The Other Paper - 1-2-25

Housing v. land conservation Long View project hits snag

Look ahead Local representatives weigh in as session starts

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South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977

the JANUARY 2, 2025

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VOLUME 49, NO. 1

Year in review

Little helpers

Education financing shapes discourse, voter sentiment LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

COURTESY PHOTOS

Children decorated cookies and created ornaments in a recent holiday event hosted by South Burlington Recreation and Parks.

There was arguably one thing on everyone’s mind in 2024: education financing.

The issue, along with the battle for affordability in a state that saw an average 14 percent property tax hike, became one of the most heated and debated topics last year for local and state leaders.

Both South Burlington School District and Champlain Valley School District suffered innumerable consequences due to a law that has become, in some ways, infa-

mously known as Act 127. The law, while meant to further equalize education, caused massive headaches for leaders at the two school districts last year. Not only did the law not work in their favor, but it was also incredibly complex and was altered in the 11th hour by the Legislature just weeks before Town Meeting Day. Beginning last year, Act 127 employed those new pupil weights to distribute state education dollars based on student needs.

See EDUCATION on page 11

Year in review

South Burlington City Council sees changing of the guard LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

When Beyoncé asked the question, “Who runs the world?” the answer, for her, was simple: “Girls.”

Arguably, that same sentiment has been true of the South Burlington City Council for the last decade. That was, until January, when two of its longest-tenured matriarchs — Helen Riehle and Meaghan Emery — decided it was time to pass the baton.

Both Riehle and Emery, who held over three decades of combined experience in city politics, announced in January that they would not be seeking reelection to the council during Town Meeting Day last year.

Their departure, along with Tyler Barnes — who was elected in 2023 — left three seats up for grabs last March and meant that the council makeup would look entirely differSee CITY COUNCIL on page 10

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Page 2 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

Year in review

Crafty kiddos

Conservation, development clash in South Burlington Land trust stipulation could affect Long project LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER

COURTESY PHOTO

South Burlington Recreation and Parks recently held a crafting workshop where children decorated cookies and ornaments.

SBHS Music Fundraiser Christmas Tree Pick-up Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025

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lished, the city has acquired, conserved or participated in a partnership to purchase eight properties totaling over 635 acres.

The battle over conservation and devel- These include the Scott Property, Leduc opment in South Burlington peaked this Properties, Goodrich Parcel, Hubbard year as the city council inked support for Nature Park and Auclair Properties, among one the most unique projects the city has others — six of which are in the city’s southundertaken to date: the Long View Project. east quadrant, the southernmost portion of The project looks to conserve roughly the city bordering Hinesburg and Williston, 32 acres at 1720 and 1730 Spear St., next to which constitutes the largest undeveloped the Great Swamp, which city leaders have part of South Burlington with some of the most expensive real estate identified as a top conserin Vermont. vation priority for years.

“I do not see this as As growth in the city The project would also continues to boom, the set aside 2.5 acres for 16 a good use of my tax battle over where that affordable homes in partdevelopment should go nership with Green Moundollars. The city plan has been a top priority for tain Habitat for Humanity.

Work to conserve this talks about inclusive, the city. Land use regulations passed this year area has been in the works sought to infill developwith the South Burlingtransparent, ment into city center to ton Land Trust and the protect some of the city’s property owners Northequitable, fiscally most cherished natural east Agricultural Trust, a resources. limited liability company responsible But while South Burlowned by Tom and Janet governance.” ington was a leader in Bellavance, since 2023. reaching housing goals However, the city council officially signaled its intent — Peter Taylor this year as the state continues to grapple with to move the work forward with a hefty $460,000 commitment in open an increasing housing crisis, some residents have argued that this property could hold space funds to support the project.

But councilor support of the project was more than just 16 affordable houses.

On Dec. 13, the Vermont Housing and not unanimous — councilor Mike Scanlan voted against the project — and neither was Conservation Board awarded a grant of resident support. The project has spurred $175,000 for the acquisition of the propsome backlash from residents who cited a erty, but a condition in the agreement may lack of transparency over the use of open pose a snag for the project moving forward. space funds to buy the property, specifically It states that approximately 6.2 acres will be a property located within one of the city’s included in the conservation easement but conserved as a “transition zone” that leaves wealthiest enclaves.

“It’s time to spread the wealth a little open the possibility for future affordable bit,” Linda Bailey told the council in housing development or other appropriate community uses.

September.

President of the South Burlington Land “I do not see this as a good use of my tax dollars. The city plan talks about inclusive, Trust, Rosanne Grecco sent an email to the transparent, equitable, fiscally responsible Vermont Housing and Conservation Board governance,” Peter Taylor said at that same on Dec. 16 that asks the board to re-conmeeting. “My concern about this purchase vene to vote to remove that stipulation since is the process has not been transparent and it goes against the project’s main goal of welcoming of resident input and continues conservation.

“Paragraph 1c introduces a contingento focus on the southeast quadrant of the cy that endangers the entire project and city, where the wealthiest residents live.”

City voters established an Open Space will result in no housing nor a permanent and Conservation Fund in 2000, levying protection for the most important natural one cent on the tax rate for the conserva- area in South Burlington,” Grecco wrote. tion and acquisition of open spaces. In the “Building more housing on more of the land years that followed, voters approved widen- is incompatible with the goal of the consering and modifying the scope of the fund to vation project.”

It remains to be seen how exactly the include the acquisition of lands for recreation and for maintenance and enhancement project will move forward but it is poised to be top of the agenda as the city embarks of the city’s parks.

In the years since this fund was estab- on a new year.

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The Other Paper • January 2, 2025 • Page 3

All are welcome!

Celebrate with us!

Wishing You All a Happy and Healthy Holy Year of 2025!

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ST. JOHN VIANNEY CHURCH 160 Hinesburg Road, S. Burlington • 802-864-4166 stjohnvianneyvt.org PHOTO COURTESY JOHN RODGERS

Lt. Gov.-elect John Rodgers, center left, in discussion with outgoing Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman.

John Rodgers: political rebound, switching parties and priorities EKATERINA RAIKHOVSKI COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE

Grandchildren running around his 1840s farmhouse isn’t the only thing keeping John Rodgers’ hands full these days.

