The Charlotte News | December 3, 2015

Charlotte News

The

Charlotte’s award-winning community newspaper

Volume lVIII Number 10

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, december 3, 2015

Budgets on the table at Selectboard 1 & 10 Newest form of body art brought to Charlotte 1 Bernie on the cover of Rolling Stone 8 White pines – much more than trees 19

Charlotte safety on the rails

PHOTO: ALEX BUNTEN

PAGE 5

Brought to you free through the generous support of our Donors, Advertisers and Volunteers.

The TheCharloTTeNews.org

Vol. 58, no. 10 December 3, 2015

Charlotte News Vermont’s oldest nonprofit community newspaper, bringing you local news and views since 1958

horsford hAuls A big oAk To The big Apple

Money, money, money

Town budgets on the table at Selectboard meetings, most on par or lower than last year – see page 10 for the Nov. 30 meeting on the wage scale

T A living landmark arrives! Tucker Weaver stands in front of a Horsfords oak tree—immune to a bacterial leaf scorch that claimed the memorial site’s previous oaks—ready to take root on the streets of NYC. PHOTO: COURTESY

Landmark tree delivered to NYC Kali Adams THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

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small piece of Charlotte has been transplanted to the Big Apple.

Horsford Gardens and Nursery was recently contacted to supply a tree that would be planted outside One World Trade Center. When asked why Horsford’s was selected for this honor, owner Charlie Proutt had two answers.

“We had the types of trees they were looking for,” he said, and “We started growing oaks a few years ago and that was what they wanted.”

He continued with a deeper account of the reasoning behind the selection. The current oak trees planted near the memorial site had been plagued by a bacterial leaf scorch. The disease, stemming from the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, targets numerous shade tree species. Curiously, trees bred in northern regions seem to have a better immunity to the disease.

Horsford’s was deemed to be an optimal supplier—far enough north that the oak should have the much needed immunity, but still close enough to New York for the tree to be acceptable.

“Sometime last year we first sent some pictures of trees down. This year a landscaper came up and tagged his tree,” Proutt said.

The representative from Town and Gardens, the Long Island–based enterprise contracted to manage the tree selection and delivery, selected a massive, six-inch-caliper swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) to be transplanted.

What proceeded was a challenging truck ride down to New York City.

“Well, big trees come with their share of interesting things,” Proutt said. One of the preliminary problems faced by Horsford’s was finding a suitable way to transport the cumbersome tree.

“They wanted the tree right away, but we couldn’t find a trucking company,” said Proutt. Horsfords eventually decided to transport the tree themselves.

Proutt laughed when recalling the delivery process. “We’re Vermonters, we’re not used to the big city,” he said. “So there were definitely some difficulties—a minor breakdown included.”

Obstacles aside, the tree arrived in one piece and is now awaiting placement outside the new World Trade Center. And Horsford’s? They’re very pleased with the little piece of Vermont soon to be growing in the big city.

Proutt summed it up best. “We’re proud,” he said of Horsfords’ accomplishment. “We

CVU saves the planet one student at a time Madison Hakey THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

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ere in Vermont, students care a lot about the environment and how their actions correspond with climate change.

Just ask the students in the EnACT club at CVU. These students have created projects that have spread statewide.

Katie Antos-Ketcham, the EnACT advisor,, says, “We were one of the pilot schools in this energy challenge, and now schools across the state are using the same words, same language,” EnACT stands for Environmental Action Club. It is a club where students encourage, educate and act on making CVU an environmentally friendly place.

Antos-Ketcham emphasizes the word “action” because, “while it is important to learn about the environment, it is also really important to do something.”

And EnACT certainly has done things.

Club members have worked hard to decrease CVU’s impact on the environment, and they have succeeded in doing this from a few angles. For one, they have lowered CVU’s energy intake. From 2011 through 2013, EnACT sponsored the Whole School Energy Challenge, which was a collaboration with two organizations—Efficiency Vermont and a group called VEEP, Vermont Energy Education Program—to help schools lower their electricity consumption.

Antos-Ketcham said, “We collected data in a baseline year of what our consumption was and then we were able to, in the next two years, create initiatives to try to lower how much electricity we use.”

EnACT was able to lower CVU’s see eNACT, page 6

Susan Crockenberg

Ellie Russell

CONTRIBUTOR

CONTRIBUTOR

November 17

he Nov. 17 Selectboard meeting focused predominantly on budget issues, first receiving a tutorial from town treasurer, Mary Mead, on how to read and make use of her monthly budget reports.

She explained that each special fund (e.g. Trails Committee, CVFRS) has its own balance sheet that tracks incoming revenue and bills paid on a monthly basis.

Invoices from vendors come to her for payment.

Budgets were at issue again later as the Selectboard listened to chairs and representatives of various town committees and service providers present and justify their proposed budgets for FY16. This budget preview process was adopted last year to ensure that the Selectboard was fully informed about each proposed budget and could question proposed expenditures and request greater justification, especially for budget increases. For the most part, the committees proposed budgets very similar to their FY15-16 budgets.

The proposed FY16-17 Trails Committee budget includes $1,000 for maintenance, identical to last year, and $5,000 in matching funds needed to secure the federal or state funds that support the committee’s efforts. Trails Committee Co-Chair Margaret Russell reported that the committee had secured $90,000 in see seleCTboArd Nov. 17, page 5

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November 23

t its November 23 meeting the Selectboard again discussed money matters. Richard (Rick) Brigham, the CPA from Sullivan, Powers & Co. working with the town on the town audit, spent an hour with the Selectboard reviewing the draft audit report for the year ending June 30, 2015. His “walk-through” of the document was very helpful in understanding the various schedules and notes in the lengthy report. Rick congratulated the town on its significant improvement in internal control policies and procedures.

He detailed the additional work that is necessary but said that good progress has been made. He also noted that under the new government regulations (GASB 68) there are new required entries related to pension plans that address pension liability. The final audit report is due to be completed by the end of December.

The remainder of the meeting consisted of a series of budget discussions with various town entities regarding issues and requests for FY16-17. As was the case at the last Selectboard meeting all requests were modest. In fact, Road Commissioner Jr Lewis once again presented a flat-line budget of $903,250. As the town’s largest departmental request, this request has a significant effect on the town’s total budget. Jr reported that he believes our see seleCTboArd Nov. 23, page 9

Never forever The Awesome Shop VT brings their passion for painting to Charlotte Geeda Searfoorce THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

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nyone happening past the intersection of Church Hill and Hinesburg roads over the past two months has noticed new display items popping up every day—elaborately painted T-shirts, posters, tote bags and an array of homegrown and evolving signage announcing the newest tenant to set up shop in the only retail space in Central Charlotte. The Awesome Shop VT, Charlotte’s newest business, is the “world’s first temporary tattoo parlor,” according to artists and proprietors Sean and Jana Avram. After months of preparation and planning, the two opened their doors this past weekend to introduce their labor of love and share their passion for custom airbrush art and body paint with the community.

“It’s a remarkable industry,” Sean said on a crisp morning a week before opening. Organizing magazines and other printed items that display artists’ work and new-to-market products, Avram was eager to share his passion for the artwork to which he has devoted his professional career.

“It’s about being beautiful,” he said.

“Or about a new kind of costuming. It doesn’t matter what you look like, how big

Sean and Jana Avram, the owners of Charlotte’s newest retail business, The Awesome Shop VT. PHOTO: COURTESY or small you are, who doesn’t want to feel special?”

Hailing from London, Ontario, Sean has been an airbrush artist for 10 years, during which time he has witnessed a meteoric surge in the industry’s popularity and technical capabilities. When he was just starting out, there were two major makeup companies for face painting; now there are over 40.

“The materials for purchase have exploded,” he said. Recent innovations in the newest water-based, sweat-resistant makeup and stencils have allowed for newer combinations and styles and also enables Sean and Jana to work with more people at a time, a boon to their work on the festival circuit.

“And then the Internet helped crack it wide open,” Jana chimed in. During the Middlebury native’s eight years active in the industry she has marveled at the way technology has had such a profound impact see Awesome shop, page 4

2 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

Reflecting on the Outwater Internship experience Editor’s note: Lawrence Dee was the 2015 Summer Outwater Intern. As a capstone, we ask all interns to write an editorial piece about their experience with us. The Charlotte News is very grateful for Lawrence’s work and wishes him well as he launches himself into the post-collegiate world.

As my junior year at St. Michael’s College ended, I found myself staring into a vast sea of uncertainty. I was uncertain of how to secure a steady job, paycheck, or productive way to occupy my irresponsible free time. I had yet to set up an internship geared towards my interests in literature and history. Not to mention that ever-terrifying and incredibly demanding question, constantly posed to a kid at the ripe age of 22, “So…what will you do after you graduate?” As the month of June came to an end, I was blessed with two incredible opportunities which would ultimately change me for the better. I received a full time position working in the kitchen and on the line at Pascolo Ristorante in Burlington. On the same day—June 26—I was accepted at The Charlotte News as their summer Outwater intern.

Had I ever seriously considered a life in journalism? To tell the truth it had never really even crossed my mind. I had taken an entry-level course in journalism during my freshmen year of college, but never seriously considered pursuing a life as a journalist. It was a frantic call from my mom earlier that week letting me know the position was available—a call for which I am eternally thankful—which sparked my interest.

Was I excited at the opening of this position at my hometown’s newspaper?

Absolutely.

Did I expect the amount of difficulty that came with working 50 hours a week while also committing myself to an additional 15 hours at The Charlotte News?

Absolutely.

Was I ready to take on this incredible amount of responsibility?

Although I told myself working the two jobs would be a cakewalk, the reality of how busy and stressful my summer would become took hold almost immediately. That newfound excitement in dual-employment was replaced by an all too familiar feeling—uncertainty. I began to question if I actually possessed the determination and dedication needed to work these two jobs. Trying to manage my schedule became a weekly fiasco.

At many times Alex Bunten, my editor and mentor at The News, would ask me, “Are you sure you can do all this? We can lighten your load if need be.” Being as stubborn and obstinate as I am, my answer was repeatedly “No I can handle it.” The truth was, however much I chose to ignore it, that I couldn’t.

Time began to fly by as it never had before, working 10-hour shifts in the kitchen combined with early mornings of writing and proofreading articles for the news. However as time disappeared, so did my feeling of uncertainty. Suddenly I was not only effectively managing my schedule to find time for both jobs, but also taking pleasure in doing so. Conversations with my employers were now more fluid and open. I no longer found myself taking

on more than I could as a result of actually having an organized schedule and knowing my availability.

To put it simply, I found it within myself to say “No.” Whether it was in regards to overworking myself or choosing against a meaningless night out when I had work to do in the morning, I came to understand myself on a deeper level. I came to understand my limits.

In no way have I perfected this form of decision making. I still make irresponsible and impulsive decisions, however they are few and far between. On top of that, I came to realize that I will always be faced with glaring and, at times, intimidating feelings of uncertainty. But it is within this uncertainty that I discovered a great deal about myself and about life. Looking back, if it wasn’t for these feelings of uncertainty, I never would have capitalized on the opportunities that eventually taught me more about myself than I could have ever hoped.

Am I uncertain about my future? Yes. However, I have learned to greet this uncertainty with open arms. I am forever grateful for what it has taught me, and look forward to the moments when I am faced with uncertainty again, as I am certain something positive will always come of it.

The Charlotte News The Charlotte News is a nonprofit communitybased 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. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@thecharlottenews.org.

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 more than 50 outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes and Burlington.

The Charlotte News relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations.

Editorial Staff

Lawrence Dee Charlotte, Vermont 2015

news@thecharlottenews.org / 425-4949 Editor in chief: Alex Bunten Assistant editor: Geeda Searfoorce Contributing editors: Edd Merritt, Ruah Swennerfelt, Carrie Fenn, Jorden Blucher Copy editors: Beth Merritt, Leslie Botjer, Vince Crockenberg Outwater interns: Kali Adams, Madison Hakey

Business Staff

Who helps make The Charlotte News?

Staff, volunteers, contributors, the board, advertisers, and....

YOU!

ads@thecharlottenews.org / 802-343-0279 Business manager: Shanley Hinge Ad manager: Monica Marshall Circulation group: Valerie Lebensohn

As a nonprofit, The Charlotte News relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions, and advertising revenue to sustain its operations. We believe in the power of local news publications to engage citizens in their communities and positively impact the world around them.

We can do it but we need your help!

