The Essex Reporter: March 28, 2019

New resource officer to work out of high school

An ode to Essex High School champions

Police, school officials hope new set up will encourage positive relationships between students and police

Columnist Joe Gonillo writes about EHS’ four winter championship teams Story on page 10

Story on page 6

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Thursday, March 28, 2019

EWSD board approves $81M budget

Increases focus on social emotional learning

By AMANDA BROOKS The Essex Westford School District board has approved a $81.4 million budget for fiscal year 2020. After offsetting revenues, the educational spending -- the amount the district will receive from the state Education Fund -equates to about $61.4 million, or an increase of 1.88 percent.

There was one ‘nay’ vote from outgoing school board member Marla Durham. Patrick Murray was absent.

The district has a $4.2 million carryover fund, which includes unused funds from fiscal years 17 and 18. Of those funds, $3.8 million will be used in this year’s budget.

EWSD chief operating officer Brian Donahue said he’s proud of the district’s work to keep the tax impacts low this year: with common level of appraisal (CLA) numbers, Essex Town and Junction residents will see about a half cent increase and Westford will see a cent and a half increase. On a $300,000 home, that equates to about a $10 increase in the town and village, and a $47

The arT of

paving

A truck drives along Old Stage Road on Monday afternoon.

Four sections of the road are considered failing under the town’s pavement assesment, with fixes planned for this upcoming paving season topping $200,000.

PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS

How the town of Essex selects road projects

By COLIN FLANDERS Dennis Lutz has a simple approach to road maintenance: some science, some art and some learning along the way.

It’s an attitude the public works director has built over more than 30 years overseeing the complicated fight against degeneration of the town’s roadways – a juggling act reactive to weather and reliant on funding in which pesky potholes riddle even the best laid plans.

And perhaps in no other job in municipal government does the perception of success play out so visibly, with most forming an opinion of the department’s performance by looking no further than the health of the road outside their front door.

So if Lutz has learned anything over the last three decades, it’s the inevitable fact road repair will always leave winners and losers – at least in the short term.

“There’s no perfect answer,” he said.

“You’re going to make mistakes in this process.” So how does he decide what roads to pave each year? The answer is more complicated than you might expect.

Before each paving season, Lutz must decide how to divvy up funding for the more than 50 miles of roads in the town, a total that excludes the 23 miles of gravel road.

Under the recently approved budget for fiscal year 2020, Lutz expects to have somewhere between $525,000 and $595,000 to spend on repaving efforts, depending on pricing and how much money can be used out of the current fiscal year budget, which ends in June.

See PAVING, page 2

See BUDGET, page 19

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2 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

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PAVING from page 1

The repaving funds include an additional $63,000 thanks to a Town Meeting Day request from resident Henry Gabert, who helped convince voters to raise the town’s overall budget by $100,000 and asked that the money be used to repave more roads. The selectboard agreed earlier this month to contribute some of Gabert’s request to the village, since residents there also pay into the town’s highway budget.

To help him decide where to repave, Lutz uses a management plan published by the department every three to five years. The plan ranks the town’s roads on a tool known as the Pavement Condition Index, or PCI, which essentially grades the road on a scale of one to 100 by taking stock of every blemish – cracks, potholes, ruts and so on.

The town’s last management plan was published in 2014, though representatives from the town, village and the Chittenden Regional Planning Commission last year walked each section of the roads, about 260 in total, year to compile new data for 2019.

The new data shows 15 road sections in the town are considered failing – receiving a 10 or below on the PCI scale

PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS

Public Works Director Dennis Lutz speaks to a Town Meeting Day crowd about repaving roads in the town of Essex during debate over a $100,000 increase to the town budget.

– while 18 more fall below a rating of 25, earning the designation of serious. There’s also 64 sections in either very poor or poor condition, with the rest, about 160 sections, in fair, satisfactory or good condition.

Handed this four-page list, a layperson might assume the best way to approach road repair is to start with the worst roads and work from there.

But these roads often need a complete rebuild, which can cost six to seven times more

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than less robust fixes needed to repair roads in better condition, Lutz said.

Take Old Stage Road, for example. Four sections spanning about a mile and a half earned failed or serious designations under the most recent PCI survey, and Lutz said a bad winter has exacerbated the issue to the point where the town has received a handful of insurance claims this season from residents who damaged their vehicles driving on the

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Lutz didn’t expect those insurance claims would be successful since complainants must show the town was negligent in at least trying to address the problems. But he said they have shown the town can’t afford to wait another year to fix the road, even though a year delay would increase its chances of receiving a grant to offset some of the cost, and Lutz now expects to spend about $211,000 on Old Stage Road alone.

Therein lies the challenge: The worst roads cost the most to fix, and even if the town contributed its entire repaving budget toward these roads, it could only pave a few each year. Dozens of other roads, meanwhile, would continue to worsen.

That’s why Lutz tries to contribute most of the town’s annual paving allocation toward cheaper fixes and get the biggest bang for the buck.

He walks over to a whiteboard in his office and draws a line graph to explain the strategy.

The vertical side of the graph shows a road’s quality, while the horizontal side shows its lifespan. New roads start in the upper left corner and gradually fall over time, resulting in a downward slope showing an average life cycle of about 15 years.

“The ideal way to do it is to let these go to hell,” Lutz said, pointing to the end of the graph, where the worst roads reside. “It’s costing you so much to do them, let them fail,” and instead put that

money toward roads in better condition, extending their life cycle by five to 10 years.

Then, he said, the town can seek grants and use funds put away in the capital budget to tackle roads with bigger price tags.

He said the same utilitarian approach must be applied when deciding between roads in similar states of disrepair.

When faced with a road with 10 houses versus one like Susie Wilson Road that shuttles thousands of vehicles a day, Lutz said he must make the most cost-effective decision for the town.

“Am I going to spend a ton of money for 10 houses?” he asked. “I know that’s hard and cruel, but am I going to spend that on this or am I going to go back and try to catch … some of the worse ones that have high traffic.”

Other factors play into his decision-making process, too, like whether roads have any underground utilities in need of repair. And he must often modify his plans to account for winter’s impact on certain roads.

But like any other municipal department, Lutz said his most limiting factor will always be funding. So when he was asked on Town Meeting Day whether the town is putting away enough money to address its roads, he acknowledged it’s a good question, one for which he doesn’t have a good answer – for now.

That could soon change thanks to the CCRPC, which is helping the town to fine-tune a database that will show how much it would cost to repair each of the 200-plus sections of road on the 2019 list. Lutz said the selectboard could use the database to decide what is the preferred road quality average – say 55 or 60 on the PCI index. Lutz said he could then come up with a yearly funding requirement that would allow the town to meet that standard.

If the result of Gabert’s request is any indication, there’s at least some appetite among residents to contribute A more money toward repaving G their roads. The question that now remains is just how much more they might be asked to pay moving forward.

“Let’s find out: Are we really in the ballpark, or are we out of it?” Lutz asked of the town’s current funding. “And if we’re out of it, how do we go to the board and taxpayers and say, ‘Hey, we need a lot more money?’”

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The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 3

Subcommittee to recommend three governance options What you need to know for next week’s joint meeting

By COLIN FLANDERS The subcommittee tasked with exploring governance options between the town and village plans to recommend three potential structures at a joint meeting on April 10.

To help any residents planning to attend that meeting, The Reporter is outlining each option below based on minutes from the subcommittee’s recent meeting. Members of the subcommittee stress these are recommendations, with any final decision requiring approval from both the selectboard and trustees.

GOvERNANCE StRuCtuRES unified charter: Only the village charter would need to be dissolved to create a unified town charter. But members agreed that dissolving both existing charters and creating an entirely new one to govern the single municipality would be the best option so that neither community feels like they’re being taken over.

Special district: Under this model, the village charter would be converted into a special district to include all non-essential services – like recreation and libraries – while maintaining the status of village residents as town residents. Members also discussed

the potential for a second district that includes just town-outside-the-village residents that could govern their library and recreation department. The subcommittee planned to reach out to merger attorney Dan Richardson with further questions about this model.

Status quo: The third option is to essentially do nothing. Members said this option will outline the current status of village and town services, and how they’re already interconnected, to help residents understand how the other two options would change the municipalities.

The subcommittee plans to give the boards a ranking system that shows the strengths and weaknesses of its recommended options across a myriad of issues, including how they would impact equal representation, tax equity and public participation.

The full boards can also request to add back in any models that the subcommittee cut out of its proposal.

That includes two options discussed at this month’s subcommittee meeting: the city charter model and a complete separation of the two municipalities.

Meeting minutes show the subcommittee threw out the city charter model, which would operate under a mayor/council board structure, because it says the joint boards have heard little input that residents want to become a city. And members decided not to bring the separation model

to the joint meeting because the full boards have continually voiced support for consolidation, not divorce.

If the boards do pursue one of the two options that would change governance structures, they will need to also determine what that new governing board looks like. The subcommittee agreed the board should have at most seven members, though five would be ideal, who could sit on a board made up of the following structures: At-large membership: Each member would be elected by the entire municipality instead of representing a certain geographical area – akin to how the selectboard is now elected.

