Top 10 Stories of 2014

10

Addison Independent’s

2014 Top MONDAY

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EDITION

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. 10 Vol. 26 No

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May Monday,

12, 2014

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36 Pages

MONDAY EDITION

ADDISON COUNTY

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DEN N E P E D IN

Stories & Photos

INDEPENDENT

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Vol. 25 No. 45

Middlebury, Vermont

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Monday, January 13, 2014

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36 Pages

75¢

MONDAY

ADDISO

INDEPEN

Ceiling fix in the works

ll Iconic do th 50 g in k ar m will e of G.I. Joe

Vol. 26 No . 15

• Repairs are nearing completion in St. Stephen’s church in Middlebury. See Page 2.

ote • A local dev lection in Orwell col display his 50th birthday. See ’s to mark Joe Page 8. ar, end the cal

• A group of opening a entrepreneurs is bus bines the me iness that comof two activitditative qualities ies. See Pag e 6.

Teens compete in Bristol pageant

ACSU scho seek new ols leaders

• Mt. Abe students have fun

rd Boun • Homewa ed” and other Bre rbor “Meet the at Basin Ha 22. dog demos ay. See Page this Saturd

on stage in Mr. Christmas Tree held in the hearingSee the Bristol Beat on ase ardcontest. nt Gas Ph Service Bo Vermo14-16. the Public lic input on thePages Campbell speak at photo/Trent chance tot of two to gather pub pendent the Inde en firs ple giv g was the n 60 peo etin tha me re The of mo was one sday night.

Shorehamnasium last Wedne DSALL OF gym POLLY BIR mentary School Ele t of Shoreham project. million cos by II pipeline pay the $70 oup

st as Otters ho red coach hono s

ts frosty e plan ge

m wa softball tea ly • The OV on a field new ach set to play longtime Co named for on. See Page 18.

Pattie Cand

Pipeliofn ficials urge New York r ‘Phase II’ fo approval

end Brothers bl onies vocal harm

On ice

faces ry family mma Middlebu n day Exhibition ile d covers a range of styles graduatio

Special education drives a big deficit

By ANDY KIRKALDY VERGENNES — The Vergennes Union High School board is looking at a budget draft that if adopted as it stands could, according to Addison Northwest Supervisory Union officials, trigger a 20-percent hike in the VUHS portion of the property tax

rates in the five ANwSU towns.

Around 100 students, residents and teachers attended a Wednesday VUHS board meeting at which board members wrestled with a preliminary budget draft that could boost school spending next year by about 5 percent to almost $10 million, not including a separate $100,000 Capital Improvements Fund.

The VUHS board will meet again on Monday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. to

Monkton landowners appeal pipeline permit

By ZACH DESPART MONKTON — A couple whose property the proposed Vermont Gas Systems natural gas pipeline would traverse has appealed the Public Service Board’s decision late last month to give the project a Certificate of Public Good.

Through a motion to amend the PSB’s Dec. 23 Certificate of Public Good, Jane and Nathan Palmer hope

ason

United

Way

that anizationy in ut the org nit Learn abo better commu nt. ild pleme helps bu Way sup our United

ADDI

INDE No. 43 Vol. 68

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uels Milne d GOP’s n for top jossb Shumli on education, busine s

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By JOHNLEBURY — As ican Scott Republ to exotic MIDD Travel, ple of Milne sent many peo world.

Milne has throughout the ublican is locations rth Pomfret Reptination of The No to book a des tic: Monting now hop and it’s very exo serve as to his own, ere he hopes faces twopelier, wh governor. He Shumlin, er Vermont’s bent Gov. Pet • Eight years after a ski accident um , term inc Democrat. te his trip left her paralyzed, Kelly Brush is a Putney order to comple e to punch l hav But in is voters wil helping others adapt and return So Milne pthe state’s et on Nov. 4. e stum tick stat s the ne’ to sports. See Page 16. out Mil he can. nt g through travelin many votes as nde epe Ind is ing for as the Addison that he He told ent interview erience, rec exp MILNE during a his campaign there have SCOTT m rts progra enjoying acknowledged way.

ABC Spo panied by the he g to the om rethough e bumps along state rep r referrin wed footage acc ll of victory been som ther, former that sho “The thri vel founde He said His mo Milne Trapast August. the narrative, of defeat.” ergent and ny ve div this t ago d se sentati the n Stewar and the nce tho Milne, die Marion ily Show with JohDavid Let- he can experie us times during . numero The Da e Show with his gaffe feelings a campaign day that I am Lat to k ple of roadcast and The Street both reb ’ debate last wee n course e promised peoI act,” Milne Cross terman bee t down ll “I hav candidates about having he en before t Campbe nd bites.”

1,135 fee from a tos/Tren ify ng to list talking in sou spoke clar goi he’s be moved mis to dent pho ple he will pen not had se peo Inde when of mont and said. “I’m 55, said the The hou ed a lot t week. bly born in Verin Brooklyn.

Milne, g have express is being tion las is invaria rs, n e etin was bor his travels, he its founda monte been me about how the stat to health slid off tes During by a lot of Ver h marks se to be concerns larly as it rela ty taxes, orne Hou him hig roached per o e ticu Osb app wh giv pro par , g THE run others whom growin g.

EPARE some of agement, and e 18A) e policy, ERS PR Monday mornin Pag car RK ne, our WO n (See Mil and enc some grief. locatio to the old its new give him to compare it o,” he said, rts intr “I like rld of Spo Wide Wo

Brush gives athletes hope

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36 Pages

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Author s c in environ hools writers mental ac tivism past Thursd ay mo

By ZACH DE ADDISON SPART COUNTY Foster said dairy farm — Loc much ers high wholesa are riding a wave al to high overseas of the surge is due of

By WEYL “We’ve see demand. will finally le prices that some AND JOYN n a reflecti say dem ER RIPTON on of and dairy crash pull them out from the ternatio for product, particu higher of 2009. and activis — Acclaimed writer larly in“The prices nally,” he t a lively dis Rick Bass sparke are much stro we’re receiving now exporting upward said. “We’re now d s of 17 per ism, the cussion about activdairy produc of Foster Bro nger,” said Bob Fos cen env t iron of ed ment, and ter thers Farm justice sys Foster said in the U.S.” bury. the in Middletem when lecture title he gave a is a good thin this increase in exp d orts “Th g, as the U.S e Joy Arrested” . dairy in(See Milk pric at Middle of Being lege’s Bre bur es, Page 15) ad Loaf cam y Colpus this

rning.

Bass told rested wh the story of being aren to the gates he zip-tied himself to protest of the White House pipeline the the Keystone XL Obama’s Sta day after President dress in Feb te of the Union adruary 2013.

(See Bass, Page 13)

to move the proposed pipeline route further away from their home off Rotax Road in Monkton. The Palmers also request in their Jan. 6 filing that the PSB amend the certificate to cite only the Monkton Town Plan, and not a Memorandum of Understanding that was agreed upon by the Monkton selectboard and the utility in June 2013.

The Certificate of Public Good, (See Landowner, Page 35)

work on one of the most challenging needs students during the current budgets in recent memory. ANwSU and past school years.

Superintendent Tom O’Brien called Some in the ANwSU community the combination of all the factors have wondered if there are accountaffecting VUHS spending and tax ing issues. But O’Brien and ANwSU rates “a perfect storm.” • The Vergenbusiness manager Kathy Cannon nes vs. Fai semifinal detsaid rfaxhas simply been drivFirst and foremost, complicatthe deficit ermine d who OV special education l faceofin Mo ennda by unexpected ing the board’s task is a wil deficit y’s championsofficials hip game. tuitions, about $1 million. ANwSU plus See Page 18. other expenses related long-standing desaid about $700,000 of that shortfall to the school’s came from unexpected and costly ferred maintenance problems. out-of-district tuitions for special (See VUHS, Page 28)

Teams are D-II girls’ set for softball

Shumlin stepping up battle against heroin ‘epidemic’

By ANNE GALLOWAY has in the past) use the state of the VTDigger.org state address to give Vermonters MONTPELIER — In his fourth the administration’s vision for the MIDDLEBU annual state of the state address coming year on a variety of peren-RY UNION in the HIGH Sch opening round of ool seniors this past Wednesday, Gov. Peter nial topics, such as pla thece. economy, See mo the sen Murphy Gia rd, left Shumlin used his bully pulpit to education, health care and the en- re photos from theior raft race on Lak lake on Pag e Dunmo , Hannah Hobbs, re last We home in on one topic: the “epi- vironment.

Rachel How e 2. dnesday afternoon. lett and Carsyn demic” of opiate addiction in VerThere was nothing typical Bux The team made it to ton approach the mont. about the second-term Demofini the finals • The North and took sh line It was an unusual strategy. Typcrat’s speech. His short address second Quartet wil ern Third Pia(See Independen no Shumlin, Page 32) ically, governors (and as Shumlin l t photo/T rent Cam music this perform chamber

By JOHN pbell FLOWER Sat S Beat on Pag urday. See Arts MIDDLEB URY — Aro e 10. the pod und

The race

Musicians Brahms, C tackle hopin

is on

Pipeline fo es urge P SB to

MONDAY EDITION

Firefighters

ADDISON COUNTY Middlebury, Vermont

State promises more funds to fight opiates

By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — State health care officials have promised to find additional financial support for a joint effort by Porter Medical Center and the Counseling Service of Addison County to expand medication assisted

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treatment services to local residents who are addicted to opiates.

Mark Larson, commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, confirmed the offer of support last week during a phone interview (See Porter, Page 23)

Monday, July 14, 2014

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32 Pages

Vol. 68 No. 32

COU

Vermont  Thursday, Aug

ust 7, 2014  56 Pages

75¢

UVM is train in generation of g next farmers Ag youth learn the

CASSANDR Days Tuesday A MANNING, 14, of Brand on saddl afternoon. Field Days runs throu es up atop Scotty before gh Saturday, heading to the Aug. 9, in New comp Haven. For more etition ring at the Addis on County Fair photos see Page and Field 13A.

Field Days is he re!

College ineshas hfarm ent ssummer active stud h heatoltthe lhappens College me•nWhat Middleta bury College garden when light on

A Panton Scou t the steps of his is following in father and grand father. See Page 3A.

INDEPENDNETY NT Middlebury,

ganizing events to raise money to benefit local charitable organizations.

Now the two women are ready to go the extra mile — actually, (See Bikers, Page 23)

Triple Eagle

Swimmers from Vergennes and Middlebury took first place in event at the state meet. s See Page 1B.

ADDISON

75¢

United Way duo to ride their way to donations

By JOHN FLOWERS MIDDLEBURY — The United Way of Addison County’s Kate McGowan and Nancy Luke have gone to great lengths each year visiting area businesses and or-

State champs

See photos and rosters from all local fire depar tments plus storie20 in our salute to s firefighters.