Please send your check or money order to: Friends of the Charlotte News, P.O. Box 211, Charlotte, Vermont 05445 Donations are made tax-deductible To donate online, visit: goo.gl/U3H4k3

News from The News

Co-presidents: Tom O’Brien & Vince Crockenberg Secretary: John Hammer Treasurer: Patrice Machavern Board members: Bob Bloch, Carol Hanley, Michael Haulenbeek, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli

Contributors Alice Outwater, Bradley Carleton, Ellie Russell, Georgia Edwards, James Hyde, John Hammer, Larry Hamilton, Lawrence Dee, Margaret Woodruff, Mary Recchia, Melinda Moulton,Susan Crockenberg

On the Cover Rail cars stored north of the Ferry Rd. crossing in Charlotte that contain potentially hazardous material. Vermont Rail Systems is under fire from CVFRS for potential safety violations.

Photo: Alex Bunten

Start small, dream big The Charlotte News would like to warmly welcome Madison Hakey to our operations on Ferry Road. Madison will join Kali Adams as an Outwater Intern for the next four months, writing articles, learning about layout and contributing to all parts of our myriad production process.

As an industrious senior at CVU with high hopes of becoming a world-traveling journalist, Madison brings a lot of experience and enthusiasm to the table. A resident of Shelburne, but originally from outside New York City, Madison has been writing for the CVU newspaper, the Champlain Valley Chronicle, since her sophomore year. She also writes for The Shelburne News. Next year, the young scribe hopes to study English at a yet-to-be-determined college and study abroad while in search of a few “perfect stories.” Other than writing, she also enjoys dancing, singing, long walks with her dog, Rosie, and spending time with friends and family.

With big dreams, a passion for the pen and a wonderful energy to boot, we are certain our new intern will be a great asset

Board Members

Next Issue Deadlines Next publication date: Thursday, Dec. 17 Contributions deadline: Monday, Dec. 6 by 5 p.m.

Advertising deadline: Friday, Dec. 11 by 5 p.m.

Letters due: Monday, Dec. 14 by 10 a.m.

Subscription Information

Madison Hakey

Bob Bloch

to the paper and the community. Welcome to the fold, Madison!

Business) Program, which focuses on helping students learn to create, build and lead their own business ventures. When not working with student entrepreneurs, he enjoys his family, the outdoors, gardening and working to promote entrepreneurship in Vermont.

A 23-year resident of Charlotte, Bob is currently on the board of the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center and formerly served on the board of the Charlotte Land Trust.

Entrepreneurial spirit The Charlotte News Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Bob Bloch as its newest member. After lengthy and productive careers in consumer products, hospitality, and technology services, Bob is currently at Champlain College as director of the BYOBiz (Build Your Own

The Charlotte News is delivered at no cost to all Charlotte residences. Personal or out-of-town subscriptions are available for $20 per year (bulk mail) or $40 per year (first class). Please send a check or money order to the address below.

Postmaster Send address changes to: The Charlotte News P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 Telephone: 425-4949 Circulation: 3,000 copies per issue Copyright © 2015 The Charlotte News, Inc. Printed by Upper Valley Press

The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 3

Voices LEttErs poLicy: The Charlotte News welcomes signed letters to the editor on any subject of interest to the community. To allow the publication of a diverse selection of views in each issue, please limit letters to a maximum of 300 words and include your full name, town of residence and phone number. The editors reserve the right to edit for clarity, English usage and length. Send them to news@thecharlottenews.org.

How will your village grow?

Editor: On December 15 the Selectboard will hold a hearing on proposed changes to both the Town Plan and the Town Land Use Regulations. These changes primarily concern the approval of energy generation structures and changes in land uses allowed in the Town Village and Commercial zones. These are important proposals that have the potential to significantly change the review and approval of energy installations and to alter both residential and commercial uses in the East and West Villages.

Consider how you would like our villages to grow, for grow they will.

How do we want our town and open space to look in years to come, and what type and degree of commercial growth and village density would we like to see?

Do we want to maintain the rural character of our villages, or do we want to allow some two-family dwellings and more and larger retail and service businesses?

The proposals could introduce major changes. Please review the issues and plan to attend the Selectboard hearing on December 15. Material describing the proposed changes is available from the Town Planning Office and can easily be found on the Town of Charlotte website under Planning.

Ellie Russell Charlotte

Headed out to pasture Editor: I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement as of Jan. 1, 2016.

I want to thank all of you for allowing me to care for your pets all these years. I have enjoyed caring for your generation of pets as well as getting to know all of you. I will miss meeting your new puppy or kitten and knowing when it’s time to say goodbye to your elders. It has been a joy to watch your families grow and, as you know, to meet your children and watch them “grow up.” I want you to know that I feel confident that your pets will continue to receive the best of care in the hands of my colleagues here at the Animal Hospital of Hinesburg. My

wife, Diane, and I are not moving away, and I hope that you’ll come up and say “hi” when you see us around town.

There will be an open house at the Animal Hospital of Hinesburg on Dec. 16 from 6–7:30 p.m. to celebrate my retirement. All are invited.

Marv Greenberg, DVM, CVA Hinesburg

South Burlington requests help in making crosswalks safe Editor: South Burlington is very happy to share our roads with our neighbors to the south as they commute or otherwise drive to or through South Burlington. However, on our major feeder roads— such as Spear Street, Dorset Street and Hinesburg Road—all too often drivers fail to stop for pedestrians and bicyclists trying to cross our streets at crosswalks. Vermont state law mandates that “vehicles must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing the roadway within a crosswalk.” This is true whether crosswalks are freshly painted or have worn down through traffic use. This is also true whether or not there is a yellow “Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon” crossing light activated by the pedestrian/ cyclist. Even if the RRFB crossing light does not work or shuts off prior to the pedestrian reaching the other side of the road, all vehicles must yield the right-ofway to pedestrians crossing the roadway within a crosswalk. In addition, when making a “right-on-red” turn at an intersection, drivers must yield the right of way to pedestrians. Too often, drivers glide through these turns without coming to a full stop and with no regard to pedestrians who may be crossing. Even when you have a “right-on-red” arrow, please check for pedestrians as you make those turns.

Please watch for pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross our streets and please drive at or within the posted speed limits. Thank you for helping make South Burlington a safer walkable and cyclable community.

The South Burlington Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee South Burlington

Dear Courage Dear Courage,

I have a conundrum as to who to help.

Here is my predicament: Almost every year, for many years, I, along with some of my fellow former teammates, volunteer to help my old college coach run a very large tournament for the college that is usually understaffed. I had committed to doing this a month ago, as I usually do, and the event is this coming Saturday.

Then I found out a very close friend of mine was admitted into the hospital with very serious issues last week. She and her family had recently relocated and sold their house, which is supposed to be closed on next week. They had planned to pack this coming Saturday but, with the situation that has arisen, aren’t able to do so. One of their siblings is going to help do the packing, along with some other family members. I want to extend my help to them but am not sure that I should break my commitment to my coach who needs me.

This is a one time, special circumstance situation. Do you think I should do it?

Signed, Torn in two Dear Torn in two,

Thank goodness for you! You—a good friend and a devoted member of a team—are out there in the world right now, giving your time to others and lending your strength where it is needed.

You care about the people in your life and show up to be there when they need you. Your selflessness is laudable, though it’s clear it can cause an imbalance when you feel stretched beyond your limits.

Well, guess what, my dear? We human beings toddle about in a world of limits.

Consider the Charlotte Food Shelf in your holiday giving The Food Shelf provides supplemental food and assistance to about 25 families, including 41 children, in Charlotte on a regular basis throughout the year. We just distributed Thanksgiving baskets to 25 families and expect to be distributing Christmas/holiday baskets with food and presents to the same number of families or more. All donations (cash, food, gifts

Grandmother, retired nurse, and unshakable champion of the human spirit, Courage Turner Jones “Be brave, Beloveds, and somehow we’ll all make it!”

It’s built into our DNA. We get a limited number of heartbeats in this life, and our wants outweigh our abilities a good deal of the time. Dealing with that imbalance each time it arises determines how we’ll handle it the next time we step up to the grand scale that only we can calibrate.

So, first: smooth your brow. Your worry is understandable, and lovely, but it will only serve to weigh you down and make it harder to do what you need and want to do.

Next: help your friend. Your elbow grease during packing will not only give her your love and support, but it will offer an unexpected kindness to her family during a difficult time, a gift of true friendship that makes all the difference during life’s most challenging times. Finally, tell your coach and former teammates what prevents your participation in the tournament this time around. I guarantee they will not only understand but also be revitalized by your alternate plans. Imagine what you would feel if you were standing in their shoes. To know that your friend is doing something for someone in need, that your friend’s heart is beating in concert with a symphony of others. Witnessing that kind of strength in others makes us stronger so that the next time we toddle out of balance we can right ourselves without too much trouble.

Signed, Courage Need Courage?

People ages five to 500 are encouraged to send their questions via email to dearcourage@thecharlottenews.org or via good old fashioned post to: Dear Courage c/o The Charlotte News, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445. cards—especially grocery store and gas cards) are much appreciated. The Charlotte Food Shelf is run entirely by volunteers, so all donations go directly for food or assistance to our neighbors in need. If you are a customer of yourfarmstand.com, you may make a donation to the Food Shelf as part of your online order.

Checks may be mailed to Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance, P.O. Box 83, Charlotte, VT 05445.

Far flung, never far from home

Job opportunity Are you creative and self-motivated?

Do you like a varied work schedule?

Are you good with computers?

If you answered yes to all of the above, The Charlotte News sales department could be for you.

Working with an award-winning nonprofit community newspaper, you’ll learn a lot and meet some great people. For more information please call Monica Marshall at 802-343-0279 or email her at ads@thecharlottenews.org.

Holmes Bridge, Charlotte, VT 20”x24” (oil) by Edmund Sullivan

Former Charlotter Edmund Sullivan’s daughter Isabel gives her dad a gift subscription to The Charlotte News to spark fond memories of his time in our green valley. A painter and retired schoolteacher now living in Massachusettsv, Ed paints vibrant landscapes from the pictures he finds inside these pages. Visit his website at edsullivanart.com to see some of them.

Do you know someone who would love to keep the home fires burning?

Give them a gift subscription to The Charlotte News! Email Shanley Hinge, our intrepid business manager, at shanley@thecharlottenews.org.

4 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News New K ids oN the CeNtrAl ChArlotte bloCK

(Left) Sean Avram airbrushes an image on a T-shirt from the temporary Church Street kiosk he and Jana ran last summer. “It’s like a tattoo for your stuff,� he says of his work. “I like to say that I can paint anything on anything!� PHOTO: COURTESY (Above) The Awesome Shop VT store front in Central Charlotte.

PHOTO: ALEX BUNTEN

Awesome shop

continued from page 1

on widening the circle of proponents of what used to be considered a niche interest. Faster connection speeds have sped up image download time, e-commerce has made purchasing materials more ubiquitous, and sharing information and ideas is easier than ever.

The couple, married since 2011, met at Bodyssey, one of the major face and body painting conventions that draws attendees from around the world. They live in Hinesburg with Jana’s 16-year-old identical twin boys and Sean’s 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old twins. They will continue to run their face and body painting business, Hyper Focus Art, through which they paint faces in Williston during the Maple Tree Place summer concert series, sponsored by The Automaster in Shelburne, and travel to destinations to

participate in festivals, corporate events, concerts and private parties.

Last summer, Hyper Focus Art ran a cart on Church Street, airbrushing T-shirts, hats and canvases but found the alfresco location provided insurmountable challenges. “It was too weather dependent,� Jana said. After closing up their University Mall kiosk, which saw substantial foot traffic during last holiday season and April vacation, the two knew they wanted to begin in earnest a search for a more stable setting that still offered them the flexibility to travel. “We’ve really been planning for a year and a half,� Sean said.

The 200-year-old property on which The Awesome Shop VT will hang its sign is owned by Cyrus Moore, who occupies the five-bedroom main house next door.

In back of the retail shop is a three-bedroom apartment, and two one-bedroom apartments are upstairs. Also on the three

christmas trees Cut your own at

Dave Russell’s Christmas Tree Farm Starksboro, Vermont Experience an old New England tradition with a horse drawn sleigh ride.

Choose your tree to be cut then enjoy hot chocolate in the cabin.

and three-quarter acre property, which is for sale, sits a barn, some towering willow trees and a sweeping sense that Charlotte’s past, present and future are in dynamic transition at this intersection centered between the eastern and western sides of town. A number of businesses have occupied the storefront over the past several years—most recently the studio gallery of artist Laurel Waters.