There was disagreement over whether the at-large model would fairly represent residents, with selectboard member Irene Wrenner arguing that it’s unfair for some residents to be represented by someone who does not live near them. two wards: This model would split the municipality by the two existing boundaries, with each ward electing its own representatives. These officials could potentially make decisions on ward-specific issues while collaborating on town-wide issues, though members were unsure of the legality of such a model. They planned to further research it prior to next month’s meeting. Because this model would result in an even number of officials on the board, the subcommittee briefly discussed some ways to break

PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS

Amy Cooper, center, director of the Green Mountain Surgery Center, cuts the ribbon to officially open the center alongside Governor Phil Scott and Attorney General T. J. Donovan on a snowy second day of spring.

New surgical center opens in Colchester

By AMANDA BROOKS Last Friday, on a snowy second day of spring in true Vermont fashion, the ribbon was cut to officially open the Green Mountain Surgery Center (GMSC) in Colchester

to the public. While the center won’t be able to start hosting patients until the summer, the ceremony was a positive step in a long journey.

“This project has been a dream for so long that it’s sort of amazing, even to me, that

we’re standing here inside a real, live building that will soon be a real, live surgery center,” said GMSC manager Amy Cooper.

The surgery center had been in the works for several See OPENING, page 20

a tie. One potential remedy would be for the chair to break the tie, while another would be for the motion to die in the event of a split vote. Members said they will look into further options.

Hybrid model: The final option would look similar to the ward model but add in an at-large member, which could help the board avoid any tied votes barring any absences. The committee noted one drawback to such a structure is that at-large members would need to campaign throughout the community while their counterparts would not.

Following up on a discussion at the last joint meeting, the subcommittee also reaffirmed the goal of putting any potential governance changes up for a vote at the November 2020 presidential election, which would likely ensure the largest turnout.

That means the proposal must be finished by August 2020 to allow for the question to be placed on early voting ballots. Members said finishing their proposal by that April will give them enough time to engage the public with outreach events.

Subcommittee member Elaine Haney recommended seeking a facilitator to help guide the discussions.

Staff planned to prepare a request for proposal to be presented at the next joint meeting. The next joint meeting is scheduled for April 9 at 7 p.m. in the village offices at 2 Lincoln St.

4 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

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“Global warming and the marine life in danger …these are important because if we don’t act now to help … we might not be able to live here on this planet anymore.”

Youth on

Board By daVid VOeGele Executive director of Essex CHIPS Hailey Rickstad-Martineau is a 17-year-old who volunteers at the Essex Teen Center, where she used to come after school when she was “a kid.”

She supports younger teens as they explore activities of interest to them. It’s possible neither Hailey nor the youth understand just how important her role is. Hailey and the other Teen Center volunteers are supporting, engaging, inspiring, and empowering

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youth. They are helping youth to thrive. One volunteer working with one youth can often have a profound effect on the healthy development of that youth. Hailey doesn’t need to be a volunteer. There are many other things a 17-year-old can do after school. She does it because helping others feels like the right thing to do.

When I asked Hailey what advice she might offer to young students, she said, “Help those who might need the help.” Being someone who helps others is an important part of who Hailey is. “My goal after school is to be a massage therapist so I can help others feel more relaxed.”

Her concern for others is also reflected in her concern for

pressing social issues. “Global warming and the marine life in danger…these are important because if we don’t act now to help …we might not be able to live here on this planet anymore,” she said.

Hailey praises our local schools for their support of students, such as “letting them eat healthy and trying to help them through some problems.”

I asked her what else the community or schools could do to support youth, to which she responded, “Letting them experience different things they might want to do after high school.”

During school, Hailey’s favorite subjects are “math and science and American literature.” During her time

out of school, she noted, “I’m in a club called dungeons and dragons … it’s really fun. You can play your character that you created.”

Since I’m always interested in knowing if youth plan to live in Vermont after school graduation, I asked Hailey that question. “Yes, I do because Vermont is my home … sure, I like warm weather, but being in Vermont I can stay with family and friends.”

Excellent! Another local high school student with a strong sense of community and a commitment to helping others, plans to continue living in Vermont after school graduation. Glad to hear that Hailey!

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Authorities say a Colchester area student attempted suicide in January after being harassed through online messages and videos sent to others revealing private information.

Given the nature of the incident, the Reporter is withholding any potentially identifying details about the victim.

The student intentionally overdosed on acetaminophen, the generic name of Tylenol, while home on January 20, Colchester police said in a news release. The department’s investigation showed the student and some of their friends received messages and video clips that “revealed and focused on” personal information the student did

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not want others to know.

CPD cited two 16-year-old Essex girls in connection to the case. Police say the Essex High School students will appear appear on a delinquency charge of disorderly conduct by electronic means in family court, where proceedings are confidential by law.

Police did not disclose the name of the victim nor the two minors.

The student was transferred from the University of Vermont Medical Center to a facility in Boston, where they awaited a liver transplant. They were later taken off the transplant list when their condition stabilized and were released from the hospital.

Police say the student will have “lifelong restrictions” related to their liver.

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The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 5

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Fix in place for last year’s school ballot mishap

By COLIN FLANDERS Local election officials say they’ve come up with a fix for the mishap in last year’s school board vote that allowed village residents to weigh in on a seat dedicated to townoutside-the-village residents.

Joint municipal clerk Susan McNamara-Hill said there will be two different ballots for the Essex portion of the Essex Westford School Board elections this time around: Town-outside-the-village voters will have a ballot showing only their two open seats, while village voters will have a ballot showing only the seat available to the village. Essex Jct. elections, including the trustees, will be on the reverse side.

The changes will address an election hiccup last year caused by Act 46, the landmark school merger law under which the Essex Westford School District was created.

Because the 2015 law used language from old statutes that applied to union high schools, the school board’s legal counsel recommended the district ask individual municipalities to warn the vote.

But the town of Essex includes village residents, too, so when incumbent Liz Subin sought re-election for a seat designated for residents in the former Essex Town School District, her name appeared on ballots distributed at both polling places.

Subin was unopposed, so the extra votes she received from village voters did little more than boost her total tally.

But theoretically, a village resident could have sought and won election to the school board for a seat designated for town-outside-the-village (TOV) residents.

In response, selectwoman Irene Wrenner gathered hundreds of signatures from TOV residents to draw attention to the problem.

Martha Heath, school board chairwoman, said at the time she would have challenged any election that threw off the proportional representation prescribed by the district’s articles of agreement. Still, she said the school board should have reviewed the ballots and stressed it won’t happen again.

When the issue was raised last year, Rep. Dylan Giambatista said he was working with the Senate Education Committee to patch up the loophole with a temporary bill that allows the AOE and legislature to perform a comprehensive review and cleanup some sections of Act 46, including the one related to warning votes.

But a number of bills concerning the final stages of Act 46, and whether the landmark education law should be delayed a year, have taken up much of the education committees’ bandwidth.

“Because of that, it was decided in partnership with the Agency of Education that we take up this matter next year,” Giambatista said, adding conversations with local election officials show they’ve taken steps to ensure the process goes smoothly this time around.

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6 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

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Resource officer to work out of high school

By COLIN FLANDERS Essex’s lone school resource officer (SRO) will work out of the high school next year in a change that district and police officials say will provide better community relations and a more effective response to behavioral issues.

Though the majority of safety issues warranting a police response historically occur at Essex High School, police Chief Rick Garey said the Essex Police Department’s (EPD) school resource officer has never had a permanent space there.

Instead, the officer floated around to the district’s 10 school buildings through a hybrid role of teaching in the classroom and addressing behavioral issues when needed.

Starting next year, however, Essex’s SRO will maintain a permanent office in the high school and focus more on security and safety issues, with a goal of integrating into the school system so they’re known for more than being “the cop that shows up when someone is in trouble, or the guy who teaches drug resistance,” Garey said.

The chief said the new position would work on a flexible schedule, attending sporting or other school events when needed while working on special projects like traffic enforcement when school isn’t in session.

The change comes amid nearly 30 years of having some

PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS

Officer Michael Roberto has been named Essex Police Department’s newest school resource officer, filling the shoes of retired Cpl. Kurt Miglinas, who served in the school system for more than 20 years.

form of police presence in what’s now the Essex Westford School District (EWSD).

Cpl. Kurt Miglinas served in that position for more than 20 years up until his retirement

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late last year, paving the way for Ofc. Michael Roberto, who has been named EPD’s newest resource officer.

Roberto joined EPD in 2013 after two summers in the department’s bike patrol program. The son of a recently-retired cop in Pennsylvania who served for 30 years, Roberto said he always expected he would become an SRO at some point in his career.

Roberto will still find himself in the classroom certain times throughout the school year, but Garey said the SRO role will have an increased focus on security.

Roberto said he’s excited

to take on the role. He hoped to build upon Miglinas’s work and said “if we can get this ball rolling in the right direction, it’s just going to help the police department, help the community – help everybody, really.”

School officials voice similar support for the change, believing it will reinforce positive relationships between students and law enforcement.

As proof, Brian Donahue, EWSD’s chief operating officer, pointed to a series of school safety forums the district held two years ago following several incidents that occurred in the wake of the shooting in Parkland, Fla. That included an incident that saw students alerting police to a potentially threatening post from a juvenile, whom police eventually tracked down and cited after deeming it a hoax.

At those forums, most of the nearly 100 attendees – mainly parents – said they believed the best way to make schools safer is to create a sense of belonging.

Giving the SRO a physical location in the building furthers that idea, Donahue said, while also giving students another adult with whom they can build a relationship. Donahue believes those relationships prove vital in the fight to keep schools safe.

