The Charlotte News
Volume lVII Number 10
The VoIce of The TowN
Thursday, december 18, 2014
Selectboard Discusses Audit Issues, Prepares Budget John Hammer
The charloTTe News
A Helping Hand This Holiday Season At least 52 clients of the Charlotte Food Shelf and the Lund Family Center will receive a special holiday gift—a pair of mittens knitted by Mary Burns. An 80-year-old resident of South Burlington and a Holocaust survivor, Burns attends the Charlotte Senior Center every Wednesday for lunch and to sit in with the French conversation group. When she comes, she also brings a pair of hand-knitted mittens to drop in the Food Shelf’s Holiday Toy Box drive, one pair for every week of the year.
CCS Board Works to Prepare Budget Proposal Brett Sigurdson
The charloTTe News Facing a tough budget process in which the school is likely to seek a bond to address pressing building issues, the school board met for the first of three meetings to discuss the school’s proposed 2015-16 budget with a community forum and meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 2. This year’s proposed baseline budget is roughly $7.8 million, which is 3.77 percent, or $282,000, higher than last year’s adopted budget. With CCS administrators presenting nearly $123,000 of desired extra expenditures for next year, the budget, if passed as presented that night, would be up
almost five percent from last year. About a dozen people turned up for the budget forum, though no attendees provided input. Thus the board went directly into its meeting. Bob Mason, Chittenden South Supervisory Union’s (CSSU) chief operations officer, shared the factors affecting this year’s baseline budget, which is developed by CSSU officials and represents the minimum amount needed to operate the school next year. Contributing to the uptick is a change to the way special education in the district is funded and presented in the budget. The move comes as a result of a 2010 mandate from the Vermont Legislature that all special education costs be consolidated at the
CCS Board continued on page 7
Much of the Selectboard meeting on Dec. 15 concentrated on the draft town audit report while that of Dec. 8 was taken up for the most part by the ongoing budget review. Rick Brigham of Sullivan Powers & Co. presented the draft town audit with a clear and comprehensive outline of the figures for the past fiscal year. It was obvious from the presentation that the work was very much a collegial and intense effort between the Selectboard, the town’s elected auditors, Town Treasurer Mary Mead and Town Administrator Dean Bloch. The figures were audited and approved with small changes to reflect how accounts need to be identified for clarity The management letter provides listings of shortfalls and is, in the words of Brigham, “all about (financial) controls.” The one material weakness identified was that “the same person that reconciles the bank statements for the Town is also a check signer.” The duties are considered incompatible for accounting control purposes and make town assets “susceptible to misappropriation.” Appropriate fixes were discussed and will be considered by the Selectboard. The audit also named two significant deficiencies. The first calls for “appropriate officials to authorize and review all general journal entries” in order to follow working control policies. In the second, the town was taken to task for not having an accounting and procedures manual in place. Such a manual would outline the scope of duties and respon-
Selectboard continued on page 5
2014: A Turning Point for Charlotte? Brett Sigurdson
The charloTTe News Who says nothing happens in small towns? Anyone paying attention to Charlotte in 2014 would see that the town experienced a plethora of interesting stories, fascinating controversies and human dramas over the past 11 months. When it’s all added up, the most prominent storyline in 2014 was town leaders tackling tough issues for the future. Take the Planning Commission’s work on a deep revision of the
Town Plan for 2015 or the CCS School Board tackling serious— and costly—facility issues at the school. Or the Selectboard’s work on town employee policy. Or crime and speeding in Charlotte, which a new Community Safety Committee tackled this year. Each of these issues and more showed that there’s plenty to pay attention to in Charlotte now and in 2015. Before the new year turns, however, take a look back at the stories that mattered in 2014.
Turning Point
continued on page 10
CVU Students Go to Washington Princeton Model Congress gives CVU students a chance to play legislators in the nation’s capital. Emma Slater
The charloTTe News Students from CVU who participated in Princeton Model On Nov. 20, after months of preparation, a bus Congress met Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Peter Welch. packed with 40 of CVU’s brightest history and government students arrived in Washington D.C. ones from Vermont. PMC is also the oldest model the trip leader and advisor since his first year teachCompleting a lengthy road trip, they were ready to test their skills in a first-hand experience of the congress in the country and the only one that takes ing at the high school. Seven years later he continAmerican democratic process at the annual Princeton place in Washington, D.C. The location provided ues to lead the program, with chaperones Katherine CVU students with a chance to visit the Vermont Riley and Peter Langella, out of a passion to provide Model Congress. Princeton Model Congress, or PMC, is essen- congressional delegation. This year they were able CVU students with opportunities to enrich their edutially a simulation of the U.S. Congress. Hosted by to meet Senator Patrick Leahy, Representative Peter cational experience. According to Hindes, “It gives Princeton University, it attracts roughly 1000 partici- Welch and Senator Bernie Sanders. Congress continued on page 9 Jeff Hindes, a CVU history teacher, has served as pants each year, although CVU students are the only
2 • December 18, 2014 • The
Charlotte News
Commentary Race Issues in American Politics Alive and Well The Charlotte News PublishEd by and for CharlottErs sinCE 1958 The CharloTTe News is a nonprofit community-based newspaper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues. It serves as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and celebrates the people, places and happenings that make the Town of Charlotte unique. Contributions in the form of articles, press releases and photographs pertaining to Charlotte-related people and events are accepted and encouraged from all townspeople and interested individuals. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@charlottenewsvt.com. The CharloTTe News is published in Charlotte by The Charlotte News, Inc., a Vermont domestic 501(c)4 nonprofit corporation. Distribution is made every other Thursday to all households and businesses in Charlotte and to selected outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh and Vergennes. It relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations. oN The weB aT:
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In his customary understatement when talking about race, President Barack Obama said, “Ferguson laid bare a problem that is not unique to St. Louis.” It reflects “a simmering distrust that exists between too many police departments and too many communities of color.” Ferguson now takes Barry Dunsmore its place among so many tragically similar incidents which raise profound questions about the way people of color are treated by America’s criminal justice system. And for all of the hopes raised by the election of the first African American president, it seems to me that across a broad spectrum the issue of race is more pernicious today than it was prior to his taking office. Six years ago, I spoke in Montpelier to the Central Vermont Anti-Racism Circles. The next presidential election was to take place in six weeks, and I had been asked to address the subject, “Race in the Presidential Campaign: Transcendent or Still Toxic?” As an old white guy who had spent most of his life working overseas as a foreign correspondent covering the Cold War, nuclear arms control and the Middle East, I was an unlikely choice to talk about race in American politics. But what was expected was that I would apply the skills I had developed over five decades to explain complex issues—identify the major elements, provide historical context with significant details that many will be unaware of, fold in contemporary developments and finally offer a detached perspective on where things appear to be heading. I’ll spare you the whole speech, but this is the sense of what I had to say. Race in American politics begins with the contradiction imbedded in the Declaration of Independence that “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” The reality is that in 1776 black slavery was an accepted fact throughout all of the thirteen colonies. Of the population of two and a half million, about five hundred thousand, or one in five, were slaves. Also at that time Thomas Jefferson owned about 200 slaves, as did George Washington. Furthermore, the otherwise admirable document out of which this country was born, the United States Constitution signed in 1787, contained what Obama and others have described as the “original sin” of racism. This reflected the political realities of the day. If the slave-holding states could not get major concessions on the question of slavery, they would refuse to join the union. Perhaps the key concession involved how slaves would be counted. The compromise was that each slave would be considered three-fifths of a person. That gave the slave holding states a big boost in their total populations, and population determined the allocation of seats in the House of Representatives. As a result, Southerners dominated the presidency, the speakership of the House and the Supreme Court, right up until the Civil War. While ultimately the Civil War was fought over slavery, it is remarkable how little of the race issue the war resolved. President Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves in the states then in rebellion against the Union by executive order (the same device Obama is using to reform current Immigration Law).
Lincoln’s order was later ratified by the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment required states to provide equal protection to all citizens and the Fifteenth banned race-based voting qualifications. But those postwar amendments, all ratified by 1870, were subsequently negated in the segregated South by a web of insidious state laws and regulations that prevailed for the next ninety years Things began to change after World War II. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball. In 1948 President Harry Truman issued an executive order (again the mechanism that Obama is using on immigration) to desegregate the Armed Services. In 1954 the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that separate education for black and white students was unconstitutional. Finally, with the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights and 1965 Voting Rights Acts—major achievements of both the Rev. Martin Luther King and President Lyndon Johnson— the most egregious of state racist laws came off the books. However, Southern Democrats then bolted their party in droves, and attracted by President Richard Nixon’s cynical 1968 “Southern Strategy” they nearly all became Republicans. This, more than anything else, explains the Republican Party’s dramatic shift to the right and the near elimination of its moderate Northern wing. In my speech six years ago I concluded that if Obama should win the presidency it would be possible to argue that the issue of race had been transcended, because the biggest taboo in American politics had been broken. Race wouldn’t cease to be a factor in politics, but it would no longer be the dominant one. It turns out I was very wrong. I am not implying all Republicans are racists. What I am saying is that since Obama was elected, the Republican Party in both the House and the Senate allowed itself to be captured by the Tea Party and other very conservative members. Many of these people are not exactly known for liberal or even moderate views on race. And even though they do not make up a majority in the Republican caucuses, the party leadership has been fearful of offending them, thereby ceding power to a notably hardline minority. How else to explain GOP leaders’ near silence during the racist-inspired campaign involving numerous prominent Republicans, claiming Obama’s election was illegitimate because he was an alien? Also inexplicable is the 2013 Supreme Court decision to gut much of the enforcement mechanism of the 1965 Voting Rights Act on the highly questionable premise that racial attitudes had sufficiently improved so that such rules were no longer needed. About five seconds after that decision, Republican controlled states all over the country began instituting new election laws that have one clear function: suppressing the Black and Hispanic vote. All that said, I regret to conclude that the issue of race in the American political system is alive and much too well. This commentary originally appeared in the Rutland Herald/Montpelier Times Argus on December 7, 2014. Barrie Dunsmore is a journalist who covered foreign affairs for ABC News for 30 years. His commentaries are also featured on VPR. He lives in Charlotte.
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The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 3
On Thankfulness When I wrote an editorial announcing my departure from The New’s editor position a few months ago, I knew that I’d approach this issue—my last—and our annual look back at the year that was with a sentimental mind. After all, looking back at 2014’s 23 issues would, I thought, compel me to think back to the 50 or so issues I’ve edited since taking the helm here in August 2012. In recognition of what is an emotional change for me, my goal for this column was to say thanks to everyone I’ve written stories about—all the subjects and sources who helped us help tell this town’s stories in my two-plus years here. But as I write this, it’s nearly midnight on day one of The News’s twoday production rush, and I’ve been working for over 12 hours. This isn’t uncommon on production days—with our small staff and many tasks The News can often see lengthy production days. At the end of them, I’m wrung dry, I have nothing much to give and little care for excess. So, I want to cut to the chase. No lists, no fluff, no grand theme that I thread through the piece and tie up at the end. All I want to say is this: thank you. You, the reader, the person who picked up this paper and have taken a moment to read about your com-
munity, hear out your neighbor, spend some time with our writers. Thanks for reading this column, this issue, this paper. The Charlotte News is something special in this community, and I’ve spent my time here touting as much. I hope you’ve in some way felt what I’ve felt about this publication, because it’s held a special place in my life. And a big reason for this is the circle of people who surround The News, who give much of themselves to produce it and share it every few weeks. I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank Linda Williamson, Vince Crockenberg, Edd Merritt, Emma Slater, Shanley Hinge, John Hammer, and the rest of the News’s staff and board for what they’ve given to this paper, to this community and to me. On nights like this—nights when I’ve written or edited so many articles I can hardly focus—being editor can feel like the worst job, and I catch myself wishing I was doing anything else. But then I look at the plan for the issue we’re working on and see all the stories we’re about to share with readers and I begin to feel the thing that I came here to write about in the beginning: thankfulness. I’ll look forward to continuing with The News as an assistant editor when we come back from our holiday break in January. Until then, thanks for reading, and happy holidays. Brett Sigurdson Editor in Chief
News from The The end of the year brings the end of Robin Turnau’s five-year term on The News’s board of directors. The president and CEO of Vermont Public Radio, Robin’s expertise about running a successful nonprofit news organization was invaluable to the rest of the board. For the last few years, Robin has helped spearhead our fundraising efforts, playing an instrumental part in organizing what have been our most successful fundraising years ever. We’re grateful for her time on the board, and we look forward to seeing her around town or hearing her on the radio during VPR’s fundraising drives—and drawing on her good will and advice, at least occasionally, as the board and staff of The News move into its next 56 years as the Voice of the Town. Thank you, Robin.