There’s the masonry business the West Glover 59-year-old has run for the last two decades, the hemp farm he’s managed for the last few years, and he even works plowing snow from driveways.

Now the former Northeast Kingdom legislator has added another commitment to the list: Serving as Vermont’s next lieutenant governor.

Following a race this fall decided by about 6,000 votes, according to state records, incumbent Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman conceded to Rodgers on Nov. 7 and paved the way for the Democrat-turned-Republican to re-enter politics after losing his Statehouse seat in 2020.

Rodgers spoke to the Winooski News ahead of his Jan. 8, 2025, start date about his plans for the role and his path toward it.

Rodgers’ election as lieutenant governor was something of a surprising achievement for someone who, early in his career, was hesitant about getting involved in politics.

“I had young kids, my own business, and it’s just really hard to justify taking the amount of time off my business during construction season to campaign because it’s a money losing proposition,” he said. “But they convinced me that there was no

time like the present, and I went for it.”

As a Democrat, Rodgers first sought a seat in the Orleans-Caledonia 1 House district in 2000 and lost by about 130 votes. But two years later he edged out one of the incumbents by 16 votes and won a seat in the Vermont House.

He’d keep his spot in office until 2010 — when he lost by fewer than five votes — before serving eight years as a senator for the Essex-Orleans district.

The 2020 election threw a wrench into his winning streak.

Rodgers missed the deadline to file his paperwork for the Democratic primary, forcing him to run as an independent instead after nearly two decades representing the party. He’d finish fifth out of five candidates that year.

“I think there’s too many people who vote for a D and R and don’t really know who the candidate is,” Rodgers said. “I really underestimated how badly that hurt me.”

These days, he is hopeful his political ambiguity and experience will help him navigate his new role. “I’m a Vermonter first, and you are part of a party, but you shouldn’t let it dictate who you are and who you work with,” he said. “I see my role as lieutenant governor as being nonpartisan. I’m elected to work for all Vermonters.”

Democrat in the Kingdom

running as a Democrat in the Kingdom, he switched parties ahead of the 2024 election and ran on the Republican ticket.

“The Democratic Party had shifted way too far to the left, and they don’t appear to understand blue collar Vermonters,” he said.

A self-proclaimed Yankee, Rodgers said he felt the party had moved away from him and other working-class Vermonters, finding that many moderate Republicans still represented the communities he hails from.

The role of lieutenant governor is one that may be inconspicuous to many Vermonters.

The official duties of the position entail running the Senate, voting only as a tiebreaker, and sitting on the three-person panel that decides committee assignments in the chamber.

But the statewide platform of the position has Rodgers excited to jump into the role.

“I want to be a bridge between Vermonters and the Statehouse, because I feel that Vermonters’ voices aren’t being heard enough in the building,” he said. “We want to get out in the communities and have town hall meetings where people can say these are the issues we’re facing, and these are the ideas we have. This is what we would like to see and be able to bring that back to the Legislature.”

Former gubernatorial candidate James Ehlers, an outspoken

While Rodgers grew up in a Democratic family and had consistent electoral success

See RODGERS on page 16

Page 4 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

Elder Care online resource for families launches CareForTom has launched the first comprehensive online resource dedicated to providing families with unbiased, expert-verified elder care information at carefortom.org.

According to a 2023 Family Caregiver Alliance study, 76 percent of family caregivers report needing more information about care options for their aging loved ones. CareForTom is a national initiative that addresses a critical gap in accessible resources for families navigating care decisions for aging loved ones.

According to a 2023 National Alliance for Caregiving survey, 74 percent of family caregivers spend Five to 10 hours per week searching across multiple websites for information about their loved one’s care needs.

“Despite having resources and workplace flexibility that many families lack, I still struggled to find reliable information when caring for my aging parents,” Shelburne’s Nicole Junas Ravlin, founder and board chair of CareForTom, said.

Unlike existing resourc-

es that may be influenced by advertising or profit motives, carefortom.org is committed to remaining completely free and unbiased. All content is meticulously researched and verified by subject matter experts, including health care professionals, elder law attorneys and experienced care providers.

“More than half of family caregivers in the U.S. report feeling they don’t have enough information to make confident decisions about care options,” executive director and CEO Monica Arnold said.

The organization collaborates with leading institutions and professionals nationwide to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness of resources. Following a successful soft-launch phase focused on content development and rigorous fact-checking, CareForTom will continue to release new resources monthly. The organization relies on donations and grants to maintain its commitment to free, unbiased, easy to access information.

Learn more at carefortom. org.

the

Go, tennenbaum: creative ways to recycle your Christmas trees DEBRA HELEBA UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT EXTENSION

If your holiday includes a live, cut Christmas tree, you may be wondering what to do with it after the festivities are over. Many towns, civic clubs, and solid waste districts across Vermont now have disposal programs in place. Most offer curbside pickup of spent trees so long as all decorations, including tinsel, have been removed. This is a convenient way for you to recycle your tree.

If you are not yet ready to give up your tree or are looking for other ways to use it, there are several options to consider.

Create a respite for birds.

Move your tree outdoors and decorate it with edible ornaments that birds and other wildlife can enjoy. You can hang suet in the tree, out of reach of dogs, and make homemade decorations of peanut butter-covered pinecones.

An outdoor tree feeder can be enjoyable for birds and birdwatchers alike.

Remove branches and use them to cover tender perennials.

Branches can help protect your overwintering plants from snow and ice, providing them with a bit of cover and helping to maintain consistent winter temperatures.

Rent a chipper on your own or with neighbors. Chipped mulch

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PHOTO BY DEBRA HELEBA

After the holidays are over, there are many environmentally friendly ways to recycle a Christmas tree from placing it outdoors as a haven for birds to chipping it up into mulch for the compost pile or for fill for raised beds.

is a valuable carbon source for your compost pile. Remember that composting works best when you use about a three-to-one ratio recipe with three parts browns

(carbon sources like chipped mulch) to one part greens (like See CHRISTMAS TREE on page 16

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V E R G E N N E S G R A N D. C O M

The Other Paper • January 2, 2025 • Page 5

OPINION Stannard’s look back to 2024 Guest Perspective Bob Stannard Like every year, a whole lot happened in 2024. Wars, trips to outer space, assassination attempts, a solar eclipse and still the price of groceries have not come down.