“Any relationship is built on trust, and trust is a process of experience,” he said. “By having our Essex PD inside of our school … we have an opportunity to build that trust.”

The opportunity could become even greater if Garey’s plan to increase the SRO staff pans out. The chief recently approached the selectboard and trustees with the idea and said he’s working with the school district on a funding model that could find EPD and EWSD each paying for a single officer while splitting the costs of the third.

The staffing increase

would help catch Essex up to models in other area schools, Garey said. South Burlington, for example, has a unit of three SROs overseen by a sergeant.

Garey said EPD could have a second SRO in the district as early as the start of the next school year.

Donahue supports the increase because he said it would bolster the district’s relationship with the police department and the local community justice center.

Working together, the three entities could create a “force within a force,” he said, one that could help the entire community “reimagine” juvenile policing and double down on the school district’s continued emphasis on restorative justice.

Still, Donahue understood that some parents may see the move as just a way to get an armed guard into the building.

He said though that reasoning falls “so far down the list,” he knows a permanent police presence will inevitably change how some students experience their time at the high school.

“We know that there are students of ours who feel less safe when the police are around than when they aren’t,” Donahue said. “That’s their background. That’s their experience. Our past process has been to just accept that.

This process is to try to lean into that some and change it.”

“We do that by building trust,” he said.

Roberto agreed, saying his goal is to show students that police are there to help them.

“If we can build the relationship with kids where they see me around, they realize that I’m not a robot who’s going to take them to jail – that I’m a person who they can talk to me if they have questions, then we can start building … a better groundwork for them in the future,” he said.

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The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 7

LOCA L Community Bank N.A. Supports memorial fund for second consecutive year South Burlington, Vt. — Community Bank N.A. recently presented a $1,000 donation to EDD Memorial Fund to support its annual Dream Big 5K: Run, Walk, Roll, which will take place April 14 in Essex. This is the second consecutive year that Community Bank N.A. has served as a sponsor of the event.

The EDD Dream Big 5K is a community event for people of all ages and abilities. The race begins at Essex Middle School, winds through surrounding neighborhoods and ends back at the school. All proceeds from the event support EDD Memorial Fund’s adaptive sports

programs for local children, and adults with developmental and physical disabilities.

“We’re proud to once again support the EDD Dream Big 5K,” Community Bank N.A. District Manager Erika Baldasaro said. “Participating in this event to support the EDD Memorial Fund is something our team looks forward to each year. We’ll have team members not only volunteering at registration, but on the course as well. We encourage everyone to sign up and join us on April 14 for this fun event!”

The EDD Memorial Fund is dedicated to creating sports

programs for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. Its goal is for people with disabilities to experience freedom, independence and adventure through participation in sports. EDD Memorial Fund partners with colleges and sporting organizations to provide various adaptive sports opportunities throughout Central and Northern Vermont and Central New York.

For more information on EDD Memorial Fund or to sign PHOTO BY COLIN FLANDERS up for the EDD Dream Big 5K, visit eddfund.org. For more The starting line of the annual Dream Big 5k, which takes place at Essex information about Community Middle School. This year’s race is on April 14.

Bank N.A., visit cbnanews.com.

SCHOOL Submitted by Essex Westford School District Center for Technology Recently the Health Informatics class at CTE finished a nine-day training at TLC Nursing Homecare in Williston, Vt. Our instructor, Wendy Bombard, BSN, RN was great.

Essex High School The Transition to College Information Session: A free information session for high school students with an IEP or 504 plan and their families, counselors, and educators will take place on Thursday, March 28 at South Burlington High School (550 Dorset Street, South Burlington). The night will be set up as follows: 6:00-6:30 pm: Resource Fair (VSAC, Voc-Rehab, Department of Labor, and the Vermont Family Network) 6:30-7:30 pm: Information Session & Panel Discussion Students, families, and educators from all schools are welcome.

Cabaret Night: Please join us for this year’s Once Upon a Time themed Cabaret Night. All students performing have chosen a song based in fairy tale or folklore. The sophisticated evening of performances includes full service desserts and coffee while you enjoy the talent of the Essex High School Choral Department. Admission is $5 at the door.

EHS Math League Title: On March 13, over 20 students from Essex High School’s Math League Team competed in and won the fifth and final meet of their season, clinching an eighth consecutive yearlong title of the Greater Burlington Math League (GBML).

GBML is comprised of teams

from 13 high schools in northern Vermont and outstanding season-long performances earned the following five students top 10 honors across the entire league: Henry Wu (#2), Jeremy Brennan (#3), Nathan Wu (#5), Eric Lu (#8), and Grace Lu (#9).

Khan Advances in Speech and Debate Contest: EHS ninth grader Fatima Khan is advancing to round three of the Rotary’s annual speech contest focusing on “Service Above Self ” after winning first place on Wednesday, March 13 at the weekly Rotary lunch. Fatima has now won $ 250 for her speech about the benefits of altruism and will compete next on April 13 in Lyndonville.

College Visit and Interview Program (11th grade students and parents): This event will take place on Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the EHS auditorium. Learn how to get the most from a college visit, as well as the different types of college interviews.

Included will be a panel of current seniors who will discuss their visit and interview experiences. This will be helpful planning information for upcoming spring and summer school breaks when a lot of college visits take place.

What’s new with yearbook: Yearbooks are all about making memories and preserving them forever. To look back through the years before we ventured into the adult world and reminisce about old friends and favorite classes.

To say that you had an impact on the school, no matter how small. Being a student at Essex High, you’re making a difference here in this school. We’re living in a generation where

adults are beginning to take kids seriously and discovering that we have a voice and we are finally letting it be heard.

Therefore, this year the team making our Essex Yearbook have decided to change a few things. We want everyone’s voices to be heard because this yearbook wouldn’t be possible in the first place if it wasn’t for each and every one of you. The first thing we wanted to change is the way we label sports.

The 2019 book will go down as the first Essex High School yearbook to do away with the gender categories on sports pages. We want to make sure that everyone feels comfortable and safe in our school.

Sports will now be labeled as just “soccer” or “basketball” and not girls or boys. Everyone knows that the decisions you make today will stay with you for the rest of your life and the yearbook is good proof that actions can last a lifetime. The yearbook team would like to announce that we are thinking about the future when we are creating the yearbook. We will not print pictures or text that could depict us students in a way you may not want in your later lives. Because of this, we are going to evaluate all the content we receive and may contact any students if we have any concerns. However, we will never change any content without talking to the student involved first to allow them to change or omit their submission.

We also recognize that not everyone in our school has the same opportunities to buy a book. The EHS yearbook staff are currently raising donations to supplement the cost of yearbooks to ensure that every student is provided with an op-

portunity to purchase a book that’s full of their cherished memories. Doesn’t everyone deserve to hold the stories they create? Getting yearbooks to as many of our fellow students as possible is something that our staff is very passionate about. If you’d like to donate, please contact our team email, yearbook@ewsd.org for more information on how you can help.

Lastly, we want everyone in EHS to be a part of making our yearbook in 2019. We are asking students to contact us with any pictures of you and your friends that you think

would make a great addition to our yearbook. You can always contact us through our team email or through our yearbooks Instagram DM’s (@ ehs_vt) with your pictures, in addition to your name(s) and grade(s). Find any other information you may need in our daily announcements.

The EHS yearbook staff is proud to be the makers and changes of the book this year, and we urge you all to buy a yearbook so that you are able to look back on a trunkful of memories.

By Briana Farrow, Photography Editor

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8 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

Opi ni On

Perspective

Session’s dance and how it ends

By EMERSON LYNN It’s expected the legislative session will be less contentious in comparison to prior sessions. Gov. Phil Scott no longer has enough Republicans to sustain a veto; the emphasis has switched from combativeness to compromise.

That makes sense, to a degree. It would be a waste of time and energy for the governor to rail against every tax and fee issues. And it would be little more than grandstanding for Mr. Scott to have a pitched battle with the Democratic leadership over issues he’s lost before the battle begins.

It is reasonable to find a middle ground; the governor can win some points with Vermonters by showing behavior that stands in stark contrast to what we see on the national front.

This newfound mood for compromise also makes sense for the Democrats who don’t need to be seen as the political bullies.

That said, the perceived need to compromise doesn’t mean either party needs to sign on to flawed proposals.

The fact the governor doesn’t have the numbers to sustain a veto doesn’t mean he is without power, which is why the Democratic leadership wants his imprimatur on the session’s key legislative efforts, including paid fam-

ily leave, the increase in the minimum wage and figuring out how to create a commercial market for the sale of cannabis.

In many ways, the challenge to find this common ground has flipped from the Republicans to the Democrats, which sounds counterintuitive. If the Democrats have the votes and can do what they want, when they want, then why do they care whether the governor and his party sign on?

They care because the issues cited carry some strong political liabilities.

If the governor signs on, it neutralizes the Republicans’ ability to counter in the 2020 election cycle.

Both parties, for example, want to find an acceptable proposal to deal with paid family leave. The governor is pitching a voluntary plan, one that includes 18,000 state employees from Vermont and New Hampshire and one that would provide six weeks paid leave at a 60 percent wage replacement level.

The Democrats want a plan that would require employers and employees to pay in, and one that would provide 12 weeks paid leave, at full wage replacement level.

Ideally, the two sides will find a compromise that works. But if it becomes an either or proposition, there is no reason for the governor to sign on if

it doesn’t meet his standards.