INDEPENDENT

Vol. 26 No. 19

nix projec t

ium at Add 80 auditorium the Middlebury Uni people took to lion ison-Rutland Natural on Thursda on Gas Project lic Service y to urge the High School Cor pipeline that will also ,a nwall and Sho traverse the $70 mil- the pipelin posed natu Board to reject Vermo Vermont Pub- Cha reham towns e wou ral gas pip nt Gas ’s pro- has mplain before arrivinand be drilled under Lakof state corporate ld primarily benefit eline that wou Middlebury entities — g at the IP e mont Gas dra to ld exte the wn IP of New two out-ofInte nd con mil from own Ticonderoga, rnational Pap side York and ers, environ rable fire from affel. The plan that onl , a Canadian-owned er Co. mill N.Y. company. The Very small poc mentalists Thursday’s cted landin ers who kets of Ver and commu y note the believe the pip mont elin the PSB held was the second and nity leade rou pipeline cou regarding Pha final hearing would infringe ural gas, and te would be able to residents along ld be dan on se II of Ver tap ger mont Gas’s could affect the wat private property righ ous, not to becom some of them pledged into the nater ts, e quality on consumers and rently Opponents of a produc Thursday have also obj of Lake Champlain about half t that is curas costly as . ected to the “We would fuel oil. notion that say ‘no (See Pipelin ,’ we absolutely do not e hearing, want Page 22)

tters

Love le

key team field hoc unt Abe al squads to ad- .

The Mo the loc See Page 1B fs. was among the playof vance in

Monday,

• Cornwall and Bridpo rt will spend REG DISORDA OF Brandon stands over a hole in the ice on Lake Champlain and tries his luck ice fishing lastnex Thursday morning. t year lookin Independent photo/Trent Campbell g for new pri ncipals after the current lea der leave. See sto s on Page 3. ry

l hosts in Bristo ov’s Gallery ekh Walkover l portrait of Ch ica a theatr . See Page 12B. marriage

Post se

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tionin the recepRematch House of Noise VUHS seeks to close $1M budget gap

rec cklyboys Paper wouldit expect s to qui • The Eagle were tly looking curren u- tional which iswin ase II” nat ject, money gasa, second over panyOtter proposed “Pht Wednesday the pro access to naturalfor oil the com s System’s ing pas the fuelon Saturday, this time as Valley Vermont Ga e in Shoreham this Service Board hav f as costly mill. hal its er und elin lic sed 18. pow aro pip Sports, Page am pas ral gas mont Pub menchases to at OV. See reh ed the Ver on environ currently pur of Cornwall and Shoosing the projevening urg ct the project based The towns Day resolutions opp towns have h (PSB) to reje safety concerns. eting er area of two suc Me t oth n lic ial firs and Tow pub ent the se was tal and testiject’s pot nts in tho 7 hearing led to gather ect. Reside cerns about the pro safety and the The May PSB schedu Rutland Natural con orlic S expressed playing col ings that the rights, pub re than disonFLOWER

By JOHN AM — Some came dis as “Tap lines, gather on Phase II of the Ad pipeline to be buried impact on property sday’s hearing saw mo s for a mony Shorent. Wedne SHOREH such slogan pipelines.” t that calls rnwall and environme (See Pipeline, Page 2) s, bearing Gas Projec through Co in to the Internaful banner ant trees, nots.

Middlebury, s,” and “Pl ampla not gas line ited poems and prayer hone spoke from then under Lake Ch eroga, N.Y. Interna ham, Ticond Others rec lked up to the microp er mill in Pap wa al o All wh in on tion . o weighed passionately majority of those wh And a vast on recently lley Harris Jim and She all three of their chilt S ment learned tha FLOWER commence on lege range “Timing is dren’s• Acol

By JOHN ce 3-D wide of 2plaand ing BURY — tak LE ing be DD say uld MI old es wo in a variety 18.media d at the Mc ,” or so the , the tim- servicartwork day, May of will be hel at 10 a.m., everything e day, Sun ely The panel the sam is going up for display this ter unfortunat rd Cen Ha t An s. s. the den n goe for ee kid Thr Cullough Stufollowed by a questiois week in Brandon.

See Page 10. ’t be worse s.

DESPART Vermont ing couldn of Middlebury — at nt l be

By ZACH Three school tions.

RY — The n. The eve a and wil will rison family tains to graduation wer sessio MIDDLEBUdelegation will host Three gradua nt Brothers per al d- and ansthe public.

• The DuPo sical talents to least as it kidousCongression cabinet official at Mi One day. mu open to this year. ed unanim e got to be es ugh firm u’v oni use thro con em ‘Yo Ho s , ng cer The bring their Tavern. See Arts . day White May. “I said Moniz wa y’re goi rs tes, Page 34) est llege on Fri s Secretary last Perhaps the luck, perhaps it’s a Two Brothe 10. dlebury Co rgy Secretary Ern (See Gradua ly as Energy st and Massachusett l bad but of ge hy s, in Pa Ene Lea star ske . sici on a t tica the rick U.S r phy ore Bea Pat nment of er nuclea Ph.D. in the rsity in l join Sens. freakish alig Moniz wil Sanders and Rep. Pet - native earned a Unive m Stanford e 27) and Bernie panel on energy effi physics fro , Pag a rgy and cli(See Energy Welch for ewable ene ren , ncy cie . mate change

l to use officia White Ho at college te talk clima

Middlebury , Vermon

Higher mil farmers p k prices help lay catch-u p t

Yarn shop offer yog to a

dogs Celebrate ck ’14 at Woofsto d will host

EDITION

N COU NTY

Kids, animals,

Independent

food and fun

photo/Trent Campbell

By PHOEBE LEW NEW HAVEN IS Tuesday morni ng with Ouellette of Weyb— For Alexis mix of excitement and the usual ridge, the Adnervous andison County ticipation Fair means more than and Field Days dors and from the organizers, venyoungsters like the Ferris wheel maple donuts and doing Ouellette last-minute prepar .

Ouellette, along ations before showing their animals. The children and teens with throngs of fair runs throug from h age Saturd three to 18, participates ay in the 4-H Dairy ning, when there will be firewoeveCattle competitions at dusk and the rks that form midway will close integral part of the agricultural an around 11 p.m. fair experience.

One of the first change This summer fairgoers will notice this lette had a particu Ouelyear larly is the introd successful series uction of wristb of showings leadin ands (or g bracelets) that Field Days culminup to are ing issued at the bewith her winter ating yearling instead of hand gates Holstein, Twirle stamps. y, winning Everyone will First in Class during have a bracel Wedneset put on day’s showings, after paying the their wrist and her four-y gate ear- sion or old Jersey, Luna, surrendering their admistitle for anothe winning the same mentary complir class. or purchased And while Ouelle In addition, six pass. tte was pleased hay structures to win First have been in Class, she was alongside created and are located thrilled when Luna later won the fence next Re- ticket booths served Senior to the Champion, and .

The main was gate will named Grand admission Champion for now be off the Jersey breed. the the main middle of parking “It feels great,” the Lucien D. lot, across from Paquette Exhib estly wasn’t expecshe said. “I hon- Building. it (Luna) is a pretty ting it because midway The upper gate by the rides is closed mature cow.”

The 66th annua Other than those this year.

ALEXIS OUEL l fair opened LETTE OF Weyb changes, the Field Days (See The fair, Page ridge, who has for been showing 16A) Jersey Wedn a decade, holds Luna,

basics of bus

iness

By ZACH DESP ART ADDISON COUN TY — It’s no in Vermont and thrive in Vermo secret that Vermo said Ali nt,” ing, but a progra nt’s farmers are ag- dinato Zipparo, the program coorr. versity of Vermom run by the UniEach student farme nt Extension r saves money to inject new blood into the aims along the way. The progra state’s the studen backbone indust m ry. ts’ savings at a matches Next week, rate of 2:1, up to $1,000 15 students across the state from farm asset. , for the purchase of a will graduate in inaugural class the Gevry, 18, gradua of the ted from VerUVM Center for Susgennes Union tainable “Anyone can Agricu School this past High Youth Agriculturallture’s put June. anim IndiHe’s als no in vidual Developmen stranger to count program, t Ac- their backyard farming — his family ran a dairy until as Youth Ag IDA.known and call it a That its milking herd selling group includes in 2002. two Ad- farm, but once The Gevrys dison County still own residents you can mark — Ethan Gevry et the land, and rent it out.

Gevry curren dison and Siri of Ad- yourself and tly owns Swanson beef cows, and of Orwell. make money, he hay with his father.grows The program you’re golden.”

The younger young Vermonters,is for Gevry — Siri Swan ages 14 to 21, who son first saw a posting about the Youth Ag terested in pursuiare inIDA prong gram a career in agriculture. In the his advisers with online, and said one-year progra Future Farmers students learn of financial literac m, America encouraged y and Gevry him to enroll. business manag said he and the ement skills. other “Starting early with financial liter- learned how to run a farm students acy, a strong backg like any other business. round in busine management, ss “We access to our state’s plan learned to make a business network of farm with the help servic e provid of will ensure our webin ers we watch next generations ed, as well as ars that farmers will start of financial in Vermont, stay planning and how to budge t your (See Farmers, Page 12A)

Investors on mo tor look to spur local cycles business

t would ctly wha story,” sure exa “I wasn’t n I posted my week, now whe Messier rview last ction ack ERS is , Norhappenare out? classes out she on an inteFind RT FLOW For 198 ing & Constru he and his dad Os17-year- Quinn said in email because DESPA

By JOHNLEBURY — the y as OsZACH URY — As a semesh dy nda via e’s By rea this Hig Mo leg ted to Page 2. on ica DD on Col EB ed MI trek.

MIDDL Middlebury Uni mpted conduc g in South Afr the very dlebury Oct. 27 in St. has n, continu atte yin at l nt that at years, Miduse at 77 Ma Middle- ma House for the l ultimately old seniorHannah Quinn t had hap- stud “I felt confide rk meaningfu of t wil borne

By WEYLAND borne Ho stant feature trek tha n of a new Mid ld spa e a sense of ool, w wha did not ter. a .

JOYNER Sch wou kne ape con It’s it one vid dsc ctio MIDDLEBURY No at the g been a trip was a way years she or fam- least, sations and pro with similar ntown lan suicide. to constru — A group building y mornin to bring advice for two bikers rumbled nds of working dealing conver bury’s dowly next Monda two-story lead y municipal St. site. The , netinto pened, andordeal with frie to others bur motorcycles Mond town on their invest opportunities and potential But ear 77 Main as part of a comfort more uprooted improbable dle re her ed ut ors ly sha ner — abo ent e es.” leg a unique goal ay morning with served to entrepreneurs in underg out townt has gar received the rec l make its parts of Vermo ily. s col — to is speakin Currently a issuTo date, the pos has pproved, eed to ier nn nn er-a nt. ss hear Qui Qui , ngvot home wil ng the Cross s. pitche Now s from ennn t — agr suicide. and stra 0 view alo The Me able “In smaller comm trepreneurs and ion and ury College, Qui tal than 2,80 es from friends gown pac 77 Main St. journey dge to a va“In ress usma dep be ller ownnities, men Bri sag dleb Mid lot on will ers of business e on entrep make the le for new 80 mes Street support. e from junior at open a dialogu startups communities, n-owned ilab have a smalle reneurs expressing responses wer who looking for advice site ava l offices if the cant, tow side of the in- to guide r number of hopes to es on campus. her story, ers ggles s of people to talk “A lot re ak capital. The group and entrepreneurs ilar stru municipa House could the east of Cross and the dollie health issu hesitant to sha ired by a eone spe with sim thought proces to. The that have a the gathered at the Osborne people kful to hear som . “Many tersection ets. smaller help s is to d to Initially she was insp remote story Middle- num JORDANA GREENBERG FROM the group Harpeth Rising plays the fiddle and sings during a performance at Middlebury’s Festival onsaid than relocate parcel at her nn e those said red Qui bury entrep out wn be wer Water stre 35-foot jour- by ber of Inn was made sha reneurs l do Quinn them,” reached make up the-Green last Thursday night. The festival wrapped up a week of performances on Saturday. See pages 16 and 17 for more photos from the ent who een-owned The 1,1 of six mas- contro of about a dozen connections,” up about students who help with fellow stud ion. reet, towCross St. The agr way venture people to talk Cross explained. the ed “Mendlebury ling to ress annual festival.

