The Essex Reporter: January 31, 2019

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{ Thursday, January 31, 2019 }

With town’s help, village cuts tax rate bump to 3 percent

By COLIN FLANDERS

PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS

Bishop Christopher Coyne speaks to a crowd gathered at Essex Jct.’s Holy Family Catholic Church last week as part of the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese listening tour. Coyne fielded questions from parishioners and weighed in on some of the biggest challenges facing the church today.

Faith, finances and transparency Vt. Church leaders bring listening tour to Essex Jct.

By COLIN FLANDERS On the second stop of his townhall-style state tour, the leader of the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese fielded questions in Essex Jct. last week about some of the church’s biggest challenges – and what he’s doing to address them.

Bishop Christopher Coyne billed the meetings as an effort to promote better communication and transparency between the diocese and its parishioners. He spent 90 minutes before a crowd of more than 50

gathered at the Holy Family Catholic Church, listening to their concerns and offering candid answers to questions on faith, finances, traditions and trust.

Coyne said the listening tour wasn’t a response to the church’s child abuse scandal, but the topic no doubt remains a stark challenge for Catholic leaders both locally and worldwide, and Coyne faced a handful of inquiries at the Jan. 22 gathering about what’s being done to repair the damage and prevent further abuse.

Village trustees approved a $5.1 million fiscal year 2020 budget last week that represents a 4.24 percent increase over the current year.

The final proposal shows an estimated tax rate increase of an even 3 percent, raising village taxes on a $280,000 property by $26, according to finance director Sarah Macy.

Trustees found themselves facing a notably higher potential tax hike last month after a proposal to move their rolling stock fund into the town flopped. But the selectboard agreed to transfer $50,000 to the village – representing about half the unified clerk’s salary and benefits – which dropped the village’s tax rate increase to the easier-to-stomach percentage.

Still, the proposal failed to earn unanimous support from the board due to hang-ups over Essex Jct. Recreation See VILLAGE BUDGET, page 4

Petitions show contest in race for selectboard

By COLIN FLANDERS

He said the diocese is working with police and prosecutors to investigate misconduct tracing back decades, and he highlighted the lay committee charged with reviewing personnel files of 52 former clergy who have faced charges so the diocese can publicize offenders’ names later this year.

“We’re giving them all the time that they need to do it,” he said of the committee.

And while old allegations are still coming to light – the diocese

Three people will vie for the two open seats on the Essex Selectboard this Town Meeting Day, petitions filed with the town clerk’s office show.

Patrick Murray and Annie Cooper join incumbent Irene Wrenner in seeking a pair of three-year seats on the town governing board.

Murray now serves on the Essex Westford School Board. He said he’s found more free time thanks to his work life slowing down and saw the selectboard – and its Monday meetings, which don’t conflict with the school board – as a good place to get more

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2 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019

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Leahy encourages village to request train station funding

By COLIN FLANDERS

FILE PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) speaks at a press conference in 2016 in front of the Essex Jct. train station. Leahy asked village leaders to submit a request for funding with the hope the senior senator can secure some federal monies in the fiscal year 2020 budget for Vermont infrastructure projects.

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Hoping to secure federal funding for Vermont infrastructure projects in fiscal year 2020 budget, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy recently encouraged the village of Essex Jct. to apply for monies to fix up its dilapidated train station.

Village officials lament the station, calling it an out-of-date eyesore in desperate need of a makeover, and fixes have long been on the village’s to-do list, with trustees approving $1 million-plus plans in 2016.

But the price tag has jumped to around $1.6 million, accounting for inflation, while officials have declined to appropriate any local funds toward the project, holding out hope for help from the state or feds.

They haven’t had much luck.

Leahy’s ask, however, renews hopes of fixing up Vermont’s busiest station, which village officials have stressed would bring positive economic development to the surrounding area.

A study from Dallas Area Rapid Transit showed each dollar invested in rail stations spurred $7 of private investments in commercial development and housing. That could mean a whole lot of growth if the village received its $2 million request in full.

Village president George Tyler cautioned the application does not guarantee the village will receive any money, especially given the uncertain times that come with a month-long government shutdown. But he said it’s important to at least keep the conversation with Leahy going: Village officials have been in contact with Leahy’s office for years about the project.

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“When they ask us for something, they’re keeping us in mind,” Tyler said.

Trustees briefly discussed whether the village should propose a local match to any funding received. They eventually agreed to offer up to 10 percent, or $200,000, if the village gets the full award amount.

Though not required, such an offer shows the village is serious about the project, said municipal manager Evan Teich, who noted there’s enough in the village’s economic development fund – a 1-cent tax levied each of the last three years – to cover that cost.

Teich also anticipated the village may find some willing partners in the town or at the state level, given the importance of the project.

The Essex Jct. train station serves nearly 20,000 people a year with daily Amtrak service to Massachusetts, New York City and Washington, D.C. The village’s application notes the station remains critical for any rail service connecting the Green Mountain State with Montreal, and the push to reinstate that service brings an added prominence to the local hub.

Leahy has played a vital role in hopes of resuscitating the Montrealer, a service that disbanded in 1995 due in large part to long wait times at the border during customs checks.

In 2015, the senator held a press conference at the Essex Jct. station to announce plans for establishing pre-clearance protocols that would expedite the customs process, and over the next few years helped push the bill through the U.S. and Canadian legislatures.

The Essex Westford School Board heard a preliminary budget presentation from chief operating officer Brian Donahue last Tuesday at its first of several budget work sessions.

While Donahue didn’t share specific numbers about the budget or projected tax increases, he set the stage by explaining the needs the administration weighed in creating the initial proposal.

“The board really asked the administration to continue to be sensitive to the taxpayer and the promise of merger, while also continuing to provide the high quality education of where we can additional opportunities for students,” Donahue said.

A major priority this year is increasing equity for students, Donahue said, such as making instruction in

classrooms accessible to all students without the need for as many “separate interventions,” he explained.

Other priorities included social and emotional learning, strengthening and expanding professional learning and safety and security.

One challenge to creating a school budget is the volatility that occurs on the state level, Donahue said. While the homestead education tax rate is currently projected to stay flat at $1.50 per $100 of assessed value, “things can change pretty dramatically,” he said.

The district has another year of merger tax incentives, which will lower the homestead rate by 6 cents, Donahue said.

The tax rate will also be impacted by the common level of appraisal, which dropped to 94.15 in Essex town and village and to 96.04 in Westford. Dona-

hue said this will amplify the district’s tax rate, adding the administration will keep an eye on this factor if it continues to drop.

The state also considers equalized per pupils, or weighted average of the last two years of enrollment, in setting the tax rate. EWSD initially reported 3,799.6, but this has already increased since Donahue’s first presentation to the board, he said. This bodes well for EWSD taxpayers but could change as the legislature continues to work on the state budget.

The district has about $4.2 million in leftover fund balance. This includes $700,000 in transportation funds, the majority of which came from the district not providing transportation to the village.

Another contributor was savings in healthcare, Donahue said.

See EWSD BUDGET, page 6

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 | 3

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Hinsdale Properties hopes to sell this retail building and its redevelopment plans for dozens of one-bedroom apartments here with a price tag of just under $1 million.

Hinsdale property up for sale

By COLIN FLANDERS Developers who planned to demolish a 115-year-old retail building on Park Street and construct a three-story building in its place have put the property and development plans up for sale with a price tag of nearly $1 million.

Hinsdale Properties, a family-owned development company in Burlington, owns the building at 15-23 Park St., the previous home to the Verizon store. A sale brochure from Donahue & Associates, which is listing the property, says the building dates back to 1900 and is currently at 25 percent occupancy.

The Hinsdales received approval from the village planning commission last year to demolish the structure to make room for a 32,500-square foot mixed-use building – the first floor retail and the next three floors housing 28 market-rate one-bedroom apartments.

A listing on Donahue & Associates’ website shows the developers are now asking $950,000 for the existing two-story building and development plans for the new structure. The listing reports the owners paid about $200,000 to obtain the plans and approval, and the sale brochure notes the properties’ taxes last year were about $9,900.

