The Charlotte News | August 14, 2014

Charlotte News The Hometown Paper Since 1958

Volume lVII Number 01

The VoIce of The TowN

Thursday, augusT 14, 2014

diggin' it!

New Park & Ride in Village? 1 • CVFRS’s Busy Summer 1 • Cafferty Runs for Sheriff 6 • Teaching Others to Walk in the Woods 17

The Charlotte News Volume lVII Number 01

The VoIce of The TowN

Selectboard Moves Forward on Pay Plan, Begins Budget Process

With a Little Help from Her Friends

John Hammer

The charloTTe News

few years later, for their 15th wedding anniversary, Holmes gave Edgar a copy of Blanchard’s first album, a six-song EP, Songs of an Ovation, recorded and mixed at the Lane Gibson Recording and Mastering, which is attached to Edgar’s home.

When Edgar put on the first song, Blanchard’s original “Mon Ange,” Edgar was hooked.

“It was hard to believe something so exquisite, mature, confident, subtle had been recorded by an 18-year-old. I was shocked that after years of traveling the world in search of great musical talents I had come across someone as gifted as Francesca so close to home.”

Since then, Edgar and Holmes have been guides for Blanchard—Edgar in particular as a manager, promoting her songs, booking her gigs opening for artists like Susan Vega and the Parkington Sisters, trying to build her audience step by step. They’re now hoping a greater segment of the public will hear what Edgar first heard to help Blanchard raise $25,000 to record her first album, a collection of original songs in both English and French.

While Blanchard isn’t officially part of Edgar’s roster of world-music artists, the French-Ameri-

The current Charlotte Selectboard must hold the record for the most meetings held in its almost half year in office—31 times in the 23 weeks this board has been in office.

Its members continue to hold almost weekly meetings on the development of an employee compensation plan. The work, however, is nearing an end. At its Aug. 11 meeting, the Selectboard decided to engage a compensation-planning specialist Frank Sadowski of Gallagher Flynn Company, who will put the finishing touches on the plan. The motion authorized payment of no more than $6,000 and will likely result in more than 20 hours of assistance.

In following the example it set last year, the Selectboard opened pre-budget discussions with the Recreation Commission, library, Charlotte Land Trust and the road commissioner. None expected dramatic increases to their FY15-16 budgets.

The Rec. Commission anticipates a little extra income this year from its recreation programs. The commission hopes to fold that into a Rec Fund Reserve Account that is currently empty.

This reserve account, set up in 2004, will be used in anticipation of biennial maintenance and six to seven yearly resurfacing requirements to the tennis courts. They are presently investigating establishment a disk golf course in the Town Beach area. It is not expected to cost the town anything.

The Charlotte Land Trust (CLT) presented its semi-annual list of projects. One, the Bidinger Farm at the intersection of Hinesburg and Bean Roads is underway and will deplete the Conservation Fund by $60,000. This will result in a fund balance of $462,000 by calendar year-end. There are four other projects totaling 273 acres in the pipeline. The CLT will probably be reducing its administrative budget request for next year, but will still seek a continued one-cent on the tax rate for the fund.

Jr Lewis, the road commissioner, who received a greatly increased state repaving grant this year, does not see any rise in next year’s budget. He did mention that the price for asphalt is always problematic and cannot be accurately foreseen, but he doesn’t expect too much change.

The Carpenter Road Bridge shoring project bids came in too

Blanchard continued on page 15

Selectboard continued on page 5

Charlotter Francesca Blanchard is hoping to record her first album with the help of her fans Brett Sigurdson

The charloTTe News Jacob Edgar attended a CVU band concert a few years ago to watch his oldest daughter perform.

During a performance by the jazz band, a sophomore stepped out to sing the standard “Autumn Leaves,” a song Edgar—who runs the Charlottebased world-music label Cumbancha—had heard “a hundred more times than I need to,” he said.

But the moment that Charlotter Francesca Blanchard began to sing, Edgar turned to his wife, Deirdre Holmes, and mouthed “Wow.” “Not only was Francesca’s voice spectacular,” Edgar recalled, “she sang the song in three different languages, English, French and Spanish, pronouncing each of them perfectly. Her timing and phrasing were incredible, far beyond anything I had ever heard from a high school student before. I’ve heard enough music in my life to know instantly when someone ‘has the thing,’ and Francesca definitely ‘had the thing.’”

Something of serendipity followed. His family left talking about the performance, Holmes even suggesting Edgar should sign Blanchard. A

Town Considering New Park & Ride Facility in West Village

Thursday, augusT 14, 2014

Town Plan Workshop Centers on Natural Resources, Water Quality breTT sIgurdsoN The charloTTe News

The town and Chittenden County Regional Planning (CCRPC) are in the early stages of exploring the feasibility of a new park and ride facility near Route 7 and the West Village.

In a recent letter to landowners, Town Administrator Dean Bloch said the CCRPC has retained the services of DuBois & King, an engineering firm, to study the feasibility of the project and develop recommendations for its location and design.

According to the letter, the ideal site will be roughly 0.3 acres of land, large enough to accommodate up to 25 parking

The Planning Commission continued its effort to bring the public into the process of preparing the 2015 Town Plan as it hosted the second in an ongoing series of public workshops on July 31, this one focusing on natural resources.

Thirteen people attended the two-hour session, which was lead by Brandy Saxton, a community planning consultant with New York-based PlaceSense. Of them, eight were members of the Planning Commission or Conservation Commission, which helped draft language for the natural resources chapter.

Parking continued on page 10

The chapter concerns Charlotte’s

Forestland and Farmland

landscape in the truest sense, as its language covers the influence of forest and

NEXT TOWN PLAN WORKSHOP WHAT: Transportation WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 21 WHERE: Town Hall TIME: 7 p.m. farmland, soil, the lake and its tributaries, flora and fauna and climate on the town’s future. While the chapter covers a plethora of topics, the discussion at the meeting centered on forest habitats,

water quality and farming.

Picking up threads of the discussion from a workshop on agriculture the week before, those in attendance discussed how the future of farming in Charlotte could look, specifically in the context of its effect on the land itself, and what that means to protecting forestland—a significant asset to the community, said Joanna Cummings, cochair of the Conservation Commission.

Citing the success of the town’s preservation of farmland through efforts like the Charlotte Land Trust, she advocated for more forest conservation, especially in areas where farm runoff can affect Lake Champlain and its tributaries.

These are two key planning consider-

Town Plan continued on page 8

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2 • August 14, 2014 • The

Charlotte News

Commentary Rise in Town Spending Due to More than One Person The Charlotte News PublishEd by and for CharlottErs sinCE 1958 The CharloTTe News is a nonprofit community-based newspaper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues. It serves as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and celebrates the people, places and happenings that make the Town of Charlotte unique.

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I would like to take the Year opportunity to respond 1991 to the July 30 post on 1992 Front Porch Forum 1993

by Brady Toensing in 1994 which Mr. Toensing 1995 takes me to task for all 1996 of the town’s spending 1997 increases over the last 1998 12 years. [Editor’s note: 1999 see letter on page 3.]

2000 What should be an 2001 obvious point is that I am only one of five Selectboard members who vote at open and wellattended budget meetings as the Selectboard drafts the budget. In addition, at Town Meeting hundreds of thoughtful Charlotters have the opportunity to modify and approve this proposed budget.

The chair of the Selectboard is responsible for setting the meeting agenda, running the meeting and communicating the board’s thoughts to the public. Aside from these roles, the chair has no other power beyond those of the other members of the board. In fact, the town budget gets significant attention during its development and approval. We at the local level are blessed with pure, direct democracy and are able to participate fully and absolutely in our local spending.

It is not possible to address all of Mr. Toensing’s concerns over town spending in this letter to the News.

However some points are worth making.

The fairest measure of effect on the taxpayers is found on the tax calculation page of the annual report and is Dollars to be Raised

by Town. This number drives the town’s portion of your tax bill and, unlike the actual tax rate, does not vary with changes in the Grand List.

Dollars to Raise for Town

$496,785 $647,901 $659,006 $686,559 $794,936 $623,187 $412,389 $446,962 $977,929 $833,728 $855,829

Year 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

It is a true measure over the years of how much the Selectboard is asking the taxpayers to put toward the various services provided by the town. The average yearly increase in dollars raised between 1991 and 2003 was 7.2 percent. Between 2004 and 2015 the average increase was 4.4 percent. The history of the increase over the last 24 years is detailed in the chart above.

As you can see, the trend is definitely upward, but the figure varies between years for many different reasons: new buildings (Town Hall, Library, Senior Center), new programs, new initiatives such as the Conservation Fund in 1996 and the Affordable Housing Fund in 2010, unanticipated litigation, inflation, extraordinary delinquent tax payments or balances, etc.

Concerning legal bills, it is correct that we spent around $700,000 over the years I have been on the Selectboard. The context is that we spent significant amounts between 2003 and 2008 on various court actions that could not be anticipated, the most significant one being the litigation over the upgrade to the VELCO transmission lines, an important portion of which we were able to have put underground per our Town Plan. We have had fewer

Dollars to Raise for Town $961,374 $982,548 $1,248,680 $1,389,320 $1,492,108 $1,424,592 $1,692,037 $1,469,872 $1,677,963 $1,542,506 $1,047,556

Environmental Court cases over the last six years, and in fact our legal total two years ago was the lowest since 1998. We addressed the reasons for the increased spending at the time both in our Selectboard reports in the Town Report and at Town Meeting when the issues came up.