The same applies with the increase in the minimum wage. There is no reason for the governor to agree to raise the wage faster than he thinks the economy can handle it.

And it makes no sense for the governor to agree to a commercialized cannabis market if it does not account for the public’s safety, or if it does not account for an adequate amount to be devoted to prevention.

The governor also understands there is still an element within the Democratic Party that is wary of the party’s far left. They are aware of their vulnerability if their party strays to the extremes, which makes them leery of being teased too far out on the dance floor. The Democrats also understand the 2020 election cycle will likely run in their favor. Strongly, in fact. Bernie Sanders will be on the ballot for president. So will Donald Trump. Vermonters will pour out in favor of the first, and will pour out in opposition to the second. It’s a given voter turnout will favor the Democrats.

If Mr. Scott decides to pursue a third term, he needs to be seen as a defender of the political middle and not an outspoken ally of his party’s president.

All of this makes up the dance underway in Montpelier. It’s the Argentinian tango - in full embrace - the pair stepping in unison, pausing, then stepping again, cutting lines around an imaginary center, staring eye-to-eye, both searching to find the balance with the other.

The dance metaphor extended, it’s a closeness uncommon to both parties and it evaporates when individuality trumps being a pair. The dance works when both carry their own weight and one doesn’t lean upon the other. It works when there are no sharp turns or surprises.

But all dances have their endings and how the dance is conducted is what’s remembered and what’s recounted.

We’re mid-dance in this session.

We don’t know how, or if things will progress. We do know the dancers are maneuvering for their own advantages, focused on the other’s vulnerabilities, playing to the watching crowds.

The difference between this session and past sessions is that with this session there is a dance, in past sessions there was not. For the moment, it’s calmer and it may end up being more productive. We’ll know when the music ends.

Obituaries

DEbora batchElor

Debora (Debbie) Batchelor, 71 of Essex Center, VT passed away on Monday, March 18, 2019 at the McClure Miller Respite House after a long battle with Multiple Myeloma.

Debbie was born on July 17, 1947 in Burlington, VT to Clifford and Virginia Forgays.

On February 26, 1966 she married Dennis Batchelor of Macon, GA; they were married for 42 years prior to his death in 2007.

She is survived by two children, a daughter Denise (Russell) Groll of Essex Center and a son, Dustin Batchelor of Cumberland RI. She has

Eric Poulin Eric Poulin, 48, of South Burlington passed away February 25, 2019 of the flu complicated by pneumonia. Eric was born on November 15, 1970 in St. George, Quebec to Gerard and Renelle Poulin, and grew up in Essex, VT. Eric loved sports, particularly baseball, hockey and golf. At 14, he was named Jr. PGA Champion of VT. At 24, Eric

5 grandchildren, Connor and Riley Groll, and Aiden, Madelyn, and Chase Batchelor.

Debbie is also survived by her brother Lanny Forgays and his wife Gail and her sister Sandy Welcome and her husband Carl as well as several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Sherry Giroux and her parents.

Debbie retired from IBM after 28 years of service and as a substitute paraeducation teacher at the Essex Town School System for 8 years. After retiring she found a love of quilting. Her quilting brought her to

was left paralyzed by an ATV accident.

In order to escape the harsh winters, he moved to NC, where he started and ran a successful land development business with his father. When his father developed cancer, Eric moved back to VT to be closer to family, where he started another business.

Eric is predeceased by his father Gerard Poulin and mother Renelle Poulin. He is survived by stepmother Judy

Champlain Valley Exposition Arts and Crafts where she worked for 11 years selling quilts from many local talented quilters. “Our Vermont quilts are not only in Vermont, but Canada and throughout New England and beyond”.

Debbie also enjoyed charity work and made many quilts for disaster recovery efforts, that were sent wherever needed in the U.S. The family would like to extend to Dr. Paul Unger, and his staff at Champlain Valley Hematology Oncology, PC our sincere thanks for the care and support given to our Mom

Poulin, his stepsisters Jacki Yager and her husband Erik of Bozeman MT and Jocelyn Fillion of Shelburne. He also leaves behind a number of aunts, uncles, and cousins of Quebec and Essex, as well as his caretaker Chris and close friend Sylva. A memorial for Eric will be held later at the family’s convenience.

Near the end of his life, Eric overcame an addiction to prescription

during this journey. Also, our thanks to all of her “best buddies” whose support and encouragement made this battle so much easier.

At her request, there will be no funeral services. Arrangements are in the care of Cremation Society of Chittenden County. Donations in Debbie’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105 or online: stjude.org. To send online condolences to her family please visit www.cremationsocietycc. com.

medication. Eric and his family want others who are also struggling with addiction to know there is hope for recovery. Donations in memory of Eric may be made to the UVM Health Network (formerly VNA) at Development Office, UVM Health Network Home Health & Hospice, 1110 Prim Road, Colchester, VT 05446 or to the Travis Roy Foundation at www.travisroyfoundation.org/ donate.

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 9

Opi ni On Letters to the editor Thank you, Essex On March 4, I attended my last Town Meeting as a Select Board member. I had the opportunity to thank the citizens in attendance and to tell them what a privilege it was to serve on their Select Board for the past six years. I have had the honor of serving Essex on various boards and committees for the last seventeen years. I have enjoyed serving on each and every one of these assignments; the Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Adjustment, both of the Police Building Siting Committees and the Select Board.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have some projects that were particularly satisfying.

The siting of the new Police Department building was

one. Acting as the liaison between the Select Board and the general contractor when 81 Main Street was renovated and the consolidation work we have accomplished to date are the others. Those two building projects were desperately needed. Our consolidation work will achieve the economies of scale we need to move Essex forward and continue to provide the prompt and necessary services you expect.

I was never prouder of my community then when you passed the bond issue we requested for the new police station and when you allowed the SB to repurpose the extra money from that bond to help pay for the 81 Main Street rehab without incurring any new debt. We could not have

done those two critically important building projects without your support. So, I say thank you again to all of Essex for the privilege and honor of serving.

Mike Plageman EssexJ ct.

Vote for Odit I am writing today in support of Todd Odit for the Essex Westford School District School Board. Todd is a veteran public servant and understands how Vermont municipal government works.

I got to know Todd through Essex Junction Little League, where he coached my children’s Coach Pitch team last year. Todd is deeply motivated to help boys and girls in our community have fun, treat

one another with respect, and challenge themselves.

Todd will be a forceful advocate for the needs of all Essex Junction students, especially our least advantaged scholars, who suffer from chronic underservice of school transportation. He has a passion for improving transit outcomes for the Junction and as a concerned citizen, has already made himself a vocal contributor to School Board matters relating to busing. If you are interested in ensuring that transport resources are finally distributed equitably across the District, Todd is the best choice.

Please join me in voting for Todd Odit on April 9th.

Max Ekstrom

MESSAGES FROM MONTPELIER 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

By REP. LORI HOUGHTON

Our daily schedule has definitely changed. We are now splitting our time between committee and the house floor.

Of great importance to many in our state is childcare legislation. House Human Services passed H. 531, an act relating to Vermont’s child care and early learning system. If it becomes law, it will be part of a multi-year strategy to improve and strengthen child care laws and regulations. H. 531 does the following: invests $10.5 million in VT’s child care and learning system; expands income eligibility for child care for low and middle-income families; increases reimbursement rates to child care providers for pre-school and hschool age children; includes a student loan repayment program and funds scholarships for early educators to further professional development. The goal is to create more favorable conditions for Vermont families to access affordable, high-quality child care, so parents who

want or need to work.

In the healthcare committee we had two bills pass over to the Senate: H83 an act relating to female genital cutting (FGC) and H528 the rural health services task force.

Regarding H83, In 1996 Congress passed legislation prohibiting FGC. This past fall, a federal judge in the Eastern District of Michigan dismissed a case against two doctors who were charged with violating the statute. The judge found that Congress overstepped its bounds by legislating to prohibit FGC because under our federal system of government, local criminal activity is for the states to regulate, not Congress. The case is on appeal, but the District Court ruling is likely to reduce or eliminate the chances of it being used by federal prosecutors around the country, and signals that the states need to regulate FGC if they want to prohibit the act.

Regarding H528, rural health care systems are facing challenges throughout the

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

country. More than 100 rural hospitals have closed in the US since 2010, and here in Vermont at least one critical-access hospital is facing financial crisis. While we are concerned about the future of Vermont’s rural hospitals, we also recognize that the rural health care continuum consists of many more service providers than just hospitals. These service providers are often interwoven into networks of care. So H528 creates a task force to bring together representatives from the different components of the rural health care continuum, and asks the member to think boldly about the future of this system.

Our next community conversation is April 13th from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Sweet Alchemy. This is a time to talk with your Essex area representatives about issues of importance to you. I look forward to seeing you there!

Please reach out with comments or questions - lhoughton@leg.state.VT.us.

Thank you!

the essex

RepoRteR 281 north main St. St. Albans, vt. 05478

EDITORIAL: 893-2028 ADVERTISING: 524-9771 news@essexreporter.com www.essexreporter.com facebook.com/essexreporter twitter: @essexreporter

EditoriAl ExEcutivE Editor Michelle Monroe michelle@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 community nEwS Editor Ben Chiappinelli ben@essexreporter.com

buSinESS oFFicE publiShErS Jim O’Rourke jorourke@samessenger.com AdvErtiSinG Taylor Walters taylor.walters@essexreporter.com clASSiFiEdS & lEGAlS Ben Letourneau ben.letourneau@samessenger.com

dEAdlinES mondays at 8 p.m.