Sean and Jana are looking forward to making a destination of the shop, where community members can gather to flip through magazines, play games and watch the painting as it is happening.

They believe that temporary tattoos and airbrushing could have wide appeal for couples, families, birthday parties, pre-teen events, paint-and-sip gatherings and for private coaching and workshops. “I always tell people,� Sean said of the ephemeral nature of his artwork,

“temporary tattoos last longer than a lemonade but cost the same.� Using his water-based, waterproof, smudge-proof materials, the tattoos last approximately five days and can provide an invaluable tool for those looking to make a lifetime commitment. “People bring us designs all the time and say, ‘I might want this forever, but I want you to paint it on so I can try it out for a few days first.’�

Now that The Awesome Shop VT is open for business, from 10 a.m.–5 pm every day, Sean and Jana, who predict they will be busier on evenings and weekends, can’t wait to get to know the community. “No matter how old you are or what your body type is, this art form is for everybody,� they said. “We want people to feel welcome. Stop in and see what we’re all about!�

Visit The Awesome Shop VT website at theawesomeshopvt.com.

Come visit us at 9 Main Street, Bristol We have a wide variety of unique gifts Trendy Vintage Furnishings Beeswax Candles Large selection of Skida Hats Headbands Decorative Linens Body Care Products Cards

802-453-3952 Monday - Friday 10-5 4BUVSEBZ t 4VOEBZ Or Shop on line at www.vermonthoneylights.com

Holiday Gifts made in the US for everyone on your list.

Stay Warm in Style with 100% Merino Wool Renewable & Sustainable

Or select one of our hundreds of trees in the WALK-IN lot.

Baling, warm wishes and help are always included.

Open WEEKENDS starting Friday, November 27th (the day after Thanksgiving) thru Christmas 10am - 4pm Week days by appointment (802)453-2208 Therussellfarm@gmail.com 1248 Vermont RT116 Starksboro, Vermont

Handmade in new Zealand 100% al Natur

little

citizen 20 CHURCH STREET*BURLINGTON*802.489.5993

The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 5

Train in vain?

Fire Chief and EMD Chris Davis excoriates VT Rail System about propane tank storage in West Charlotte Geeda Searfoorce THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

During a special meeting held Nov. 24 the Charlotte Selectboard unanimously voted to endorse Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Chris Davis’s November 19 letter to Vermont Rail System, which outlines “significant concerns and questions” about the storage of loaded propane rail tank cars on the former passenger rail passing siding near 735 Ferry Road.

Davis took aim at the substantial discrepancies between claims that Vermont Rail System made in their October 28 Risk Management Program document and tangible evidence found at the storage site. The RMP states that the Charlotte passing facility would store “20

Selectboard Nov. 17 continued from page 1

grants that allowed considerable progress to be made on the Town Link Trail that will eventually connect Mount Philo with the Charlotte Town Beach. All but four of the necessary easements across properties along the eight-mile trail have been secured. Mary Mead indicated that some items, such as postage, are included in the town budget and could be eliminated from the Trails budget. The board agreed to the preliminary budget, requesting the town treasurer to redistribute postage and other expenses to the appropriate budget lines without decreasing the overall Trails budget.

Representing the Charlotte Conservation Commission, Amos Baehr proposed an FY16-17 budget of $6,200, with an increase of $1,376 to be used in the removal of invasive species, such as European frogbit, yellow iris and wild parsnip, and to map areas in which invasive species have been removed.

Invasive species, which have no natural controls and reproduce rapidly, are the primary focus of the CCC’s efforts next year. Included in the proposed budget is a $2,700 payment to the Lewis Creek Association. The town treasurer informed Baehr that the town needs a contract from Lewis Creek for the current year as well as FY16-17, specifying what they will do for the CCC. The board preliminarily agreed to the proposed budget, requesting a contract from Lewis Creek to be reviewed and signed prior to final approval.

By far the lengthiest budget presentation came from Stephen Brooks representing

succinctly addresses no less than 17 issues arising from the RMP’s inaccurate description of potentially hazardous materials and the implications for resulting danger. Chief among Davis’s concerns is the improbability of the RMP’s “worst case scenario,” which assumes that in the event of a vapor-cloud explosion only one of the tanks would be involved, though all 40 of Potentially hazardous train cars stored north of the the cars are parked next to each Ferry Rd. rail crossing in Charlotte. PHOTO: ALEX BUNTEN other. Equally disquieting is the RMP’s negligence to mention rail tank cars, each with 30,000 gallon the VELCO high-voltage eleccapacity, carrying odorized propane or trical sub-station “located within 200 feet butane.” However, Davis’ comprehen- of the rail tank cars.” sive inspection of the site, conducted on In his letter, Davis also delineates the Nov. 18 using a thermal-image camera, discrepancy between the RMP’s use of revealed that the actual number of cars a 0.4-mile evacuation distance radius stored onsite was 40 and they were labeled and the USDOT’s Emergency Response “non-odorized propane.” The process of Guidebook, which requires a 0.5-mile odorizing propane is essential for prompt radius. The following structures lay detection should leakage occur. within the 0.5-mile post-spill evacuaIn addition to demanding account- tion radius: “the VELCO high voltage ability from Vermont Rail System about electrical substation, over 100 homes, the number and quality of materials the Charlotte Family Health Center, the stored at the passing siding station, Davis Charlotte Children’s Center, the Charlotte the Cemetery Commission. The commission has worked for the last year or so repairing headstones and substantially improving the upkeep of the town’s old burial grounds. It requested an increase of $2,550 to continue and expand this work, raising the budget from $9,000 to $11,550 for FY16-17. Although Brooks presented an itemized budget, it was unclear in what specific areas increases over the previous year’s budget would be used. Jenny Cole also questioned the degree to which other members of the Cemetery Commission had been involved in setting future priorities. The board agreed to the $11,550 budget but requested information on how the increased funding would be used prior to final approval.

As part of the budget review process, the board increased the salary of the animal control officer to $3,000 from $2,600, added mileage to the budget, but reduced other expenditures for a preliminary approved budget of $4,200. It similarly agreed to a stable budget of $1,300 for the health officer and level funding of $10,000 for Charlotte Little League.

In other actions, the board confirmed that there was no Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue (CVFRS) operating budget surplus in 2015—and therefore CVFRS owes the town nothing—and approved, on a split vote (3 approvals, 1 denial, 1 abstention) CVFRS’s request for funding of $9,000 for protective personal equipment. The board also approved motions to authorize the Senior Center to request proposals for construction of an addition and for the UVM cycling road race to be held on Sunday, April 10, 2016, on Hinesburg Road, Spear Street and Mount Philo Road, with the stipulation that the

group contact CCS about possible scheduling conflicts.

Charlie Baker, executive director of the Chittenden Country Regional Planning Commission, reported on assistance CCRPC has provided Charlotte on various projects (e.g., storm water) and asked how else the commission might be helpful.

Suggestions included working with VTRANS to deal with invasive species on Route 7, help with railroad car placement, scenic roads and town plan inventory work. The town must submit a form to CCRPC by January 22 indicating what it needs.

Late in the meeting, the board approved a motion to schedule hearings for amendments to the new town plan and land use regulations. These include the creation of village centers, siting of renewable energy structures, changing the density requirement for duplexes, and changing some uses in the village commercial districts from conditional to permitted uses and adding some permitted uses.

The first hearing will be held on Tuesday, December 15, after which the board may craft additional amendments. The second hearing is on January 7, 2016. Both meetings are at 7 p.m. Charlotte will vote on the amended town plan and land use regulations by Australian ballot on Town Meeting Day, 2016.

Senior Center, the fire station, the town office, the library, and several businesses.”

In the event of fire related to a propane spill, the minimum evacuation distance is increased to one mile.

Additional concerns listed in the letter are the lack of a municipal fire hydrant system in Charlotte, no specific training for Charlotte Fire Department in the event of a spill, and the ecological implications surrounding the wildlife habitat and wetland in the town.

Davis’s concerns, and the Selectboard’s resounding support of his research and subsequent letter, are well founded. Oil spills by the company that owns the rail cars have impacted Canadians in recent years. The U.S.-owned firm, Plains Midstream Canada, which leases track space from Vermont Rail System to store the cars, was fined in 2011 and 2012 in Alberta for $1.3 million.

A representative from Vermont Rail System, David Wulfson, told Davis that the number of the rail tank cars would be reduced. Long-term planning for public safety surrounding the tank storage and ongoing railroad use issues require additional information and study, a task which will likely crop up on Selectboard agendas in the coming year.

Have a good news tip or story idea? Email geeda@thecharlottenews.org.

6 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

52 Kids Foundation receives award for youth empowerment in Uganda Zoe Adams of Charlotte went to Uganda to work with the 52 Kids Foundation in 2008. Here she is pictured working with local students.

Zoe is a CVU and UVM graduate who is currently doing a pre-med, postbachelors degree at UVM. PHOTO: COURTESY The 52 Kids Foundation, a Vermontbased nonprofit, recently received a firstof-its-kind recognition by the District of Kamuli in Uganda for outstanding efforts in the empowerment of young people.

Since its founding in 2004, by then–CVU

EnACT

continued from page 1

electric consumption in a few ways, the first being a lighting retrofit done by Green Mountain Power. Antos-Ketcham says that Efficiency Vermont estimated that the lighting retrofit will save approximately 181,000 kilowatt hours per year. In addition to the lighting retrofit, Kurt Proulx, CVU’s director of maintenance, got on board with software that helped manage the peak in electricity use that occurred every day around lunch. The instructional technology office was also excited to help.

EnACT and IT worked together to figure out ways to save energy that desktops use,

student Jagger Koerner of Charlotte, the 52 Kids Foundation has stuck true to its mission of “inspiring young people to do great things.” Having been around for more than 10 years now, the organization still works to advance sustainable whether it is an automatic shutdown or sleep-mode transition after a few minutes.

Finally, EnACT did its part by introducing students to “Hibernation Vacation,” a project where students and faculty were encouraged to unplug anything that could be unplugged around the school during vacation. EnACT even threw an “Unplugging Party” where the club members ran around the school unplugging the desktops in computer labs.

EnACT has also been busy with other, smaller projects that focus on behavior in school. One of the biggest changes made in the past few years was the installation of sorting stations in the cafeteria.

Now students know how to recycle and

Jaime Laredo Music Director

enterprise and progress for over 60 children and teenagers in Kamuli.

Chief Administrative Officer Silimani Jalwiny and District Chairperson Edward Wakibi awarded the certificate in late August to the foundation, citing “its high impact sustainable efforts in the contribution to the education and empowerment of young people of Kamuli District.”

“I am continually amazed at the progress that 52 Kids has made within the community of Kamuli, and this award, given out in rarity by the Kamuli government, is a tremendous acknowledgment and credit to our impact,” said Director John Koerner of Charlotte.

The foundation is largely run by young people living in and around Vermont, often by those who had previously traveled to Kamuli with the 52 Kids’ High School Leadership Program.

The award was announced on the cusp of a visit to Vermont by the foundation’s

Ugandan co-founder and program director, Frank Woitera, who is traveling the state to visit high schools, meet with donor families and organize U.S. volunteers.

“The generosity of Vermonters is incredible, and I am very impressed by the Vermont students I meet who are eager to learn about different cultures and by their desire to help others around the world,” said Woitera.

In total, the 52 Kids Foundation has worked with over 500 families in the Kamuli District of Uganda, improving community health and household infrastructure, planting trees, and covering school fees and medical expenses for the children of the foundation. Other initiatives include building energy-efficient stoves, as well as a water well that provides for a village of ten thousand people, and providing career counseling and postschool job placement.

Learn more at 52kids.org.

compost. A second big change also took place in the cafeteria. Leo LaForce, CVU’s food service director, switched from plastic cutlery to silverware after EnACT students showed their concern about the 2,000 plastic forks, knives and spoons being used each week.

To ensure that no plastic ware needed to be thrown away, EnACT also collected silverware for advisories.

“We did a silverware fundraiser at Election Day last November and we gathered a lot of donated silverware, and then we donated them to advisors. So now when my advisory eats cake, I don’t have to throw out plastic ware,” AntosKetcham said.

Currently, EnACT is busy educating students on what they can do to help the club succeed.

“A lot of our action is school-based to think about how we can reduce CVU’s overall climate impact. In the present, what we are working on is a lot of education,”

Antos-Ketcham said. “We just need to keep up with the changes so people know.”

