Schools prepare for ‘extraordinary fiscal headwinds
LIBERTY DARR
STAFF WRITER
After a harrowing budget cycle that saw a third of Vermont’s school budgets fail on Town Meeting Day, local and state leaders are sounding the early alarm on the upcoming budget cycle that could be even worse than the last one.
The situation has leaders from the state’s largest school district, Champlain Valley School District, and the South Burlington School District prepping their communities in the earliest weeks of the fall semester for the “extraordinary fiscal headwinds” that lie just around the corner.
Both districts experienced significant repercussions during last year’s budget cycle when the state introduced unprecedented
changes in the education funding system. That shift, meant to equalize education across the state, led to significant tax hikes in the Chittenden County towns that make up the two school districts.
While South Burlington residents are seeing a moderate tax increase of 8.1 percent — in comparison, Shelburne’s school taxes went up 16 percent — the district’s projections for this year are alarming and even “quite dire,” South Burlington School District superintendent Violet Nichols wrote in a letter to legislators last month.
The district made out better than some of its neighbors last year by leveraging $3.2 million from its
See SCHOOL BUDGET on page 13
Testing shows declining PFAS levels after National Guard foam spill
The levels of PFAS in effluent at the South Burlington Wastewater treatment facility have been steadily declining since a toxic chemical spill in June.
The 800-gallon chemical foam spill at the Vermont National Guard’s aviation facility that partially leaked into the city’s treatment facility have leveled off after spiking at 2,000 parts per trillion.
The foam, a fuel fire suppres-
sion 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. A post-incident investigation found that a sealed
rubber gasket at the base of the holding tanks ruptured, causing the release.
Approximately 650 gallons of the foam were captured in the Army Guard facility by an environmental remediation company. Up to 150 gallons of the foam
entered the wastewater system owned by the Guard through a floor drain and eventually made its way to the city’s Airport Parkway Wastewater Treatment Facility.
See FOAM SPILL on page 12
COURTESY PHOTO
Members of Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School’s Queer Straight Alliance, South Burlington High School’s Gay Straight Alliance, and staff and families attended the Vermont Pride Parade in Burlington on Sept. 8.
Burlington Pride Parade
‘Angry Gay Grandpa’ plans PSA over young transgender suicides
BUSY ANDERSON COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
James Lantz recalls their names and ages with ease: Ashton Clatterbuck, 22. Thea Cassidy, 18. River Olmsted, 17, Brayden Synder, 15, and Robyn Bittenbender, 12. All five were transgender or non-binary, and all five died by suicide in Lancaster County, Pa., in the last two years.
Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation plaguing the county led to those deaths, said Lantz, 63, a filmmaker and playwright based in Burlington whose productions have addressed gun violence, climate change, corporate greed and, particularly, LGBTQ rights.
A 60-second public service announcement called “Not Losing You” is his newest project and his response to the lives lost in Lancaster County.
“People need to see the cause and effect,” Lantz said. “They need to see that antitrans legislation leads to LGBTQ and trans teens being anxious and suffering mental health issues, and in this county has led specifically to five trans youth taking their life.”
Trans representation in pop culture is scarce and often inaccurately captures what it means to be trans, Sophie said. Through the character of Holly, Sophie said she can show Americans that families with trans teens are like any other — they disagree and have hard conversations but find a way to come back together.
Lantz created a GoFundMe for “Not Losing You” over six months ago, with his sights set on raising $1 million. Slow progress forced Lantz to cut the goal in half, a decision he’d have to make again and again.
“Now we’re at the absolute bare minimum, I think, of what it will take to get this off, at $75,000,” he said. As of Sept. 9, the campaign had raised close to $32,000.
“Put forth anti-trans bills, and there is a consequence.”
— James Lantz
Lantz believes the film’s subject matter — which he reluctantly called “controversial” — makes it hard to fundraise. Even some who have donated generously to his LGBTQ-focused projects for decades have walked away from the PSA because it deals with trans issues, Lantz said.
“I find that to be just unacceptable,” he said.
Lantz is living with a rare sarcoma cancer that has given him a partial disability and “a sense of urgency” to see the PSA succeed, he said. Throughout his childhood in a socially conservative part of Virginia, Lantz remembers being suppressed by the same sort of prejudices. For decades he was closeted, until three years ago, when he came out to his wife of 30 years as gay.
“Not Losing You” follows a blue-collar farming family in rural America — specifically the relationship between a father, Fuller, and his teenage daughter, Holly. Holly, assigned male at birth, comes out to her father as a trans girl.
Holly will be played by Sophie, an 18-year-old trans woman, identified here by only her first name for safety concerns. The role is a chance for her to show parents how they can ease the anxiety of coming out and transitioning with gestures like “let’s talk about it” and “let’s see someone about it,” Sophie said.
In July, Google rejected showing ads for Lantz’s promotional trailer for the PSA because of “shocking content,” according to a screenshot of a notice he received. The corporation defines shocking content as including a significant amount of obscene language, depictions of violence or disgusting imagery. When Lantz omitted a section of his trailer that discussed rising hate crimes against LGBTQ youth, the ad was allowed to run, he said.
“Angry Gay Grandpa” is a complementary episodic series by Lantz that interrogates the political landscape surrounding these five suicides. At the opening of each episode, Lantz asks, “Can I be angry for a moment?”
As the angry gay grandpa in question, Lantz often criticizes Pennsylvania State Senate Majority Whip Ryan Aument, R-Lancaster, who supports policies Lantz considers harmful to LGBTQ youth.
“Put forth anti-trans bills, and there is a consequence,” Lantz said.
COURTESY PHOTO
James Lantz
S. Burlington looks to ‘reimagine’ its public transportation routes
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
With proposed cuts looming for the state’s largest public transportation service, South Burlington leaders have already begun to “reimagine” routes that run through the growing city as public transportation remains a top goal in the city plan.
Green Mountain Transit Authority has outlined a roadmap of potential reductions that, if fully executed, could save the service nearly $3 million but cut services to routes in the city.