The claim of “a 33 percent increase in the budget” in my second year is not supported by the audited numbers for that year. I believe the 33 percent figure is achieved only because the actual expenditure figure for the Capital Fund Transfer line item in the FY04 on page 10 of the 2004 Town Report was overstated; this was corrected by the auditor.

Lastly, I have great respect for those who want to better understand Selectboard spending, and to that end I will propose to the Selectboard that we look at past long-term spending trends at an upcoming Selectboard meeting in preparation for the upcoming budget sessions.

This agenda item will be at the earliest opportunity, likely Aug. 18 or 19 (to be announced in Front Porch Forum).

Charles Russell Selectboard Member

Get Involved in Town Government!

The Selectboard is looking for interested citizens to fill the following vacancies:

Interested applicants should email, call or stop by the Town Hall office for more information.

• Zoning Board of Adjustment—one vacancy with a term ending in April 2017 • Conservation Commission—one vacancy with a term ending in April 2018 • Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee—one vacancy

Dean Bloch, Town Administrator Charlotte Town Office P.O. Box 119 Charlotte, VT 05445 Email: dean@townofcharlotte.org Phone: 425-3533

Have Fun, Join a Great Team, Earn Some Money The Charlotte News Needs You The Charlotte News is looking for one or two full-time or part-time people to sell advertising for the paper. Ad sales experience is helpful but not necessary.

What is necessary is a cheerful attitude, the ability to learn a few new tricks and a good work ethic. You will also need a current driver’s license and a car.

The Charlotte News is an independent, nonprofit bimonthly newspaper and community resource that was established in 1958.

To learn more about this opportunity, please email editor in chief Brett Sigurdson at news@charlottenewsvt.com or either of the co-chairs of the board of directors, Vince Crockenberg at vince.crockenberg@gmail.com or Tom O’Brien at tom@madriver.com.

Please be sure to include a resume and/or employment history.

The Charlotte News Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 425-4949

The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 3

Letters In appreciation of Mt. Philo Forever Scholarship

Higher taxes mean need for Selectboard change

Thank you, thank you, to those who attended the Vermont Parks Forever Foundation’s first celebration at Mt. Philo on July 27. Having the first scholarship of its kind named in Will’s honor is heartening to his family, and we are very grateful to the State of Vermont, Rangers John and Kim, and everyone who contributed for their support.

If you would like to make a gift to the fund so that a young community member who is interested in the environment and stewardship of the mountain can work at Mt. Philo over the summer and carry on what Will set forth, you may send a donation to Vermont Parks Forever, William Cameron Hagedorn Mt. Philo Forever Fund, P.O. Box 815, Montpelier, VT 05601 or online at vermontparksforever. org/donate and type “Will Hagedorn” under “dedication.” You can also donate at the park.

Your gift helps sustain this vital natural resource and the stewards that lovingly care for it.

If you are like me, you are filled with dread by an annual and inevitable event— the opening of your Charlotte property tax bill in August. Based on the town’s budget, this year’s bill will be the worst yet, which moved me to go down to our Town Hall to do some budget research.

While part of the blame for high property taxes belongs in Montpelier, a significant part belongs right here in town with our Selectboard chairman, Charles Russell. Under his watchful eye, Charlotte’s actual expenditures this fiscal year (which ended June 30) reached a disturbing milestone by exceeding $3 million (excluding the school budget).

An additional, disturbing expenditure milestone under Chairman Russell is the fact that the non-school town budget has gone up 90 percent over the 12 years since he became chairman, including a 33 percent increase in the budget in his second year. In fairness, during two of those 12 years (from 2005 to 2007), the chairmanship was held by Ellie Russell. Since that brief hand-off, however, the budget has gone up another $700,000, or 32 percent.

Illustrative of his profligate spending are the town’s attorney bills. In Chairman Russell’s first year, attorney fees tripled.

And over his time in office, attorney’s fees have totaled $700,000, averaging almost $60,000 per year. During the prior 12 years, attorney fees averaged only $18,000 per year. In fact, the attorneys now spend so much time advising our town it is a wonder whether Chairman Russell does anything without first consulting with them—while the meter runs.

Chairman Russell has recently taken another break from the chairmanship, but he is up for reelection to the Selectboard in March 2015. Next spring, we need to send a message to our Town Hall by electing someone in his place who will rein in these unsustainable budget increases and who can lead without an attorney whispering in his ear.

Joyce Cameron Spear Street

Cafferty for Sheriff Ed is our brother-in-law, friend and next-door neighbor (married to Susan Krasnow), but we support his bid to become Chittenden County Sheriff for many, more important reasons. Well qualified, he will be proactive in modernizing the office, hiring women deputies (currently none), effectively advocate for more community drug prevention programs along with drug treatment facilities, and give strong support to universal background checks for gun purchases.

Ed will also make good on his promise to institute transparency in the sheriff’s office by establishing a Community Advisory Committee, providing oversight and advice on the use of your tax dollars and employing his renowned administrative expertise.

This race will hinge on “turnout,” and your vote effect will thus be multiplied five or six fold due to an expected ten percent historical record. Seven thousand or 8,000 votes from the entire county could win this race. You can vote early at Town Hall or request an absentee ballot now.

We sincerely hope Charlotte represents Ed’s winning margin. Please consider a look at Ed’s website, caffertyforsheriff. blogspot.com, to learn more about his impressive efforts and qualifications, and please join us in giving our vote to Ed anytime before or on Aug. 26.

Michael Krasnow, Sumru Tekin, Eddie Krasnow and Jane Krasnow

On the cover Children from the reCent Green thumbs Camp work in the Gardens behind CCs. for more piCtures, see paGe 5 and our faCebook paGe. photo by edd merritt.

Next issue deadlines next issue date: thurs., auG. 28 Contributions: mon., auG. 18 by 5 p.m. letters: mon., auG. 25, by 10 a.m.

Brady C. Toensing Greenbush Road

Sirotkin for Senator I had the honor of representing Charlotte in the House of Representatives a while back. Today, it is my pleasure to ask you to vote for Senator Michael Sirotkin in the Democratic Primary on August 26. Michael was appointed by Governor Shumlin to the Senate last winter after his wife, Senator Sally Fox, lost her battle with cancer. We are fortunate Michael is now a Senate candidate in his own right.

His negotiating skills, reasoned approach to complicated issues and commitment to service for the common good will serve us very well. I have seen Michael in action over the past 30 years as an effective and respected advocate in the Legislature for public interest consumer groups. The social, economic and environmental challenges we face in Vermont require thoughtful, knowledgeable and ethical leaders.

Michael is someone we can count on to do his very best to represent Charlotte and Chittenden County in the Vt. Senate.

Please give him your support. Thank you.

Gretchen Morse Monkton Road

Legislative Report

by Representative Mike Yantachka

The Challenge of Financing Education The financing of Vermont’s K-12 education system is heavily dependent on property taxes, and the increasing costs of education have driven increases in property taxes that have become a source of frustration for Vermont taxpayers.

Even before 35 school budgets throughout the state failed to pass this year, the Legislature was focusing on the issue and spent considerable time trying to address the problem.

This past June I held a community forum at the Charlotte Senior Center to gather ideas and perceptions on the issue from attendees. The wide-ranging discussion began with my presentation of some basic facts about the issue. Between 2005 and 2014 in Vermont • The number of K – 12 students dropped from 100,000 to 89,000 • Education Fund spending increased from $1.1B to $1.4B • The percentage of Ed Fund derived from property taxes increased from 60 to 67 percent • The average cost per pupil statewide increased from $11,000 to $16,800 The average student-teacher ratio is 10:1, ranging from a low of 4:1 to a high of 26:1. The number of school districts in Vermont is 277 under a governing system that hasn’t changed in over a hundred years. Of the $1.5B that will be spent on K–12 public education in 2015, 10 percent will come from sales taxes, 20 percent from a transfer from the General Fund, 67 percent from property taxes and 3 percent from other sources such as the lottery, the tobacco fund, etc.

During the discussion part of the forum, attended by 13 Charlotters, the consensus was that property taxes for education are too high, costs are rising out of control and the Legislature needs to find another way to finance public education. Suggestions to address these concerns included capping per-pupil spending, reviewing/ reducing unfunded mandates, reducing top-heavy administration, requiring salary contracts to be voted on by the public and looking for models from high-performing educational systems such as Finland’s. I look forward to taking these comments and suggestions back to the legislature in January.

The discussion has been ongoing among legislators as well this summer, and the message from constituents across Vermont is similar to what I heard in Charlotte. Vermonters are frustrated, and the Legislature has not been able to assemble a clear consensus on how to solve the problem. In the Brigham decision of 1997 the Vermont Supreme Court required as a matter of constitutional law that the state ensure access to “substantially equal educational opportunity for every Vermont child.” Brigham was interpreted as requiring substantially equal access to revenue rather than requiring a substantially equal education. The Legislature responded to Brigham with Act 60, the “Equal Education Opportunity Act.” Aspects of Act 60, such as income sensitivity, continue today in modified

form. The core funding mechanism in Act 60 was a sharing pool, requiring towns to pay into a statewide pool to ensure equal access to revenue. In 2003 Act 68 replaced the “sharing pool” and established in its place the formula for tax rates that we have today. It also established the excess spending penalty. Act 68 is the basis for education finance today.

Since Act 60, income sensitivity has probably gotten more scrutiny and generated more changes than any other aspect of education funding. It began with a prebate, an actual check that was mailed to claimants. It is now an adjustment to the property tax bill. There have also been changes to the definition of income and the value of property that is subject to the adjustment.

Since the enactment of Act 68 in 2005, there have been many substitute funding mechanisms put forward, some that met the requirements of Brigham and some that did not. The proposals fall into two groups: 1. Income Tax Proposals. These plans shift away from over-reliance on the homestead property tax and incorporate either a fixed-rate or progressive income tax rate while complying with Brigham.

