the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977
Primary is Tuesday; here’s where to vote
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
Early voting for the Aug. 13 primary election has already begun in South Burlington, but for those who are looking to head to the polls next Tuesday, all district polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following locations:
• Chittenden-8 at City Center Senior Center
• Chittenden-9 at Frederick H.Tuttle Middle School
• Chittenden-10 at Chamberlin School
• Chittenden-11 at F.H. Tuttle Middle School
• Chittenden-12 at Orchard School
None of the local House races are contested. Newcomer Bridget Burkhardt is running for the seat in Chittenden-8 being vacated by Noah Hyman. In Chittenden-9, Emilie Krasnow is running for reelection, as is Kate Nugent in Chittenden-10.
In Chittenden-11, Brian Minier
See VOTING on page 12
Jackhammering agreement raises ire of some neighbors
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
From jackhammering and construction to pickleball and hedge trimmers, some councilors in South Burlington are looking to strike a balance with noise pollution in a city that is increasingly expanding from a suburban environment to an urban one.
The issues boiled over at a city council meeting last year when construction on a new housing development in South Burlington prompted a wider examination of the city’s public nuisance
ordinance after residents who live close to the site said that near-constant jackhammering on the property clearly violated city law.
For months, construction crews had been using jackhammers to chip away at bedrock to build basements and water and sewer infrastructure for new homes on Long Drive.
Neighbors in the area flooded a city council meeting in October over noise they called “incessant” and “unbearable.” The hammer-
See JACKHAMMERING on page 13
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON REC
behind-the-scenes look at the Sticks and Stones concert at SB Nite Out on Aug. 1.
Summer Still Blooms!
Early College launches early childhood teacher’s career
In 2020, Sophie Decker of South Burlington had just finished the Community College of Vermont Early College program, meaning she had spent her senior year of high school enrolled as a full-time student, earning free college credits that also counted as credit toward high school graduation.
A few weeks ago, Decker, who grew up in the Champlain Islands, was sitting in a clean, well-lit living room with framed photos on the wall and a bouquet of bright yellow flowers on the kitchen table behind her. Now in her early 20s, Decker reflected on the life goals she’s already accomplished.
Competitive dancer: check. College graduate (twice over): check. Full-time early childhood educator: check.
Homeowner: check.
Decker graduated in 2021, and from the University of Vermont two years later, and between the Early College program, living at home to save money on room and board, and being hyper-conscious about money, she doesn’t owe a cent on her education.
“It’s pretty fantastic to graduate debtfree,” she said. Before graduating from UVM, she had a job lined up as the preschool teacher at Christ the King School in Burlington.
Growing up, Decker was homeschooled along with her two brothers, and she said this more independent educational setting was key to discovering her career path.
“Just having that kind of freedom from very early to find what interests us and then be able to pursue it from a really young age,” she said.
For Decker, those interests were psychology and early childhood development. She comes from a large family — 19 cousins, to be exact — all of whom live within 30 minutes of each other. So, there were always babies being passed around and toddlers underfoot.
Decker’s love of children also comes from her career as a dancer. At age 3, her mother put her in a gymnastics class “because I was breaking everything in the house.” She danced competitively, including at the national level, until she was 18, and continues to teach dance classes.
This fall, she’s participating in a Dancing with the Burlington Stars event that doubles as a fundraiser for the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She’ll be dancing with a pediatric ICU doctor from UVM Medical Center.
COURTESY PHOTO
Sophie Decker
TIE Germany program celebrates 50 years at school
This fall, South Burlington High School celebrates 50 years of international friendship and collaboration with the Schiller-Gymnasium in Hameln, Germany.
Over the past five decades, hundreds of South Burlington students have participated in the TIE Germany program, learning about a new language and culture, and having the opportunity to reflect on their own and share it with their German partners.
One 2022-23 participant described her experience this way: “Not only did my German improve, but my knowledge of German culture also improved. Things like the autobahn, Sunday as a rest day where all their stores are closed and how they eat their meals were all interesting to me. I’m sure it was the same for my partner when she came here and faced similar culture shocks.”
Another said, “TIE Germany is an experience I will never forget. It allowed me to make new friends, learn more about Germany, learn more about independence, and have fun. We also visited a lot of monuments that taught us about Germany during World War II and the cause of separation between the West and
the East.
“For one week, we lived life as regular German high schoolers; we went to school and shadowed some classes and even got to teach some students a little about our American culture. It was hard to say goodbye by the
time we had to leave,” they said. If you, like these students, or your family have ever participated in TIE Germany, save these dates for two special events: a schoolwide assembly on Monday, Sept. 30, and a celebratory soirée on Thursday, Oct. 3 at Burlington
Beer Company. You can donate to the TIE Germany 50th anniversary celebrations by sending a check payable to: SBHS TIE, c/o Theresa Mazza, South Burlington High School, 550 Dorset St., South Burlington VT 05403.
