The Other Paper - 10-17-24

the South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since

House race candidates outline priorities

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

South Burlington’s House races may be uncontested this General Election, but that isn’t stopping the five candidates from gearing up to hit the ground running come January when the new legislative biennium starts.

With some big-picture items returning to their dockets this year — education funding reform, a housing crisis and affordability — the four incumbents and one incoming freshman are sharing their top priorities for the coming session, with some already prepping to introduce a few bills.

Bridget Burkhardt

While Bridget Burkhardt may be new to Montpelier, residents will probably recognize her name from the three terms she served on the South Burlington School Board from 2016- 2022.

She and her family have lived in South Burlington since 2010, and her love for the community is ultimately what led her to serve on the board, she said, and what now leads her to the Statehouse.

With her nearly six years of experience

See CANDIDATES on page 16

Supreme Court declines to hear land use case

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

The U.S. Supreme Court declined last week to hear a case from two developers in South Burlington who say the city’s land use regulations passed two years ago unconstitutionally seized their property rights.

Developers Jeff Nick and Jeff Davis, owners of a 113.8-acre property at 835 Hinesburg Road, asked the court in March to review two lower federal court decisions that dismissed their lawsuit against South Burlington and three members of its former city council.

The dispute stems from a pivotal time in

Chicken & Waffles

Sandwich

the city’s recent history when new land use regulations limited development in designated “habitat blocks,” or wildlife corridors, mostly in an area of the city known as the southeast quadrant.

See SUPREME COURT on page 15

PHOTO BY THOMAS AHERN

This shot of the C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) comet was taken just after sunset on Oct. 12 when it was closest to Earth (44 million miles) and at its brightest.

Thomas Ahern of South Burlington took the photo from South Burlington in the fields off Route 116.

City dedicates public art in Jaycee Park

The South Burlington Public Art Committee dedicated the city’s newest piece of public art, “Infinite Hue,” with the artists, Clay Mohrman and Phoebe Lo. on Oct. 5 at Jaycee Park.

“We are inspired by the interaction and interdependence of phenomena in nature and how they coalesce. For instance, the connection between the sun and the growth of a forest, or the interaction between rain and rivers flowing through the mountains,” the artists said in a statement. “The converging pieces of acrylic, overlapping to create new colors entirely, metaphorically relate to how these phenomena interact. To expand upon these phenomena, they are also viewed through the lens of light, the light of the sun.

“Depending on where the viewer stands, where the sunlight hits the sculpture, and what season it, the work will perform differently,” the statement read.

Mohrman is a practicing lighting artist. His projects range from creating large public art works to installations and private commission pieces.

Lo is a muralist, illustrator and painter, known for her vibrant color palettes and fluid, simplistic forms. Elevating brands and spaces through thoughtful, original artwork, her portfolio includes work that has been featured in multiple gallery shows, countless brands and within residential and commercial projects, large and small.

PHOTO BY TIM BARRITT

“Infinite Hue” is the latest piece of public art in South Burlington. It was dedicated at Jaycee Park on Oct. 5

Developer attempts to pull out of Wheeler Nature Park case

LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

Developers in a years-long battle over development of a 7-acre slice of land next to South Burlington’s Wheeler Nature Park filed a motion in court last week to substitute themselves out of the court case.

A “termination agreement” was also attached to the motion indicating that BlackRock Construction will no longer be involved in developing the project. Instead, landowner JAM Golf LLC has re-acquired the rights to pursue the proposed development.

But residents fighting the case, Alan Luzzatto, Jeanne Zagursky and James Leas, oppose BlackRock’s motion to substitute parties and have requested that it be denied by the court.

units directly next to the park at the intersection of Dorset Street and Park Road in South Burlington, part of a larger parcel that itself was once the subject of a lengthy court case.

The parcel at the heart of this latest court battle was first created in 2015, the result of a settlement with landowner JAM Golf and the city included the swapping of these 7 acres for a separate 22 acres that have been conserved forever as Wheeler Nature Park. A second amended agreement between the parties was reached in 2017.

“If the BlackRock motion is approved, a precedent will be set for developers that will degrade or demolish public respect for land-use proceedings.

“Developing the project at issue” is only part of the subject matter of this appeal, they stated in their motion.

“BlackRock’s inequitable conduct is also at issue,” they said, noting that in their appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court they alleged that BlackRock has intentionally used misleading statements and information. “BlackRock’s continued participation in this appeal is vital to consideration of these issues, including BlackRock’s misrepresenting material facts or omitting material facts with the intent to deceive the District Commission and the Environmental Court.”

The project calls for 32 mixed-housing

The crux of the problem for neighbors, however, is that this parcel should remain undeveloped and part of the nature park.

Although the project’s developers won development review board approval in 2021 and Act 250 approval in 2022, the project was quickly appealed by a group of nearby neighbors. It has been moving through the courts since and was just appealed to the state’s highest court in September.

“Furthermore, if the BlackRock motion is approved, a precedent will be set for developers that will degrade or demolish public respect for land-use proceedings: Landowners will have a Supreme Court stamp of approval to use a proxy for inequitable conduct with the fallback that they can use Rule 43 to remove and replace the proxy if the inequitable conduct is found out,” appellants wrote.

South Burlington Rotary donates electric van to SB food shelf

The South Burlington Rotary Club has donated a new electric van to the South Burlington Food Shelf.

The official handover ceremony took place Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. at the South Burlington Food Shelf, 356 Dorset St.

The donation is part of the club’s ongoing commitment to support the local community and promote sustainable initiatives. The new van will provide the food shelf with a reliable and eco-friendly vehicle to help pick up and transport food donations and other essentials.

“Having a dedicated vehicle will significantly enhance their ability to serve our community, especially for families and individuals who rely on these critical resources,” Tom O’Keefe, immediate past president of the Rotary Club, said. “Additionally, with the van being electric, we’re contributing to a greener environment and reducing our

collective carbon footprint.”

The food shelf, which opened its doors in 2019 under the guidance and leadership of the Faith Influenced Leaders non-profit, serves hundreds of households each month, and access to a dedicated vehicle will improve logistics and expand their reach. The van will be used to transport food from local businesses, grocery stores and farms, as well as open the door to potential food deliveries to families who face barriers in accessing the food shelf in person.

“It is through these amazing and supportive partnerships that, together, we can continue our work of helping our neighbors in need,” Patrick Leduc, president of the Faith Influenced leaders, said.

Peter Carmolli, director of the food shelf, said the van will the food shelf “pick up more donations and ensure that our neighbors receive the support they need.”

Total incidents: 244

Agency / public assists: 19

Directed patrol: 23

Traffic stop: 6

Accident: property damage: 10

Alarm: 11

CRIME & COURTS

South Burlington Police Blotter: Oct. 7-13

Foot patrol: 9

Suspicious event: 14

Retail theft: 15

Motor vehicle complaint: 12

Welfare check: 15 911 hangup: 5

OPEN FOR BUSINESS?

Juvenile problem: 5

Trespass: 15

Noise disturbance: 3

Unlawful mischief: 2

Suicidal person: 2

Disturbance: 10

Field contact: 8

Threats: 3

Accident: insurance purposes: 3

Leaving the scene: 5

Needle pickup: 4

Stolen vehicle: 3

Larceny from a vehicle: 4

Accident: injury: 1

Larceny from a structure: 7

Mental health issue: 3

Arrests:

Harry B. Burns, 29, of Colchester, was arrested for grossly negligent operation in an Aug. 22 incident on Dorset Street at 1:39 p.m.

Jesse J. McGuire, 32, of Barre City, was arrested for retail theft after a Sept. 12 incident at 9:48 a.m. on Dorset Street.

VTCNG

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Oct. 7 at 5:20 p.m., Adam W. Zurier, 45, of South Burlington, was arrested for disorderly conduct on Dorset Street.

Oct. 7 at 10 p.m., Juan E. Ramirez, 32, of Burlington, was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident at Williston and Patchen roads.

Oct. 9 at 8:41 a.m., Joel C. Tousley, 42, of South Burlington, was arrested for unlawful mischief on Spear Street.

Oct. 9 at 10:23 a.m., Tracey L. Comstock, 52, of Burlington, was arrested on an in-state warrant and for possession of stolen property.

Oct. 10 at 7:03 a.m., William T. Harris, 66, of Waterville, N.C., was arrested for stalking and violating conditions of release on Farrell Street.

Oct. 10 at 10:12 a.m., Trevor J. Hoag, 49, of Burlington, was arrested for retail theft on Hinesburg Road.

Oct. 10 at 12:55 p.m., Todd A. Wells, 47, of South Burlington, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Larkin Way.

Oct. 10 at 12:55 p.m., Brittnie L. Blanchard, 33, of Milton, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Larkin Way.

Oct. 12 at 1:44 p.m., Patrick W. Ibbotson, 38, of Burlington, was arrested for violating conditions of release on Williston Road.

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

On Oct. 9 around 5:30 p.m., staff at the Maplefields at 811 Williston Road in South Burlington tried to stop a shoplifting suspect and he flashed a knife at the clerk before fleeing on foot. He was wearing a blue hooded jacket with a red bandana over his face. Police are asking anyone with information to contact officer Cody Wilson at 802-846-4111.

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OPINION

Let’s hope congressional delegation does the right thing on F-35, noise

Guest Perspective

Rosanne Greco

At the last South Burlington City Council meeting, a resolution was introduced requesting Vermont’s congressional delegation urge the U.S. Air Force to replace the F-35 with a mission that is compatible with the densely populated neighborhoods that surround the airport.