“All architectural and engineering is

complete, and the property owner has buildable construction plans in hand,” boasts the listing, which calls the property an “exciting new investment opportunity.”

The buyer will need to re-apply for approval with the village PC, however, since development approvals in the village expire after a year – a deadline that passed earlier this month.

Kendra Kenney, a realtor listing the property, said her clients decided against re-applying for the approvals themselves since they don’t plan to develop the property. She said the village assured clients the project shouldn’t have any trouble getting re-approved.

At the January 2018 hearing, planning commissioners briefly questioned whether the Hinsdales could secure tenants for the property before noting those concerns are for the developer to consider, not the village. Kenney confirmed the Hinsdales’ decision to sell had nothing to do with trouble finding tenants.

“They are more Burlington-focused, and when they were looking over all of the projects they have going on, this one seemed like it was a little bit further out,” Kenney said.

Multiple messages for Jacob Hinsdale, property manager for Hinsdale Properties, went unreturned.

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involved.

Explaining what he could bring to the table, Murray said his role on the school board uniquely positions him as someone who could help the district and the town work better together.

As for how he would juggle two potentially competing interests, Murray believes it would be difficult to find a decision in which the school and town are at odds because they both have common goals to do what’s best for taxpayers. But if such a scenario did come up, he said, he would “look at the information and decide what I think is best for the majority of people.”

“In most cases,” he said, “I think there’s usually a way where any sort of conflict would 6be well resolved.”

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For Cooper, the decision to run follows years of consideration – seven, to be exact. It almost became eight after she thought she had missed the deadline, but after learning last week that she still had time to file her petition, Cooper picked one up Monday morning and bounced around town, getting the 30 signatures needed before the 5 p.m. deadline.

“My goal is to respectfully and kindly listen and represent Essex as well as it has been to me,” she said.

The Reporter will feature a written Q&A with the three candidates prior to Town Meeting Day and would like to hear what questions you might want answered. Send any questions to colin@essexreporter.com.

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VILLAGE BUDGET from page 1 and Parks’ decision to change its resident fee structure.

Trustees could have trimmed their proposal a final time last week prior to voting on the proposal, with discussion largely centered on a proposed part-time, 20-hour position for EJRP to be paid jointly with the town to centralize the departments’ public outreach.

Trustee Andrew Brown wondered whether it’s the right time for such a move given how the departments plan to soon undergo a significant change in co-locating their offices.

“Is now the time to do it instead of waiting until we have a year under our belts?” Brown asked. “Is there somebody that’s going to have additional time based on having additional people in the building?”

EJRP director Brad Luck defended the request, saying the position is vital to co-lo-

cation because it will give the two departments “one consistent voice of recreation.”

The majority of trustees supported the position. “Considering the large amount of people ERP and EJRP touch, I think this is a small investment to accomplish that in a more efficient way,” trustee Elaine Haney (formerly Sopchak) said.

But members were less enthusiastic about another aspect of the co-location move: the change to resident fees.

Luck informed the trustees late last year that EJRP hoped to charge all Essex residents the same fee, changing a system that now requires townoutside-the-village residents to pay extra and sometimes register later than village residents.

Under the new structure, all who live in Essex will pay the same price and be afforded the same priority; Luck budgeted about $7,000 less revenue

to make up for the change.

Trustees voiced no concerns when Luck presented the idea at a joint meeting in December but expressed unease with the plan last week, suggesting it’s unfair to village residents.

“It’s not the money, it’s philosophically,” Brown said.

“The $657,000 [in taxes] we’re going to ask village residents to pay in administration but then give a discount for people not paying it … I’m personally just not OK with that.”

Luck explained he and EPR director Ally Vile think the new fee structure represents the best way to move forward under one roof. He noted the logistical challenge in differentiating between the two groups of residents during program sign-ups, one that will only increase once the departments have a single brochure and registration system.

He didn’t expect the

change to impact the “vast majority” of EJRP programs because most don’t reach capacity that quickly and pointed out that for EJRP’s two summer day camps, which each serve 180 kids, the department uses a credit score system for students who attend one of three village elementary schools, so he didn’t expect the new fee structure would greatly impact village residents’ ability to get their kids into these popular programs.

“People won’t know if they’re signing up for a village or town program unless it’s a historical one that they know,” he said.

Village president George Tyler shared Brown’s apprehension but preferred to see how the changes roll out in the first year. He added the selectboard’s $50,000 transfer “more than compensates” for the loss in revenue.

Brown responded by point-

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ing out the village will need to make up for the lost revenue, so the budget sends the message that residents are OK with paying for non-resident fees.

“That’s one way of framing it,” Tyler responded.

“There might be other ways of framing it that are more kind of conciliatory. But I get it. I don’t know what to say.”

Haney understands why officials struggled with the change, but a single rate is a step toward the shared goal of a single community between the town and village.

“This is a leap the trustees need to take,” Haney said.

Unpersuaded, Brown voted against the proposal. It passed 4-1.

The village board hosted a public hearing Tuesday after The Reporter’s deadline, at which trustees planned to warn the measure for an April vote.

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of ADL. Ninety students from Team Alchemy participated COLOR CMYK with their classmates and 20 teachers and staff from across QUESTIONS the schoolCALL to discuss 19 differAmanda Peacock ent novels. Prior to the book 251.476.2507 club meetings, students and teachers prepared by reading a book and developing their own discussion questions. The purpose of this literary event was to build community and connections across the school,

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To engage, inspire and empower our youth!

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By DaviD voegele Executive director of Essex CHIPS Birdies, trophies, Czars, and rackets raised high - oh my! What a day! The 2019 Vermont Birdie Bash was a Blast! Close to 100 players and spectators gathered on Sunday to enjoy the second year of a family friendly athletic competition at the Albert D Lawton School in Essex. 36 trophies were awarded to teams with names like “Highway Robbery,” “Pterodactyls with Ties,” “Feathered Friends,” “Game On”, “Mad Mittens”, “Essex Elite,” “Golden Finches,” “Vegan Shrek,” “Three Racketeers,” “Liam’s Lions,” and “Birdie Bandits.”

The 2019 Vermont Birdie Bash was blessed with three benevolent Czars – State Representative Dylan Giambatista for the Early Bird tournament, Eliza Kuchuk for the Brunch Bird tournament and Dominque Sweat for the

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Snow Bird tournament. Each Czar was served by a loyal assistant, known as the Earl of Essex.

The Czars issued the official proclamation that began each competition, and conducted the tournament traditions, such as the “Charging of the Courts,” the “Raising of the Rackets,” and the “Taking of the Birdie Bash Pledge.” The Czars also awarded the Championship and Spirit trophies at the end of each competition. The parting words of each Czar to the players were, “And thus the tournament ends. Go forth, my subjects, and prosper!”

The Bash was a joyous event with lots of laughter, custom-made team uniforms, spectacular playing and a bit of uninhibited dancing. State Representative Giambatista commented, “This is so much fun. Next year I’m going to recruit our other state representatives as a team.” Marc Allen, a local AmeriCorps member

said, “The Birdie Bash was a fun event that seemed to really bring the community of Essex together.”

According to Jennie Lutton of Williston, “The Vermont Birdie Bash was the perfect antidote to cabin fever!

We had a wonderful time and look forward to next year.

Everyone was so friendly and good-natured. The Czar and Earl of Essex did a great job keeping us all going and having fun.”

Averi Preston, a senior at Essex High school had this say: “The Birdie Bash was tons of fun. It was great to see so many community members supporting Essex CHIPS and having a lot of fun!” Another EHS senior, Gregg Galati commented, “This was terrific.

We had much a blast. And we won!”

The 2019 Vermont Birdie Bash was a day of family fun, as well as a fundraiser for programs serving local youth.

The preliminary estimate of

donations raised is over $3,000, a 50% increase from the 2018 Birdie Bash, and very close to the event goal of $3,500.