Here’s my take on 2024, so pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the ride.

January: The year kicked off with the release of Jeffery Epstein’s “associates.”

The list included Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Steven Hawking, Michael Jackson and Prince Andrew of Britain. It was forgotten three days later.

NASA helicopter Ingenuity flew its 72nd and final flight on Mars. At government expense the copter was used to seek out building sites for Elon Musk’s new home. Musk said it was an entirely appropriate use of U.S. taxpayer’s dollars and denied that he was a socialist, saying he was more of a fascist.

Woman wins Ugliest Lawn contest.

Winner Kathleen Murray said, “I’m all for guilt-free weekends, especially since my ex-husband left with the lawnmower back in 2016.”

Putin’s three-day invasion of Ukraine enters its third year.

February: A city that existed 2,500 years ago in Ecuador was discovered. The city was larger than both the Aztecs and Mayans. They were finally able to take down the “Have You Seen This Missing City” signs.

Greece legalized same-sex marriage and adoption, becoming the first Orthodox Christian Country to do so. Homophobe Stephen Miller cancels his trip to Greece.

The Odysseus moon lander, operated

by Intuitive Machines, was the first U.S.owned spacecraft to land on the moon in over 50 years. The landing wasn’t a total success, though, as the lander ended up tipping on its side during the process.

Musk was furious at having to look at sideways pictures of his other, taxpayer-funded home site.

March: Vladimir Putin won re-election with 88 percent. The remaining 12 percent remain unaccounted for. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, who only won by 71 percent, places a phone call to Putin to see how he pulled off 88 percent. The call went straight to voicemail.

Joe Biden wins the primary in Vermont.

He’s 100 percent confident that Vermont will put him back in the White House.

Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses after being hit by a cargo ship.

Lyrics to his song changed to, “Oh say can you not see my bridge.”

Montpelier gets hit with another flood.

GOP declares climate change a hoax.

April: Coming under the that’s-quitea-buzz category a 3-year-old claimed to hear monsters in her wall. Her parents said

monsters aren’t real. They found a giant honeycomb and 50,000 bees living in the toddler’s bedroom wall, proving, once and for all that monsters ARE REAL! Taylor Swift becomes the first musician to become a billionaire solely from songs and performances.

May: Around 2,500 crazed monkeys invaded a town in Thailand. They were trapped and put back in cages. In Vermont an equal number of crazed creatures were running around begging people for votes.

Some got elected. We’re told that none was caged.

Vermont State University recently awarded Max the Cat a doctorate of litter-ature for his exceeding friendliness.

Confident he can topple Phil Scott, Max announces his run for governor in 2026.

Robert Kennedy Jr. discloses that he had a worm in his brain. No one was surprised.

The International Criminal Court requested arrest warrants for war crimes committed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defense minister Yoav Gallant and three HAMAS leaders, for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsified business records. It seems no one cared.

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June: Mexico elected its first female, Jewish president, Claudia Sheinbaum.

Biden had the best debate of his career against Trump. Said. No one. Ever.

July: There were many losers, a few winners at the Paris Olympics. Top winners: Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart.

Hurricane Beryl trashes northern Vermont.

GOP again declares climate change a hoax.

August: Tom Cruise closes the Olympics by stunt jumping from a roof.

Vermont gets flooded by Hurricane Debby.

GOP re-re-declares climate change a hoax.

Kennedy admits he put a dead bear in New York’s Central Park.

September: RFK Jr. investigated for sawing off a whale’s head. Says, “This is all about the weaponization of our government against political opponents.” The whale disagreed. Norway became the first country in the world where electric cars outnumbered petrol cars. No more Tupperware parties. After 80 years the company files for bankruptcy.

October: Lebron and Bronny James became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game together. 250 Vermont towns got mad at Stowe for being named No. 1 as the “Top Best Places to See Fall Colors in the United States” by USA Today. (The leaves were quite pretty in Manchester.)

See STANNARD on page 10

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Page 6 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

As we search for solutions, remember we are one Vermont tions, as well as other regulatory and government structures.

This tension is worth underRep. Kate Nugent standing better. Who, or what At our most recent legislative level of decision-maker, should forum on Dec. 9 at the library, make what decisions related the city’s five representatives and to school and school funding? several school district leaders Further, which decision makers met with community members have the legal authority to make to discuss the cost of what decisions? education in Vermont.

In addition to state Rep. Brian Minier and federal requiregave a comprehensive ments for what schools and succinct overview provide, the state has of the history and decided it is responsibackground, and Rep.ble for the education elect Bridget Burkhardt of every student in provided a summary Vermont. However, the of some of the possible state has not clearly solutions the blue-ribconnected funding to Rep. Kate Nugent bon commission and education standards or Agency of Education outcomes. As of now, listening tour presenwe require that schools tations have heard. The forum get the state tax dollars they was a productive discussion that request, but we distribute funds allowed us to hear reactions and based on the estimated costs of ideas from voters about some of educating that school’s students. the proposals, as well as specific Vermont graduated 5,460 questions about the issues. students last year from high This discussion made clear school, according to the National that how we manage education in Center for Education statistics, Vermont is reliant on both what and from that number we can local districts and state lawmakestimate that there are about ers decide. The Vermont Consti21,000 high school students tution and subsequent Vermont in the state. The state is 9,217 Supreme Court decisions about square miles, in the bottom 10 common benefits, along with the for land area. There are 82 public fact that Vermont is a Dillon’s high schools and 47 private high Rule state, means that the state schools. is the default authority for all We don’t really know if government decision-making, not merging schools will save the the municipality. This leads to state funds, but it seems since tension in Vermont that is at the every school must provide certain center of education funding ques- services, no matter how many

From the House

students, that there would be some savings. However, schools do more than simply educate youth in a community, they also serve as convening places where families get to know each other and have a sense of belonging and purpose. The motivation for raising the next generation creates a strong bond and sense of community, but whether it is the only way a community can foster a sense of belonging is an important question to ask as well, if or when some schools close.

I also want to be clear that a lot of systems we rely on right now are under strain and facing hard choices, and any leader who says otherwise is not being fair or honest.