DECKER continued from page 2
From an early age, Decker was driven. She started taking dual enrollment CCV classes at 16; she took American Sign Language I and II, which she relies on to communicate and work with preschoolers. She then enrolled in Early College during her senior year, graduating from high school with 36 college credits under her belt.
Decker was savvy about finding the right academic programs, and about financing her education.
“I want to do this in the smartest way possible,” she recalled thinking. “I had very early seen the 2+2 pathway,” she said, referring to an agreement between the two institutions that guarantees students junior status when they transfer to UVM. “It just seemed like the easiest path, and I knew that UVM had a great early childhood education program. The transfer was seamless. It was the easiest thing in the world.”
For Decker, getting a head start at CCV was pivotal. “I felt like I walked into CCV very much like a young kid and leaving very much with a clear vision of what I wanted and where I wanted to go and how I was going to go about that,” she said.
Today Decker is an educator with a passion for her students and teaching.
“All you think about at breakfast, lunch and dinner are these little ones, and all you want to do is just take care of them and give them happiness and sunshine and everything they deserve,” she said.
This year, she’ll be following many of them when she moves from preschool teacher to pre-K teacher at Christ the King.
“I’m really excited to kind of hit the ground running with them in the fall.”
COURTESY PHOTO
A group of South Burlington High School kids in Hameln, Germany, as part of the TIE Germany exchange program.
Total incidents: 251
CRIME & COURTS
South Burlington Police Blotter: July 29 - Aug. 4
Agency / public assists: 16
Directed patrol: 12
Traffic stop: 24
Accident: property damage: 7
Foot patrol: 19
Suspicious event: 13
Alarm: 13
Retail theft: 8
Paperwork service: 8
Motor vehicle complaint: 10
Welfare check: 14
911 hangup: 3
Noise: 3
Trespass: 15
Domestic: 2
Fraud: 3
Disturbance: 8
Field contact: 9
Accident:
insurance purposes: 5
Animal problem: 5
Stolen vehicle: 4
Threats: 2
Larceny from a vehicle: 6
Larceny from a structure: 4
Mental health: 6
Arrests: Jessica L. Morrill, 42, no address provided, was arrested for retail theft in an incident from June 19 at 5:12 on Williston Road.
Matthew Delisle, 42, of South Burlington, was arrested for a sex offender registry violation stemming from an incident on July 15 at 12:57 p.m. on Shelburne Road.
July 29 at 11:17 a.m., Laura A. Maichel, 52, of South Burlington, was arrested for driving under the influence, first offense, on Hinesburg Road.
July 30 at 9:49 a.m., Kayla M. Palmer, 30, of Grand Isle, was arrested for violating conditions of release at Laurel Hill and Shelburne Road.
July 31 at 11:15 a.m., Holly L. Cota, 47, no address provided, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Shelburne Road.
July 31 at 11:43 a.m., Thomas
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Hamblin, 39, of Milton, was arrested for felony possession of stolen property on Keari Lane.
July 31 at 5:08 p.m., Todd A. Wells, 47, of South Burlington, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Larkin Way.
Aug. 2 at 3:55 p.m., Jason P. Robinson, 45, of South Burlington, was arrested for violating conditions of release on Farrell Street.
Aug. 3 at 11:01 p.m., Lukas Vopenka, 34, no address provided, was arrested for criminal threatening and disorderly conduct by electronic communication on Shelburne Road.
Untimely deaths:
July 29 at 9:50 a.m., police responded to Spear Street for
Police search for escapee
Man fled while being transported to drug treatment
South Burlington police are looking for a man who escaped the custody of a transport company on July 29 as he was being taken from the Northwest Correctional Facility to a substance use treatment facility around 11:30 a.m.
Police are asking people to be on the lookout for Nicolelus Sanborn, 30, of Burlington. He was being held at the prison awaiting trial on two criminal charges: aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and simple assault on a law enforcement officer.
According to police, Sanborn convinced the driver from Therapeutic Works Inc. that he needed to stop at 861 Williston Road to pick up clothing from a relative. When the transport agent arrived there, Sanborn fled on foot toward Burlington. The court amended Sanborn’s conditions on July 26, allowing him to be transported to the treatment facility by Therapeutic Works. Anyone with information is asked to contact the South Burlington Police Department at 802-846-4111.
Nicolelus Sanborn
OPINION
Parks and recreation help build a healthy community
Councilor Corner
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
With the beautiful weather we’ve been enjoying, what better time to talk about parks and recreation. I know I run the risk of a drop in temperature and torrential rains at the time of this publication but wanted to share an update on all that’s been going on and the future planning process for parks in South Burlington.