Many thanks to the wonderful sponsors of this great event, including Rotary of Essex, the Albert D. Lawton School, Key Bank, Ashe Insurance, International Coins and

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LOCAL

ESSEX POLICE REPORTS Emergency: 911 • Non-emergency: 878-8331 145 Maple St., Essex Jct., VT 05452 • www.epdvt.org

January 21 - 27 Arrests

1 DUI with license suspended

MondAy, JAnuAry 21

7:44 a.m., Welfare check on Central St. 12:56 p.m., Theft on Carmichael St. 1:16 p.m., Motor vehicle complaint on I-289 1:58 p.m., Property damage on Commonwealth Ave. 2:02 p.m., Motor vehicle complaint on I-289 3:27 p.m., Animal problem on Sand Hill Rd. 5:35 p.m., Car fire on Rustic Dr. 6:04 p.m., Welfare check on West St.

tuesdAy, JAnuAry 22

12:25 a.m., Citizen assist on Railroad Ave. 6:51 a.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Allen Martin Dr. 7:53 a.m.,Accident with property damage Allen Martin Dr. 8:37 a.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Perry Dr. 10:43 a.m., Citizen assist on Franklin St. 2:30 p.m., Accident with property damage Upper Main St. 3:03 p.m., Drugs on Essex Way 4:03 p.m., Accident with property damage on Center Rd. 5:03 p.m., Accident with property damage on River Rd. 5:37 p.m., Citizen assist on Maple St. 5:55 p.m., Citizen assist on Chestnut Ln. 9:08 p.m., Citizen dispute on West St.

WednesdAy, JAnuAry 23

7:04 a.m., Trespassing on Central St. 9:32 a.m., Citizen assist on Logwood Cir. 10:18 a.m., Citizen assist on Main St. 12:55 p.m., Threatening on West St. 2:13 p.m., Citizen assist on Grove St. 5:30 p.m., Citizen assist on Bluestem Rd. 6:03 p.m., Intoxication on West St. 7:12 p.m., Overdose; location withheld 10:48 p.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Susie Wilson Byp.

thursdAy, JAnuAry 24

6:32 a.m., Citizen assist on Maple St. 8:14 a.m., Suspicious event on Pearl St. 8:31 a.m., Suspicious event on Maple St. 10:25 a.m., Animal problem on Maple St. 10:27 a.m., Suspicious event on Maple St. 1:26 p.m., Threatening on Educational Dr. 1:51 p.m., Citizen dispute on Education Dr. 2:03 p.m., Accident with property damage on Pearl St. 2:11 p.m., Citizen assist on Center Rd. 2:47 p.m., Found/lost property on Fairview Dr. 3:44 p.m., Found/lost property on Educational Dr.

4:12 p.m., Citizen assist on West St. 4:29 p.m., Theft on Loubier Dr. 5:43 p.m., Accident with property damage on River St. 6:32 p.m., Threatening on West St. 6:57 p.m., Suspicious event on Jericho Rd. 10:24 p.m., Citizen dispute on Ethan Allen Ave.

FridAy, JAnuAry 25

8:09 a.m., Motor vehicle complaint on River Rd. 9:52 a.m., Citizen assist on Pearl St. 9:57 a.m., Motor vehicle complaint Drury Dr. 10:37 a.m., Threatening on River Rd. 10:48 a.m., Noise on Cherokee Ave. 1:56 p.m., Medical; location withheld 3:37 p.m., Theft on River Rd. 3:49 p.m., Citizen assist on Maple St. 3:57 p.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Chelsea Rd. 5:53 p.m., Domestic disturbance; location withheld 6:24 p.m., Suspicious event on Carmichael St. 7:01 p.m., Wanted person on Pearl St. 9:43 p.m., Domestic disturbance; location withheld 10:02 p.m., Citizen dispute on South St. 10:07 p.m., Suspicious event on Deer Crossing Ln. 10:36 p.m., Citizen assist on Fox Run Rd

sAturdAy, JAnuAry 26

4:42 a.m., Citizen assist on Fairview Dr. 5:46 a.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Cascade Ct. 7:50 a.m., Suspicious event on Pearl St. 9:19 a.m., Citizen assist on Pearl St. 9:55 a.m., Citizen assist on Colchester Rd. 12:03 p.m., Threatening on Susie Wilson Rd. 3:17 p.m., Citizen assist on Main St. 3:26 p.m., Disorderly on Lincoln Pl. 5:27 p.m., Citizen dispute on Susie Wilson Byp. 6:09 p.m., Welfare check on River Rd. 8:01 p.m., Suspicious event on Center Rd. 9:06 p.m., Welfare check on Upper Main St.

sundAy, JAnuAry 27

9:53 a.m., Animal problem on Chapin Rd. 10:19 a.m., Welfare check on S. Summit St. 11:50 a.m., Citizen assist on Fox Run Rd. 2:16 p.m., Domestic disturbance; location withheld 2:51 p.m., Suspicious event on Browns River Rd. 2:55 p.m., Citizen assist on Maple St. 3:12 p.m., Accident with personal injury on Essex Way 4:01 p.m., Trespassing on Ethan Allen Ave. 5:11 p.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Lost Nation Rd. 5:52 p.m., Welfare check on Central St. 11:24 p.m., Suspicious event on Towers Rd.

totAl cAlls: 142

This log represents a sample of incidents in the date range. For more information, call the non-emergency number: 878-8331

EWSD BUDGET from page 2 The administration has proposed transferring $3.2 million in fund balance to the FY20 budget to lower spending and tax rates. The school board will decide what to do with the remaining $1 million. One proposal is investing in a master facility planning study to identify possible investment opportunities for the district.

Donahue said it may seem like a good idea to use the entire fund balance to lower the tax rate, but the district thinks it would be more prudent to consider long term planning.

“Everybody wants the lowest tax rate, but you have a big, low tax rate and then the next year, you have a big jump that sometimes is difficult for planning,” he said.

Other budget considerations include a 4.7 percent increase to salaries and benefits and an 8.6 percent increase in non-personnel costs.

No specific cuts or additions were presented at last week’s budget work session, but Donahue said no “substantive change” to teacher numbers at the K-8 level is expected due to the steady level of enrollment. There could be some changes at the high school level, but nothing out of the ordinary for the district, he said.

The board is scheduled to meet every week up until the first week in March to work on the budget.

SCHOOL NEWS from page 4 ics led to rich conversations where students and teachers could share with each other.

Many students felt inspired to check out similar books, as well as books that were read in other book groups. This project embodied the idea that reading can be more than a solitary experience and connected people whose paths don’t cross on a normal day.

ADL plans to do more book clubs like this again this year.

Snow Structures: ADL sixth graders worked in teams to create quinzhees (pictured right).

B AR B E R S H O P X- R AYS Monday through Friday 8 - 5

Saturday 8 - 12

For our customers convenience we will have extra staffing for the holiday season.

Your barbers: BERSHOP AR B S Y A 802-730-3647 R Patty Foley, X Wells, Kim Tilton, Michelle

Madison S Moran, B E RCormier B AR Erin

SSaturday H O P 8 - 12 AY aFriday Monday X through - 5Saturdays - Rhave we full staff8 on for your convenience!

Monday through Friday 8 - 5

Saturday 8 - 12

We are close to the bus stop in Essex Jct, plus we have free parking for all customers.

For our customers convenience we will have extra staffing forconvenience the holidayweseason.

For our customers will have extra staffing for the holiday season.

802-730-3647

802-730-3647

Opi ni On

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 | 7

MESSAGES FROM MONTPELIER

the essex

chittenden 8-3

chittenden 8-1

chittenden 8-2

REP. LINdA MyERS (R)

REP. dyLAN GIAMBATISTA (d)

REP. BOB BANCROFT (R)

lindakmyers@comcast.net, 878-3514

dylan@vtdylan.com, 734-8841

bancroft.vt@gmail.com, 879-7386

REP. MARyBETH REdMONd (d)

REP. LORI HOUGHTON (d)

marybethredmond@comcast.net, 488-0531

houghton.lori@gmail.com, 373-0599

REP. BOB BANCROFT It was a very quiet week on the House floor with the exception of the governor’s budget address.