6 capitalists and ney, by ote-controlled, Cross St granted to. The thought with dep created a blog, callauthored a Mid me they are wil t and are happy Independent photo/Trent Campbell entrep At the stop in ment alsoownership of told neurs with experi resive, rem dollies, will at what and es nex MiddleQuinn g done on l ence process (for bury four entrep at Midd,” tever com e with deng is bein college powered sure of the in early-stage municipa reneurs tal Health ing her struggl ounding wha that somethi clo busine to Norman pcurrent gave short pitche surr crib require investment in Vermo ss the venture at to see .” rised by ed as the lding and gym pro s of et Bridgeycle post des and the stigma ine g surp rib Stre a 10-15 nt. onl vin pus sc ss was is St., capi minut Mo bic bui de Cro es, with adtalist moThis was the first se pression lth issues; it ress.com. cam nn said she Page 20A) icular, 94 Main ing dlestop torcy ditional time red ssier Hou Qui hea erty at all veh estrian traffic a “walk on “FreshTrack s at Mid cide, for t, of Me l be clea a cle tour) mental althatmidd.wordp it would s (See Sui er, righ . for Operationdlebury. The that wil tions and advice questo the into and ped . to around Road,” a four-d on the is to help Mid V.P on Messi mentalhe wasn’t sure how sformed a.m pace,” reet site ay tour ntown tion next to the those Middlebury Inn. , at the she AND Jas an, Associate and tran k. A new recfrom 2 the meantime, in which 32 se in dow nda Street , LEFT, She said . s St business- entrepreneurs NORM h Norm CushmOsborne Houoff its old fou n on Cross The business ived public par ility will be noon. In s of the move Cros men rece and atio the wit be women fac loc portunities repres oplege stand lege, under ed and moved reation organizer the ground- site. visit seven small would make connecThat monitoring visit came two also include state funds for afterschool “I want to be clear that no serious to its new The col rais y Col were Ekopolimer, ented ek Road. e House re- bur se has been will be moved are layingwhat they hope in Vermont, hearintowns tions.” which orn lt off Cre hou months after the AOE suspended and Reading Readiness programs. legal issues were uncovered in this g 41 rary andy morning. work for a smooth ride ne that’s bui ing for the Osbent of the park pitches. Twelv — investor plans to manufacture nda Ilsley Lib e riders d, a sce a few is pay n, establishm struc- early next Mo New ANwSU Superintendent JoAn process. Please also be assured that many ANwSU grant funds because of will be came to Middl Cairn Cross shipping pallets from -ton loa ard con n atio ebury. recycled plastic for the 118make more tha an extra loc $4.5 million tow e 22A) who was name cows esday.

Cairn Cross, co-fou the district’s failure to file required re- Canning, who was greeted on one of you will receive your paycheck withe d Grand Cham at and terotor, a compa ; Wause, Pag nder likely to blink and tak a.

Ho pion of e Shelburne (Se ny venture capita Independent • “Forever Plaid,” a musical ports in a timely or satisfactory man- her first official days of work by the out delay. We are working with the photo/Phoebe

By ANDY KIRKALDY l firm Fresh- an innovative design for an with passersby ir morning jav moved a Tracks Capital Lewis underwater the of get and rotor g organizer of that genera swi don’t with songs from the 1950s, week’s motor VERGENNES — The Vermont ner, ANwSU officials acknowledged AOE report, confirmed on Thursday Agency of Education to resolve all cycle ride, said this in extremely slow-m tes energy “Buildings oving water; through the that ANwSU business manager Kathy areas in need of improvement as soon Agency of Education has sanctioned last week. returns to Town Hall Theater.

(See Riders, Page the world ticeship around 18A) ren Those funds in jeopardy totaled al- Cannon has been placed on paid ad- as we possibly can,” Canning wrote. operation hange and app the Addison Northwest Supervisory See Arts Beat on Page 10. ent exc ERS ANwSU board chairman Jeffry a- stud ms.

By ANGELO Japanese Union by withholding state and fed- most $1.1 million in the 2012-2013 ministrative leave.

FLOW teen Jap gra LYNN s week the

By JOHN BURY — Six expansive pro Vermont last ools, businesse MIDD it’s LEBU school year.

They include federal In an email to staff that day, CanGlassberg said officials are confident clear RY — U.S. Sen. eral grant funds, calling the ANwSU’s In sch learn MIDDLE s crossed an A. Hanrick Leahy told Pat- ting out that a commitment to putvarious igner to a ted ent des stories y, a quality rici visi money for Medicaid, Title I Migrant, ning said no jobs or programs at the funding can be restored once ANwSU ion stud log to Pat a group beverage financial record “very weak” in a July rs50 invited media nese even a fash as about eco get to the past Thu and friends gather of at the center of Woodchuck has been Construction outside the new ocean to eer Center this made their and ut Vermont ide en design. ed ’s vision.”

3 letter and citing many accounting and Teacher Quality programs, plus four ANwSU schools are in immedi- and AOE officials agree on what the new has begun on Vermont Comm 100,000-square-foo gre on the issioner of Ecoplayg naford Carwhile they had l seemed abotainability and t nomic Devel dlebury on the Bristo Woodchuck cidery and bottlin d problems in a July 1 report summariz- funds to support math and literacy ate danger and that the AOE made no AOE calls a “Corrective Action Plan” green. Crewround opment Lisa In Mid the visiting l cility in Middl g day. An by plane, it stil focus of sus s broke groun ebury on Wedn fa- congratulated the 23-yea Gosselin the d 30, and Bristo programs and special education. They accusations of impropriety.

(See ANwSU, Page 21) Thursday, and members esday ing a June 10 fiscal monitoring visit. crossing a propos that r-old Verl Recreation DirecJuly of how Woodchuck — Hard Cider was mont company for not just s in ir ewhat tor part of some students (See By the way, a t familie — the itself ’s “holy yellow cha a somir visit would be and hos re back Page ir water” big from the edge pulling 7A) he keeps in ton “The of the the stock at his prestig ssy are of bankere’s the studied Burling ruptcy back te Hey, wh ing in the gra rlooking boats being their counEssex andJake Burnham’s halls of Congress. ious office in the a thrivin in 2003, but for creating lot of ro ; s sitt by ove g business in that wa rble Works The chair, replicated the Middlefiled into g class at the Further, the Vermo Middlebury rning with 100 local at nt Demo employees of the Ma Creek falls? 18A) hnical lea engineerinter. The visitors terparts said he likes er pretty ational-tec to boast to folkscrat ing the nation in develo and “leadcen , Page iors, , it’s voc eer left y the Ott jun way car es, bur Washi y ping in the ngton, D.C., aril forg Obituaries ..........

(See By from ense.” ents and elsewhere niche market nationwide and a new e prim vin Des spend ...................... 6A center. that the best hard iors Calup of students oss showting stud tori int Peter Lynch wer s 15 to 17, who their ing that Classi sen visi fieds ..........

The en Acr — age Center ay. A gro try — and the cider in the coun- Vermo it can be done right here in the Tot om than

by Gre rsd Career Service Direct ............. 6B-10B nt.” t first to herald the classroas a result of naford ool last Thu m organized ory .............. 7B-9B McCrigh were from, a relatively comeback as its gra And Vermont to/John sch re time in with Han Entertainment ues a dent pho poses Middlebury design in a pro Hard Cider .......... in Japan.

Prefectureion that lies on Japan, fac- mo erican colleag the mid-1990s national drink in dent and Indepen 6A imoto the ic year Community Calen .............. 15A en of — is from his CEO Dan Rowe Presi............

SAKI Sug ng class at g about gre rural reg coast of western visit was Am longer academ ive director home stories state, which is ll shared ............... ... 7B-11B DENT ildi ir r rnin Sports ....................dar ........ 8A-9A ..... cut tbu th of known STU the lea yea die-ha The ries exe nor boa nt for rd ..... ool an. da ESE Woodchuck fans its high drivin ch, the quality craft bevera sch ............ 1B-3B Obitua JAPAN Dunton after week in Vermo ...............

Sea of Jap ironmental Lea g 500 miles out Peter Lyn lained that the to March. .... 8B-9B tt ing the nt a of their way to Classifieds ectory .......... .... 19A “The story of ges. see the cidery, and Ma organized April TP, exp Youth Env an, spe Dir or even incorp .......... part of a hange program en Across GA an spans fromrote learning; it’s Tottori, Jap. resentative of Woodchuck is rep- a factor Service orating ent ..........

Jap Vermont’s ethos, . 8A-10A y tour into their a lot of ch said of the the Pacific ership Exc am-based Gre en Across in place known for Entertainm Calendar ..... .. 1B-4B honeymoon. of After the three “There’s reh nity craft and quality a spoke briefly, nse,” Lyn zaTP). Gre

by Sho 21A) Leahy said, adding Commu ......................... ,” ific (GA -profit organi pretty inte Students, Page that from its ell cut the obligatory ribbon, Rowthe Pac non Sports ..... humble start in officia tural and (See ly openin cul ific is a e Procto g the Pac U.S. $34 million facilit lrsville to its the improv “remarkable growt PATRICK Leahy and coy on emony SEN. king to h in Middlebury, Exchange Street built over has the crowd at the new 100,00 tion see ntal awareness in stitch the past Laughing me (See Woodchuck, alongside him 0-square-foot Woodchuck es as he relates a story environ Page 2A) are Vermont Hard Cider Presid cidery off Excha during the ribbon Comm

Fiddle fever

State questions ANwSU bookkeeping mont Funding withheld; Versings Foursome in n ig es ’50s harmonies official put on leave green d s study n Woodchuck e te e has big plan Nation-leading apanes cider maker see s for its new y J s growth a w e facility th By the way By Index

Index

ent and CEO

nge Dan Rowell. issioner of Economic DevelStreet in Middlebury on -cutting cerWedn opment Lisa Gosselin and esday.

Vermont Independent

photo/Angelo

Lynn

PAGE 16 — 2014

Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015

Pipeline project spurs plenty of controversy

ADDI

MOND

INDEP

AY ED ITION

SON

For the second year in a row, the Vermont Gas Systems Addi- said it had updated its accounting methods. The state COUN TY son Rutland Natural Gas Pipeline Project captivated (and some- fined he company $35,000 and required Vermont Gas Vol. 26 No. 10 times enraged) county residents, and was the subject of more to provide quarterly budget updates to the state.

Middl ebury, Icon Vermon doll t than 50 articles in the Independent.

