The Charlotte News | January 9, 2020

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Charlotte News Thursday, January 9, 2020 | Volume LXII Number 13

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Vol. 62, no.13 January 9, 2020

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

Rick’s tree: A reminder of the stars, even when the sky is dark Chea Waters Evans Around this time of year, you can’t miss the towering blue spruce tree on Guinea Road. Aglow with string lights, it’s a popular landmark and a reliable harbinger of the holiday season. The tree is so much more than that, though—it’s a marker of the passage of time, a tribute to the bright life of a young man gone too soon, and a symbol of the concurrent threads of grief and celebration that commingle as a loss moves farther into the past. Lynn and Rich Nurczynski light the tree every year in remembrance of their son Rick.

An outdoor enthusiast and talented artist known for his mischievous grin, golden blonde hair, and a taste for adventure, Rick was a student at Northern Arizona University when a routine day of snowboarding ended with an avalanche and ultimately the loss of his life. Rick was barely 21 when he died on January 30, 1995.

Lynn said the tree was initially a gift from a friend shortly after Rick’s passing.

The Colorado blue spruce had layers of meaning; Rick moved to Breckenridge, Colorado, when he was 17, after he graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School. (He also attended Charlotte Central School.) “It was symbolic of when he first flew the coop,” Lynn said.

“After his accident,” she said, “we planted it in the spring, facing west, and we decided that on his birthday we would put lights on it…we had a little celebration.

The tree was probably five feet when we planted it.”

“His tree represents many different elements of his life and our memories,” she said. “One that astounds me (especially after this past visit) is how tall it is. Hard to believe so much time has passed since his beautiful soul was in our lives.”

That Dec. 6 celebration turned into a small ritual of remembrance that has remained mostly the same over the years as the tree grows – the intimacy of it a comfort to the Nurczynskis, their family and friends, and Rick’s friends. Lynn said they have a special dinner every year on his birthday, turn on the lights, and have a glass of wine under the tree. They pour a little out in a toast to him, she said, and then go back inside and send a photo of the spruce to a list of those who loved him.

Auletta said she remembers with affection his quirk of making up nicknames for things, and using “cool snowboard lingo,” and said she remembers most fondly, “other than his handsomeness!” his sense of humor and his smile.

Their responses are comforting, she said.

“They always say how much they miss him, and how much they love the tree, and how much it means to them: they feel closer to him.”

Rick’s girlfriend from his high school and college years, Nicole Auletta, grew up in Shelburne and now lives in Hawaii, but said she’s still connected to his family.

“December is always a time that I’m in touch with the Nurczynksis,” she said.

Though she doesn’t make it home often, this December she was in Vermont and stopped by to see Lynn and Rich and have wine under the tree with them.

Local author wins Costa Prize for biography

Jack Fairweather’s 2019 biography “The Volunteer: One Man, an Underground Army, and the Secret Mission to Destroy Auschwitz” won the Costa Book Award in the biography category this week.

Fairweather spent years researching and writing about Witold Polecki, a Polish resistance fighter who volunteered to go into the concentration camp, organized a resistance movement from within, and then successfully escaped.

“I’m so thrilled to have won,” Fairweather said. “I wrote the book because I wanted to share my passion for the amazing man at the heart of it, Witold Pilecki. He’s such an inspiring hero who fought against the greatest of evils in Auschwitz and triumphed only to fall victim to the Communist after the war. I hope that this award will bring more people to his remarkable story.”

“The Volunteer” was published in June to international acclaim: The Wall Street Journal declared it “superb,” a starred Kirkus review called it “an inspiring story beautifully told,” and The Telegraph says simply that it is “extraordinary.”

Jack Fairweather

The prize is given to five books by resident writers in the UK and Ireland in the categories of First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry, and Children’s Book. One of the five books will be awarded the Book of the Year prize at the end of the month.

Fairweather was born in Wales and currently lives in Charlotte with his wife, journalist Christina Asquith, and their three daughters.

He is on the board of The Charlotte News.