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
For nearly 40 years, the nation has celebrated Parks and Recreation Month in July. The staff of the South Burlington Recreation and Parks Department pulled out all the stops this past month in sponsoring 31 daily fitness activities with over 350 participants throughout our parks, including yoga, tai chi, Pilates, strength training, running, dance and Zumba to encourage community members to stay active.
In addition, Recreation on the Go programming went to six different locations in underrepresented and more geographically isolated areas of the city and provided free barbecue, as well as entertainment like mobile yard games, music, face painting, mascots and visits from police officers and firefighters.
To date, the parks and rec department has completed 45 events with a total attendance of 12,300 community members. Over 45 other events are planned for 2024. The senior center averages about 300 people each week who come through the doors for programming and lunches. Kudos to city staff, who orchestrated these exciting events.
Winooski Gorge, Muddy Brook Park and Muddy Brook Wetland Reserve — and some city properties such as Quail Run behind the Bay Court Apartments, the trails behind Winding Brook Drive off of Hinesburg Road and the trails behind Duval Street.
South Burlington owns significant park space, miles of shared-use path and improved facilities, and currently meets the goal of 7.5 acres of developed recre ation land per 1,000 residents, counting both city properties and other publicly accessible land.
There are currently about 165 acres of developed recreation and 700 acres of passive recreation and conservation land in South Burlington when you include partners such as the South Burlington School District, University of Vermont and the Winooski parks district. A large percentage of the total city owned acre age is in a single location — Veterans Memorial Park and Wheeler Nature Park. It is a goal of the 2024 City Plan to locate a recreational amenity within a quarter mile of every dwelling unit within residential and mixed-use neighborhoods.
As city resources age, maintenance and safety are becoming increasingly important. Community feedback at city council meetings and through more informal Coffee with a Councilor sessions have focused on deferred park main tenance, the quality of some playing fields, drainage challenges, noise, traffic, parking, and accessibility. These represent some of the operational challenges going forward.
Community feedback has focused on deferred park maintenance, the quality of some playing fields, drainage challenges, noise, traffic, parking, and accessibility.
The city actively maintains the facilities and grounds of 10 parks. A new map with icons depicting various park amenities is available on the city’s website and shown on page 6. All parks are open from sunrise to sunset daily.
Outside of city-maintained parks, there are locations overseen by the Winooski Valley Parks District, other trail systems, and unmaintained open spaces. All are in close proximity to South Burlington residents, and include the Winooski Valley Park District — Valley Ridge,
Parks master plan
South Burlington requested and has received proposals for preparation of a parks master plan, which would establish the need and location of new parks, outline the func tion of existing and planned parks and identify amenities to serve the existing and future population of the city. The plan will also use GIS mapping to create a gap analysis for where parks and open spaces could be added to the existing inventory for more equitable and fair access to these spaces for all residents. These master plans should also cover the future acquisition process for new lands and land management practices, including invasive species management for privately conserved lands. The master
THANK YOU LAWMAKERS FOR IMPROVING SCHOOL READINESS, GETTING PARENTS BACK TO WORK, AND MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES STRONGER!
LEARN MORE ABOUT ACT 76 AND PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN CHILD CARE:
Krasnow an effective advocate for S. Burlington
To the Editor:
Emilie Krasnow’s role as a representative for South Burlington’s Chittenden-9 exemplifies effective advocacy and constituent engagement. As a health care professional with experience in both clinical and community settings, I have observed the critical importance of advocacy in addressing public policy issues. These issues span various domains, including public health, education, economics, health care, climate change, housing and the overall well-being of Vermont residents.
Krasnow consistently demonstrates accessibility and responsiveness to constituent concerns. In an era where some legislators are perceived as disconnected from their constituents, Krasnow actively engages with her community. Her presence at legislative forums, city council meetings, Montpelier hearings and community events illustrates her commitment to understanding the issues.
Her approach is characterized by attentiveness, respect and
FITZGERALD
continued from page 5
plan encompasses active recreation — parks, playgrounds, among other things —while passive recreation (natural trail areas, scenic viewsheds) overlaps with the open spaces master plan, which encompasses conservation and natural resource protection.
Public outreach will take place in late summer and fall. The intent is to cast a wide net for input from South Burlington residents on all topics regarding parks and open spaces, working in partnership with staff. The city is also developing an equity outreach toolkit expected to be
a genuine interest in constituent matters. Her reliability in responding to communications, whether through calls, texts, or emails, fosters a sense of trust and representation among her constituents.
The post-pandemic era has presented significant challenges for individuals and families in our community, including inflation and rising costs in housing and property taxes. These factors collectively influence residents’ decisions regarding their continued residence in the area. Krasnow has committed to advocating for these issues in South Burlington and in the Legislature while maintaining transparency with her constituents.
Krasnow demonstrates commitment to constituent advocacy and her engagement with critical local issues make her a commendable candidate for the position of representative of Chittenden-9. I proudly write out in support of her and strongly encourage my neighbors to vote and promote her reelection.