Vermont will face more floods before we have even cleaned up from the most recent floods.

How and what federal services are provided may change. Our nation’s demographics are changing, and our population is getting smaller. American health care is exponentially more expensive each year because of many factors, but especially because of how we pay for it through a business model that is more profitable the less use it gets. Add housing, the cost of living, school construction, social media, more siloed news sources and isolation to this list, and it is easy to see why it’s difficult to find solutions and solve problems.

What is clear is that we can no longer think of Vermont only from the perspective of the city

or town we live in, but with one beating heart and one mission to take care of each other in a way that is fair and responsible.

We must see our students not as South Burlington or Barton students, but as Vermont students with Vermont families whose needs and opportunities are sometimes similar and sometimes different. We need to clearly understand our own community’s needs and opportunities, and, at the same time, see these needs and opportunities in context of all the communities in the state.

To do this, we also need to

call out and recognize politicians who use this moment for their own short-term gain by describing other Vermonters and decision-makers as not “one of us.” We must remember who we are as one state and that we know how to solve problems together.

Thank you for everything you do for your neighbors and community and don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, needs or ideas.

Kate Nugent, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-10 House district.

Prep for first House term shows ed funding, health care, housing top issues for restructuring our education funding system. The commission produced a preliminary report Rep. Bridget Burkhardt in mid-December and must Thank you to the South Burlprovide final recommendations in ington and Williston commuDecember 2025. nities for your support during I have been following the my campaign for election to the commission’s meetings, which Vermont House as the representa- are open to the public and availtive for the Chittenden-8 district. able to join online, since they I am eagerly anticipating the start began in July and have learned of the new biennium a lot from hearing the Jan. 8 and look forward testimony of a range to serving both commuof witnesses who nities as one of your work with different representatives. parts of our education While all legislators system. In addition, vote on bills across a a group of legislators wide range of issues, and legislators-elect much of a legislator’s have been meeting work is done in the virtually for the last committee to which several weeks to study they are assigned where Rep. Bridget Burkhardt ideas brainstormed by they hear testimony and the commission for help shape bills that are possible changes to the moved through the legislative education funding system. process. New legislators only None of these ideas are full receive their committee assignpolicy recommendations but are ments during the first week of the meant to help inform the debate session, so I’ve been feeling like about the restructuring of our a kid who can see her present education financing system that under the Christmas tree but will be a high priority in the cannot open it until January. upcoming legislative session.

In the meantime, I’ve been Recordings of the commission’s working to learn as much as I meetings and materials related to can about a range of issues so I them are available on the Agency can try to get a head start on the of Education website along with steep learning curve that awaits, reports like the updated State no matter which committee I am Education Profile that the agency assigned. produced in November.

As a former school board Much like the education member, education and educasystem, Vermont’s healthcare tion funding are particular areas system is complex and facing of interest for me. Act H.887, extreme challenges regarding passed in May 2024, created the access and affordability. The Commission for the Future of rising cost of healthcare, which Public Education in Vermont. is obviously challenging for The commission is tasked with patients, is also driving increases producing a vision for the future of public education in Vermont See BURKHARDT on page 7 along with recommendations

From the House

The Other Paper • January 2, 2025 • Page 7

Housing and children are necessary for society BURKHARDT continued from page 6 Guest Perspective Vince Bolduc I’ve been reflecting on the recent column in the Dec. 12 issue of The Other Paper by John Bossange titled “More housing will mean higher taxes.” His argument is straightforward. For every 100 new housing units built, there will be about 40 new school age children. Because of this, he warns, our taxes will increase.

I have two reactions. First, it is not necessarily true. New housing also increases the grand list which increases revenues and generates more income for the city.

Shouldn’t one balance the other?

The business community also adds handsomely to these revenues to support the schools without adding to their expenses.

The professionals who oversee our school and city budgets are required to keep expenses and revenues in balance, a difficult task to be sure. This sometimes results in higher taxes. But achieving the right balance, I’m afraid, is not as simple as the formula “new families increase taxes.”

The opposite can also occur.

Hundreds of non-housing factors are simultaneously at work on the budget process that result in the taxes we pay. For example, the new (and frustratingly complex) state education funding formula breaks the direct link between the number of students and school budgets. And some houses contain no children. Thus, more housing doesn’t necessarily mean higher taxes.

My second concern about last week’s column is that some readers might mistakenly believe that preventing new families from moving into our community will save current residents on their

Window Cleaning

tax bill. This seems like a particularly ungenerous concern in a world facing so many existential challenges. This much is indisputable: We need more housing, and we need more children. Without children, civilization simply ends.

South Burlington’s widely supported “City Plan 2024” actively encourages new housing, most concretely on pages 16-20.

It includes this: “We must provide a range of housing options in our community and acknowledge the need to address this issue regionally as a cooperative and collaborative member of the Chittenden County community.” This is good stuff.

Looming beyond the intrinsic value of South Burlington as a welcoming community, the indisputable truth is that there is a very serious housing crisis in our nation, our state, and in our own community. The human costs of this crisis are nothing short of tragic, especially those which result in broken family budgets and — at worst — homelessness.

Area employers are also having workforce problems because of the lack of housing.

Employers tell us that many prospective workers will not move here because they cannot find a suitable place to live. The high cost of housing is a result of housing scarcity. There is also ample evidence that too many young workers and recent college grads reluctantly leave the state because they cannot afford to live here. Without young workers, our communities will surely stagnate, not just economically, but socially as well. Gov. Phil Scott addresses this problem with some frequency.

Economic growth aside, the lack of housing and young families also affects us personally. Vermont’s high proportion

of elderly (and low proportion of children) presents other problems. The shortage of mechanics, electricians, doctors, teachers, health care workers, and innumerable service providers is a serious issue.

It is one of the reasons for the long waits and high costs for these services. We need more workers in many fields and a better demographic balance and growth rate would be better for all of us.

Here is how it was put by one expert: “By growing the younger populations in a state, you can bring substantial benefits. Younger residents increase the size of the labor force, contribute more to tax revenue, and drive innovation. On the other hand, an aging population faces a declining number of residents paying income taxes, less daily spending, and general economic stagnation, creating an additional burden for the remaining taxpayers.”