Problems yet to be addressed here include rental properties, high-income households, administration and transition issues.

2. Expanded School Districts (Governance Consolidation) Proposals.

These proposals address the century-old supervisory union/district model. There are currently 277 districts, 282 school boards, 340 SU boards and 1440 school board members. These proposals maintain that by regrouping districts into much larger units, the discrepancies between districts would be diminished, allowing more efficient sharing of resources within districts. We expect to see more consideration of this in 2015-16.

Vermont is consistently rated one of the five top states in the quality of K – 12 education, with more than 90 percent of students graduating from high school.

With a decreasing student population and maintaining the same infrastructure and the same program quality and quantity, costs per pupil have skyrocketed. The burden on property taxes has increased for working families who do not qualify for income sensitivity assistance. It is imperative for the next legislative session to introduce changes that will not only lower costs but also reduce the burden on property tax payers.

I continue to welcome your thoughts and questions and can be reached by phone (802-425-3960) or by email (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com). All my articles can be found at my website: www.

MikeYantachka.com.

CORRECTION In the last issue of the News we mistakenly stated that Tree Warden Larry Hamilton opened Whalley Road after storm damage briefly closed it. Jr Lewis, Charlotte’s road commissioner, reopened the road. We apologize for the mistake.

4 • August 14, 2014 • The

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CVFRS’s Busy Week Symbolic of Increase in Calls Last Two Years Brett Sigurdson The CharloTTe News A quick look at the pages of major local news outlets the first week of August shows Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue (CVFRS) has been busy recently.

On top of its usual calls for medical emergencies, car accidents and fire alarm or carbon monoxide alarms, the organization responded to two scary situations at the beginning of August—a boat fire and a rescue on Mt. Philo.

But what the stories in the papers don’t note is the huge increase in calls CVFRS has experienced in the last two years. According to Fire Chief Chris Davis, in fiscal year 12-13 Rescue responded to 362 calls. In FY13-14, which ended June 30, its responses rose to 389. Similarly, Fire responded to 109 calls in FY12-13.

By June 30 of this year it had logged 152 calls. Even more striking, Fire has already logged 90 calls in the 45 days since the new fiscal year began July 1.

One of those calls came Aug. 3, when CVFRS responded to the explosion of a 19-foot antique wooden boat at Charlotte’s Point Bay Marina. According to Davis, the boat, carrying eight occupants, had returned to the marina dock to refuel. After repeated attempts to restart the boat after fueling, the boat ignited from fuel vapor in the engine compartment, blowing one occupant into the water.

All eight of the boat occupants— including two children—were burned, though only four adults were transported to Fletcher Allen Health Care with injuries ranging from minor burns to possible bone fractures.

According to Davis, the fire was largely put out by three members of the marina’s crew by the time fire and rescue personnel responded, who rushed to suppress the fire and move victims out of the way and nearby boats away from the flames.

Davis, who was close by on a family fishing outing and provided information to responding departments, applauded the efforts of the employees, who acted quickly to thwart the fire, which, he said, could have been much worse.

Because of the nature of marinas, with boats parked closely together full of toxically flammable objects and crowds of people, CVFRS members have specialized training in fighting marina fires.

“The job they did was phenomenal,” said Davis of the employees, also citing the owners of Point Bay Marina. “They’re a dedicated group. They proved their training and investment in training paid off.”

Said Davis, “The Coast Guard mission has shifted to Homeland Security so they are not always available for marine emergencies, and the State Police do not staff their patrol boat at all, so fire departments on both sides of the lake are called out to deal with these marine calls more than ever.”

Overall, Davis isn’t sure why the level of calls has gone up recently, though he explained some of the most common calls— out-of-control -burns and fire or carbon monoxide A Point Bay Marina employee alarms—could be prevented by helps put out a boat fire Aug. 3. following proper procedures for outdoor burns and updating indoor protection systems.

In discussing the rise in calls, Davis reflected on the investment Charlotters have made in their fire and rescue service.

Ferrisburgh Volunteer Fire Department, Shelburne Fire Department, Vergennes Rescue, Fletcher Allen and Vermont State Police assisted in the response. They were on the scene for 90 minutes.

Five days later, CVFRS members responded to an injured hiker on Mt. Philo. First responders hiked into Devil’s Chair trail to help the teenage girl get out safely. The operation took an hour.

One reason Davis cites for the increase in fire and rescue calls over the past two years may sound familiar to Charlotters who have followed CVFRS recently: a lack of volunteers. But it’s not CVFRS experiencing this—it’s Shelburne.

According to Davis, because the Shelburne Fire Department is experiencing a lack of trained volunteers, lately Charlotte’s fire squad is getting called more and more to provide mutual aid.

Another reason Davis cites for an uptick in calls is the need for more water rescues than usual. There have been at least six water rescues and calls for missing boats that would otherwise be addressed by the Coast Guard.

birdseye metal & glass

Members of Charlotte Rescue carry out an injured hiker from the Devil’s Chair trail on Mt. Philo.

“Right now we’re doing our best to make sure when you dial 911 you get the best level of service possible. Other towns don’t have that, and it shows. Those are larger communities. I know there are folks who are concerned about our budget, but so far our taxpayers have said this is what they want.”

As he listened to another call come in while talking to a reporter, Davis added, “It’s never-ending, but that’s what we sign up for. At the same time, it’s not cheap. And that’s why we train for everything. We want to do our best for this community.”

The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 5

Selectboard continued from page 1 high. As the result the Selectboard decided to have the work done “in house” by the Road Commissioner with the aid of Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz. The amount to be spent must not exceed $3,000, which is less than a quarter of the lowest of the contractors’ bids.

An open water swim between Essex, N.Y., and the Charlotte Beach was approved for Sept. 7. The swim, which will be held between 1 and 3 p.m., will benefit the Lake Champlain Clean-up Fund and is expected to have up to 30 swimmers.

Two requests of town interest were deferred to the next Selectboard meeting on Aug. 18. One, for the replacement of seven utility poles and adding one around and through the Town Beach, was sent back for reconsideration of pole placement and potential burial of the cables.

The other was from the Vermont

Hunters Club to hold a series of Halloween adventure evenings called “Throckmorton Manor” in the woods behind the old Flea Market.

The events, scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights between October 11 and November 8, would tentatively involve guided tours or wagon rides through the woods, carrying participants to upwards of ten “haunted” Halloween scenes. Funds raised would go to the American Cancer Society.

The Selectboard had concerns about disturbing the historic clay plain forestlands on that parcel, as well as traffic access and potential donations to the town. A walk-through will be conducted before the next Selectboard meeting.

In response to a number of questions raised about the growth of the tax rate over the past twenty-four years, Charles Russell will present a complete analysis of spending at the Aug. 18 Selectboard meeting.

The next regular Selectboard meetings will be held on Aug. 18, Sept. 15 and 22.

Charlotte Museum to Open Sundays in August The Charlotte History Museum will open its doors Sundays in August from 1–4 p.m. at its location on Church Hill Road.

Members of the Charlotte Historical Society will be present to guide visitors through the museum, which includes one of the largest collections of Abenaki-style woven baskets in Vermont.

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Who says you can’t play with your food?

Local children pull pea pods during the second round of the Green Thumbs Garden Camp, led by Tai Dinnan and Stacy Carter. Aside from learning about vegetables, seeds, gardens and decomposition, campers also dug potatoes (above) made flower pot art, ate kale chips, visited the animals on Fifth Fence Farm and spent lots of time playing during the weeklong camp.

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The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 7

8 • August 14, 2014 • The

Charlotte News

Town Plan continued from page 1

Eric Hanley and daughter Meghan, of Shelburne, at last year’s Latin Dance Party

Hands-to-Honduras Latin Dance Party Benefit Sept. 5 Cut a rug and a check for a good cause at the annual Latin Dance Party to benefit Vermont Hands-to-Honduras Tela on Friday, Sept. 5, from 7–11 p.m. at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn.

This one-of-a-kind benefit for the program’s 2015 humanitarian service projects will feature live music by Rhode Island’s hottest Latin jazz band, Jesus Andjuar & Grupo Sazon, who will be joined by Alejandro of Grupo Sabor and by Hermes Cardozo. In addition,forFor those unfamiliar with salsa dancing, Salsalina will provide dance lessons. The event will also feature a cash bar, appetizers, dessert and a silent auction.

Tickets for the event are $30 and can be purchased by calling 425-3838 or by sending a check to Hands to Honduras-Tela, 190 Red Tail Lane, Charlotte, VT 05445.

For more information, contact Linda Gilbert at lindaggilbert@gmail.com or by visiting handstohonduras.org.

ations, according to Saxton’s presentation at the outset of the meeting. Soil erosion and storm water runoff containing phosphorous and other pollutants are having a negative effect on local water quality and wildlife habitat. Further, because of development, blocks of forest habitat are becoming increasingly fragmented, creating unsuitable habitat for wildlife and some plants.

But if the town wants to conserve more forestland, Bob Hyams, a member of the Conservation Commission, said the town needs more tools to conserve land. He said the town has a program for conserving large parcels of land but not necessarily smaller parcels that could protect or enhance ecosystems.

“Maybe we can think of ways to give ourselves more flexibility,” said Hyams.

Larry Hamilton, however, cautioned about setting up antagonism between those who favor farmland or forestland. “It should be an add-on rather than a shift,” he said of preserving forestland. “They’re both pretty important.”