Jason Kirchick
South Burlington
aligned and integrated with this process.
Get involved
The Recreation and Parks Committee is an advisory committee to the Recreation and Parks Department and is made up of seven to nine volunteer citizens of South Burlington, who are appointed by the city council.
The committee’s mission is to support the department in its goals and efforts to provide recreation and program opportunities and to acquire and maintain recreation facilities and
recreation open space. We do this in concert with the National and Recreation Association pillars of recreation: conservation, health and well-being and social equity.
There are currently three openings for interested volunteers. Applications are due by Aug. 12.
All meetings are open to the public and are typically held on
5 p.m.
the second Monday of the month at
at city hall.
Elizabeth Fitzgerald is a member of the South Burlington City Council.
A new map depicts various park amenities in the city of South Burlington.
Nationally certified technicians from the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department, Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles and other volunteers inspected more than 10 car seats in a four-hour event at the Shelburne Fire Department on Aug. 3, checking seats for proper fit and installation and educating parents on current best practices. A revised child passenger safety law took effect July 1, specifying the minimum child restraint requirements for children under 13. To learn more, visit beseatsmart.org. The event was co-sponsored by the Shelburne police and fire departments and Chittenden County sheriffs.
Seasonal Corn Maze - Carillon Boat Cruises - Museum Exhibits - Mt. Defiance Hands-on Family Activities - Weapons Demos - Gardens - Hiking Trail Premium Experiences
PHOTOS BY LEE KROHN
Community Notes
Get involved in community, join the Junior League
Are you interested in volunteering and socializing with other women? Then sign up to attend a Junior League of Champlain Valley information and learn how.
Upcoming sessions will be held on Thursday, Aug. 15, 5:30-7 p.m., at Burlington Bay Market and Café; Tuesday, Aug. 20, 5:30-7 p.m., at Shelburne Vineyards; and Sunday, Aug. 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Skinny Pancake.
The Junior League is an organization of women whose mission is to advance leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training.
To register, go to champlainvalley.jl.org. For information, email info@jlcv.org.
Vergennes Day brings 60 vendors to city park
Vergennes Day, an annual celebration featuring over 60 vendors in the city park, returns Saturday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
The event includes live music on the bandstand, pancake breakfast, Lions Club chicken barbecue and the Little City Road Race. For the kids, there is a bubble pit at the fire station and horse and wagon rides.
Enjoy merchant sales and more throughout the Little City. Later, come dance the night away with The Hitmen.
For more details, visit vergennesday.com.
COURTESY PHOTO
Members of the Junior League of the Champlain Valley.
John W. Trutor
John Welton Trutor died a few days shy of his 74th birthday. It is a shame because he didn’t have the chance to stick his finger in his cake, a classic John move, or enjoy the taste of a brownie sundae. Food was one of his few pleasures after decades of quietly battling multiple sclerosis under the vigilant care of his devoted wife, Pat.
Born Aug. 2, 1950, in Fort Lee, Va., to Lt. Col. John Trutor and Genevieve (Williamson), he was the second of four children raised in Benson. With a flair for style, he entered high school, and wooed the love of his life, a cheerleader from Fair Haven who was able to keep up with his incredible wit and mischievous humor. She said yes when, on leave serving as a medic in the U.S. Army Reserve, he realized he couldn’t live without her. His three children are glad she could manage his intensity, drive, inability to listen to a full song and his love of absurd fashion choices.
John was a fighter. His kids were endlessly embarrassed by his abundant letter writing to The Other Paper and his speeches to the local school board. But, as adults, came to realize the power of speaking your truth, standing up for what you believe in and having the courage to be the odd man out.
John was a dreamer. After many years working for Ma Bell in Boston and Vermont, he struck out on his own to explore creative ways to use his vast intellect and amazing work ethic to support his family. He was the first United States distributor of the credit card operated vending machine.
John had a fabulous career as a military contractor, establishing video stores on naval bases worldwide. He made a solid life for his family, buying an interesting and lovely home in 1984 in South Burlington with majestic views of Mt. Mansfield and beautiful gardens that brought him happiness throughout the years. Highland Terrace was his Tara. When his disease made it too difficult to continue consistent work, he turned to one of his life’s
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 8
Volunteer drivers needed for the blind
The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired has an immediate need for volunteer drivers to help get blind and visually impaired people where they need to go.
Volunteer drivers fill the
true pleasures, sports. He started a website, US Officials, for sports scheduling. He was ahead of his time, as most people hadn’t yet moved to cloud-based solutions.
John was a lifelong learner. An autodidact, John could talk on most subjects and loved to do so, his favorite being U.S. history. He never missed an episode of “Jeopardy.” We all relished the rare opportunity to beat him to the punch on an answer. He dropped out of an engineering program at Northeastern to pursue what his 20-year-old brain thought was a better choice, but he regretted it. He lived vicariously through his children’s learning and was always there to edit papers, talk through complex theories or challenge your thinking.