“As the city grows in terms of its population and its number of businesses, we know that having as many options as possible for people to be able to get from point A to point B is really important,” Paul Conner, the city’s director of planning and zoning, said.
Officials with the transit authority began raising the alarm over an impending $3 million “financial cliff” earlier this year, citing skyrocketing operating and labor costs and plummeting revenue, mostly related to the pandemic-era decision to stop collecting fares, and other funding shortfalls.
Prior to the pandemic, nearly 20 percent of GMTA’s budget was offset with fares, but officials with the transit authority have said that as fares rolled out again this year, that number will likely be closer to 10 percent.
Since that time, Clayton Clark, general manager of the transit authority, said that the number has dropped closer to $2 million, partly with the help of the Vermont
Agency of Transportation, which helped to secure an additional $700,000 in federal funding.
The proposed service reduction plan outlines cuts that could be expected through a phased approach in November and December and ending next summer. But before the cuts become final, Clark said that the transit authority will hold five public hearings in the coming months.
Three primary routes run through South Burlington, Conner said. The No. 11, which begins as the College Street shuttle in Burlington and moves through the University of Vermont Medical Center campus before looping onto Dorset Street, Kennedy Drive and Hinesburg Road to the Burlington International Airport; the No. 6, which primarily services Shelburne Road; and the No. 1 along Williston Road.
Initial proposed cuts focus largely on reductions to Saturday services, with elimination planned for five runs on the No. 11— the Saturday 6:45 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:15 p.m., and 10:30 p.m. runs — along with three on route No. 6 — the 6:30 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
A document shared with the South Burlington City Council outlines that the No. 6 had 662 riders, on average, on Saturdays. Based on that data, approximately 54 rides would be affected by the reductions, which could save the authority about $5,000. The No. 11 sees fewer riders on Saturdays with 311 in total, but these reductions could affect 53 riders and
REPAIRS
save the authority around $10,400.
“We’re choosing to focus early on Saturday service because it is one of our most expensive days to operate because it is difficult to schedule folks on Saturdays,” Clark said. “As you can imagine, much of our work on Saturdays is forced overtime, which is at a 2X rate. And so not only do you have fewer folks riding, but it’s also higher labor costs.”
The bulk of the proposed cuts are designed to happen next June to allow the transit authority time to seek additional funding to keep those services in operation, with the hope of retaining as many as possible as the legislative session wraps up.
“It will be after the end of the legislative session. It gives our legislators an opportunity to see exactly what would happen without intervention,” he said. “We have received some feedback from legislators since last week indicating an interest in the topic and wanting to discuss this.”
In addition to the proposed elimination of the No. 11 in its entirety, the final phase also proposes reducing Saturday bus frequency on the No. 6 from every 30 minutes to every 45 minutes. Combined, this could save the transit authority nearly $550,000.
Clark explained that the No. 11 has been previously identified by the Vermont Agency of Transportation as an underperforming route, so “even if that service is preserved, one of the things that is
COURTESY PHOTO
Members of Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School’s Queer Straight Alliance, South Burlington High School’s Gay Straight Alliance, and staff and families pose for a photo at the Vermont Pride Parade in Burlington earlier this month.
What is a conservation easement?
There has recently been a lot of discussion and some confusion about conservation easements in association with the Long View project in South Burlington. So, an explanation of conservation easements may be helpful.
There are many types of easements, such as rights-of-way, but with the Long View project we are referring only to land conservation.
A conservation easement is a legally binding agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified institution, such as a land trust, that permanently limits the development of a property and protects its conservation values, including wildlife habitats, watersheds, agriculture, scenic views, history and recreation.
The landowner retains owner-
ship of the property but gives up certain rights like the right to develop the land.
Conservation easements usually include a list of allowed uses on the land. Some commonly allowed uses for conserved land include forestry and habitat management, agriculture, education, passive recreation, walking and hiking, bird watching, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Prohibited uses in conservation easements usually include mineral and water extraction, residential and commercial development, subdivision or transfer, motorized vehicles and entering areas that are marked off limits.
The terms and conditions of a conservation easement are agreed upon by the landowner and the institution that will hold the easement. The landowner must abide by the agreed upon conditions of the conservation easement and the holder of the easement is responsible for ensuring compliance with those conditions. Easement holders normally conduct
periodic inspections of the land to ensure compliance.
The most important feature of a conservation easement is the land is conserved in perpetuity, which means it is conserved forever. Future owners and their successors are bound by the terms and conditions of the easement.
The Bread and Butter Farm is an example of a successful partnership in South Burlington that resulted in a conservation easement. In this case, the Vermont Land Trust holds the conservation easement, which was completed through a partnership between South Burlington and Shelburne, Bread and Butter Farm, Vermont Land Trust and private donors.
Currently, the city is pursuing conservation easements for Wheeler Nature Park and the Hubbard Recreation and Natural Area.
Michael Mittag is treasurer of the South Burlington Land Trust.
South Burlington Police Blotter: Sept. 9-15
Total incidents: 286
Agency / public assists: 22
Directed patrol: 33
Traffic stop: 23
Accident: property damage: 6
Alarm: 15
Foot patrol: 21
Suspicious event: 18
Retail theft: 9
Motor vehicle complaint: 13
Welfare check: 22
Juvenile problem: 8
911 hangup: 4
Trespass: 5
Animal problem: 5
Noise: 5
Found/lost property: 5
Accident: injury: 3
Stolen vehicle: 3
Domestic: 2
Disturbance: 3
Accident: insurance purposes: 3
Leaving the scene: 3
Larceny from a vehicle: 4
Threats: 4
Larceny from a structure: 4
Arrests:
A 13-year-old was arrested for retail theft stemming from an incident on Dorset Street on Feb. 15 at 5:51 p.m.
1:24 p.m.
Sept. 9 at 10:42 a.m., David A. Godin Jr., 44, of Burlington, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Williston Road.
Sept. 11 at 1:43 p.m., Brittan H. Higgins, 23, of Burlington was arrested for grossly negligent operation and theft of services on Commerce Avenue.