The budget proposed by Gov. Scott is 4 percent higher than last year. The budget is based on a $73 million increase in revenues.

(This increase is due to two factors: economic growth and the new federal tax law, which incentivized businesses to repatriate profits held in foreign countries.) His budget proposes to increase fees by $8 million, the majority of it coming from brokers, dealers and mortgage agents. He is recommending a $7 million tax on online hotel reservations, which are not taxed now. He is calling for an increase in the tax on e-cigarettes and is proposing to increase the estate tax exemption over a five-year period in the hopes of keeping more wealthy individuals from moving out.

The governor’s budget address contained several initiatives.

They included increased child care subsidies ($7M), purchase of electric cars ($1.5M) and fully funding the state clean water initiative ($28M state, $19M federal).

As in his inaugural address, Gov. Scott repeated the need to grow Vermont’s economy and expand its workforce. He emphasized that without an expanded workforce, the state is not going to be able to fund its current programs.

One of the most interesting bills introduced last week was S.11, which proposes to limit senatorial districts to a maximum

CHITTENdEN COUNTy SENATORS Tim Ashe (D/P), Phil Baruth (D), Debbie Ingram (D), Ginny Lyons (D), Chris Pearson (D/P), Michael Sirotkin (D) email: firstinitial.lastname@leg.state.vt.us

of three members beginning at the 2022 general election. If this bill becomes law, the Chittenden County senatorial district, which has six elected members, would be broken up into smaller districts. I am very much in favor of this bill.

The Commerce & Economic Development Committee, on which I sit, continued with its orientation. We heard from a variety of state agencies and interest groups. The Dept. of Fish & Wildlife talked about how much it contributes to Vermont’s economy. We got a primer of the importance of the captive insurance business in Vermont. The captive insurance business in Vermont has become the gold standard in the industry and is the third largest in the world (largest in U.S.). Several organizations involved in economic development spoke. The major theme was workforce development and workforce housing. Our committee along with the Agricultural & Forestry Committee held a joint hearing on the emerging hemp industry. It was exciting to hear from several entrepreneurs in this industry. There is every indication that it will continue to grow and create a significant number of jobs.

The most significant item on next week’s agenda is the FY2019 Budget Adjustment Act. The BAA reconciles the FY2019 budget passed last spring with changes in revenues and various program expenditures. For the first time in the five years I have been in the legislature, tax revenues are exceeding expenditures due to the unusual increase in tax revenue.

Perspective

Making time for family

By Vermont Gov. Phil Scott and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu This month, we introduced a bi-state family and medical leave insurance program – the Twin State Paid Family Leave plan – that would build a public-private partnership to provide access to paid family and medical leave for all residents of the Granite and Green Mountain states.

As the governors of two New England states, where affordability and qualityof-life are top priorities, we strive to be innovative and fulfill the expectations of the people who have elected us. For these reasons we worked together on a program that balances the value of paid family leave, with our citizens’ ability to pay.

Too many struggle to meet the demands of the workplace as well as the needs of their families, their health and their families’ health. And we believe the coverage option we’re proposing delivers important work-life balance for workers in our states. Our proposal uses private insurers to provide universal access to competitively-priced paid family and medical leave insurance. We do this by building a large, diverse pool with state employees from both states. Each state would cover the full costs of providing

Family and Medical Leave Insurance coverage to its state employees.

Combined, this represents 18,500 Vermont and New Hampshire state employees to anchor this public-private insurance group, diversify risk and bring down costs. And, we’ve designed our plan to encourage employers to opt-in and offer full coverage, with more favorable rates for those who cover all employees.

We believe this rate structure – coupled with tight labor markets in both our states in which some employers are lifting wages and other employment benefits to compete for workers – will yield significant participation among employers. But, participation in the Twin State Paid Family Leave plan is not limited to employers. All individuals on both sides of the Connecticut River will have the option to purchase FMLI under our plan, as they would any other insurance product, at a competitive price.

In this way, our plan provides universal access to all employers and citizens of our two states. By working together and with a private insurer we will be able to start this program more quickly, effectively and reliably than if each of us had to start from scratch. And our proposal ensures we are not placing the full burden

of startup costs, ongoing administration, and the risk of underfunding and insolvency on our taxpayers. With this approach, we can lay the foundation for a sustainable program - one that could attract other states to participate and be a model for the future.

Vermont and New Hampshire have shown an ability to be innovative in our state policy often due to our relatively small populations.

On health care, we each have among the lowest uninsured rates in the country.

Both New Hampshire and Vermont offer among the best education systems in the country. And we are frequently ranked among the best states to live.

And we work together in order to do these things, from interstate school districts to the countless health care providers who serve Vermont and New Hampshire.

However, our small size can be a challenge when it comes to the affordability of programs designed to add value to our already-high quality of life.

By working together, through this Twin State Paid Family Leave model, we can and will – with support of our state legislatures – be able to deliver paid family leave affordably.

CorreCtions: In our Jan. 24 article “Report confirms child care capacity declining statewide,” we incorrectly attributed a quote to Dawn Francis, an early educator and Let’s Grow Kids volunteer, who lives in Essex. Dawn’s last name is Irwin. Additionally, we incorrectly reported the Milton Early Education program is on a lottery-style system of enrollment, when it is actually on a first-come first-served basis. Also, an article about Mansfield Place paying OSHA fines incorrectly abbreviated carbon monoxide as CO2, which stands for carbon dioxide. We regret the errors.

RepoRteR 281 North Main St. St. albans, vt. 05468 EDITORIAL: 893-2028 ADVERTISING: 524-9771 news@essexreporter.com www.essexreporter.com facebook.com/essexreporter twitter: @essexreporter

EditoriaL ExEcutivE Editor Courtney A. Lamdin courtney@essexreporter.com SportS Editor Josh Kaufmann josh@samessenger.com rEportErS Colin Flanders colin@essexreporter.com Madeline Clark madeline@essexreporter.com Amanda Brooks amanda@essexreporter.com NEWS & SportS cLErK aNd caLENdar Ben Chiappinelli ben@essexreporter.com

buSiNESS oFFicE co-pubLiShErS Emerson & Suzanne Lynn emerson@samessenger.com gENEraL MaNagEr Suzanne Lynn suzanne@samessenger.com advErtiSiNg John Kelley john.kelley@samessenger.com cLaSSiFiEdS & LEgaLS Ben Letourneau ben.letourneau@samessenger.com

dEadLiNES Fridays at 5 p.m.

Published Thursdays Circulation: 8,800 The Essex Reporter is owned by Vermont Publishing Corp Inc. and is a member of the Champlain Valley News Group.

8 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019

Jan 31 31 Thursday Food shelF

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH - 61 Main St., Essex Jct., 878-8341.

James Gangwer, pastor. Sunday School: 10 a.m., Worship Service: 11 a.m., Sunday evening worship: 6 p.m., Wednesday evening youth groups, Adult Bible study and prayer: 7 p.m.; Fundamental-Independent.

CHRIST MEMORIAL CHURCH - Route 2A, Williston, just north of Industrial Ave. 878-7107. Wes Pastor, lead pastor, proclaiming Christ and Him crucified, Sundays: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., www.cmcvermont.org.

COVENANT COMMUNITY CHURCH - 1 Whitcomb Meadows Lane, Essex Jct. 879-4313. Rev. Jeannette Conver, pastor. Adult bible class: 9 a.m., Sunday service: 10 a.m. with fellowship following. Infant through pre-K childcare provided, cccpastorjeannette@gmail.com; Facebook page: bit.ly/2rDz4NE DAYBREAK COMMUNITY CHURCH - 67 Creek Farm Plaza, Colchester. 338-9118. Jesse Mark, lead pastor. Sunday service: 10:30 a.m., www.daybreakvermont.org; brentdaybreak@gmail.com ESSEX ALLIANCE CHURCH - 37 Old Stage Road, Essex Jct. 878-8213. Sunday services: 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am, www.essexalliance.org.