What do you think? Email your letter to the editor to news@essexreporter.com Please include your name and address. Deadline: Mondays at 8 a.m.

Published Thursdays Circulation: 8,800 The Essex Reporter is owned by O’Rourke Media Group.

10 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

Something a little different here, taking a look at each of the Hornets’ four state championship teams this winter — boys and girls hockey, gymnastics, and indoor track. In no order of importance:

By JOE GONILLO

SPORTS

ONE FOR ThE bOOKS:

TRACK&FIELD The boys track and field team knows all about close meets.

Essex beat St. Johnsbury outdoors in June by a single point.

Who would guess that history would repeat itself in February?

Captains Jackson Baker, Jamaal Hankey, Peter Alden, and Ryan Guerino reminded the Hornets of that fact. Coaches Katie White, Adam Lacrosse, Nick Smith, and V Chase readied the boys for another fight in states. Baker reflected, “following our win outdoors last year, I knew we had the talent to take the state championship indoors. While we had the potential to win, we knew it wouldn’t be easy and that it would require hard work and leaving everything on the track. When the time came, everyone played their role and combined with some big performances, we were able to take home the trophy.”

Big performances indeed. Guerino and Jackson went 1-2 in long jump; Hankey took the high hurdles; Henry Farrington and Alden were first and third in the 1500 meters; Hankey, Spencer Towle, and James Boldosser ran 1-2-3 in the 300; and Alden was second in the 3000. One victory and two seconds to St. Johnsbury were key. Essex led by three as the meet came down to the final event, the 4x400-meter relay. Essex’s secondplace finish behind the Hilltoppers sealed the championship for the Hornets.

Guerino wanted the state record in the long jump and another state title was quoted, “I knew we had a strong team and knew we had a good chance at the state title. When it came down to it, everyone played their part and allowed for us, as a team, to be the state champions.”

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS • Jamaal Hankey, 300 meters • Jamaal Hankey, 55m Hurdles • Henry Farrington, 1500m • Ryan Guerino, Long Jump • Boys 4x200 relay (Jamaal Hankey, Spencer Towle, Ryan Guerino, James Boldosser) • Hannah Neddo, High Jump • Morgan Marckres, 3000m • Lizzie Martell, 600m

GYMNASTICS

The gymnastics team’s motto was “We Are More Than Just a Team. Coach Mary Krug stated, “We took pride in our team chemistry and depth. Our win at states was truly a team effort, and each athlete had an important role in our success.” Last winter was the first as head coach after years as an assistant for Krug, a four-time Hornet state and individual all-around champion. Essex saw its streak of 12 straight titles end at Champlain Valley Union’s hands in 2018.

This winter, the rivals matched up in early December and the Redhawks won by 0.2 points. Krug called that meet the turning point of the season.

The narrow loss to the team that had taken their crown away fueled the Hornets and helped the girls realize they had a great shot at beating CVU in the state championships. They took a good look at all areas of their routines and searched for places to pick up that 2-tenths of a point, and along the way scored a season-high 138.75 vs St. Johnsbury.

In states, the Hornets started slowly on vault but got rolling on the bars. Every Hornet in the lineup hit her routine perfectly.

The balance beam and floor exercise that followed were excellent, and Essex took back the title over its rival, 137.626-136.275.

Captains Abigael Gleason Kiki Keenan provided the leadership. Gleason noticed a completely different vibe. “Everyone understood the hard work needed to put into each practice. Our coaches’ (Krug, Lucy Lincoln, and Anna Charland) confidence in us gave us what we needed to be the best we could be. The friendships on the team got us to where we needed to be.

“I’ve never seen a more motivating and supportive team in my 11 years of gymnastics. We truly were one big family and I’m so grateful I got to spend my last year with these girls.”

Keenan added, “This year was an experience like no other.

Through our grit, sense of family, and supportive environment, we were able to carry out a well-deserved state title.”

SPORTS

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 11

An ode to essex chAmpions Girls hockey The girls hockey team had a remarkable season. For the first time in coach John Maddalena’s 14 years behind the bench they won 20 games, avenging a 2018 finals loss to longtime rival BFA-St. Albans. He told me, “While the loss in last year’s final was a bitter pill to swallow, sometimes adversity brings out the best in us. The girls were determined to win the last game this year and saved their best game of the season for the Gut. I am very happy for them.”

Two 1-goal losses and a tie in three games against BFA proved the Hornets could play with the Comets. Maddalena and coaches Kim Martin, Kim Fadden, Brent Farnham, and Rich Celia drove the point home.

Their turning point probably came after losing that first game to BFA, which had graduated a single senior from last year’s championship team. That 2-1 loss at the Hanover, N.H., tournament motivated the team to work harder toward the goal. Captains Molly Bruyns, Olivia MillerJohnson, and Maddy Young led Essex all winter.

Bruyns said, “I think our team came together at the right time and at the right place. It’s always the best feeling to accomplish what you’ve been working toward all season.”

In the state final the Hornets held BFA to three shots in the first period and scored the game’s first goal. It was the result of perfect puck rotation in the offensive zone — OMJ to Frankie Martin to Kaylee Moody to Maddy Young to an open Abby Robbins, who buried the onetimer for the game-winning goal. Essex knew going in that goals would be hard to come by — the Comets had not allowed more than one since the end of the 2017-18 regular season — so attention to team defense in practice paid off. The goal was to shut out the Comets. If they couldn’t score, they couldn’t win. Hannah Himes added a third-period goal, ending BFA’s 1-goal streak at 25 games, and the game plan paid off big time with a 15-save shutout for Sophia Forcier and the Hornets.

Boys hockey The boys hockey team repeated as state champions with a convincing shutout over Rice. Grady Cram’s 5-point night, the best for Essex in a final in 33 years, is a great memory. Coaches Chris Line, Dean Corkum, Kerry Wiebe, Tyler Peckham, and Matt Desautels deserve a great deal of credit. They transferred leadership to captain Jonah Janero and alternate captains Gordon Schmalz and Willem Barwin, who did not disappoint.

Though they dominated hockey in Vermont, losses to Stowe and especially Middlebury in the final regular-season contest, focused the Hornets for their playoff run. Three shutout wins in their dominating post season — 3-0, 7-0, and 5-0 — reminded everyone just how good this team was.

Cram’s three assists ignited the Essex offense, and his two goals sealed the game.

Combine that with Sam Foster’s Henrik Lindquist-like goaltending skills and their solid Iron Curtain defense, and the Hornets produced a season to remember.

12 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

SPORTS

Individual wrestling state champions Ben Stewart, 113 lbs Calvin Leo, 123 lbs James Danis, 182 lbs

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SPORTS

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 13

Hockey championships box score Division II Boys Championship Wednesday, March 13, Gutterson Fieldhouse WOODSTOCK 3, COLCHESTER 1 Colchester (3, 17-5-1) 0 0 1 — 1 Woodstock (1, 16-2-3) 0 3 0 — 3 Second Period Wood. — Andrew Gubbins (Ely Chynoweth) 8:54 Wood. — Lucas Piconi (Henry Greene) PP 11:23 Wood. — Chynoweth (David Field Willis, Trevor White) 12:17 Third Period Col. — Will Spencer (Cam Rolston) PP 12:10 Shots on Goal Colchester 4 5 12 — 21 Woodstock 4 14 5 — 23 Saves: Col., Sam Fath, 20; Wood., Henry Greene, 20.

Division I Boys Championship Wednesday, March 13, Gutterson Fieldhouse ESSEX 5, RICE 0 Rice (6, 9-11-2) 0 0 0 — 0 Essex (1, 18-2-3) 0 3 2 — 5 Second Period Essex — Jonah Janaro (Grady Cram, Jason Smith) PP 1:40 Essex — Ian Amaliksen (Cram) 13:13 Essex — Willem Barwin (Cram) 14:32 Third Period Essex — Cram (Tobias Martin, Sam Gibbs) 10:55 Essex — Cram (Janaro) 14:56 Shots on Goal Rice 8 5 4 — 17 Essex 11 10 9 — 30 Saves: Rice, Cale Layman, 25; Essex, Sam Foster, 17.

Penalties: 1st — Reilly Hickey, Rice, roughing, 8:12; Tyler Millette, Essex, interference, 9:57. 2nd — Gustav Bage, Rice, tripping, 0L57; Gordan Schmalz, Essex, hooking, 9:42; Kiaran Connelly, Rice, roughing, 9:55; Millette, Essex, roughing, 9:55; Cameron Kinsell, Rice, roughing, 15:00. 3rd — Millette, Essex, tripping, 0:39; Cram, Essex, hitting from behind (5), 3:48.

Power Plays: Rice 9-4, Essex 1-3.

Division II Girls Championship Wednesday, March 14, Gutterson Fieldhouse MISSISQUOI 3, WOODSTOCK 1 Woodstock (8, 8-14-3) 0 1 0 — 1 Missisquoi (7, 10-14) 2 0 1 — 3 First Period MVU — Callie Parks (Brianna Parent, Haley Stefaniak), 3:11 MVU — Parent, 13:26 Second Period Wood. — Alessandra Cimis, 9:15 Third Period MVU — Parks (Madison Aiken), 8:42 Shots on Goal Woodstock 8 5 6 — 19 Missisquoi 6 12 10 — 28 Saves: Wood., Bridgit Black, 25; MVU, Madison Conley, 18.