Marty Illick, a Planning Commission member and chair of the Lewis Creek Association, noted that the organization’s data shows that phosphorous and other chemicals from farm operations are not absorbed in the clay plain soil and flush into tributaries and lakes in heavy rain events. Some advocated for language that requires the addition of buffers between farmland and waterways, others more outreach to farmers about practices that effect water quality.

In response, some cited a tension between agriculture and natural resources, that factions on both sides could define such buffers differently. Mike Russell suggested finding ways in which farmers and natural resource advocates have similar objectives and build bridges from there.

Roell Boumans, co-chair of the Conservation Commission, felt the discussion was too focused on particulars. The Planning Commission said the town needs to think long term about the effects of climate change.

“We need to go beyond talking about wildlife,” he said. “We have to deal with trends like development, global change and how these things will effect us. Both of these

together could have compounding effects.”

He recommended the town make a list of its most important assets, the threats to them and how to address them.

New shorelaNd regulatioNs A major part of the meeting also concerned how the state’s new Shoreland Protection Act, which went into effect July 1, affects town planning efforts. The act establishes new regulations for shoreland development as a means to protect and preserve water quality and animal habitat, as well as the durability of the shoreland. These include new vegetation protection standards for plants within 100 feet of the average water level to absorb runoff from upland areas, new regulations for impervious and cleared areas on properties, and standards for new developments, which must be 100 feet from the water level.

While developed properties are grandfathered in, some redevelopment projects will require a permitting process, something that will affect Charlotte’s shoreland district and seasonal home district. Thus, the bulk of the discussion focused on ways to educate homeowners about how the Town Plan language would meet the new regulations and how the town could educate water-adjacent landowners.

Generally the town is already in line with the regulations, said McCrumb, but the permitting process is new. So the main issue concerned educating affected property owners.

Cummings suggested more outreach through programs like the Charlotte WatershED program and the Lakewise Program.

Some suggested the renewal of Thompson’s Point leases could be an avenue for sharing the state’s shoreland protection goals or even sending water bills to homeowners.

The Planning Commission will use the feedback it received at this and other meetings as it prepares a final draft for the Selectboard later this year.

The next Town Plan workshop, centering on transportation, is scheduled for Aug. 21 at Town Hall beginning at 7 p.m. Drafts of the plan are available on the town’s website.

For those who cannot attend meetings, comments can be submitted any time by email to townplancomments@gmail.com, by mail to Charlotte Planning & Zoning, Attn: Town Plan Comments, PO Box 119, Charlotte, VT 05445, or hand-delivered to Town Hall.

The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 9

Lampton, Hamilton to Host Mt. Philo Hike Join the group, Vermont Coverts, for a walk through Mt. Philo’s history during a special hike on Saturday.

Aug. 16, beginning at 9:15 a.m.

Guiding the walk through Vermont’s oldest state park will be Charlotters Kate Lampton and Larry Hamilton.

Lampton has lived at the base of Mt. Philo for 40 years. She is an amateur historian on the park and on the Mt. Philo Inn and has given talks on this and other land- related issues.

Hamilton, Charlotte’s tree warden, is a retired professor of forestry at Cornell University. He is a senior advisor for the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas and

editor of the Mountain Protected Areas Update magazine.

Participants will meet at the park entrance and hike to the summit along the paved park road, a moderate walk that should take an hour. Along the way, walkers will hear about the natural and human history of the park and how it reflects many of the forces that have shaped Vermont over the centuries. There are plenty of great picnic spots on the top, so bring a lunch and drink and enjoy the views. Dress for the weather.

Registration is requested. For questions and more information, contact Coverts Cooperator Norm Riggs at 425-4545 or Lisa Sausville at 8772777 or lisa@vtcoverts. org.

Send Lawyers, Guns and Money!

Our Generous Donors Aug. 1 - 11 Hal and Marjorie Blake Frederica Botala toM Powell and wendy Bratt joHn & nancy calcagni aileen and BoB cHutter daniel & jenny cole roBin & roBert coleBurn PaM & george darling liz and cHuck deslauriers david & jane garBose reginald & janice garen constantine & Maryanne gatos dana Hanley george & Marian Howe Melrose HuFF lorna & roBert jiMerson valerie Hurley and joHn kern stePHen kiernan kiley corPoration roBert wrigHt and silvia knigHt cHristoPHer & leslie kuenne julian kulski judy laBerge

stan and gayle lane jane & joHn lawlis joHn and karyn lunde zacHary Manganello rookie Manning annie MarsH susan and Barton Merle-sMitH BetH and edd Merritt BoB & toni Monsey janet & lane Morrison ray & dana MurPHy susan oHanian nancy and williaM Petty saratoga olive oil coMPany roBert carMody and Mary scriPPs nancy severance Hayes sogoloFF joHn & roBBie stanley Betsy & Fritz tegatz andrew tHurBer & kit Perkins Mary van vleck jack & susan williaMson nancy wood

Fresh Air Kids Visit Vermont Anthony (second from right), a 10-year-old boy from the Bronx, will be staying with the MacAuley family of Charlotte as one of 23 New York children being hosted by Western Vermont families involved with the Fresh Air Fund. This summer, over 4,000 children will enjoy a summer outside of the city with volunteer host families in suburban, rural and small town communities across 13 states, from Virginia to Maine, and Canada through the Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family Program.

During his stay, Anthony—pictured with (from left) Lucianna MacAuley, Catherine MacAuley and Noah MacAuley—will get to experience the wonders of Vermont through swimming, biking, sailing and more.

A group of particpants pose for a picture a the Aug. 9 Geneology Day event at the Senior Center, hosted by Ceal Moran. Participants moved around a variety of tables to learn more about researching their family histories.

PHoto By ceal Moran

When Charlotters open their tax bills this month, they can expect to pay slightly more than they did last year.

The Selectboard met during a special meeting July 31 to set the FY 2015 municipal tax rate at $0.1590, which represents a 4.8-percent decrease from last year’s rate of $0.1670. This decrease is due in part to a $125,000 surplus applied to the tax rate, as well $160,000 in spending reductions made to the budget at Town Meeting, said Nancy Wood, a town auditor. She added the municipal rate was also lowered in part due to a 0.8 percent increase in the Grand List from last year.

While the municipal rate is down, the total homestead and non-residential tax rates are up from last year, due largely to a 3.8-percent increase in the town’s stateset homestead education tax rate, which, at $1.5161, is up from $1.4600 last year.

The homestead tax rate, which consists of the combined municipal and education tax rates, is $1.6751 per $100 of appraised value, an increase of three percent over last year’s rate of $1.627. That number, in turn, was up nearly ten percent over the FY2013 rate.

For residential properties valued at $300,000, this means the projected property tax amount is $5,025—about $200 more than last year’s tax for a similar property.

For properties valued at $500,000, the projected property tax amount is $8,375.

For nonresidential owners, the combined municipal and education tax rate was set at $1.5965. This represents a 1.6 percent increase over last year’s rate of $1.572.

For businesses, summer camps and open land valued at $300,000, the projected property tax is $4,789. At $500,000, the projected tax is $7,982.

PHoto By kristin HirscH

Homestead Tax Rate Up Over Last Year

Warren Zevon was hiding in Honduras when he asked his dad to send lawyers, guns and money to get him out of there. Here at the Charlotte News we’re not down on our luck like the narrator of Zevon’s song. But while we don’t need lawyers and guns, we do need help in the form of money so we can continue to publish the best community paper in the area.

This July alone, 193 households have contributed just over $15,000 to our Thrive at 55 campaign. And since we launched our Thrive campaign last year our wonderful community of supporters and readers have helped us raise almost more than $4039,000. The names of our July donors are on the left, and on behalf of the Board of Directors, we thank all of you.

If you have not already contributed to the News this year, please consider doing so as soon as possible. With your help we can meet and exceed our goal of raising $55,000 by the end of the year—and ensure that Charlotte’s only nonprofit community paper continues to arrive in your mailboxes every other week filled with the stories that celebrate the people and places that make Charlotte a special place for all of us.

The Charlotte News Annual Fundraiser YES! I would like to support The Charlotte News for the coming year in keeping us informed, entertained and in touch with our town and neighbors.

Enclosed is my check in the following amount: $__________ Name __________________________________________ E-mail__________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________ q I prefer to remain anonymous. Do not thank me publicly in The Charlotte News.

Please make your check payable to: The Charlotte News and mail to P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445

10 • August 14, 2014 • The Charlotte News

continued from page 1

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is needed. The site would also need to be close enough to the CCTA bus’s current route to avoid rerouting, have minimal impact on environmental or cultural resources and be close enough to amenities that users could walk.

DuBois & King has identified six areas near the West Village that could serve these needs.

Four of them are within close proximity to Town Hall, the post office or the fire station.

Another site under consideration is the area of Steve’s Citgo and Uncle Sam’s Creemee Stand. Finally, the site of the former flea market on Route 7 south of the village is also being included in the firm's assessment.

In the letter, Bloch stressed that the evaluation of these sites is preliminary and that the park and ride would not be initiated without significant planning and permitting.

“The initial map is a starting point,” he wrote.

“We will add to this if additional sites are brought forward, and will remove parcels if any landowners so request. We will consider each site based on the owner’s interest as well as the above desired features, and assess the feasibility of constructing a park and ride lot for the most likely sites.”

Those who may be affected by such a facility or would like to share their opinions are invited to attend the Town Plan work session on transportation and energy, which begins at 7 p.m. at Town Hall on Thursday, Aug. 21. Those who cannot attend can share their thoughts via email (dean@townofcharlotte.org), phone or in person.