A company spokesman told the Independent Ver- markic Monda y, May ing 50th 12, 2014 After the Public Service Board in December 2013 approved mont Gas would not be adjusting its Phase II cost 36 Page s 75¢ Phase I of the pipeline, which will run from Colchester to Mid- estimate, but it did just that 11 days later. dlebury and Vergennes, Vermont Gas land agents spent the year In August, Gov. Peter Shumlin said he was “exsecuring land easements from Addison County residents. tremely disappointed” with the Phase I cost overPhase II, which would run from Middlebury under Lake runs and the company’s choice to delay telling Champlain to the International Paper plant in Ticondregulators. He said the state would pay eroga, N.Y., has not yet been approved by regulafor independent appraisers to assist aCt eWlebrate dogs oofstoc k ’14 Number tors. with easement negotiations.

Vermont Gas, by its own admission, made Vermont Gas in August anseveral gaffes throughout 2014, and twice announced it would pay for in- Otters host as coach honore nounced cost hikes for the project. dependent mediators to help d Trouble began in February when Vermont landowners and the compaGas sent letters to nine Monkton residents ny come to terms, and said Pipelin in which the company threatened to use that program has had some e plan New Y o eminent domain to secure land if landowners success. Other landowners gets fr approv rk officials u rge al for ‘P osty re h ase II’ didn’t come to terms. Some residents said they remained distrustful. ceptio felt bullied, and Vermont Gas apologized and The governor sat down n pledged to “reset” relations with landowners. with landowners in November In April, the company asked regulators to approve a to hear their concerns about Ver- Brothers blen White vocal h d House armon protective order that would exempt from public records requests mont Gas negotiating tactics. At his reies talk o c li m ate at fficial to M many documents related to the Phase II project, which drew quest, Vermont Gas agreed to temporarcollege iddle criticism from open government advocates and the Vermont ily hold off on eminent domain filings gradu bury family ation d f ay dile aces Press Association. In May, the Public Service Board approved a so that landowners and the utility could mma watered-down version of the order. find some common ground.

In June, Monkton landowners told state regulators that negoAlso in November, the company antiations with the company had not improved. Later that month, nounced that CEO Don Gilbert would retire at the its after securing final environmental permits from the Army Corps end of the year, and Don Rendall would lead the company. of Engineers, Vermont Gas broke ground on the project. But at In December, Rendall announced a second price hike for Phase approach to year’s end, the company still needed to secure land rights from I, this time to the tune of $33 million. The price tag at the end that project. Part of that reof Cornwall.

20 percent of landowners along the 41-mile route. of the year stood at $154 million, some 78 percent higher than set was negotiation of a deal with the town When the ground thaws in the spring, Vermont Gas will reJust before the long Fourth of July weekend, the company an- what the Public Service Board approved in December 2013. The nounced the project would cost 40 percent more than expected, company again pledged to update its accounting methods, and sume construction of Phase I. The fate of the Phase II applicabringing the total price tag from $87 million to $122 million. also pushed back the estimated completion date of Phase I from tion, which has languished in front of the Public Service Board for more than a year, remains uncertain, especially as the price of Vermont Gas blamed those price hikes on increased demand for late 2015 to early 2016. pipeline infrastructure, increased oversight, increased costs for Rendall also said the company asked the Public Service Board fuel oil continues to drop, due to a boom in domestic production land acquisition and higher legal expenses. Vermont Gas also to hold off on its review of Phase II, so Vermont Gas could “reset” and other factors.

• A loc al display devotee of G.I. hi to mark s collection in Joe will the calenJoe’s 50th birth Orwell day. Se dar, Pa e ge 8.

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• Hom ew “Meet ard Bound w th dog dem e Breed” and ill host this Sa os at Basin H other turday. ar See Page bor 22.

• The O set to pl V softball team named ay on a field ne was fo Pattie Ca r longtime Co wly ach ndon. Se e Page 18.

POLL Shoreh Y BIRDSALL II pipe am Elemen OF Shoreh line pr ta oject. ry School gyam was on e of mnasiu m last more than Wedne 60 sday ni people give ght. Th n e mee the chance ting wa s the firto speak at th st of tw o to ga e Public Se rv ther pu blic in ice Board he put on the Ve aring held in rmont Gas Ph the Indepen dent ph Vermon ase oto

By JOHN t /Trent Camp ral gas Gas System’ bell s pip SHOR FLOWERS evening eline in Shor proposed “Pha ful bann EHAM — So (PSB) to urged the Vermeham this past se II” natunot gas ers, bearing sume came displa tio W on rej ed na t ec ne l Pu lin t Pa tal and sd yin ch public the project ba blic Service Bo ay the proje per would pa Others es,” and “Plan slogans as “T g colorsa sed rec y the $7 fet t ard ha ct, mone All wh ited poems trees, not pip ap lines, ga The May 7 he y concerns. on environme 0 vin y therin aring n- aro g access to it expects to million cost passion o walked up and prayers. elines.” quickly of natur und ha ate mony ongs that the PS was the first to the B schedu of two microph currentl lf as costly al gas, which recoup by And a valy.

Phase II Ga as the su y pu one sp is st major oke fro s Project tha of the Addis led to gather tes ch The tow rchases to po fuel oil the currently ity of tho on t ca tim Midd -R wer its compan ns of Co se who mill. lebury, lls for a pipeli utland Natural Town Mee y weighed rn ha wa m, ll ting ne to throu and the in on ect. Re tional Pan under Lake gh Cornwall be buried sidents Day resolutions Shoreham pa in ex Ch an sse per mi ll in Ti amplain to the d Shore- im pressed conc those and oth opposing the pr d ern er condero oj• The D ga, N.Y. Interna- en pact on propert s about the area towns ha project’ vironme y rights Interna bring th uPont Brothe s poten ve nt. , rs pu eir W will bli ednesd mus Two Br ay’s heari c safety and tial

By ZA others Taical talents to (S ee Pipe the ng saw CH DE Beat on ve lin mo rn e, SP re .

Pa Se M than ART Page 10 ge 2) IDDL e Arts .

Congres EBURY — The pa White Hosional delegati The Vermont nel dlebury use cabinet ofon will host a Cullough St will be held at uden Co fic the and wi

By JOHN ll be fo t Center at 10 McU.S. Enllege on Frida ial at Midllowed and an y. ergy Se a.m., MIDDL FLOWERS Moniz swer by a cre wi everythi EBURY — and Be ll join Sens. tary Ernest open to the pusession. The question Jim and rn Pa event is blic.

Moniz goes. Anng,” or so the “Timing is Welch ie Sanders an trick Leahy was learned Shelley Harri fo so ing could d unfortunatel old saying ciency, r a panel on d Rep. Peter ly as Energy confirmed un dren’s that all three of n recently an Se ren energ imou nucle cre ewable rison fam n’t be worse y, the timco the mate ch fo energy y effi- na ar physicist tary last May. sse r rvices llege comm ir chilily ange. the of Midd Hartiv least as an Th and cli leb the same would be tak encement - phys e earned a Ph d Massachus e ing pla ceremon it pertains to ury — at etts .D. day, Su ics from ce ies this graduatio nd Th Stanford in theoretica ay ree , May 18 on year. kids.

Perhap n l (See En . s Th the ergy, Pa University in ree y’ a skein sc re going ge 27) of Three gr hools. freakish bad luck, pe through aduatio rhaps it’ alignme On ns e . da sa nt of the y.

“I said, stars, bu ‘Y t (See Gr ou’ve got to be kidaduates , Page 34)

2014 Top 10 • Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 — PAGE 17

Middlebury town office’s future is settled, work begins No issue in recent Middlebury history proved as polar- be built near Mary Hogan Elementary School, but it soon beizing as the proposal to demolish the municipal building/ came clear the ID-4 school board was not supportive of the gym complex at 94 Main St. and replace them with new plan as presented — in part due to concerns over student safetown offices at 77 Main St. and a new recreation facility off ty, vehicle access issues and pre-existing parking/circulation Creek Road. problems on the Mary Hogan property. So the selectboard The current town offices are housed in the remnants of the shifted focus to land off Creek Road (the former Middlebury former Middlebury High School building that burned dur- Legion site now owned by the UD-3 school district). ing the mid-1950s. The structure has fallen into considerable Scores of people turned out at public hearings to register disrepair, with antiquated plumbing, heating and electrical support or opposition to the plans in early 2014. systems. But selectboard members were concerned about loIn January, Nuovo resigned from the selectboard, saying cal taxpayers’ ability to pay for replacement or renovations he had grown weary of conflict of interest allegations lodged of the structure and the adjacent gym so soon after having by some residents who argued he should not vote on any agreed to float a $4.875 million bond to upgrade the aspects of the deal due to his relationship with Middlecommunity’s two fire stations. bury College. Nuovo is a professor emeritus at Selectmen Dean George and Victor Nuovo the college, but noted he is not on the instituNumber in 2013 approached Middlebury College, tion’s payroll. which agreed to assume $4.5 million of Selectman Craig Bingham was particuthe estimated $6.5 million cost of erectlarly vociferous in his criticism of the projing a new municipal building and recreect, and alleged that the town had illegally ation facility. College officials made the sent out to residents a flier with “false” and offer on condition that the town give the “misleading” information about the project. institution the current municipal buildThe week before town meetings, Ading site at 94 Main St., which would be dison Central Supervisory Union residents cleared and turned into a public park. The voted 306-118 to allow the UD-3 board to college also agreed to pay the costs of clearing negotiate a lease with the town of Middle94 Main St. and for moving its Osborne House bury for a Creek Road parcel that would host an from 77 Main St. to a town-owned site on Cross Street.

11,500-square-foot recreation facility.

While some town officials hailed the deal as one that After an acrimonious nine months of debate, Middlebury would keep the town offices downtown and produce two residents on Town Meeting Day voted 915 to 798 in favor of new buildings at a bargain for taxpayers, others assailed the the town office/gym plan. That same day, ACSU residents votproposal. Opponents argued the town would be best served ed 1,698 to 1,343 in favor of a $400,000 bond to build a “team renovating or rebuilding at 94 Main St., and said — among rooms” addition onto the new Middlebury recreation center. other things — building at 77 Main St. site would cramp the But local resident Skip Brush successfully petitioned adjacent Ilsley Library and would exacerbate local parking to have the vote reconsidered. Brush had argued the town problems. Opponents also said seniors and children would should instead build new town offices off Court Street and have a tough time accessing the new recreation facility off expand the Memorial Sports Center instead of building a Creek Road, and again voiced questions about whether there new recreation facility. Still, residents in May affirmed their would be adequate parking for major events. support of the original project by an 880 to 714 margin.

Original plans had called for the new recreation center to Just before Halloween, the whole thing took on a height-

2

ened air of reality as workers lifted the Osborne House off its foundation and moved it across the Cross Street Bridge to a new home, leaving behind an empty lot.

Plans call for the construction of the new town office building to begin on that lot this coming spring. Construction on the new gym off Creek Road is also slated for spring.

PAGE 18 — 2014

Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015

Upgrades to Mt. Abe, Bristol firehouse in spotlight This past year in Bristol and the Addison Northeast Su- proposal in front of voters sometime this year, and the sepervisory Union, residents debated two major projects that lectboard has formed a committee to develop a design for a would require taxpayer-approved bonds: a new Bristol fire- new firehouse. house and a renovated Mount Abraham Union High School.

And if a big new firehouse wasn’t enough, the town of The Bristol Fire Department inched closer to getting a Bristol was told by state officials that it must come up with new firehouse this year, a process that firefighters have dis- almost $1 million to close its town dump. cussed for more than two decades.