Letters Thanks to Charlotters Auditor Seat to Be Open for Fund Drive Help I noticed that several candidates for Beginning in May of this year, Youth Catalytics held a fund-raising shoe drive. Over the course of the last six months many organizations generously worked with us to collect and donate over 3,000 pairs of shoes! We could never have done this without everyone’s time and effort. This process has reinforced for us the importance of engaging people at all levels of the community in improvement efforts. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank BioTek Instruments, Ben & Jerry’s, Burton, Charlotte Central School, Charlotte Children’s Center, Charlotte Library, Danform Shoes, Dealer.com, Dirt Chic, Fleet Feet, IBM-ECCC, Rhino Foods, Shelburne Health & Fitness, Town of Charlotte Green-Up, Twin Craft, Vermont Commons School, VT USDOJ and Waldorf School. From all of us at Youth Catalytics: thank you very much! Karen Vincelette St. Albans, Vermont
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town offices are already circulating petitions for the March election, so I wanted to let others who might be interested know that there will be a vacant seat for town auditor. I have enjoyed serving in that capacity for nearly ten years since being appointed by the Selectboard after Hazel Prindle retired in 2005 when she moved from Charlotte. Hers were big shoes to fill, and I have worked hard to learn the intricacies of Charlotte’s finances and, with the other two auditors, to provide oversight and assistance as needed and required by statute. I’ve appreciated the opportunity to be of service to the town but am now ready to focus on other areas. The expectations of town auditors by the state and by our new independent auditor are more complicated and financially sophisticated than previously, as you will see when you read the description of deficiencies and recommendations in the official 2014 audit report. As town auditors, we have, over the last two years, made some of the same recommendations. Unpaid, volunteer town auditors are important in helping identify problems and bringing them to the attention of the Selectboard and town treasurer. However, we do not have backgrounds in accounting. Perhaps we are reaching a point where at least one town auditor, as with the listers, should be qualified and paid to provide more professional assistance and oversight? I urge anyone with an interest in Charlotte’s finances to consider running for town auditor. Petitions are available in the town clerk’s office and need just 30 signatures before the deadline on January 26 in order to be on the ballot on Town Meeting Day the first Tuesday of March. Nancy Wood Fields Farm Road
Get Involved in Town Government The Selectboard is looking for interested citizens to fill the following vacancies: Deputy health officer—1 vacancy with a term ending in April 2015 Community Safety Committee—3 vacancies with terms ending in April 2015 Conservation Commission—1 vacancy with a term ending in April 2016 Interested applicants should email, call or stop by the office for more information. Dean Bloch, Town Administrator Charlotte Town Office P.O. Box 119 Charlotte, VT 05445 E-mail: dean@townofcharlotte.com Phone: 425-3533.
CorreCtion Due to an editing error, The News mistakenly stated the current student population at CCS is 209 in a story titled “CCS Board Preps Budget, Talks School Repairs, Principal Structure” in its December 4 issue. The current student population is actually 409. We also mistakenly reversed the positions of K-5 Principal Greg Marino and 6–8 principal Audrey Boutaugh. We always feel terrible about errors, but given the sensitive nature of budget talks and the need for accurate information to understand them, we feel especially bad about these. We apologize to the CCS School Board, the administration, and our readers for the mistakes and any confusion they may have caused.
Got Something to Say? The Charlotte News accepts all signed letters pertaining to issues of local and national interest. Letters must be 300 words or fewer, include your full name and town, and reach us by the appropriate deadline. Writers will only have letters published once every four weeks. The Charlotte News reserves the right to edit for style and length. Your submission options are news@charlottenewsvt. com or The Charlotte News, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445. All opinions expressed in Letters and Commentaries are those of the writers and not of The Charlotte News, which is published as an independent, nonprofit, unbiased community service and forum.
4 • December 18, 2014 • The
Charlotte News
Tegatz Gives Town Hall New Look Are you Subdividing, Developing or Building in Charlotte?
Selectboard members can be asked to do any number of tasks during their tenure in Town Hall. But decorating the place? We didn’t find that in the Vermont League of Cities and Towns’ “Handbook for Vermont Selectboards.� Despite this, Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz (left) and his wife, lister Betsy Tegatz, spent the weekend of Dec. 6 and 7 painting the interior of the town offices.
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Snow from a huge winter storm turned Route 7 in Charlotte into a messy parking lot last week, with icy conditions stranding multiple vehicles in the roadway, making the highway nearly impassable for three hours. Members of Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue were out, however, helping to direct traffic to Greenbush and Mt. Philo roads, which Road Commissioner Jr Lewis and his crew kept clear.
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SCHIP (Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg Interfaith Projects) has announced its fall grant awards. Grants in the amount of $16,750 were awarded to several nonprofits in our towns that met the criteria of serving the people of our communities in a variety of ways. Each of the food shelves of Charlotte, Shelburne and Hinesburg received grants of $5,000. These awards are made possible as a result SCHIP’s mission to raise funds through the sale of donated, gently used clothing and household items, accessories, art and collectibles at its resale shop on
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Route 7 next to the Shelburne town offices. Since its inception, grants of $500,000 have been awarded. As a member of our communities, you are an intimate part of our mission. Come shop, donate, volunteer and help us continue to meet our objectives for the future. For more information on grant recipients or the organization please visit our website (schipstreasure.org) or our Facebook page (SCHIP’s Treasure Resale Shop) or call the shop for volunteer or donation inquiries at 985-3595.
The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 5
TownBites by Edd Merritt
Oscar Williams Lands Big Role Off Broadway Charlotte actor Oscar Williams made a jump from small theaters to big city lights with a starring turn in Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home. Currently running off Broadway at Circle in the Square Theatre, the play is based on a graphic novel by the Bolton-based Bechdel. The play is autobiographical, and Oscar plays one of the author’s brothers. His previous theater work has been in the Very Merry Theatre, Heritage Ford TV ads, Middlebury Community Players and Stowe Theatre Guild, as well as the St. Michaels’ Playhouse. Designbook has roots in Charlotte’s Dynapower The Burlington Free Press ran a story on a new Burlington-based company called Designbook, which helps startups find capital and people to help their companies grow. The two founders of Designbook are Kyle Clark and Aaron Pollak, two young managers
of Dynapower, an energy generation company started by Aaron’s father, Peter, when they lived in Charlotte. Aaron was a vice president of sales for the company, Kyle, head of engineering. (Also of note: our own Edd Merrit coached Kyle in youth hockey. He later played three years at Harvard.) Trio of Charlotte Wunderkinds at Heart of New Moran Video Viewers can play witness to a synergy of Charlotte-grown talent in a video by Lang McLaughry Real Estate. Called “This is Home—Creative Culture and the Moran Plant,” the short video features sculptor Ethan Bond-Watts sharing his thoughts about why he calls the Burlington area home. One reason he cites is Burlington’s art scene, and the New Moran plant project—headed by Charlotters Erick Crockenberg and Tad Cooke—aims to be a central part of it. Bond-Watts was picked as one of several local artists to fill the currently empty space with art. He chose to do what he dubbed a “lighter-than-air sculpture” out of a foam-like substance that he forms, releases into the air, and documents with photography and film. The video, along with several others documenting art at the Moran Plant space, can be found via the organization’s website (moranplant.org) and Facebook page.
Selectboard continued from page 1
sibilities of town staff and others with respect to accounting records and principles. The audit pointed out that while the town has a small staff with which to generate such a manual, its existence in the future would save time in training and supervising accounting personnel. In order to complete the audit, the Selectboard must present a statement as to its intentions to resolve the one material weakness and the two deficiencies. This statement will be included in the final report to be presented to the public. It has to be said that Sullivan Powers & Co. were also most helpful in identifying numerous areas where the town’s financial controls could be strengthened, They included a list of 12 recommendations where some action might be taken to streamline and strengthen the system. There is no requirement to complete any of these, but Brigham suggested that they would be effective in building a better financial and accounting program for the future. Recommendations included developing a town position on fraud and dishonest conduct, conducting a fraud risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities, establishing guidelines for the treasurer in the areas of cash management and investing and maintaining the town’s special funds in their own ledger to simplify their review.
Budget talks
Property Transfers December 2014 Rodney and Donna Stearns to Barry and Sarah Russell 5.37 acres with dwelling, 151 Elcy Lane $365,000 Russell D. and Melissa A. Beatty to VTRANS 1.77 acre easement 4702 Ethan Allen Highway $13,800 Ruth G. Nye to BCS Real Estate Holdings LLC seasonal cottage 2579 Thompson’s Point Road $192,600 Christopher DuPlantis and Julie Kelbert to Gregg and Sarah Vincent. 2.58 acres with dwelling 26 Spear Street $425,000 Hergenrother Construction LLC to Thomas Hergenrother Sr and Andrea Couture,
10.96 acres with dwelling, 513 Guinea Road, $450,000. Estate of Douglas H. Poquette to Joshua Dickerson and Julia Parker, 12 acres with dwelling, 325 Monkton Road, $253,000. Harvey and Elaine Sharrow to Petdia III LLC, 21 acres on west side of Mt. Philo, $375,000
At the budget reviews on Dec. 8 Mead presented a reasonably flat budget for the town clerk and treasurer’s office. She asked only for an additional $1,800 for the treasurer’s office to be able to enter a software package keeping track of cash payments in the NEMRC software. Of general interest, Mead noted in her presentation that the value of the town lands on Thompson’s Point was about $48.5 million out of a town grand list of almost $952 million. The town therefore can expect to receive about $828,000 in revenues from Thompson’s Point leases in the next fiscal year. The Library Board of Trustees requested a 2015-16 budget that is 4.9 percent less than that for the current year. Most program elements, including acquisitions, dropped except for energy and maintenance. The board of the Senior Center recommended a relatively flat-line budget except for increased salaries for the activities director and volunteer coor-
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On Dec. 8 the Selectboard voted to authorize Chairman Lane Morrison to sign a quit claim deed to eliminate any “lease” or “school land” encumbrances by the town on land to be conserved by Patricia Day Bidinger on the southwest corner of Bean and Hinesburg Roads. The regular meeting on December 8 was preceded by a discussion between the Selectboard, listers and the town clerk wherein there was quite a bit of disagreement on the fairness of the wage and classification policy now under development. All parties agreed that more work is needed to resolve the remaining concerns and differences. Selectboard Chair Morrison, at the Dec. 15 meeting, directed Bloch to schedule a public discussion of the final policy, with a possible vote at the next Selectboard meeting on Jan. 5, 2015. Finally, Moe Harvey was appointed to the Community Safety Committee for a term expiring in April 2017.
Jesse and Rachel McEntee to Lee and Marcie Fox 5.2 acres with dwelling 577 One Mile Road $349,000.
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dinator to reflect the additional hours that they work. The board also cited the need for maintenance on the roof and some windows. Bill Fraser-Harris presented the recreation budget that was also slightly higher. There was an additional amount of $1,000 for maintenance on the tennis courts. This will go into a reserve fund for extraordinary maintenance, such as the requirement for resurfacing every seventh year. He proposed that a future fund be developed to cover ongoing maintenance costs for the courts and building. He pointed out that the Recreation Commission has benefited from numerous donations in this past year. The Community Safety Committee (CSC) appeared before the Selectboard but did not submit a budget amount since CSC members maintain that they are an advisory committee only. They did note that this year has been extraordinary in that $70,000 was voted by the Town Meeting to fund work on traffic calming and policing services. So far, $39,883 has been spent, and the committee intends to develop a list of further projects for the Selectboard to fund. The town constable felt that his budget is adequate. CSC committee member Ed Cafferty had asked whether a second constable might be necessary. While Town Constable Josh Flore admitted that a backup might be desirable during high activity periods, he didn’t think it was warranted. It was noted that the position of second constable had been formalized in 2004, but none was thought necessary.