John was passionate. He loved to talk about movies, art, music and books. He felt so deeply it was often hard to reach the places his soul wanted you to go. He taught his children to stop and admire the beauty in this world. The feeling of dancing to a good beat, the taste of perfect flavors on your tongue, the feast of colors in the sunset, the crunch and crackle of a walk in the woods, the sound of laughter and the way that a film could move you to tears and change you. John could not finish the end of “Field of Dreams” or “Billy Elliott.” See if you can; we dare you.
John was not an easy man. But easy is boring. He was stubborn, righteous, indignant and a knowit-all. He could in equal parts infuriate you and have you desperately seeking his approval. His disease made him cranky and sometimes
we forgot that his words were clouded by pain and suffering. We are all so happy that he is somewhere in heaven using his legs once again, walking through a field, feeling the sway, hearing the swish and smelling the earthiness of the grass under his feet. Hopefully, his gorgeous mane of red hair has grown back and is blowing gently in a breeze while his laser blue eyes are locked on the horizon, where someday we will all be together again.
Want a game of catch, Dad? If you made it through “Field of Dreams,” you know.
John is survived by his wife of 54 years, Pat (Munger); his three children, Emily (Joe), Joshua (Megan) and Abigail Trutor-Mead (Peter); his adored grandchildren, Madison, Molly, Ethan, Sydney, Lillian, Alex, Aengus, Olivia and Evan; and siblings, Barry, Elizabeth and Bill and their families.
John’s family wants to thank the amazing staff at Elderwood who made his last year of life as comfortable as it could be. He was a demanding patient, but he left an indelible mark on all he interacted with. He loved building special connections with those who passed through his life.
In lieu of flowers we recommend donating to your local sports organizations. John was a vice president for Little League, the commissioner of Babe Ruth baseball, a volunteer of the year at South Burlington High School, and an excellent coach that made a winning team out of any gaggle of children you handed him in baseball, softball, soccer and basketball. Kids felt respected, safe and seen by Coach Trutor. Anyone could show up on his field no matter their background and play if they showed sportsmanship, heart and a willingness to work hard and play fair. Donating to your local sports leagues allows all kids to play sports, a great equalizer that is becoming increasingly difficult to access for those without the means.
Private services will be held but his family would love to hear any of your favorite John stories. Feel free to reach out, you know how to find us.
void when family or friends are unavailable to help, or when public transportation is simply not a viable option.
The association provides free, personalized transportation services to individuals with vision loss when no one else is available to help. If you like to drive and help others while doing so, be a part of
a team of inspirational volunteers. Volunteer drivers work as needed and are free to accept or reject any trip to suit their own schedules.
Drivers receive mileage reimbursement for the trips. If you can help or would like more information, call Vicki Vest at 800-6395861, ext. 243, or email vvest@ vabvi.org.
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John Welton Trutor
Students use learned language on trip
to Japan
Former South Burlington High School student Will Bradley recently wrote to Sinyoung Evans, who he took Japanese with for two years.
He has been in Japan the past month with other South Burlington alums, Noah Robertson, Gio Stazi and Rowan Nenninger, visit-
Summer school play
School News
ing Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. They also climbed Mt Fuji.
Bradley wrote to Evans Sensei, “Japan is a beautiful country, and I am grateful to have taken your class because the two years of Japanese has helped me communicate and get around and it inspired me to come visit Japan and now, I plan to study abroad here for college!”
Essex locations eyed for women’s prison
ETHAN WEINSTEIN VTDIGGER
Vermont is pursuing two potential locations for a new women’s prison in Essex.
For years, state Department of Corrections officials have stressed the need to replace Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington, calling conditions at the aging women’s prison “an embarrassment.”
After evaluating both state- and privately-owned land for a new prison, the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services and the corrections department have settled on two state-owned parcels in Essex.
The news was announced at a meeting with stakeholders last Thursday and later confirmed by Haley Sommer, a spokesperson for the corrections department.
Student wins gold medal in art, writing
Organized for the state by the Brattleboro Museum, the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards were administered to 40 students in March 2024. In June, high school sophomore Jasper McGibney, one of five students to receive a national award, was awarded a gold medal for his work titled “Blackout.”
beds has been rated as “poor.”
Corrections leaders have said the state needs a new facility to provide healthy and rehabilitative accommodations for incarcerated women.
“As long as the sentencing structures that currently exist in Vermont continue to exist,” Sommer said, “it is our responsibility to make sure that (women) have a dignified living environment, and that they are prepared to transition back to their communities. Chittenden just really does not provide that space.”
Vermont officials have sought to model a new prison on the Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center, a minimum-security facility that boasts comfortable furniture, natural lighting and job training.
“Prison construction is a much longer and expensive Band-Aid solution.”