And it isn’t just about educating the students. It’s about teaching the students and faculty skills that they can pass on to others. “There are some really important skills that I know I want my kids to know,” Ketchum said, “like how to save seeds, how to grow food, how to be a little more resilient and not rely on energy for everything. And I feel like often times we forget to address that within the context of daily life. As we think about education, there’s always more we can do.”

With this mindset, Antos-Ketcham encourages students to actively help others understand how their actions can help prevent climate change. “Even a few students,” she says, “can make a huge difference.”

Do you have a comment or question for our newest Outwater intern? Contact Madison Hakey at madison@thecharlottenews.org.

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The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 7

CVU students at Vermont Youth Climate Summit Kali Adams THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

The morning of Nov. 20 found the UVM Davis Center buzzing with local high school students. These were the participants in the second Vermont Youth Climate Summit, representing 15 high schools from across Vermont and New York.

The Vermont Youth Climate Summit is modeled after the Adirondack Youth Climate Summit, which has been held for seven years at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, New York. It’s a day of learning and sharing ideas on how Vermont’s youth can counteract global warming. Schools send a group of students who are either directly involved in greening up their school or interested in the subject matter. Each high school came out of this conference with sustainable ideas to initiate on their campuses.

CVU sent seven students as an off-shoot of the Environmental Action (EnACT) Club. Katie Antos-Ketchum, an EnACT advisor, and Dave Trevithick, science teacher for Fairbanks House, led the group.

The day opened with speeches by Jon Erickson, a professor at UVM, and Sam Perizo from the class of 2017. In addition,

Haley Pero, an outreach representative for Bernie Sanders, spoke on behalf of Senator Sanders. Sanders was one of the original advocates for the Vermont Youth Climate Summit and, in addition to attending the conference last year, generously sponsored the summit.

Students from each of the attending high schools gave short presentations on what actions their schools had taken to mitigate climate change. CVU’s representative mentioned EnACT’s role in the Hibernation Vacation initiative, leading the school in a silverware drive and more composting (see article on page 1 for more details).

Participants attended morning and afternoon workshops led by UVM students. Subjects ranged from renewable energy development to electronic waste. In these workshops, students were immersed in their subject matter, learning how it was connected to environmental change and how they could implement this knowledge at their school to promote sustainability.

CVU students brainstormed a variety of ideas, including an improved community garden, more recycling and composting bins and solar power initiatives.

During lunch, Governor Shumlin gave the keynote address. He reminded the students of how far Vermont had come in

(Below) Participants wrote on ribbons what they hoped to never lose to climate change. These were later brought to the UN Climate Summit in Paris.

(Above) A group of environmentallyminded CVU students took part in the Vermont Youth Climate Summit on Nov. 20 at the UVM Davis Center.

PHOTOS: KALI ADAMS

terms of climate-awareness, but still how far we have to go.

“I have spent an inordinate amount of my time as governor dealing with climate change induced crisis,” he said, reminiscing back to Hurricane Irene. He spoke of how even those denying climate change had to face the facts when Hurricane Sandy touched down: this storm was different.

“What are we doing?” Shumlin asked., “And what can we do to bring sanity to desperate situations? Because we all know, time is not on our side.”

He listed advances in solar and wind power in Vermont, speaking of how many jobs this green industry has created.

“Vermont is proving that it works, and we’re going to need a lot of help from you as we do it,” Shumlin said. His closing words spoke to a future that the students

gathered there should strive for. “I apologize for the mess we’ve given you, but I say it’s a huge opportunity and I hope you will seize it.” Governor Shumlin also took time to answer questions posed by students.

As groups exited the summit, students were encouraged to take a ribbon and write what they hoped never to lose to climate change. These ribbons and others from similar youth summits will be taken to Paris for the UN Climate Summit. As they are displayed for global leaders, they will be there to represent the convictions of today’s youth regarding global warming.

Do you have a story idea for our intrepid intern? Contact Kali at kali@thecharlottenews.org.

Lewis Creek Association awarded Vermont Clean Water funds The Lewis Creek Association was awarded $67,254 from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Clean Water Initiative Program to launch the new Ahead of the Storm (AOTS) water-quality stewardship program that highlights pollution prevention. The purpose of AOTS is to highlight the adoption of pollution prevention lifestyles through the development and installation of more optimal stormwater management practices for a variety of properties including rural homesteads, farm lands, municipal sites, forests and roadways.

This watershed-based initiative includes representatives from state and county government, as well as from municipal, school, church, library and conservation organizations.

In response to an invitation sent out to the community, approximately 15 local property owners offered their locations as demonstration sites for showcasing more optimal stormwater management practices in the face of more frequent and extreme weather events. With the initial funding from the Clean Water Initiative, AOTS will assist these property owners in designing practices that address their unique land and water challenges and that take into account the more extreme weather events occurring in Vermont.

Signage marking the AOTS demonstration sites will be part of the local community education aspect of the project.

Ethan Swift at VT DEC says, “These more optimal designs can serve as demonstration sites to showcase how to locate and design beautiful green infrastructure in both rural and village settings, and how to design and maintain roadside drainage that reduces the impacts of stormwater runoff.”

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8 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

OutTakes Commentary

by Edd Merritt

Bernie makes it big time But the thrill we’ve never known Is the thrill that’ll getcha when you get your picture On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone Lyrics by Shel Silverstein Music by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show Well, Mr. Sanders is certainly of an era when he must have heard Dr. Hook name the single most important publicity pose in the nation. Yes, it was (and possibly still is) getting your picture on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. So, whose chipper face is on the front of this year’s December 3 issue along with a lengthy article on his presidential candidacy right beside the “hot list� for 2015? Why it’s our favorite Vermont senator from Brooklyn—the “Bern.� His slightly bitten-lip grin may hide his true desire for the White House or it may indicate he’s tickled with the way things are going in his campaign.

Now I am not immune to the importance of Rolling Stone covers. Bernie and I go

back to the late sixties and early seventies, It was before John Belushi tried to curb his along with Shel Silverstein who wrote the addictions by hanging out in Chilmark. lyrics to the “Cover of Rollin’ Stone� and Beth and I were New “Yawkers� at the whom I used to run into as we both hung time. The politics of Vietnam split that out in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard. country and ours. We thought we knew Believe it or not, I think there may be a where Silverstein’s sidewalk ended, and connection between that period and place we prided ourselves on being politically in our country’s history and today. active. I agreed with Norman Mailer and The Vineyard, for example, was sort of Jimmy Breslin’s push for New York City hippie haven when Beth and I first headed to secede from the rest of the state. I had there for our honeymoon in 1970. We not yet met Charlotte’s Thomas Naylor drove around the island in a borrowed VW who felt the same way about Vermont and bus with a mermaid painted on the top. We the U.S., but Mailer and Breslin may have discovered the Black Dog Bakery when it inspired me in that direction. was run by a commune from up island. I Lately, the state of the universe made still had hair—lots of it—as did those on my thoughts return to that time. And after the record reading Rolling album with Stone’s questhe moon in I believe him when he says he tion-and-answer the seventh is running because he feels the piece on Bernie, house and I began to feel country will benefit from his Jupiter the next Age of aligned with leadership, not because it has Aquarius might Mars. not be too far been a long-held ambition of It was the distant, as Bernie his to sit in the Oval Office. dawning of said in the article the Age of that his political Aquarius. path is a very We learned that if you walked far enough unusual one. along the oceanside beaches toward Gay I believe him when he says he is running Head you ran into clusters of people with- because he feels the country will benefit out bathing suits. Brewer and Shipley were from his leadership, not because it has “One Toke Over the Line� next door to a been a long-held ambition of his to sit in great sandwich shop, and Carly Simon’s the Oval Office. He eked out his election club, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, shared space as mayor of Burlington because he felt the with the Vineyard airport. Janis Joplin had incumbent had let the position overcome taken a piece of my heart, and “John and the practice and Burlington deserved an Mitchy were getting kind of itchy to leave active mayor. He moved on to senator their folk music behind� in Creeque Alley. for the same reason, and his goals for

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the presidency are specific and heartfelt.

He says he wants to see our country’s self-proclaimed practice of democracy for all become truly that and not just for a few with superior financial means. To reach his goal will take revitalization, he tells us, “so that the government works for all of us, not just the large campaign contributors.� It will require bringing into the democratic fold more of the 60 percent of eligible voters who chose not to go to the polls last November, and it will take someone who shares the honesty of his beliefs with others. His tone is as important as his message.

And Bernie, I think near the end of the song Silverstein had your opponents in mind when he said that even though the select few keep getting richer, they fall short in one important aspect of sainthood.

They can’t get their pictures on the cover of a Rolling Stone.

You, on the other hand, beat them to the punch. You did it, man, so take it and run.

And by the way, a few months ago I met at least two people in Illinois who, right out of the blue, praised you without prompting, sandwiches in hand and your stickers attached to their car bumpers. Would that have happened when you and I first met on the back streets of Burlington, First Night 1981? I don’t think so. We were both pretty fresh to the turf and eleven years ahead of Phish painting a picture of Nectar.

However, to steal from Trey, “Whatever you do, take care of your shoes.�

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The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 9 foodSHelf deliverS

Notice Notice of Public HeariNg

Notice of Public HeariNg

To Amend the Charlotte Town Plan

To Amend the Charlotte Land Use Regulations Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. Sections 4442 & 4445, the Charlotte Selectboard will hold a public hearing at the Charlotte Town Hall, 159 Ferry Road, on Tuesday, December 15, 2015, at 7 p.m. for the purpose of receiving public comment on proposed amendments to the Town of Charlotte Land Use Regulations submitted by the Charlotte Planning Commission.

Pursuant to 24 V.S.A. Section 4385, the Charlotte Selectboard will hold two public hearings to receive public comments on proposed amendments to the Charlotte Town Plan submitted by the Charlotte Planning Commission. The first public hearing will be on Tuesday, December 15, 2015, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 159 Ferry Road; the second will be on Thursday, January 7, 2016, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall, 159 Ferry Road. The Town Plan provides development policies for the Town and also provides a basis for bylaws and other mechanisms which implement the policies. The proposed amendments affect all land within the Town.

The proposed amendments are as follows: Add statement to Land Use Section supporting consideration of Village Center Designation.

Amend/Update Energy Section (Today and Tomorrow)

Selectboard Nov. 23 continued from page 1

town roads are “in good shape� and that efforts in previous years to build up the roads have paid off as such upkeep now reduces road maintenance expenses. He also noted that paving costs have gone up significantly over the years, and as these costs have gone up he has reduced the miles being paved each year. Of the 40 miles of black-topped roads in Charlotte, approximately three miles were paved this past year. He noted that high on the priority list for paving next year is the wheel-rutted section of road in front of CCS. Nan Mason, library board of trustees treasurer, and Emily Ferris, library board of trustees chair, shared data regarding library usage. Overall circulation of library items is 47,250 per year (an average of 12.34 items per person). Library visits increased 29 percent, and Wi-Fi use increased 86 percent. The library’s program offerings—such as afterschool, book groups, story times, summer reading, tech sessions, workshops, talks and crafts—continue to grow and have received regional and statewide recognition. The library requested an overall budget increase of 2.5 percent (to a total of approximately $179,000), representing a 4-percent reduction in its non-staff budget and increased hours for the technical librarian that are needed to meet the ever-increasing requests by library patrons for technical assistance.

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The proposed amendments are to the following sections for the purposes stated: Section 4.20 Energy Facility Siting and Development Standards (new) and Section 5.5 Site Plan Review—to add energy project siting standards Technical clarifications or corrections to various provisions throughout the Regulations

Section 4.3 Adaptive Reuse of an Existing Structure—to allow twofamily dwellings at the same density as required for single-family dwellings, as a permitted use in the West Charlotte Village, East Charlotte Village and Village Commercial Districts, and as a conditional use in all other districts in which adaptive reuse is allowed.

Amendments 1 and 2 will affect all lands within the Town of Charlotte.

Amendment 3 will affect lands within the Village Commercial and Commercial/Light Industrial districts.

Amendment 4 will affect all lands within the Town except the Seasonal Shoreland Home Management District.

The full text of the proposed amendments are available for review at the Charlotte Town Office and on the town’s website, charlottevt.org.

Table 2.3 Village Commercial District and Table 2.4 Commercial/Light Industrial District—to change the

The report of the Recreation Commission and Recreation Department representatives Bill Fraser-Harris and Nicole Conley also included a request for increased hours. Nicole and Bill said that growth at the beach continues to increase in complexity and number of visits.