Sept. 11 at 4:35 p.m., Lacey L. Partlow, 32, of Swanton, was arrested for receiving stolen property and retail theft on Hinesburg Road.
Sept. 12 at 9:32 p.m., Ryan M. Sears, 31, of Winooski, was arrested for grossly negligent operation and driving under the influence, first offense, at Kennedy Drive and Williston Road.
Untimely deaths: Sept. 11 at 9:18 p.m., police responded to Dorset Street for the death of Maria Panzini, 28, of South Burlington. The medical examiner’s office is determining the cause and manner of death.
Look Forward To Coming Home
Chelsea J. Hammond, 33, of Burlington, was arrested for retail theft for an incident on Hinesburg Road on Aug. 30 at
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Michael Mittag
OPINION
It’s back to school, back to more school shootings
Guest Perspective
Jackie Wheel
It’s that time of year again, new outfits picked out, fresh school supplies purchased, lunches packed and the sound of gunshots ringing in the air. The quintessential back to school time of year should be renamed the more accurate Back to School Shootings.
Maybe retailers can start using that in their ads as they push bulletproof backpacks. As a kid, I always had nervous butterflies before the start of a new year. What would this year hold for me? New friends? New crushes? New conflicts?
Now, as a parent, my only nerves are whether my kid will come home to me at the end of the day.
Parenting is hard. One of the trickiest parts is getting your child to school. If they are young like mine, they don’t want to leave mom and dad. They still
feel the pull of the parental bond, biologically driven to stay near those who their survival depends upon.
As parents, we feel guilty. We feel our own bond pulling at our heartstrings and the stress of knowing we’re late for work or other responsibilities.
Compounding all these feelings is the reality that this actually may be about our child’s survival. That we may have just left them crying in the arms of a near stranger at drop-off, perhaps calling out “mama,” to be left to the unthinkable fate so many of this country’s children have faced.
Our country, our children, our responsibility.
One child’s life is one too many to have been lost to gun violence. Yet, it is the No. 1 killer of children and teens in this country. Once again, right as we begin a new school year, another community is broken, traumatized by this violence.
America is failing its children. They should not be growing
up in fear for their lives at school. They shouldn’t be losing their innocence at an unimaginable age while sitting through active shooter drills, expecting armed intruders to barge in at any moment.
How do we expect them to focus on normal kids’ stuff? To learn? How are we allowing this to become our reality?
Communities are shattered, lives thrown off course, towns forever changed. Their names synonymous with tragedy, quietly whispered across the country and then forgotten as a bad moment in history that’s too hard to look at directly.
As parents and community members we are traumatized, witnessing these horrific moments over and over, identifying with the victims or their families. Wondering when our number will be called. When will we lose the school shooting roulette? Are we really willing to gamble with our children’s lives?
And let’s talk about the shoot-
ers. These “evil” people. They are often children themselves. Why were they given access to a gun but not other resources? If they survive, we try them like adults, lock them away and never stop to consider that they are another child lost to gun violence.
Do you lock up your guns?
Most school shooters obtained their weapons from a friend or family member’s home. Kids unintentionally shoot and kill themselves, siblings, friends or parents by accessing unsecured weapons in homes. Children and teens facing a hard time turn to suicide by gun, a method that gives little hope of a second chance. Unsecured weapons are stolen from homes or vehicles and then used to commit violent crimes.
I’ve met a lot of responsible gun owners. They welcome conversations about this issue, support common sense gun laws like universal background checks and acknowledge the importance
of taking steps to ensure their firearms are secure because guns are never safe. They lock up their weapons in a lockbox, separate from ammunition. They never claim to be responsible; they just are.
If you think you’re a responsible gun owner and you won’t lock up your weapons, if you won’t acknowledge the role they play in this issue, if you think it’s an inconvenient truth that somehow doesn’t apply to you, then you should drop the responsible.
It’s overwhelming, all of it. Sometimes I feel like I’m screaming into a void.
How are we supposed to raise children, build careers, be good parents, partners, friends, siblings? Keep our children safe, fight our fellow countrymen and the politicians capitalizing on the fear, the gun lobby and manufacturers profiting off the deaths of children.
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Mobile game diet provides inspiration
In Musing
Carole Vasta Folley
The other day I opened the mobile game Solitaire on my phone and noticed a note at the bottom of the screen. It read, “There is no shame in pressing undo.” My finger froze mid-air, unable to tap “new deal,” as I wondered, “When did my mobile game turn into Yoda?”
This game’s undo button lets a player remove their last move, or multiple moves. It’s akin to a do-over, a chance to try again.
“There is no shame in pressing undo.” Wow, that is some great advice, I thought. Pertinent to all of life. Of course, if Yoda had said it, it would’ve sounded more like, “Pressing undo, no shame, there is.” But I digress.
lost time. Certainly, I have more important things to do.
Even if I only played during a break, after innumerable games, I’d lift my dazed head, feel bad and imagine I could have knitted a sweater in that time. Not that I knit, but couldn’t I at least learn how to knit instead of zoning-out in a biomethemed world collecting rockets?
Needless to say, that’s how Wordscapes got deleted from my phone. I couldn’t quit it. Thus, we had to part. In the divorce, I lost my hard-earned collection of bullseyes and lightbulbs but walked away with better posture.
I find this mobile app aphorism about the wisdom of starting over unexpected advice from a surprising source. In my experience, game apps rarely hold my hand and tell me it’s OK to make mistakes, learn from them and begin anew. Clearly, it’s an endorsement for second chances. All this from a game app?
Even Buddha agrees with my mobile Solitaire’s guidance saying, “You can always begin again.” Some claim Jack Kornfield wrote that Buddha-ism, but, again, I digress. And since I now know there’s no shame in starting over, I’ll proceed in doing so.
My point is I never expected life coaching from a mobile game. It’s one thing if inspiration comes from Sinatra singing, “Dust yourself off and start all over again” or Henry Ford imparting, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” But it’s quite another when said inspiration comes via my means of escapism.
I think it’s the word shame in the phrase that caught my attention. I have a complicated relationship with games on my phone. We’ve broken up more than once. Always after I suddenly regain consciousness and realize the passage of time I frittered away bent over my phone.