But the Bristol firehouse was not the only expensive buildIn June, a firehouse site selection committee recommend- ing project five-town residents discussed in 2014. ed that of the 33 sites initially considered, the best location Acting on the findings of a facilities advisory committee, for a new firehouse would be on West Street, straddling par- the Mount Abraham school board in September voted to put cels owned by the Bristol Recreation Club and by Ed a $32.6 million bond proposal to renovate the school on and Suzanne Shepard. The selectboard entered the Election Day ballot. into negotiations with the recreation club, but The ambitious plan would have, among other Number at year’s end the entities had not reached an things: moved the library to the front of the agreement. school, added a middle school gymnasium, Securing the land is only the first step upgraded the locker rooms and renovated in building a new firehouse. Residents the lobby area. The building, save for the will have to approve two separate bonds: addition of a wing in the last decade, has one to purchase the land and another to not undergone substantial reconstruction finance the construction. In 2013, voters since it was completed in the late 1960s. by a wide margin rejected a plan to renoIn public forums, reaction among commuvate the existing firehouse on North Street. nity members was mixed. Some said a renoAs 2014 wore on, the need for a new firevation of the project was desperately needed, house became more dire. Firefighters in Decemwhile others questioned the wisdom of burdening ber told the selectboard that the wood frame of the taxpayers with larger bills. It would have raised taxes on 1897 firehouse on North Street is too weak to support the a $250,000 home by, depending on the town, between $274 and weight of 21st-century apparatus. An engineering firm de- $398 for the first year of the bond. termined that the sagging second floor could not safely Many residents were shocked by the price tag of the bond, sustain more than a few men, rendering the firehouse which would have been by far the largest bond ever in Adlargely useless. dison County. The proposal was also larger than three plans In the interim, the fire department has stored its trucks at — ranging from $11.6 million to $27.9 million — that the several locations — which Chief Brett LaRose said delays board had considered earlier. response times.

In contrast to the low turnout county-wide on Election To make matters worse, the department this fall dealt Day, ANeSU voters flocked to the polls to declare their opwith a faulty septic system, which will likely need to be position to the project: It failed by a tally of 3,328 to 1,239. replaced. The selectboard approved some minor fixes, After the dust settled, the school board pledged to draft a but also debated the merits of installing a new septic in a new proposal to send to voters as soon as possible. A new building slated to be replaced, anyway. facilities committee got to work in November, but has not The fire department and selectboard hope to put a bond yet finished the new proposal.

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2014 Top 10 • Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 — PAGE 19

ANwSU fiscal woes revealed; recovery begun In July, new Addison Northwest Supervisory Union and even asked the board to step down for its earlier Superintendent JoAn Canning discovered — and imme- failure to oversee ANwSU employees. diately made public — that the Vermont Agency of EduAt that meeting, Glassberg announced that Cancation had sanctioned ANwSU by starting to withhold non was no longer an employee, while also stating, about $1 million in state and federal grant funds.

“We are not aware at this time of misuse of funds.”

The Agency of Education called ANwSU’s financial Officials also pledged to complete the delayed aurecordkeeping and accounting “very weak” in a July 3 dits within 180 days and to produce the next audit in letter, and in a July 1 report summarizing a June fiscal a timely manner. monitoring visit state officials cited many accounting In October, ANwSU brought aboard a new busiproblems. Canning and ANwSU board chairman ness manager, Tonia Mears, who had been Jeffery Glassberg said in July they had just serving in the same capacity in the Windlearned that the Agency of Education fund sor Northwest Supervisory Union.

Number suspension began in April.

Canning said she was the right Canning also announced that ANwSU choice not only due to her backbusiness manager Kathy Cannon had ground, but also because she had been placed on paid administrative helped that district in a similar leave. She said no jobs or programs crisis. at the four ANwSU schools were in “Tonia was also in a school immediate danger, and that the state district what was challenged by agency made no accusations of improsome budget issues several years priety. ago,” Canning said. “She was Work began immediately to clean up promoted to business manager and the mess and install, in Glassberg’s words, was instrumental in putting the dis“proper policies and procedures and institutrict back on track.” tional culture.”

Later in October, the two delayed audits Problems that the state identified included poor train- were completed, for the 2011-2012 and 2012ing and reporting and lack of basic accounting practices, 2013 fiscal years. Officials set aside time at all such as “Purchase orders are not numbered or controlled.” of the district’s board meetings to field residents’ Information auditors needed was also chronically late, questions about the results. and audits were two years behind.

At year’s end, the board for the ANwSU

By August, the Agency of Education agreed enough school hit hardest by the district’s fiscal probprogress had been made to start restoring funding, and lems, Vergennes Union High School, was facing the ANwSU board called a public forum late that month major cuts as its members eyed a second straight to address residents’ questions and concerns. deficit of $500,000 or more.

During the at-times contentious forum, some praised That shortfall, officials said, was due to severthe efforts of ANwSU officials to dig the district out of al years in a row of failure to accurately budget the mess, while others said not enough was being done for special education costs.

4

PAGE 20 — 2014

Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015

County ramps up services for opiate addicts After Gov. Peter Shumlin made opiate addiction the Street in Brandon and made two arrests in the largest focus of his State of the State address in January, Ad- bust in the town’s recent history. Police estimated the dison County and neighboring areas saw multiple large street value of the heroin at $7,600 and the crack codrug busts and drug-related arrests as well as expan- caine at $1,600. sions in services to people seeking recovery or assisOn Aug. 29, Bristol police arrested four people and tance. seized $4,000 in cash and thousands of bags of heroin.

As 2014 opened, Porter Medical Center and the Police said two dealers from the New York City area Counseling Service of Addison County were in discus- enlisted the help of a Bristol couple to sell drugs in sions to collaborate on a clinic to provide Suboxone, town. And in September, a Connecticut man suspected a drug designed to help a growing number of Addison of dealing drugs in Bristol pleaded no contest to sevCounty addicts break their dependence on opiates. eral drug charges in Addison Superior Court, criminal At the same time, some authorities said they were division, and was sentenced to 18 month to four years alarmed at the increasing role prescription in prison. In Vergennes on Oct. 17, a lengthy drugs are playing in sex crimes involving investigation resulted in the arrest of two young victims.

Vergennes residents and the seizure of Number In May, the Turning Point Center in heroin, marijuana, and materials conMiddlebury began offering free Narsistent with narcotics use. can emergency kits to anyone seekHowever, some drug addicts who ing the product to assist a friend or were trying to turn their lives around loved one at risk of overdosing on came forward and told their stories opiates. The kits feature two doses publicly. The Independent featured of Naloxone dispensed through a stories on Kyle Pinkham, a popular nasal sprayer. Naloxone is used to Otter Valley graduate who descended treat respiratory depression caused by into the hell of heroin addiction and was opioids, such as heroin, morphine, oxynow on his fifth attempt to kick the drug, codone, methadone, hydrocodone, codeine, and Cheryl Barrows, who battled heroin addicand other prescription pain medications. tion before turning to Suboxone to wean her off the In July, Porter and the Counseling Service ex- illicit drug. Both stories offered hope. panded the county’s only Suboxone program to help Plus, a coalition called Brandon Cares was working opiate addicts, a move that enabled Bristol Internal hard to address the local drug problem. And in VerMedicine to deliver the much-needed service to 80- gennes on Sept. 3 local law enforcement, health care 90 patients, up from 25. A total of four primary care and social service officials gathered to plan new stratephysicians based at Bristol Internal Medicine are gies on stemming the flow and use of heroin and other now able to prescribe Suboxone, which is not be opiates into Addison County. The meeting was billed kept on premises. as a follow-up to the spring’s “summit on opiate addicSadly, the year also saw its share of drug arrests. tion,” called by Gov. Shumlin and included brainstormOn Feb. 5, police seized more than 400 bags of ing on ways to curb drug abuse and related crime. heroin and crack cocaine at a house on Carver

5

United Way of Addison County Top 10 Changes in 2014 That Happened Because of YOU! ❶ 4 Employer sites for ‘Earn it, Keep it, Grow it’ program = 23 community members with increased financial literacy skills. ❷ 47 patients are now receiving medically assisted treatment locally for opioid addiction. Of patients enrolled 3 or more months, 100% are opioidfree, 73% are hard drug and alcohol free, 36% are drug free, in counseling, and successfully employed/ parenting/in school. ❸ Everybody Wins paired 52 reading mentors with students in 4 schools. ❹ 115 households and 305 people retained or found new housing. ❺ 354 seniors prepared taxes with AARP volunteers = $92,000 in savings. ❻ 437 volunteers placed = 52,419 hours = $1,101,323 worth of labor. ❼ 2,645 adults received timely, appropriate and affordable health care.

Addy Indy Numbers Quiz Take this little numbers quiz to test how well you know what we do at the Addison Independent!

1. How many readers pore over each Addison Independent issue?

2. How many towns do we regularly cover?

3. How many “sister publications” do we partner with across Vermont?

❽ 48,000+ people utilized Vermont 2-1-1 for information referrals.

4. How many special sections do we feature throughout each year?

❾ 79,000 free medical rides given to help people w/out transportation to get care.

5. How many different user platforms does the Addy Indy provide to help you keep up with the news anywhere you are?

❿ 89,000+ meals provided to people in need, including summer vacation meals for children, and homebound seniors.

(Answers on page 43)

United Way of Addison County PO Box 555 48 Court Street, Middlebury, VT 802-388-7189 www.UnitedWayAddisonCounty.org

ADDISON COUNTY

INDEPENDENT

VERMONT’S TWICE-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Middlebury, VT 05753 • (802) 388-4944 • www.AddisonIndependent.com

2014 Top 10 • Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 — PAGE 21

Solar arrays take off, but not everyone is happy

MONDAY EDITIO N

ADDISON COU NTY

INDEPENDENT

For some it seemed that 2014 was the year that the predomi- it is a growing part of the commercial landscape.

Vol. 26 No. 30 Middlebury, Verm nant crop springing up in Addison County fields was solar ar- With 46 solar companies and 1,300 jobs in the inont Monday, Septemb er 29, 2014 36 Pages 75¢ rays. The year saw the approval and development of numerous stallation, sales and distribution, and manufacturC ha nge in solar array ta solar energy projects in Addison County, including Certificates ing areas of solar technology, Vermont leads the xes costs towns of Public Good awarded to 26 projects by the Public Service country in most solar jobs per capita this year, Danforth shows how Board, the largest number of projects of any county in the state. according to the Solar Foundation.

• Middlebury pewtermak er is As of Dec. 1, the Public Service Board has issued CertifThe state’s interest in net metering has in- TV featured in “How It’s Made” show. See Page 3. icates of Public Good to 138 solar projects across the state, creased in the past two years. This past spring, ranging from small rooftop units to multi-acre solar arrays. Lo- Act 99 raised the state’s net metering cap from cally, New Haven saw the most projects given state approval 4 percent of a utility’s peak load to 15 percent. with six, followed by three each in Middlebury, Monkton and Addison County and the greater Champlain Orwell; two in Waltham; and one each in Addison, Vergennes, Valley have become attractive for solar arrays due McKibben earns Bristol, Bridport, Ferrisburgh, Whiting, Ripton, Salisbury and to open terrain and access to three-phase power new recognition • Ripton man wins inter Shoreham. The figures don’t include residential-size via the Velco power line. However resi- tiona nal award for environprojects of less than 15 kilowatts. The state redents in some Addison County towns mental activism. See Page 2. ceived 917 applications for net metering projhave raised concerns about the vi- Big weekend at Number unt Abraham ects through October, on pace to break last sual aesthetics of the arrays in a •Mo The Eagle girls’ socce r hosted unbeaten MUH team S, and year’s total of 1,027 applications. largely agricultural landscape. foethe Wind football team met leagu e sor. See Page 18.