Both beach fees and program income are predicted to continue to increase. To meet the increased management needs for this growth they recommend that eight more hours per week be budgeted for the program manager position (now at 22 hours per week) and that the job description for that position be modified to include responsibilities for management of the beach recreational area. The beach would continue to be staffed during the summer months by student employees.

The number of year-round programs continues to expand. It was noted that the salary of the program manager is offset by the income from programs. Fraser-Harris also reported that there was “extraordinary� damage to the tennis court surfaces last winter (360 feet of cracks), perhaps as a result of a frozen perimeter drain. The cost for repair, not yet determined, will be covered by the Town Recreation Capital Reserve Fund. Total recreation expenses are projected at roughly $100,000, offset by total revenue (beach and programs) of $74,000.

The Energy Committee, the tree warden, Lewis Creek Watershed Association and the Senior Center came in with little or no increases. In fact, the Energy Committee request of $4,500 is 9 percent lower than last year because some significant projects have been completed, including the new library roof; the committee will now focus on energy audits for the Senior Center and possibly

Privacy & Quality Construction

purpose statements, allowed uses, and dimensional standards for the purpose of reducing restrictions and/or regulatory complexity for commercial development

the Fire Station, as well as on ongoing outreach, education and weatherization programs. Larry Hamilton, Charlotte’s volunteer tree warden, requested a small increase to cover the expanded care of newly planted trees purchased through the Tree Fund and for monitoring infestation by the emerald ash borer and the Asian long-horned beetle. He reported that extreme weather this past year has resulted in an increase in tree damage.

The total budget requested for the tree warden and two assistants is $1,200 to cover mileage and other miscellaneous small items. The Senior Center budget request remains at $91,000, offset by program and rental income projected at $23,000. The Lewis Creek Association requested the usual $600.

The final budget numbers await future salary determinations and more precise numbers that will come in part from bid submissions, as well as other more precise cost information not yet received.

Lane Morrison, Selectboard chair, confirmed with the Selectboard members present (Jacob Spell was absent from the meeting) that the board would meet on November 24 to discuss the response to the proposed Risk Management Plan for long-term storage of propane tanks at the Charlotte passing siding. He also confirmed the November 30 meeting of the Selectboard to discuss the pay program for FY16-17.

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Gail Gardner and Bill Doris, volunteers with the Charlotte Food Shelf, were ready to distribute Thanksgiving turkeys to Charlotte families who arrived at the Food Shelf on Saturday morning to pick up the Thanksgiving boxes filled with holiday dinner ingredients. The 25 turkeys for Charlotte were part of the Charlotte Shelburne Rotary donation of 120 turkeys to food shelves in Charlotte, Shelburne and Hinesburg. PHOTO: COURTESY

10 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

Town clerk’s salary again in the spotlight, consultant to be hired John Hammer THE CHARLOTTE NEWS

The Selectboard agenda for its Nov. 30 meeting called for two items: a discussion of employee pay rates to be used in next year’s budget and an authorization for the appearance of the town attorney at a Public Service Board hearing on the Charlotte Solar Farm. The latter issue was quickly passed.

The item regarding budgeted amounts for employee pay was quickly overtaken by the recurring issue around the perceived inequity in setting the salary of the town clerk/treasurer. The agenda item on pay had originally been to address the Town’s salary administration policy, signed on January 12, 2015, that contained an error in Table 1 of the document. This table, which sets the method by which the pay rate grid is determined, did not take into account any cost of living growth. It had recently been determined that that rate should be 1.5 percent and should be compounded through the life of the program. A motion to that effect by Selectman Tegatz failed

for want of a second.

The discussion then turned to the inequity issue. The two sides of the argument, in which both the Selectboard and audience participated, were centered on how the town clerk’s salary was to be computed. One side firmly supported the salary administration policy that is based on position description standards and a table of increases up to 140 percent of any position’s base rate. In the table, the top rate is limited to 140 percent within 15 years, after which an employee receives only cost of living increases with no further step changes.

The other side of the argument centered on the fact that Town Clerk Mary Mead has served for over 20 years. The feeling was that her pay did not reflect her length of faithful and excellent service. The discussion went back and forth for most of the two-hour meeting with no resolution save for calling an outside human resources consultant to study the present plan. The intent is for the consultant then to attend a Selectboard meeting in early January and

to respond to questions. The consultant will be asked to focus on the salary administration policy, concentrating on the 1.5 percent error, the interpretation of the word “salary” with respect to hours served and how the question of the town clerk/ treasurer’s salary might be resolved.

The next regular Selectboard meeting is scheduled for Dec. 14.

Selectboard process in developing a pay system for the Town of Charlotte March 2014: Agreed at Town Meeting to review town pay.

May: Selectboard reviewed how other towns in Vermont managed pay for employees. The Palmer model—a list of 13 weighted questions based on job responsibilities—which Richmond had recently used in completing its evaluation system, was used as a template.

May–aug.: All employees updated their job descriptions, which were reviewed with supervisors and the Selectboard. aug.–Nov.: Developed a job evaluation grid (Palmer model) of points. This was extensively reviewed with supervisors and town boards to ensure equity among the various job responsibilities.

Sept.: Hired a professional compensation consultant to guide Selectboard on the pay process being developed.

Sept.: Developed a pay-grade system that included 20 grades (beach attendant to town administrator) and used 15 steps for experience. Populated a pay grid that ranged from 5 percent between grades to 2.5 percent for years of experience.

Minimum to maximum pay per grade of 140 percent.

Sept.–Nov.: Collected data on what other towns in Vermont pay for similar jobs. Used Vermont League of Cities and Towns data and visited seven towns with populations of 3,000–5,000 to compare wages. Credited each employee’s past experience for placement on the grid Nov.–Dec.: Prepared a salary administration policy and a wage implementation plan. All data reviewed with employees, town boards and the consultant.

JaN. 2015: Plans and policy approved at the Selectboard meeting. Updates were made to pay for employees to the reflect equity established. goalS aND aSSuMptioNS: • Create pay equity among jobs • Pay based on jobs not people • Min. to max. pay of 140 percent Additional cost of living adjustment to be made in January of each year based on prior 12 months Information provided by Selectboard Chair Lane Morrison

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The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 11 post-season road victory by beating Brattleboro in a quarterfinal game, it lost the next week to a powerhouse from Rutland, which ultimately knocked off Middlebury for the top spot in Division I football. CVU finished sixth in the state among the first 15 teams according to the Burlington Free Press power rankings.

Edd Merritt Sports Roundup UVM had a local look on its men’s soccer team Although it lost to Boston College in the NCAA tournament last Thursday, several local players helped the Cats gain the berth. Three of the seven homegrown players on the team are CVU graduates, and six of them will be back next year.

The former Redhawks are junior forward Shane Haley from Williston, freshman defender and midfielder Patrick McCue and sophomore defenseman Zack Evans, both from Shelburne. The Catamounts won their fifth conference title that sent them directly into the NCAA show where BC eked out a first-round victory.

Redhawk football moves up a notch in the state standings since last year Even though CVU won its first

Five field hockey Redhawks earn all-state honors Five members of the CVU field hockey team won recognition for their play from coaches and from the Burlington Free Press. Metro Division coaches named forwards Lydia Maitland and Kate Machavern plus defender Stasha Rup to their first all-star team. Second-team honors went to Redhawk goalie Tasha Pashby-Rockwood and midfielder Emily Ray. Forward Kelsie Saia earned honorable mention. Pashby-Rockwood and Ray were named to the Twin State team, with Machavern as an alternate. The Free Press named Rup to its first team all-state saying that she was able to “defuse dangerous situations,” helping CVU to “pitch nine shutouts.” Tasha Pashby-Rockwood, Kate Machavern and Lydia Maitland made the Free Press’s second team, while Emily Ray earned honorable mention. This year CVU beat Hartford and Essex before losing to South Burlington in overtime for

the championship.

All-state and Division I honors to Redhawk soccer players With three players named to the Vermont State Coaches Association all-state team, two named first-team Free Press all stars and two more receiving second-team status and honorable mention, the perennially strong Redhawk soccer team received its portion of praise for the season, which saw the it finish second in the state, losing to Rice 2-0 in the championship game. Midfielder and CVU’s leading scorer Cooper O’Connell

and defender Todd Boisjoli received the first-team nod from the Free Press. A second defender, Joe Parento, received second-team honors. And yet another defenseman, Trey Tomasi, gained honorable mention. The fact that three defensive players were listed among the top in all Vermont divisions indicates why CVU was recognized for its strength in ball control along midfield and in front of its own goal. Seniors O’Connell and Boisjoli along with junior Parento received all-state recognition from the coaches, and junior Tomasi was added to the Metro Division first team. Junior Brock Werner made second team, and senior Will Yakibuk received honorable mention.

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12 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

Ten questions to ask when someone says: “A new study shows that...”

The third in a series of three columns helping readers to think critically about health research studies.

James Hyde CONTRIBUTOR

W

e are bombarded daily by reports in the popular press about the latest study purportedly showing that some factor (“exposure” in public health “speak”) has been linked to a reduction or an increase in the incidence of a disease or illness. Recently there have been at least three such reports: A study showing dramatic benefits in people over 50 who reduced their systolic blood pressure (the higher of the two blood pressure readings) below current guidelines; another showing that people taking daily low-dose aspirin have a lower incidence of colon cancer; and a third, a study of the effects of

the “Mediterranean” diet on heart disease that also showed a reduction in breast cancer incidence.

God and Moses had a good idea with the Ten Commandments. We need remember only a few things— and in return we get a lifetime framework to guide our behavior. So here are ten questions that provide a framework for thinking critically about the health information we receive every day.

1. Are the results generally applicable to me? What do we know about the people who were studied, like their age, sex and health status at the beginning of the study? Could they already have been sick before the study began? We also want to be sure that it is reasonable to generalize from the results being reported to our own situation. For example, a study of yogurt eating and longevity in Georgian (the country) peasants is unlikely to have a have a high degree of relevance for people living in Charlotte.

2. Was the number of people studied large enough to see an outcome? Because we can never study the entire universe of people with a particular disease, condition or exposure, we must rely on samples. Just as samples used in political polling have a “margin of error” so too do samples used in health studies. Small samples can result in missing small effects. Example: If you are looking for a needle in a haystack by poking a stick into it, you will need either a lot of tries or be very lucky. If you are looking for a basketball in that same haystack you can get by with a small number of tries. All things being equal, big samples are always preferable.

3. Was there a comparison group, and if so, how was it chosen? Studies that do not employ a comparison group are of no value when it comes to exploring cause and effect relationships. However, comparison groups which are as similar as possible to

study groups, while essential, are often hard to find. For example, consider the difficulties a researcher might face in trying to find a suitable comparison group if studying the effects of air pollution on urban residents.

4. Did the researchers follow people long enough to observe all the important results? This is especially important in studies of the causes of chronic disease (diabetes, heart disease, arthritis) that may take a long time to develop. Also, if a study’s duration is too short, we may see a condition improve with treatment but miss a subsequent relapse.

5. What measures were used in assessing the outcomes and exposures? Here it is important to determine if the researchers used objective measures to assess an outcome—an x-ray, lab test, biopsy, a physical exam. Example: Measuring the actual range of motion after a joint replacement versus the patient reporting on perceived changes in range of motion.

Objective measures are not always possible to obtain, for example in studies of mental health, but if possible they are almost always preferable.

6. Can we be certain that the “cause” actually occurred before the “effect”?

This may seem like a bizarre question, but believe me it’s not always clear. Example: A study reports that after taking an herbal tea the subjects’ cold symptoms disappeared. Is it possible that the symptoms were already waning at the time the subjects drank the tea?

7. Was the effect/outcome observed large? The size of the effect observed in many studies is often presented relative to the comparison group. Example: “... there was a 40 percent decrease in chemotherapy patients experiencing nausea and vomiting among those using drug X versus those being given drug Y.” While large relative effects are impressive, they

may be of limited clinical significance.

There may be a 40 percent improvement in reported nausea and vomiting, but if only 1 percent of patients are affected by nausea and vomiting, the reduction may not be so important clinically.

8. Is this the first study to report these findings? We never want to rely on a single study’s findings in drawing conclusions or making policy. Why? Because there is always a possibility that a defect in the study design or a sampling error produced the result. The more we can show that a new study’s results are consistent with previous findings, the more confident we can be about the results.

9. Who funded the study? This is a tricky question that needs careful consideration. We must consider what interest a funder might have in a given outcome since it is always possible that even the most scrupulous researchers are unconsciously influenced by their benefactors.