Both the Burlington and Winooski city councils passed similar resolutions. In Burlington, the resolution passed 11-1 along with the mayor’s support. In Winooski, the resolution passed unanimously, also with its mayor’s support.

In South Burlington, the vote was 3-2. Councilors Elizabeth Fitzgerald and Mike Scanlan voted against it.

The Burlington and Winooski resolutions contained pages of documented information about the basing process and the harm to people from F-35 noise. It refuted the disinformation that has been, and continues to be, promulgated. Many people were rightly confused because of empty slogans and false claims that were part of intense lobbying from proponents, and their accusations that people who opposed the weapon system were unpatriotic and disloyal to the members of the Vermont Air Guard.

I had hoped that the facts would prompt our elected officials to correct the mistakes of the past. That clearly was not the case for Fitzgerald and Scanlan in South Burlington. They voted against the resolution despite learning that it would provide relief for thousands of people who are trapped in the F-35 noise zone labeled “unsuitable for residential use,”; despite learning that people of color and those with low incomes would be disproportionally impacted; despite learning that soundproofing does not work; despite learning that during the public comment period, and afterwards, that the overwhelming majority of the people who are living in the noise zone expressed strong opposition to the basing; despite learning that Air Force basing experts had selected a base in South Carolina for the F-35 — not Vermont; despite learning the Air Force said the Vermont Guard would continue to have a flying mission without the F-35; and despite learning that congressional delegations in other states have been successful in their requests for mission changes for their Air Guard units.

Recently, congressional delegates in Michigan, Montana, New Mexica, North Dakota and Ohio successfully got the Air Force to replace its current missions with the new missions that they had requested.

The Air Force wrote they did not select Vermont “due to overwhelming evidence provided by EIS (environmental impact statement) documentation.” They reported that the F-35 impact on the Vermont population was significantly greater than the other two Air Guard bases being considered.

In 2012, the Air Force estimated that 6,663 Vermonters would be in the F-35 noise zone. In South Carolina, 245 people would be in the noise zone. In Florida, 170 people would be in the noise zone. It was only because of Sen. Patrick Leahy’s repeated behind-the-scenes advocacy for the F-35 that the Air Force selected Burlington.

At the council meeting, I spoke to the councilors about an additional danger, to the women and men of the Vermont Air Guard. Our Air Guard members, like thousands of other Vermonters, are being harmed by the noise, but they are exposed to additional dangers because they are close to the aircraft. There is evidence that in some conditions the advanced aerospace composite materials that make up 42 percent of the F-35 airframe, and the radar-absorbing chemicals (referred to as stealth coatings) on the F-35 are toxic.

The Air Force Research Lab in the School of Aerospace Medicine categorized the F-35 as the most dangerous aircraft in the Air Force inventory because, if burned in a mishap, the fumes and particulates could kill those close by. Additionally, the chemicals in the stealth coating are suspected carcinogens. Just as the damaging effects of noise are cumulative in the human body, so are carcinogenic materials.

As a military veteran, I am concerned about military people. I thought our elected officials would be as well. If so, they should be advocating for getting the Air Guard a less lethal aircraft. There is no argument for the F-35 worth needlessly risking the well-being of Vermont Guard members, especially when safer alternative missions are available. Guard members are willing to give their lives in defense of our country. The least we can do is protect them from avoidable harm.

All resolutions are symbolic, but some carry more weight than others. The resolutions requesting Vermont’s congressional delegation replace the F-35 are more than symbolic. They call for the protection of people, civilians and the military.

Of course, our delegation could do the right thing without a resolution, but the sad reality is that they have not. As President

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Vermont needs a new approach to tackle housing shortage

Guest Perspective

John Vogel

The shortage and cost of housing in Vermont is a problem we can solve. Other states are showing us how.

In Minneapolis, apartment rents have declined by 4 percent over the last five years, according to an NBC News story, while they have soared an average of 22 percent across the United States. In Texas, total development costs for new apartments are half of what they are in Vermont (based on my discussions with real estate companies). That’s why developers can charge $800 a month in rent for new apartments and still make a profit.

stock by 12 percent. The key driver behind this growth spurt was apartments. A full 87 percent of these new homes were in buildings with 20-plus units. As economists will tell you, increasing supply generally causes rent to stabilize — and sometimes even decline.

Minneapolis made it cheaper and easier to build apartments.

Politicians withstood scathing criticism from loud NIMBY voices — and developers responded.

How did these places do it?

In Minneapolis, they reduced rent and decreased homelessness by creating incentives for new construction. Between 2017-2022, Minneapolis expanded its housing

To spur this new construction, the Minneapolis City Council adopted three key policies:

• Minimum parking requirements for new developments were eliminated. By first reducing and then eliminating on-site parking requirements for new apartments, the Minneapolis City Council enabled developers to build more densely and save costs, especially if the site would otherwise require underground parking.

• Taller buildings in commercial corridors were encouraged. Minneapolis created zoning districts near transit and along commercial corridors where developers were allowed to build

three- and six-story buildings. On lots adjacent to light rail stations, zoning permitted 10- to 30-story buildings.

• Minimum building heights were required in high density zones. Most zoning regulations focus on maximum building heights. First in Korea, where land is scarce, and currently in downtown Minneapolis, developers are required to build to a minimum height so that prime sites can house more people.

Minneapolis made it cheaper and easier to build apartments. Politicians withstood scathing criticism from loud NIMBY voices — and developers responded.

Regulatory improvements are not enough. Minnesota also backed up this program with financial resources, including a $1 billion omnibus housing bill. This legislation, passed in May 2023, provides funding for housing infrastructure and the development of workforce housing and other housing priorities.

What can we learn from Texas? Why does development cost twice as much in Vermont?

Texas has some natural advantages — land is plentiful, flat and generally less expensive. Also, the influx of new families means developers can build large

complexes, and benefit from economies of scale.

There is also a less obvious but significant reason: the number of immigrants who work in construction. According to the American Immigration Council, only 17 percent of the Texas population are immigrants, but they make up 40 percent of the construction workforce. Also, according to the council, a whopping 39.7 percent of all entrepreneurs in the building industry in Texas are immigrants. These newcomers bring skills or a willingness to learn, innovation and a strong work ethic.

GRECO continued from page 5

Franklin Delano Roosevelt reportedly said, “I agree with you. I want to do it. Now make me do it.” We should do everything we can to make them protect Vermonters.

Councilors Tim Barritt, Andrew Chalnick and Laurie Smith took a compassionate stance for their neighbors, especially for the large population of people of color, refugees and those with low incomes in Winooski. These three councilors showed they were good partners with the councilors and mayors of Burlington and Winoos-

Vermont is short on people with construction skills, which is a key factor in the high price and slow pace of new developments in Vermont.

Is there a way to draw fresh faces to Vermont and welcome them with opportunity? Can we partner with organizations that help to settle new Americans? Reach across borders? Provide training or sponsor apprenticeship opportunities? Should we begin that conversation?

ki. They chose to believe the facts and put priority on the well-being of thousands of Vermonters who are trapped in the F-35 noise zone. They did the right thing. Will our congressional delegation do the same, or will they abandon their people?

Ret. Col. Rosanne Greco served on active duty for 30 years in the U.S. Air Force. She was the chair of the South Burlington City Council during the F-35 basing process.

See VOGEL on page 8

Conservation has been well-thought-out in city

To the Editor:

A reader I know, both personally and politically, asked me to document my assertion that there are “members of the public (who) assert that all our land conservation dollars go to the southeast quadrant, the area with the highest household incomes in the city.” Let me begin by thanking you for providing this valuable platform for dialogue.

First, my opinion column was specifically not limited to open space funds because there are many lines in the budget that go toward land conservation, and voters approve these every year and the council vets them. (“Taking the Long view on conservation partnership,” Oct. 3, 2024)

These budget items include both acquisition and management, like the removal of invasive species, the construction of dams and channels to mitigate soil erosion, the repair of trails and bridges, educational signage and staff time working on these conservation strategies, often with municipal, state and national partners. We also pay a yearly assessment to the Winooski Valley Park District.

Next, another goal was to show the thoughtful distribution of open spaces throughout the city. People who testified against the Long View Project, citing the city plan’s goals of inclusivity, fairness, equity and fiscal responsibility, appeared unaware or dismissive of existing parks and natural areas — not to mention how the proposed housing goes well beyond our housing affordability thresholds. They did not consider the goals of the 2019 Champlain Valley Conservation Agreement nor the work of the open space interim zoning committee. As their comments show, regardless of the fund source or budget line, public perception matters.

Here are some representative comments, heard at city council meetings or read on online forums, that gave impetus to my column.

Sept. 3: “I oppose using open space funds or any public funds to purchase the Long Property because use of these funds for this purpose is in direct conflict with a key principle in City Plan 2024, and that principle is ‘inclusive, fair, and just.’”

Sept. 39: “Time to spread the wealth.”

Online: “Only individuals with cars or bicycle can get to southeast quadrant.”

In our history, prioritization of conserved land occurred in the northern and southwestern quad-

Letters to the Editor

rants. The southeast quadrant is the latest to be receiving our city’s conservation dollars, and it is occurring within the framework of Lake Champlain clean-up and the Shelburne Pond wildlife corridor. Historically and today, partnerships and opportunity have guided successive councils to act in the public’s interests.