Penalties: 1st — Parks, MVU, tripping, 9:28. 2nd — Khara Brettell, Wood., interference, 8:15; Faye Stevens, Wood., elbowing, 10:28; Stefaniak, MVU, hooking; 3rd — Alessandra Cimis, Wood., checking, 3:37; 2. Faye Stevens, Wood., elbowing, 12:32.

Power Plays: Wood. 0-2, MVU 0-4.

Division I Girls Championship Wednesday, March 14, Gutterson Fieldhouse ESSEX 2, BFA-ST. ALBANS 0 Essex (2, 19-2-1) 0 1 1 — 2 BFA-St. Albans (1, 20-1-1) 0 0 0 — 0 Second Period Essex — Abigail Robbins (Madeline Young, Kaylee Moody), 10:28 Third Period Essex — Hannah Himes (Sage Amaliksen, Moody), 7:29 Shots on Goal Essex 4 7 4 — 15 BFA-St. Albans 3 6 6 — 15 Saves: Essex, Sophia Forcier, 15; BFA, Madeleine Hungerford, 10, Macie Boissoneault 3.

Penalties: 2nd — Courtney Himes, Essex, roughing, 13:17. 3rd — Linsey Larrow, BFA, roughing, 5:00.

Power Plays: Essex 0-1, BFA 0-1.

cla ssi f i e ds & J oB se e ke r s

l e Gal s

14 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

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Happy 70 Birthday th

in Heaven Martha Parsons Haggerty 3/22/49- 3/29/17

We are better because of knowing you and being loved by you. May we all try to make the world a brighter more beautiful place to live like Martha did everyday. In her memory, help a neighbor in need, find the beauty in everyday and sing with your whole body. We love and miss you!

Your family and friends.

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The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 15

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16 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

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.

Mar 28

Community

28 Thursday

welcome.

rhymes and songs!

Food shelF 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.

Modern WesTern sTyle square dance 7:30 - 9 p.m., Maple Street Park. Email Wayne or Susan Pierce at sewpie@ aol.com.

genealogy bricK Wall solved 10:30 a.m., Vermont Genealogy Library, Fort Ethan Allen, 377 Hegeman Ave., Colchester. Michael Dwyer, a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, will reveal the steps and techniques he used to solve four genealogical roadblocks.

If your family tree has a few persistent gaps this talk will provide plenty of ideas and inspiration to help you tackle them with confidence.

aarP Tax-aide 9 a.m. - noon, EJRP, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. For more information about these sessions and to make an appointment, please contact the EJRP at 878-1375.

Free Tax helP 9 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. 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. seaTed Tai chi 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., EJRP Aspire, 74 Maple St., Essex Jct. Tai chi is a martial art that combines gentle movements, breathing techniques, and stretching.

Free to area seniors. droP-in KniTTing club 1 - 2 p.m., Essex Free Library. heavenly PanTry 2 - 6 p.m., First Congregational Church, 39 Main St., Essex Jct. The Food Pantry is open to residents of Essex Junction, Essex Town and Westford. Clients will need an ID for each member of the household and a utility bill. Clients may only visit the Pantry once in each calendar month.

Teen cenTer 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. lego club 3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library. chess club 3:30 p.m., Brownell Library.

We provide chess sets and you provide the strategy.

All ages and skill levels are

evening booK discussion 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., Essex Free Library. Discuss “Beautiful Ruins” by Jess Walter.

29 Friday Mah Jongg 10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area Senior Ctr. Members play for free. Non-members pay $1/visit.

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

KniTTing and crocheTing 1 - 2 p.m., Essex Area Senior Ctr. sTeaM Fridays 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. This week we will be making marionettes.

Don’t know what it is?

Come find out! For Grades 1 and up. essex eaTs ouT 5:30 - 7 p.m., St. Pius X Parish, 20 Jericho Rd., Essex Jct. Free community dinners for all! If you need a ride, please email essexeatsout@gmail.com.

Wing nighT 5:30 - 7 p.m., VFW Post 6689, 73 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Open to the public.

FaMily Movie: “The house WiTh The a clocK in iTs Walls” 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Rated PG, 120 Mins, free popcorn and drinks!

Magic: The gaThering 6 - 8 p.m., Brownell Library. Your deck of cards represents weapons, spells and creatures you can summon to fight for you.

Grades 6 and up.

30 saTurday suMMiT sTreeT PancaKe breaKFasT and silenT aucTion 8:30 - 10:30 a.m., Summit St. Learning Ctr., 17 Summit St., Essex Jct. Visit Summit’s website for a complete listing of all the fabulous “Silent Auction” items, and a chance to volunteer or bring needed breakfast items. aMnesTy inTernaTional MeeTing 10 a.m. - noon., Brownell Library. For additional information please call 802-279-2378 WeeKend sTory TiMe 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Essex Free Library. Start off your weekend with books,

doc and TalK: The haTe u give 1 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Join for a showing of the “Hate U Give“(movie starts at 1 p.m.) and stay for a community conversation about the movie (starts at 3:30 p.m., after a short break).

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.

Kids’ nighT ouT 6 - 10:15 p.m., Champlain Valley Expo, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. It’s our last Kid’s Night Out of the season!

Drop your kids off and enjoy a night out OR enjoy the Far Post Calcutta. There will be games, contests, food and snacks and more!

Pre-register at facebook. com/farpostsoccer. essex deMocraTs oPen house 6 p.m., Bownell Library.

Essex residents are invited to learn more about the Essex Democrats, consider joining the committee, and meet current committee members. This event is free, open to the public, and open to current committee members. Light refreshments will be provided at the Open House.

31 sunday sWaP Thing 10 a.m., Memorial Hall, 5 Towers Rd., Essex Jct. An Old School Comic Swap/ Show in Vermont! Join Panel to Panel and Devil’s Dream on March 31, 2019 for an old school comic swap/show in Essex, Vermont at the charming (and venerable) Memorial Hall!

Do you miss those comic shows of yore that were all about digging through bins of back issues? Damn well bet that we do! Do you want to immerse yourself in a World of Comics? Buy, sell and trade? Or maybe just stand around and bask in four-color glory?

Flag FooTball aT ehs 1 - 3 p.m., Essex High School Gym, 2 Education

Dr., Essex Jct. For the 2nd year in a row, the Essex Chargers Board and Coach Drew Gordon of Essex High School are partnering to bring free indoor youth football sessions to the Chargers community! Visit facebook.com/essexchargers for more information.

1 Monday dog licenses due

All dogs owned in the Town of Essex and Village of Essex Junction must be registered with the Town Clerk before April 1 of each year pursuant to Title 20 Vermont Statutes Annotated, §3581.

Free Tax helP 9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Brownell Library. For taxpayers w/low and middle incomes. (See Thursday, Mar. 21) Mah Jongg 10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area Senior Ctr. Members play for free. Non-members pay $1/visit. Newcomers are always welcomed! 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 one-on-one technology help. Reservation required.

Please call 878-6955 at least 24 hours in advance. bridge 12:30 - 3:30 p.m, Essex Area Senior Center. New players invited!

TWeen cenTer 3 - 5:45 p.m., Essex CHIPS, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. Open to students attending Thomas Fleming School.

Free. read WiTh Pugsley 3:15 - 4:45 p.m., Brownell Library. Practice reading with our new therapy dog and friend, Pugsley. 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 8919677 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 who all share a similar desire to be the very best moms they can be! verMonT asTronoMical socieTy 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Astro-Image Processing with PixInsight

by Mike Stadtmauer.

2 Tuesday

yCalendar MOps MOrNiNg MeeTiNg 9 a.m., Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct. (See Monday, Jan. 7)

prescHOOL pLaygrOup 9:30 - 11 a.m., Maple Street Recreation Center, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. sTOry TiMe 10 - 10:45 a.m., Brownell Library. Picture books, sign language, songs, rhymes, flannel stories and early math activities.

BiNgO 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. seaTed Tai cHi 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., EJRP Aspire, 74 Maple St., Essex Jct. TaB 2 - 3:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Teen Advisory Board and their book loving friends will add to “To Read or not to Read” recommendations. Observance of Ides of March and a game of Trivia in anticipation of sending a team to May 3 event.

MONey sMarT gaMes 2:45 - 3:45 p.m., Brownell Library. Celebrate Money Smart Week while playing the board games Life and Monopoly Junior, in the youth non-fiction area. 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. Donations welcome, but not required. drOp-iN kNiTTiNg 6:30 - 8 p.m., Essex Free Library.

HiawaTHa pTO 6:30 p.m., Hiawatha School.

3 wedNesday sTOry TiMe 10 - 10:45 a.m., Brownell Library. Picture books, sign language, songs, rhymes, flannel stories and early math activities.

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

BaByTiMe 10 - 11 a.m., Essex Free Library. For infants through pre-walkers.

TecH HeLp wiTH cLiF Noon - 1 p.m., Brownell

Library. (See Monday, April 1)

rOTary cLuB OF essex Noon - 1:15 p.m., The Essex, 70 Essex Way, Essex Jct. Visitors are always welcome.

MiNecraFT cLuB

1 - 2 p.m., Brownell Library. Come 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 supplies 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. viLLage aNNuaL MeeTiNg aNd cOMMuNiTy supper 6 - 9 p.m., Essex High School. Prior to the meeting, there will be a free community dinner in the cafeteria. Free child care is available during the meeting.