This is why all reputable academic journals require the identification of all sources of funding.

10. Were the results first published in a well-respected scientific journal? Peer review, while not a foolproof mechanism, plays an essential role in weeding out bad science. The National Enquirer may be an entertaining read, but I would rather get my science from the New England Journal of Medicine.

Like the biblical Ten Commandments this list of questions is not exhaustive. But it too provides a good place to start.

James Hyde lives in Charlotte and is emeritus associate professor of public health at the Tufts University School of Medicine. The first two articles in this series appeared in the Oct. 8 and Nov. 5 issues of The News.

Hinesburg Artist Series community Christmas concert Melinda Moulton CONTRIBUTOR

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I have had the most amazing couple of months singing with the South County Chorus under the leadership of Rufus Patrick. I cannot wait for our Community Christmas Concert. I hope you will come out and bring your family, friends and children. We will be singing at St. Jude Church in Hinesburg on Sunday, Dec. 13, at 4:30 p.m.

The performance will include “We Need a Little Christmas,” Mozart’s “Fa- La- La,” “Ose Shalom” and “O Holy Night,” with guest soloist Gary Moreau, as well as selected movements from Handel’s Messiah and other seasonal arrangements.

The South County Chorus and Hinesburg Artist Series Orchestra will also perform “A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas,” delighting young and old alike by taking the audience through the 12 days of Christmas in various musical styles throughout the centuries. And, of course, there will be carols to sing for the audience.

The concert is free, with donations gratefully accepted. Also, please bring a non-perishable food item for the Hinesburg Food Shelf. I promise it will be a memorable evening, and we all look forward to helping you feel the holiday spirit.

The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 13

Final Days Bradley Carleton CONTRIBUTOR

The end of my favorite season is upon us. As the last few frigid days of duck season tick away, many of the big redlegged migrators have yet to arrive. I sit in my little homemade, Barnegat-style duckboat, huddled against the propane heater on the edge of the ice shelf in the bay. It was a long cold ride across in the dark this morning, bucking a northwest wind, spray crashing over the bow and whipping my face like frozen needles in the dark.

The cranberry pools and bays are icing over from Missisquoi Bay all the way down to the Shelburne access. The last of the hardy mallards and black ducks should be winging along the shorelines looking for any source of food they can scavenge. And here I sit in a boat that looks like a large muskrat hut, fully camouflaged and bobbing gently in the weed bed on the outside of the icy swamp.

The smell of wood smoke drifts across the corner of the bay.

I imagine someone comfortably sitting in front of their woodstove in an old Kennedy rocker, mohair blanket wrapped around their feet, dog snoring on the wooden floor in front of them.

I imagine an older fellow sipping lapsang souchong tea from his favorite mug, listening to an old weather radio crackling in the living room. I can almost feel the warmth, the comfort, the ease of

being well cared for against the frigid outdoors.

Then I realize that that guy in the rocker is me. Or perhaps, me wishing I was there.

But no, I have made my decision to suffer the bitter cold fingers, to listen to my teeth chatter and to pursue the wild waterfowl of the late season.

And as I am fortifying myself with these lofty thoughts, I hear it.

The sound of whistling wings high above me. Arctic air passing through the powerful pinions of northern mallards winging their way over the edge of the swamp.

I squelch my instinct to look up and force my neck further down into the fleece balaclava around my head. I know better than to look up when I hear those wings, for that means they are directly overhead and looking down on me.

As the whistling dies, I turn my head to the side and peer out from under the brim of my hat using my peripheral vision. They are out over the bay and circling.

I lift my favorite call to my lips and project my most powerful diaphragm breath through the barrel as I scream out a comeback call that echoes throughout the swamp behind me.

They turn toward me, and as if I had invited them to a meal that they cannot refuse, they stop beating their wings. The lead bird in the flock cranes his head to one side to spot my plastic deceivers bobbing in the water. His wings cup, forming a perfect arc from tip to tip.

The flock follows suit and they begin their descent from on high.

At 100 yards out, red legs drop from their white bellies, stretching out to greet the ice cold water.

The lead drake lets out a raspy whirring sound, the command to drop and join the flock on the water.

Fifty yards and still coming.

My gloved finger finds the safety on the side of the trigger guard and gently, quietly, clicks it to one side.

I roll over to find my wadered feet asleep. I will have to shoot from my knees.

Raising my shotgun over the side of the canvas blind, I pick out the drake with the big yellow bill and begin my lead. Butt, body, bill, boom.

I am still swinging my barrel as the big bird drops to the water. I see the splash in the corner of my eye, but my other eye is already swinging toward the next closest bird, a hen.

I pull my barrel through the bird’s silhouette and fire as I follow through.

She drops to the water’s surface with a loud splash, the sunlight reflecting in the water droplets around her.

I have just done something that is pretty rare in my experience. I have managed a double.

“Christmas dinner,” I say to myself.

And after that marvelous meal with blackberry chili pepper sauce, wild rice with a foraged chicken of the woods, and a fine bottle of the best merlot I can afford, I will sit in that Kennedy rocker in front of the woodstove and thank the Great Spirit for another wonderful season.

“—John My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.

Green (1977- )

Puzzles have been underwritten by

Homeport Vermont

PO Box 101, Charlotte, VT | 870-3481

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.

Charlie Lotz illustrated the headers of The Charlotte News from 1984-1994.

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1. Ado 2. “Major” animal 3. Kosher ___ 4. Caught in the act 5. Yellow fruit 6. Bind 7. Fertile soil 8. Legal prefix 9. Wreath for the head 10. Completely fix 11. Blockage 12. Pianist, Dame Myra 15. Build on 20. Precipice 21. Lagos currency 24. Hex 25. “It’s a Wonderful Life” role 26. Isuzu model 27. “You stink!”

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Crossword and sudoku by Myles Mellor. answers to our puzzles Can be found near the Classifieds.

14 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

News from the Charlotte Library Margaret Woodruff CONTRIBUTOR

In light of the tragic events in Paris and the uproar in this country, we want to share some thoughts from R. David Lankes, professor in the School of Information

Studies at Syracuse University. The full text of his piece, “Fear of the Dark: Crafting a Security Narrative in Libraries,” can be found at goo.gl/B05Lzi. Libraries, like other institutions, must be concerned about security. Since much of what we fear is unknown, we tend to personalize that fear in alien peoples, which Lankes says “is leading to a dangerous and misguided narrative around migrants and Muslims. For some, this is a narrative built on racism. For others it is clearly fear-mongering for political gain.”

While this is “abhorrent,” Lankes feels that librarians can play a powerful role in countering it by directly challenging the representation of freedom versus security.

He says, “The security narrative flattens the complexity of preventing harm to citizens as a choice: give up some freedoms to ensure security.”

“The primary flaw in this narrative,” he points out, “is the belief that security ONLY comes from restrictions of rights and freedoms,” an idea he finds as misguided as “the racist and reactionary belief that terrorism only comes through the Muslim faith.”

He feels librarians must “craft a narrative of security through knowledge,”

this jUst in...

The Charlotte Library is pleased to announce a very generous gift from John and Alice Outwater to help further the library tech offerings available to young people, especially girls. The success of the library’s “Tinker Belles” program, where 3rd–5th graders learn how women are putting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) into action on the job, points to the key role that libraries can play in providing tech and maker programs to boys and girls alike.

“We are delighted to receive this tremendous support for the programming we feel so passionate about,” said Margaret Woodruff, Charlotte Library Director.

These sessions allow kids to do and make, giving them hands-on access to a world of creativity as well as direct connection to the “STEAM” fundamentals so critical in our society and economy.

Stay tuned for further information about our plans for expanding and improving these programs.

a narrative “that says the most secure societies are ones that learn together.” It is this knowledge that leads the community. This is where Lankes gets into the importance of learning and educating collectively. “Neighborhood watches,” he says, “shouldn’t be citizens looking out for strangers, but libraries working to introduce strangers and transform them into allies.” This belief transcends politics. It talks to communities, saying “we are keeping you safe by making you smarter.” We are refuges from ignorance “where you can embrace your fellow community members and build a strong diverse community.”

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tUesdays it’s time for story time: throUgh 12/17 Preschool Lunch Bunch, Tuesdays 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Please bring a packed lunch. (For children ages 3 to 5 who can enjoy story time with or without a guardian.)

Early Elementary Story Time (kindergarten and 1st grade) Tuesdays 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Extend the school day enjoying books, songs, poems and crafts.

Students ride the blue bus to library.

and the rest of the week Wednesday, Dec. 2, 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.

Tinker Belles Afterschool Program.

See how women are putting S.T.E.A.M. into action on the job. For 3rd-5th graders.

(PROGRAM FULL) Wednesdays, Dec. 2 & 16, 5 p.m. Knit Mitts. The Charlotte Library Knitters are making mittens for the holidays and invite you to join them.

Thursday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m. Movie Showing, Cold Comfort Farm. A follow-up from our book discussion in November.

Fridays, Dec. 4 & 18, 3:15 p.m. Lego Club for 1st-3rd Grades. Explore the world of Legos with build challenges and DIY time, too. Take the bus from CCS. Monday, Dec. 7, 3:15 p.m. Afterschool Workshop: Gift Making. Whatever holidays you’re celebrating this winter, make the perfect present for someone special.

Take the bus from CCS. 2nd grade & up.

Registration required.

Wednesday, Dec. 9, 3:15 p.m. Hour Of Code. It’s Computer Science Education Week—let’s learn how to code! Choose from Frozen, Star Wars, Angry Birds and more and start coding! For 3rd grade and up. Registration required.

Monday, Dec. 14, 10 a.m. Mystery Book Group: Beekeeper’s Apprentice.

Copies are available for check out at the circulation desk.

Monday, Dec. 14, 3:15 p.m. Maker Monday: Balance Toys. For 5th grade & up. Registration required.

Wednesday, Dec. 16, 3:15 p.m.

Afterschool Program: Balance Toys.

For grades 2 to 4. Registration required.

Tuesday, Dec. 22, 3 p.m. Mitten Tree Party. Help us celebrate the start of winter and crown our 5th annual Mitten Tree. For all ages.

Monday, Dec. 28, 10:30 a.m. Vacation Program: Color Your World. Discover the many ways color makes a difference in our world. For all ages.

The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 15

Book Review The ImprobabIlITy of love, by hannah roThschIld Georgia Edwards CONTRIBUTOR

Thirty-one year-old Annie McDee is unlucky in life and in love. Following the demise of a long-term relationship, she is stuck in a boring job, saddled with a liquor-addled mother, and wasting time with an unsuitable boyfriend who has an upcoming birthday. Browsing for his gift in a small junk shop, Annie is drawn to a dusty old painting. She purchases it on impulse and plans the perfect birthday dinner for Mr. Wrong—who turns out to be a “no-show.”

Unknowingly, Annie is now the owner of an 18th century masterpiece by the French Baroque artist Antoine Watteau. Titled “The Improbability of Love,” it features a woman on a swing and was painted by the artist following her rejection of his love.

The portrait has an illustrious, if sometimes checkered, 300-year past, having graced the walls of potentates to popes throughout Europe. What Annie does not know is that a cast of ruthless characters, motivated by

money and fame, are searching for the painting.

Rothschild’s description and development of these personalities shines with wit and searing satire. A reviewer from The Economist sums them up beautifully: “Hannah Rothschild’s romp through the art world is peopled by some horrible characters: venal art dealers, self-important experts, political windbags, lonely Russian oligarchs exiled to London, greedy sheikhs waiting to make their mark on the world and auctioneers so oozing with unctuousness you want to wipe your hands on a clean handkerchief after being introduced.” Added to this unsavory bunch is a 90-year-old billionaire art collector with a suspicious past and a daughter whose veins run with ice.

Both have something to hide at any cost.

Annie decides to investigate the origin of the portrait with the help of a struggling artist/museum guide and an art restorer.

The process brings a renewed energy to her life, as well as the possibility of a loving relationship. As a shifty and dangerous duo close in on Annie and “The Improbability of Love,” the painting’s most recent history is revealed.

There are two protagonists in this novel: Annie and the painting itself. Rothschild

The shelburne charloTTe Garden club will meet on Tuesday, December 8, at 10 a.m. at the Shelburne Methodist Church. The program will be “Making a Holiday Arrangement,” presented by floral designer Barbara Smith of Shelburne. A potluck brunch will follow the program. Please bring a dish to share, as well as a donation for the Food Shelf and a small toy for donation to Toys for Tots.

Aileen Chutter and Roberta Whitmore are arranging this program. For more information please call Ann Mead at 985-2657.