Really, what had I accomplished? New levels? More points? Index finger dexterity? This is when the capital “S” shame would creep in. A calculation based on that
WHEEL continued from page 6
How are we all not standing in the street, screaming? Refusing to work or lift a finger at home until the madness stops. Until children are safe, protected and prioritized. Not because it’s convenient, not because it’s the right political move, but because it is the moral imperative.
This shouldn’t be a political issue. Any American with a heart should be prioritizing children’s lives over guns. Right to bear
Now, I limit my screen time because, apparently, I’m an ancient toddler and can’t be trusted. So, I picked New York Times word games. Their appeal? Only one of each game a day. No endless playing. And at night, before I tuck into the novel I’m reading, I play one game of Boggle. One. Maybe if Boggle shared some words of encouragement, I’d be enticed to play more. I mean, just once, couldn’t it say, “You are worth a megapower-up?”
The outlier to my mobile game diet is Solitaire. It’s a filler game to play if I have a few extra minutes in the evening. I’m glad I do so because it’s brought me random enlightenment for no knowable reason. I like that.
Most days the note in my Solitaire app is oddly a sales pitch for its own game, which I’m already playing. There’s probably a Yoda-esque message in that somewhere. Other days, its note causes me to pause.
This morning, I opened the game and was greeted by this wisdom, “Remember, not all deals are winnable.” I smiled. I know this counsel to be true.
Whether in Solitaire or in life, not all deals are winnable. But I still want to play both anyway — all while keeping myself open to what assistance is offered along the way. No matter if they are hints and undos or lightbulbs and mega-power-ups, the truth is there’s no shame in getting help or, indeed, starting again.
Carole Vasta Folley is an award-winning columnist and playwright. Visit carolevf.com.
LANTZ continued from page 2
Among them is Aument’s Senate Bill 7, passed by the chamber last October and referred to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The bill would require schools to let parents opt in for their kids to access class or library materials containing sexually explicit content. It defines that content as visual or visually implied depictions of sexual conduct, simulated or real; explicit and excessive written descriptions of sexual conduct; and, in the case of materials for minors between kindergarten and eighth grade, visual depictions of nudity.
As with similar Republican bills nationwide on parental control over student materials, Democrats and civil liberties groups say it would likely discriminate against LGBTQ students and dangerously limit education on sexual health and safety.
On his website, Aument, who says the bill isn’t a book ban and simply gives parents rights over their children’s education, provides examples from six books he says were found in Pennsylvania school libraries or curricula that have content meeting the bill’s definitions for inappropriate sexual material. Five of the six books fall within the LGBTQ genre or prominently depict LGBTQ relationships.
The American Civil Liberties
Union has identified five bills working through the Pennsylvania legislature as anti-LGBTQ.
The bills would prohibit gender-affirming procedures for minors, the participation of trans girls on female sports teams and instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity through fifth grade, to name a few.
Lantz’s anger came to a head at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in April when he was arrested for gluing his hand to a railing after demanding to speak with Aument. Lantz said he now faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $27,000 in property damages. His court hearing is scheduled for this September.
“Not Losing You” will be filmed on Sept. 21 and 22, then released by Oct. 1 to local television stations in Pennsylvania, Lantz said, though he isn’t sure how willing they will be to air the story of a trans teenager.
“I want to model what a really good parent of a trans youth would do, especially a parent who doesn’t have all the answers,” Lantz said.
Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Vermont Community Newspaper Group.
arms? What about a child’s right to live?
There’s one simple way to help fight this epidemic, and that’s with your vote in November. If you aren’t helping fix the problem, then you are part of it. Their blood is on all our hands.
Jackie Wheel or Essex was born in Vermont. She is a mother and gun violence prevention volunteer.
Carole Vasta Folley
All Souls hosts 24th annual choral celebration
Give blood, honor memory of Kathy Buley
Chamberlin Elementary School will hold its annual blood drive in honor of former teacher and South Burlington resident, Kathy Buley, on Saturday, Oct. 5.
When Buley was diagnosed with cancer, she needed several transfusions. When people asked what they could do to help her, she asked them to become blood donors to support all the people in need of life-saving blood.
Chamberlin then began the tradition of an annual blood drive in her honor, so please remember Buley by donating blood at Chamberlin on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Use this link to sign up: bit.ly/47mgusD.
Learn about Odyssey of the Mind at open house
The 46th Vermont Odyssey of the Mind season launches at a statewide open house at Essex Middle School on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 5-7 p.m.
At the open house, meet experienced coaches, learn about the program and discover how Odyssey of the Mind can benefit your child. If you are unable to attend, but are interested in learning more, email Lesley Adams, Vermont Association director, at advtoom@gmail.com.
This creative problem-solving program is open to students of all ages and backgrounds, offering a unique opportunity to
explore imagination and develop critical thinking skills.
Odyssey of the Mind is a global educa-
tional program that encourages students to work in teams to solve long-term problems that require creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills. Participants have the chance to compete at regional, state and national levels, culminating in the world finals.
to walk, move, talk, swallow and eventually breathe.
Hundreds of people will rally together at Walk to Defeat ALS. Many who participate have a loved one who is battling ALS while others walk in memory of a loved one who has lost their fight. Some participate simply because they believe in the power of community and want to make a difference.
into Solar Savings! Fall
Miles for Migraine hosts annual walk, run
Miles for Migraine will host its 7th annual 2-mile Walk, 5K Run and Relax Vermont event on Saturday, Sept. 21, hosted in South Burlington at Veteran’s Memorial Park.
This event is a fundraiser for migraine and headache awareness, treatment and research. But it’s more than a fund walk or run, it’s a time to connect with the local migraine and headache community, listen to speakers and visit sponsors in the festival area.
All walk and run finishers receive a finisher medal. The 5K run is professionally timed. So, dress up in your best purple flair for a chance at a fun prize.
Funds raised will benefit the University of Vermont Medical Center Headache Clinic to support local migraine research and fellowship training programs and Miles for Migraine programs and services.