The peaks and valleys of grief can be unpredictable, but the time around the holidays is reliably difficult for many when the celebration of the season is marked by an undercurrent of sadness and loss. The bookends of Rick’s birthday and his last day surround the holiday season.

“The anticipation of December 6 is always very difficult,” Lynn said, “and when we light the tree, it makes us feel sad, but more peaceful inside, and it makes us, and everyone else that loved him, feel closer to him—like they’re actually here when they’re not.”

Lynn said the ritual is helpful for them and that their neighbors, many of whom know and understand the story behind the lights, look forward to the tree’s lighting.

Sometimes, Lynn said, she sees a car sitting outside in the driveway, taking it in, and though she doesn’t usually go out to say

hello, she doesn’t mind when people stop to look. She assumes it’s someone who loved him, stopping by for a visit and some memories. “He’s still in a lot of hearts, you know…all of his friends are still in touch with us, and it’s been 24 years. When we hit 21 years of lighting the tree, then 22, then 23…it was like, whoa! We’ve been lighting this tree longer than he was with us physically.” see RICK’S TREE page 3

Review of East Charlotte Village plan and Act 143 continue Juliann Phelps

will ultimately dictate what development happens.”

The January 2 Planning Commission meeting moved the vote on the next steps for East Charlotte village incrementally closer. The commission largely agreed on the proposed village commercial boundaries as presented by Vice Chair Charlie Pughe in an updated map. Members discussed adjusting the boundary line on Hinesburg Road to the middle of the right of way, similar to the proposed boundary line on Spear Street. Member Marty Illick preferred the consistency, “in terms of planning for utilities in the future.”

Illick said, “The reason for reducing the lot size requirement is to make more affordable-home potential. In the last 20 years we have not succeeded in achieving affordable homes. It’s not the only reason, but one of the reasons. We need to be strategic.”

The commission also discussed potential changes to residential density in the commercial village, largely agreeing on one-acre lots instead of the current fiveacre lot size. Member Gerald Bouchard expressed concern about the proposed size, saying, “One acre isn’t enough acreage to do both a well and septic on the lot.”

Chair Peter Joslin responded that he hoped septic would come from outside the village commercial district and that “resources

The last topic, changes to Charlotte’s land-use regulations allowing utilities to be placed under roads to promote growth in the East Charlotte Village, dovetailed into additional proposed changes to the regulations as related to Act 143. Town Planner Daryl Arminius presented a “red line” draft that included updates to the glossary and to section 3.12. The updates included revised performance standards specifically applied to accessory on-farm businesses to address topics such as noise and traffic.

Pughe said, “By right you can have an accessory on-farm business …. But in see REVIEW page 3

The Charlotte News • January 9, 2020 • 3

Editorial

Hey, whatcha doin’ Monday night? there was lively debate, discussion, and the principles of democracy were alive and well.

Chea Waters Evans NEWS EDITOR

Last spring, there was a controversy in Charlotte. The issue was over a request for proposals made by the Selectboard for tree removal. The parties involved made their dissatisfaction with the process known through Front Porch Forum posts, there was general uproar, and the Selectboard scheduled a special May 1 meeting to address the situation.

More than 60 people showed up.

Town Hall was packed that evening, and though not everyone in the room agreed,

Like the Super Blood Wolf Moon of 2019, that meeting was a rarity. In the moon’s case, it won’t be seen again until 2037, and in the case of the Selectboard, it likely it won’t be seen again until some other major kerfuffle erupts.

But what if every Selectboard meeting were like that? What if there were 60 people every week? What if those 60 people all had passionate opinions that they wanted to share?

Sometimes there are only two people in the audience, and it’s likely that those two people are reporters, and reporters don’t share their

Charlotte voting by the numbers Current number of registered voters: 3,268

Town Meeting Day Australian ballot voter participation (rounded to the nearest percent)

60% 50%

30% 20% 10%

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

April budget approval voter participation in the years following Town Charter approval 14% 12% 10% 8%

You never know what’s going to strike a chord around here. (Remember the Great Sidewalk Debate?) You don’t even know what might come up in the year 2020 that could be of great importance to you—are you suddenly thinking about wastewater?

