoming and inclusive programs, essential services for all ages and abilities, and safe, accessible spaces to build meaningful connections.
South Burlington will celebrate the month by offering a free fitness series in each of its parks.
COURTESY PHOTO
On Thursday, July 18, the Devon McGarry Band graces the SB Nite Out stage at 5 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in South Burlington, so come out and enjoy some grub and good tunes. House on Fire plays July 25, and that date also features fireworks.
Devon McGarry Band
Hinesburg Garden Tour features six, unique garden experiences
The Hinesburg Garden Tour returns for its third year on Sunday, July 14, and features six gardens, including three in the village center.
One highlight on the tour is the garden of Sharon Henry and Gary Solow, which includes nine separate gardens with natural rock features from stone quarried on their property. Their primarily shaded property offers a southern view and a pond that occasionally hosts blue herons and mallards.
Not to be missed is Hidden Gardens, which showcases a variety of plantings. On the tour, see rare conifers, fully loaded mixed perennial beds with unexpected July blooms and voluptuous shade gardens bordering lengthy woodland and island beds. There is also a scree garden and a collection of pottery, sculpture and garden ornaments.
An addition to this year’s tour is an organic vegetable garden with fruit trees and flowers. Stevie Spencer started her vegetable garden in the early 1980s and recently, with her son’s help,
COMMUNITY NOTES
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There is no need to sign up, just drop in. The first 200 participants receive a complimentary T-shirt. Learn more at southburlingtonvt. gov.
Vermont Fresh Network hosts annual tasting event
For one evening in July, farmers and chefs from across Vermont come together to prepare a meal for Vermont’s food enthusiasts at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn, 1611 Harbor Road, on Sunday, July 21, 5-8 p.m.
The event is a fundraiser for the Vermont Fresh Network with all proceeds going to programming that helps bring more Vermont grown and raised food to the table, and to support the community of agricultural and culinary professionals who use Vermont-grown and raised foods to create economic, environmental, and social gains.
Highlights include Vermont artisanal products and beverages,
changed the garden layout from traditional straight rows to a circular pattern, adding to its artistic beauty.
The three village gardens are within walking distance of the town hall. Set in the heart of the village, the garden at Trillium Hill Farm includes meandering pathways to explore different garden areas. Howard Russell is the main flower gardener, while Paul Haskins tends the lawns and assists in the flower beds. As you wander the paths, you’ll encounter artwork by Russell’s nephew, Kevin Donegan.
Across Route 116, you’ll find the garden of Debbie and George Dameron. This property includes front and back yard gardens, a deep shade woodland area and a sunny field with a flower garden.
The newest garden, and the smallest at only .2 acres, belongs to Bethanne and Jeff Cellar. Their garden features perennials and edible plants, stone walls and a “living fence” formed by a trained larch.
Organized by the Friends
of the Carpenter-Carse Library, the gardens are open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tour participants are encouraged to visit properties in any order to distribute visitors throughout the gardens. Carpooling is recommended to help with
parking at the library, where the community room will be open for restrooms, water and information. While at the library, check out the new outdoor seating area to the right of the building’s main entrance.
Summer Safety Tips from VGS
silent auction and a grazing dinner by some of the state’s finest chefs. Tickets are $150 at bit. ly/3VSVsgO.
Shelburne church hosts July 23 blood drive
Give the gift of blood at the Shelburne community blood drive sponsored by St. Catherine of Siena Parish on Tuesday, July 23, from noon-5 p.m., 72 Church St., Shelburne.
Appointments are strongly recommended as walk-ins cannot always be accommodated. To give, call 800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter Shelburne to schedule an appointment.
If you are an eligible type O, B - or A - donor, consider making a Power Red donation. Red blood cells are the most transfused blood component.
Streamline your donation and save up to 15 minutes by visiting the website and completing a health history questionnaire.
For information about joining the Friends of the Carpenter-Carse Library, visit carpentercarse.org/ friends-of-ccl.
Garden tour tickets are available at the library and Red Wagon Plants for $20 per person.