Finally, South Burlington is perfectly situated to offer more housing in an environmentally efficient way. The whole city is within 3.5 miles of the state’s largest employer, innumerable services and possesses an infrastructure that is the envy of most communities. Because of this, population growth in our community leaves a much smaller environmental footprint than the same growth in the exurbs. This is another reason to support more— not less—housing in our community. We owe it to our children and our society.

Vince Bolduc has been a resident of South Burlington since 1974. He is a retired sociologist and a member of the city’s housing committee. The views expressed herein are not intended to reflect those of the larger committee.

in property taxes as premiums paid for employee benefits

by Vermont’s school districts have increased by double digit percentages in the last several years. As a state we need to build a healthcare system that can provide the services needed by our aging population without unsustainable increases in costs.

I’ve attended both in-person and online meetings with executives from the UVM Health Network as they attempt to explain the cuts to services they are enacting across the state. I have also watched a meeting of the Health Reform Oversight Committee, a joint committee of the House and Senate that oversees the state’s healthcare reform efforts.

The meeting is available for the public to watch on YouTube. I would also encourage anyone who wants to follow the debate about our healthcare system to read a report by consultants Oliver Wyman that was produced in September and is available on the Green Mountain Care Board website.

Throughout the series of meetings I have attended or watched over the past several months, there has been a recurring theme that affects nearly every other challenge we are facing as a state: a lack of affordable housing.

We cannot recruit enough staff for our hospitals, nor attorneys to work in our State’s Attorney’s office, nor skilled employees for our businesses because people who want to move to Vermont cannot find housing. In addition, approximately 3,500 Vermonters do not have permanent housing, and many of them can no longer access the motel voucher program.

Without permanent housing,

it is difficult for these community members to maintain jobs or access to services like healthcare or education for their children.

In November, I spent a day at an annual conference put on by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency to try to deepen my understanding of housing issues.

I also had the opportunity to attend an annual luncheon put on by the Champlain Housing Trust and a legislative breakfast at Allard Square. The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission hosted a breakfast for legislators in December, and much of the discussion focused on housing.

While I am unlikely to be assigned to the Committee on General and Housing because Representative Krasnow is already representing our interests so well on that committee, nearly every committee’s work touches housing and housing affordability in some way.

In addition to the meetings on specific issues and introductory meetings with many state agencies and non-profits, I’ve had the chance to connect with many members of the communities both during and after the campaign. I look forward to bringing your voices to Montpelier to help shape solutions to the challenges we face and need input from as many of you as possible. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at bburkhardt@ leg.state.vt.us, and join all five of your South Burlington representatives at our monthly legislative forum on Monday, Jan. 27 at the South Burlington Public Library.

Bridget Burkhardt, a Democrat, represents South Burlington in the Chittenden-8 House district.

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Page 8 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

COMMUNITY Eleva Chamber Players present DragonBoot String Quartet New York City-based DragonBoot String Quartet will play in Vermont on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 3 p.m., at the United Church of Christ/Waterbury Congregational Church, 8 North Main St., Waterbury.

DragonBoot, a quartet of musicians poised at the brink of promising careers, will perform music of two familiar composers, and will also introduce the audience to the work of a contemporary American composer. The program will include Haydn’s String Quartet Op.33 No. 1, Caroline Shaw’s Three Essays for String Quartet and Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18 No. 4.

The quartet includes violinists Cate Carson and Katya Moeller, violist Sydney Whipple and cellist Lila Holyoke. Built

on a foundation of deep musical relationships, the members of this ensemble have fostered musical connections that have survived the test of time.

Carson and Whipple first played together at the California Summer Music Festival over 10 years ago. Holyoke and Moeller have performed together in chamber ensembles for three consecutive years.

The DragonBoot String Quartet is the ultimate fusion of avid chamber musicians, finally coming together at The Juilliard School. They are currently in the Honors Chamber Music Program at Juilliard, coaching with former Cavani Quartet member, Merry Peckham and Juilliard Provost and violist, Adam Meyer.

Tickets are available at elevachamberplayers.com or at the door.

Community Notes Fire department, library team up for safety storytime Michelle Collins, a firefighter and advanced emergency medical technician will offer a fire safety storytime at the South Burlington Public Library.

The South Burlington firefighter’s talk will be held Saturday, Jan. 11, at 10 a.m.

Cathedral hosts pancake breakfast The Cathedral’s Bishop DeGoesbriand Council will serve a pancake breakfast in the parish hall, 29 Allen St., Burlington, on Sunday, Jan. 12, from 9-11:30 a.m.

Feast on all your favorites: blueberry

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Bike groups offer tips on winter commuting Local Motion has two events coming up for people who want to learn more about winter bicycle commuting.

Jan. 9 from 6:30-7:30 p.m., watch an online stream featuring Local Motion’s See COMMUNITY NOTES on page 9

Check Locally First Chances are what you need is available through local online ordering and curbside pickup or delivery. Our entire community is depending on your support.

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pancakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, French toast and more. Coffee, juice, and real maple syrup are included.

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The Other Paper • January 2, 2025 • Page 9

COMMUNITY NOTES continued from page 8 bike fleet lead mechanic preparing a couple of bikes for winter commutes and answering questions about winter bike commuting.

Jan. 14, Local Motion and Old Spokes Home present an evening of discussion with a panel of seasoned Vermont commuters at the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, from 6-7 p.m. Participants will share ideas on how to stay warm, visible, and dry in this cold season. Bring a mug, because there will be hot chocolate.

Both events are free. More information, localmotion.org/ shop_talk_on_winter_riding.

Shelburne Age Well hosts two luncheons St. Catherine of Siena and Age Well are teaming up to offer luncheons on Tuesday, Jan. 14, and

Tuesday, Jan. 21, for anyone 60 or older in the St. Catherine of Siena Parish Hall, 72 Church St., in Shelburne.

The check-in time is 11:30 and the meal will be served at noon.

There is a $5 suggested donation.

The menu for Jan. 14 is a pork chop with pineapple sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, green and black beans, wheat bread and pears. The deadline to register is Jan. 8 The menu for Jan. 21 is macaroni and cheese, green beans, stewed tomatoes, wheat roll and an apple.