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6 • December 18, 2014 • The
Charlotte News
Goings-on at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Larry Hamilton Contributor
A new member has been appointed to the Oversight Committee for the Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge. Park neighbor Dorothy Hill is now contributing her personal knowledge and insights from long familiarity with the area. The kiosk and sign at the lower entrance parking area has been repaired by Joe Blasius. We will also replace the box for sign-ins. The Oversight Committee reminds folks that dogs are not permitted in the park due to the negative impact on wildlife. While this is posted clearly at this area, those entering the park elsewhere need to be aware of this policy. On Nov. 1, with volunteer help, the first bridge on Roberts Way was finished, and the first section of new (wider) bog bridges was completed. Bogbridge work will continue as weather and volunteers permit. All grass fields have been mowed, manure spread, and farming operations virtually concluded. Brush hogging was carried out by James Bell at the Overlook area, at the top of Roberts Way and the Unit N wildlife management area. Jessie Bradley (and husband) completed the “no hunting” posting of boundary. She also obtained four pounds of wildflower seed and with committee members Sue Smith, Jenny Cole and volunteers Tiny Sikkes, Mary van Vleck and Steve Antell prepared the area and planted the seed at the top of Roberts Way. Jenny and Sue continue their invasive control work at the drop of a hat (usually during favorable weather). Some issues in connection with the Varney Farm are now occupying the committee. The Park Oversight Committee includes cochairs Jenny Cole and Sue Smith and members Jessie Bradley, Dorothy Hill, Bob Hyams, Mark Dillenbeck, Larry Hamilton and Selectboard liaison Matt Krasnow.
Whistling a Winter Tune Bradley Carleton Contributor
As the end of muzzleloader, duck and goose seasons blow into the valley on frigid nor’easters, traditional outdoorsmen and women begin to seek a connection to the stark fragility of early winter’s beauty. Snowshoes are unpacked, beagles are baying their ancient symphony in hopes of chasing snowshoes and cottontails. And for many, hopes of a deep freeze are nestled in our dreams. For many of us, the frosty morning air that makes the inside of your nose sting is a welcome sign. Bays on the lake lock up solid and form a clear black surface under the watchful eye of the full moon. In the pre-dawn darkness, bait shops buzz with hardy souls seeking the magic of wriggling minnows. Perch bait, shiners and pinheads give off a welcome piscatorial fragrance. Colorful bibbits and short jigging rods adorn the shelves waiting for an enthusiastic hardwater angler to pick them up and flex their backbones. Buckets are filled, stories are told, and the thickness of the ice is discussed in jovial conversational tones. Ice fishing season has begun. Out on the clear surface, caution is the paramount concern. No fish, not even a trophy, is worth risking your life for a dip in the lake at this time of year. Each step is measured and tested. Ice thickness is always tested by drilling through the surface with an augur and then debated with vigor. Four inches of clear ice is enough for most of us. Some venture out on less but not the Sacred Hunters. Yet, when the ice is safe, we will venture out religiously to pursue the yellow bellied perch and iridescent smelt that bless the depths of our lake. Sitting on our pickle buckets modified with padded seats and a sled full of tackle, we move up and down the bay in search of a school that wants to play with us. Finally, after moving several hundred yards in a quarterPublic Notice of Champlain VT, LLC’s Filing of a ing pattern, we strike gold. Well, yellow Section 248 Petition with the Vermont Public anyway. The first guy whistles a happy tune Service Board Concerning the New England Clean from World War II Power Link Project that was popularized by the old cleaning On December 8, 2014, Champlain VT, LLC d/b/a TDI New England solvent “Comet” to
filed with the Vermont Public Service Board (“PSB”) a Petition under 30 V.S.A. § 248 requesting a Certificate of Public Good to construct and operate an electric transmission line in Vermont, to be known as the New England Clean Power Link project (“NECPL”). The NECPL would be a high voltage direct current (“HVDC”) line capable of transmitting up to 1,000 megawatts of electricity. It would be installed underwater in Lake Champlain and underground in public road and railroad rights-‐of-‐way -‐-‐ from Alburgh to Ludlow, Vermont -‐-‐ for a total distance of approximately 154 miles. The HVDC line would terminate at a converter station to be constructed in Ludlow, where the electricity would be converted to AC and transmitted to the ISO-‐NE grid via the existing VELCO Coolidge substation in Cavendish, Vermont. More information regarding the Project and the full Section 248 Petition can be found on TDI New England’s website at www.necplink.com. Information concerning the Public Service Board’s review process can be found at www.psb.vermont.gov, including the Citizens’ Guide to the Vermont Public Service Board’s Section 248 Process.
Charlotter Dale Knowles, tutoring Williston resident, Zack Gregory, on how to jig for perch.
signify to the team that he has found the school. We all converge on the area and begin furiously drilling holes. Within minutes, six lines are down in the shallow water and rods are popping. Every time someone ices another fish, the tune is whistled again. It is infuriating to those who are not pulling them up as rapidly as the others. “What color bibbit you using?” In harmony the answer is “white Hali with a spike tip,” which means that the lure is a very small teardrop shape, painted white and has a live maggot on the tip of the hook. Ice fishing has its own language, and that is half the fun. Soon we are all pulling up beautiful 9- to 12-inch yellow perch and laughing to beat the band. Our pickle buckets begin to fill up, and within an hour we are talking about a fish fry at headquarters. We pack up our equipment into the ice sleds and begin the pull back to the shoreline. Smiles and laughter punctuate the dialogue on the way back to the trucks. With a true sense of connection to the frozen world around us, we pile into the cabs for the drive home. Red cheeks and laughter follow us all the way back to civilization. Bradley Carleton is executive director of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature and raises funds for Traditions Outdoor Mentoring.org, which mentors at-risk young men in outdoor pursuits.
The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 7
School Board continued from page 1
supervisory union level. All special ed staff and spending will take place at CSSU, which will then spread out the cost of providing services to all union schools, noted CSSU Superintendent Elaine Pinckney. This is meant to lessen the burden on schools that might have special education students arrive midway through the school year and find themselves scrambling to find funds to pay for it. The downside of this model is that some schools may pay more in assessments than they have in special education needs. There will be no reimbursement for schools that pay more in assessments than they need in services. “We might take a bit of a hit this year, but the feeling is it will level out over time and make it more predictable and fair for all of us and easier to budget,” said Kristin Wright, CCS board chair. Other budget drivers include higher electricity and fuel oil costs and a rise in health care premiums. Proposed decisions packets: On top of the baseline budget, school administrators presented a series of proposals called decision packets that both seek to meet needs not in the budget and to cut costs where appropriate. K-5 principal Greg Marino and 6–8 principal Audrey Boutaugh presented a total of roughly $211,706 in additional expenditures— though this number may go down depending on enrollment—and $42,429 in cuts, adding a net $123,000 to the baseline budget. Among the additional requests is one for an additional full-time behavioral specialist to address what Marino characterized as a rise in the need to combat conduct issues since the beginning of the year. “What we’ve been seeing this year is an increase in intensity of student behaviors, and increase in complexity in the needs of some students and behaviors,” said Marino. Citing a rise in referrals and calls for support, as well as a “platoon” approach to address the issues by stretched-thin counselors, administrators and teachers, Marino and Boutaugh are seeking a full-time behavior specialist to help those students who need the support. The projected cost is $46,700. Some wondered if the need is so great that it warrants developing a full-time position. Marino noted that the move was about being proactive, about being in front of the problem before it gets too great. Sarah Scranton, a parent, asked why the school wasn’t hiring immediately. “We have taken steps that directly support some of the issues we’re talking about,” said Marino. “They’re meant as intermediate steps.” Pinckney noted the rise in behavioral issues
has increased statewide. “It’s not just here. It’s everywhere schools are facing this challenge,” she said. Other budget items of note: • While the board didn’t discuss any major bond expenditures to fund repairs to the school facility at its Dec. 2 meeting, it did talk about school infrastructure in the form of decision packets. Administrators are seeking $25,000 to establish a construction fund, which will address ongoing capital improvement initiatives. They are also seeking funding for a new exterior camera system ($10,000) and a school-to-bus communication system ($9,000). • Another move meant to fill a gap is a parttime health educator to teach the health curriculum. Currently, the school uses a Connecting Youth-Student Assistant Program (SAP) counselor to teach health. But because this person is not a licensed teacher, one must be present in the classroom. The $25,000 proposed expenditure would provide this service. • Administrators are seeking $34,450 in technology expenditures to upgrade the school’s connectivity and software, as well as to provide 50 additional Chromebooks and 20 iPads for student use. Marino noted that this mobile technology has made a big difference for students and teachers, a sentiment seconded by fourth-grade teacher Katie Fraser. However, this is on top of a $16,000 baseline budget expenditure that includes a request for 60 Chromebooks, something that made attendees wonder why the need for decision packets. Pinckney noted the budget expenditures are part of a systematic technology replacement practice developed by CSSU. • One variable in the decision packets is the number of paraeducators for kindergarten. If kindergarten enrollment reaches a total of 38 students or more for the two classes currently planned, the school will recommend hiring two paraeducators at a cost of $53,566. At this time administrators are projecting a total of 40 students in the two classes. If enrollment drops below 38, administrators will recommend hiring only one paraeducator at a cost of $26,778. In response to a suggestion that the board take a fresh look at the budget numbers, Chair Wright noted that roughly 80 percent of the school’s budget is contractually obligated through salaries and health care, and the control it has over expenditures is small. Still, Wright noted that the board is careful about its expenditures: “We’ve taken efforts to try to say let’s really look at our enrollment and our programs and our staffing to try to say what we have now, where do we want to go with this?” A follow-up budget meeting took place on Tuesday, Dec. 16, after The News’s print deadline. Coverage will be provided as soon as possible. The community is again invited to weigh in on next year’s school budget during a final meeting on Jan. 13 at the CCS library.
Santa Stops by Fire & Rescue Santa took a brief respite from preparing for his Christmas travels to stop by Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue on Dec. 14. He and his elves were greeted by a gathering of smiling children.
Congregational Church Receives $20,000 Solar Grant During a recent sermon, Charlotte Congregational Church Pastor Will Burhans told his congregation that the world needs to acknowledge it has a serious environmental problem and that the degradation of creation is an affront to spiritual principles. Now the Charlotte Congregational Church community has taken a big step toward embodying this belief, as the church recently announced it is one of seven Vermont nonprofits to receive a $20,000 grant from Green Mountain Power that will help fund an estimated $64,000 solar energy installation to power the church’s three buildings. Church member Jeannie McDonough authored the grant application. She explained that installing a solar project is the embodiment of an ethos at the church that connects environmental stewardship with religious faith. “Having a solar powered building for all to see makes clear the connection between our religious faith and environmental justice and care,” she said, citing language Burhans penned for the grant. “Such an initiative also speaks volumes to the wider community that we are a modern church willing and able to be responsive to the needs and necessities of the time.” The church pays roughly $4,000 per year in electricity bills. Its proposed solar project would generate enough power to not only cover this amount but also tithe ten percent of the energy to Joint Urban Ministry Project, or JUMP, to help those in need purchase electricity. McDonough noted that, according to the grant, the date for completing the project is Aug. 31, 2015. As of press time, church leaders had not met to discuss the next steps for the project, she said.