In August, Gov. Peter Shumlin cut the Some homeowners near a proribbon on a 500kW array, the first array posed solar array near the Baof its size in the state. It is located on 3.3 sin Harbor Club in Ferrisburgh acres on Middlebury’s South Ridge. Midare fighting the array based in Paint it red dlebury College signed onto the project as part on aesthetics. the net metering partner, meaning electricity Opponents to the way solar generated will offset the college’s own elecarrays are currently sited also Stars sing Verdi’s Brandon ey es a switch Bristol man on fas trical requirements. It will be a component of don’t like the fact that because pow- ‘La Traviata’ opera to floor vo t track • Soprano Rochelle Bard te on budget with join with other first-class will high-tech leg brac the college’s attempt to be carbon neutral by 2016. er generation is overseen by the Public singe rs at Town Hall Theat es er In October, SunCommon of Waterbury cut the ribbon Service Board, town and state development this weekend. See Page 10. on a 666-panel solar array off Route 7 at the top of Woodman rules to not apply when it comes to solar arHill in Waltham; it marked the start of the largest communi- rays. In addition, some towns are looking to ty solar program in the state. The company plans to develop calculate what sort of tax revenue the arrays enough arrays around the state over the next two years to pro- will bring in. Plus, towns such as New Haven vide electricity for 2,000 Vermonters. Each of SunCommon’s have raised concerns about the state’s policy not to require de- nity in Middlebury. Regulators said it wasn’t distinct from the 500kW array commissioned arrays will occupy one acre and have the capacity to generate commissioning funds for smaller solar arrays.

150 kilowatts, enough energy to power 30 homes annually.

On Oct. 21, the New Haven selectboard voted to oppose two nearby. And SunCommon that month also withdrew its apLate in 2014 the Vermont Department of Buildings and Gen- solar projects within its borders and to participate in Public Ser- plication for a 150kW array in New Haven, in part due to comeral Services said it is planning to seek approval for a 500-kilo- vice Board proceedings for all future applications for solar arrays. munity opposition.

Late in the year the Public Service Board said it would prowatt solar farm on state-owned land in Vergennes.

In December, the state rejected an application to build a 150kW Solar power is not just a growing part of the visual landscape, solar array at the Residence at Otter Creek retirement commu- pose new clean energy policies to the Legislature in 2015. 



By ZACH DESPART NEW HAVEN — Drive collect from the owne from Vergennes to rs of big solar farms Middlebury along Route , and 7, and you won’t go some New Haven residents fear their more than a few miles town will soon lose some of without seeing a solar ray. As towns like New ar- blemished views its most valuable assets — unof the Champlain Valley proposals for new solar Haven are deluged with .

New Haven town officia arrays, citizens and town ls are also concerned officials are wondering, that they have little say “What’s in it for us?” about where projects A law enacted by the are Legislature this past spring sited, or how large they are. decreased the amount SOLAR TAXES of property taxes towns can Like all private prope rty in the state, the land on

6

which solar arrays sit is by both municipaliti taxed based on its value es and the state educa fund. tion Solar arrays themselves are taxed through a separate state statute.

For arrays larger than 50 the state education fund, kilowatts are taxed at $4 per kilowatt hour. Thus, the 2.2-megawatt Cross Pollination array off Route 7 in New Haven , the (See Solar, Page 17)

STUDENTS FROM County Fair and FieldMIDDLEBURY, Vergennes and Moun t Abrah Days site in New Haven during the United am union high schools help paint Way of Addison Coun one ty’s annual Day of of the horse stalls at the Addison Caring last Thurs day.

Independent photo/T rent Campbell

By LEE J. KAHRS BRANDON — Verm onters are often heard yearning for simpler time, they say. the past, a Now, in an effort to change the course of Brandon’s recent budget voting past, a small band of taxpa yers has an intriguing idea: Bring the back to Brandon Town floor vote Meeting.

Over the last two years , the town

of Brandon has spent of dollars and hundr thousands eds holding a total of seven of hours re-votes by Australian ballot in order municipal budget. Takin to pass a g sign that perhaps chang that as a e is needed, Lynn and John Wilso n and Janet Mondlak successfull y mounted a petition to revert voting on the an(See Brandon, Page 35)

By EVAN JOHNSON BRISTOL — After 25 years of restricted mobility and pain, 47-year-old James chronic “Bub” Cole of Bristol steppe d on a track last month and ran for time in a quarter centu the first ry. perience, he said, was The exunforgettable.

“Imagine wearing glasse s and

then losing them,” Cole said. “After 25 years, you finally get them back and you can see what you’ve been missing.”

Cole’s return to free movement was made possible by a new type of brace for the lower leg. The new style of brace, origin ally designed for use by wounded veterans, (See Mobility, Page 26) has

PAGE 22 — 2014

Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015

Addison Independent’s

2014 Top

10

Photos

by Trent Campbell

Another year, another few thousand photos to go through to try to find the top 10. It is no easy task and one that I gave up on my first year here at the Addison Independent way back in 1998. Instead, despite the headline on this page, I present to you not the top 10, but just 10 of my favorite photos from 2014.

In April I attended a Wellness Day workshop at Middlebury Union High School with juggler Wood Keppel, right, of “Waldo and Woodhead” fame. I caught him juggling with student Ian McKay. In August Matthew Severy of Cornwall, below right, addressed area farmers while seated atop a massive tractor during UVM Extension’s Field Day in Panton. Also in August, I caught a rare moment of calm and quiet, bottom right, with competitors in the annual Addison County Fair and Field Days demolition derby as they awaited the start of action. In July I photographed the world’s cutest baby (after my own of course) when I sat with Victor Pareja, bottom left, at the College Street Children’s Center in Middlebury. In September St. Mary’s Church in Middlebury underwent an interior renovation. As part of the project Marek Mularski, below left, set up shop in the church garage to restore the Stations of the Cross.

2014 Top 10 • Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 — PAGE 23

In May I attended Mary Hogan Elementary School’s annual fifth- and sixth-grade track meet and caught the intensity of runner Caleb Benz, top right. Intensity of another level was the subject of the photo, above, of arm wrestler Adam Barup, who dominated the 199-220-pound and 221-and-up weight classes at the annual Field Days arm wrestling competition in August.

At left are members of the Beeman Elementary School chorus, who sang at the naturalization ceremony hosted by the New Haven school in April. In July I attended Zeno Mountain Farm’s annual ice cream competition in Lincoln, above left.

When judges Ben and Jerry (yes, that Ben and Jerry) announced Team Dog House as the winners, team member Ben Bosbach jumped for joy. And finally, the Middlebury College women’s squash team caught my eye when they warmed up together in one the college’s new squash courts.

PAGE 24 — 2014

Middlebury Parks & Recreation Department

Winter Activity Guide

Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 Thank a vet

Football finals

Parks & Rec

find Stay active this winter and locally plenty of fun things to do guide. in our quarterly activity

New faces, angry voters mark Election 2014

armed Meet local veterans of the in a services and read their stories t.

Salute to Veterans pull-ou

will Middlebury and Otter Valley d on be looking for titles in Rutlan 1B. Saturday. See Sports, Page

The General Election of 2014 saw one local veteran bent Will Stevens, a Shoreham independent. lawmaker go down to defeat, and Addison County votAll other local incumbents were re-elected, including ers also added to some tense moments for incumbent both Democrat state Sens. Claire Ayer and Christopher Gov. Peter Shumlin as the ballots were counted on Nov. Bray, who ran unopposed for the two seats representing 4.

Addison County, Huntington and Buel’s Gore. ges ts turn back challen Addison-4 Incumbennes in t ou e r rac he Bristol Republican Fred Baser had failed in 2010 to County voters showed some dissatisfaction about the se Fis Hou a in, r -are se Ba in Vergen Rep. Sharpe holds on break through in his bid for one of the two seats represtatus quo in Montpelier. The county endorsed Shumfor a seventh term senting Addison-4, the House district that includes the lin over Republican challenger Scott Milne by a nartowns of Bristol, Lincoln, Monkton and Starksboro. But row 6,020 to 5,731, though Milne won majority support he made up for it in a big way this past November, fin- in 14 of the county’s 23 communities. Political pundits Sheldon ishing as the top vote-getter in a four-way race for theorized that many voters had bailed on Shumlin for ovo Nu and $33M bond the pair of seats. his administration’s lack of financial details on in h mp triu e Ab . for Mt y bur dle Baser finished with 1,872 tallies, folthe proposed single-payer health care sysMid is soundly College student has Number lowed by incumbent Rep. Dave Sharpe, tem, and a lack of action on property tax defeated impressive showing D-Bristol, with 1,765 votes. Finishing relief. The governor also lost support out of the running were seven-term in Addison County among opponents incumbent Mike Fisher, a Lincoln of the Addison Rutland Natural Gas Democrat, and challenger Valerie Project. Shumlin was a big supporter Mullin, a Monkton Republican, with of the project and its potential to de1,738 and 1,514 votes, respectively. liver natural gas via a new pipeline Fisher was the chairman of the House through Addison County.

Smith tops Smiley in Health Care Committee, which had When all the statewide votes had in g Checkin Addison-5 been in the spotlight during the lengthy been counted, Shumlin held an edge of tpolls Milne in county statewide debate about Vermont’s transiabout 2,400 votes over Milne. But Milne Shumlin narrowly ou tion to a single-payer health care system. The confirmed days later that he would not concede rollout of the state health care exchange a year earlier and instead followed the route spelled out in the Verhad been very rough, and state officials took the ex- mont Constitution, which dictates that the Legislature to farming connect veteransRoot change offline for part of the fall to repair lingering decide the final outcome of the contest because neither help offer to Farm s Bristol Marine seeks to Wild ary to those who served in milit bugs. candidate had garnered at least 50 percent of the stateBy the way Baser’s win represented one of 10 additional seats wide vote. Lawmakers are scheduled to take the vote that the GOP picked up in the Vermont House on this Thursday.

Nov. 4. Addison County’s House delegation gained Addison County voters also voted 7,794 to 4,921 in two other new faces as a result of the election — favor of incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott over East Middlebury Democrat Amy Sheldon won an Progressive challenger Dean Corren. And they re-electIndex Addison-1 seat that was being voluntarily vacated ed Republican county Sheriff Don Keeler and, in the by incumbent Democratic Rep. Paul Ralston, and closest county-wide race of the day, picked Republican Orwell independent Alyson Eastman won the Addi- Charles Clark Jr. over Democrat Ryan Mason, 5,783 to son-Rutland seat that was being vacated by incum- 5,638, in the race for high bailiff.