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The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 11

The warm, sunny day provided the ideal compliment to the tropical play, which around 40 people attended. The performance was full of dancing, catchy songs and drama by the large and enthusiastic cast. The Very Merry Theatre cast performed the show again two days later at their home base in East Charlotte.

Very Merry Theatre Brings Charlotte to the ‘Island’

Teens from Charlotte-based Very Merry Theatre took to the Town Green near the library for an outdoor performance of Once on this Island Aug. 6. A Caribbean take on The Little Mermaid, the one-act musical centers around a peasant girl who falls in love with a prince despite the opposition of the gods.

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12 • August 14, 2014 • The Charlotte News

OutTakes Commentary

by Edd Merritt

Up in the Air, Junior Birdmen And we’ll have fun, fun, fun now that daddy took the T-Bird away —The Beach Boys, “Fun Fun Fun” So, two weeks ago the third annual Grammy camp bus headed for Eden.

Having packed up hammers, nails, raw lumber and bolts—and sans mom and dad for a week—camp leader Grammy was set to preside over the construction of a tree fort.

And the Queen of England would have been proud of her leadership. For three years running, Beth has hosted this event for our twin grandsons at our camp on South Pond. The boys are nearly 8 now, and their degree of independence and living skills have grown with each succeeding year.

Last year the sunfish and perch at our end of the lake filed with Vermont Health Connect to repair their torn jaws.

I believe nearly every fish bit a hook with something tasty hanging just past the barb. Unfortunately, even raising their top fins and shaking madly they couldn’t dislodge the unwanted lure.

And, well, that’s what grammies are for – remove the hook, throw the fish back in the water and wait for the next catch.

Three days straight on the dock, however, did not bring in a single fish of edible size. But, undaunted, the kids stuck to it. Ironically, perhaps, bass fishing became a major topic at this year’s annual pond landowners meeting.

We did not have to worry about fishing at Grammy camp this year, however, because our dock lay underwater.

Ben could not walk to the end as he did in past years, spy the larger fish circling their nests and chasing minnows and then drop his hook where they couldn’t miss it. This year the story moved from shoreline to tree line.

Grammy had prepared long and hard to have a rough design for a tree house, along with the tools seven-year-olds needed to construct it. Needless to say, the book designs proved to be much more elaborate than anything we built.

Windows? No, not in the plans. Doors?

Stoop and crawl. Walls? Well, we started on a couple of end pieces that will be draped with a tarp for a future roof.

Their construction of a ladder to climb the seven feet up onto the tree house floor, followed by the laying of a ramp to get inside, raised the boys’ interest in work—and thus their hammers—better than anything all week.

Rory was especially excited after he discovered a hammock in the camp basement and helped hang it under the tree house, managing to swing and sing while the rest of us pounded nails. He softened ground and raked dirt, and found a two-by-six piece and filled one side of it with half-pounded nails that he said would serve as a coat rack for those who hung out in the fort. As soon as we built the walls, he’d be happy to hang it—a next-year proposition.

Ben became the sign smith after finding a discarded wooden placard on which he would affix the fort’s name once it was determined—“Fort Gotcha!” or something equally brazen.

Periodically he disappeared to, as we later learned, ready himself for a challenge at the games of Sequence or Clue that he pored over in the camp.

I think I learned something about the dangers of planning things in great detail this year. Elaborate adult plans designed to occupy seven-year-olds for five days without mom and dad don’t always work out as anticipated. And I happen to believe that that’s OK.

In a recent New York Times commentary, John Beckman expresses his feelings about the importance of what he calls “delinquency” to kids’ learning. As a young person you learn by pushing limits.

Growing up in Dubuque, Iowa, just down the Mississippi from where I performed my delinquent acts, Beckman says he and his friends “spent weeks hunting down lumber and scrap metal for the purpose of building a teetering three-story tree fort, complete with ladders and trap doors, that overlooked a boarded-up coffin factory.”

While our Eden fort doesn’t oversee final resting boxes, it can be the watchtower for the pond’s civil wars.

We Yankees at the north end can use its height and camouflage, for example, to spot the south end Rebels as they kayak through the cut that feeds our bay and be ready to lay siege as soon as they hit the north shore.

We’ll see what the twins think of that script.

Often, a screwed-up jaw and rolled eyes indicate the loonyness of Grandpa Squid’s ideas, however. But, hey, loonyness and aging go hand in hand, don’t they? And as far as the kids are concerned, school—with all its formal learning plans—will come soon enough. So let them enjoy summer while they have it.

As Beckman says, “like sports leagues, summer camps, and other decidedly more nutritious ways we try to influence kids’ summer fun, all these commercial amusements are invented by adults–to profit adults. And how boring is that? As history shows us, kids have always been the experts on fun.”

So here’s the deal, squirts, and listen closely. Grammy camp had better be fun, right? If not, we send you and the pedal boat over the dam. No grimaces allowed. Smile when your hammer hits fingernail rather than wood. And it’s OK to dance when you beat your brother at Clue. Just don’t sleep too soundly.

Revenge can come at any time, night or day.

Upcoming at the library Wednesday Night Knitters, throughout the summer. Join us every other Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m., next on Aug. 20. We compare notes, knits and share good company.

Kindergarten library card party, Wednesday, August 20, 5:30 p.m.

Calling all kindergarteners. Stop by the library this evening for a look at our cool new books, enjoy a yummy cool snack and coolest of all, get your very own library card! library board meeting Thurs., Aug. 28, at 5:30 p.m.

Board members: Bonnie Christie, Chair; Vince Crockenberg, Treasurer; Emily Ferris, Vice-Chair; DorriceHammer, Secretary; Jonathan Silverman, Member-at-Large.

library contacts Margaret Woodruff, Director Cheryl Sloan, Youth Services Librarian email: charlottelibraryvt@gmail.com phone: 425.3864 Website: www.charlottepubliclibrary. org library hoUrs Mon. & Wed.: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tues., Thurs., & Fri.: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sat.: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 13

Charlotte Senior Center

The Café Menu

by Mary Recchia, Activities Coordinator

Please look for the new fall program of activities as an insert in the next issue of the Charlotte News. Until then, we hope you can join us for a bit more summer fun.

–––– Here’s a chance to show your “fall colors” in our ninth annual Charlotte Senior Center Community Art Show.

With a theme of “My Vermont,” this show will hang in the Great Room for the month of September and is open to all “creative spirits” 50 years old or older in our community. Registration forms with specific details are available in the front foyer at the Center with a deadline for submitting forms of Aug. 15. A reception for the artists, friends and relatives will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m.

–––– Hank Kaestner will take us on another bird watching expedition on Wednesday morning, Aug. 20, from 9:00 -12:00. Good views are guaranteed through Hank’s “Oh-myGod” telescope. Meet at the Center so we can carpool together to the location Hank has scouted for spectacular bird watching. Please register for this event; if we have to change the date due to bird migration or weather, we will call you.

Registration required. No fee.

–––– Join us for our annual summer BBQ Friday, Aug. 22, beginning at 5 p.m.

Bring a friend. Bring the family.

Join the fun. Enjoy the music and entertainment of Woody Keppel & Friends, a world-renowned vaudevillian who will perform his unique brand of bumbling earnestness. Please RSVP by Aug. 18. Fee: $12 per person.

–––– Looking ahead, please join Jim Lovejoy for the first poetry reading of the season on Monday, Sept. 8, from 1–3 p.m. Building on the fun and excitement that has developed with our Poem in Your Pocket readings over the years, this after-lunch poetry bonanza

provides a regular time for listening, reading and writing, and sharing a love of language. Whether it’s a poem you’ve written or one you’ve found in a book or on Poets.org, pack a poem in

MONDAY, AUGUST 18: Confetti corn salad, green salad, banana cake your pocket and join Jim as he guides a wonderful afternoon of word wonder.

No fee.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20: Ham and cantaloupe salad, homemade dessert MONDAY, AUGUST 25: Vegetarian seven bean soup, variety of breads, kale salad,fresh watermelon/blueberries WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27: Grilled shrimp, potato salad, homemade dessert

Senior LunCheonS are held every Wednesday at noon. Reservations are necessary in advance and can be made by calling the Senior Center at 425-6345. A $4 donation is requested. Reservations are not required for the Monday Munch.

(Above) The men’s breakfast group was treated to a dream day on the lake by Allen Martin aboard the Nancy Ann on a pictureperfect Vermont summer day, July 24.

(Right) A group of 12 kayakers getting ready to go on a leadership training workshop with Jane Yagoda and True North Kayak Tours.

14 • August 14, 2014 • The Charlotte News

Kelly Brush Foundation’s Inspire!Vermont Fundraiser Aug. 20

SPORTS

by Edd Merritt

The Kelly Brush Foundation is holding a benefit to ting for ski racing courses. highlight the foundation’s achievements in improving the Inspire!Vermont will take place Aug. 20 from 6–8:30 lives of those living with spinal cord injury through the p.m. at the Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education at love and enjoyment of sport.

Shelburne Museum in Shelburne. Tickets are $25 and can Inspire!Vermont will showcase the work of the non- be purchased at the foundation’s web site, KellyBrushprofit founded by Charlotte native Kelly Brush Davisson Foundation.org. and her family after she sustained a spinal cord injury in The ninth annual Kelly Brush Century Ride is set for a ski racing crash.

Saturday, Sept. 6, beginning in Middlebury. To register “Inspire!Vermont is our chance to showcase the impact for the ride, visit the foundation’s website. we are having in the spinal cord injury and ski racing For more information on either event contact Betsy safety communities and to thank the many supporters Cabrera at 802-497-4909 or betsy@kellybrush foundawho have helped us achieve so much,” said Zeke Davis- tion.org. son, president of the Kelly Brush Foundation. “We are genuinely inspired by what the foundation has been able to accomplish in a relatively short amount of time and look forward to carrying this tremendous momentum forward.”