4 THursday aarp Tax-aide 9 a.m. - noon, EJRP, 75 Maple St., Essex Jct. (See Thursday, Mar. 28) Free Tax HeLp 9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Brownell Library. For taxpayers w/low and middle incomes. (See Thursday, Mar. 28) seaTed yOga 10 - 10:30 a.m., Essex Area Senior Center. seaTed Tai cHi 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., EJRP Aspire, 74 Maple St., Essex Jct. drOp-iN kNiTTiNg cLuB 1 - 2 p.m., Essex Free Library.

LegO cLuB 3 - 4 p.m., Essex Free Library. cHess cLuB 3:30 p.m., Brownell Library.

We provide chess sets and you provide the strategy.

All ages and skill levels are welcome.

La LecHe League

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

MOderN wesTerN sTyLe square daNce 7:30 - 9 p.m., Maple Street Park. Email Wayne or Susan Pierce at sewpie@ aol.com.

5 Friday MaH JONgg 10 a.m. - noon, Essex Area

APR 7

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 17

Donate Your...

Donate Your...

LOcaL MeeTiNgs

Car, Boat, Car, Boat, Trailer/Camper

THursday, MarcH 28

Trailer/Camper

6:30 p.m., Town planning commission, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

...and homes! ...and helphelp buildbuild homes!

Tuesday, apriL 2 6 p.m., village capital program review committee, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct. 6:30 p.m., Town conservation and Trails committee, Town Offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

VERMONTHABITAT.ORG

857-5296

6 p.m., village planning commission, Lincoln Hall, 2 Lincoln St., Essex Jct.

6 saTurday

prescHOOL yOga 10 - 10:30 a.m., Brownell Library. Come sing songs, hear stories and do yoga with Danielle. Ages 2 & up.

9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct. This workshop looks at ten common expressions adults use with kids.

Discovering language flaws and finding ways to better express ourselves supports healthy relationships with children. Avoiding the pitfalls in communicating with children is the primary focus of this exciting session.

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. sTeaM Fridays 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., Brownell Library. Create and explore with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math. . For grades 1 and up. essex eaTs OuT 5:30 - 7 p.m., First Congregational Church, Essex Jct. Free community dinners for all! If you need a ride, please email essexeatsout@gmail.com pareNTs NigHT OuT 6 - 9 p.m., Maple St Park.

Treat yourself to a quiet night in or an evening out on the town when you sign your child up for one or more of these movie nights at ejrp.org.

Magic: THe gaTHeriNg 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.

iNTeNTiONaL LaNguage seMiNar

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

NerdcaMpvT auTHOr Faire 2:30 - 3:30 p.m., Hiawatha School. Over 30 awesome regional authors and illustrators will be available in the gym to meet their fans and to autograph books at this free event. prescHOOL OpeN gyM 3 - 4:30 p.m., Maple Street Park Recreation Center. siNgLe aduLTs’ vOLLeyBaLL, gaMe, pOTLuck diNNer NigHT 6 p.m., Essex Alliance Church Community Center, 37 Old Stage Rd., Essex Jct., VT. For more information contact Barb at 879-1469.

7 suNday sHriNer’s BiNgO 12:30 - 4:30 p.m., CVExpo, 105 Pearl St., Essex Jct. Come play Bingo! Win some cash and support the Mt. Sinai Shriners of Vermont.

BaLkaN FOLk daNciNg 3:30 - 6:30 p.m., Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, 188 N. Prospect St., Burlington.

872-8726

FURNITURE • APPLIANCES • ART • HOUSEWARES • RUGS • TOOLS • BUILDING MATERIALS

6 p.m., Town Zoning Board, Town offices, 81 Main St., Essex Jct.

Senior Ctr. Members play for free. Non-members pay $1/visit.

WILLISTON • 872-8726 528 Essex Road (Rt. 2A)

Open W-F 10-6. Sat. &WILLISTON Sun 10-5 MILTON 414 Route 7 South 528 Essex Road (Rt. 2A) FURNITURE • APPLIANCES • ART • HOUSEWARES • RUGS • TOOLS • BUILDING MATERIALS Open W-F 10-6. Sat. & Sun 10-5 Open M-F 10-6. Sat. & Sun 10-5

7 p.m., school Board, Essex High School Library, 2 Educational Dr., Essex Jct.

THursday, apriL 4

MILTON • 857-5296 414 Route 7 South

Green Mountain

Pets of the Week RANGER

~ 17 year old Neutered male ~

Breed: Domestic shorthair Arrival Date: 2/28/2019

Reason here: I was not getting along with the other animal in my home

Calling all senior cat lovers! Have we got a great guy for you - meet Ranger! Mellow, friendly, and handsome, we’ve come to love Ranger over his three stays with us over the years. Like a fine wine (or let’s be honest, a good cheese!), Ranger has only gotten better with age and would make a great companion for someone looking for all the great things senior cats have to offer.

Ranger has had some struggles in his 17 years and would love a calm and quiet home where he can soak up all the attention he deserves. If you have room in your heart and home for a sweetheart in his retirement years, run - don’t walk! - to HSCC and meet Ranger!

Cats: No thank you! I must be the only cat in my new home Dogs: I have no history with dogs

Humane Society of Chittenden County 802-862-0135 chittendenhumane.org

L.D. Oliver Seed Co.

Chick Day 2019!

der 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

18 | The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019

LOCA L

THE NEWS NEVER STOPS AT ESSExREPORTER.cOm

ESSEX POLICE REPORTS

March 18 - 24 Arrests

1 Violation of conditions of release 1 DUI 1 DLS 1 Interfering with emergency services access 2 Domestic assault

MondAy, MArch 18

DONATIONS OF NEW & USED*: • • • •

Appliances Furniture Tools Kitchen Cabinets

• Home Decor Items • Cars & Trucks • Even the Kitchen Sink!

12:41 a.m., Suspicious event on Commonwealth Ave. 1:28 p.m., Citizen assist Susie Wilson Rd. 2:07 p.m., Citizen assist on Mohawk Ave. 4:39 p.m., Accident with property damage on Main St. 8:15 p.m., DUI on Tyler Dr. 8:47 p.m., Motor vehicle complaint Sand Hill Rd. 9:21 p.m., Suspicious event on West St.

tuesdAy, MArch 19

9:57 a.m., Citizen assist on Landfill Ln. 12:27 p.m., Animal problem on Browns River Rd. 1:59 p.m., Threatening on Fox Run Rd. 4:46 p.m., Theft on Pearl St. 4:53 p.m., Citizen dispute on Ethan Allen Ave.

MILTON

WILLISTON

414 Route 7 South Open W-F 10-6.

Sat. & Sun 10-5 891-9829

528 Essex Road (Rt. 2A) Open M-F 10-6.

Sat. & Sun 10-5 857-5296

FREE PICKUP • 857-5296 • vermonthabitat.org

Lumber

Superior Quality Great Prices

Mill Direct

Kiln Dried 6-8%

As projects move indoors....

HARDWOOD FLOORING 3/4” finished thickness. Random length 4’ - 12’ (some longer)tongue and groove, recessed back (not end matched). MAPLE, CHERRY, OAK, BIRCH Price & availability can vary. Call ahead to confirm.

HARDWOODS ROUGH Hard & Soft MAPLE, CHERRY, Red & White OAK, ASH, BASSWOOD MAHOGANY, WALNUT & YELLOW POPLAR. No quantity too small.

ALMOST WHOLESALE 500’ BF pkgs of lumber - Hard Maple, Yellow Birch, Cherry & Red Oak. Select & better. Ask Ken for details.

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All Pine is Kiln Dried Pitch set @ 170°

995 South 116 RD Bristol, VT 05443 802-453-4884 7am - 4pm Mon-Fri

6:28 p.m., Trespassing on South St. 11:41 p.m., Suspicious event on Baker St.

WednesdAy, MArch 20

9:18 a.m., Animal problem on West St. 10:41 a.m., Trespassing on Lincoln St. 3:39 p.m., Threatening on Pearl St. 6:32 p.m., DLS on Ethan Allen Ave. 9:33 p.m., Intoxication on Upper Main St.

thursdAy, MArch 21

8:59 a.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Hawthorn Cir. 10:37 a.m., Suspicious event on Juniper Ridge Rd. 3:24 p.m., Citizen assist on Maple St. 8:47 p.m., Medical; location withheld 9:28 p.m., Suspicious event Center Rd.

FridAy, MArch 22

12:24 a.m., Noise on Autumn Pond Way 2:15 p.m., Vandalism on Carmichael St. 2:57 p.m., Welfare check on Brickyard Rd. 6:28 p.m., Motor vehicle complaint on Browns River Rd. 10:15 p.m., Noise on Dalton Rd.

sAturdAy, MArch 23

2:22 p.m., Restraining order on Tyler Dr. 7:10 p.m., Animal problem on Steeplebush Dr.

sundAy, MArch 24

7:22 a.m., Noise on River Rd. 11:28 a.m., Citizen assist on Maple St. 12:56 p.m., Threatening on Lincoln Pl. 2:05 p.m., Found/lost property on I-289 6:23 p.m., Social media on Baker St. 8:49 p.m., Domestic disturbance; location withheld

totAl cAlls: 99 This log represents a sample of incidents in the date range. For more information, call the non-emergency number: 878-8331

OVATIONS Students listed below from Essex and Westford have been named to academic honor rolls or have received other academic honors. The Reporter will be running more in the coming weeks.