ESSEX CENTER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 119 Center Rd (Route 15), Essex. 878-8304. Rev. Mitchell Hay, pastor. Service 10:00 am with Sunday School and childcare provided. We offer a variety of small groups for prayer, Bible study, hands-on ministry, and studying contemporary faith issues. Please join us for worship that combines the best of traditional and contemporary music and spirituality. We are a safe and welcoming space for all people to celebrate, worship, ask questions and plant spiritual roots.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ESSEX JUNCTION - UCC, an Open and Affirming Congregation, embracing diversity and affirming the dignity and worth of every person, because we are all created by a loving God. 1 Church Street, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Telephone (802) 878-5745; Website: www.fccej.org Email: welcome@fccej.org Senior Pastor, Rev. Mark Mendes, Assoc. Pastor, Rev. Josh Simon. Sunday Worship Services: 8:30 and 10:15 am. Communion: first Sunday of every month. Faith Formation meets weekly at 10:15 am. Jr. & High School Youth Groups on Sundays. Heavenly Food Pantry – second Monday, 5:30-7:30pm; fourth Thursday, 2-6pm, except for Nov & Dec when it is the third Thursday. Essex Eats Out Community Dinner – 1st Friday of the month, 5:30 – 7pm. Music includes Sanctuary Choir, Finally @ First Band, Joyful Noise, Cherub Music, Handbell Choir, Men’s Acapella and Ladies’ Acapella groups.

GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 130 Maple Street, Essex Jct., 1 mile south of the Five Corners on Maple Street / Route 117. 8788071. Worship Sundays: 9:30 a.m., with concurrent church school pre-K to grade 6. Handicapped-accessible facility. Adult choir, praise band, women’s fellowship, missionally active. Korean U.M.C. worship Sundays: 12 p.m., come explore what God might be offering you!

HOLY FAMILY - ST. LAWRENCE PARISH - St. Lawrence: 158 West St., Essex Jct. 878.5331. Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m.; Sunday Morning: 8:00 a.m. Holy Family: 36 Lincoln St., Essex Jct., Sundays: 11 a.m. & 7:30 p.m. For more information visit www.hfslvt.org.

MT. MANSFIELD UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP - 195 Vermont Route 15, Jericho, the red barn across from Packard Road.

899-2558. Services are held 9:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from September through June. Visit www.mmuuf.org.

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH - 4 St. James Place, Essex Jct., off Rt. 2A at the Fairgrounds Gate F. 878-4014. Rev. Kim Hardy. Holy Eucharist, Sundays: 10 a.m. Visit www.stjamesvt.org; office@stjamesvt. com.

ST. PIUS X CHURCH - 20 Jericho Road, Essex.

878-5997. Rev. Charles Ranges, pastor. Masses: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. & Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Confessions: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. or please call 878-5331 for an appointment.

9 - 11 a.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, 6 - 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Aunt Dot’s Place, 51 Center Rd. Essex Jct. Serving the communities of Essex, Westford, Jericho and Underhill. Visit auntdotsplace.com for more information.

VermonT Farm show

9 a.m. - 4 p.m., CV Expo, 105 Pearl St. Essex Jct. Meet with vendors, preview products and machinery, attend trade association meetings, seminars and network within the greater agricultural community all under the same roof. Free.

Preschool PlaygrouP

9:30 - 11 a.m., Maple Street Recreation Center, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. Join other caregivers and children for play time.

We ask that you bring a drink and indoor shoes.

seaTed yoga

10 - 10:30 a.m., Essex Area Senior Center. Seated yoga is a gentle form of exercise, designed to increase flexibility and balance and help reduce stress.

Class is free for EASC members, $2/session for non-members. Please call 876-5087 to register.

woVen wall hanging workshoP

10 - 11 a.m., Essex Area Senior Center. Beat the winter doldrums with a “back from the 70s” woven wall-hanging! Beth Abustan from the Essex Junction Lions Club, a self-taught weaver, will show you several basic weaving techniques to complete a sampler wall hanging.

Teen cenTer

Community

7:30 - 9 p.m., Maple Street Park. “If you can walk to music you can learn to square dance.”

Email Wayne or Susan Pierce at sewpie@aol. com.

1 Friday Preschool yoga

10 - 10:30 a.m., Brownell LIbrary. Come do simple yoga poses, hear stories, and sing songs with Danielle! Best for children 2 to 5 years old. No registration required.

mah Jongg

10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area Senior Ctr. Members play for free. Nonmembers pay $1/visit.

Newcomers are always welcomed!

musical sTory Time

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Rock ‘n’ read with Caitlin on Friday mornings with books, songs and instruments. All ages.

kniTTing and crocheTing

1 - 2 p.m., Essex Area Senior Ctr. For more information call Lou Ann Pioli at 876-5087.

sTeam Fridays

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Create and explore with science, technology, engineering, art and math. This month: print making and magic milk, air pressure experiments, design cardboard cars and paddle power.

Call 878-6955 or check online for program details. For grades 1 and up.

essex eaTs ouT

5:30 - 7 p.m., First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., Essex Jct. Free community dinners for all!

If you need a ride, please email essexeatsout@ gmail.com.

2:30 - 5:45 p.m., Essex CHIPS, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. Open to students attending ADL and EMS. Free; open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Fish Fry

lego club

3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library. Step up to the weekly LEGO challenge and build awesome creations!

6 - 8 p.m., Brownell Library. For adult knitters and related crafters.

Note: this is not an introduction to knitting program.

eVening book discussion

magic: The gaThering

6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. This month discuss “Good Morning, Midnight” by Lily BrooksDalton.

modern wesTern sTyle square dance

6 - 7 p.m., VFW Post 6689, 73 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Open to the public.

FirsT Friday kniT nighT

6 - 8 p.m., Brownell Library. Come play the role of planeswalker: a powerful wizard who fights others for glory, knowledge and conquest.

Your deck of cards represents weapons in your arsenal, spells you

know and creatures you can summon to fight for you. Grades 6 and up.

attending Thomas Fleming School. Free.

2 saTurday

4 - 5 p.m., Brownell Library. Join in festivities, including stories, snack, dragon dance and creating a lantern.

weekend sTory Time

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Start off your weekend with books, rhymes and songs!

creaTe your own comic: From sTarT To Finish 1 - 3 p.m., Brownell Library. Learn about the process of comic making with local artist Stephanie Zuppo. Recommended for Grades 3 and up (adults are welcome, too).

Preschool oPen gym

3 - 4:30 p.m., Maple Street Park Recreation Center. Come run around inside during the cold winter months. There will be a bouncy house, balls, trikes, a play hut, a mini-slide and push toys for ages 5 years and younger.

3 sunday shriners’ bingo

12:30 - 4:30 p.m., Champlain Valley Expo, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Win some cash and support the Mt. Sinai Shriners of Vermont.

4 monday mah Jongg

10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area Senior Ctr.

sTory Time wiTh emily

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Drop in for stories, songs and a craft.

Tech helP wiTh cliF

Noon - 1 p.m., Brownell Library. Offering oneon-one technology help.

Reservation required.

Please call 878-6955 at least 24 hours in advance.

bridge

chinese new year

checkmaTes square dancing

6 - 9 p.m., Maple Street Park. Advanced and challenge level. Participants must have completed the plus style of Western Style Square Dancing.

Call Fred or Betty Smith at 891-9677 for more information.

moPs eVening meeTing

6:30 - 8:45 p.m., Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct. Mothers of Preschoolers exists to meet the needs of moms with different lifestyles.

asTronomical socieTy

7:30 - 9 p.m., Brownell Library. “Astro-Imaging with a Portable Telescope” by Steve Grimsley.

5 Tuesday moPs morning meeTing

6:30 - 8:45 p.m., Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct. (See Monday, Feb. 4)

sTory Time For Toddlers

9:10 - 9 :30 a.m., Brownell Library. Picture books, songs, rhymes and puppets for toddlers with an adult.