The deadline to register is Jan. 15.

Contact Molly BonGiorno, nutrition coordinator at 802-6625283 or mbongiorno@agewellvt. org Tickets are also available at the Age Well Office, 875 Roosevelt Highway, Suite 210, Colchester.

Restaurant tickets will be avail-

able for distribution for a suggested $5 donation.

Vermont Invention Fair urges students to register Students in grades K-8 are invited to participate in the 3rd annual Vermont Invention Fair on Saturday, Feb. 8 at BETA Technologies.

To participate, students come up with an invention idea, build a prototype and showcase their idea.

Past invention ideas have included cat carriers, book pullers, egg washers and more — the sky’s the limit.

To learn more and register, visit vtdayschool.org/inventionfair. Participants are encouraged to register by Jan. 18 to receive an inventor’s journal and t-shirt.

The Vermont Invention Fair is

co-hosted by Vermont Day School and BETA Technologies (pre-registration is required).

Mad Arts exhibit features new vision of old sculpture Mad River Valley Arts (Mad Arts) presents Lisa Dimondstein, Julie Parker and Sandra Shenk in “Abstract^2.”

The exhibit, at 5031 Main Street, Unit 2, Waitsfield, runs from Jan. 3-Feb. 28. Reception: Jan. 18 from 5-7 p.m.

These three women photographers are dedicated to radicalizing the photo as image. They abstract from a pre-existing abstract sculpture with the aim to capture the essential properties

STAY CONNECTED Anywhere, Anytime

Obituary Pasco Frank Iafrate Pasco Frank “Pat” Iafrate of South Burlington, died peacefully at the McClure Miller Respite House on Nov. 17, 2024, at the age of 94.

Pat will be remembered as a family-oriented man of many achievements and pastimes. Born in Johnston, R.I., on March 25, 1930, to parents Pasquale and Mary (Testa) Iafrate, Pat was the youngest of four children — the late Fred Iafrate, Angelina Branca, and Phillip Iafrate.

Pat graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in Providence in 1948 where he played football. Immediately after graduation, he enlisted in the military reserves and continued to play football at the semi-pro level.

At the urging of an uncle, Pat attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he majored in mechanical engineering.

He interrupted his studies to serve in the Korean War where he led a Howitzer crew as a U.S Marine sergeant. He was wounded, received a Purple Heart, and was honorably discharged in 1952.

He resumed his studies and graduated from RISD in 1954.On April 1, 1952, he met his beloved Gloria at a roller rink. They wed on Oct. 2, 1954, moved to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., for Pat’s job at IBM, and started their family.

In 1966, IBM transferred them to South Burlington. He

Pasco Frank Iafrate

earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Vermont in 1976 Pat was a creator his whole life and was granted a U.S. Patent on one of his many inventions. He built backyard ice rinks in the winter and sculpted whales out of sand in the summer for his daughters. He loved woodworking and built and carved many wooden toys for his grandchildren. Pat’s family and friends used to joke with him about the gizmos in his garage too precious to discard.

But he also loved the outdoors. He sailed Mallets Bay on his 20-foot sloop, Windsong.

An avid golfer in pursuit of a hole-in-one, he finally achieved his dream at the age of 77.

Pat was a man of a few words but when he spoke it was worth listening. He had such a quick

wit and a great sense of humor that his one-liners kept the family laughing.

He never missed his daughter’s events and continued that tradition with his grandchildren.

He was always ready to teach someone something new, to fix any problem that arose, or to complete any project.

Pat is survived by his daughters, Patricia Newman and her husband, Kendall of Carmichael, Calif., and Annette Harton and her husband, Kelley of South Burlington; and cherished grandchildren and great-granddaughter: Elise (Newman) Eye and her husband Noah, and their daughter Erowyn, Scott Newman and his wife, Lauren, Megan Harton and Mia Harton.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 29, from 9:3011 a.m. at Ready Funeral Home South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Road, Burlington. A funeral service and military honors will take place at 11 a.m. Interment of ashes will immediately follow in Resurrection Park Columbarium, 200 Hinesburg Road, South Burlington.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Pat’s memory to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation atmacular.org.

Arrangements are in the care of Ready Funeral & Cremation Services. To share online condolences, please visit readyfuneral. com.

and relationships of the original abstract concept, and in doing so they remove themselves from any context or specific content or representation. The process involves eliminating any reference to realworld objects or situations and focus only on the inherent structures and relationships.

The Cold Hollow Sculpture Park, in Enosburg Falls, has over 70 large abstract sculptures by renowned artist David Stromeyer. Dimondstein’s, Parker’s and Shenk’s photographs are inventive abstractions from Stromeyer’s sculptures. They utilize an in-camera multiple exposure technique to explore the intricate relationship between color, texture, movement, line and form.

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Page 10 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

FILE PHOTO

The South Burlington City Council, from left, Michael Scanlan, Andrew Chalnick, city manger Jessie Baker, Tim Barritt, Laurie Smith and Elizabeth Fitzgerald.

CITY COUNCIL

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ent than it did just a year ago.

Emery was first elected to the council in 2008 and was later appointed the council’s vice chair in 2011, marking the first time in the city’s history where three women comprised most of the council while also holding every leadership position — vice chair, chair and clerk. Riehle was elected to the council in 2012 and served as the vice chair before being appointed to chair in March 2016.

Their departure left the city council race wide open and South Burlington residents voted in Mike Scanlan, a former U.S. diplomat, Laurie Smith, a former city planning commissioner and Elizabeth Fitzgerald, a former school board member, capping off a heated race that had six candidates vying for the open seats.

The trio joined Andrew Chalnick and Tim Barritt — the council chair and now the longest-tenured

STANNARD

continued from page 5 November: Somebody got elected to something. A lot of people were happy. A lot of people were unhappy.

December: For the third straight year, the leading cause of death in America for children and teens, ages 1 to 17, was guns. Firearms killed more kids than car crashes and cancer.

Vermont had no mass shootings, but 66 people died from guns.

To all my faithful readers I’d like to say thank you for continuing this ride with me. I will keep writing — 20 years they tell me — as long as you keep reading. Happy New Year.