Keep landscaping and large objects away from your meter
Please do not place mulch, topsoil or rocks in contact with your meter. Be careful when mowing and report any damage. If your meter is located where large objects, such as vehicles or dumpsters, could collide with it, a barricade should be installed. Contact us about barricade options at 802-863-4511.
During summer, you may see VGS representatives outside your home inspecting our system and painting meters.
Be safe
Scan the QR Code or visit
vgsvt.com/be-safe for more safety information.
How to Detect a Gas Leak
Smell: Natural gas is normally odorless. A distinctive, pungent odor, similar to rotten eggs, is added so that you will recognize it quickly.
Sight: You may see a white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying.
Sound: You may hear an unusual noise like a roaring, hissing, or whistling.
If you suspect a leak:
Move immediately to a safe location. Call VGS at 800-639-8081 or call 911 with the exact location. Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might result in a dangerous condition.
Do not assume someone else will report the condition.
The business next door donates nearly twice as much as big-box stores and online retailers to local non-profits, events and teams.
Taking flight
New payroll tax takes effect, funds child care
EMMA MALINAK VTDIGGER
A new payroll tax took effect July 1 to fund the expansion of Vermont’s child care financial assistance program, making more families eligible to participate and increasing the rates child care providers receive from the state.
Employers will now pay a 0.44 percent tax on wages paid — with an option to withhold up to 25 percent of the tax from employees — and self-employed Vermonters will pay a 0.11 percent tax on income, according to a press release from the Vermont Department of Taxes.
The new tax was passed as part of Act 76, which became law in June 2023 after the Legislature overrode Gov. Phil Scott’s veto. The goal of the legislation is to invest $125 million annually into Vermont’s child care sector and bolster a subsidy program, in which the state reimburses child care centers on behalf of families.
system for reporting attendance, she added, and all family child care providers will receive an increase in the rates they receive from the state.
This increase covers “50 percent of difference between family child care and center-based program state rates,” according to a status report from DCF. It follows another increase, which took effect on Dec. 17, that raised rates by about 35 percent for every participating child care program, McLaughlin said.
“We are hearing anecdotal evidence that (providers) are becoming more confident in their ability to hire and retain staff.”
— Janet McLaughlin
The state has been rolling out updates required by the act since July 2023 and will continue to do so until the end of this year, according to Janet McLaughlin, deputy commissioner of the child development division within Vermont’s Department for Children and Families. Each change, she said, is designed to help more families afford child care and supply child care providers with the money they need to run quality programs.
“We don’t want people to feel like they have to leave the jobs that they love — the jobs that the state needs them to do — to stay home and care for their kids,” McLaughlin said. “A strong child care system is a necessity for our families.”
Along with the start of the payroll tax, the child care subsidy program will see changes July 1, McLaughlin said. The citizenship requirement will be eliminated from the application, she said, which means children who are not U.S. citizens will now be eligible to receive aid. Child care providers will begin a new “streamlined”
The effects of the investment are already starting to show, McLaughlin said. Since January, more programs have opened than those that have closed. The changes are starting to close a gap in care that has existed for years, she said. According to a report from Let’s Grow Kids, about 8,700 child care slots are still needed to meet the current demand in the state.
The process to apply for the subsidy program will not change on July 1, McLaughlin said, although work is underway to move applications to an online platform by September.
To be eligible to apply, families must live in Vermont, have less than $1 million in assets and meet income requirements, according to the Department for Children and Families. Families must also have a reason for seeking child care to be eligible — such as primary caretakers having a job, looking for work or attending school.
As part of Act 76, the income guidelines were updated in April to include more families in the subsidy program. Families making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level are now eligible, when before, the cut off was at 350%, McLaughlin said. An additional 193 families have already joined the program due to this expansion, she said.
In October, the program will be widened again to include families making up to 575 percent of the
PHOTO BY TOM WADSWORTH
Tom Wadsworth of Shelburne captured this shot on Deer Run Lane of red-tailed hawk fledglings getting ready to fly.
PAYROLL
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federal poverty level.