Preschool PlaygrouP

9:30 - 11 a.m., Maple Street Recreation Center, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Jan. 24)

sTory Time For Preschoolers

10 - 10:45 a.m., Brownell Library. Picture books, sign language, songs, rhymes, flannel stories and early math activities for preschoolers.

12:30 - 3:30 p.m, Essex Area Senior Center. Make new friends as you rotate tables and play with different partners and opponents throughout the afternoon. New players invited!

bingo

Tween cenTer

2 - 3:30, Brownell Library. TAB will meet to debut TEEN READS on Brownell’s web site by writing a review; discuss zodiac signs for the Year of the Pig and make a warm winter snack.

3 - 5:45 p.m., Essex CHIPS, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. Throughout the school year, students attend to play, relax, visit with friends and receive homework help under the supervision of our lovely staff and volunteers.

Open to students

12:30 - 3:30 p.m., Essex Area Senior Ctr. Every card costs a penny, so if you play 10 cards, each game costs a dime.

Teen adVisory board

Puzzles

2:45 - 3:45 p.m., Brownell

yCalendar Library. Jig saw puzzles, Sudoku, crossword puzzles galore!

rOnalD mCDOnalD hOuse Charities BingO 4 p.m., Champlain Valley Exposition, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Early bird games start at 6:30 p.m.

YOga with JOnah

5:30 - 6:30 p.m., First Congregational Church,1 Church St., Essex Jct. Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing.

Bring a mat or borrow one at the event. Donations welcome, but not required.

DrOP-in knitting CluB 6:30 - 8 p.m., Essex Free Library.

lgBtq: what DO all thOse letters mean?

6:30 - 8 p.m., Maple Street Park. You will learn the meaning of each letter in the rainbow alphabet. We will also dig into terms like gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality and how these elements of intersect to make us uniquely perfect.

6 weDnesDaY teCh time

10 - 11 a.m., Essex Free Library. Drop in with your device and your questions!

stOrY time fOr PresChOOlers

10 - 10:45 a.m., Brownell Library. Repeat of Tuesday’s program.

seniOr lunCheOn

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Essex Area Senior Center. Bring a dish to share during our January birthday program.

rOtarY CluB Of essex Noon - 1:15 p.m., The Essex, 70 Essex Way, Essex Jct. Visitors are always welcome.

teCh helP with Clif

Noon - 1 p.m., Brownell Library. Offering oneon-one technology help.

Reservation required.

Please call 878-6955 at least 24 hours in advance.

mineCraft CluB

1 - 2 p.m., Brownell Library. Play Minecraft creatively with other homeschoolers. Bring your own device with Minecraft pocket edition downloaded on it. For ages 7-12.

OPen stuDiO

3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library. The library suppl the materials, you bring the creativity.

reaD tO DaisY

3:15 - 4:15 p.m., Brownell Library. Daisy loves to listen to kids read. She is Certified by Therapy Dogs of Vermont. For all ages.

first weDnesDaY leCture

7 - 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library. ‘We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy’ UVM professor Emily Bernard discusses Ta-Hehisi Coates’s most recent reflections on race, the Obama presidency, and the election of Donald Trump.

7 thursDaY essex art league

9 - 11 a.m., First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., Essex Jct.

aarP free tax helP

9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Brownell Library. For taxpayers w/low and middle incomes. Qualified patrons will need to call 878-6955 or visit the library to make an hour appointment with one of them.

PresChOOl PlaYgrOuP

9:30 - 11 a.m., Maple Street Recreation Center, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Jan. 31)

seateD YOga

10 - 10:30 a.m., Essex Area Senior Center. (See Thursday, Jan. 31)

wOven wall hanging wOrkshOP

10 - 11 a.m., Essex Area Senior Center.

legO CluB

FEB 10 lOCal meetings mOnDaY, feBruarY 4 7 p.m., town selectboard, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

tuesDaY, feBruarY 5 6 p.m., essex free library Board of trustees, 1 Browns River Rd., Essex Jct. 6:30 p.m., school Board, Essex High School Library, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Jct.

thursDaY, feBruarY 7

6 p.m., town zoning Board of adjustment, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

e-Cigarette PresentatiOn

6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Essex High School, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Jct. In response to the escalating use by teens of electronic devices to ingest highly addictive nicotine products, Essex CHIPS will give an informational presentation.

8 friDaY rummage sale

9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church, 130 Maple St., Essex Jct. By donation only; take what you need, pay what you can.

musiC with raPh

9:30 - 10 a.m., Brownell Library. Come sing, dance and play with Raph. All ages.

mah JOngg

10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area Senior Ctr.

musiCal stOrY time

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library.

knitting anD CrOCheting

COmmunitY sOuP anD BreaD suPPer

steam friDaYs

la leChe league

6:30 - 8 p.m., Essex Free Library. Come connect with other nursing mothers.

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. Orthodontists are specialists in straightening teeth and aligning your bite. They have two to three years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile – that feels great, too.

6 p.m., village Planning Commission, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library.

4:30 - 6:30 p.m., Covenant Community Church, 1 Whitcomb Meadows Ln., Essex Jct. A quick, easy, and delicious meal to enjoy with friends and family at the church, or to pick up to take home.

Donations are welcome, but not expected. Call Pastor Jeannette Conver at the church, 879-4313, for more information.

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 | 9

1 - 2 p.m., Essex Area Senior Ctr.

3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. (See Friday, Feb. 1)

essex eats Out

5:30 - 7 p.m., Holy Family Church, 36 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. (See Friday, Feb. 1)

DungeOns anD DragOns

6:30 - 9 p.m., Brownell Library. Embark upon imaginary adventures.

Our Dungeon Master serves as the game’s referee and storyteller.

Grades 6 and up.

grange

7:30 p.m., First Congregational Church, 1 Church St., Essex Jct. The Grange is a family, community organization with its roots in agriculture.

9 saturDaY rummage sale

9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church, 130 Maple St., Essex Jct. By donation only; take what you need, pay what you can.

weekenD stOrY time

10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Start off your weekend with books, rhymes and songs!

BlOOD Drive

12:30 - 4 p.m., Essex Cinema, 21 Essex Way, Essex Jct.

Braces for Children and Adults – champlainortho.net DRS.DRS. RYANRYAN AND AND EATON EATON ST. ALBANS OFFICE 80 Mapleville Depot | 527-7100

WILLISTON OFFICE 277 Blair Park Rd. | 878-53-23

Pets of the Week TANK AND TATER TOT ~ 1 1/2 & 1 years old Males ~

Breed: American Guinea Pigs Arrival Date: 10/29/18

Reason here: Our owner could no longer care for us

Oink oink! Tank and Tater Tot are two piggy pals guaranteed to increase the cuteness factor in your home by at LEAST 115% (they’re not the best at math, though). These chatterboxes each have their own unique personalities sure to delight and entertain you. Tank (as the name implies) is more of a spotlight-lover who enjoys romping around and shaking his behind, while Tater Tot enjoys a little more privacy and having his own space. However, as with any great pair of besties, they complement and support each other in being their best selves. They’ve enjoyed their time on Smallie Street, Town of HSCC, VT but are ready to move on to greener, tastier pastures (did we mention they love to eat?). Stop in and meet these funny buddies today!

Humane Society of Chittenden County 802-862-0135

familY OPen gYm

7 - 8:30 p.m., Essex High School, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Juct. raft activities, board games, basketball, volleyball - something that every member of the family can enjoy! Free.

10 sunDaY DivOrCe Care suPPOrt grOuP

5:30 - 7:30 p.m., North Avenue Alliance Church, 901 North Ave., Burlington. Led by people who have already walked down that road, we’d like to share with you a safe place and a process that can help make the journey easier. The 13-week Divorce Care Support Group (for men and women) will be offered on Sunday evenings. For more information and to register call Sandy 425-7053.

L.D. Oliver Seed Co.

Chick Day 2019! r

de Pre-Or !