Register for free at btv.milesformigraine. org
Local community walk to help defeat ALS
The ALS Association is hosting a walk to support people with ALS on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Oakledge Park, 11 Flynn Ave., in Burlington, starting at 10 a.m.
ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It gradually robs people of the ability
“Global research, nationwide advocacy efforts and local care services are all critical to making ALS livable until we can find a cure,” Calaneet Balas, president and CEO of the ALS Association, said.
Check-in is at 10 a.m., and the walk starts at 11:30 a.m. Those who raise $100 or more receive a commemorative T-shirt. Learn more at als.org.
Trinity Education Center holds community building event
The Trinity Education Center advocates against alcohol and drug abuse and is raising awareness about mental health. It is holding a community basketball event, Trinity Prevention, on Saturday, Oct. 5.
The word trinity symbolizes the group’s focus on alcohol and drug abuse prevention and mental health awareness.
The event will provide fun, safe and healthy competition in a non-pressure environment for teenagers to socialize. The primary goal of the event is to raise awareness in local communities and discourage unhealthy choices and that it is OK not to feel OK, organizers say.
The event will feature a free throw contest and a 3-point shootout. Four (two per event) high school students from neighboring districts will be invited to participate. This event is free and is not a fundraiser. The goal
COURTESY PHOTO
All Souls Interfaith Gathering will host the 24th annual choral celebration on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in its sanctuary at 291 Bostwick Farm Road. Originally started by founding pastor Rev. Mary Abele, the celebration provides an evening of music and community connection. This year’s event will feature Vermont’s Freedom and Unity Chorus with music designed to uplift and connect the community. The theme this year is “Resilience: Weathering the Storm,” with music focused on building resilience during challenging times. Pastor Don Chatfield will provide a brief interfaith reflection, and the celebration will end with fresh cider and apple cider donuts. The event is open to the public and admission is by donation. Above, Vermont’s Freedom and Unity Chorus.
Donald M. Culver
Donald (Don) Marvin Culver, 84, died on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Mesa, Ariz. Donald was born on April 29, 1940, in Stowe to Leonard and Irene Culver.
Don was predeceased by his beloved wife, Peggy in 2023. They were married for almost 57 years. He was predeceased by his daughter, Kate on Jan. 18, 2021; his father and mother, Leonard and Irene; and two of his sisters, Marcy Burt and Joanne Culver.
He was the father of Julie Boone (Kevin) of Hooksett, N.H., Kate Rich (Andy) of Gilbert, Ariz., and Jim Culver (Cathy) of Chandler, Ariz.
He also leaves behind a sister, Audrey Belanger of Morrisville; sister-in-law, Ann Thomas of Shelburne; brother-in law, Rod Hill of Shelburne; four grandchildren who he loved and was so proud of, Brianna and Ally Boone of Hooksett, N.H., Brady Rich of Gilbert, Ariz. and Brett Culver of Chandler, Ariz.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Don was a great friend to many and known for his quick wit and positive attitude.
Don graduated from Stowe High School in 1958. He loved sports and played soccer, basketball and baseball all through high school. He was captain of his soccer team when it won its first state championship during his senior year.
When his granddaughters both won a state soccer championship, he loved to tell them that he was a state champion too. After high school, Don attended Johnson State College where he was a standout athlete playing soccer, basketball and baseball. He was inducted into the Johnson State College Sports Hall of Fame as an inaugural class member in 1982.
In his senior year, he was chosen as a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities for his outstanding academics and leadership. He also received the Richard Anderson Award at Johnson State for his athletic ability and sportsmanship. Don graduated from Johnson in 1962 and started his teaching career.
He received his masters’ degree in math and teaching from St. Michael’s College. While he was teaching and coaching at Vergennes Union High School, he met Margaret Thomas, the love of his life. Don taught middle school math for 37 years with 34 years at South Burlington Middle School.
Don and Peggy married in 1966. They moved to Essex Junction where they raised their family. Don was a basketball coach for many years at South Burlington Middle School. He also coached his daughters on numerous basket-
ball teams and his son on many baseball teams.
In addition to coaching, Don was a Vermont soccer and basketball official and baseball umpire for numerous years. He was also actively involved in Essex Little League and Vermont Babe Ruth. He was inducted into the Babe Ruth Hall of Fame for his 31 years of volunteering and support.
Don loved all sports, but his favorite sports team to watch was the Boston Red Sox. He shared this passion for all things Red Sox with his son and grandson. He attended many games and was lucky enough to attend a World Series game in St. Louis with his daughter, Kate.
He loved attending all sporting events, baseball, football, soccer, basketball and horseracing. It didn’t matter if they were young kids, high school, college or even professional games, he was an avid spectator. He even got to attend the Kentucky Derby. You could always find him watching a sporting event on television or listening to one on the radio.
Don also loved country music, especially George Strait, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. He was lucky enough to attend many shows throughout his lifetime. He always had his country music playing in the car during the many family trips to Maine.
Don and Peggy retired in 1999 and moved to Arizona for the winters. They enjoyed traveling to Ireland, Italy, France, Hawaii and Las Vegas with their friends. They spent lots of time with their grandchildren in New Hampshire and Arizona. Don loved watching his grandkids play sports. He loved his winters in Arizona attending spring training baseball games and local high school and college sporting events. He loved to talk about sports with anyone who was interested. In his later years, you could often find him watching horse races.
Funeral services will be held next summer. More details will be available later. Don will be buried in the family plot in Shelburne with
Donald M. Culver
School News
TIE Spain students arrive
This week, 25 students and two chaperones arrived from Colegio Montessori in Salamanca, Spain. They will be in Vermont until Sept. 26, which is the same day the Germans arrive, in time for the 50th anniversary of TIE Germany.
The students from Spain have many activities planned, including climbing Mt. Philo, visiting Shelburne Farms, Stowe and Lake Placid and spending time with their host families.
COMMUNITY NOTES
continued from page 8
is to raise awareness across multiple school districts.
“We believe it takes a village to help our youth navigate challenges, and we invite parents, educators, communities, neighbors, friends, family and business owners to join us on the front line,” according to a press release.