TY ADDISON COUN

INDEPENDENT

November 2014 - March 2015 www.middleburyparksandrec.org

Middlebury, Vermont

Vol. 68 No. 45

By JOHN FLOWERS an Fred BRISTOL — Bristol Republichad been what Baser on Tuesday rattled dominance in the a decade of Democratic and his victory Addison-4 House district, impact on the big will also likely have a re’s health care complexion of the Legislatu biennium. next reform debate during the for one of AdBaser, in his second bid was the top seats, House two s dison-4’

n district with vote-getter in the four-tow Dave Sharpe, Rep. a total of 1,872 tallies. in the race with D-Bristol, finished second 1,765 votes. incumbent and rm seven-te ly, Stunning tee Chairman House Health Care Commit finished out ln, Rep. Mike Fisher, D-Linco place with 1,738 of the running in third Sharpe. votes, just 27 fewer than Mullin finValerie an Monkton Republic 1,514 votes in ished in fourth place with Legislature. the what was her first run for voters,” Baser “I am very grateful to the when all the resaid late Tuesday evening

By ZACH DESPART That BRISTOL — Not even close. $33 was the story of the proposed an ambitious million bond to finance High School Mount Abraham Union on Tuesday voters which n, renovatio 3 to 1. rejected by a margin of nearly 3,328 AdWhen the dust settled, ory Union dison Northeast Supervis bond. Just residents voted against the of the favor in ballots 1,239 cast their proposal. spurred a The controversial plan for a midremarkably high turnout 1,800 resiterm election. Less than budget dents voted on Mount Abe’s while Day, this past Town Meeting to the polls more than 4,500 rushed on Tuesday.

(See Mt. Abe, Page 14A)

By JOHN FLOWERS Harvey NEW HAVEN — Rep. on Tuesday Smith, R-New Haven, representing won another two years to a dethe Addison-5 district thanks Demover cisive, 895 to 698 victory Smiley, also ocratic challenger Susan of New Haven. year 12th his out Smith, rounding as a result in the House, prevailed in the of handily out-polling Smiley Haof New district-member towns topped Smiven and Bridport. He Haven, and ley 429 to 329 in New in Bridport. by a 282-to-159 margin (See Addison-5, Page 13A)



Thursday, November

particular thanks sults were in. Baser gave group of supto what he said was a core on his behalf porters who worked tirelessly of Bristol, towns in the district-member New Haven.

Starksboro, Monkton and and would “I am humbled by this (result) top votebe the never have guessed I would longtime financial getter,” said Baser, a selectman who planner and former Bristol -4 in 2010 ran unsuccessfully in Addison in 2012. But he and took a pass on the race this year, burnbroke through in a big way shaking a lot of ing a lot of shoe leather and 16A) (See Addison-4, Page

6, 2014  66 Pages

75¢

Van Wyck, apthe race with 1,409 votes. complete the February 2013 to

By ANDY KIRKALDY nts Diane pointed in Greg Clark VERGENNES — Incumbe of Vergennes Republican and Warren Van term was next with Lanpher, D-Vergennes, Clark’s untimely death, after prevailed Tuesday Wyck, R-Ferrisburgh, on tallies. race to win the 1,305 es from two in a competitive four-way They turned back challeng Reseats and will repAddison two politics, district’s state -3 to ers Addison who es, Addison, newcom and farmer Peter Briggs, resent Ferrisburgh, Vergenn the Vermont House publicana successful write-in effort before Panton and Waltham in waged next two years.

(See Addison-3, Page 13A) of Representatives for the led nt, incumbe m Lanpher, a three-ter

7

By JOHN FLOWERS Democrats MIDDLEBURY — Nuovo on Amy Sheldon and Betty challenge Tuesday staved off a spirited Middleand from first-time candidate McEathCalvin student bury College ron in winning Middle bury’s two seats in Vermont the House.

Sheldon, an environmental consultant and town former planning commission member, was the top vote getter in SHELDON the race for Ad1,310 tallies. dison-1’s two posts, with tenured Nuovo, the county’s most a combined lawmaker having served second, 27 years in the House, placed logging 1,163 votes. ofl town ll sabbatica a in the Cornwa McEathron, who took left, and Dee Hodges himself in officials Ginny Hiland, midterm election. from his studies to immerse t Campbell for a up his ballot from election Independent photo/Tren campaign, or exceeded the average NT MIKE Palmer picks local politics and the 2014 a House CORNWALL RESIDE Voter turnout in most county towns met n. in fices Tuesday afternoo placed a respectable third tly gone district that has consisten dozen past to the Democrats for the as an independent he secure years. Running Since neither candidate will be up received 1,034 tallies amid 48.8-pertoo close to for governor was still of the vote, it will in Addison County’s percent turnout 50 Milne. voter for in, cent ce vote the of declared a preferen Assembly to nt, call. With 99 percent to the Vermont General shire town.

By JOHN FLOWERS Shumlin, the two-term incumbe in Shumlin held a paper-thin advantage the race the outcome after IncumTom Hughes, who filed for d 6,020 votes d to formally decide ADDISON COUNTY — Shumlin received a combineduring the Gen- of 46 percent support comparemak- the top vote-getter has been con- as an independent but did not camwas bent Vermont Gov. Peter County Secretary of State’s paigning, finished fourth with 321 45 percent for Milne, who victory over Addison off his firmed by the scored a narrow overall , compared to 5,761 for ing his first run after kicking out- office.

Scott Milne eral Election er Feliciano challeng an Dan votes. an Republic being at the candidacy in late July and counted in Milne. Libertari “We’ve taken a close look (See Middlebury, Page 13A) tallies. when the votes were governor more than four evening, garnered 583 (See Statewide, Page 18A) ent went spent by the Addison County Tuesday As the Addison Independ electorate in ay, the race to one. though a majority of the ities to press on Wednesd 14 of the county’s 23 commun

By ZACH DESPART 2006, exchanging fire with read this BRISTOL — By August Lance How closely do you that the U.S. Marines in yourself it insurgents was so routine newspaper? If you fancy in Ramadi, Iraq, expected may have Cpl. Jon Turner’s platoon a careful reader, you rk.

Monday’s like clockwo he rose one morning and noticed that Page 4 in like most e So when Turner, just after look not print edition did on post, heard the distinctiv no editoribegan preparing to go out were There 4s.

Page columns, thoomp of a 120-millials, no letters or guest ing in the Trent meter mortar fired from Enlist and no big, black-and-white one panic. It outside the compound, Marines “was Campbell photo. Don’t he wasn’t surprised. of those things you was just a mistake. The wrong printer, our by “I looked at my watch do because you in pulled page was 18A) Page and thought, ‘Oh wow, way, the By doing (See you’re they’re late,’” Turner think recounted in a recent something right. interview at his Bristol I wanted to do home. “You know what something noble that is, it’s a 120 com6A-7A Obituaries .......................... for my country.” ing in.”

5B-9B Classifieds .........................

— Jon Turner The first round struck . 6B-7B Service Directory ............. 12A the roof of the barment ........................

Entertain his on Turner, as racks 8A-10A in Iraq, sat on his bed. The Community Calendar ...... third tour of duty and second window, blasting shrap1B-3B ...... the Sports .......................... second landed just outside before impact, he slouched nel into Turner’s face. Just enoraction that would have slightly — an inadvertent ences. consequ mous n was enough to save my “That half inch of relaxatio a veteran of the severed my carotid artery,” Farm in Bristol. Turner, can share their life, because it would have he built on his Wild Roots veterans a woven-branch lean-to into a farm where fellow (See Sanctuary, Page 14A)

property HES beneath JON TURNER CROUC small Lower Notch Road process of turning his ss. war in Iraq, is in the time in the wilderne experiences and spend

t Campbell

Independent photo/Tren

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2014 Top 10 • Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 — PAGE 25

School budgets go down as call for tax reform grows As in many past years, 2014 saw many Vermonters complain With that concession in hand, and after some belt tightening, about their property taxes, and that portion of the tax that pays for the three schools that had seen their budgets rejected went back education in particular. But as in most years, proposals for reform to the voters. In Brandon, only about 60 percent as many people of school funding were put forward but not acted upon. showed up in late April to vote on a slightly scaled back spendStill, residents in seven local towns indicated that they had had ing plan, and it passed, 458-276. Ferrisburgh residents in midenough, and they rejected three proposed school spending plans May supported a $3.5 million FCS budget proposal, 246-217, on Town Meeting Day. or about 53-47 percent, in the revote. The approved FCS plan Ferrisburgh residents said no for the first time in recent memory represented about $120,000 less in spending, the major change to a proposed central school budget. The $3.62 million Ferris- being the board’s decision to scrap a plan to add a teacher and burgh Central School budget proposal lost, 450-279, or about 62- a modular classroom.

38 percent. The budget called for an 11 percent spending increase, And, by a vote of 687-584, ANwSU residents approved a driven in part by a special education cost shift within Addison VUHS spending plan of $9.42 million. The budget cuts would Northwest Supervisory Union. force district administrators to lay off the equivalent The board also proposed adding a new teacher and of five full-time instructional positions. ANwSU a modular classroom, a move that neither the FCS officials figured that the cuts would affect 11 Number administration nor ANwSU officials endorsed. staffers.

That same day, Ferrisburgh voters joined However, by this time, energy in the those in the other four ANwSU towns (AddiLegislature to reform school funding had son, Panton, Vergennes and Waltham) to refaded, and a bill aimed at consolidating ject the $9.73 million Vergennes Union High school districts failed to make it to the School spending proposal, 961-747. It would Senate in time for a vote. have increased spending by about 2.4 percent, School spending became an issue in the but the tax impact would be more dramatic fall elections. And in early December the thanks to declining enrollment and a projected Middlebury selectboard gave its legislative budget deficit of almost $548,000 that ANwSU offidelegation a brief but sharply worded wish list cials said was due to unexpected special ed costs. Towns for the 2015 session; near the top of the list was would have seen school taxes increase by more than 13 percent. education finance reform.

And down in Brandon, residents defeated a Neshobe ElemenSelectboard members told lawmakers that discussion was tary School spending plan, but the vote was close — 638-576. not enough — they wanted action. Selectwoman Donna The proposed $5,356,775 spending plan entailed a 2.3 percent Donahue suggested the Legislature examine the comparaincrease and a 4-cent increase in the school tax. tively low student-teacher ratios in Vermont and consider This was a reflection of news around the state. Vermonters measures to increase those numbers. This would mean revoted down 35 of approximately 250 school budgets — the larg- ducing personnel expenses at schools. est number of failed spending plans since the advent of Act 68 in Sen. Chris Bray noted the Legislature’s ability to act on 2005. Legislators got to work on bills they hoped would lower this subject is being affected by Vermonters’ apprehenschool spending. One that would allow school districts to consoli- sion (thus far) about consolidating schools and/or school date, thus saving on administration and overhead, held promise. districts, which could be another money-saver. And local They passed legislation that limited the increase in the fiscal control over schools has historically been a big deal in Vermont. year 2015 statewide education property rate to 4 cents, instead of Selectboard members warned they don’t want to see the probthe 7 cents that had originally been forecast. lem passed on to a summer study committee. Selectman Gary

8

Baker said he has heard the suggestion of a fiveyear study of the problem.

“To me, that’s unacceptable,” he said. “We’ll be broke by then.”

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Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015

College chooses Duke dean as it next president Middlebury College has been called “the town’s col- billion, and diverting more resources to financial aid. lege,” and many things the college did in 2014 did indeed Patton said she would also work to maintain the strong effect the town and surrounding communities. And some relationship with the town of Middlebury that Liebowitz of the things that happened up on the hill were simply championed. important in and of themselves.