“Vermont families that have moderate income will really benefit from this,” McLaughlin said. “Before, they were paying 20-30 percent of their income on child care, and now we can help with that.”
The April revision also made more families eligible to have their child care completely covered by the state. Before, families making 150 percent or below of the federal poverty level were eligible, but now, the bar has been raised to 175 percent of the poverty level, McLaughlin said.
Other families pay $50 to $250 per week, depending on their number of children and their gross monthly income. The rest of the cost of child care is provided by the state to child care centers on behalf of the family.
To apply, families must complete an 11-page application form that asks questions about
income sources, family members, child care providers and more. Families must fill out supplemental forms as necessary, according to the Department for Children and Families, and file documents to provide proof of household income, education savings accounts and reasons for seeking child care.
Because the expanded program will bring more demand for child care services, McLaughlin said, the state has provided $21 million in “readiness payments” to 800 programs since September to help them pay for repairs, invest in more resources, and increase staff wages and benefits.
“Workforce challenges for the state as a whole are certainly affecting child care providers,” McLaughlin said. “But we are hearing anecdotal evidence that (providers) are becoming more confident in their ability to hire and retain staff.”
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SB athletes receive all-league honors, other awards
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
The South Burlington baseball team captured a Division I state title and now the Wolves have added to their awards with all-league honors.
Nick Kelly was named the Pitcher of the Year for the Metro Division, while Wolves coach Luke Goyette earned the Coach of the Year nod.
James Chagnon, Brady Havers, Andre Bouffard, Kiefer McGrath, Sam Mazza-Bergeron and Lucas Van Mullen were also named to the Metro Division first team.
Liam O’Connor was named to the second team, while Henry Dorman and Cedric LaMothe earned honorable mentions.
Boys’ lacrosse
South Burlington saw a few players earn honors after the 2024 high school boys’ lacrosse season. The Vermont Lacrosse Coaches Association’s handed out all-state and all-league awards and the Wolves were well represented.
On the all-state squad, Will Goyette earned first team honors in the midfield, while Brady Sweet and Jack Kelly were named to the second team.
Goyette and Kelly were also named to the Metro Division first team and all-league honors, while Will Anderson was named to the second team.
Goyette was also named a
U.S. Lacrosse All-American this season.
Girls’ lacrosse
The Vermont Lacrosse Coaches Association awarded the top high school girls’ players with all-state selections and postseason awards.
Victoria Bohlmann, Sabrina Brunet and Rachel Kelley each earned all-state first team honors for South Burlington.
Elsa Nygaard-Ostby and Elise Smith were both named to the second team, while Reese Gordon and Oakley Machanic earned honorable mentions.
Brunet was also named a U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-American for the Wolves.
Softball
Two South Burlington softball players earned honorable mentions when the coaches picked all-league teams for the spring season.
Cait Bartlett was named an honorable mention at first base and Trinity Rye earned a spot as an honorable mention in the outfield.
Ultimate
The Vermont high school Ultimate frisbee coaches’ association gave out its all-state honors following the 2024 season.
Gabe Gelfenbein was named to the first team for the boys, and Moriya Gelfenbein was named to the first team for the girls.
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Send a letter of interest to bryan@newsandcitizen.com or call (802) 253-2101.
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PHOTO BY AL FREY
South Burlington’s Nick Kelly toes the rubber for the Wolves during their 6-2 Division I baseball championship win over the CVU Redhawks on June 15.
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purpose of advising the council on policy. Currently, the city has 10 of these types of committees.
“As we were finishing up the city plan, the leadership team and the council had a conversation that as we adopt this new city plan and we have not only the multi-decade vision for the city but our eightyear work plan, how do we best align the committee structure to get that work done of the city plan over the next eight years?” city manager Jessie Baker said.
While no final decisions have been made, examples include consolidating or expanding certain committees to reach a broader goal or completely re-envisioning others that may no longer be in alignment with the city’s goals.
Take housing, for example, Baker said. Housing development is clearly a central part of the city plan, and although the city already has an affordable housing and housing trust committee, it could make more sense to have an overarching housing committee rather than just one focused on affordable housing.