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8 • December 18, 2014 • The
Charlotte News
Celebrate the Arts at CVU Jan. 8
The
Board’sCorner Update from CCS
How Changes in Special Ed Affect This Year’s Budget Kristin Wright Contributor
The CCS board, administration and staff are committed to providing a quality education to all our students. Our school supports a strong, multi-tiered system designed to provide additional supports and services for all students, including those who are experiencing challenges at school. This includes providing special education services to eligible students with disabilities. The Charlotte School District budget includes the costs of providing these services, which are required by state and federal law. Regulations require that we provide a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities. Each year we submit a service plan to the state that estimates the costs associated with providing special education services. The service plan is developed by analyzing individual education plans (IEPs) for all current and anticipated special education students. The costs associated with implementing these plans are included in school budgets. Schools are reimbursed for a portion of these costs, typically 40-60 percent, but occasionally as much as 90 percent depending on the level of services required. The reimbursement is included in the revenue portion of the Chittenden South Supervisory Union (CSSU) budget. This year the special education portion of the CCS budget will be found as a CSSU assessment and as revenue from CSSU. In 2010, the Vermont Legislature mandated that all special education services be consolidated at the supervisory union level. The hope was that consolidation of these services would provide more consistent delivery of services to students, would pro-
vide some measure of cost savings and would allow school districts to share the risks of extraordinary, unanticipated special education costs. In the past, if a student with very extensive needs moved to Charlotte we faced a budgetary challenge in providing the services the student needed as required by law. Consolidation of special education services is intended, in part, to minimize the fluctuations in special education costs by having them shared by all the schools in a supervisory union. Each year individual school boards have had to include money in their budgets to buffer any unanticipated special education costs. Because we are pooled together now, the CSSU board is likely to reduce the budgeted buffer amount, resulting in a small savings to each member school district. This year the special education assessment from CSSU is higher than what CCS paid last year. Historically there have been significant swings in CCS’s special education budget. We can predict that fluctuations in cost will be minimized as we move forward in a consolidated system. In the past we were assessed costs based on what CCS students needed. Going forward the costs associated with providing special education at CCS will be determined by the percentage of CCS students among the total number of special education students in the supervisory union. We will be assessed our percentage of the total special education costs for CSSU. As always, if you have any questions or concerns about the school budgeting process, the school board welcomes your feedback at our meetings or by email (ccsschoolboard@cssu.org). All budget materials are posted on the CCS website as soon as they are available.
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CVU will host its sixth annual Celebrate the Arts Night on Thursday, Jan. 8. From 6–7:30 p.m. you can enjoy a visual arts show of over 450 pieces created by students currently enrolled in arts courses. Students from CVU’s introductory through advanced placement studio art classes will be showing pieces they feel best represent their work from the semester. Also on view will be practical art work made by technology education and fashion design students. From 6:30–7 p.m., there will be demonstrations in the technology education rooms. At 7 p.m. there will be a musical performance by CVU’s fabulous men’s chorus. At 7:30 p.m., in the CVU theater, notable performances will be given by the CVU madrigal singers, symphonic winds, symphonic band, and a sample of performance works from acting and public speaking classes. Family and consumer science classes will provide refreshments. There will be art activities for the whole family. All events are free to the public. For more information contact abowker@cvuhs.org An image by art student Inga Kindsteadt
Charlie Kantor Wins CCS Geo Bee Congratulations to sixth graders Charlie Kantor, Connor Falk and Ben Sampson, who took the top three spots in the final round of CCS’s National Geographic Bee on Thursday, December 11. A total of 35 CCS students competed in a Dec. 5 preliminary competition. Making it to the final round were 8th grader Bay Foley-Cox, 6th graders Schuyler Edgar Holmes, Evan Beal, William Berkowitz, Frederick Marshall and Riley Marchand, and 5th grader Isabella Hackerman. Other participants were 4th graders Rory McDermott, Harry Evans, Kaydance Messier, Kayla Fysh, Ella Caldwell, Stephanie Taylor and Van Reardon; 5th graders Daemon Aiken, Tess Foley-Cox, Heidi Beal, Evelyn Emmons, Malinn Sigler, Chris Haigney and Riley Bagnato; 6th graders Skyler Heininger, Sammie Blackmore, Brody Flynn, Catherine Young, Ethan Lisle,
(From left) Charlie Kantor won the CCS Geo Bee last week while Connor Falk was named first runner up and Ben Sampson second runner-up.
Oscar Williams, Vaughnesa Jipner, Sebastian D’Amico, Sage Pecor and Sean Gilliam; and 8th grader Ben Blackmore. The trio of Kantor, Falk and Sampson will have the chance to represent Charlotte at the state finals in March. Photo by Monica Marshall
The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 9
Congress continued from page 1
our students here at CVU a great opportunity to step outside of the political and cultural bubble that they’ve all grown up in and interact with their peers from all over the country.” The CVU team consists of about 40 students per year, with typically all but four in their junior or senior year of high school. Although it’s not required, many of these students also enroll in the Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics course, due to its similar subject matter. Overall, Hindes said the students’ commonality is a “genuine interest in the political process or legislation” and a desire to “get involved in a more meaningful way.” This common interest inspires the students as they design their own bills to address an issue within the topic of their designated legislative committees. Examples from this year included science and technology, judiciary and appropriations committees. Junior and first time participant Alex Von Stange was a member of the government reform committee, where he proposed the introduction of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court defenders in cases regarding NSA surveillance. For Alex, the preparation included about ten to 20 hours of researching related laws and similar bills that are currently being discussed in the Senate. Participants must also be prepared to advocate and defend the bills they propose, mirroring the real-life democratic process. Because the bills will be critiqued by peers who have also carefully researched the topic, “It’s in your best interest to become an expert on your issue,” according to Hindes. Alex found that in defending his bill, the comparable bills he researched were useful for discussing issues like constitutionality and implementation in real life. A member of the forensics club, he referred to this type of debate as the “next level of public speaking.” According to Alex, “It doesn’t matter if you’re the smartest person there… or if you understood the topic the best. You’re only one vote out of twenty. You have to be able to speak persuasively and convince them and be willing to compromise.” Alex, as well as Abby Keim, Alec Collins and Samantha Provost, were each awarded honorable mentions for particularly effective work in their committees. However, it’s chal-
lenging for a bill to pass a bill through this lengthy process, and few bills actually do. More importantly, the conversations provide an excellent forum for discussing a broad range of perspectives on the topic. Hindes described the debate as “eye-opening” for students, as participants from all over the United States provided viewpoints that challenged popular opinion from our local area. “Those conversations really help CVU students understand that the rest of the country doesn’t always think just like the prevailing politics that we have here,” he said. It’s this spectrum of opinions that also neatly complements the curriculum of social sciences at CVU. Hindes explained that teachers strive to present material in a multifaceted way, an approach that’s especially important when considering both historical and contemporary issues. For Hindes, the trip to Washington D.C. provides his students with an excellent platform to observe the variety of perspectives surrounding each topic in person. At PMC, student’s peers represent the various points of view that teachers strive to present via multiple sources. Students also practiced skills that had interdisciplinary application. Alex Von Stange explained that the debates at PMC helped him to recognize the importance of communication in a group to make compromises and to recognize the merits of individuals’ contributions. This has been especially helpful as the AP English classes are moving into a theatre unit where groups have to act, direct and design their own abridged versions of classic plays. Alex said that his experience at PMC has helped him to be a better listener and to be decisive in a group environment. From practicing persuasion, to shooting the breeze with Senator Sanders on his way to a hearing, to watching the sunset over the newly constructed Martin Luther King Memorial, both students and teachers alike returned to CVU with special memories and newly honed skills. Worth the bus ride? Definitely.
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10 • December 18, 2014 • The
Charlotte News
Year in Review continued from page 1
January The year in news started with talk of budgets and candidates. As CCS prepared its $7.5 million budget, which was up two percent from the previous year, Charlotters discussed what has become a growing tension between the cost of providing a good education at the school and its subsequent weight on taxpayers. Among the contributors to the higher cost were the addition of new part-time positions as well as a fullday kindergarten program, which spurred much debate
Members of Charlotte Fire & Rescue (CVFRS) came to the rescue of Lulu, a ten-month-old English bulldog puppy who went missing from the Whalley Road home of owner Jennifer Blanchard April 28. A few days later, neighbors discovered Lulu on a rocky ledge near the lake. Upon reaching Lulu, fire department volunteers, outfitted in cold-water rescue suits, lifted her to CVFRS members like Dick St. George (right), who returned her to Blanchard.
during the budget meetings. Despite the higher budget proposal, the board cut three full-time teaching positions and reduced positions in art, physical education and world language. As CVU’s budget was also up slightly—about 1.65 percent or $364,000—over the previous year’s, the debate between education and taxpayer burden would simmer until a vote at Town Meeting Day. For the town’s part, the Selectboard at its Jan. 27 meeting set a $3.2 million FY14-15 budget. That number would be reduced by $205,000 at Town Meeting day two months later. The amount was part of a total $283,000 line item for bridge repairs that had been put off a year in order to allow the town to take advantage of state bridge grants. However, $40,000 of the $205,000 reduction was kept in the budget to bulk up law enforcement spending. In total, the town would earmark $70,000 for police services in this year’s budget, emblematic of a growing interest in combating a perceived rise in break-ins and speeding. The Selectboard also opened the year by discussing a memorandum of agreement between the town and Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue resulting from a process that had begun early in 2013. Among the most contentious issues in the process was, Who owns CVFRS’s building, seven vehicles and equipment—the organization that maintains them or the taxpayers who fund it? The Selectboard signed the MOA at the end of the month and turned it over to CVFRS’s executive board for a final signature. It was finalized later in the year. In other news, students in Kris Gerson’s second grade class at CCS showed they’re emblematic of the school’s sustainability ethic, which resulted in a $10,000 farm-totable grant from the state. The money was used to hire a farm-to-table coordinator as well as support healthy food initiatives at the school. Gerson’s class would present what they learned about reducing waste to the Selectboard at a March meeting. February The Community Safety Committee released a 36-page
report to the town offertion. The solar projing data on crime trends ect, completed later in in Charlotte over the last the year, consists of five years. The CSC found 26 rows of racks on a no noticeable trends in 12.6-acre plot of land, crime, but as part of its has 8,000 individual report, it explored options solar panels and is for starting a town-wide estimated to generpolice force as well as nonate 2.2 megawatts of police options, specifically electricity. in regard to speed mitigaAnna Franceschetti, tion. The CSC’s work is a senior at CVU currently ramping back up from Charlotte, viswith new committee memited Uganda to help bers. with the organization In terms of town actions, Imagining the World things were relatively quiet (ITW), founded by as the Selectboard preCharlotter Kristen pared for Town Meeting DeStigter. The proDay, though there was gram provides access at least one testy meetto ultrasound imagDan Briggs (center) walks the last 100 yards of this ing in which members of ing equipment, year’s Champ Run surrounded by teammates from his the Selectboard and the which helps combat Middlebury-based Diversified Occupation Program. town discussed a barrage death from pregBriggs, who has spina bifida, ran the race with the of emails the Selectboard nancy complications. assistance of a specially made jogger donated to the received from Peter Trono Working on her Grad regarding CVFRS’s new program. A total of 14 runners from the school, many Challenge, Anna ambulance and complaints developed a survey of whom had never run before, competed in the race. the board wasn’t answerused to collect inforing with enough candor or mation about ITW’s soon enough. services. CVFRS hired a full-time firefighter to stay in the station during the daytime hours May on weekdays, a time when it’s difficult for many volWith the town’s contract for police services with unteers to make it to a call on time. Out of five candi- the Shelburne Police Department up this year, the dates, Rob Mullin, retired captain of the Burlington Fire Selectboard began to look for a new police contract. In Department, was hired. He began in April. July, the board approved a one-year contract with the A fire broke out at a Lewis Excavating building on Vermont State Police for FY 15 for a guaranteed 442 Church Hill Road and was quickly extinguished by mem- hours of service at an amount not to exceed $27,868. bers of CVFRS, who were fortuitously in a meeting at the The rate offered by the VSP averages $63.05 per hour time of the call. Damage to the building, owned by Road of service, considerably less than the $87 per hour rate Commissioner Jr Lewis, was centered on the roof and offered by Shelburne Police Department. chimney. It was estimated to be around $5,000. With funding assistance from Chittenden County Eight02, a local jazz band with Charlotter Luke Adler Regional Planning Commission, the town began a safety behind the drum kit, got the chance of a lifetime when it study to explore recommendations to improve pedestrian traveled to Los Angeles to record a few tracks with one safety at the intersection of Route 7 and Ferry Road. of Adler’s heroes, Jeff Lorber, and Jimmy Haislip. Charlotter Sera Anderson was named Mrs. Vermont America. She soon set in motion her biggest initiative: March raising $25,000 for the Vermont Cancer Center. While Town Meeting Day is often ripe for news and contro- she narrowly missed her goal, Anderson still carried out versy. This year was no different. Town Meeting 2014 the promise she made if the goal was reached; she shaved saw three contested races—two for Selectboard seats. her head at a special event in September. Running to fill a two-year seat left by John Owen, Matt Charlotter Jorden Blucher began the first leg of his Krasnow defeated Bonnie Christie and Ed Stone. Fritz project, Running Down Cancer, which entails his running Tegatz defeated incumbent Winslow Ladue in the race the entire 247-mile length of Vermont’s Long Trail. His for a three-year term. In the race for a three-year seat on goal is to raise $20,000 for the American Cancer Society the board of auditors, Jenny Cole defeated incumbent through three yearly runs over the next four years. He Robert Mack. completed two runs this year, one 26.8 miles, the other There was also drama at the meeting, with a con- 20.1 miles. frontation over staff pay that centered on Town Clerk The News profiled two new businesses to open in Mary Mead, whose request for a $15,000 pay raise for Charlotte. Artist Laurel Waters opened a studio and herself and $8,000 for her assistant clerk were denied. gallery on Church Hill Road in Charlotte, and Adam This resulted in dueling handouts at the meeting. The tone was indicative of rancor between the Selectboard and the town clerk that had been going on for some time. Indeed, one community member offered an amendment that the town spend $4,500 for mediation between Mead and the board (this was voted down). Selectboard member Lane Morrison, who ran unopposed for a three-year seat in this year’s election, and who was chosen Selectboard chair in a meeting subsequent to Town Meeting Day, promised a change in tenor under his direction. To address pay concerns, the board also promised to begin a wage study for town employees, which is currently ongoing. In one last bit of drama, the CCS budget passed by a vote of 540-521, tight enough for a community member to ask for a recount. The votes were tallied again, however, and the vote remained the same. April In late April, the Selectboard was informed that Charlotte Rescue’s paramedic-level license had been restricted due to concerns about its narcotic storage and documentation. At the same time, Rescue was given a six-month conditional license in December 2013 due to deficiencies in post-ambulance response documentation. Charlotte Rescue would meet and exceed the expectations in its response to both issues, and both the suspension and conditional license were reversed by the end of the year. A year after the Vermont Public Service Board approved planning for a solar array along Hinesburg Road, the controversial project started to come to frui-
Pouring rain wasn’t enough to keep family, friends, co-workers and well-wishers from coming out in July to celebrate Leo Roberts’ retirement after 45 years of working at Horsford Gardens & Nursery. Among those celebrating Roberts (middle) were current owner Charlie Proutt (left) and former owner Sallie Soule.