The sites would require a zoning change, Sommer noted, a process that building and grounds is “currently initiating,” with communication with the town of Essex already underway. State officials intend to present their plans to the Essex Planning Commission next week, she said.
One location is adjacent to Susie Wilson Bypass, Gardenside Lane and the Essex Town Park and Ride on Landfill Lane. The other is off River Road near its intersection with N. Williston Road.
The latest plans for a new prison recommend a 158-bed facility with a separate 30-bed reentry facility, Sommer said, acknowledging that those numbers could change. The project was estimated to cost upwards of $70 million in 2023, but that too remains fluid.
The state has so far set aside $15 million in capital funds for a new facility.
Advocacy groups in Vermont including the ACLU have pushed back against plans for a new prison, calling them “out of line” with Vermont’s values, and a perpetuation of “mass incarceration.”
Investigations by Seven Days and VTDigger have documented unsafe conditions at the women’s prison. The condition of the 1970s-built facility with about 177
— Jayna Ahsaf
In an interview Thursday, Jayna Ahsaf, Vermont campaign director for the organization Free Her, said there’s no such thing as a “safe prison for women.”
She argued that at a lower price tag, Vermont could invest in bail reform, substance use disorder treatment and services for survivors of domestic violence, which could keep people out of prison and remediate the need for a new facility. Ahsaf also noted that some people remain incarcerated due to a lack of housing and suggested that money for the prison could instead build apartments.
“Prison construction is a much longer and expensive Band-Aid solution,” she said.
Ahsaf criticized the disclosure of the Essex locations at Thursday’s stakeholder meeting as “a little shrouded in secrecy.” Though the state intends to discuss the plans at an upcoming municipal meeting in Essex, she noted “a planning meeting isn’t accessible to everybody.”
As of Aug. 1, Chittenden Regional housed 107 people — 44 detainees, 59 sentenced, and 4 both sentenced and detained, according to corrections department data.
The Essex Planning Commission will hear from state staff regarding the new prison project tonight, Aug. 8, according to the department of corrections.
COURTESY PHOTO
During School’s Out at Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School, students had a cooking camp and made spaghetti and meatballs. They were kind enough to deliver it to the central office of the South Burlington School District for everyone to enjoy a homemade lunch.
COURTESY PHOTO
This week, students in summer school in South Burlington put on “The One and Only Ivan” after taking theater classes this summer. Complete with costumes and props, the students put on a great show, highlighting all they have learned.
ILLUSTRATION BY ADELAIDE MURPHY TYROL
Saga of the Arctic charr
Michael J. Caduto
If you wanted to see the Sunapee trout, you might be inclined to search in its namesake, New Hampshire’s Lake Sunapee. But this elusive fish has long been extirpated from the Granite State, and from neighboring Vermont, where it once lived in the Northeast Kingdom’s Averill Lakes. Sunapee trout remains in 14 bodies of water in Maine, which harbors the last endemic populations in the lower 48 states.
Sunapee trout is often called Arctic charr, although it is technically a subspecies of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus oquassa). It is also known by a variety of other names, including blueback trout, silver charr, golden trout, white trout, red trout, American saibling and Oquassa trout.
Young adult Arctic charr are slim, around 6 inches long, and weigh a few ounces, but they can survive for up to 15 years, grow to 20 inches, and reach 3 pounds. Mature charr have a dark back, pale belly and spotted sides. Fins are orange or red, with white front margins. Both sexes develop intense mating season coloration, with backs ranging from brown to blue with orange spots, and bellies pink to dayglo orange.
Arctic charr live farther north and are found in deeper waters and at higher elevations than any other freshwater fish.
“Prior to the 1800s, and going back to deglaciation, we can infer that the species was widespread across the region,” Frank Frost, a biologist with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said. “When the glaciers retreated, Artic charr became secluded in northeastern lakes, he said, and “as new species colonized post-glaciation, charr would have succumbed to various pressures.”
The species prefers waters colder than 55 degrees, but will travel throughout the depths of a lake (except for the warm surface waters of summer) in pursuit of small fish, insects, zooplankton and other prey. From July through September, Arctic charr inhabit cooler, deeper, more oxygenated waters. At the southern edge of its range in Maine, these fish are a bellwether for how other cold-water fish may fare in a warming climate.
According to Jared Lamy, fish habitat biologist for New Hampshire Fish and Game, “Habitat loss and the introduction of non-native species, most notably lake trout,
landlocked salmon and rainbow smelt, are the cause of extirpation for (Arctic charr) in New Hampshire. They simply cannot compete with most other fish species.”
Overfishing, especially during spawning season, has contributed to the species’ decline.