Bob Stannard has been a Vermont political commentator for over two decades. He is an author, musician and former state legislator and lobbyist.

member.

“The city council has a tremendous amount of work to do as we address the many concerns that are facing us in these challenging times,” Smith told The Other Paper in March. “Balancing growth, environmental protection, housing, the pressures on our school system and more will require collaboration and careful consideration if we hope to find a sustainable path forward.”

The five-person council has worked hard over the last year setting priorities and working together to find ways to balance the critical juncture the city is in.

As population and density grow, the city is poised to be a leader in hitting housing initiatives among other developmental goals as outlined in the 2024 city plan.

A list of priorities adopted by the council in September includes continued work on transportation initiatives and street connectedness, climate goals and working to balance development to City Center while simultaneously protecting key natural resources in the city.

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The Other Paper • January 2, 2025 • Page 11

EDUCATION continued from page 1 The new formula updated the state’s equalized pupil-weighting system and gave more “value” to students from lower-income families, English language learners, students from low-population districts and small schools in sparsely populated districts.

In other words, if a district is more heavily weighted, Act 127 would allow those districts to spend more with less effect on local tax rates.

To soften the blow in communities like South Burlington and the towns that make up Champlain Valley School District, the law also implemented a 5 percent cap for taxes for the next five years. But for that discount to be effective, the district would have needed to spend less than 10 percent more per pupil over current spending.

For the South Burlington School District, for example, that meant the budget could have been as low as $64.7 million and as high as $71.4 million with the same effect on the residential homestead tax rate.

Most school leaders opted to max out the spending cap to preserve critical programs and staff, but legislators took issue with that aspect of the law early in the 2024 legislative session, arguing that districts throughout the state were taking advantage of the spending mechanism.

As a solution, a new bill was fast-tracked through the Statehouse in February — weeks before Town Meeting Day and after school districts had already voted on their budgets — which replaced the 5 percent cap with a one-cent tax rate discount for every percent lost in the district’s taxing capacity since Act 127’s implementation.

Still, the towns that make up the school districts were staring down an 18 percent tax rate increase.

While the new law also gave schools the option to postpone the Town Meeting Day vote to reconfigure their spending plans, leaders in both school districts opted to still present budgets at the March meeting.

This queued up a new battle for school officials: Getting a budget passed.

“It’s extremely unprecedented,” South Burlington superintendent Violet Nichols told voters in February. She added that boards and educators, at the time, were having “extremely taxing conversations looking at decimating schools and programs that we’ve dedicated our lives to developing for the benefits of students in our community.”

The law, which many say is well-intentioned, was confusing for voters to grasp and highlighted the unique tug-of-war between local and state control when it comes to education funding in

Vermont. Residents still vote on school budgets and maintain some level of local control, but those numbers ultimately have a massive effect on how the state’s education fund fares overall.

“What’s happened is that the money for education funding has been redistributed by the state and local taxpayers have been asked to vote on whether they are willing to pay for the system they have,” Noah Everitt, co-president of the South Burlington Educators Association and 12-year staffer with the district, told The Other Paper in May. “I don’t think that has really been well communicated by the Legislature.”

Ultimately both school districts’ initial budgets — and a third of school budgets statewide — failed on the first go-around in March and left leaders to make some tough decisions around programming and staffing.

For Champlain Valley School District that meant reducing the $105 million budget voted down in March by $4 million and cutting nearly 42 full-time positions within the district. That budget passed in April. Still, residents in the towns that make up the district saw double-digit tax increases this year.

For South Burlington School District, the work was far from over when its initial budget failed.

As fate and voters would have it, the budget failed on a second try, too.

Parents, staff and students took to the streets in the weeks leading up to the third — and ultimately final — vote urging people to vote yes. Advocacy groups like the one dubbed SOS, short for Save our Schools, coordinated honkand-wave events across the city, and even students took matters into their own hands by staging a walkout during school hours in May. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say that these programs and the educators that make them happen are what makes our school one worth fighting for,” Molly Leavey, a student at the high school, said at the demonstration in May. “To any community members out there, this is us fighting. This is us asking you to do what you have always done so well and support us and our schools.”

The final budget slightly over $68 million was finally approved by voters in May and residents saw an 8 percent tax rate increase associated with the spending plan this year.

The South Burlington School District was able to make out better than some of its neighbors when it came to tax increases, mostly due to the $2 million in surplus money the board opted to use to pass a

COURTESY PHOTO

Some Orchard School students picked a pink puppet palette during an April residency by touring company Puppetkabob.

budget. But with those funds no longer available to the district this year, that poses a new set of problems for the district.

Both school districts, still reeling from the tumultuous year, have some big decisions to make with initial budget projections looking at cutting more than 30 positions at Champlain Valley School District and 16 full-time equivalent positions at South Burlington School District, although nothing has been officially adopted by

either board.

While the issue affected local school districts drastically, it also helped overturn the Democratic supermajority in the Statehouse this November, with many Republicans centering their campaigns this year on affordability and education reform.

The state has already tasked the newly formed Commission on the Future of Public Education, with studying Vermont’s public education system and making

recommendations to the Legislature on how to ensure “all students are afforded quality educational opportunities in a sustainable, and equitable education system.”

“It’s easy to point the finger,” Brian Minier, Chittenden-11 and a member of the House Committee on Education, said. “The truth is, yes, you have to look hard at spending at the local level. But it’s also our job to say, is there a better way to structure education finance?”

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Page 12 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

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The Other Paper • January 2, 2025 • Page 13

Outdoor recreation netted Vermont cool $2.1 billion in 2023 AUDITI GUHA VTDIGGER

Many Vermont residents value the outdoors. What they may not know is just how much the Green Mountain State’s outdoor recreation economy is worth.

Outdoor recreation contributed $2.1 billion in value added, or 4.8 percent of the state’s gross domestic product in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. That means it made up the second-highest percentage of state GDP, after Hawaii.

Since the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis started tracking this data a few years ago, Vermont has maintained its position near the top, said Rebecca Washburn, director of the lands administration and recreation division of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation in Vermont.

For Washburn, the data underscores that the state is a great place for people to live and visit.

And it helps departments such as hers think about how and where to invest strategically in outdoor recreation, she said.

Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy depends on businesses and organizations across the state — from bike repair shops and guide services to high end ski resorts and retail.

The data found that snow activities — such as skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, dog mushing and snowshoeing — contribute the most, adding a whopping $220 million to Vermont’s GDP in 2023, up from $170 million in 2022, according to a release from the Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing. RVing, areas providing tennis, golf and water recreation follow.

Jeff Alexander, a former NFL mascot who is now director of strategic partnerships and business development at Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports, said his organization has seen “tremendous growth” over the last decade and last year provided 5,300 outings for residents and visitors in Vermont.

“It’s pretty awesome we’re up there with Hawaii — and we don’t have an ocean,” he said.

A member of the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative, Alexander said

he works on making trails accessible to all — including those who have physical challenges, children and seniors — and often fields questions from other states at national conferences on how Vermont does it.

“Everyone knows that Vermont is leading the charge in the outdoor sector so it is pretty cool,” he said.

He is particularly passionate about promoting outdoor access and has this year helped assess 10 different trail systems for biking and 21 water access spots across the state.

“Everybody deserves the opportunity to recreate and play in Vermont and enjoy the Green Mountains and what we have here,” he said.

According to the federal data published last month, outdoor goods manufacturing increased by 15 percent reaching $135 million in 2023, accommodation and food services grew 9 percent to $733.5 million, retail sales climbed 4.5 percent to $412.8 million and employment in the outdoor recreation sector rose 4 percent from 2022.

To support the sustained growth of the state’s outdoor recreation economy, the collaborative is spearheading a Move Forward Together Vermont initiative to create a shared vision and an action plan for the next five years, according to the release.

“Outdoor recreation is not just an integral element of our visitor economy, but it is baked into the Vermont experience enjoyed by residents and visitors alike,” Commissioner Heather Pelham from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing said in the release.

It’s heartening to see the numbers soar despite devastating flooding in the past two years, said Washburn.

“People are still looking to recreation for all the things that it provides to them, and the more we think about how we can support the resilience of outdoor recreation and the businesses that are focused on it, the more we as a state will be able to weather those changes in climate and the intensity of some of those weather events,” she said.

As the snow fell on Tuesday before Christmas Day, Washburn encouraged people to “go outside, enjoy the snow and be grateful.”

Winter winners

COURTESY PHOTO

Here are some of the many homes and yards illuminating South Burlington this winter as part of the city’s Recreation and Parks department holiday lights contest, which featured two categories — traditional or “merry and bright.” See more photos, including the contest winners, on the department’s Facebook page.

Page 14 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

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January 2, 2025

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Page 16 • January 2, 2025 • The Other Paper

RODGERS continued from page 3 water activist who Rodgers recently tapped I’ve always tried to get people to do when to serve as his special advisor, emphasized there’s good people in both parties,” he the hands-on effort with Vermonters taken said. on by Rodgers during his campaign.

Rodgers said he is hopeful that once in “John worked to get every single one office, he will be able to show Vermontof those votes, and when I say work, that ers that he’s the right man for the job no means he spent the hours in the car and matter what letter sits beside his name on on the phone. He didn’t have to work at the ballot. who he is,” Ehlers said, adding that the “That really provides me with a huge “dirt under his fingernails is real, and that amount of excitement to do that, go out willingness to get hands dirty is absolute- and do the work on the ground and meet ly what is going to be necessary to ensure people, discuss issues and do everything that the voice of working Vermonters and I can to help Vermont be a place where those downstream is heard.” everybody can afford to live,” he said.

Gov. Phil Scott The position has endorsed Rodgers during always been attractive “I want to be a the campaign. Amanda to Rodgers, but he felt Wheeler, his press secrehe couldn’t take the bridge.” tary, said in a statement jump from senator to that Scott hopes to have a — John Rodgers lieutenant governor due good working relationship to financial constraints. with his future counterThat’s too large a factor part, even if the role is mostly ceremonial. affecting who serves in Montpelier, he “The governor and lieutenant gover- said. nor-elect have known each other for many “We need a better cross-section of the years during their time serving as legisla- Vermont population in that building if we tors,” Wheeler said, adding that Scott is want a true representative government,” “always open and willing to work with he said. others to make Vermont more affordable, Why’d he decide to run this year? protect the most vulnerable and grow the “I just felt like the stakes were differeconomy.” ent, with what happened over the last two Rodgers came into the race feeling the years and the cost of living here,” Rodgers odds this election season were stacked said. “I felt like it was time to step up and against him. give it a shot for the big stage and see if I He was a Republican in a year when could help turn things around.”

Vermonters would reject the party’s presiLooking forward to the Legislature dential candidate by a 2-to-1 margin. It was convening early in January, Rodgers his first time running as a statewide candi- spoke about how he plans to manage his date as well — and against a Progressive/ new role alongside his existing responDemocratic incumbent in Zuckerman. sibilities. “You grow up on a farm, and The last time someone became lieutenant there’s just always something to do, so governor by defeating the incumbent in a you just put one foot in front of the other general election was 1815, according to and just keep getting things done.”

VTDigger.

“It gives me hope that there are still Via Community News Service, a enough people out there that are willing University of Vermont journalism internto think about the person, and that’s what ship, on assignment for the Winooski News

CHRISTMAS TREE continued from page 4 food scraps). Balancing your compost pile with enough carbon will also help keep down odors that may attract unwanted wildlife.

Use as fill for new raised beds.

Referred to as hügelkultur, this method has been used in Europe for centuries and is an old-fashioned take on the popular lasagna-style gardening practice. Here, logs form the base of the bed, and then branches, twigs and leaves are layered on top.

These are topped with compost or garden soils. The logs and other debris decompose over time, replicating a forest ecosystem, providing rich garden soils for your bed. It can take a full year before the bed is ready to plant using this method, but it

is an affordable and ecological option to consider.

Speaking of the environment, if you have the space and interest, simply letting your tree decompose naturally can provide habitats for all types of creatures — from mammals like rabbits to bees and other beneficial insects — while returning the tree’s nutrients back to the soil.

Whichever option you choose, your Christmas tree can be a gift that keeps on giving back to nature and your gardens long after the holidays are over.

Debra Heleba is the UVM Extension Community Horticulture Program director.

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