One of the town-gown projects that will be central to The most momentous occurrence this year, of course, the Liebowitz legacy got off the ground in 2014 when was the selection in November of Laurie L. Patton, a dean Middlebury voters approved — twice — the transfer of at Duke University, to succeed current President Ron Li- the land at 94 Main St. to the college in exchange for the ebowitz when he steps down next summer. college paying off the majority of the cost of a new town When she takes over as the 17th president of the office. Later in the year college officials said the institu215-year-old college on July 1, she will be the tion would increase its contribution to ensure that the first woman to hold the post. new building will be a net-zero user of energy Patton, 53, is a Danvers, Mass., na(consume no more energy than what it proNumber tive. She earned a bachelor’s degree duces). from Harvard University in 1983, a Also on the real estate front, Middlebury master’s from the Chicago DivinCollege acquired the Lazarus building at 20 ity School in 1986, and a Ph.D. in Main St. and conveyed it to the town for dehistory of religions from the Unimolition for better access into the Marble versity of Chicago in 1991. She Works Business District. Then the college has authored nine books on South elected to donate 1.4 acres on Bakery Lane Asian history, culture and religion to the town to use as it sees fit for a project to and two volumes of original poetry, drive economic development in town. and she has translated into English the Construction workers toiled throughout 2014 classic “Bhagavad Gita” from its original on a big new field house off South Main Street.

Sanskrit. She has lectured widely on interfaith The 110,000-square-foot building, due to be finished this issues and on religion in public life. Her husband, re- month, cost around $50 million, all raised from alumni, ligion professor Shalom Goldman, will move with his parents and other donors. wife to Vermont and join the Middlebury College facOne construction project that wrapped up when workers ulty. put the finishing touches on the college’s 17,800-squareAt a press conference announcing her appointment, foot squash facility by installing a green roof, which feaPatton said she would like to expand diversity at the tured growing plants set in a soil medium on top of a wacollege — in particular diversity of financial back- terproof membrane installed on top of the building’s roof. ground — as well and improve integration of the And one can’t forget one other spectacle that came many schools and institutes that fall under the Middle- courtesy of Middlebury College just before Halloween. bury College umbrella. A prolific fundraiser at Duke, Workers lifted the Osborne House from its 200-year-old Patton said she would work to make the college more foundation in the center of downtown and trucked it in the affordable to students by increasing the size of the wee hours across the Cross Street bridge to a new address.

Middlebury’s endowment, which in 2014 eclipsed $1 It made room for the new town office.

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2014 Top 10 • Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 — PAGE 27

High school athletes take home titles ADDISON COUNTY — In recent years, surge for MUHS and gave the program its young Addison County athletes have won first-ever championship. To reach the final, more than their fair share of state champi- the Tigers had to win another game in draonships — and 2014 was no exception. matic fashion, 2-1, over Stowe in double Teams or individual athletes from each of overtime. the four local high schools — Middlebury, Later in the spring, the Otter Valley and Mount Abraham, Otter Valley and Ver- Vergennes softball teams capped superb gennes — earned banners. seasons by meeting in a suspenseful Two teams repeated as champiD-II final. Coach Pattie Candon’s ons, the MUHS football team Otters lost a few games early, Number and the Mount Abe girls’ but were playing their best basketball team; two teams in the late going. Coach became first-time chamMike Sullivan’s Commopions, the Tiger girls’ ice dores had the better rehockey and Eagle girls’ cord and the higher seed soccer squads; and one loand had defeated some of cal softball team, OV, dethe state’s best teams. In feated another, VUHS, in a the end, the Otters scored state final. the winning run in the sevCoach Dennis Smith’s Tienth to win a well played, well gers posted a second straight 11-0 pitched game, 2-1. season on the way to another Division In the fall, Coach Dustin Corrigan’s I football crown. Their talent and sweat in Mount Abe girls’ soccer team won the arpractices meant they hardly broke a sweat ea’s fifth championship, blanking Harwood during games: Their closest contest was in the D-II final, 1-0. The Eagles did not their first of the year, a 41-28 win at Essex. allow a goal in four playoff games as they The Tigers defeated previously unbeaten St. won the school’s first title in girls’ soccer.

Johnsbury in the final, 28-7.

In individual sports, Commodore senior Coach Connie LaRose’s Eagle girls’ bas- wrestler Kaegan Pearsall steamrolled his ketball team defeated Fair Haven in the D-II 160-pound opponent in the final, 10-1, to final, 43-30, to finish at 18-4 in winning earn a title. His efforts helped VUHS team their second-straight title. The Eagles won finish fifth in the state, the highest placetheir quarterfinal and semifinal games by 31 ment among teams that normally compete and 33 points, respectively, as they domi- in D-II. However, Vermont does not recognated D-II again. nize divisions in wrestling.

Also last winter, in the D-II girls’ hockey Finally, track athletes claimed three final, the Tigers gutted out a 2-1 win over crowns. In the winter, Commodore junior Burr & Burton despite being badly outshot. Chris Castillo leapt 19 feet, 6.5 That victory capped a late-season inches to win the D-II boys’ indoor track long jump title.

In the spring D-II championship meet, two Tigers brought home gold: Senior Max Moulton won the boy’s 800-meter run in 1:59.81, while sophomore Hannah Buttolph won the girls’ high jump title at a height of five feet, three inches, the best jump of any girl in the state.

Bring it on, 2015.

10

Please join the Porter Auxiliary Board for

An Evening for Porter Friday, February 6th, 2015 5:30 – 8:30 PM

Two Brothers Tavern Lounge & Stage 86 Main Street • Middlebury, VT

Somewhere Only We Know 30 x 30 inches (unframed). Valued at $4,500 This beautiful original painting was created by local artist, Anne Cady, who donated this piece to our raffle to support the work of Porter Medical Center.

Raffle tickets are $10 Call 388.4738 or go online at www.portermedical.org and click the “buy event tickets” button on the home page.

MasterCard and Visa accepted either by phone or on the website. [ You do not have to purchase tickets to this event or be present at the event to win the raffle.]

Piano Bar featuring Middlebury College student Tevan Goldberg • Appetizers and Beverages from local purveyors $25 per person (includes one drink voucher) Please respond soon as space is limited to the first 100 people.

For more information please call Laurie Borden 802-388-4738

Many thanks to our sponsors: Anne & Brian Collins

Anonymous

For more information, please call Laurie Borden at 388.4738

PAGE 28 — 2014

Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015

Readers have their favorite web stories The Top 10 catalogs what the news staff of Picking only 10 top stories in 2014 proved the Addison Independent chose as the most to be a challenge. Addison County saw many important stories of 2014, but readers have important, interesting, touching and fun stotheir own opinions about what interested them ries last year that the Independent staff kept most last year. To get one indication of that, going after compiling the first 10. Here are look at the top 10 stories on our website. Here some of the other stories of 2014 that caught are the headlines for the most-read stories of our eyes.

2014 on addisonindependent.com, with their • After hearing emotional testimony from page views according to Google Analytics several victims, Addison Superior Court Judge (note: Unfortunately, the analysis did not Robert Mello approved a plea agreement that track all of the site activity before July 1). sentenced 38-year-old Raymond Ritchie of We’ll post this list with links to the stories at Addison to 13 years to life in prison on each addisonindependent.com. of a long list of counts stemming from a 1. Local man gives a face to 2012 and 2013 crime spree. He got heroin addiction in Vermont such a strict sentence because page views: 11,775 he was a habitual offender, Top on the 2. Two injured in Bristol having been convicted of 10 shooting incident, one by a felonies in the past. Most of state trooper the charges stemmed from page views: 4,015 a series of break-ins in Ad3. Vergennes police nab dison County, many in his pair in heroin sting home town and others in page views: 3,083 neighboring communities.

4. Early morning blaze Those who spoke in support destroys barn in New Haven of the lengthy jail term emphapage views: 2,370 sized the psychological impact of 5. Election Night 2014 — LIVE the break-ins in their communities and COVERAGE of the loss of many irreplaceable keepsakes, page views: 2,291 which included the ashes of a stillborn baby 6. Two injured in Weybridge crash and a gift from an autistic child to a mother. page views: 2,086 • Vermont Hard Cider company opened 7. Counterfeit tickets to cost Field Days a beautiful new, 100,000-square-foot cidery thousands and bottling facility in Middlebury. The $34 page views: 1,997 million facility on Exchange Street was built 8. Another teen missing in five-town over the past 15 months with more than 45 area Vermont companies involved. Within that fapage views: 1,920 cility is a stunning and expansive tasting room 9. Middlebury College student shines a built with Vermont lumber in post-and-beam light on depression style, complete with a bar with a 20-tap draft page views: 1,882 system featuring core Woodchuck ciders as 10. Four nabbed in Bristol drug bust well as experimental ciders only available at page views: 1,596 the cidery. It also features 23 cider tanks that can ferment up to 24,000 gallons of juice each (See More top stories, Page 29)

Web

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2014 Top 10 • Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015 — PAGE 29

More top stories (Continued from Page 28) and more than a mile of stainless steel piping.

A few weeks later an estimate 7,500 to 8,000 people turned out for the company’s “Ciderbration” event to celebrate the new facility.

• Hundreds of Vermonters in September joined an estimated 350,000 people on the streets of Manhattan for the People’s Climate March, the largest climate demonstration in U.S. history. The event, organized by several environmental groups including 350.org, which traces its roots to Addison County, was aimed at drawing attention to very real and ongoing effects of climate change. A prime force behind the event was Bill McKibben, the journalist and Middlebury College scholar

in residence. That same week McKibben won the Right Livelihood Award, an international honor that is sometimes called the Alternative Nobel Prize. At year’s end, McKibben said he was stepping down from his position as chair of the 350.org board.

• After being rejected by voters four times, Brandon residents in late August finally approved a municipal budget on the fifth vote.

Considering the austerity needed for voter approval, no one felt it was a cause for celebration. Voters and officials alike felt bruised and beaten after five months of financial wrangling, finger pointing and frustration. What they had to show for it was a budget that was lower than the one that finally passed a year

earlier in July 2013 after four re-votes.

• Also in Brandon, board members hired a replacement for popular Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent John Castle, who was leaving for another job.

The candidate they hired, Jeanne Collins, the embattled superintendent of the Burlington School District, was not a popular choice for many. She had resigned her Burlington job because of budget deficits and a difference in philosophy over the direction of the Burlington School District. In the separation, the Burlington board agreed to give a severance package to Collins, who had two more years on her contract, totaling roughly $230,000.

• As the year drew to a close, so did Rick

Cole’s tenure as chief of the Middlebury Fire Department. Aside from leading the department in putting out many fires, Cole led the 2012 effort to win a $4.6 million bond that paid for substantial expansion of the Seymour Street firehouse and an entirely new fire station in East Middlebury. On Jan. 1 he was succeeded by long-time Assistant Chief David Shaw, himself a 35-year veteran of the department.

• Another noteworthy retirement was announced in 2014. James Daily, who had been CEI and president of Porter Medical Center for three decades, gave notice that he was stepping down. To smooth the transition he put his exit date as early 2016.

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PAGE 30 — 2014

Top 10 •

Addison Independent, Monday, January 5, 2015

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