The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 11 Hausmann opened Adam’s Berry Farm in East Charlotte. June As 2014 was an election year, Charlotte this month learned it would see familiar faces in the race for state representative: incumbent Mike Yantachka would face off against Ed Stone in the November race. The two squared off in 2012. Yantachka would win the election in November, 901 votes to 571. After an analysis of holiday and leave policies, Selectboard member Charles Russell discovered the town underpaid staff members a total of $13,025 in unpaid holiday and leave pay. CCS’s Odyssey of the Mind team was one of 836 from around the world to travel to Ames, Iowa, for the World Finals competition. The Green Submarine team built a vehicle and created a performance at the competition. Famed war photographer and parttime Charlotter Robert Nickelsberg visited the Mt. Philo Inn for a presentation about his book, Afghanistan: A Distant War. Finally, locals learned a town fixture, Uncle Sam’s Creemee Stand, wouldn’t open this summer and would remain closed indefinitely.
through 2017 that proved to be a central disagreement between the parties. Carrie Fenn, owner of the Old Brick Store, put the landmark store on the market after five years as owner. In an article authored by her daughter, Cayenne, Fenn said she was looking forward to spending more time with family and focusing on the real estate business she started with her husband, Peter. October The Selectboard and CCRPC entered into a an agreement with the firm DuBois & King to create an alternative pedestrian walkway proposal for the intersection of Ferry Road and Route 7. The results are expected by early 2015.
CVFRS responded to the explosion of a 19-foot antique wooden boat at Charlotte’s Point Bay Marina. According to Fire Chief Chris Davis, the boat, carrying eight occupants, had returned to the marina dock to refuel. After repeated attempts to restart the boat after fueling, the boat ignited from fuel vapor in the engine compartment, blowing one occupant into the water. All eight of the boat occupants—including two children—were burned, though only four adults were transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care with injuries ranging from minor burns to possible bone fractures.
July With Charlotte’s Town Plan up for renewal in 2015, the Planning Commission released a draft of the document for public comment. In the document, the town sets out a progressive vision for dealing with the town’s major issues, including an aging population, lack of affordable housing, and economic development and population growth in the village areas. With the help of a consultant, the Planning Commission would hold a series of workshops on a range of issues, from land use to agriculture to economic development. While the commission planned to have its plan to the town in time for a March 2015 vote, based on the feedback it received it has pushed the timeline back. According to the town’s website, the commission plans to release a “responsiveness summary” late this month. One thing the Planning Commission noted would improve planning in the West Village? A septic system. To help plan for this, the town applied for a $20,000 municipal planning grant to draft a West Charlotte village wastewater system policy and ordinance. A few big anniversaries also happened in July. The Charlotte Children’s Center celebrated 30 years of providing a place for children to learn and grow. The Town Party, which took place July 12, celebrated its 20th year.
August The Chittenden Solid Waste District mulled changes to its residential trash pickup, a move meant to make the process more efficient. However, some reacted negatively to the proposed change, claiming it could push out the smallest of the county’s 11 haulers. The idea was eventually put on hold. French-American Charlotte musician Francesca Blanchard began a crowd-funding campaign to raise $25,000 to record her first full-length album. Blanchard more than met her goal, raising nearly $27,500. She
continues to gig around the area. Charlotter Ed Cafferty, a former part-time police officer and current adjunct instructor of criminal justice at Champlain College, took on long-time incumbent Kevin McLaughlin for the position of Chittenden County sheriff. Running on a platform of a stronger effort against the heroin epidemic and greater diversity on the police force, Cafferty was a tireless campaigner. It wasn’t enough, however, as he lost the democratic primary to unseat McLaughlin. September Charlotte was reimbursed $28,000 after an audit by the Vermont Electric Power Company, or VELCO, revealed the town was underpaid in taxes for the past five years. In total, VELCO paid over $220,000 to Charlotte and four other nearby towns the company’s power lines run through. The directors from the five schools of the Chittenden South Supervisory Union (CSSU), including Charlotte Central School, agreed to terms on a three-year contract agreement. The agreement made several changes to the existing contract. Among them was a 3.25-percent salary increase for teachers
November The CCS School Board discussed seeking a bond to pay for roughly $360,000 in repairs, mostly to the school roof, for the 2015–16 school year. The board is not likely to seek funding for the 1939 wing of the school, which needs roughly $2.1 million in repairs, leading a few members to wonder if it’s possible to move the library and kitchen facilities housed in that wing elsewhere in the building. CVU’s girls volleyball team won its second straight state title. The team was just one of several successful athletic teams at the school this year. In 2014, girls soccer and basketball teams each won state titles, the men’s hockey team took the state championship, and men’s and women nordic ski teams saw state wins. John Snow, new president of CVFRS’s corporate board, talked to The News about the future of Fire & Rescue in Charlotte. Charlotters pay for top-quality response from CVFRS, but changing demographics in volunteers and call volumes are making the rising cost of paying for services even more difficult. December The year is ending much like it began—with discussions around budgets at the town and school level (see this issue for the stories). What will happen with these stories and others? Follow The News in 2015.
Thousands of people from around the state and even as far away as California and Idaho came to see the 14th Annual East Charlotte Tractor Parade. They saw tractors and a whole lot of smiles.
Stories We Didn’t Cover in 2014 The News receives a lot of emails every day, many with suggestions from public relations flaks with ideas for stories that have nothing to do with Charlotte. Most get deleted right away, but some—some just make us stop and think of the story possibilities. Here is a brief list of story suggestions, complete with commentary from the press release, that made us curious (and hungry). Bacon Moustache Wax for Movember (‘Bacon Moustache Wax combines two of the most powerful forces in the universe—cured meat and moustaches—into one powerful, gravity-defying wax’) #BBQ4Merica Tweet-a-Thon (‘Wendy’s is hosting the first-ever, 24-hour barbecue-themed Tweet-a-Thon. Actor and dancer Alfonso Ribeiro will be on hand to host a portion of the event.’) Scary Face Pancakes Rematerialize at IHOP (‘Wouldn’t it be great if you had a neighbor who gave out delicious buttermilk pancakes instead of just candy for trick-or-treating?’) Bacon Scented Pillowcase (‘The future of sleep is here... and it smells like cured meat.’)
14 • December 18, 2014 • The Charlotte News
OutTakes Commentary by Edd Merritt
Oops! I Kind’a Miss My Leg If this were the last night of the world What would I do? What would I do that was different? Unless it was share pain with you. Bruce Cockburn – “Last Night of the World” Some people go to Florida for Christmas vacation. I go to rehab. The beach here sucks. And the therapists put me through enough exercises, often in awkward positions, that by the time I’m ready to cash it in at night, I’m looking for a sleeping position that
doesn’t offend my rear end, my shoulders or what I’m supposed to refer to as my residual limb—“No stumps around here, Mr. Edd.” OK, Wilbur, whatever you say. Because I was often groggy during my tour through the networks of the University of Vermont Medical Center (I believe that’s what the glossy new signs say), I’m unable to offer a more in-depth critique of the medical care offered by Vermont’s top-tier hospital (I’m sure it was excellent). Unfortunately I spent much of my first week or two being absolutely fascinated by what appeared to be a swarm of mosquitoes cruising above my head and thinking semi-lucid thoughts about what I was visualizing—ceiling panels turning into clouds. The big toe on my left foot begged me to bend him, and I couldn’t. I was drugged to the gills, man, happy as a swan, hallucinating to my heart’s content. What the drugs covered was sepsis, which my son said put me near death’s door and the details of which I didn’t know until it had been treated with antibiotics. Thankfully, the combination of drugs, physicians, therapists, nurses and visiting friends
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have made my three months in three different medical facilities, if not desirable, at least bearable. As I reflect on my time in the hospital and various rehab units, I can recall how end of life began to feel as it was happening. For whatever reasons— medications or psychic curiosity—it was not the terrifying or even depressing experience I thought it might have been. That may be easy to say at this point in time, now that I have turned the corner. And given that the future will be supported by a prosthetic limb, at least I have a future. My curiosity rests with my parts. The notion of losing a piece of your body that you’ve always relied on is odd, and it occupies your mind. All of a sudden you’re having to think about things that once came as second nature—rolling over in bed, taking a shower, using the toilet, getting into and out of the car, into and out of the house, from the bedroom up the single step to the dining room, into a closet— and don’t even try the stairs up to The Charlotte News office. When it comes to writing articles, I am ground floor, Johnny. I woke at 2 a.m. the other night
wondering whether I would be able to start my weed whacker next spring. It was tough enough with two good arms. Now I have two bum shoulders. Maybe I can order an electric toe from one of these new tech-y startup companies so that all I have to do is press it to the spark plug and we’re off and running. Look out rabbits, here we come, spinning blade to the grass. One of my first jobs, however, is to thank all the people who expressed concern about my sudden loss of normal health. Your expression of concern has been overwhelming, and I thank each and every one of you. If I ever doubted the thoughtfulness of the people in our community, that doubt was quickly mitigated. Please save the good “dirt” in town until I come home this week, however. Well, I have to return to my rowing machines, standing bars, raising weights. So, gasp, this rehabilitation stuff might make you feel that sand, salt water and palm trees ain’t so bad after all. Next year’s holiday season? Mauna Loa here we come.
VAST Riding Season Open The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) is looking forward to a great snowmobiling season. The VAST snowmobile season runs from December 16 to April 15 of each year. Please respect our landowners and volunteers by not riding on the VAST trail system until opening day and only when clubs have gone through with a groomer. In order to have trails ready to ride, there should be at least four inches of packed snow and frozen ground. When you do ride, stay on the trail to help us maintain great relationships with landowners. The more everyone follows the rules, the more likely landowners will continue to provide us the land to ride on. To reach the VAST staff or find out more about VAST, check out vtvast.org or call 802-229-0005.