Now

Meat Birds, Ducks, Guineas Hens, Turkeys

Arrival dates for Layers is the week of April 15 Many Varieties To Choose From!

L.D. Oliver Seed Company, Inc. Green Mountain Fertilizer Co. 26 Sunset Ave., Milton, VT • 802 893-4628 Mon-Fri 7:30 -5:30, Sat 8:00-4:00, Closed Sun

10 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 | 11

LEGALS

FOLLOW US! @essexreporter

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS

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12 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019

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The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 | 13

Olivia MillER-JOHnSOn Senior: Hockey

T

wo more assists in a season full of them provided the 99th and 100th points of Miller-Johnson’s high school hockey career. The senior captain hit the milestone in a Jan. 26 victory at Rutland, reaching 60 assists to go with 40 goals. For the season, Miller-Johnson leads Essex in assists, total points (22), and Plus/Minus (+32), while logging significant time on the Hornet power-play and penalty-kill units.

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February arrives at the end of the week. Running out of weather adjectives, so no frustrating comments today. Hornet wrestlers take another tourney. I hope you are catching some athletic contests.

Don’t miss the Super Bowl, as it should be a beauty.

The wrestlers had another great week. On Tuesday, Essex clobbered VUHS 75-6. Saturday, they traveled down Route 7 for the Bob Benoure Commodore Invitational in Vergennes. The Hornets won their third consecutive tournament, and it’s believed this is the first time in team history they have accomplished that feat. Also, tournament director Bob Benoure stated Essex is the first Vt. team to win this tournament. 17 teams competed from Vt., N.Y. and N.H. The top three were 1. Essex - 202.5 points, 2. Malone, NY - 140.5, 3. Mt. Abraham - 127 points.

Ben Stewart’s finals match was voted the “Most Exciting Match.”

This is the fourth consecutive year a Hornet wrestler has won this award. Head Coach Ira Isham was awarded “Outstanding Coach” of the tournament for having the most finalists. Thursday night Essex hosts Spaulding for Senior night.

Come out and support our seniors on their last home duel.

The girls’ hockey team upped its record to 9-1 Saturday when they beat the Rutland Red Raiders

4-1. Grace Wiggett scored twice, and the big story in the win was Olivia Miller-Johnson. The senior contributed two assists to notch her 100th career point. The milestone came on her latter assist with 9:13 remaining in the game. (Wish I was there to witness it.) Abby Robbins and Molly Bruyns banged in the other two goals for Essex with Sage Amaliksen, Kaylee Moody, Frankie Martin and Maddy Young assisting. Sophia Forcier made 10 saves. They play BHS/CHS and Rice with the Golden Knights’ game here Saturday at 4:30. A quote from an extremely humble OMJ on her accomplishment: “When I realized I could make 100 this year, I was psyched. It was great to see my teammates’ reaction on the bench on Saturday after achieving that. It’s not something that Essex players easily accomplish because we have a balanced team and the points are pretty distributed. I’d like to help boost my longtime line mate Maddy Young to her 100th; then Essex can boast two players with 100 points this year.”

Boys’ hockey improved to 8-1-1 this winter after 5-2 W over the MIDD Tigers. Grady Cam scored two goals, with Owen Young, Jonah Janaro and Ryan Clark the others. Sudden Sam Foster stopped 13 shots. The SB game is rescheduled to Feb. 18. The Hornets host Stowe Saturday at 6:30 then have a clash up in autotown with rival BFA Monday at 7. Plan on getting there early for a good seat!

The boys’ basketball team is now 5-5. The Hornets lost a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, two-point contest 48-46 up in St. J but bounced back to win a strong 60-47 game over the NCUHS Falcons. Stephen Astor scored 20 including five behind the arc. Robbie Meslin chipped in with 16 in the win. After the CVU game Tuesday, next up is SB home Friday and Rice here Tuesday. The JVs are 8-2 winning a 57-55 close shave over the Hilltoppers and a L

to the Falcons.

Girls’ basketball went 1-1 last week and plays to a record of 7-5.

The Hornets began the week with a 45-30 win over BHS on MLK, Jr. night. Sarah Coulter and Emma Whitney led the offensive with 10 pts, and Lizzie Goodrich 9 while the Essex D did the rest. Later in the week Rice topped EHS 41-31. Coulter scored 10 pts in the loss. The jv’s are now 11-0 after a 48-38 win over the Seahorses and a 54-17 crushing defeat of the Green Knights. Paige Winter’s 13, Macy Hutton’ 11, and Maddie Rabidoux’s 8 were high scorers in a well-rounded team win.

They were in Hinesburg Monday, head to BFA Thursday, and host SHS Monday.

The Nordic skiers competed Friday at Sleepy Hollow hosted in a classic mass start. Girls placed 6th – Emma Chadwick 27th; Emma Legg 39th; August Spagnuolo-Chawla 53rd; Celeste Moyer 57th; Emma Brott 58th. Three JV girls in the top 10 – Madeleine Moino 2nd; Fiona Legg 4th; Rachel Chan 10th. V Boys – Patrick Herrin 26th, Nathan Wu 30th, Ethan Boutin 33rd; Sam Schultz 40th. This week is the Tour de Chittenden: Thursday skate at CHS, Saturday skate at Ethan Allen Range and Monday is the Cochran’s uphill climb.

The bowlers invaded Champlain Lanes last weekend. SB placed first with the Hornets second and Hartford third.

Happy Birthday Sue Burroughs, niece Kristin Hathaway Peet, Christine Chase, Mark Kirby, Liz Nelson, Andrea Riley Arnesen, Anne Mendicino-Wrenn, guitar picker Bob Recupero, Gary Godberson, Lynanne Laubach Nyarady, CA’s Kristina Teachout Cismoski, Jake Farnham-Haskell, Leslie Wall, soon-to-be Senator V Chase, Walt Latrell, Cheryl Fitzgerald, Tim Stratford, Kasey Green, Kristen Rauer Mullen, Rob Molina.

14 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019

B R I DA L

TO HAVE & TO HOLD

For this year's bridal section, we asked Essex residents to submit their vintage wedding photos. The result was a wonderful trip down memory lane. Congratulations to every couple celebrating a special anniversary this year!

Brad & Renee Shedd 1995. “A wonderful ceremony at St Michael’s cathedral, followed by the best party at the Inn at Essex with 200 of our closest friends and family.” - Renee

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Mary Ellen & John Goodrow “We were married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Burlington on June 3, 1989. I wanted my original headpiece to stand out so one of my bridemaids was a hairdresser and she recommended that she style my hair up and away from my face for the event. It was a beautiful sunny day and I was working as a daycare provider at a local school, and we decided to have the children also attend our wedding which they were very excited to be a part of the event.

“The reception was held at the Holiday Inn where my husband’s father, Goody Goodrow, was the organist for

many years and also a longtime resident of Essex Jct. We were surrounded by the most wonderful of families and friends, and everyone danced to music and enjoyed visiting with the guests that travelled from near and far. We had so much fun that we wished the day would never end. For our honeymoon we went to Sanibel Island in Florida as one of my husband’s cousins offered the use of her condo there.

“This year will be our 30th wedding anniversary, and we plan to bring our family and friends to Maine where we have enjoyed many gatherings.” - Mary Ellen

B R I DA L

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019 | 15

Fiori Bridal celebrates 25 years

By MADELINE CLARK “Don’t invest in a sign. You won’t last long,” naysayers told the original owner of then-Winooski-based Fiori Bridal Botique. Three owners and 25 years later, the sign still hangs outside the store, now located in Essex Jct. Fiori brides are greeted by the fresh scent of pomegranate as they walk through the door — it’s a trademark of eight-year owner Geri Cardinal. A few steps into the store, and blush pink walls, lavish changing areas and more tulle, satin and lace than imaginable meet their eyes.

“It’s an amazing job,” Cardinal said. “It’s really a lot of work, but I love it.”

Cardinal has always enjoyed weddings. When her eldest daughter went dress shopping, she purchased the gown of her dreams at Fiori. Shortly after, Cardinal’s other daughter, Erin Corbett, was hired at the boutique.