Since its inception nine years ago, the foundation has raised more than $1.5 million, predominantly through an annual bicycle ride, the Kelly Brush Century Ride Powered by Vermont Bicycling and Walking Vacations.

The foundation has purchased more than 100 pieces of adaptive athletic equipment, including monoskis, handcycles, specialized gear for scuba diving and more Kelly Brush Davisson on her handcycle at the start of the Kelly Brush Century Ride. than 400 miles of safety net- Inspire!Vermont, the Kelly Brush Foundation’s upcoming event is Aug. 20.

“A smile is happiness you’ll find right under your nose.”

Travis Roy whiffle ball tournament coming up this weekend Konnor Fleming, Charlotte and CVU graduate, now Macalester College student, made a name for himself while becoming a national media hero last year as he flew over the outfield wall to snag what normally would have been a whiffle-ball homer for his Crusader team.

It is hard to tell if ESPN or Fox News will attend this year’s event, hoping Konnor’s feat will be repeated.

However, the annual fundraiser for the Travis Roy Foundation will again be played August 15 through 17 in the Essex Little Field of Dreams. This will be the inaugural game on the field modeled on the ballpark in the cornfield in Iowa onto which legends of the sport emerged from the corn and played in the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams. Twenty-eight teams are registered, more than in previous tournaments. The Crusader roster contains a number of familiar local names: JJ Strausser, Tyler Colvin, Anthony DeToma, Andrew Diddel, Rahn Fleming (last year’s hero’s father), Lawrence Halvorson, Evan Michaud, Michael Michaud, Drew Nick and Daniel Rowan.

Redhawks now wearing green Two recent CVU graduates will be among nine newcomers to the University of Vermont men’s soccer team this fall. One, defender from Shelburne Zach Evans, was the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Vermont last season. As leader of the Redhawk defense, he was a mainstay in a backfield that allowed only seven goals while posting 13 shutouts and capturing the Division I state championship. The other, Williston’s Joe Castano, like Evans, captained CVU his last two years. He was twice an all-state selection and played on the twin-state team as a senior. They join two other former Redhawks, Shane Hanley, a sophomore forward from Williston, and Mike Clayton from Shelburne, a senior forward.

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The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 15

Taking Care

by Alice D. Outwater, Ph.D.

Optimism Being an elder does not give you carte blanche. As I grew older and developed more and more opinions, I assumed it was my privilege to say anything I wanted.

Now I find this is not the case. If I issue a sharp comment that people don’t like, they give me a disapproving look and figuratively step back. I now consider

Blanchard continued from page 1 can singer-songwriter has had a global upbringing, living in the south of France, Ethiopa, Burundi—she moved to Charlotte at 10—and traveling to such far-away places as India, Thailand and South Korea, among others. In fact, her family is just as diverse, with adopted siblings from Ethiopia and Gautemala, a French father and American mother, who is also a singer and songwriter.

Growing up, Blanchard avoided her mother’s attempts to encourage her to play guitar. At 14, though, Blanchard began to tool around on her mother’s Ovation, learning to play the Beatles “Blackbird,” taking lessons. Then she began writing her own songs.

The response to her musical imagination has only grown since then, with performances across Vermont, in Boston—where she recently graduated from Boston University—Montreal, London and Paris. She has also been featured on Putumayo’s Vintage France collection as well. Interest from promoters, labels and booking agents across North American and Europe has followed.

So now Blanchard is on the cusp of a new precipice: how to make the jump from amateur musician to professional recording artist. The bridge to take her there is a solid album that Edgar plans to showcase to potential labels.

This is a new economic reality for musicians just starting out—hence, the need to crowd fund for Blanchard’s album.

“Gone are the days when labels will sign untested artists and pay them large advances or finance big-budget albums,” said Edgar.

myself a keeper of a few old-fashioned ways and must carefully mind my P’s and Qs. Of course, alternatives abound to replace critical opinions. Optimism rather than criticism can be incorporated into everyday life. It’s about perceptions of ourselves and others in the world around us. But how can we make optimism a reality and grasp it as a habit?

One day when I was feeling down in the dumps, I decided to experiment and say something pleasant to everyone I encountered. The weather was lousy, heavy rain poured, and a chill hung in the air. Everything took extra effort. Once I stopped focusing on myself and let my discontent go, it became easier to switch toward a positive outlook. I paid for the gas and thanked the attendant for his cheery smile. That made me feel better.

In the grocery store I approached the “The music industry has become increasingly based on a do-it-yourself model. Artists are expected to pay for the recording of their own albums, build their own audiences and basically prove themselves before any serious label will take an interest.” This new economic reality creates the need to crowdfund for Blanchard’s album.

Blanchard plans to record a 12-song album of originals —six in English, six in French. Edgar describes some of the songs as “slow, almost dreamy ballads that allow her voice to shine,” as well as catchy, upbeat songs.

“Francesca’s compositions are extremely infectious, with melodies that stick in your head even if you don’t understand the words,” he said.

They’ve hired Montreal-based singersongwriter Chris Vela, who recorded the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars in Charlotte last summer, to lead the recording, as well as a group of accomplished local musicians to help lay a foundation for Blanchard’s voice, the centerpiece of the songs.

“The key to the album is Francesca’s voice, which is gentle, rich and filled with subtle emotion and heart-wrenching purity,” said Edgar.

The combination of Blanchard’s songs and her voice have the makings for something timeless, and that’s the point, says Blanchard.

“We’re inundated with so much these days, and things last for such a brief amount of time,” she said. “I want to create something that has a strong first impression, but also a lasting one that will still sound contemporary in 20 years. This is not a collection of 12 hit singles. Each of these songs transcends that fad (for me, in any case). The goal is to invite my audience to delve into them as deeply as I have and to

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vegetable man and complimented him on arranging the oranges so artistically. He grinned. “No one has ever mentioned that before,” he said. “I take pride in piling them up attractively in a kind of pyramid.”

The checkout lady greeted me by name and I mentioned her bright green sweater.

“It’s a favorite,” she said. “My daughter gave it to me for my birthday.” Many people have personal stories they delight in sharing. All you have to do is ask.

As I wheeled my grocery cart toward the heavy glass door, someone behind me said, “Wait, wait.” He was hurrying to open it for me. I was tired by then and wondered if I was shuffling along. Of whom did I remind him? His mother?

His grandmother? Who cares? I liked the interchange.

I felt my mood lighten as I loaded the groceries in the car. A young man stepped over: “Can I take your cart back to the

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Blanchard at work in the studio with Jacob Edgar (middle) and Lane Gibson.

encourage deep listening. And re-listening (and re-listening!).”

But it all starts with the successful crowd-funding campaign for the album. As of this writing, Blanchard has raised nearly $11,500 from 95 donors. If she doesn’t successfully reach her $25,000 goal by Aug. 28, she won’t receive any of the money.

Despite the all-or-nothing nature of such crowd-funding efforts and the fact that a major artistic undertaking can hinge on the kindness of strangers, Edgar believes crowd-funding campaigns like Blanchard’s present a “wonderful model for helping artists and entrepreneurs create new works and products,” he said.

“Crowd-funding makes it easy for all of us to support artists,” he said, recalling the old days of wealthy royalty serving as patrons of the arts. “Our small contributions can add up to major amounts, through sheer volume, generating the amount of money it takes to create a recording of international caliber.”

In Charlotte and in Vermont, Edgar

has been impressed with a support for the arts, and he hopes people will support Blanchard’s efforts and help her become “the star she desires to be,” he said.

“Everyone who participates in this campaign can hopefully look back someday and be proud that they were a part of something truly special.”

Blanchard is currently calling Charlotte home, but she’ll follow where the album takes her. She has Edgar and Holmes to thank for getting her to this point, she said—and she’s excited for where the community’s support will take her next.

“It’s a never-ending learning experience with these two, and they never cease to push me, in the best of ways,” she said. “They know my potential and won’t settle for less.

The journey keeps going. I’m just so grateful it could start.”

To find out more about the project and to donate, visit www.igg.me/at/francescaalbum. For more information about Blanchard and her music, visit francescablanchard.com.

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store?” “How courteous—but I won’t volunteer to pay for your groceries,” I countered. It was even a bit flirtatious. He chuckled. Suddenly the day was sprinkled with an upbeat flavor.

Something deep inside me had shifted, allowing brighter energy to surface.

Magically, I was leaving a trail of optimism in my wake and realized how happy I felt driving home.

I did this for the next two days and found those small connections rewarding. It beat going around with a scowl on my face. But, I reminded myself, these expressions must be genuine.

Yes, I think I’ll keep carrying on in this vein and lighten up a bit. Maybe my age isn’t an impediment after all.

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16 • August 14, 2014 • The Charlotte News

Food Shelf News

Wish list

by Kerrie Pughe

Thank you to all who visited our table at the Town Party. Friends, supporters and volunteers past and present stopped by along with many children to enjoy the Tootsie Pops. Audrey Bean raised $71.50 for the Food Shelf from the sale of raffle tickets for her beautiful handmade afghan. Mrs. Vermont America, Charlotter Sera Anderson, drew the winner: Rita Cowie of Pelican Rapids, Minn. Thank you, Audrey! Fire & Rescue volunteer Jon Davis coordinated a delivery of leftover hot dog and hamburger buns, burgers and chips that were distributed on July 23 and 24 at the Food Shelf.