Since the city has a large volunteer base with over 130 people who already give their time to serve the community in board and committee roles, Baker said it’s essential that the city utilize their time effectively.
“It’s a huge amount of community effort that goes into these community conversations about who we are, and we really want to make sure that as we’re asking community members to give up their time, we’re doing that in a way that’s effective and efficient and aligned to the interests of the council and makes the most efficient governmental use of everybody’s time,” she said.
is a great way to get feedback from our community, one thing that came up a lot during campaigning, and in conversation is really having connection with the diverse members of our community,” he said. “I think an equity and diversity committee would be a way for some of our community members to really engage with and talk about how our minority community members can engage both with the council and with the community at large.”
In Baker’s analysis, she wrote that some committee chairs expressed a lack of “diversity of opinion” or “lived experience” on committees. There was an overall perception that committees were “stacked” with folks with similar positions, which led to even larger questions like, if the committees are all composed of folks who think similarly, is the council really getting a balanced policy perspective?
“There’s a reason we sort of all look like each other up here. We have the freedom and opportunity to participate in the time. So, part of it is removing some of the obstacles or some of the time constraints.”
— Mike Scanlon
The work on committee structures is expected to continue into next spring, but Baker has already heard a slew of feedback through work with staff liaisons and committee chairs that include a need for more clarity on committee responsibilities, and increased communication between other committees and staff liaisons.
Councilor Laurie Smith compared the city’s committee makeup to the neighboring town of Shelburne and said that one important committee the town has implemented that he would like to see come to South Burlington is an equity and diversity committee.
“While Coffee with the Councilor
Council member Elizabeth Fitzgerald also said there should be continued discussion about diversification efforts in committee member selection, including not only viewpoint but geographical representation, life and experience.
While separate from the committee structure conversation, the city is actively working to reach more members of the community and broaden participation in its decision-making.
Through an Equity in Planning Outreach project funded by a state municipal planning grant, the city is working to engage a consultant to develop a “toolkit” to increase community voices, recognizing that traditional methods of government outreach — including weeknight meetings, formal settings with high barriers to entry and English-only documents — miss a significant number of community members.
That report is anticipated to reach the city council by this fall.
“There’s a reason we sort of all look like each other up here,” councilor Mike Scanlan said. “We have the freedom and opportunity to participate in the time. So, part of it is removing some of the obstacles or some of the time constraints.”
Baker proposed that over the summer months the committees work on developing work plans aligned with the priorities outlined in the city plan, which could later be approved by the city council.
Invest in community
Coming Together
A SUBSTANCE USE ADDICTION SUMMIT
Friday, July 19, 2024 • 10am - 4pm
Champlain Valley Expo - Essex Jct, VT
RECOVERY PROGRAM | RESOURCE BOOTHS | BREAK-OUT ROOMS
MEMORIAL WALL | LIVE MUSIC | FOOD VENDORS
There is Hope. I can’t, but WE can.
Over the last few years, we have seen progress on substance use addiction awareness and identifying valuable resources for help and change. We also know that there is a lot of work to do. This event is open to the public. We urge anyone who is interested in knowing where resources are for themselves or someone they love, who is battling addiction, to attend. It is about hope for anyone struggling with substance use, making more resources available statewide and saving lives.
KEY SUMMIT GOALS
• Increase Residential and Recovery Beds: Addressing the urgent need for more residential and recovery residence beds in Vermont.
• Extend Residential Stays: Advocating for longer residential stays and increased Medicaid reimbursements to support these beds.
• Tri-State Treatment Model: Proposing a collaborative treatment/ recovery model for Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
• Longer Recovery Model: Highlighting comprehensive programs like Jenna’s Promise that include workforce development.
• Humanizing Addiction: Emphasizing the distinction between addiction and the individual, recognizing their humanity.
• Support for Law Enforcement: Integrating recovery and mental health workers with law enforcement efforts.
• Political Attention: Drawing more political focus to substance use addiction.