For information, reach out to Dr. Travia Child at tec@ trinityedcenter.org.
SB police hold Red Cross blood drive
The South Burlington Police Department is hosting a blood drive from 12:30-5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, 19 Gregory Drive.
Schedule an appointment at 800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org and enter “sbpolice” to book a slot.
If you are a type O, B-, or A- blood type, you can make a power red donation, which allows you to donate more red blood cells with just one donation.
Birds of Vermont Museum hosts events
The Birds of Vermont Museum, 900 Sherman Hollow Road, Huntington, has several upcoming fall events.
• “The Power of Perspective” art show — Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Explore, examine and delight in art that speaks to both humans’ and birds’ perspectives and experiences. How might a change in perspective alter people’s understanding of the lives and needs of the birds who share our world?
• Celebration of Gale Lawrence, Sunday, Sept. 22 2-4 p.m. Take time to celebrate
Gertrude Chamberlin carnation ceremony
Gertrude Chamberlin School’s kindergarteners were officially welcomed to the school by fifth graders during their carnation assembly.
Fifth graders gave the kindergarteners carnations, and some older siblings were even able to give carnations to their younger siblings.
OBITUARIES
continued from page 9
his wife, Peggy, and daughter, Kate. Donations in his name can be made to the American Heart Association.
Barbara B. Hodgdon
Barbara B. Hodgdon, 76, a longtime resident of Colchester, died peacefully Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, after a struggle with dementia.
She was born in Burlington, the oldest daughter of the late William George Bushey and Alice Margaret (Mack) Bushey. She spent her early years in Charlotte, attending Charlotte Central School, then high school at South Burlington High School, and graduating from the second class at Champlain Valley Union High School in 1966.
about expanding their family, as Barbara always wanted to have a sister for their son, David.
the life of Gale Lawrence, a naturalist, teacher and writer. Without her support, the Birds of Vermont Museum would not have become what it is today. Please bring a photo or memory to share. Read more about Lawrence at birdsofvermont.org/gale-lawrence.
• Bird monitoring walk, Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 a.m. Monthly monitoring walk to record birds on the museum’s property. Bring your own binoculars and dress for the weather.
• Green Mountain Woodcarvers, Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Green Mountain Woodcarvers will be carving. Stop in to watch a woodcarver at work, ask a question or learn about the carving club.
• The Big Sit, Sunday, Oct. 13, dawn to dusk. How many birds can be identified from a 17-foot diameter circle between sunrise and sunset?
This is a great long-running community science project.
To register or to find out more, go to birdsofvermont. org/events.
Leashed tracking dogs can help recover game
The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department provides a list of certified leashed tracking dog owners who volunteer during hunting seasons to help hunters locate deer or bear that have been shot but not yet recovered.
The dog owners, who provide their services for free, must pass an extensive exam to be certified and licensed.
This list, which may be updated during the seasons, is available at vtfishandwildlife. com.
Following high school, she attended Johnson State College, transferring to Champlain College, graduating with an associate degree in accounting in 1969.
In 1970, she met her husband, Jeffrey, and after a whirlwind romance, married on April 30, 1971, sharing the anniversary date with her youngest sister’s birthday.
Barbara worked for a time at Garden Way Publishing in Charlotte, enjoying her job a great deal. However, when her husband’s military service required a move to Virginia, she embraced the adventure and happily packed up their new family for the move south. With their little guy, David (DJ), packed in safely among their belongings, they drove their little red VW to Fort Belvoir.
Once settled, she became the local travel agent of sorts, inviting family, arranging tours, lodging and transportation for them. She was impressed by the available history and sites in the Washington, D.C., area, except for the time her car was towed from the FBI building. She did talk the agent into telling her where the car was temporarily held, and it was retrieved without cost.
While at Fort Belvoir they made a couple of moves, each place made into a home. The last move was a lovely little townhouse in Dogue Creek Village and, while it was her favorite, the U.S. Army decided to send them to Germany.
Barbara enjoyed Germany, doing volunteer work, hosting family members when they visited, traveling to London with her mother, and Berchtesgaden with her sister, Margaret. Barbara also found the time to work as a Department of the Army civilian in the local finance office.
With Jeffrey’s active-duty tour behind them, and a return to Vermont, Barbara found employment with The Lane Press in the accounting department. She enjoyed the day-to-day challenges with each day being different. She and Jeffrey purchased their first home in Burlington, and talked
The decision was made to adopt a little girl from El Salvador, and after a time, Christine Emily Hodgdon was brought to the United States, all wrapped up in a blanket and a bow. Barbara decided to take some time off to take care of little Emily.
In March 1986, Barbara joined the University of Vermont as an administrative professional in the payroll and human resources department. In March 2005, she became a subject matter expert on the new human resources software implementation team. In 2008, she joined the business process reengineering team until her retirement in 2011.
Barbara will be remembered by her family and friends for her ability to find humor in stressful situations, her kindness, patience and a unique ability to make some coworkers laugh until they cried.
In retirement, Barbara and Jeffrey took their travel trailer to interesting places, such as Memphis, where she visited Graceland, Arizona and the Grand Canyon, and Key West, where she visited Hemingway’s home. During the tour, she was trying to think of ways to put one of the cats in her bag, as she really wanted to bring one home. Barbara was especially fond of the Outer Banks.
Barbara loved her children and grandchildren. She was very happy when her son David graduated from Champlain College, as she had years earlier. She traveled to many soccer games to watch her daughter Emily play in high school, college and summer leagues.
Her grandchildren were a special source of pride and pleasure. She was amazed with Spencer’s ability to create things with Legos simply using his imagination. She loved attending Shae’s soccer games, watching her skills develop. Both were very special to her.
Barbara was also a collector. She always loved animals, as there were usually one or more in the household. Or she might be trying to find a home for some wayward
creature.