It’s a fascinating subject, seriously. Are you wondering what’s going to happen with accessory on-farm businesses? That law could deeply affect the future of Charlotte.

You don’t have to run for Selectboard— although there are two seats open this year, one for a three-year term and one for a twoyear term. You should know, however, who’s running, and why they’re running, and what they plan to do should they win.

I’d argue that voting in the March Selectboard election on Town Meeting Day is equally, if not more, important.

6% 4% 2% 2017

2018

2019

November general election voter participation 80% 79% 78% 77% 76% 75% 74% 73% 72% 71%

Those reasons are all real life, and unless you’re an actual member of the Selectboard, their regularly scheduled Monday night meetings aren’t your real life…or are they?

It’s a presidential election year. A lot of people will come out to vote this November, motivated by the importance of exercising their Constitutional right to cast a ballot, and to be a part of the decision of who runs the country, and to make their voices heard on the issues that they hold dearest in their hearts.

16%

0%

Yes, the meetings can be long. Yes, they can be filled with jargon and mysterious acronyms and mind-bogglingly long discussions of minutiae. And yes, you have to pick your son up from lacrosse and your daughter from her after-school job and you work late and there’s nothing in the house to eat so you have to run to Hannaford and you’re obsessed with watching The Bachelor, which is inarguably another Monday night event that’s very important.

You won’t know what’s going to light your fire if you don’t know what’s going on. It’s easy to care about national or global issues, in a way, because affecting serious change on that level is fairly inaccessible for most people. But you can affect change in your own town.

40%

0%

opinions at public meetings.

2016

2018 Figures contributed by Town Clerk Mary Mead

I’d argue that going to a Selectboard meeting is just as important as going to the gym or sitting by the fire reading a good book.

You know how you can do nothing for six months and then hit the treadmill for 30 minutes and you feel like you’re going to win an Olympic gold medal? I bet that’s how it would feel going to a Selectboard meeting for someone who’s never been. The whole time you wish you were at home eating Doritos, but after it’s over, you keep thinking about it, and thinking about how that was really good for you and you’re proud of yourself for making the effort.

I think everyone in Charlotte should make a commitment to attend one Selectboard meeting this year. Just one. See what it’s all about. Exercise your right to participate in the governance of your daily life. Meetings take place on Mondays, usually at 6:30, and the schedule can be found on charlottevt.org.

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ON THE COVER Photo by Chea Waters Evans

4 • January 9, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Town

Around Town

RICK’S TREE

Congratulations

continued from page

1

Annika Gruber’s poem “Pink Chalk,” about a slender line that the poet pretends is lava, appeared in the Young Writers Project of the December 27 Burlington Free Press, and Iris Lawson-Ryan’s photo was selected as “Photo of the week.”

“It’s very comforting,” she said, “to look out on those lights. We can see them from our living room, we can see them from our kitchen, we can see them from our upstairs bedroom. It’s still really hard, but it’s a ritual that we actually love to do.”

The lights were originally blue, Lynn said.

“This whole thing about an avalanche was like a ‘once in a blue moon’ kind of thing— like, how can this happen? But then we returned it back to white because Rick was a winter guy, and he loved the snow, and he loved the night sky, and it looks like stars out there.”

On Jan. 30, the day of Rick’s accident, the Nurczynskis turn off the lights until December comes again. “It’s hard to believe that those years go by so quickly:

REVIEW continued from page

Rick Nurczynski

It feels like yesterday, yet it feels so long ago,” Lynn said.

Revote on wastewater yields same result Juliann Phelps Monday’s special Selectboard meeting got off to a slow start but concluded with a revote on West Village wastewater ordinances, which was required due to a legality. Selectboard member Louise McCarren motioned, Fritz Tegatz seconded, and the board approved the ordinances 4 to 1, with Vice Chair Frank Tenney voting against.