Meaghan Emery South Burlington

Medicare for all would ease economic burden

To the Editor:

In the Sept. 19 story about the fiscal headwinds facing our school districts, Gov. Phil Scott mentions “rising inflationary and health care costs” as contributing to the budget crisis. (“Schools prepare for ‘extraordinary fiscal headwinds’”)

Well, we always have inflation. Islamic economists argue that lending money at interest is the root cause of inflation. Nevertheless, the U.S. economy has 2-3 percent inflation even in the best of years.

But when you break out inflation rates by economic sector, health care is always at 5-6 percent annually. The health care system is one of the main drivers of inflation.

My suggestion is that the school districts no longer offer health care insurance as a benefit to their employees. Let them purchase their own private insurance or Obamacare. When the reality of that sets in, perhaps people will rise from their complacency and demand Medicare for all.

Not only will this ease the burden of funding our schools, but it will also benefit every American. Why should your employment status determine your access to health care?

Gregory Kruszewski South Burlington

Rodgers deserves a look from moderates, Dems

To the Editor:

Vermonters should vote for John Rodgers for lieutenant governor. For many of us, the race is the only place our vote will make a difference this fall. Unfortunately, it is the only seriously contested statewide race as we know who is going to get Vermont’s three presidential electoral votes.

And in too many districts there aren’t even local contests, although the contested districts certainly deserve voter scrutiny.

Like Phil Scott, Rodgers is a reasonable moderate Republican.

Cruise into Fall Savings

Unlike Scott, he was a Democrat when he was in the Legislature. “The Democratic Party, when I first entered politics in 2003, looked after the working class and poor people,” Rodgers said. “They don’t do that anymore.”

Many of us who usually vote Republican feel that the national party has also moved away from us, especially at the presidential level. In the Republican primary this summer, Rodgers ran against Gregory Thayer, who told VTDig ger that he was “proud” to have attended the Stop the Steal rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He has main tained that he did not, however, enter the Capitol building during the riot.

Rodgers said: “I would never vote for Trump.” Rogers won the Republican primary and helped set the future of both parties in Vermont with 56 percent of the vote.

Oct. 18 - 27

Did people who usually vote in the Democratic primary crossover and vote for Rodgers? Almost certainly. Is that a bad thing? Hell, no. I hope those crossovers will stay Republican and, along with Scott and Rodgers, help rebuild a two-party system in Vermont. Notably, although more moderate people ran in some of the local Democratic primaries, they failed in unseating even the most extreme progressives. Hopefully, their supporters will vote for Rodgers and for moderate candidates in those local races that are contested.

Rodgers says he will strongly advocate for policies that will stem unsustainable government spending and fight against the unnecessary increases in property taxes, home heating costs, electricity rates, transportation fees and health insurance premiums.

A vote for Rodgers is not only a vote for some sanity in Montpelier, but it is also a vote against the extreme partisans on both sides of the aisle who serve us so poorly.

Tom Evslin Stowe

Several councilors missed chance on F-35 vote

To the Editor:

As city officials seek to engage with residents through surveys and more directly by meeting with us where we are, policy positions are still the ultimate test on whether they actually represent our best interests. Unarguably, one the best ways for elected officials to encourage more participation

That’s why they fall it the blues

In Musing Carole Vasta Folley

Why is it that every year I’m left bereft by the end of summer?

Maybe it’s because I live in Vermont where summers can be exquisite. Its emerald and malachite greens dazzling against a sky so blue it ignites not just the possibility, but the full- out expectation of freedom.

One flavored by remnant feelings of childhood when the close of school left the door wide-open to the prospects of summer.

Perhaps my dismay at summer’s demise is due to my lack of attention to it while it was here. This from a woman who owns two copies of “The Power of Now.”

But I must admit, it takes me a while to find the groove of summer. Sorry, Eckhart.

Every year, I’m late to the summer party. It takes months for me to notice it’s warm enough to bare my arms let alone gather outside with my neighbors to toast pinkish sunsets as someone invariably intones, “red skies at night.”

By the time the end of August rounds the bend, I’m thinking of picnics and firing up the grill only to look up at my calendar and read September. It’s then I realize I missed the fair. Or, more accurately, the fried dough. I’m crestfallen.

Please understand, without reservation, I emphatically know a

Vermont September is also exquisite. One could even argue it’s worth an entire summer of beauty. Nonetheless, I’m sad summer has passed, sad to say goodbye. It seems once I’ve fully absorbed summer is indeed over, it’s October. Oh no, did I miss September too? Trust me, I’m not one to spend time longing for the past, believing that the grass is always greener elsewhere. Although, in this case, that would be true. Yet, I still feel whiplashed into fall.

No ignoring it now, it’s everywhere I look. My petunias have called it a day, it’s dark by dinner and maple leaves carpet the sidewalk. Today, I picked up an unbelievably garnet-red leaf and tucked it safely into the pocket of the coat I now need to wear. It’s as if I’ve been awakened by a venerable voice booming, “Earth to Carole” as I stare at autumn all around me.

VOGEL

continued from page 6

In June 2023, the Vermont Legislature and Gov. Phil Scott took a significant step toward increasing the supply of housing. The HOME Act (Act S.100) modified parking requirements for priority housing and offered a 40 percent density bonus for affordable housing in areas with public water and sewer.

This Vermont summer, that’s a carrot to sub-zero temps in winter and rutted roads in mud season, is fleeting. But only because all time is just that. Here today, gone tomorrow. Tempus fugit, waiting for no one, it flies. Summer’s not to blame for this truth. At the end of the day, it’s my job to pay attention and to be with it while it’s here. No matter how transient.

This explains my sadness at summer’s departure as it provokes my propensity to contemplate the profoundness of loss. A circle of life that mandates things come, and things go. Seasons come and seasons go. And really, the crux of the whole matter, people come, and people go. Seems to make sense the transitory nature of seasons could bring about the blues. The kind that expresses feelings in equal rhythm and measure of sorrow and prayer.

I’m quite sure that my heavy-heartedness of spirit will

continue into November. And that’s not because Vermont doesn’t have its charms then too. The 11th month offers more hues of gray than one can imagine, no kidding, with trees that boast a nobility unseen while wearing their crown of leaves. No, my pensive mood is inflamed by November’s upcoming election and a fear that our country has lost its way. I hold the hope that the month of Thanksgiving will end in optimism and aspiration.

Meanwhile, I’ve decided to embrace my melancholy over the loss of summer and, mostly, all the other losses I feel deeply. Just like the passing of seasons, there’s a purpose to my sadness. A time for it as well. May there also be, as The Byrds sang, “A time for peace. I swear it’s not too late.”

Carole Vasta Folley is an award-winning columnist and playwright. Visit carolevf.com.

In 2024, the Legislature took further action and passed H.687 — which modernized Act 250 — smoothing the way for more housing projects and less duplicate regulation.

This bold legislation is clearly a step in the right direction. But, if Vermont really wants to increase its supply of housing, it needs

additional legislative action. It also needs to press forward in creative and potentially controversial ways.

John Vogel lives in Williston. Now retired, he was a longtime clinical professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Carole Vasta Folley

School justice union shines light on housing

The South Burlington High School Student Justice Union blended school spirit with service this month as it highlighted Vermont’s housing crisis at the

homecoming game, sharing information about the issue and running a 50/50 raffle for the Family Shelter, a local organization associated with Committee on Temporary Shelter, or COTS.

We plan to accompany this fundraiser with in-school education about homelessness in Vermont.

A longstanding student-run organization, we strive to center our work around the most relevant social issues and are proud of our concentration this autumn on a topic that so directly affects the community. But housing challenges in Vermont are far too extensive to be addressed by a single night

of action.

Vermont has the second-highest homelessness rate in the nation, with the nationwide Point in Time census tallying 3,458 unhoused Vermonters this January (a more than threefold increase since 2020).

in local government is to speak clearly with us and on the level. But data shows that it amounts to naught if our representatives don’t follow through and support policy positions that serve the people.

At last week’s South Burlington City Council meeting we could listen to data-driven, forward-looking, socially responsible deliberation, additionally informed by members of the public in attendance. Councilors acted on the budget, public transport, road and water infrastructure and land use, but were split on a resolution requesting the congressional delegation to consider working with the U.S. Air Force on securing a different mission for Vermont Air National Guard.

Despite data provided by the Air Force, despite the fact it upheld prior actions taken by the city council, despite the fact that they would be joining Burlington and Winooski city councils that had just passed similar resolutions, despite the fact that the public participated in this process, and although all the councilors acknowledged the negative effects of noise on their constituents, only three of the five councilors supported a resolution that sought to represent the interests of people in the community most affected by the health impacts of noise levels, which have been proven time and time again to be incompatible with residential development.

As we should expect, our U.S.

senators and representative all take their duty to Vermont very seriously. They will respond to this request from Burlington, South Burlington and Winooski, considering all relevant factors. Thanks to councilors Tim Barritt, Andrew Chalnick and Laurie Smith, these factors will include the interests of the most vulnerable residents of South Burlington, the host municipality of the military base and civilian airport. The absence of these residents from our U.S. leaders’ consideration would have been more than regrettable; it would have shown a lack of care on the council’s part.