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The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 15
Eric’s Movie Bin
by Eric Naud
Life Itself
A Look at Life Itself First, I would like to apologize firsthand for my lack of reviews since Iron Man 3 back in 2013. This could be pointed to a variety of sources: increasing school work, growing responsibilities of living on my own at Mansfield Hall in Burlington, and the biggest factor of them all, my growing desire to fulfill my lifelong dreams of being a filmmaker. So it is with great reluctance that I have decided to put an end to Eric’s Movie Bin. However, it would not be the end of me making movie reviews thankfully, for I will be posting video reviews on YouTube as well as short reviews on Facebook. With my explanation out of the way, allow me to start. This year at the Vermont International Film Festival, I saw three films, from the debut film Appropriate Behavior to the enjoyable Spanish children’s film, Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang. But the film I am here to talk about is the documentary Life
Bugs Are Our Friends: The “Dirty Truth” about the Microbes, Health and Disease Peter Moses, M.D. CONTRIBUTOR
Word is getting around: not all bacteria, viruses and fungi are bad! Humans host ten times more microbial organisms than the human cells we are made of. Many of these organisms are our friends and protectors. We are coated and colonized with microorganisms that collectively are referred to as our microbiome or microbiota. These plentiful organisms are on the skin and in the mouth, nose, ears, genitals and particularly in the gastrointestinal tract (the gut). The microbiota protects us from disease and contributes to normal biologic functions necessary for health including digestion. The byproducts of the microbiota in the gut produce vitamins, nutrients and chemicals that help regulate the immune system, our metabolism and even our mood. For most people, the microbiota accounts for 5-7 pounds of our total body weight. Over the past decade, we have learned that each person has a unique microbiota that significantly affects that person’s health and well-being. We acquire our microbiota over time. Babies have sparse and uniform micro-
Itself, focusing on Roger Ebert’s career and his last days fighting cancer. The documentary covers Ebert’s career from his earliest days in the business. There is a brilliant scene of a 21-year-old Ebert forcing a newspaper to stop the press due to an inappropriate advertisement in the wake of the JFK assassination. Yet like all great documentaries, this one isn’t afraid to cover the dark side of one of the most beloved movie critics of our time. I highlight the word “great” here because it would be easy to make a bland documentary that does nothing but praise Ebert, but because it goes that extra mile in showcasing his early struggles with alcoholism, his frenemy relationship with fellow TV host Gene Siskel, and his more recent battle with jaw cancer, it deserves the addition “great.” Directed by Steve James, the director of the acclaimed 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams (which Ebert himself loved and added to his “Great Movies” list), some of the most striking images are a little after the beginning, in which we see Ebert in the hospital bed and we realize his jaw is now nothing more than a fold of skin. He had his jaw removed in 2006, and while I was at first freaked out by his new look, I never imagined the full scope of the event. From then on, he was no longer able to speak, eat or drink. The movie doesn’t shy away from showing the nurse placing a long thin tube down Ebert’s throat. There is also a sequence during which I actually swore out loud (quietly, though), which described a reconstruction surgery that almost succeeded before a life-threatening infection took over, forcing the surgeons to undo all their hard work. Thankfully, this film cannot wallow in the medical turmoil. The film covers Ebert’s championing of director Martin Scorsese, and if you take in Marty’s drug addiction in the early ‘80s, it becomes extremely touching because you see that Ebert practically saved the director’s career by adoring his best films, such as
biota derived primarily from the birth canal with vaginal deliveries or from skin for babies delivered by Cesarean section. Feeding methods (breast or bottle), environmental exposures (to pets and soil, for example) and diet all can alter the composition of the microbiota, particularly in the gut, until by the time a child is a toddler it mimics that of an adult. In the past year, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that when gut microbes were transplanted from lean, healthy subjects into age-matched obese young men with metabolic syndrome (diabetes, hyperlipidemia and other disorders), insulin resistance (related to type II diabetes) improved. Another study, in JAMA Pediatrics, demonstrated that repeated exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics at ages zero to 23 months was associated with a significant risk of subsequent childhood obesity. Americans receive an average of 10-20 courses of antibiotics by age 18. The unintended consequences of this “war on microbes” may be illustrated by the fact that, since 1950, while the rate of significant infectious diseases has steadily decreased, other disorders like inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, asthma and allergy have steadily increased. Another compelling study, published in Nature, suggested that artificial sweeteners disrupt gut bacteria and may contribute to obesity and type II diabetes, the very illnesses they were intended to combat! Though you might cringe, we are now successfully transplanting screened fecal material into unhealthy patients. A landmark study on fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) treatment for a serious form of antibiotic-associated colitis called C. diff. colitis, has shown a cure rate of over 90 percent. The study was abbreviated because the transplant treatment was so successful it was considered unethical to proceed with a
Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas. However— and this is a good thing—Ebert’s liking of Scorsese doesn’t go so far as to praise every single film he creates; there is an unenthusiastic review of 1986’s The Color of Money. When the documentary goes into Ebert’s marriage, it becomes a genuinely sweet portrait of true love, and it is true love, because Chaz Ebert stood by her husband’s side 'till the end. The film talks about Roger’s passion for the subject he reviewed so often, going places where most film critics wouldn’t dare to go, and that in turn inspires me to follow my dreams that I have held onto since childhood. Watching the film, I realized something. Like all the great filmmakers, I want to create films that entertain people and make them think. In Roger Ebert’s best reviews, he explores the deeper meaning of the films, whether it be a fun blockbuster like the original Star Wars or a more high-class drama like Schindler’s List. In other words, I want to direct movies for intelligent people like Roger Ebert. That is why I am retiring Eric’s Movie Bin, for The Charlotte News at least. However, that does not mean that I have lost my ability to look deeply at the films I see; I am just in a transitional period. I am no longer the same person I was when I sent my review for The Hangover to The News. Back then I was in high school, now I am in college. I feel that one does have the capacity to both make movies and critique them, but I have already worked out my skill in critiquing films. Now I have to work out my skill in making them. To close this review, I would like to quote the very last words written by the master himself, as posted on his blog: “So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I’ll see you at the movies.”
control group who were not receiving the more efficacious FMT. Since the publication of this study, the FDA has removed the requirement for a special application to perform FMT for C. diff, and thousands of patients have been successfully treated, some at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Proving cause and effect and defining the mechanism of action are difficult, but many medical scientists, including our gastroenterology group at UVM, are conducting research on FMT and other types of microbial therapy for a variety of disorders, including migraine headaches and ulcerative colitis. Can you “take” something to improve your microbiota? Prebiotics, foods such as raw vegetables and inulin (chicory root), contain largely non-digestible fiber (oligosaccharide) that promotes the growth of helpful probiotic microbes. Probiotics, as supplements or in cultured or fermented foods, are live microbes that have wide and varied health benefits. Foods with probiotics include yogurt, buttermilk, aged cheeses, miso, pickles, sauerkraut and beer (yay!). The first available prebiotic is breast milk, which contains 21 percent oligosaccharides and also the probiotic organism Bifidobacterium longum that grabs and flushes away “bad bacteria” and selectively feeds “good” bacteria. Interest in the role of gut microbes in the treatment of disease has a rich historical basis. In the 16th century, traditional Chinese medicine described the use of “yellow soup,” which was comprised of fermented fecal concoctions and used for digestive problems. In the 17th century, German physician Christian Franz Paullini compiled a stool recipe book for treating dysentery and other digestive ailments. In the 20th century FMT was used by veterinarians to treat gastrointestinal disease in livestock, and in 1958 Dr. Ben Eiseman, chief of surgery at Denver General Hospital, described the
3¾ out of 4 stars
first use of FMT to successfully treat C. diff. (then called pseudomembranous colitis). Emerging knowledge of the microbiome is changing the way we think about our health and how we live and interact with the world around us. The traditional view of microbes as pathogens and the widespread use of antibiotics may begin to change as we continue to learn more about the importance of “bugs” as friends and protectors. Peter Moses is a gastroenterologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and professor in the College of Medicine. He lives in Charlotte.
16 • December 18, 2014 • The Charlotte News
Snapshots of Charlotte
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The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 17
Charlotte Senior Center
The Café Menu
by Mary Recchia, Activities Coordinator
Hope to see you all at the Center during this joyous holiday season! Wondering about the perfect gift for those on your list? Stop by the front foyer and pick up a winter program of activities where you may find just the right class for that special someone. –––– Just a reminder that the Center will be closed after the luncheon on Dec. 24, all day Dec. 25 and 26, after the luncheon on Dec. 31, and all day on Jan. 1 and 2. If there is ever a question whether the Senior Center is closed due to weather, know that we will follow the CSSU school closings that are posted on local TV and radio stations as well as at cssu.org. –––– The first week of January brings the following offerings for your consideration. A memoir writing workshop with Sandi Detwiler. Everyone has a story to tell and lessons to share, your life story from your own unique perspective. Capture priceless memories in what will be a once-a-week “write and share” with some guidelines. This offering is in the developmental stages with a start date planned for early January. Please indicate your interest in the course sign-up book at the host desk so we can call you with the details as they are worked out. –––– Poetry reading with Jim Lovejoy will gather on Jan. 5 from 1–3 p.m. Building on the fun and excitement that has developed with our Poem in Your Pocket readings over the years, this after-lunch poetry bonanza provides a regular time for listening, reading, writing and sharing a love of language. Whether it’s a poem you’ve written, one you found in a book or on Poets. org, pack a poem in your pocket and
join Jim for a wonderful afternoon of poetry. No fee. –––– Join Lynn Cummings for a Mixed Media Workshop–Painting from Within on Tuesday, Jan. 6 and 13, from 9:15 a.m.– 12:15 p.m. You will be creating big, bold paintings, using the intuitive side of your brains to create oneof-a-kind works of art. Students will be guided through a series of exercises where meaningful personal marks and symbols begin the process of the painting. Forget about “right” and “wrong” as you create from within, without the external pressure of the “correct” way to make art. Artists, wanna-be artists of any level and people who think they have no creativity are encouraged to join this unique workshop. Materials list and instructor email available at host desk. Registration required. Fee: $48. –––– Elizabeth Llewellyn brings us a new opportunity titled Drawing with Creativity Thursday mornings from 10–11:30 a.m. Dates: Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29 and Feb. 5 and 12. This isn’t your typical drawing class. We won’t be focusing on perspective or composition. This class is all about letting your creativity out of the box. We will begin with simple ideas from which bigger things will emerge. Using a series of fun projects we will learn to create in the present. The rules may be simple but the possibilities are vast. Open to all levels of ability. Registration required. Limit 10. Fee: $80. ____ Please join us Wednesday afternoons beginning at 1 p.m. for a collection of lectures, performances and special events that showcase the diverse interests of our community. No registration or fee.
Jan. 7: To the Galapagos with Ann August. The Galapagos have a geological, geographical and natural history of interest possibly promoted by tales of piracy, smuggling and weird animals. How many of you crossword puzzlers know what Pahoehoe and AA lava look like? This small set of islands in the middle of the Pacific holds the answer, and Anne will share her knowledge and beautiful pictures of this exquisite place. Jan. 14: France on Foot: Hiking the Via Podiensis with Tom McAuliff. It has been walked since 950 AD by pilgrims hiking to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. They braved weather, wolves and robbers. They carried their water in a gourd. More than a 1,000 years later, this remains an enchanting route through south-central France. See the countryside and make your way through four of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. But be forewarned: Tom will try to convince you to do it yourself.
SHARE YOUR MILESTONES ••• Births Awards Marriages Engagements Retirements Deaths ••• email: news@charlottenewsvt.com
MONDAY, DECEMBER 22: Potato bacon soup, kale salad, fruit compote dessert WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24: Tourtiere, pineapple salsa, white chocolate cranberry bars MONDAY, DECEMBER 29: No Lunch WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31: Cheesy brunch casserole, sausage patties, fruit medley, homemade dessert MONDAY, JANUARY 5: Chef’s choice WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7: Moroccan chicken stew, birthday cake and ice cream MONDAY, JANUARY 12: Chef’s choice WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14: Stuffed pepper casserole, garlic bread, homemade dessert
Senior LunCheonS are held every Wednesday at noon. Reservations are necessary in advance and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 425-6345. A $4 donation is requested. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch.