She enjoyed crafts, sewing and knitting. It is unknown how many baby blankets she knitted for family and friends, but there seemed to be a work in progress constantly. Her complete stash of yarn was unknown until recently.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Jeffrey Charles, and their children, David John Hodgdon and Christine Emily Culver (Jason); grandchildren, Spencer Ethan Culver and Shae Elizabeth Culver; sister, Margaret Whitby; nieces, Jennifer Gagnon (Eric) and Elizabeth Whitby (Scott Hamlin); nephews, Michael Devine (Petra) and Matthew Whitby (Jennifer); and a very special cousin, Katherine Coakley, who Barbara considered her a second daughter. She is also survived by several grand nieces and nephews, Abby and Maddie Gagnon, CJ Hamlin, Nina Devine and Avery and Riley Whitby, all of whom she loved dearly.
Besides her parents, Barbara was predeceased by her sister, Mary Claire (Bushey) Devine in 1998.
The family would like to acknowledge all the staff at the Arbors, who treated her with care, kindness, compassion and love. We also extend our thanks and gratitude to Full Circle Medicine and UVM hospice staff, who provided care and support during her final weeks and days.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Ready Funeral Home, Mountain View Chapel, 68 Pinecrest Road, Essex Junction. Internment will immediately follow in the Village Cemetery Colchester.
In lieu of flowers, consider a contribution to the humane society of one’s choice.
To send online condolences, please visit readyfuneral.com.
Barry Stone
A memorial service for Barry Stone of South Burlington, who died on May 24, 2024, will be held Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Davis Center on the campus of the University of Vermont.
Barbara B. Hodgdon
Barry Stone
SPORTS
In boys’ soccer
Goalie gets shutout against Rutland
LAUREN READ
CORRESPONDENT
Boys’ soccer
South Burlington 3, Rutland 0: Sebastian Fouche’s first two varsity goals helped the boys beat Rutland on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Fouche scored twice and Sebastian Bertman added a goal for the Wolves, who moved to 2-2. Connor Watson dished out three assists.
Will Goyette earned the shutout with four saves.
Girls’ soccer
South Burlington 3, Burlington 1: South Burlington scored three goals in the second half to beat Rice on Friday.
Reese Gordon, Katie Williamson and Lila Hamme each scored for the Wolves, who moved to 1-1-1. Elise Smith added an assist.
Gillian Bachand stopped seven shots in goal.
Field hockey
South Burlington 7, Mount Abraham 0: Seven different players found the back of the net to help South Burlington to a win
over Mount Abraham on Thursday, Sept. 12.
Kayla Kim, Elise Knoth, Bella Gordon, Jillian Monahan, Yeono Koh, Jill Coucke and Julia Vandernat all had goals for the Wolves. Amber Rousseau got the win.
South Burlington moved to 2-2.
Girls’ volleyball
BFA-St. Albans 3, South Burlington 0: The South Burlington girls’ volleyball team dropped its fourth match in a row, falling to BFA-St. Albans on Thursday.
The Wolves dropped three sets, 25-9, 25-15 and 25-16.
South Burlington is now 1-4.
Football
Essex 28, Burlington/South Burlington 7: The Burlington-South Burlington co-op football team was outscored 14-0 in the second half and fell to Essex on Friday, Sept. 13.
Anthony Bouffard scored a 36-yard touchdown for the SeaWolves. Ahmed Diawara had 73 rushing yards and 70 passing yards, while Jack Foster had three catches for 40 yards.
The SeaWolves fell to 2-1.
Kelly Brush Ride
The 19th annual Kelly Brush Ride drew more than 1,000 riders who collectively raised more than $1.2 million. These funds will support the Kelly Brush Foundation’s mission of connecting spinal cord injury survivors with adaptive sports so that they can lead more fulfilled, connected and healthy lives. So far, the ride has raised $1,228,200 million, with donations still coming in.
PHOTO BY KELLY BRUSH FOUNDATION
continued from page 1
“By day four after the event, it appeared that we actually captured the majority of the material in the treatment plant,” Col. Jacob Roy with the Vermont Army National Guard said at a briefing to the city council earlier this month.
“We basically started from the treatment plant back through the municipal system, cleansed and flushed the municipal lines up Shamrock Road, from the pump
station of Shamrock Road all the way back onto our property, and then worked our way back into the building.”
Testing done in the Winooski River downstream of the Airport Parkway treatment facility discharge point also showed initial elevated PFAS in the river immediately following the event, but a sharp reduction in subsequent sampling.
Since the incident, Roy explained that the Guard has done more than 50 rounds of sampling between the wastewater treatment plant, the river and on-site treatment systems at its facility. Just four days after the incident, sampling showed no detection of PFAS coming out of the treatment plant.
Since that point, the Guard team has removed all the Aqueous
film-forming foam (AFFF) holding tanks and dismantled the entire AFFF system.
“Currently, there is no more AFFF material that is on our installation at that facility, and our intent is not to bring any back,” Roy said.
“The Army is working through trying to find replacements for it, but our plan at this point is to try to develop a water-only solution to the facility, which is all we have at
this point right now. So long term, we’re looking at replacing the entire sprinkler system anyway, because now it’s 20 years old.”
The Vermont Army National Guard currently has roughly 60,000 gallons of containment water being held in on-site wastewater storage tanks that is treated with granularly activated carbon. In a memo to city councilors, the city’s water quality superintendent Bob Fischer said the Army Guard initiated contact with the state’s water quality division two weeks ago on disposal of the material into the South Burlington collection system if the laboratory testing results show that carbon treatment has removed the PFAS compounds.
The other option would be for the National Guard to truck the water to a waste-acceptable disposal facility in Idaho.
No release of the treated water will be allowed without sign-off and analysis from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and relevant city officials, Fischer wrote.
Roy said the Guard is also not being asked to do any additional river or effluent testing. The final tests were completed in July.
HONORING
The Veterans Among Us
SCHOOL BUDGET
continued from page 1
budget surplus to keep the tax increase associated with the resident-adopted $69.5 million budget below 10 percent. That budget only passed after two failed attempts with associated property tax increases of 23 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively.
“Even without that surplus, we would have been below the statewide average for per pupil spending, reflecting appropriate fiscal management,” she wrote.