Meaghan Emery South Burlington

Vermonters are struggling not only to find permanent housing, which is increasingly scarce with rising housing costs, regulatory roadblocks and a growing population, but temporary shelter is scarce as well, particularly with the state’s recent reduction in its emergency housing program.

The consequences of these challenges are devastating. The scale-back of the motel voucher program led to an inability to prioritize all the most vulnerable populations — households with children and individuals with disabilities or of older age, for example.

Community organizations and local governments are overwhelmed with massive needs for shelter and services, which they feel under-equipped to address. Increasingly, it feels that the housing situation leaves folks stranded, lacking the resources to secure what many would consider a basic human right.

On Sept. 18, 14 municipal leaders from across the state, endorsed by the Montpelier Homelessness Taskforce, called for action by the state government to improve capacity to support unhoused individuals and, over time, expand affordable housing availability. We strongly urge the state to consider these requests and prioritize well-informed solutions, both short- and long-term, to this urgent issue.

We also encourage community members to become aware and involved. Our purpose this season was not only to support the Family Shelter, but to draw attention to the challenges caused by the housing crisis. This issue is systemic, but individual support matters, whether through donations to dedicated community organizations, advocacy to local and state officials, or simply holding compassion, not stigma, for those most affected.

Members of the South Burlington High School Student Justice Union include Molly Leavey, Drew Gordon, Isaac Cota, Niara Wijetunga, Kamaria Morris, Jayden French, Ashton Kinney, Yordanes Gebreselasie, Natalie Lyon and Madison Dewees.

COMMUNITY

Political science expert talks presidential race

A talk by Matthew Dickinson, “Forecasting the Presidential Election: Who Will Win and Why?,” will take place at Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington on Friday, Oct. 25, 2-3 p.m.

Dickinson is a professor of political science at Middlebury College.

The talk is part of the Education & Enrichment for Everyone Vermont Lecture Series. Learn more at eeevermont.org.

Holiday bazaar features crafts, antiques

The All Saints Episcopal Church, 1250 Spear St., South Burlington, is holding its holiday bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 2, 9

a.m.-2 p.m.

The sale will feature antiques and uniques, baked goods, books, crafts and Christmas decor, jewelry. There will also be a silent auction, yard sale and luncheon.

Common Ground Center celebrates 30 years

Common Ground Center, the nonprofit outdoor recreation and education center nestled on 700 acres in Starksboro, is celebrating 30 years with a special benefit concert at Isham Family Farm on Thursday, Oct. 17, 7 p.m.

Local bluegrass band The Tenderbellies will provide the live music.

Known for its founding ethos of “camp for everyone,” the center has been a vibrant hub for community and creativity. Tickets for the concert are

$20 and can be purchased at bit. ly/3BOrqo0.

“We are incredibly grateful for the community’s support over the past 30 years,” Lindsay Whitaker, executive director, said. “This celebration is an opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments and look forward to many more years of strengthening families, building community, and fostering a love of nature.”

Learn how Vermont reclaimed Cedar Creek

Ethan Allen Homestead Museum hosts the talk, “Vermont and the Battle of Cedar Creek,” on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2 p.m.

On Oct. 19, 1864, a surprise attack by Confederate troops in the Shenandoah Valley at Cedar Creek appeared to be a solid victory for the South. But thanks to the heroic

efforts of Vermont’s 8th Regiment, the Union reclaimed the battlefield.

Mike Soules will describe the role of the Vermonter in the battle, its consequences, as well as the significance of the Cedar Creek Room in Vermont’s Capitol.

Rokeby Museum hosts spiritualism and spirits

Returning to Rokeby Museum on Oct. 25-26 is the annual spiritualism play.

This year’s play, “Spirits of Rokeby: Voices from the Summer Land,” features a new script inspired by Rokeby and Vermont’s spiritualist history. Ticket holders will gather for a drink and short talk on Victorian spiritualism before entering the historic home, where actors guide visitors through a participatory dramatization inspired by Rokeby’s spiritualist history.

The event will be held in-person at the South Burlington Public Library and on Zoom. Refreshments will be served.

“Road to Nowhere” exposes flaws in Silicon Valley’s vision for the future of transportation, like fee for services, automation and “green” solutions.

Marx offers a vision for a more collective way of organizing transportation systems that considers the needs of poor, marginalized and vulnerable people. The book argues that rethinking mobility can be the first step in a broader reimagining of how we design and live in future cities by creating streets that allow for social interaction and conviviality.

Peans of transit should be determined by community needs rather than algorithmic control, guided by the search for quality of life rather than for profit, Marx argues.

The second-generation Robinsons practiced spiritualism and attended several séances in Ferrisburgh and Vergennes. Their encounters with spirits were recorded by a family friend and are preserved in the museum’s collection.

“This event draws inspiration from the archive and is an opportunity to experience a 19th-century séance just as the Robinson did over a century ago,” executive director Lindsay Varner said.

Tickets to the event are $20 ($25 for non-members) at the museum or rokeby.org.

Williston Craft Show

Features 100 vendors

The Williston Craft Show this year is Saturday, Nov. 2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Williston Central School.

The event started over 25 years ago and has grown to include over 100 crafters and artists. The show is a fundraiser hosted by volunteers in Families as Partners and benefits Williston schools.

Admission is free.

Learn more at willistoncraftshow.org.

Author talks about future of transportation at library

Join the South Burlington Energy Committee on Thursday, Nov. 14, 6:30-8 p.m., for a special book discussion with Paris Marx, author of “The Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong About the Future of Transportation.”

The library has copies of the book ready for pickup at the circulation desk. It is also available from the Green Mountain Library Consortium.

Get the Zoom link or learn more at southburlingtonlibrary.org.

Talk explores India’s expanding economic role

A talk, “Elephants Can Dance: India’s Expanding Role in the Global Economy,” will be held at Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., in South Burlington, on Oct. 18, 2 p.m.

Learn more at eeevermont. org. For information, contact Mary Ellen Bridge at mepbridge@ comcast.net

Essex Church holds annual craft fest, toy drive

First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 39 Main St., holds its annual craft fest on Saturday, Nov. 9, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The event will feature handmade and homemade goods by 18 local artists, a silent auction with original artwork, antiques, retail gift certificates, gently used treasures and over 30 themed baskets, including a handmade quilt donated by Blue Spruce Grange. Proceeds from the quilt will be donated to the Heavenly Food Pantry.

A variety of homemade goodies including pies, cookies and jams will be for sale, and lunch will include chili options, butternut squash soup, chicken noodle soup,

COURTESY PHOTOS

Wheels for Warmth:

Stacking tires keeps people warm, environment clean

Wheels for Warmth keeps tires out of the environment, transportation secure and homes warm with its annual tire recycle and resale event.

If you’ve attended Wheels for Warmth, the myriad stacks of tires will be no surprise. What you might not know is just how many ways the event offers everyone a chance to make an impact. Attendees can purchase readyto-roll, DMV-inspected tires at discounted rates.

These sales directly fund important statewide programming that keep people warm through the winter. Additionally, recyclable tires not viable for resale will be donated for agricultural use.

“When I started this program 19 years ago, I had no idea it would have such a positive impact in many areas. By taking donated tires and reselling them

at an affordable price, we’re keeping our riverbanks free of tire debris and Vermonters warm this winter,” said Gov. Phil Scott. “And we can’t do it without tires, so if you have used tires in good condition, consider dropping them off. It’s a great way to help your neighbors and our communities”

Tires are sold at two events on Saturday, Oct 26. Event proceeds directly support emergency heating assistance throughout Vermont provided by Capstone Community Action, BROC Community Action and Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity. Since 2005, Wheels for Warmth has raised over $720,000 for emergency fuel assistance, sold 27,000 safe donated tires and recycled 53,000 unsafe tires. The event has also hosted over 1,100 volunteers from over 120 companies or organizations, resulting in over 25,000 volunteer hours.

Tires can be donated Thursday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct 25, 2-6 p.m., at Vermont Granite Museum, 7 Jones Brothers Way, Barre; Casella Waste Systems,

220 Avenue B, Williston, and Casella Construction, 1385 US-7, Pittsford; and from 1-5 p.m. at the Stowe Events Field, 80 Weeks Hill Road.

If tires cannot be re-sold there is a recycling fee of $5 per tire and $10 per truck tire.

Tire sales will take place on Saturday, Oct. 26, 8 a.m.-noon at the Vermont Granite Museum and Casella Construction in Pittsford. To learn more about the event visit wheelsforwarmth.org.

Look Forward To Coming Home

and

COMMUNITY NOTES

continued from page 10

chicken and biscuits, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and drinks.

This year the church is asking for unwrapped new toys to deliver to families in need from the Essex area. Everyone donating a toy will receive an extra ticket in the holiday basket drawing.

Learn more at fccej.org.

• Something for Everyone | Efficient, innovative homes in a variety of styles

• Modern Design | Exclusive 3-story townhomes

• In the Heart of Williston | Access to town bike/hike paths; Close to shopping

• More Time for What Matters | Exterior maintenance managed by the HOA

• Focus on Fun | Park, pool, and bike paths

Garden club meets, gives talk on floral design

Burlington Garden Club Meeting presents a program on floral design at its monthly meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 1 p.m., at Faith United Methodist Church, 899 Dorset St., South Burlington.

The speaker, Kathy Perkins of the Federated Garden Clubs of Vermont, will bring to life a real discussion and demonstration of floral design. Learn the standards used in a flower show to assess mechanics, containers, types of flowers and various designs that are key elements to understand when making floral designs.