Please join us for our very special annual get-together.

takes a risk by having the piece of art step off the canvas to narrate portions of the story, but it works. The portrait offers its own wry and unique observations, as well as a colorful description of its history.

Few authors were better poised to write a satire about the art world than Hannah Rothschild. The biographer and BBC art documentarian is chairperson of Great Britain’s National Gallery, and members of her banking family have been arts benefactors for generations. In describing her book, she states, “It’s got everything: extremes of wealth, goodies, baddies.

Sometimes, while I was writing it, I would think, ‘I’ve gone too far.’ Then I would go into a sale room and think, ‘I haven’t gone far enough.’”

The Improbability of Love is clever and skillfully written, and the reader will appreciate just how far the author takes this fast-paced who-done-it.

Tell them you saw it in The Charlotte News!

Lake Champlain Waldorf School

Holiday Fair Artisan Market FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 | 6:30 – 9:00 PM Come for a shopping experience like no other! browse for all your holiday gifts from over 60 artisans, and enjoy savory treats and live music. For adults and older teens.

Family Fair & Artisan Market SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM You’ll want to stay the whole day! Huge artisan market, the Snow Queen’s Crystal Cave, holiday singing, children’s craft making, magical activities, jump rope making, face painting, African drumming, dress-up booth, bistro foods and more!

www.lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org 359 TURTLE LANE, SHELBURNE, VT • 802.985.2827

THEY SAY THE FUNNIEST THINGS. TALK TO THEM. Your kids have stories to tell. While you’re listening to them, they’re learning from you. So make driving time, phone-free time. No matter what car you drive, or what direction you go – you’re the best role model for their ride.

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16 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

Senior Center News

Mary Recchia CONTRIBUTOR

Snow Days! 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.

Yes, you can learn the true Yang Family style of Tai Chi famous for its myriad benefits to health and wellbeing. John Creech has been studying and practicing tai chi for 10 years and invites you to come learn and practice together on Thursday mornings from 10 to 11. The flowing movements and postures will increase flexibility, improve balance, and strengthen core muscles. Practitioners cultivate a deeper sense of relaxation, increased energy level and a real sense of confidence and presence. Registration necessary. Fee: $42 for 6 classes.

Chair Yoga with Tiny Sikkes continues on Monday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 with a new session beginning on December 7. This is a great class if you are concerned about adapting in a standard class. Using chairs for balance and for all seated postures, this class makes yoga accessible to those who are challenged by balance or the ability to get on the floor or who have any physical limitations.

We cover the full range of yoga postures and benefits while sitting comfortably in chairs—improving breath capacity, strength and flexibility. Registration required. Fee: $60 for six classes.

“Celebrating the Season” will be the theme of this Poem in Your Pocket gathering on Monday afternoon December 7

Toys for The kids

from 1 to 3. Bring along a favorite poem you have written, a book of poetry you enjoy or a literary journal that rekindles the spirit of the season and join Jim Lovejoy for another wonderful afternoon of poetry reading. No fee.

Putting More Fun Back Into Winter will be the topic of this lecture offered by Bob Dill on Tuesday morning December 15 from 9 to 11. As we age, winter seems to get ever more confining. This is mostly due to cold temperatures, cold winds and icy sidewalks, streets, parking lots and trails. With the right clothes and warming systems, all but the coldest and windiest days can be made reasonable for outside activities. The right footgear can significantly reduce the likelihood of falling on icy patches. Bob will show various ways to deal with cold, wind and ice that will make winter look a whole lot more enticing. Sharing his 40-year passion for winter activities with an eye on fun and safety, this is a must lecture to fully appreciate and enhance the joys of winter in Vermont.

Registration required. No fee. a collecTion of lecTUres, PerforMances and sPecial eVenTs showcasing The diVerse inTeresTs of oUr coMMUniTy Wednesday afternoon beginning at 1.

No registration or fee. dec. 9: Moscow To MinneaPolis: sleighs and sleighing froM eUroPe To aMerica, wiTh k en wheeling This will be a trip through the countries in the Northern Hemisphere where the sleigh was the major form of winter transportation and where it developed into the high-style sleigh so popular on Christmas cards. The focus of the presentation will be on the development of the basic structure of the sleigh, its decoration and its use across northern Europe and its

In the spirit of the holidays, CVU’s Junior Class Council is running its annual Toys for Kids drive. Local businesses, organizations and individuals are encouraged to bring new and unwrapped toys in to CVU anytime before Dec. 18—donate to make a child’s holiday a million times better. PHOTO: COURTESY development in Canada and the United States. Profusely illustrated with photographs of some of the most renowned sleighs in European museums and those still used by folks who love sleighing as a form of sport or relaxation. dec. 16: cVU Madrigal singers The CVU Madrigal Singers bring a repertoire filled with the joys of the season to one of their favorite venues and welcome the opportunity to be among friends, sharing the gift of song. They have been working throughout the fall to prepare repertoire that will be inspiring, uplifting and joyful. Please join us for this special afternoon of music.

Café Offerings Monday Munch: Every Monday we serve lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m.— always a treat featuring homemade soup, salad, bread and desserts.

Wednesday Luncheon: Every

Wednesday beginning at noon. Enjoy homemade entrées with salad and dessert.

Reservations for Wednesday lunches are necessary and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 425-6345. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch.

A $4 donation is requested.

giVe The gifT of life...

Today!

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the Charlotte Senior Center, Thursday, Dec. 3, from 2–7 p.m.

To avoid delays, it’s strongly advised to make an appointment by either calling: 1-800 RED CROSS (800 733 2767) or visit redcross.org This time of year we give to friends and family. Add someone you may never meet to your list with the “gift of life.”

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The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 17

Taking Care Hoarders and their habits Alice Outwater CONTRIBUTOR

I think of myself as a minimalist, with that elegant ring of being organized.

Maybe I’m afraid of ending up like Homer and Langley Collyer. These brothers lived in a brownstone in New York City and died in 1947. It all started slowly.

Homer took care of his blind younger brother and thoughtfully started saving newspapers for him to read after his sight returned. He heard vitamin C would enable this and fed him over 100 oranges a week. The newspapers gradually piled

up as he arranged them in bundles until they reached the ceiling. Next he needed tunnels to get through them.

The collecting expanded into 25,000 books, phone books, large boxes, hundreds of yards of silk materials, the top of a carriage and pickled jars of embryos.

The house eventually became packed.

One day as he returned with a sandwich for his sick brother, he tripped over a boobytrap set to protect them from robbers.

After neighbors reported offensive smells coming from the house, the police broke in. They found both brothers dead, buried under stacks of newspapers a few feet from each other. They estimated the house contained 140 tons of junk.

This story about their steadfast devotion to each other always moved me—with a cautionary tone of not letting things get out of hand.

Still I have a tendency to hoard— New Yorker magazines and National Geographic’s with their wonderful photos and researched articles on every page.

I can’t keep up with them but refuse to throw any out.

I open the mailbox and another one clunks to the ground. As a solution, I drop

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them off in the hospital waiting room every six months, hoping they’ll be a cheery addition for patients.

My clothes are important to me, and I’m reluctant to part with any. Amazingly they still fit. But my closets were getting jammed. After reading books on clutter, I knew I had to winnow them down. I started by categories—sweaters and tops, skirts, dresses, etc. It took me a full year to do anything.

Finally the day arrived when I said, “Now or never.” I picked out sweaters, went through items in my closet and placed them in piles on my bed. Soon I was in the swing of it, but after a couple of hours I became tired. “This is hard work with all the decisions pulling me in different directions. Do I keep this Norwegian sweater or cashmere or favorite blue mohair—but is it too worn?”

So I left the task for the next day.

Some time later I had accumulated a sizable pile and carefully placed it in my car. Still unsure about parting with them I delayed a full week before driving to SCHIP’s Treasure Resale Shop. I summoned a sales person to unload the pile quickly—and sped home before

changing my mind.

The closet has a cleaner feel to it— roomier and fresher. I was thrilled with this breakthrough. A true act of courage, I decided. Next, to other categories: shoes, scarves, coats and winter hats. Why in the world did this take me so long to do?

The feng shui feels lighter throughout the condo.

Okay, I’ve confessed to being a hoarder.

I’m trying to improve. This is strictly between us. Please don’t let out a word about it.

What do you think about this story and others? Send us a letter:

Sweet Charity Whether you’re

news@thecharlottenews.org

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18 • December 3, 2015 • The charloTTe News

Community Events Charlotte Events (or featuring a Charlotter) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Community Event: American Red Cross Blood Drive. 2–7 p.m. Charlotte Senior Center. Info: (800) RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or redcrossblood.org.

Film: The Merchants of Doubt.

Presented by Transition Town Charlotte.

The 90-minute documentary, with discussion following, exposes a concerted strategy to create doubt about the facts of climate change through the use of pundits-for-hire that present themselves as scientific authorities.

Based on the book by Naomi Oreskes.

Refreshments will be served. 7 p.m.

Charlotte Congregational Church. Info: ruahswennerfelt@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 Music: Francesca Blanchard at the Hotel Vermont. 9 p.m. 41 Cherry Street, Burlington. Info: hotelvt.com SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Community Event: Quinlan Holiday Open Schoolhouse. Visit the Schoolhouse on the Town Green and enjoy community camaraderie and holiday goodies. 1–3 p.m.

Open House: Charlotte Memorial Museum. Celebrate the holiday season at the Charlotte Historical Society annual party at the Memorial Museum on Church Hill Road. 1–4 p.m.

Concert: Annual Messiah Sing. 4 p.m. Charlotte Congregational Church.

Featuring musicians from the Vermont Symphony, the Burlington Chamber Orchestra and four professional vocalists, accompanied by a chorus of audience and choir members. $12 adult, $40 for a group of 4. Info: charlotteucc.org.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 Music: Francesca Blanchard at the Hotel Vermont. 9 p.m. 41 Cherry Street, Burlington. Info: hotelvt.com SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 Concert: Birds, Beethoven and Wandering. In this time of preparing for winter and the upcoming holidays, reflect, hear colors, the excitement of nature, and bird calls. Featuring Pianist Annemieke McLane (Spoelstra). Music

by Schubert (Wanderer Phantasy), Beethoven (Tempest Sonata), and Debussy, Hovhaness, Rameau, Daquin, Couperin. Donations at the door. 4 p.m.

Charlotte Congregational Church. Info: annemiekemclane.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 Meeting: First of two Charlotte Selectboard public hearings to consider proposed Town Plan and Land Use Regulation Amendments. The full text of the amendments are available for review at the Charlotte Town Office and at charlottevt.org. 7 p.m. Charlotte Town Hall. Second hearing on Thursday, Jan. 7. See story on page 1.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16 Film: Architecture + Design Film Series: Matisse: From Tate Modern and

MOMA, Seventh Art Productions. Doors open/reception begins at 6 p.m., film begins at 6:30. Contois Auditorium, City Hall, Burlington. Charlotte sponsors include Vermont Eco-Floors and Artisan Engineering. Info: adfilmseries.org.

Concert: CVU Madrigal Singers.

Charlotte Senior Center. 1 p.m.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 Sing-a-long: Carols of Many Lands.

Sing favorite carols in our candle-lit sanctuary and learn some new ones too, including a fun Christmas carol from Spain sung with instruments like gourds and tambourines. 6–7:30 p.m. Charlotte Congregational Church.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Meeting/Theater: Lyric Theater KickOff/Informational Meeting. Lyric Theatre Company, 7 Green Tree Dr., South Burlington. 7 p.m. Info: lyrictheatrevt. org FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 Festival: Vermont International Festival.

23rd annual celebration of the cultures that make up our community. Featuring crafts from all over the world, ethnic and gourmet foods, and traditional international music, dance and stories. $7/adult, $5/ages 6-12 and seniors, $20/family, under 6 free. Admission is good for the whole weekend. 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Champlain Valley Expo. Info: vermontinternationalfestival.com.

Holiday Fair: Lake Champlain Waldorf School. European-style fair and magical family event, starting with an Artisan Market for adults and older teens. 6:30– 9 p.m. 359 Turtle Lane, Shelburne.

Opening Reception. Vermont Folklife Center’s 17th annual Gingerbread House competition and exhibit. 4–6 p.m. 88 Main Street in Middlebury.

Exhibit continues through Dec. 22. Info: vermontfolklifecenter.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 Holiday Fair: Lake Champlain Waldorf School. The artisan market continues all day, and visitors can enjoy African drumming, holiday singing, children’s games, craft making, and homemade, healthy, bistro food. Admission is free, and activities cost $1 to $4. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 359 Turtle Lane, Shelburne.