When the previous owner put Fiori on the market, Corbett told her mom immediately.

“We couldn’t imagine it closing … because it was one of those places that is a staple in Essex,” Corbett said.

“Everybody drives by and looks at the windows and how pretty they are.”

The two discussed their vision and soon bought the business. “I was a stay-at-home mom. This was crazy,” Cardinal said.

In early days, Cardinal used to cry as she mulled over business operations. The store was packed with

PHOTOS BY MADELINE CLARK

ABOVE: Erin Corbett helps a bride try on a gown.

hundreds of bridal gowns, bridesmaids dresses and other wedding apparel. But she and Corbett found their footing and built what they now call a “homey” dress buying experience.

The mother-daughter duo soon scrapped the bulk of their offerings to focus on brides. Currently, they carry 210 dresses from three designers and seven lines. The gowns start at $1,000 and go up to $2,500, and the staff is

mindful never to exceed a bride’s budget, Cardinal said.

“They really are for Vermont brides,” she added. “They aren’t over the top. They aren’t statement dresses.”

Her biggest sellers are fit and flare, boatneck and ball gown-style dresses.

“Probably what we get the most of [are customers saying] ‘no ball gown,’” she said. “Then they fall in love with the ball gown.”

It’s not unusual for a bride to stray from her original vision. That’s why Corbett advises her clients to come to the store without a plan and try different styles to get a true feel for their preference.

Walk-ins are welcome, but the Fiori staff recommends scheduling a 90-minute appointment to ensure the optimal experience.

“There’s a big difference between seeing a dress on a hanger and seeing it on a bride,” Cardinal said, adding appointments allow for experienced consulcustom invitations that are tants to lend their expertise. as unique as you are.

Scheduled visits allow for conversaSt. Albans, Vermont • 802.524.9771 x 107 tion with personnel, MessengerMarketingVT.com about 10 minutes for dress selection,

Say “I do! ” to

an hour to try on the gowns and 15 minutes to try favorites once more, she said. Oftentimes the brides schedule a second appointment to make a final selection.

For the shop’s 25th anniversary, officially celebrated on January 22, Cardinal and Corbett created a month of special deals for their clients. Every bride who bought a dress had her name placed in a raffle with two winners selected each week. The first received 25 percent off her dress, and the second won a Scentsy pot with the signature Fiori scent. All names that weren’t drawn in the weekly contest were rolled into a month-long pool for a free dress.

But appointments and contests aside, the greatest part of the job is the bond the Fiori crew forms with its clients. The boutique features a wall plastered in wedding photos and thank you notes from past patrons. The shop owners enjoy when former customers stop by to say hello or give them a life update.

One of Cardinal’s fondest memories harkens back to early days at her business. A woman with an amputated leg came to the store looking for her dream dress. A cancer survivor, the bride had heard of an upcoming designer sale and was hoping to purchase a discount dress despite coming before the event. Cardinal granted her request.

The bride thanked Cardinal and told her she’d use the savings on her dress to purchase a running leg.

Hearing that, Cardinal told the bride to take the dress free of charge. They remained in touch after her wedding.

But despite countless positive interactions, Corbett recalled one negative appointment. A bride arrived late, and when Corbett tried to wrap up the appointment, the bride’s friend yelled at her, saying it wasn’t fair to rush the session.

But Corbett kept her composure.

A few days later, she received flowers and a note from another client who had witnessed the conversation and wanted to thank her for her professionalism.

“It was one of those things where you’re like, ‘OK, there’s good people out there,’” Corbett said.

No matter what the day holds, Cardinal and Corbett agree it’s great to work with family. There’s something special about a mother and daughter running a business that mothers and daughters frequent, Corbett said.

Although the duo doesn’t agree on everything, they both say they love making brides happy.

“We are here to help, we want to help, because we love what we do,” Corbett said.

“Coming to work each day doesn’t feel like a job,” she continued. “I love it as much as I love my kids.”

16 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019

BISHOP from page 1 settled a priest abuse case last month from a man who alleged he was abused decades ago in Milton – Coyne stressed the Vermont diocese has received no substantiated allegation since 2002.

“The church is not a haven to sexual predators any longer,” he said. “That’s not just true in the diocese of Burlington. That’s true in the U.S.” Parishioners’ concerns extended well beyond the abuse scandal, however. Some honed in on church finances, inquiring about oversight and voicing frustration over the state organization’s taxes on their local parishes. Coyne assured the crowd his staff monitors Vermont’s 72 parishes and investigates any report of irregularities. He added the diocese has maintained a balanced budget for years but remains cognizant of keeping cost burdens low.

Others repined on the declining role organized religion plays in today’s society. They pointed to a noticeable lack of young faces in the audience and asked Coyne how the church can reinvigorate itself among younger populations.

“It’s not just a Catholic issue,” Coyne responded. “The fact that young people are not participating in revealed religions anymore is a problem across the board. The culture does not see belonging to a church as a necessary cultural value in the same way as other generations.”

He encouraged parish-

ioners to be the “seeds of Christianity” when part of larger groups instead of “seeing ourselves as separate.” To that degree, Coyne said, the diocese has adapted and works with secular human service providers instead of creating competing Catholic-based services. He stressed Catholics must start with their actions.

LOCA L into a closed system. You need that,” he said. “It’s therapeutic just to say what you’re thinking. It doesn’t mean things are going to change necessarily – there’s a lot of momentum, it’s a big ship. But it’s a step in the right direction.”

Coyne, who took over the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese four years ago, appeared

“I don’t want to hear that I’m not welcome into the Catholic church just because I believe in gay marriage.”

Lisa Rees Milton resident

“The most important thing is authentic discipleship and authentic way of life,” he said, adding it wouldn’t hurt if Catholics wore some branded T-shirts when serving lunch at the soup kitchen.

After the meeting, several local residents told The Reporter they appreciated the bishop’s willingness to hear the parishioners’ concerns.

Laura Duquette, who was interested in hearing about the church’s evangelistic efforts, said the format allowed both her and the bishop to learn more about what parishioners see as important.

Brian Beckage, who admitted he wanted a more concrete answer to his question about whether Coyne supports “more bottom-to-top control of our individual parishes,” said he would like to see the events happen more regularly.

“It’s like shedding light

comfortable and prepared when discussing some perennial questions facing the church.

Asked his stance on women clergy, Coyne said he wouldn’t mind if the order came down but feels bad for any woman who would have to marry him (a joke he also rolled out during the first meeting in St. Albans, according to VtDigger).

But Coyne also occasionally riffed on some of the most sensitive social issues facing Catholics today, leading to an exchange that embodied church’s constant struggle to remain relevant yet pure in its beliefs in a shifting society.

“What do I do when a politician goes on [Vermont Public Radio], like this past weekend, says, ‘I’m a Catholic,’ and then rants and rants and rants against the church’s position on some things?” Coyne asked.

“I don’t know how you can say you’re a good Catholic and do that.

“But short of having police at the communion line to stop them, you can’t stop it,” he continued. “It’s just dysfunction that’s out there.”

Lisa Rees, a Milton woman who recently returned to the faith, commended the church for making the religion feel more welcoming in recent years. But she said she’s the only one in her friend group who attends services, a fact she believes has much to do with the guilt that comes from holding views that aren’t purely Catholic.

“I don’t want to hear that I’m not welcome into the Catholic church just because I believe in gay marriage and

I believe in [pro-choice],” she said. “I want to still feel like I still have a place.”

In response, Coyne softened. He welcomed Rees back to the faith, earning her a round of applause, and explained Pope Francis encourages clergy help new arrivals to “focus on where God is in their life” instead of where he’s not. And while Catholics indeed seek “perfections,” he continued, they must recognize “all of us in this room are on different levels of that path, myself included.”

Coyne added he’s not “scandalized” by anyone who admits their beliefs aren’t 100 percent Catholic.

“You should come to my family and sit down on Christmas,” he quipped.

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