AARP-VT seeks Tax-Aide volunteers

AARP Vermont welcomes anyone interested in learning more about its Tax-Aide program at an Open House on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 3-4:30 p.m. at the AARP Vermont Office, 199 Main St., Suite 225, Burlington.

Tax-Aide is a group of over

28,000 volunteers nationally, sponsored by the AARP Foundation. Last tax season it assisted over 1.7 million low-income and elderly taxpayers file their taxes. In Chittenden County, volunteers helped Vermonters file over 1,800 tax returns, all at no cost.

Cannon 5K walk run fast approaches

Registration for the Cannon 5K Walk and Run begins at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20 at South Burlington High School in honor of George Cannon, a beloved science teacher.

The race/walk starts at 9:30 a.m. Wear a costume, with a Superhero theme, or green to celebrate Cannon’s favorite superhero the Green Lantern. Dogs on leash welcome and a minimum of $5 is requested.

All money raised will be donated to the Cannon Memorial Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is awarded to a senior at the high school graduation ceremony in June.

If you cannot attend the event and would like to donate to the Cannon Fund, mail a check to: South Burlington High School, Attn: Cannon Walk/Run, 550 Dorset Street, South Burlington, VT 05403. Checks must be made out to: South Burlington Schools Foundation and include “Cannon Fund” in the memo section of the check.

PHOTO BY GORDON MILLER

Volunteers help collect tires for Wheels for Warmth, an annual tire recycle and resale event.

Vermont

holds women’s rally at Statehouse Nov. 2

A Vermont women’s rally will take place Saturday, Nov. 2, on the Statehouse lawn in Montpelier at 10 a.m.

Singer song-writer Patti Casey will open the rally with a sing-along, and Dwight and Nicole will also perform.

Melinda Moulton will serve as emcee and Beverly Little Thunder and Lushanya Echeverria will honor Indigenous Peoples with a land acknowledgement.

Kiah Morris, Bianca Stone, Kennedy Jansen and Jayna Ahsaf will speak, and Charity Clark, Vermont attorney general, Jessica Barquist, director of Vermont Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Ann

Pugh, a retired state representative, will also participate.

Vermont was one of the first states to constitutionally protect reproductive freedom and liberty. Vermont was also one of the first states to support gay marriage.

This rally will be a celebration of Vermont’s commitment to ensure equality for women and to recognize the power voters hold to fight for women’s rights.

This is a sister event to the National Women’s March in Washington, D.C., on the same date. State parking lots will be open and free for public parking. Learn more at vermontwomensrally.com.

JOB FAIR

NOVEMBER 2, 2024 11:00am–2:00pm O’Brien Community Center 32 Malletts Bay Avenue Winooski, VT

COURTESY PHOTO

Charlotte resident Nikkie Kent at the Vermont women’s rally in Montpelier in 2017.

South Burlington golfers place fourth in state title match

LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT

Boys’ golf

The South Burlington boys’ golf team came in fourth place on Thursday in the Vermont Division I high school boys state championship at the Burlington Country Club.

Teddy Maynard shot an 81 to come in fourth place overall, while Evan Marchessault finished tied for 10th with 85.

The Wolves shot a team score of 352 to come in behind D-I champs Champlain Valley (335), Rutland (336) and Essex (345).

Field hockey

South Burlington 4, Mount Abraham 0: South Burlington won its third game in a row, beating Mount Abraham on Thursday, Nov. 10.

Rosa DiGiulian tallied twice

to pace the Wolves, while Grace Landerman and Elise Knoth each added a goal. Amber Rousseau (one save) earned the shutout in goal.

South Burlington moved to 9-3 with the win.

Football

Burlington/South Burlington 48, Brattleboro 16: The South Burlington-Burlington co-op football team forced seven Brattleboro turnovers as part of a 48-16 win on Thursday.

Brody Crete returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown to lead the defensive effort for the SeaWolves, while Anthony Bouffard had two touchdown catches and a rushing TD. Jack Foster also grabbed two touchdown catches.

Quarterback Ahmed Diawara threw for four touchdowns and added a rushing TD.

With the win, the SeaWolves moved to 6-1.

SUPREME COURT continued from page 1

The South Burlington City Council approved the new regulations in February 2022 by a 3-2 vote after three years of interim zoning, which paused development in most of the city with a few exceptions.

In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Vermont in early 2022, the developers alleged that the new regulations, which could prevent them from building on approximately 45 acres of their Hinesburg Road property, amounted to an “illegal taking” and that the regulations “discriminated against property owner rights.”

Vermont wrote that “in absence of a concrete plan, submitted to the DRB (Development Review Board) and a final decision from the DRB, it is not possible to tell how far the regulations encroach on the Plaintiff’s right to develop its property.”

“I think we’re relieved that it’s come to a conclusion.”

— Colin McNeil

The new regulations, meanwhile, drew a mixture of criticism and support from voices across the community, oftentimes bringing heated discussion into the pages of this newspaper’s letter and opinion sections and on social media at the time.

Nick and Davis, who bought the land over 20 years ago intending to develop it, sought monetary damages and an injunction preventing the city from enforcing the law.

Since the developers had not proposed an actual development plan at the time, other than a preliminary sketch for the construction of commercial and light industrial buildings, the lawsuit was dismissed by the district court as “unripe,” a decision upheld a year later by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit after the developers attempted to appeal the original ruling.

In his dismissal of the initial lawsuit, Judge Geoffrey Crawford of the U.S. District Court of

But in their petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, Nick and Davis contended that the rejection of the preliminary “sketch plan,” which the city council voted against under interim zoning regulations in anticipation of the 2022 law and was later appealed in a separate environmental court case, already demonstrated the consequences the regulations would pose for their property.

The city’s attorney, Colin McNeil, said the city was very pleased with the decision and thinks, “it was absolutely the right result.”

“I think we’re relieved that it’s come to a conclusion,” he continued. “At this point, I think what we’re looking forward to is being able to work with 835 Hinesburg Road in the future to develop the parcel in a manner that is consistent with those land development regulations.”

When asked whether there is a new development proposal for the property, Jeff Nick did not comment.

The city, McNeil said, is anticipating that in the future.

“We don’t know, but we would anticipate something coming forward,” he said. “They are developers, and we imagine that they’ll want to develop their parcel.”

REPAIRS

PHOTOS BY PAUL FITZGERALD

The girls’ soccer team at Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School in a recent game against Middlebury.

CANDIDATES

continued from page 1

working with the board that crafts school budgets, it makes sense that education funding reform prompted her to throw her hat in the ring this year.

“The main reason I decided it was the right time for me to run were all the things that have happened around education finance and education in general in Montpelier over the last couple of years, and the urging of everyone across the state to do something more significant in terms of education funding reform,” she said. “I feel like there are a lot of changes that are going to be made over the next few years.”

Aside from her time on the school board, Burkhardt has an extensive finance career that spans several roles that includes investment banking, private equity and community development.

“I felt like the finance and the education together might be a good skill set to bring to Montpelier as the state is sort of wrestling with, how are we going to fund education and organize it over the next many years,” she said.

She pointed to Act 127 — a sweeping change in the state’s education funding formula meant to better equalize education that also created steep tax hikes for some towns across Chittenden County — as prompting a perfect storm for the South Burlington community this year.

While education tops her list, creating better access to housing at all price points is also top priority for Burkhardt.

“The need for affordable housing is super obvious. It’s also super obvious that we can’t have 3,500 unhoused people in Vermont. It’s hard to reach folks when they’re not housed. It’s hard to keep track of kids and keep them in the educational system if they’re not housed but the housing affordability crunch is not just for people who are completely unhoused.”

Brian Minier

Brian Minier, the Democratic incumbent representing South Burlington’s Chittenden-11 district, had his hands full on the House Committee on Education last year.

This year, he said, there’s one

big prevailing theme taking shape: affordability.

“I think you’re going to find throughout the House, affordability, affordability, affordability. I had gone two years ago to Montpelier thinking the big thing I would be working on was the school construction bill, and trying to get that restarted,” he said. “We are still trying to do that, but it’s kind of taking a second seat to property taxes. So, within my committee is absolutely going to be school funding, front and center.”

While the Legislature chips away at the problem, he said, some of the bigger ideas could be to look at how the system is funded overall.

“Are we not going to do it primarily by property anymore? Are we going to go primarily to income? That has been tried before and it has its own problems, including, how do you measure income?” he said.

Minier, also a former South Burlington School Board member, said that at the bottom of a lot of the issues facing Vermonters is the lack of housing. He noted his support of recent housing legislation, like the Act 250 reform and the HOME Act, which mandated increased density wherever a parcel is serviced by water and sewer. But it now may be time for the Statehouse to put the money where its mouth is.

“My understanding was the reforms to Act 250 that were passed a year ago did a nice job of bridging the gap between environmentalists, preservationists and developers. But the budget bill passed by the House had 10 times more funding going to housing than the one that was ultimately passed through the Senate and signed. So partly, you’ve got to put money where your mouth is, because cutting red tape only gets you so far.”

Emilie Krasnow

Speaking of housing, Emilie Krasnow, Democratic incumbent representing South Burlington’s Chittenden-9 district, ran for the Legislature two years ago to help to tackle the housing affordability crisis.

As a member of the House Committee on General and Housing, which is separate from the

committee that deals with land use policy, she says the answer is a combination of regulatory reform and multi-pronged investments — both in the short term and the long term — while focusing on data.