State biologists have attempted reintroducing the species in Third Connecticut Lake, Penacook Lake, Sawyer Pond, Tewksbury Pond and Connor Pond. Alas, these efforts have been unsuccessful, and Arctic charr have been absent from New Hampshire since the 1970s. Lamy said wildlife managers do not plan additional reintroduction efforts, in large part because, “(Arctic charr) are incompatible with many species that are present in New Hampshire lakes.”
In Maine, as in New Hampshire, the introduction of lake trout has hindered the Arctic charr. Even though lake trout is a close relative of Arctic charr and is native to many waterways in the Northeast, in places where it was introduced as a sport fish the two species hybridized and, over time, lake trout genes dominated. As a result, Arctic charr have been displaced wherever lake trout have been released into the same waters.
What does the future hold for Arctic charr? Maine’s goals for protecting the species’ unique gene pool include limiting the number of fish that are caught each year and preserving suitable habitat. Preventing the introduction and impact of invasive fish species is critical, and Maine is addressing this through public education and by controlling smelt populations.
Frost is part of a team working to translocate Arctic charr into another Maine body of water to conserve the population and improve species resiliency. “We are selecting waters with excellent water quality and a fish assemblage that would allow charr to thrive,” he said.
By any name, the saga of Arctic charr is a cautionary tale about what happens to native populations when other species are introduced and when a species is heavily overfished.
Michael J. Caduto is a writer, ecologist, and storyteller who lives in Reading. He is author of “Through a Naturalist’s Eyes: Exploring the Nature of New England.”
Outside Story is sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, nhcf.org.
The Outside Story
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:
SOUTH BURLINGTON ADELPHIA CABLE POND RETROFIT SCOPING STUDY
General Information: The City of South Burlington Stormwater Utility is requesting proposals for a scoping study for the Adelphia Cable Pond Retrofit project located at 43 Comcast Way in South Burlington, VT, funded in part by the Federal Highway Administration and the City of South Burlington, through the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) Municipal Assistance Section (MAS).
The Request for Proposal (RFP) states the overall scope of work desired to be covered under this study.
All proposals shall be accepted by email by the City Stormwater Project Manager prior to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2024. The email submission shall be titled “Adelphia Cable Pond Retrofit Scoping Study.” Failure to submit on time may be cause for rejection of the proposal.
The full RFP document can be found on the City of South Burlington’s website under Bid & RFP Opportunities, or at: southburlingtonvt.gov/ businesses/bid_and_rfp_opportunities/index.php
Before submitting a proposal, the consultant shall carefully review the scope of work outlined in the RFP, as well as the submission requirements.
All questions are due to the Stormwater Project Manager no later than 5 days before the submission deadline.
Contact: Monika Ingalls, Stormwater Project Manager, 802-658-7961, ext. 6108, or moingalls@southburlingtonvt.gov
VOTING
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is running again as is Martin LaLonde in Chittenden-12. All the candidates are Democrats.
Residents can visit the city clerk’s offices Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to cast an early ballot.
Vying for three seats in the Chittenden Southeast Senate district representing South Burlington are Democratic incumbents Thomas Chittenden of South Burlington, Kesha Ram Hinsdale of Shelburne and Virginia “Ginny” Lyons of Williston, and Louis
Meyers of South Burlington.
Running as the lone Republican candidate is Bruce Roy of Williston.
Statewide races
Statewide and Congressional elections don’t have much in the way of primary races, although there will be some competition for the top two statewide seats.
Gov. Phil Scott is running unopposed in the Republican primary, although there are two Democrats vying for their party’s
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nomination to unseat the popular incumbent — Esther Charlestin, a small business owner from Middlebury who is co-chair of the Vermont Commission on Women; and Peter Duval, a sailing instructor who lives in Underhill.
Also running unopposed for governor is Progressive candidate Marielle Blais of Brandon.
There are also primary contests in the race for lieutenant governor.
In the Democratic primary, incumbent David Zuckerman of Hinesburg will square off against Thomas Renner, the current deputy mayor of Winooski.
The Republican primary features a recent convert to the party in John Rodgers, a farmer and mason from Glover who served as a Democrat for 16 years in the Legislature, first in the House and then in the Senate. He is up against fellow Republican Gregory Thayer of Rutland City.
Running unopposed for lieutenant governor is Progressive Zorah Hightower of Burlington.
In other statewide races, everyone is running unopposed in the primary and will advance right to Nov. 5.
• For attorney general: Democratic incumbent Charity Clark of Williston; Republican candidate H. Brooke Paige of Washington; Progressive candidate Elijah Bergman of Danby.
• Auditor of Accounts: Democratic incumbent Doug Hoffer of Burlington; Republican Paige; Progressive Linda Gravell of Waterbury.
• Secretary of State: Democratic incumbent Sarah Copeland Hanzas of Bradford; Republican Paige.