18 • December 18, 2014 • The Charlotte News
The Humbled Parent and suppositions (wanted or not) from other parents, media and friends. Are we doing the right thing? Am I going to screw him up for forever? Just the pressure causes uncertainty and apprehension. And in parenting I personally believe there is no definitive right or wrong way on many of the issues we fester about, but there are a few rudiments we definitely should take into consideration. By all means, this is not an allinclusive list.
Let’s Grow Kids Sera Anderson Contributor
I had to go away for nine days this past August for the Mrs. America pageant. It was the first time I had to leave my son for that long. I had been gone for long weekends, but not nine days. Really big deal. When I returned home I couldn’t explain the transformation in Caden. It was subtle but, at the same time, substantial. He was talking a lot more and had changed ever so slightly in his mannerisms and movements, but enough to notice. I was amazed how much he had changed in just a fleeting amount of time. Imagine what a year does. Or three. And I was just witnessing what was happening on the outside. What about the inside? What about the physical changes to his brain? It’s no surprise that 80 percent of a child’s brain develops by age three and 90 percent by age five. Is that even possible? Can brain development be that speedy? When you consider that the infant brain forms 700 new connections every second, there is no doubt there is a tremendous amount of development. No, they don’t learn all they need to know by age three, but their experiences in the early years will/do provide the infrastructure and foundation that they need for future learning. I knew that children grew and changed rapidly, I mean, so do puppies and kittens, right? But I hadn’t realized just how colossal it was—it had altered my perspective. Ok, so now what? What do I do with this information? What could I do to help foster that development? These days there is already enough pressure on parents/caretakers on how we should be raising our children. We receive an array of opinions, judgments
what scientists call “toxic stress”—like chronic abuse, neglect, violence or substance abuse. This prolonged activation of the child’s/infant’s stress systems can cause breakdown in brain development and organ functions. (developingchild.harvard.edu/key_concepts/ toxic_stress_response/). 4. Healthy diet. Now, this one is a no brainer as well. But we all know realistically as parents how challenging this can be, especially if we have picky
1. Serve and return. No, we should not play tennis or Ping Pong with our four-month-old, but same idea. When an infant or young child coos or cries or does something that needs a response and an adult responds in some way with a smile back or by talking or acknowledging them—this is serve and return. It helps to build a good foundation for communication and social The author’s son as a newborn skills. (developingchild. harvard.edu/key_concepts/ serve_and_return/) eaters, such as me. But again, we do the best we can. A healthy diet helps 2. Nurturing relationships. This foster good brain development. And if one is a no-brainer. Having strong nurwe focus on what they get in a week turing relationships with their caregivversus every day, it helps take some ers and a safe and consistent environpressure off. It will also help to know ment to grow up in are so important our children are getting the appropriate for children’s development. When a nutritional needs that their body and baby learns to trust his or her parent or brain need for healthy development. caregiver, he can learn compassion and In a recent poll the majority of right and wrong from them. He feels Vermonters (I was one) didn’t realize comfortable engaging with the parent the importance of the early years. Not to learn sounds and words and social that we don’t love our children—we skills. do. But we hadn’t realized how rapidly their brains develop and that there are 3. Avoid toxic stress. We can’t basic fundamentals that we can do to always avoid normal stress in life, as ensure they get the best experiences in some stress is unavoidable and somelife. I will say it again: 80 percent of a times necessary and needed. But we child’s brain develops by age three, 90 don’t want our children to be exposed to percent by age five. It is astounding and
mind boggling. Share the statistics, spread the word and do your research if you must. All the brain science is out there. I often catch myself staring at my son. I am filled with emotions that are so intense, my eyes begin to swell. I ogle in awe of the beauty of his face and his dark, almost black eyes, marveling in the pockets, corners and angles of his face. I made that in my womb? What a miracle and a true blessing. Every. Single. Day. Of. My. Life. Few things in life are as precious as new life. I shove my nose into his hair and take a deep slow breath. I love the smell of him. If I am ever sure of anything in this life, I will be sure of this. I am overcome with this immeasurable need to protect this child in whatever way I can. Sometimes I think about how I will never see how his life unravels by the time he is 60 or how I will never know the man he will become. But I do know this—I want to leave him in this world feeling confident that I had protected, nourished and supported him in the best way I possibly could. So please join me in putting our children first. They are all our children. We are all in this together. We will all leave this world someday, leaving the world to them to carry on. For more information on the brain science and what you can do to help, please go to letsgrowkids.org, and sign the pledge if you want to make Vermont’s children a priority and become a campaign ambassador. Sera Anderson is a former business owner and currently a stay-at-home mom. She is the current Mrs. Vermont America.
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The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 19
SPORTS Softball Clinics Available in Shelburne The Shelburne Little League Softball Committee will hold free pitching clinics at the Shelburne Town Gym in January for softball players ages eight to 12. This will give players a chance for extra pitching practice and one-onone instruction prior to the start of the 2015 season. League age is defined as a player’s age on December 31, 2014. Returning pitchers (any players who have pitched in a game) and beginning pitchers (any players who have never pitched in a game) should choose a time slot for each of the six dates in the appropriate sessions to reserve a slot. Due to space limitations we can have only six pitchers at each time slot, so reservations will be made on a firstcome, first-served basis. Anyone who signs up after the slots are full will be put on a waiting list and will be notified if spots become available. If your daughter is an inexperienced catcher, please choose time slots for the beginning-pitcher sessions. Experienced players/catchers can choose any of the returning-pitcher time slots listed below, and catchers will be paired up with pitchers accordingly. If your daughter is a pitcher as well as a catcher she may do both. If your daughter would like to try both, select a time slot for pitching and also a time slot for catching, making sure that you list which position the reservation is for. Catchers do not have to attend all sessions—just sign up for those your daughter can attend. What happens if sessions fill up and your daughter doesn’t get a slot? We have indoor dates available in March and are considering adding additional pitching sessions depending upon interest. Pitcher/catcher sessions are Friday, Jan. 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 3:15–4 p.m. and 4:15–5 p.m. For more information, or to reserve a spot, contact Lisa O’Day via email at odayvt@gmail.com or phone at 802233-1577.
Iroquois Soccer Club Registration Opens Jan. 1
Charlotte soccer players are invited to sign up for the Iroquois Soccer Club for what promises to be an exciting upcoming season. On the evening of Thursday, Nov. 13, the Iroquois Soccer Club kicked off the spring 2105 Vermont Soccer League season with a well-attended planning meeting in Hinesburg Town Hall. The club also began planning new activities and opportunities for 2015 while at the same time looking to reduce registration fees. The fee includes both home and away jerseys, including matching socks, shorts and a ball to take home. Iroquois Soccer Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a rich soccer experience for youth ages 6 to 14 in Hinesburg and the surrounding towns. Iroquois Soccer Club keeps its rates well below the usual club soccer level because all coaches and board members are unpaid volunteers. Registration will open by Jan. 1. For more information, contact Zoe Dawson at 571-533-5928.
CVU girls hoops continues winning ways Well, it looks like the CVU women’s basketball team is off after another championship if its 74-17 rout of Colchester in the Spaulding tournament Friday, Dec. 9, is any indication. Led by Charlotter Sadie Otley’s 21 points, followed by fellow Charlotter Laurel Jaunich’s 15 points and 9 rebounds, the Redhawks dominated at both ends of the court. The team followed it up with another tournament win over South Burlington a few days later. Led again by Jaunich and Otley, whose 14 points apiece accounted for over half of the Redhawk scoring, the team defeated Burlington handily, 44-29. The team continued its winning ways in its next game. Laurel Jaunich hit the basket for 24 points as the Redhawk women hoopsters demolished Mt. Abraham 53-19 on Mt. Abe’s home court. Starting strong, CVU was ahead by 13 points after the first quarter. Its defense and deft shooting held the Hawks for the rest of the game. Boys basketball starts season on low note The men’s team didn’t fare as well as the women’s team in its opener, losing to Essex by 12, 64-52. Chris Reiss held CVU’s hot hand scoring 26 followed by Nick Lynn’s 10. The men’s team lost another early game to BFA-St. Albans 69-55. CVU boy’s hockey splits weekend series CVU’s men’s hockey team split its weekend series against a couple of Canadian schools. The team played to
a scoreless draw on Saturday against Lower Canada after beating Loyola on Friday in overtime, 2-1. Kaleb Godbout scored the winning goal, Joe Parento the tying goal. Cam Rivard assisted on both. Elliot Mitchell, Jack Locker and Tyler Bodette scored as the team captured the consolation prize in the Charlie Beech Memorial Tournament at Leddy Park Arena, shutting out Colchester 3-0. Girls hockey changes names For the last couple of years CVU and South Burlington high schools have combined forces to form a girls hockey team because neither school had enough players to do it alone. They called themselves the Rebel-Hawks. This year they are just called South Burlington. However, Shelburnite Rachel Pitcher is one of the team’s leading scorers. She scored one of the team’s three goals in the 3-0 shutout of Rice Thursday night. Richie Lowrey named to all-state football team The coaches’ all-state football teams had several CVU names. Charlotte’s Richie Lowrey earned first-team running back (he was named second team by The Free Press). Kierren Kittredge made first-team offensive lineman. Second team had Andrew Bortnick at quarterback plus an offensive line that included Graham Waples, Matt Goldsborough and Sam Lewis. Trever Kingston and Sam Mikell received honorable mention as wide receivers. On defense, Matt Goldsborough earned first-team honors as an inside linebacker. Graham Hulvey and Scott Edwards made second team along with Jeremy Fuller.
20 • December 18, 2014 • The Charlotte News
Food & Field
Food &Field A Fresh View on Farming Vera Simon-Nobes Contributor
It was a typical evening at Black Sheep Bistro in Vergennes, as a server took a moment to talk with a local couple. She told them that she lived in the area and that her boyfriend had started a
small farm. When she described where he was keeping his animals, they let out a knowing gasp. “Isn’t that where those wild pigs came from?” Their gain was her boyfriend’s loss, she quickly realized, when they told her they had filled their freezer with pork from “wild pigs.” The server knew that the pigs weren’t
wild, at least not ecologically speaking. They were Gloucester Old Spot / Duroc crosses, which were being lovingly raised by a young farmer, her boyfriend, John Crabbe. The pigs were growing well, enjoying the occasional belly rub, and then one day they broke out of the fence. John looked for them for days, but the pigs weren’t com- The recently refurbished farm stand at Fresh View ing back. And so he Farm. moved on, humbled by his loss but with the understanding that the Was John disheartened? Yes, a little. pigs’ ending would not be his to write. But he talks about it now with a smile on Until, of course, his girlfriend came his face and comments that he knows he home with the news that she had served loves farming because he’s not deterred the couple who had shot his pigs in by unexpected things. “When somethe woods, then enjoyed his pork. The thing ridiculous happens that you’d mystery of the pigs’ disappearance was never expect, I like it,” he said. “I like solved. the problem solving.”
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The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 21 His diversified farm operation at the old Aube Farm on Route 7, near the Charlotte-Ferrisburgh town line, leaves him with no shortage of challenges to take on. As a strict vegetarian, he started his farm around the concept of selling vegetables. He operated a successful CSA for two seasons, then determined that his land needed more fertility, so he added animals to the farm. He purchased a small herd of dairy goats and experimented with the art and science of making fresh goat cheeses. In his third year on the farm, he decided to bring on a milk cow. “I always liked the romantic idea of a family cow. They are like the keystone of a small farm,” he said. “Milking her lived up to my expectations. It was pretty amazing how much she provided.” John made yogurt and ice cream, sold milk and fed the excess to the pigs. John sometimes understates his farm when he talks about it. Maybe it’s because he’s tired and extremely busy, working at a local restaurant in addition to the farm, or because he sees it holistically, as the sum of its parts. His narration of his farming history goes forward and backward, and he brings up other animals that have come and gone throughout the years. He has raised broiler chickens and has a productive flock of laying hens. He has had a few ducks and a beef cow and is currently expanding his pig production to include a breeding program so he can rear his own piglets and control for
variables such as disease, living conditions and nutrition. He is experimenting with planting cover crops to crowd out weeds in his vegetable plots, and winter squash and root crops which the pigs can harvest at their leisure. One of the most exciting recent developments at Fresh View Farm is the renovation he completed last winter to convert the old milk house to a farm stand. Anyone lucky enough to know John, or observant enough to notice the wooden sign at the end of his driveway on Route 7, will be welcomed into the farm stand to find a fridge full of beautiful brown eggs, and a freezer full of grass-fed Devon beef and delicious cuts of pork. This fall, he brought pottery from Lincoln-based York Hill Pottery onto the shelves. (You can check the Fresh View Farm Facebook page for farm stand hours or contact John for an appointment: freshviewfarmvt@hotmail.com). John’s story is one of perseverance, but it’s also one of renewal. His farm animals tread on a barn floor that held pigs and cows for many, many years. His pastures are carefully tended, as they were by the farmers before him. The barn’s hand-hewn beams stand over a new farmer who is making his way at a time when many consumers value locally produced food and a strong peer network of farmers support one another. In John’s words, “right now is a great time to be farming in Vermont.”