“The House did pass a lot of great housing investments last session. Some made it across the finish line. Some didn’t,” she said. “I really believe in following the data. I had a bill that I introduced last year that would increase our data and information on housing to really look at the accurate numbers to see how we’re doing and where we have to go.”

The issue of tax burden is what she says she is most focused on this campaign season, and a large portion of that has to do with the education funding crisis. While Vermont has one of the most complex public education funding formulas in the country, she said what the state needs to do is modernize it to fit today’s needs.

“I think the Legislature needs to consider a wide variety of things, from consolidations of school buildings and districts to the delivery of services and the public tuition system,” she said.

The appetite in the Statehouse to take these issues head-on, she said, is strong. But that does not mean there won’t be difficult conversations across the state and among lawmakers.

“As a younger legislator, that’s been one of the most amazing and inspiring things that I’ve done is to talk to high schoolers and college kids about what they’re thinking and getting them engaged in our democracy and talking about what’s important to them,” she said. “I want to continue doing that work and really listen to the voices. I aim to always serve with one foot in my community and one foot in the building so that I can be present.”

Martin LaLonde

The Democratic incumbent representing South Burlington’s Chittenden 7-1 district, Martin LaLonde, has had his hands in the South Burlington community since moving here in 2007.

LaLonde began his local public service as a member of the South

Burlington School Board for 11 years, before turning to the Statehouse, where he has served for the past 10 years. Now as chair of the House Committee on Judiciary, public safety has been where most of his top priorities lie.

There are a few factors that play into the deterrence of crime, he said.

“You need to have a high risk of being caught, which really has to do with the presence of law enforcement. Then, as important, you have to have quick and certain outcomes and consequences, and that really has to do with how well the courts function,” he said.

While most of his work last session was working to take care of the court’s backlog, he said he anticipates that work to continue into the next session, among other things like addressing domestic violence and firearm legislation.

“I anticipate that that will be a continued priority for us this next year as well, is really take care of the court’s backlog and really to get the accountability so that consequences happen relatively soon after somebody has broken the law, he said. “Right now, you can get a misdemeanor, and it could take well over a year to have your case heard.”

He said one bill that sought to address this issue was H.645, which looks to better improve how Vermont provides restorative justice by creating a pre-charge diversion program to divert cases out of the criminal justice system to a restorative justice system.

“It’s usually low-level kinds of crimes where it makes more sense to have this restorative process, and community involvement. In South Burlington, we have a very successful program where law enforcement, for the appropriate low-level crimes, sends people to our Community Justice Center. Before they’re ever charged, they go through this process appropriately to restore the damage they’ve done. Then they’re never charged, they don’t get into the criminal justice system.”

But as chair of the committee, LaLonde said the work doesn’t stop there. He has already roughly 20 bill requests into the legislative council, most of which have to do

with tackling domestic and sexual violence, driving under the influence and juvenile justice.

While he doesn’t work directly on matters related to housing or education, he said, all these things are interconnected.

“Education, health care, housing, those are all related to the issues that I deal with because I kind of am at the end of the pipeline, or the end of the road, where we haven’t provided sufficient housing, we haven’t provided sufficient mental health or substance use treatment, we haven’t dealt with poverty, we haven’t provided sufficient education opportunities and employment,” he said. “All these are kind of underlying factors that might be an underlying driving factor for crime.”

Kate Nugent

Kate Nugent, Democratic incumbent representing South Burlington’s Chittenden-10 district, is looking at her second term in November.

As a member of the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, she said roughly 36 of the 98 bills that came out of the committee last year were focused on charter changes. Others, she said, had to do with flood resilience, election law, ethics for state and local governments, and the state’s open meeting laws, among others.

In her first year, she said her committee looked largely at election reform, including ranked choice voting, an election method in which voters rank candidates in order of preference.

“That did not go anywhere in the second year, but I think that that might be a priority coming up to look at that again,” she said.

While her hand is not directly in education funding reform, she said that remains as a top priority for the entire Legislature. In her opinion, the work can only move forward with data on outcomes rather than just focusing on what is being put into the system.

“I think what’s most important,

Bridget Burkhart Brian Minier

Emilie Krasnow Martin LaLonde

Kate Nugent

CANDIDATES

continued from page 16

that I hope to push for, is a good process where things are as transparent as possible, and whatever the formula ends up being, or however we fund it, that voters are very, very clear about what they’re voting on and what control they actually have and what they don’t and what the state is doing, because I think that can build more trust among all the parties involved,” she said.

In her opinion, most people care about Vermont’s kids and the future of education, but it’s clear that they also want to be able to have a quality and standard of life that works for them.

“It’s not going to ever be inexpensive to educate children, but it’s a high priority,” she

said. “I think everyone recognizes that it is important. I think we need to be generous.”

With some massive changes on the horizon, she said she anticipates that the committee will look for ways to make serving in the Legislature more affordable for people.

“I think there’s a ton of really amazingly talented people that are in Vermont and that’s one reason why I think we should keep looking at how we can make serving in the Legislature more affordable for people, because it’s not really possible unless you can jigsaw your life for those four and a half months. That is something our committee worked on the first year that I hope to see it come back in some way next biennium.”

PUBLIC MEETINGS

PATRICK LEAHY BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2024, 6:30-8:00 P.M. CHAMBERLIN SCHOOL, SOUTH BURLINGTON

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2024, 6:30-8:30 P.M. WINOOSKI HIGH SCHOOL

Notice is hereby given that Public Meetings will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at 6:30-8:00 p.m. (South Burlington Public Meeting) at Chamberlin School, and Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Winooski Public Meeting) at the Winooski High School.

These meetings will provide an overview of the DRAFT NOISE EXPOSURE MAP REPORT that has been prepared on behalf of Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. The meetings will be workshop style with various stations for individuals to review the information and ask questions. There will be no formal presentation. Comment sheets will be available for the public to leave their comments.

The draft report can be found on the Airport’s noise program website: btvsound.com. Physical copies of the draft report are also available for review at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport administrative offices located at 1200 Airport Rd, South Burlington, VT, Suite 1.

Public comments can be submitted at the meetings or via email to btvsound@jonespayne.com

The public comment period will close Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Additional comments and questions regarding the noise program can be submitted at any time.

PHOTO BY MIKE DEAN

A lone sailor enjoys the final days of fall on Shelburne Bay near Red Rocks Park.

Hophornbeam: one tough little understory tree

The Outside Story

Susan Shea

Wandering through the woods this time of year, occasionally I’ve come across a small deciduous tree laden with cone-like structures that resemble the hops used to brew beer. This is the American — or Eastern — hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana).

A member of the birch family, hophornbeam grows in the understory in northeastern hardwood forest types. It is also known as ironwood (as are other tree species with exceptionally hard wood) and leverwood, as it was once used to construct levers.

The understory, where hophornbeam grows, is the layer of vegetation beneath the forest canopy (overstory) and is composed of shrubs, saplings and small trees that grow in the humid, dappled shade. Although some consider hophornbeam a weed tree, the species plays a valuable ecological role. Understory plants, including hophornbeam, create vertical diversity in a forest.

Multiple layers of vegetation provide a greater variety of food and microhabitats for insects and other animals, enhancing overall biodiversity. Vegetation layers are especially important for birds, as different species prefer to forage and nest at different heights. The black-throated blue warbler, for instance, often nests in understory shrubs or small trees such as

hophornbeam. Hophornbeam grows as high as 20 to 35 feet, with a diameter of 6 to 15 inches. Its ovate, pointed leaves are sharply toothed, with soft hairs beneath, and alternate on the tree’s slender branches. The bark is gray-brown and sheds off in scaly vertical strips. This species is widely distributed, ranging from Nova Scotia

FINANCE AND TAXATION OFFICER

JOIN OUR TEAM: The City of South Burlington is seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Finance and Taxation Officer to join our dynamic team. If you’re passionate about public service and have a talent for finance and numbers, this is the perfect opportunity for you to make a meaningful impact in our vibrant community!

WHAT YOU WILL DO: You will play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with taxation regulations, assisting with managing the City’s financial operations, and contributing to our community’s economic health. Your responsibilities will include overseeing tax assessments, property valuation, collections, and compliance activities and collaborating with the Finance Director to manage the City’s financial operations including developing budgets and forecasts.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting or a related field, plus 5 years relevant work experience in property assessment, or tax collection, accounts payable/receivables, and reporting, required; equivalency considered. Municipal government accounting experience preferred.

SALARY RANGE: $85,000-$90,000 (annually)

APPLY NOW: Review of on-line applications will begin November 4, 2024. To apply, learn more about the position and see a complete job description, please visit: governmentjobs.com/careers/ southburlington. The City of South Burlington is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

to Manitoba, south to eastern Texas and northern Florida, encompassing most of the eastern United States. It also grows in the mountains of Mexico and central America.