Concert: Bella Voce presents “A Feast of Carols.” Endearing arrangements of beloved carols old and new - from England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Russia and the U.S. With guest guitarist John Mantegna and the Essex Children’s Choir. First Baptist Church, 81 St. Paul Street, Burlington. $18 general admission/$15 seniors and students.

8 pm Saturday, 3 pm Sunday. Info: Flynntix: 802-86-FLYNN or flynntix.org.

Community Event: Vergennes Holiday Stroll. A full day of fun with something for everyone, starting with breakfast with Santa to the evening’s lighting of the trees on the city green. Santa’s Land will be set up in the Vergennes Opera House from noon until 3 with crafts stations,

Upcoming

Selectboard: Dec. 14, 7 p.m., Dec.15, 7 p.m., Dec. 21, 7 p.m.

Planning Commission: Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Dec. 17, 7 p.m.

CCS School Board: Dec. 15, 6 p.m. (budget) CVU School Board: Dec. 17, 8 a.m.

CSSU Board: Dec. 9, 5:30 p.m. (budget), Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m.

Zoning Board: Dec. 9, 7 p.m., Dec. 16, 7 p.m.

Conservation Commission: Dec. 22, 7 p.m.

Meeting times are subject to change. Check the town website for more info: charlottevt.org

Have your say | Selectboard MeMberS | Chair, Lane Morrison, 425-2495 Matthew Krasnow, 922-2153 Carrie Spear, 425-4444 Jacob Spell, 425-6548 Fritz Tegatz, 425-5564

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20 Play: Christmas Pageant. Charlotte Congregational Church, 10 a.m.

Around the Area

Public Meetings

TownBites

by Edd Merritt

Burlington Free Press takes a bite from my pocketbook There it sat on the newspaper rack in Spear’s Store, East Charlotte. After having paid extra for an expanded edition, I needed a forklift to hoist the Free Press to my truck. Since it was not Sunday when they usually charge more and carry more in the paper, I wondered what brought about the change in a regular issue. Guess what? Advertising. The “Freep’s” editors probably called them “public service announcements,” but as I looked through what constituted the heavy spread and probably toppled more trees than usual, I counted roughly three times as many pages of ads as pages of news. That does not count the inserts. Appropriately enough, the feature story was a lengthy piece on urine—which added a certain flavor to what I felt after paying for it. pictures with Santa and an ugly holiday sweater contest!

Community Event: Deck the Halls at Shelburne Museum. Festive Activities: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. $10; $5 for ages 5–17; kids under 5 & members are free. Most activities take place at the Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education and the Round Barn. Info: shelburnemuseum.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Meeting: The Ferrisburgh Historical Society meeting at Rokeby Museum at 2 p.m. Jane Williamson will give a presentation on Rokeby Museum’s 2015 exhibit—The Farm: Drawings of Rowland Evans Robinson, 1850–1880.

Free. Info: call Gail at 425-4505.

Community Event: Wine Audition and Cheddar Challenge. Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater has decided to let the people decide what wines they sell.

Guests will also be challenged to select the best Vermont cheddar, with local cheese-makers providing a selection of delicious cheddars to taste. Proceeds to benefit Town Hall Theater and its many endeavors. 5:30-7:30 p.m. $20 for members, $25 non-members and $25 at the door. Info: 802-382-9222 or townhalltheater.org.

Selectboard Regular Meetings are usually at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. If you would like to bring an issue to the attention of the Selectboard, contact the board chair or administrator Dean Bloch at 425-3071, ext. 205.

| ccS School board | Chair, Mark McDermott, 425-4860 Vice Chair Erik Beal, 425-2140 Kristin Wright, 425-5105 Clyde Baldwin, 425-3366 Susan Nostrand, 425-4999

| cVU School board-charlotte | Lorna Jimerson, ljimerso@wcvt.com Lynne Jaunich, lmjau@gmavt.net

| Planning coMMiSSion | Administrator, Jeannine McCrumb, 425-3071; jeannine@townofcharlotte.com Chair, Jeffrey McDonald, 425-4429 Vice Chair, Peter Joslin Members: Gerald Bouchard, Paul Landler, Charlie Pughe, Donna Stearns, Marty Illick

| Vt goVernMent | vt senate (cHittenden district) Tim Ashe, D/P-Burlington, 318-0903, tashe@leg.state.vt Philip Baruth, D-Burlington, 503-5266, pbaruth@leg.state.vt.us Virginia “Ginny” Lyons, D-Williston, 863-6129, vvlyons@leg.state.vt.us Michael Sirotkin, D-South Burlington, 999-4360, msirotkin@leg.state.vt.us David Zuckerman, P/D/W-Hinesburg, 598-1986, dzuckerman@leg.state.vt.us verMont House Mike Yantachka, D-Charlotte, 425-3960, myantachka.dfa@gmail.com

| U.S. goVernMent | u.s. senators Patrick Leahy, 863-2525, leahy.senate.gov Bernie Sanders, 862-0697, sanders.senate.gov us congressMan Peter Welch, 652-2450, welch.house.gov

The CharloTTe News • DeCember 3, 2015 • 19

Classifieds

Around Town Congratulations

Leading the pack

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 and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@thecharlottenews.org.

to Finn McGarghan (pictured right) who was invited to appear at a Nov. 18 meeting of the Charlotte/Shelburne Rotary.

After having received the Rotary Youth Leadership award and training previously, Finn joined this year’s recipients as a junior counselor. He is a senior at CVU. to Isabelle Unger, a senior at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, who assisted with the college’s mainstage production of Marie and the Nutcracker. Adapted from E.T.A. Hoffman’s original story, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, Bates’ Professor Martin Andrucki, who re-wrote and directed the production, said it gave Isabelle and the other students involved an opportunity to learn “how a play evolves during production, and how a playwright changes or revises the script in order to make it work on stage.” Isabelle graduated from CVU in 2012 and is the daughter of Dr. Paul Unger and Dr. Kerstin Sonnerup of Charlotte. to James Hebert, M.D. and William Raszka, M.D. who were recognized for their service through the Vermont Medical Society. Dr. Hebert was named president of the society at its annual meeting in Stowe. He is a general surgeon and holder of the Mackay-Page Professorship of Surgery at UVM. Dr. Raszka was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for his “outstanding work in both clinical and medical education.”

Broad arrows, stump fences, a university and peace – what’s the red thread?

Larry Hamilton CONTRIBUTOR

The answer is white pine (Pinus strobus). Mind you, this excellent tree species also links many other things, but I have selected only these four for now.

When British colonists arrived in what is now Massachusetts and spread into the Northeast, the white pine that occurred in all of this area was much prized as logs for log cabins and other buildings and as sawn lumber for construction uses of all sorts. Large, old trees yielded wonderful knot-free wood that easily received nails or wooden pegs. Some homes today still have wide white-pine plank floors, table tops or other furniture as legacy from those centuries ago.

These tall, straight trees also attracted the attention of the King’s agents as masts for the Royal Navy. Beginning in 1691, agents were authorized to blaze with a “broad arrow” brand any tree over 24 inches in diameter as reserved to the Crown. There was much resistance to this policy, even a “Pine Tree Riot” in 1772 in New Hampshire. Could we add “trees” to the list of “tea, taxes and tyranny” that were among the causes of the American Revolution? Perhaps “broad arrow” also explains why the upper limit of width of any white pine in floorboards, desk or table tops, doors etc. is 12 inches, for there were penalties if you were caught with wider boards.

As settlers cleared land for crops, using or selling the trees, the stumps remaining

Cut Your own Christmas tree – Trees $30, wreaths $25. Closed December 24.

Ron and Nancy Menard, 438 Dorset St., one mile north of Carpenter Road intersection, 425-2334 (58-10)

Finn McGarghan of Charlotte (third from the left) and other Rotary Youth Leadership award recipients. PHOTO: COURTESY

to The Charlotte News’ fine assistant editor, Geeda Searfoorce, who carried her talents to the Flynn Space stage as an actor, playing a documentary filmmaker in one of the six short pieces encompassed under the title of Transitions.

The play centered on women’s lives in flux. According to local playwright Seth Jarvis, who created Transitions, it is an unfinished play and will always be so, as it depends on the creations from its actors as much as its author. Prior to joining The News staff, Geeda worked with the Discover Jazz Festival and was active in other Flynn productions.

behind had to be burned out or pulled out.

It was soon discovered that the pitch in the roots of white pine seemed to make the wood last forever. In many places, therefore, the stumps were excavated and hauled to a row where the interlaced roots, if set on edge, formed a useful and long-lived fence that would confine livestock (photo 1). Many of these persist today, although their aesthetic quality has resulted in dismantling and use in landscaping suburban properties. Stumprustling at night has been common in many areas due to present high value. The photo shown is one that I encountered in 1949 and fell in love with. I then embarked on a 65-year quest of photographing fences, walls and hedgerows for a book I am writing.

Cornell University became firmly established through the harvesting and sale of white pine. Its founder, Ezra Cornell, astutely hired a timber-savvy person to locate the allotment lands in the western public domain that was given by the 1862 Morrill Act to promote institutions of higher learning. This agent chose lands in what is now Wisconsin that carried heavy stands of white pine.

The eventual sale of this white pine land yielded a fine million-dollar endowment (a princely sum at that time). Cornell, as a land-grant institution, has prospered from that beginning.

So what does white pine have to do with peace? Several hundred years before Europeans attempted to settle in North America, the warring five nationtribes of what is now the New York State region were brought together by a leader and teacher, called Peacemaker, under a white pine— known thereafter as the Tree of Peace. Here they were persuaded to stop engaging in destructive power struggles, to bury their weapons and form a treaty organization called the Iroquois Confederacy. Peacemaker urged them

Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Eleanor M. Cusson of Charlotte who passed away Nov. 20 at the age of 82. Born in St. Albans, Eleanor married Albert Cusson in 1951 and moved to Charlotte in 1955, where she lived until her death.

Her surviving family includes daughter, Darlene Therrien, and Darlene’s husband, Don, and daughter Dawn St. George and Dawn’s husband, Dick, all of Charlotte.

The family asks that those wishing to make contributions in her memory consider doing so through gift donations to the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services, 170 Ferry Rd., P.O. Box 185, Charlotte, VT 05445.

that: “If any man or nation shows a desire to obey the Law of the Great Peace, they may trace the roots of the sacred Tree of Peace to their source, and be welcomed to take shelter beneath the Tree.” The principles embodied in the Law of the Great Peace include freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the rights of women to participate in government; it is a practical guide to establishing unity and balance among diverse human communities, based on reason and distribution of power in a democratic society to assure individual liberty and harmony, and a good future for children seven generations to come.

The Iroquois League had in essence an executive branch (Onondagas), a senior senate (Mohawks and Senecas) and a junior house (Oneidas and Cayugas), while the women’s council (Supreme Court) settled disputes and legal violations. It was the principles of this Law of Peace that very greatly influenced George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other formulators of the U.S. Constitution uniting the colonies and establishing their governance. The power of these principles has also led to the adoption of white pine as a peace symbol by many Native Americans of the Eastern U.S. (photo 2).

If trees could talk, what stories they would tell! I hope you will take time to smell the fragrance of white pine as you stand beside one or handle a fallen cone— and just maybe, if you also listen, you will hear it whisper some of what it has learned in its life.

Larry Hamilton is the volunteer Charlotte tree warden. He is professor emeritus at Cornell University and a senior advisor to the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Commission on Protected Areas.

Flat roCk Furniture- Solid hickory dining table w/oak top 40” x 77” and six chairs w/cushions...$1000. Can email photos. joelamiller@gmavt.net 759-3246. mt. Philo inn—A unique hotel situated at the base of Mt. Philo State Park with stunning panoramic views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.

Spacious 3 bedroom suites with 2 bathrooms and a complete kitchen.

Thoughtfully designed for casual elegance. Privacy, space, tranquility.

Bigger on the inside. MtPhiloInn.com, 425-3335. (58-12) A burst of color can do wonders for your home this winter. The professionals at laFaYette Painting have been transforming the homes and businesses of Chittenden County since 1977. Call 8635397 and visit LafayettePaintingInc.com.

(58-11) redstone Individual offices at Ferry Rd. RedstoneVT.com or call 658-7400. maxim outdoor wood Pellet FurnaCe by Central Boiler adapts to existing heating systems & heats with renewable wood pellets. Boivin Farm Supply 475-4007.

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