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On our wish list are tissues, toilet paper, healthy kids’ snacks, ketchup, mayo and canned tuna. We also are in need of clean pint and quart jars (with lids), such as jam jars.

Any surplus fresh veggies from your garden? We would love your extra harvest! You may drop items at the Food Shelf on Wednesday, Aug. 20 or Sept. 10, at the Charlotte Congregational Church. If no one is there you may leave the veggies on the outside entry steps in front of the Food Shelf door at the back of the church.

As summer winds down we are thinking of school and would appreciate donations of school supplies. Specifically, we need pens, pencils, graph paper notebooks, glue sticks, washable markers, colored pencils and erasers. Thank you!

Calling all knitters We love those hand-made gloves and hats. If you have some spare time and yarn, now is a good time to start the knitting so we have a good supply by cold weather.

transportation help Do you have a pickup truck or large SUV and a few hours to spare each month?

We are in need of a couple of strong volunteers to help with getting large amounts of groceries from Costco or other stores

to our shelves. We would need a three- to four-hour block of your time (and your vehicle) once or twice a month. Call the Food Shelf at 425-3252 and talk to Karen if you think you could help. distribution volunteers needed

We need volunteer substitutes to help with food distributions on Wednesday evenings once or twice a month. Can you help? Call Nancy Barnes at 238-9173.

Volunteers from the Charlotte Congregational Church have planted a beautiful vegetable garden. We need volunteers to help the Food Shelf harvest the garden twice a month on the Wednesdays food is distributed. Call 425-3252 if you can help.

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, otherwise checks may be mailed to: Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance 403 Church Hill Road P. O. Box 83 Charlotte, VT 05445 All nonperishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library,

The Charlotte Congregational Church vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf by 7:30 a.m. on the Thursday distribution mornings or before 5 p.m. on the Wednesday distribution evenings.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Distribution days/times are posted in this newspaper and on the bulletin board in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall. You may also call the Food Shelf number (425-3252) for a recording of the distribution times.

For emergency food, call John at 4253130. For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call the Food Shelf at 425-3252.

For more information call Karen at 4253252 or visit our website at https://sites. google.com/site/charlottefoodshelfvt/.

Food shelF hours The Food Shelf is open from 7:30–9:30 a.m. on the following Thursdays: Aug. 21, Sept. 11, Sept. 25 It will also be open from 5–7 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: Aug. 20, Sept. 11, Sept. 25

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The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 17

Teaching Others to Walk in the Woods Bradley Carleton Contributor I walk through the summer woods in the cool morning air.

Sunlight beams down through the canopy of leaves like pillars of light leading me along a path borne of a curiosity for all things natural. At times I stop to ask the Great Spirit which way to turn, and I am often met with a small voice telling me to “follow my heart.”

I wonder at the miracles when I allow my mind to cease its cerebral machinations. A squirrel chatters to me from atop a white oak. I follow his call and stumble to an old yellow birch with a gorgeous barnacle of chaga. Gifts like these come only when I am in the present.

As some of you may know, Sacred Hunter runs an outdoor mentoring program for at-risk

youth—13-16 year old boys— under the name Traditions Outdoor Mentoring. This summer I was invited to work with a slew of young boys and girls who are seeking a connection to their world as their adolescence begins to challenge them. I spent two weeks working with Shader Croft School, run by Steve Hyde, of South Burlington. Steve runs programs for these young people in Hinesburg, Williston and, this year, Charlotte.

The focus is on experiential learning. Participants have math and reading classes in the mornings and field trips in the afternoon that directly relate to the lessons in their morning sessions.

We have taken swimming tests, visited an automotive garage, and learned the elements of geocaching, outdoor cooking and critter calling, all within the context of experiencing our earth and our society through the empathetic guidance of counselors like Jess Barnum of Charlotte, Phil Peterson and my wife, Katie Carleton.

It is utterly fascinating to me to watch these young people learn to respect each other as they learn about the world around them. I frequently ponder the similari-

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ties of young bucks in the woods as I watch the boys attempt to spar and challenge each other for dominance. The play is always well monitored such that no one buck begins to play too rough with another.

The girls re-define the stereotypes of femininity. I expect them to be doe-eyed submissive fawns, and they prove to me that they know as much about four-wheel drives and GPS coordinates as the boys! I smile, pleased to see that they have the self-esteem to challenge our notions of what a girl can do. This pleases me greatly.

I have enjoyed sharing my knowledge of animals with them and was thrilled to see their interest in learning to communicate with various critters using my calls. One day we sat around in a big circle learning to speak duck, goose, turkey, deer, crow, and owl and peacock language. We explored how animals interact with each other and how they depend on their relationships to survive.

As you walk through the midsummer woods, take the time to notice how all things are interconnected. When you enter the woods the squirrel may announce your arrival. His shrill alarm will catch the attention of a blue jay, which will scream to the crow, which will caw-caw to inform the deer that you are headed their way. The turkey may respond to the crow with a shock gobble, and the dialogue opens up to include all the beasts and fowl of

the woods. It’s like a giant ripple on the water, speeding news of your presence throughout the cathedral.

As the sun began to sink into the Adirondacks, the young people reflected on their day. It is then that we all realize that all we do affects what is around us.

If we treat each other with the respect that we give the animals, we will begin to see that this

entire community relies on each other to flourish.

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, which mentors at-risk young men in outdoor pursuits.

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18 • August 14, 2014 • The Charlotte News

Places To Go & Things To Do

Regular Church Services SATURDAYS

St. Jude, Mass, Hinesburg, 4:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, AUG. 14 Selectboard meeting, 9 a.m., Town Hall. Agenda and materials online at charlottevt.org.

Blood drive, 2–7 p.m., Charlotte Senior Center. During the summer months, on average, about two fewer donors give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what is needed to meet the needs of patients. Vacations and summer activities are among the reasons regular donors may not find the time to give. But, patients don’t get a vacation from needing blood – the need is constant. More info: redcross.org A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 6 p.m., Shelburne Museum Circus Lawn. Join Vermont Shakespeare Company for an unforgettable evening as they present one of Shakepseare’s most popular plays. Bring seating, a picnic and enjoy the show! Cost: $25/adults, $22/ seniors, $15/students, under 12 free. Tickets and more info: flynntix.org.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15 Town Office Closed in recognition of Bennington Battle Day. SATURDAY, AUGUST 16 Vermont Coverts Mt. Philo Hike, 9:15 a.m. See story on page 8.

Shelburne Vineyard Open House, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Shelburne Vineyard will participate in the VT Grape and Wine Council’s Open House with Wine Tasting and Tours of the Vineyard and Winery. Tours are scheduled on the hour from 1:00 pm – 4 pm. More info: shelburnevineyard.com 8th Annual Yard & Bake Sale at the Vermont Zen Center, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Shelburne. Join members of the Vermont Zen Center at their 8th Annual Yard Sale. Visit the Center and their beautiful gardens. Enjoy homemade baked goods while shopping for treasures large & small. All proceeds go to benefit the Vermont Zen Center. More info: 310-4074 or 985-3177.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17 Inventing Ethan Allen, 2 p.m., Ethan Allen Homestead, Colchester. John Duffy and Nick Muller poses serious questions about Ethan Allen’s political and personal motives, intentions and accomplishments, as well as his political and military tactics and their effectiveness, and his place in the story of Vermont. Free. More info: 863403.

Adirondack Art Association Auction & Cookout, 4 p.m., Essex, N.Y. This benefit for a new building purchase fund will feature local meat and craft beer and a silent auction to support the organization's building fund.

More info: 518-963-8309.

MONDAY, AUGUST 18 Selectboard meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda and materials online at charlottevt.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19 Selectboard meeting, 9 a.m., Town Hall. Agenda and materials online at charlottevt.org

SUNDAYS

Community Alliance Church, Hinesburg, Gathering Place, 9 a.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m., Worship, 10:15 a.m. Information: 4822132.

Charlotte Congregational Church, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20 Worship, 10 a.m., Sunday School, 10 a.m.

Kelly Brush Foundation Inspire! Vermont event, Information: 425-3176.

6–8:30 p.m., Shelburne Museum. See story on page Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mass, 8 a.m.

14. and 11 a.m. Information: 425-2637.

St. Jude, Mass, Hinesburg, 9:30 a.m.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21 Information: 482-2290.

Town Plan Workshop: Transportation, 7 p.m., Town North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Hall. See story on page 1.

Church, Hollow Road, Worship, 10 a.m., Selectboard meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall. Meeting is in Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. Information: 425conjunction with Town Plan workshop, above.

2770.

Cross Roads Chapel, Relocated to the Brown Church on Route 7, Ferrisburgh.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 Worship, 11 a.m. Information: 425-3625.

Vergennes Day, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Vergennes City Park and city venues. Event will include Pancake breakfast, Assembly of God Christian Center, Rtes.

7 and 22A, Ferrisburgh, Sunday worship, Little City 5K & 10K Races, 70+ crafters/vendors, horse 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m. drawn wagon rides, bandstand music, chicken BBQ, Information: 877-3903. children’s venue, car show. More info: addisoncounty.

All Souls Interfaith Gathering, 291 Bostwick com.

Farm Road, Shelburne. Sunday Service 9 Hidden History at the Ethan Allen Homestead funda.m., Evensong Service 5 p.m. 985-3819 raiser, 4 p.m., Colchester. Join Ethan Allen Homestead Trinity Episcopal Church, 5171 Shelburne Museum for a fundraiser to support the Museum’s Rd., Shelburne, 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, operations. Author Gary Shattuck will lead a private tour 9:15 - 10:15 a.m. “Space for Grace” (educaof the area where the Black Snake Affair took place, tional hour), 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist (with and share the findings from his new book. A reception child care and Sunday School). 985-2269. will follow. RSVP by calling 865-4556 or e-mailing info@ ethanallenhomestead.org Bounty of Vermont Day, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Lantman’s Market, Hinesburg. This popular event brings community and Vermont producers together in a tent filled with Send your calendar event to excited Vermont entrepreneurs who provide the finest goods Vermont has on offer. Bounty of Vermont Day News@charlottenewsvt.com allows these small Vermont companies to shine through - allowing visitors to interact with local goods and the people who create them. More info: lantmans.com.