In our region, hophornbeam typically grows in mature hardwood forests, as it does well in dense shade. It prefers rich soils but can tolerate a variety of soil types. Hophornbeam is a minor component of most woodlands, but in a few locations, such as the dry oak-shagbark hickory-hophornbeam forests of the Champlain and Connecticut River valleys, it is one of the dominant

species. It also makes an attractive landscape tree and does well in shaded yards. In spring, the hophornbeam tree flowers at the same time as its leaves emerge. Male and female flowers are borne separately on the same tree. The reddish-brown male flowers are arranged in long, hanging catkins in groups of three. The green female flower catkins are considerably shorter – just over a quarter inch long, compared to longer catkins for the males. Pollen is disseminated by the wind. Over the course of the summer, fertilized female flowers develop into fruits contain-

ing small nuts. The nutlets are enclosed in inflated sacs clustered in conelike structures, called strobiles, that are reminiscent of hops. In fall, hophornbeam leaves turn yellow, and the strobiles begin to break up. The buoyant sacs surrounding the nutlets aid in dispersal by the wind. Birds feeding on the nuts also spread the seeds. Dry, brownish-yellow leaves may persist on the tree into winter.

Hophornbeam wood is difficult to work with because of its hardness. However, this toughness has made it useful for bows, handles, wedges, mallets and sled runners. People have used hophornbeam bark and its inner wood to treat toothaches, sore muscles, coughs and other ailments.

Hophornbeam trees also provide food for wildlife. The pre-formed buds and catkins are important winter foods for ruffed grouse. Wild turkey, ruffed grouse, red and gray squirrels and some songbirds feed on the nuts. Deer and rabbits browse the twigs and foliage. The bark is a preferred food of beavers. Watch for this interesting little tree on walks in the woods.

Susan Shea is a naturalist, writer, and conservationist based in Vermont. Illustration by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, nhcf.org.

ILLUSTRATION

FOR SALE

BATH VANITY : Includes marble sink and new faucet. 37in. x 22in. x 30in. $99. Call or text (540)226-4478.

WINTER TIRES: Winter is coming. Need winter tires? 4 Michelin snow tires (225/65 R17) in good condition. $280 cash. Call 802-862-5961 or email johnvarr@gmail.com.

FREE

ELIPTICAL: Vision Fitness X-20. Barely used. Bought at Earl’s Cyclery & Fitness about 10 years ago. If you can get it out of our basement, it is yours. Please call Donna at 578-0417.

SOUTH BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

INVITATION TO BID SNOW PLOWING/SALTING 2024-2025

TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

GERTRUDE CHAMBERLIN SCHOOL

RICK MARCOTTE CENTRAL SCHOOL

The Board of School Directors of the South Burlington School District, So. Burlington, Vermont, invites sealed bids for:

Snow Plowing/Salting Services for the 2024-2025 school year beginning October 18, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, in accordance with specifications.

Bids will be accepted (signed and via email) on or before Friday, October 11, 2024, at noon. Please email bids to Jean-Marie Clark at jclark@sbschools.net. Go to sbschools.net/page/purchasing-and-bids for bid documents.

If you have any questions, please contact Jean-Marie Clark at 802-652-7056. For a site visit, please contact Bart Miceli, Director of Facilities, at 802-338-8698.

SOUTH BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

INVITATION

TO

BID

RUBBISH AND RECYCLING SERVICES

The Board of School Directors of the South Burlington School District, So. Burlington, Vermont, invites sealed bids for the supply of:

Rubbish Removal and Recycling Services for the period October 18, 2024, through October 17, 2025, in accordance with specifications.

Bids will be accepted (signed and via email) on or before Friday, October 11, 2024, at noon. Please email bids to Jean-Marie Clark at jclark@sbschools.net

Go to sbschools.net/page/purchasing-and-bids for bid documents.

If you have any questions regarding the bid, please contact Jean-Marie Clark at 802652-7056.

For a site visit or specific rubbish/recycling questions, please contact Bart Miceli, Director of Facilities, at 802-338-8698.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE SOUTH BURLINGTON LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS

Public Hearing #2, Monday, November 4, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, November 4, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. to consider amendments to the Land Development Regulations. The amendments affect all parts of the City unless otherwise specified below. The hearing will be held in person and remotely via GoToMeeting. Participation options:

•In Person: City Hall Auditorium, 180 Market Street

•Interactive Online: https://meet.goto.com/SouthBurlingtonVT/citycouncilmeeting11-04-2024

•Telephone: (646) 749-3122; Access Code: 183-777-637

The purpose of the hearing is to consider the following:

•LDR-24-01 EV Charging. Require parking spaces required to be electric vehicle-capable under the 2024 Vermont Commercial Building Energy Standards and 2024 Residential Building Energy Standards to be electric vehicle-Ready as defined therein and apply to all such buildings regardless of size; limit Level 3 charging substitutions (Sections 2.02, 3.18)

•LDR-24-02 Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and Transportation Level of Service (LOS). Update transportation LOS standards and review thresholds in two geographic tiers; establish TDM standards for medium and large development projects; eliminate Traffic Overlay District (Sections 3.01, 10.01, 13.01, 13.18, 15.A.14, Appendix B, Overlay Districts Map 2)

•LDR-24-03 Low-Scale Residential Infill and Thriving Communities. Replaces Residential 1, Residential 1 with Planned Unit Development, Residential 1 Lakeshore, Residential 2, Residential 4, Lakeshore Neighborhood, Southeast Quadrant-Neighborhood Residential, Southeast Quadrant-Neighborhood Residential Transition, Southeast Quadrant-Neighborhood Residential North, Southeast Quadrant-Village Residential, and Southeast Quadrant-Village Commercial zoning districts with new Low-Scale Neighborhood District. Establish allowed low-scale building types; set minimum lot sizes and dimensional standards by building type; eliminate density as an independent standard. Modify lot frontage, existing small lot, and accessory structure standards. Exclude 3-4 unit residential buildings from site plan review. Allow multiple principal buildings on a lot if lot standards per building are met. Allow neighborhood-scale commercial uses along collector and arterial roads (Sections 3.01, 3.03, 3.05, 3.06, 3.09, 3.10, 3.15, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.07, 14.03, 14.11, Article 9, Appendix C, Zoning Districts Map)

•LDR-24-04 Medium-Scale Residential Infill and Thriving Communities. Replace Residential 7, Residential 7 with Neighborhood Commercial, and Residential 12 with new Medium-Scale Neighborhood District. Establish allowed low- and medium-scale building types; establish minimum lot sizes and dimensional standards by building type; eliminate density as an independent standard. Modify lot frontage, existing small lot, and accessory structure standards. Allow multiple principal buildings on a lot if lot standards per building are met. Remove height waiver allowances; replace with Inclusionary Zoning / TDR allowances to maximum Allow neighborhood-scale commercial uses along collector and arterial roads (Sections 3.01, 3.05, 3.09, 3.10, 3.15, 4.04, 4.05, 4.06, Appendix C, Zoning Districts Map)

•LDR-24-05 Higher-Scale Mixed Use area. Replaces Commercial 1-Residential 12, Commercial 1-Residential 15, Allen Road, and Swift Street districts with new Higher-Scale Mixed Use District. Update Commercial 1Auto, Commercial 1- AIR, Commercial 1- Limited Retail districts to have residential building types and dimensional standards match Higher-Scale Mixed Use District. Establish allowed medium- and higher-scale building types; establish minimum lot sizes and dimensional standards for medium-scale building types; remove minimum lot sizes for large residential building types; eliminate density as an independent standard. Remove height waiver allowances; replace with Inclusionary Zoning / TDR allowances to maximum and compatibility standards for bordering Low-Scale Neighborhood District. Allow multiple principal buildings on a lot if lot standards per building are met. (Section 3.01, 3.07, Article 5, Article 6, Section 19.03, Zoning District Map)

•LDR- 24-06 Reorganize Subdivision, Master Plan, and PUD Standards. Streamline and clarify processes, phasing, and applicable standards of review. Grant authority to Administrative Officer for approval of minor subdivisions. Establish thresholds for a one-time Master Plan exemption for small-scale subdivisions, enable designation of a portion of a property as “reserved for future use” with a limited submittal requirement in Master Plan, and re-locate minimum density standards from PUDs to Subdivisions. Consolidate context analysis, alternative compliance, and modification and waiver review into Subdivision standards. (Section 9.02, Articles 15.A, 15.B, 15.C)

•LDR-24-07 Consolidate similar commercial uses, define veterinary hospitals and allow in Form Based Code T4 zone, consolidate Airport and Airport-Industrial Zoning Districts, and general update to Table of Uses. (Sections 2.02, 3.01, 6.01, 6.02, 8. 8.09, Appendix C, Zoning Districts Map)

•LDR-24-08 Conservation Land Use Updates and Transferable Development Rights. Includes the following related subjects: (a) Remove Conservation Planned Unit Development (PUD) tool and adjust boundaries of Southeast Quadrant Zoning Districts to include additional land in Natural Resources Protection Zoning (NRP) District in instances of contiguous NRP land; (b) Define location of development area on lots with more than 70% Habitat Block / Habitat Connector coverage and Hazards; (c) Update the Transferable Development Rights program to have “receiving” areas be allowed within all higher-scale mixed use and commercial/ industrial zoning districts and removed from the Southeast Quadrant District, and define density increases for building height, lot coverage, and building coverage; (d) Change the zoning district for City-owned properties purchased or offered to the City for park spaces to the Park District, adjust the boundaries of the Natural Resources Protection (NRP) district to reflect actual conservation / development restrictions and areas outside the water and sewer service areas. (Sections 3.01, 12.04, 12.05, Article 19, Zoning Districts Map, Habitat Block & Habitat Connector Overlay District Map)