• Treasurer: Democratic incumbent Mike Pieciak of Winooski; Republican Joshua Bechhoefer of Cornwall; Progressive Tim Maciel of Brattleboro. Congressional hopefuls are also running unopposed in the primary, waiting for November for a contest. They are:
• U.S. House: Democratic incumbent Becca Balint of Brattleboro; Republican Mark Coester of Westminster.
• U.S. Senator: Incumbent Bernie Sanders of Burlington, running on the Democratic ticket; Republican Gerald Malloy of Weathersfield.
— Tommy Gardner contributed to this reporting
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ing continued, they said, for at least eight hours a day and had been going on during the warm months since at least 2020.
While the jackhammering hasn’t been present this summer, different types of noise associated with construction have continued to be a problem for residents in the area, and with more development coming down the pipeline, neighbors are continuing to urge councilors to make changes.
“I would urge the council to try and do something specifically about the construction noise before we get into construction season next time,” Beth Zigmund said. “There are five lots left on the Long Drive parcel, and I don’t think anyone knows how much ledge is still there.”
Resident Lisa Angwin said even hearing the word jackhammering prompts a visceral reaction after the years she spent dealing with it. The lack of action, she said, ultimately sends a message that gives more rights to builders but neglects the health of the city’s residents.
“I’m telling you, I don’t know what I will do if that jackhammering starts again,” she said. “But I think as a community, we will be rivaling back. I can tell you that, because we can’t handle it.”
On the other hand, new South Burlington resident John Allen and his family have been trying to move into their home on Long Drive for the past three years. He said that he and his family had no idea how “challenging, crazy and disappointing,” it would be to try and build a home on this property.
“I’m
rating standard for daytime noise,” Chalnick said. “Our ordinances already have decibel ratings for nighttime noise, but for some reason don’t have daytime noise.”
But not all council members agreed with that approach. Elizabeth Fitzgerald, while she recognizes that there may be a serious issue, has a “fundamental issue” with the role of councilors doing the work to modify ordinances.
“I don’t have the expertise to develop language for you all to consider relative to an ordinance, and I do not believe I was elected to do that. I’m not compensated as a city employee,” she said. “I believe we have experts on staff that if this is a priority for the council, we should be directing those experts to develop a recommendation that we can respond to.”
City mitigation
To mitigate some of the issues in the short-term, city manager Jessie Baker entered an agreement in May between the city and builders of a single-family home property on Long Drive, Sunstone Builders LLC, as it pertains to chipping and jackhammering noise on the property.
going to just say a vote of support for our city manager Jesse Baker, who made an executive decision and the rationale that she had for it that makes sense from a tactical standpoint for protecting the neighborhood.”
“We’re constituents too, and we bought the land, there was an expectation that we could build a house, and in the middle of building this, this all came up,” he said. “We’ve kind of put regulation and regulation on top of this that has now hurt the entire community. I think we’re going to see more of this in other areas. Many houses were built over the years and there was noise, and now there’s a new community coming in, and new people coming in, and the feeling that we got was not very welcoming as new members of South Burlington.”
— Laurie Smith, city council
The agreement says that chipping or other similar activities should not exceed a total of 24 hours over three days, limits work to Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., and requires notification of landowners within 500 feet of the work site 48 hours prior to work beginning.
Builders must also include an offer to pay for the temporary relocation of those residents to select hotels nearby. Funds in the amount of $6,000 must be placed in escrow before the 48-hour notice.
Some residents have objected to the agreement saying that Baker overstepped her authority by entering an agreement without first consulting the council.
“I consider it to be a really outrageous agreement that was signed by Jesse Baker regarding one of the properties on Long Drive, which basically allows the developer to violate the nuisance ordinance,” Beth Zigmund said.
Library honors longtime employee
In an effort to remedy some of the issues, councilors Andrew Chalnick and Laurie Smith drafted some potential mitigation efforts the city could add to its current nuisance ordinance, including daytime decibel noise measurement standards, a phase-out of small gas engines like leaf blowers, hedge trimmers and weed whackers, and rethinking the city’s performance standards associated with its land use regulations and the nuisance ordinance.
“We did a lot of research, and it seems like the majority of municipalities around the country have an objective decibel metric for noise, and most of our neighboring communities have an objective decibel
The council went into an executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss pending and probable litigation, specifically on enforcement actions related to the nuisance ordinance.
After the meeting, Baker told The Other Paper that she will be addressing the agreement further at the start of the Aug. 19 meeting, but one council member has already voiced support for the city’s leader.
“I’m going to just say a vote of support for our city manager Jesse Baker, who made an executive decision and the rationale that she had for it that makes sense from a tactical standpoint for protecting the neighborhood,” Smith said.
COURTESY PHOTO
The South Burlington Public Library celebrates Kathryn Plageman, a longtime employee who retired in July. Join Plageman at a reception in her honor on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 4-6 p.m., at the library on 180 Market St. For more information email jmurray@southburlingtonvt.gov.
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HONORING OUR VETERANS