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John Crabbe, owner of Fresh View Farm, and his milk cow.
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22 • December 18, 2014 • The Charlotte News
OutDoors by Elizabeth Bassett
Gifts of the Outdoors Many folks are making lists and checking them twice. Consider gifts of the outdoors. Skating Cairns Arena (cairnsarena.com), a two-rink complex in South Burlington, offers public skating. A ten-visit punch card costs $40 adult / $20 youth. A single visit for open skating costs $5 adult, $3 youth, and $2 under 5 years and senior. Skate rentals $3 for all ages. If you are still straining your ankles in granny’s hand-me-downs, take note: ice skates have changed. New models are warmer and offer more ankle support. Some use a latching system in place of long (cold, wet) laces. Or consider Nordic skating, a bit like crosscountry skiing on ice. For everything you need to know about Nordic skating—safety, equipment and ice conditions, go to groups.yahoo.com/group/ VTNordicSkating. Skiing Sticker shock hits most of us when we consider the cost of skiing, and last-minute skiers pay the highest price. One day of cross-country can set you back more than $25 and Alpine $100 at the priciest spots. The industry is quick to point out the costs of snowmaking, insurance, grooming and utilities. So get creative. Discount cards for downhill skiing— Sugarbush’s Sugar Card, Smuggs’ Bash Badge, or a Stowe Card—allow pur-
Book Buzz Extended at the Library Our pick of top books for all ages is up and on display at the Charlotte Library. Stop in for a look and see if any of them fit someone on your gift list. Then grab a coupon and head to the Flying Pig Bookstore for 20 percent off any and all of these selections. A big thank you to the Flying Pig for offering the discount! No time to drop by? Check our website for the book list and downloadable coupon: charlottepubliclibrary.org.
chase of cut-rate tickets throughout the season. Look for discounted day passes at off-site locations like supermarkets and sports shops. Or consider the oldfashioned price of an adult weekday ticket at the Middlebury Snow Bowl, just $35. Bolton Valley, where a Nordic ticket costs $17 this winter, sells five ($70) and ten-visit ($120) punch passes. Trapp’s sells a pass at 2 p.m. good for the afternoon and following day for $35, in contrast to its day pass rate of $25. Camel’s Hump Nordic Ski Area (camelshumpskiers.org), on the flanks of Camel’s Hump, is alive and well in Huntington. A group of enthusiasts has revived it as a nonprofit. The area has great terrain and views and miles of groomed trails. Day passes cost $10 and a season’s pass is $75. Consider a $10 gift certificate at Camel’s Hump Nordic, P.O. Box 43, Huntington 05462. Craftsbury Outdoor Center is also a nonprofit with a goal of encouraging lifelong sports. While the center is nearly a two-hour drive from Charlotte, a day pass for Nordic skiing costs only $10 and an annual membership $50 for adults and $25 for students and seniors (65+). Worth the drive at least once a year! Best snow making and grooming in the area. Catamount Trail Association (catamounttrail.org) is the nonprofit guardian of Vermont’s long distance crosscountry ski trail that extends the length of the state. Members receive discount coupons at local retailers, Alpine and cross-country day tickets (you can easily recoup your membership cost), and mountain bike venues. Nordic season pass holders at 30 participating areas get one free day of skiing or snowshoeing at each of the others. Participants within an hour of Charlotte are Bolton, Catamount, Sleepy Hollow, Trapp’s, Stowe, Topnotch, Smugglers’, Ole’s, Blueberry Lake, Morse Farm, Rickert, and Blueberry Hill. A great deal!
Snowshoe When there’s almost no snow at all or a fresh dump of snow that’s too deep to navigate on skis, snowshoes are a salvation. They come in many shapes and sizes and can last for decades. Variables include bindings, materials, size and crampons. The most basic plastic models for kids start at $30; new adult snowshoes can be found for around $100. Look for used ones at swaps. Shoe from your back door or on many of the preserved open lands in Charlotte. Float over deep snow, scale steep slopes, and stride over stumps and rocks. You’ll burn up to 1,000 calories per hour, stay toasty and see fresh tracks and the landing trail of raptors.
Upcoming in JanUary
the word list and we’re waiting for you. Mystery Book Group, Monday, Jan. 12, 10 a.m. This month we’re reading the first in Charles Todd’s Bess Crawford series, Duty to the Dead. Pick up a copy at the circulation desk beforehand and join us for coffee and conversation.
Kids activities Maker Club, Monday, Jan. 5, 3:15–4:45 p.m. If you enjoy Arduino, Scratch, squishy circuits or Little Bits, this club is for you! We meet the first Monday of the month and tackle programming projects with the assistance of an IBM engineer. This month we will be working with Arduino kits. Please bring a laptop if possible. Ages 10 and up with computer knowledge. Early Elementary Story Time (Kindergarten and 1st grade), Tuesdays, Jan. 13 to Feb. 17, 3:15– 4:15 p.m. Extend the school day with an hour at the library enjoying books, songs, poems and crafts. Light snack provided. Preschool Lunch Bunch, Tuesdays, Jan. 13 to Feb. 17, 12:15–1:15 p.m. Join us for a fun-filled hour at the library with books, poems, songs and crafts. Please bring a packed lunch. (Preschool story hour is designed for children ages 3 to 5 who can quietly enjoy a story time setting with or without a guardian.) adUlt programs Scrabble @ the Library, Friday, Jan. 9, 10:30 a.m. The boards are out and the cookies are too; Susanna’s got
Grippers Grippers, creepers—call them what you will. Everyone should own one or more pair of footgear to keep you upright and safe on icy surfaces. StabilIcers, Yaktrax and Yaktrax Extreme, Get-A-Grip, Ice Bugs and Micro Spikes are just a few of the products. Buy a pair. It’s much cheaper than a broken wrist or hip. Shelburne Farms membership Members receive free admission to walking trails, the Children’s Farmyard and property tours, as well as advance notice of events and discounts. Membership supports the stewardship of Shelburne Farms and its educational and agricultural missions. Individual membership $35, $50 dual and family $65. Find more info at shelburnefarms.org. Shelburne Museum membership Shelburne Museum (shelburnemuseum.org) is a local treasure with a national reputation. Consider a gift membership, a great way to visit the museum as many times as you wish throughout the year. With its carousel (unlimited riding with museum entry) and outdoor layout, the museum is a great place for children. Kids can navigate the decks of the Ticonderoga, walk through an elegant train car, marvel at old-fashioned toys, sleighs and fire engines, and watch a
stay tUned Felted Art with Elizabeth Bunsen: Imagine colorful balls of felted yarn in a 3-D work of art. Now imagine yourself crafting one. It can be done! With help from fiber artist Elizabeth Bunsen, try your hand at this cozy and creative craft. A Walk Through Old Charlotte: Drawing on the pieces of her recent display at the Charlotte Library, Jenny Cole takes us for a tour around Charlotte through old photos and artifacts. library board meeting Meeting: Jan. 15, 5:30 p.m. Board members: Bonnie Christie, chair; Vince Crockenberg, treasurer; Emily Ferris, vice chair; Dorrice Hammer, secretary; Jonathan Silverman, member at large.
blacksmith at work. Don’t miss the hunting trophies—bears, deer, moose and more. Individual membership $50, dual $75, family $100. Don’t forget those in need Some of our neighbors struggle to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and heat in the radiators. The Charlotte Food Shelf has expanded its support beyond food to include heat, gasoline and other necessities. Charlotte Food Shelf c/o Karen Doris, 3319 Mt. Philo Road, Charlotte. No gift-wrap required. Shop locally For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $69 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. If you spend at a national chain only $43 stays local. Spend it online and nothing comes home! The Buy Local coupon book, which costs $15, features discounts at locally owned and independent businesses. Good for one year from September 2014, the books contains thousands of dollars worth of savings—although you would have to do a lot of shopping to achieve that goal. The book is available at many of the participants. Outdoor nonprofits Many local nonprofits add value and safety to our outdoor experience. Local Motion’s Trail Finder (trailfinder.info) is an invaluable resource for walking, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, inline skating. Your gift supports education, advocacy, the bike ferry, bike and pedestrian safety, and special events. More info at localmotion.org. Many worthy nonprofits enhance our outdoors, including Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition, Nature Conservancy, Green Mountain Club, Charlotte Land Trust, Vermont Land Trust, Lake Champlain Committee and Lake Champlain Land Trust. May your generosity bring joy this holiday season.
Library Contact Information Director
Margaret Woodruff
Youth Services Librarian Cheryl Sloan Hours Mon, Wed: 10 a.m.-–7 p.m. Tues, Thurs, Fri: 10 a.m.-–5 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m.-–2 p.m.
Phone 425-3864 Email charlottelibraryvt@gmail. com
Website charlottepubliclibrary.org
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The Charlotte News • December 18, 2014 • 23
Around Town to Taylor Brady and Sean Poudrier, who were married on Oct. 18 in Watsonville, Calif. Taylor is the daughter of Colleen and Peter Brady.
Congratulations to two employees from Charlotte Children’s Center, Jamie Murphy (pictured on right) and MeriChristi Pixley (on left), who have completed the Vermont Child Care Apprenticeship Program. The pair completed 4,000 hours of supervised onthe-job training at the Children’s Center. They also completed 297 hours of formal classroom instruction, which involved a sequence of six college courses and several community-based trainings. The Vermont Department of Labor issued Certificates of Completion to Murphy and Pixley in the trade of Child Care Development Specialist. They join over 100 individuals, statewide who have completed the program since it began in 2000.
to Jennifer and Kurt Hunt, who welcomed a son, Henry, on Oct. 10 in Watertown, N.Y. to Marley and Nicholas Powden, who welcomed a daughter, Adalyn, on Nov. 14 at the University of Vermont Medical Center. MeriChristi Pixley and Jamie Murphy
to Joe and Emily Donegan, who welcomed a son, Dominick Thomas Donegan, on Nov. 25. Dominick joins two brothers, Patrick and Franklin.
Sympathy is extended to the friends and family of Marilyn Bird of Hinesburg, who died Dec. 5 at the age of 81. Her surviving family includes her sister, Lucille Garvey, and Lucille’s husband, Dale, of Charlotte. The family asks that those wishing to donate in her memory consider doing so to Vermont Respite House, 99 Allen Brook Road, Williston 05495. is extended to the friends and family of Rebecca Martin, who passed away Dec. 3 at the age of 77. She is survived by her husband, two sons and five grandchildren, including Zebulan Martin of Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice at 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641.
A beautiful view of Lake Champlain taken last weekend by Robbie Stanley.
Christmas Eve Church Services Charlotte Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Road. Christmas Eve: 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. 425-3176
North Ferrisburgh North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church, 227 Old Hollow Road. Christmas Eve: 5 p.m.—Family Service, “Silent Night” (Shorter, lively service aimed at families with children. Yes, we light candles!). 7:30 p.m.: Traditional hour-long candlelight service, “Silent Night.” 425-2770.
Ferrisburgh Cross Roads Chapel, Route 7. Christmas Eve: 4:30 p.m., family service, 7 p.m., candlelight service. 425-3625.
Hinesburg United Church of Christ, Vermont 116. Christmas Eve: Candlelight services at 6 and 10 p.m. 482-3352.
Classifieds The Charlotte News Classifieds: Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue (payment must be sent before issue date). Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer. Send to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email your ad to ads@charlottenewsvt.com.
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