•LDR-24-09 Inclusionary Zoning Updates. Rework inclusionary zoning standards for compatibility and alignment with statutory incentive thresholds. Set requirements for inclusion of permanently-affordable homes for projects of ten (10) or more dwelling units, incorporate density and height bonuses granted for state-defined Affordable Housing Developments, and provide incentives for mandatory inclusionary units. Coordinate maximums of building height, building coverage, and lot coverage with those in the TDR program (LDR-24-08). Update reporting requirements. (Sections 2.02, 18.01, 19.03, Appendix C)

•LDR-24-10 Minor and Technical Amendments. Includes the following:

o Updates to definitions (Section 2.20)

o Remove redundant Satellite Dish standard (Section 3.06)

o Updates to Accessory Dwelling Unit Standards to align with Statutes (Sections 3.11, 14.11)

o Updates to non-conformities to match other amendments (Section 3.15)

o Clarification to Institutional & Agricultural District Purpose and Standards (Section 7.01)

o Rename Southeast Quadrant-Natural Resource Protection District to “Natural Resource Protection District” and update allowed housing to comply with Statutes (Sections 9.01, 9.12)

o Update parking standards to comply with Statutes and provide waiver authority to DRB for multi-family housing (Section 13.02)

o Update Fence heigh standards resulting from zoning district consolidation (Section 13.11)

o Update / consolidate alternative compliance and waiver authority for site plan review to align with subdivision authority (Section 14.04)

o Update notice & procedures (Section 17.08)

o Update terminology to refer to City Plan and for gender neutrality (throughout)

o Relocate standards to different parts of LDRs for clarity (throughout)

Note: principal sections / articles affected or modified by each amendment are listed above; however, amendments are located throughout the regulations. A complete table of contents of the proposed articles is as follows: 1 Purpose and Title; 2 Definitions; 3 General Provisions; 4 Residential Districts; 5 Commercial Districts; 6 Industrial and Airport Districts; 7 Other Districts; 8 City Center Form-Based Code District; 9 Natural Resource Protection District; 10 Selected Overlay Districts; 11.A Street Types; 11.B Civic Space and Site Amenity Types 11.C Building Types; 12 Environmental Protection Standards; 13 Supplemental Regulations; 14 Site Plan & Conditional Use Review; 15.A Subdivision Review; 15.B Master Plan Review; 15.C Planned Unit Development; 16 Construction and Erosion Control Standards; 17 Administration and Enforcement; 18 Housing Standards; 19 Transferable Development Rights; Appendices; Maps

Copies of the proposed amendments are available for inspection at the Department of Planning & Zoning, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 180 Market Street, and on the city website at www.sbvt.gov. Tim Barritt, South Burlington City Council Chair October 17, 2024

Carbon footprint: The price is right, or is it?

Clean & Green

Fred Kosnitsky

In a free market economy, the basic premise is that demand from rational and knowledgeable consumers will interact with profit-minded producers supplying goods that get sold at the “right” price. Pretty simple and straightforward. But in the real world, it turns out that a totally free market economy, one with no restrictions from the government, results in serious issues.

While the free market does reduce bureaucratic red tape and encourages the freedom to innovate, there are many possible market failures. With profit as the main goal, the economy may sacrifice worker safety; it may act unethically; and it may compromise on environmental protection. It might limit consumer choice by focusing on only the most profitable products — consider food deserts where supermarkets will not locate in poor areas or insurance companies leaving unprofitable disaster-prone sites.

While proponents say that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in such an economy, differentials in wealth and power often lead to the kind of income inequality so prevalent in the U.S. and many other countries.

On the flip side of the economic system spectrum is socialism, sometimes called a command economy. Here, the government controls much of what gets produced and at what cost to the consumers. The emphasis is on the general well-being of the populace, but at the expense of limiting entre-

preneurial freedom and innovation.

Virtually every economy is a blend of free market economics and socialist economics. Take the U.S. for example: We have restrained and guided businesses when we see that the marketplace leads to outcomes that we deem unacceptable. We have established child labor laws to protect the young. We have banned toxic chemicals that harm the environment and human health. We have put taxes and limitations on products such as cigarettes and alcoholic beverages to protect public health.

The question is not whether a country is capitalist or socialist, but rather where on the spectrum between these extremes its policies and practices are.

To continue the tobacco example, we banned the sale of cigarettes to minors and limited their use in bars and restaurants. If we can do these types of actions for an issue that is very serious but not as existentially threatening as the climate crisis, surely, we can make better use of the same tools for dealing with fossil fuel use.

What role should government play to control greenhouse gas emissions for the failure of the free market to include the real costs of using fossil fuels?

In this three-part series, we will explore what the role of government should be in putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions to correct the failure of the free market to include the costs of extracting and using fossil fuels that are not included in the market price of these fuels. These costs of fossil fuel use, like air pollution, global warming, catastrophic weather events, floods, droughts, wildfires, biodiversity loss, and more, are called negative externalities by economists. They are negative because of the harm they create and externalities because the costs are external, or outside of, the price that consumers pay for the product.

There are several economic tools that governments can use to correct such market failures. They can create disincentives to use the products, such as taxes or fees.

A classic example of this is what happened with tobacco products when the U.S. Surgeon General told the nation about the harmful effects of tobacco use. They can prohibit the use of products with bans or limit their use with regulations.

The government can also use incentives, such as tax credits or rebates, and support wanted activities with research funding, subsidies and government purchasing. To promote home ownership, we gave tax deductions for mortgage payments. Government research for space programs has yielded many important useful technologies used in other fields.

Governments at different levels (local, state, and federal) give housing subsidies to create stronger communities. Similarly, we can use these incentives, and concurrently remove subsidies and other benefits from industries that are causing problems, to deal with the climate crisis.

In part two we will look at two ways to put a price on carbon that uses the free market to reduce the use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In the final installment, we’ll explore other types of government regulation and investments that can lower our contributions to the climate crisis.

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

Eastern Equine Encephalitis blamed in death of Chittenden County man

EMMA COTTON VTDIGGER

A man from Chittenden County died from eastern equine encephalitis in September, the Vermont Department of Health announced on Thursday.

The man, who was in his 70s, was the first person to die from the disease in Vermont since 2012, according to a press release issued by the department. He was hospitalized in late August, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the test results this week, the release stated.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis, often called EEE, is a rare but serious disease transmitted through mosquitoes that is fatal in about 30 percent of people who develop severe symptoms, according to the CDC. There are no vaccines or treatments for the disease. Symptoms include headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, seizures, behavioral changes and drowsiness, but most infected people do not experience symptoms.

“I extend my condolences to the family, and all impacted by this sad event,” Health Commissioner Mark Levine said. “This is a heartbreaking reminder that while

infection with the virus that causes EEE remains rare, this disease can have serious consequences.”

One other person contracted the disease this year in Vermont but recovered after being hospitalized in August. A horse died after contracting the disease in September.

The risk of contracting EEE is “much lower now than it was in August,” according to the department’s press release, but officials continue to urge residents in highrisk communities in parts of Addison, Chittenden, Grand Isle and Rutland counties to take precautions after dark.

Job hunting? Vermont Tech Jam returns

Looking for a meaningful job?

Want to meet entrepreneurs building Vermont-based businesses?

You’ll find both at the Vermont Tech Jam on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Hula in Burlington.

The free event, organized by Seven Days and presented by Hula and Marvell, runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dozens of recruiters from some of Vermont’s largest employers will be scouting for talent at the Jam, including Beta Technologies, Waterbury’s KORE Power and NOMAD, National Life Group and Colchester-based VIP.

This year’s event will include

two talks:

• At noon, solopreneur Matty Benedetto of Burlington explains how he turned his oddball ideas and entrepreneurial drive into a social media powerhouse — Unnecessary Inventions — with 10 million followers. In a spacious, secondfloor Church Street Marketplace suite once occupied by the Gap, Benedetto uses an array of 3D printers to create prototypes of peculiar products on behalf of global brands including Disney, Dr. Pepper, Wendy’s and Apple.

• At 3 p.m., OnLogic cofounder and executive chair Roland Groeneveld and vice president of

human resources Lauren Lavallee discuss how the 21-year-old, locally owned company grew from its first home in Roland and Lisa Groeneveld’s apartment to its brand-new, 150,000-square-foot headquarters, visible behind the iconic “Whales’ Tails” sculpture off I-89 in South Burlington. With six offices spanning the globe and nearly 300 employees, OnLogic now generates more than $100 million in revenue annually working with clients such as NASA, General Motors and Universal Studios. Lavallee and her team will be at the Jam all day talking with potential hires.

Lake Champlain Sea Grant, UVM offer training on road salt practices

Lake Champlain Sea Grant and University of Vermont Extension are partnering with the Hyde Park Highway Department to offer free training for municipal employees and others who manage snow and ice on roads and other surfaces in winter. The workshop will be held at the Hyde Park Highway Department garage, 332 Vermont Route 15, on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 9:30-11:30 a.m.

The training will include a demonstration of Hyde Park’s use of a salt-water mixture to prewet salt before it is put on the road. This technology, combined with tracking road pavement temperatures and calibration have helped Hyde Park reduce use of salt by almost 50 percent over the past

Charity Sale

Saturday, October 19th

four winters. This has saved the town money and benefitted the environment.

Participants will learn about resources that describe other sustainable salt practices that communities are using to manage snow and ice that both keep people safe and reduce the use of salt.

Register for this free training at bit.ly/4dGa5Lp.

HONORING OUR VETERANS