In a letter to local school leaders, Gov. Phil Scott said that while the state is unique in that schools are required to craft budgets before district leaders know how spending will affect tax bills — which isn’t officially forecasted until the “December 1 letter” by the tax commissioner — his administration is taking steps to engage school officials earlier than usual this year.
To put it clearly, Nichols wrote that the district, even with a zero percent increase in expenditures and with no change in the city’s common level of appraisal number — another variable in the education funding formula that compares the assessed value of properties to actual property sale prices considered to represent fair market value — South Burlington residents could expect a homestead tax rate increase of 7.2 percent.
“Even without that surplus, we would have been below the statewide average for per pupil spending, reflecting appropriate fiscal management.”
He noted that, in addition to rising inflationary and health care costs, the state used $69 million of one-time money to lower property tax rates last fiscal year. This results in a significant budget gap slated at roughly $60 million, he wrote.
— Violet Nichols
However, the CLA proved to be another problem for the two school districts when crafting budgets last year. With South Burlington being one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, with an inadequate housing stock and accelerating real estate prices, the district’s current models project that even with a 5 percent drop in the current common appraisal level, the tax rate increase would be almost 13 percent. For comparison, the city’s CLA dropped 11.2 percent last year.
members to voice feedback and will also regularly advocate to the Statehouse throughout the budget process.
In a letter to faculty and staff last week, Champlain Valley School District interim superintendent Adam Bunting said the district is still recovering from a year that forced it to reduce the equivalent of 42 positions throughout the district’s five schools. Its $101.8 million budget passed in a revote, one month after Town Meeting Day.
And now, to simply maintain the district’s current level of service, officials estimate they would need to increase the budget by over $5 million.
“Simply put, we may face a $5 million gap between our current programming and our future funding,” Bunting wrote.
More important, he noted that budget discussions will force communities to question “how do we move toward these difficult discussions while holding one another in community?”
Community engagement
Through Act 183, the Legislature formed the Commission on the Future of Public Education, which is tasked with studying and making recommendations on long-term fixes to the state’s educating funding system, but an initial report isn’t anticipated until December 2025.
And for local school leaders, help is needed now.
“I look forward to whatever the outcome of that study is, but in the meantime, that 18 months is so devastating to our community,” South Burlington School Board chair Chelsea Tillinghast said. “Last year we said we were in an ‘Armageddon budget situation,’ But it was nothing compared to this year, because last year we had two years of surplus funds to throw at the problem, and this year we won’t have any surplus funds.”
PUBLIC TRANSIT
continued from page 3
going to be clear is that we’re going to need to make some modifications to it to address the concerns about its cost-effectiveness.”
The city spent roughly $654,000 in dues to Green Mountain Transit last year, and its service is foundational to most of the city’s vibrancy and connectedness goals. Anticipating the cuts, Conner explained that since June, the city has been working with VHB, a transportation planning consultant, to do an analysis of the city to help officials identify ways to look at transportation needs in and around the city in a fresh way.
“How do we have a transit system that best supports not just the community that we were 10 years ago and the community we are today, but the community that we will be in 10 years or 15 years or beyond,” he said.
A presentation given to the city council earlier this month showed residential, employment, school and future projections
CLA changes in the Champlain Valley were even more dramatic. Hinesburg’s CLA dropped from 78.23 percent to 67.65 percent, and Shelburne’s from 77.23 to 68.70 percent.
“The question is, why are we having to ask our citizens to make the choice between being able to support their tax bill or support their schools?” Tillinghast said. “I think a large part of our community wants to do both. They want to be able to pay their taxes at a reasonable cost, and they want to support the schools.”
In response, the South Burlington School Board is crafting letters to both local legislators, the Commission on the Future of Public Education, and the governor asking for “some sort of stopgap measure,” Tillinghast said.
The district has also formed a finance committee in anticipation of the pressing challenges ahead. The new committee, chaired by board member Chris Trombly, will act as another means for community
For some residents, these budget discussions have been both a call to action and a call to advocacy. Both districts saw resident groups take to the streets in the weeks after Town Meeting Day, setting up signs and encouraging residents to vote on the revised budgets.
For others, the drastic hike in property taxes has been a wake-up call to get more involved in happenings at the Statehouse and local school board meetings.
A Hinesburg resident, John Clifford,
data as the city continues to expand. The hope is to inform where new routes could increase ridership for the transit authority.
Some possibilities include a connection into Market Street and a connection of the Shelburne Road corridor to City Center and the Williston Road corridor. Conner said that city leaders have maintained regular communication with Green Mountain Transit as it navigates service reductions but is also looking at what opportunities there are for expansion that could benefit not just the city’s residents, but also neighboring towns.
“I think we, as the city of South Burlington, have a real moment of opportunity, not just to receive these cuts, but to help GMT reimagine what the service in South Burlington looks like that can build a more financially sustainable GMT over time by increasing ridership, as opposed to just cutting ridership through cutting services,” city manager Jessie Baker said.
has even taken to forming a resident group known as Concerned Citizens for Responsible Education Spending. He said he’s attended the last eight meetings of the Commission on the Future of Public Education.
“Education funding in Vermont is a big subject, huge topic,” he said. “I decided to start looking into it because I really knew nothing up until April. I started to read the articles that were coming out in various papers about what was happening to school spending and the property tax increases. So, I said, ‘Well, I’m retired with not a whole lot to do, let’s look into it.’”
While the group hasn’t garnered much traction in recent months as the last budget passed, he anticipates the group will continue to meet as budget discussions in the district begin to pick up.
The Champlain Valley School Board is planning a budget primer at its meeting after this paper went to press this week. The South Burlington School District and the city council are also meeting for a steering committee meeting this week to discuss how the two can better partner in the coming months.
Tillinghast said she and the South Burlington School Board are encouraging residents to write to their legislators and continue to stay involved as budget discussions continue. The board is also still accepting applications to join its newly formed finance committee, which can be accessed on the district’s website.
“Losing resources is painful,” said CVSD’s Bunting. “Sacrificing our integrity while doing so causes even greater harm.”
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