University of Wyoming Asa F. Hoover and India Wilday Hoover made the University of Wyoming fall semester academic Dean’s and Dean’s Freshman Honor Rolls. The honor rolls consist of regularly enrolled undergraduates above freshman standing who earned a 3.4 or better grade-point average, and freshmen who have earned a 3.25 or better gradepoint average.

St. Lawrence University Mya N. Burghardt has been selected for inclusion on St. Lawrence University’s Dean’s List for academic achievement during the Fall 2018 semester. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must have completed at least four courses and have an academic average of 3.6 based on a 4.0 scale for the semester.

Therese C. Lupariello has been selected for membership in the St. Lawrence University chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honorary society. Lupariello is a member of the Class of 2020 and is majoring in mathematics. Lupariello attended Essex High School. Membership eligibility for Pi Mu Epsilon varies by class year, but all students

must have taken a qualifying number of mathematics courses and have achieved minimum grade-point averages in those courses, as well as overall, depending upon one’s seniority.

Mississippi College Kaitlin Devenney and Faith Schumacher have been named to the President’s List of Mississippi College for Fall 2018. To be eligible for the President’s List, a student must maintain a 4.0 grade point average.

Anderson University Sarah Koch was named to the Dean’s List at Anderson University for the fall semester, 2018. In order to be named to the Dean’s List, a student must maintain a 3.5 grade point average or higher for the semester.

Washington University in St. Louis Liam Osler of Jericho was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2018 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. To qualify for the Dean’s List in the McKelvey School of Engineering, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or above.

Seton Hall University Seton Hall University is pleased to announce Marcello Souza of Jericho has qualified for the Fall 2018 Dean’s List. After the close of every semester, undergraduate students completing all courses with a GPA of 3.4, with no grades lower than “C”, qualify for the Dean’s List.

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BUDGET from page 1 increase in Westford.

Without the CLA impact, the incentivized tax rate would be $1.45, or about a .63 percent decrease on this year’s rate, and these numbers continue to decrease after the merger.

Absent the CLA and changes in other parts of the tax formula made in Montpelier, the district’s tax rate would be lower than it was before the merger three years ago, Donahue said. The district has saved about $1.4 million since the merger including reductions in the central office spending and personnel, according to Donahue.

The remaining $365,000 of carryover funds will be assigned to the capital reserve fund for a long-term facilities study. Donahue explained the study will be a comprehensive look at the merged district’s over one million square feet of building space to highlight where improvements need to be made.

The board also approved the administration’s proposal to use $635,000 of one-time funds to continue on the promise of merger and social and emotional learning in a two-part plan.

The first part includes hiring five additional board certified behavioral analysts (BCBAs) to have one in each building to build capacity in social and emotional learning for pre-K to eighth grade students. Currently, all eight pre-K to eighth grade schools share three BCBAs, which the administrative leadership team says stretches them thin.

Dylan McNamara, student support services co-director, explained the BCBAs are integrated into the district to provide behavior intervention for struggling students. However, with only three staff for eight buildings, principals and other administrative leaders are having to deal with behavior issues, taking them away from evaluating teachers and other administrative work.

“The more time our instructional leaders are addressing behavior, the less time they’re able to focus on core instruction, the less time they’re able to really support the teachers in the way that has the biggest impact,” McNamara explained.

He said that there have been over 700 behavioral referrals in the kindergarten to

eighth grade buildings so far this year, a number that has been increasing every year.

While these changes are also part of Act 173’s requirements to increase social and emotional learning capacity in districts across the state, McNamara believes hiring more BCBAs will only help EWSD in the long run.

“It allows for early intervention and we believe, if done right, it has the ability to decrease costs over time,” he explained. “We look at it as an investment in our future by front-loading these supports and having more capacity building.”

Superintendent Beth Cobb added that having a behavioral interventionist in every building will only work to strengthen student supports and make them feel welcome in school every single day, so that they’re ready to learn.

“Strengthening relationships with students and adults and making sure that every student has at least one adult they can turn to in a school is really important,” she explained.

Currently, the district spends just under $300,000 on its three BCBAs. Adding five more will cost $490,000.

The second part of the proposal includes hiring a co-principal for Essex Elementary and Founders Memorial School who will work with current principals Peter Farrell and Wendy Cobb as a “triumvirate” of leaders.

The two principals said they already work together closely to make decisions that affect both schools, and act as if the two were under one roof in a kindergarten to fifth grade school. Due to the large sizes of their schools, however, they said they need more support.

While they have both worked with assistant principals in the past, Farrell and Cobb said a co-principal will help tie the two schools closer together and “generate consistency” across the two buildings.

“We really don’t see this as adding another person just to divvy up the responsibilities,” explained Wendy Cobb.

“It really is much about...three principals working together to really align and implement all of our decisions.”

Farrell added that a third principal would help free each leader at some point in the week to really focus on one task, like teacher evaluation, without worrying about being pulled away to put out prover-

bial fires.

“We would need to be prioritizing, as a trio, what is the main thing that has to happen today,” Farrell explained.

“If it’s my set of observations for a teacher...then I am doing those observations, not being called away.”

The other two principals would be at their posts at either school for the day, and Farrell could focus on evaluations.

Wendy Cobb added the third principal would allow the leaders to focus on better preparing students, and would cater to their individual strengths, creating a stronger leadership model in EES and Founders, which currently house almost 800 students between the two buildings.

“We’re telling you we need that support for us to really do this job well and effectively so that all of our kids can be successful,” she told the board.

Because the five additional BCBAs and new co-principal will be funded using $635,000 of one-time carryover funds, the administration said if all goes well and the district decides to continue funding the positions, they will have to find cost savings in the next budget cycle.

“Sometimes when you’re innovative, you have to put that money up front and then figure out where that’s going to come from,” Beth Cobb explained. “But we are a dedicated team to see where that is going to come from...I know that our leaders can do what they need to do in their schools and our teachers can teach and our kids are ready

The Essex Reporter | Thursday, Mar. 28, 2019 | 19

to learn, then we’re ready to dig away to see where we can make some cuts.”

Some board members were concerned with how late the proposed additions were brought to the board, just several weeks before they had to approve a budget. Others supported the proposal.

“Sometimes we’ve got to invest, we’re investing in equity,” said board member Diane Clemens. “To me, this gives the best chance for our kids and our staff to function as best we can, so let’s do it.”

The FY20 budget also shows about a 1.7 percent increase to the Center for Technology budget, and will increase CTE tuition by .89 percent to $17,000. Donahue said the district’s safety and security budget is also increasing by 93 percent to address some large projects as well as building capacity to keep students safe.

Voting on the school budget will take place April 9 at Essex High School and Essex Middle School, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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OPENING from page 3 years to open its doors in Colchester, but was held up by legislation in the House and Senate.

However, that wait was finally over Friday morning, as the Senate passed the bill S.73 that articulated the specifics for the licensure of ambulatory surgical centers in the state. Before Friday, Vermont was one of two states without these regulations.

Colchester’s economic development director Kathi Walker O’Reilly said she’s excited for the surgery center to finally open in the town, having worked with the team for several years.

“We supported them when they were going before the Green Mountain Care Board and then we also went down and helped when there was legislation being proposed in the senate,” she explained. “That would have required them to pay more taxes which would have made it financially impossible for them to open, so we are so excited to have them here.”

The original piece of legislation would have implemented a six percent provider tax on surgical centers, according to VT Digger. The bill that passed last week includes no provider tax.

The Green Mountain Surgery Center is the second ambulatory surgical center in the state. Vermont Eye Surgery Center in South Burlington

PHOTO BY AMANDA BROOKS

Gov. Phil Scott addresses the crowd at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Green Mountain Surgery Center last week. He said the opening of the center will provide high-skilled, high-wage jobs to attract young professionals to the area and help increase the workforce potential for the state. was the first.

The surgery center will bring 22 full time jobs to Colchester, a detail that Gov. Phil Scott focused on in his speech at the ribbon cutting. He said the center’s opening is a key example in his workforce development plan for the state, which is to create more highpaying, highly skilled jobs.

“Jobs like the ones created here will benefit Vermont in many different

ways, by drawing more families to our state and adding resources to the local and state economies,” he explained.

“It’s always a good day when we can cut a ribbon for new employers and employees as we work to grow this economy.”

Dr. Susan Maclennan, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, said she came back to Vermont after moving to western Canada because of the op-

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“At that time, the options for specialty surgeons to practice in this area were very few,” she explained of her family’s move in 2015. “But things have changed and we came back...to the state that feels like home to us.”

Dr. Maclennan said that during her time working in Canada, she saw the positive benefits that centers like Green Mountain Surgery Center can offer a community.

“I can tell you that hospitals and surgery centers can and do coexist peacefully in those communities,” she said. “I was able to consistently offer high quality, efficient and safetyfocused care in the outpatient center while still utilizing the full spectrum of higher level of care...now we have that option.”

Cooper said the creation of the GMSC will not only add jobs and resources to Colchester, Chittenden County and Vermont as a whole, but will also offer low-cost, high-quality health care for thousands of Vermonters.

“For the patients who said we ought to have smaller, more friendly, more convenient options in the Burlington area, for the patients who said that one size does not fit all when it comes to our medical care, and for the patients who said simply, price matters...it’s for you that we built the Green Mountain Surgery Center,” Cooper exclaimed.

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