ONGOING EVENTS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24 Charlotte Museum open, 1–4 p.m. See story on page 4.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27 First day of school, K-9th grades Zoning Board of Adjust Meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Agenda and more info at charlottevt.org.

Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival concert, 7:30 p.m., Elley-Long Music Center, St. Michel’s College, Colchester. This unique concert evening will have two distinct parts: one emotionally and intellectually stimulating; the second wildly entertaining and uplifting. Cost: $30/adults, $15/students. More info: lccmf.org. Festival runs Aug. 23–31.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28 First day of school, 10–12 grades

Morse's Doodles & Jots

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Jim Morse is a former Vermont Supreme Court Justice living in Charlotte. Find more of his Doodles & Jots in his book, available at the Flying Pig Bookstore or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Red Barn Books.

MONDAYS Senior Center Café, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Featuring soup, salads, bread and dessert. No reservations necessary.

Charlotte Multi-Age Coed Pickup Basketball Open Gym, 7–9 p.m. at the CCS gym. High school students welcome. 425-3997 for info.

WEDNESDAYS Charlotte/Shelburne Rotary Club, 7:30– 8:30 a.m., Parish Hall, Trinity Episcopal Church, Shelburne.

Newcomers Club of Charlotte, Shelburne and surrounding area meets once a month on the third Wednesday from September to June.

Variety of programs, day trips and locations. Information: Orchard Corl, president, 985-3870.

AA Meeting, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 7 p.m.

Senior Luncheon, Senior Center, noon.

For reservations, call 425-6345 before 2 p.m. on previous Monday.

Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., 7:30 p.m., Fire Station.

Charlotte Multi-Age Coed Pickup Basketball Open Gym, 7-9 p.m. at the CCS gym. High school students welcome. Call 425-3997 for information.

Food Shelf, open from 5–7 p.m. June 11 and 25. Lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry.

Information: Karen at 425-3252; for emergency food call John at 425-3130.

THURSDAYS Food Shelf, open from 7:30-9:30 a.m.

June 12 and 26. Lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry.

Information: Karen at 425-3252; for emergency food call John at 425-3130.

FRIDAYS AA Meeting, Congregational Church Vestry, 8 p.m.

Charlotte Playgroup, 9:30–11 a.m., CCS MPR. Free, ages 0-5.

The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 19

Around Town Congratulations to Noa Urbaitel, a senior at Champlain Valley Union High School from Charlotte, whose written piece titled “Cinnamon Rolls on Broadway” was published in the “Young Writers Project” section of the August 1 Burlington Free Press. Noa had a separate piece published in July. It appears he is on a roll (pun intended). In “Cinnamon Rolls,” he reflects on bits and pieces of Manhattan. Standing in the median of upper Broadway and peeling “apart the stickiness of a cinnamon roll,” he says he “fell in love with New York City all over again.” to the following students from Charlotte who attended the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) this summer: Alex Duchac, environmental science and technology; Natalie Franklin, engineering; Leo Garbose, arts; Andrew Oliver, entrepreneurship; Micah Ranallo, entrepreneurship; Theodore Turnau, entrpreneurship; Noa Urbaitel, arts. GIV hosted nine institutes this summer on college campuses throughout Vermont, with 430 high school students attending. to Rob Niccolai, a recent transplant to Charlotte who was hired by Kelleher Samets Volk (KSV) to become the company’s client group director. In overseeing KSV’s relationship with its clients, Niccolai hopes to “build and maintain a collaborative culture among employees” while directing the day-today management of the client group.

to Allison Maxfield and James Carmichael of Forest Hills, Queens, New York, who were married Aug. 2 in Newmarket, N.H. The bride teaches school in Queens, and the groom is a brand manager for the National Football League in its New York City office.

The bride’s grandparents are Marge and Hal Blake, who spend summers on Thompson’s Point. to John Moses, who graduated from Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain, with a master’s degree in global music and entertainment. John is the son of Meredith and Peter Moses of Charlotte, who were fortunate enough to travel to Europe for his graduation. to Jim and Susan Fitzpatrick, summer residents of Charlotte, who were featured in an article in the Aug. 10 Burlington Free Press that discusses the sale of their 14-year-old website business SchoolSpring. com. The site helps school districts hire educators while helping teachers find jobs. In her article, Lynn Monty quotes Fitzpatrick as saying that SchoolSpring is “Monster.com just for educators.” Fitzpatrick is a former principal of Champlain Valley Union High School.

Sympathy is extended to family and friends of Rayelen Prouty Moore of Charlotte, who passed away July 20 at the age of 90. The family plans to hold a memorial service in the fall. They ask that those wishing to make donations in her honor consider doing so to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018.

Beach Party a Blast

is extended to family and friends of Dale Manning of North Fayston, who passed away Aug. 5 at the age of 48. His surviving family includes his nephew Grant Manning of Charlotte. The family asks that those wishing to make contributions in his memory consider doing so to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641-5369. is extended to family and friends of Roger Hutchins of Swanton, who passed away July 3 at the age of 64. His surviving family includes his brother Vern and Vern’s wife, Rachel, of Charlotte. The family asks that those wishing to make memorial donations consider doing so to the Vermont Charitable Foundation, 789 National Guard Road, Colchester, VT 05446. is extended to friends of Town Hall pet and best friend, Mo-Mo, Assistant Town Clerk Sharron Balaban’s yellow Labrador retriever who passed away Aug. 2 at the age of 13. Mo-Mo was known to greet all who came into Town Hall with a friendly wag of his tail and a sniff. He often positioned himself in the building so that he could see people as they came through the door. Mary Mead’s dog, Sally, and he were good companions.

Correction: In our last issue we failed to print the complete address for donations in the name of Lindsay Goldsborough Reagan, which the family requests be made in her name to Foreside Financial Services, Three Canal Plaza, c/o Samantha Swift, Portland, ME 04101.

Those who attended the second annual Town Beach Party on Aug. 3 reveled in music by the Mystic Party Band and Tom and Oskar Williams, played on paddle boards supplied by Outdoor Gear Exchange and saw entertainment ranging from Celtic dancers to storyteller Bud Shriner. “This is an entirely volunteer-driven event for the community, so thanks to everyone else who contributed in large and small ways,” said Bill FraserHarri, chair of the Charlotte Recreation Commission.

(From left) Vanessa Crowley, Dale Knowles and Fraser-Harris carve a pig donated by Peter Trono of Fat Cow Farm. According to Fraser-Harris, the party was a “tremendous” success despite a lower-than-expected turnout.

Classifieds The Charlotte News Classifieds: Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue (payment must be sent before issue date). Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer. Send to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email your ad to ads@charlottenewsvt.com.

You can expect on-time service, courteous crews and professional craftsmanship when you hire Lafayette Painting. We have been beautifying the homes and businesses of Chittenden County since 1977. Call us at 863-5397 or visit LafayettePaintingInc.com. (-02) MOWING: Call Portfolio Cuts to handle all your mowing needs. Professional lawn stripping with bagging capabilities. Consistent, Quality work everyday.

Call Nathan now for free estimate. Fully insured 7347135, Portfoliocuts.com. (57-02)

NEW AT THE MT. PHILO INN: Overnight accommodations, spacious 2-3 bedroom suites available by the day, week or month. Adjacent to Mt. Philo State Park, with panoramic views of Lake Champlain. Each "wing" in the historic inn has a private entrance, full kitchen, laundry and porch. MtPhiloInn.com 425-3335.

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Heat your home with a Maxim Outdoor Wood Pellet Furnace by Central Boiler and gain energy independence. Boivin Farm Supply 802-475-4007. (57-01) ARE YOU TIRED? Of overpaying for a mowing service and getting sub-par work? Then call Portfolio Cuts today for a free estimate. Local references, fully insured. Consistent, quality work. Call Nathan 7347135. Portfoliocuts.com. (57-02) DRIVERS: Money & Miles… New Excellent Pay Package. 100% Hands OFF Freight + E-Logs. Great

Home time/Monthly Bonus. 1 yr. OTR exp./No Hazmat 877-704-3773 (-02) 8th ANNUAL YARD SALE/BAKE SALE – at the Vermont Zen Center: Join members of the Vermont Zen Center at their 8th Annual Yard and Bake Sale.

Shop for treasures large and small while munching on delicious home-made baked goods and enjoying the beautiful gardens. Items for sale to include artwork, antiques, pottery, sporting goods, household furnishings, books, multi-cultural clothing, classroom & teacher resources, video games, electronics, toys, and more!

All proceeds benefit the Vermont Zen Center and its many programs. When: Saturday, August 16, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (no early birds please) Where: 480 Thomas Road, Shelburne. For more information, please call 310-4074 or 985-3177. (-01)

BauHeim Builders in Charlotte We focus on satisfying aesthetic, practical and environmental needs of our clients.

Sustainable building practices + traditional craftsmanship = a superior design-build contracting team.

802.922.1191 bauheim.com The Charlotte News Hometown Paper Since 1958 Deliver to: LOCAL BOXHOLDER U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM Ă&#x;ZIP CODE 05482 PERMIT NO. 9

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