Prior to the Jan. 6 meeting, Town Administrator Dean Bloch wrote in an email, “We have been advised that an ordinance cannot be adopted with an ‘adoption date’ other than the date on which the board approves a motion to adopt the ordinance. The Selectboard’s vote on December 16th to adopt the ordinances with an adoption date of January 6 may be considered invalid.

Therefore, the Board is going to revote the ordinances on January 6th.”

very few parcels this is going to tie to.” Spear responded, “I want to be sure the taxpayer outside of the village does not have to pay for it and it’s included in the fees.” McCarren responded, “We can do a rate design that’s fully compensatory.” Marshall added, “We did spend a lot of time to make sure this program did not create an additional burden on town staff.”

Spear then asked Marshall, “Are you in a conflict of interest here?” Marshall responded, “There is that potential.” He continued, “I made it clear in the other meeting that there is the potential. The committee members crafted the ordinances, my job was to organize. I didn’t impose my will on the group.”

Tegatz supported Marshall, noting that any potential conflict was stated in the village wastewater committee meetings. Marshall is a principal engineer with Civil Engineering Associates, Inc.

During discussion at Monday’s meeting, Selectboard member Carrie Spear said, “My own conclusion is this is really in the best interest of the town.” She asked the board and West Charlotte Village Wastewaster Planning Committee chair Dave Marshall, “If the town is going to take over and take care of all the [fees] and permits out of this building, I wonder if we want a governing body doing that or did you explore a private group coming in and saying, ‘this is what we want to do.’”

Tenney, as he had in previous meetings, raised his concern about the septic design. “I wonder if the in-ground system is the best choice …

We are limited to a certain number of gallons.

To look farther and farther ahead, could we have this plus something else, or do we step into the something else first?”

Tegatz replied, “Are you talking about administrative work for the town? There’s

To which Spear replied, “I really believe this is a turning point in Charlotte.”

The

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McCarren said, “There’s no agreement in town on this issue. This has to be respected and will probably go to Town Meeting.”

PUBLICATION DATES January 23, 2020 Copy Deadline: Friday, Jan. 17 Ads Deadline: Friday, Jan. 17 February 6, 2020 Copy Deadline: Friday, Jan. 31 Ads Deadline: Friday, Jan. 31

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Charlotte we are saying you have to comply with this set of performance standards.”

Wrapping up the discussion, Joslin asked the commission to consider approaching the changes as three sets of proposed amendments to the town land use regulations.

Other business No updates were provided on the scheduled discussion of the update of the 1997 “Recommended Standards for Developments and Homes” (road and driveway standards) or village center designation. Both were on the December 19 agenda as well.

The December 19 Planning Commission meeting also included a sketch plan review (for possible site plan review) for Gemini Properties, LLC. Applicant Debra Kassabian and construction project

Tim Volk, a partner in the regional marketing firm Kelliher Samets Volk, was recently appointed to the board of advisors of Competitive Computing, a Colchester company that helps “clients establish and sustain competitive advantage through the innovative use of technology.”

manager Steve Smith presented three proposed ideas for reconfiguring the original parking lot design of 20 parking spots and one ADA parking spot for Charlotte Crossings. Kassabian said the current design necessitated installing a temporary 75-foot ramp in front of the building for access to the front entrance, located on the southeast side of the building.

After the discussion, Joslin noted the new parking lot design would need to go through another site plan review because of the proposed changes to lighting, parking and landscaping. Kassabian replied, “We really need to open this building in January” and asked, “Do we just go by what’s approved today? We’re ready.” Joslin responded, “Schedule a site plan as quickly as you can.” The commission then closed sketch plan review for PC-19-214-SK.

The Charlotte News • January 9, 2020 • 5

Calendar Events

We welcome appropriate community event listings with a maximum of 100 words. Print fees may apply to community events outside of Charlotte.

Email your events to ads@thecharlottenews.org.

Sunday, January 19

Concert at the Charlotte Grange with Va-et-Vient at 4 p.m. Suggested donation is $10.

Vermont’s Addison County group Va-et-Vient (‘Come & Go’) celebrates the many colors found in music from several French cultures. These musiciennes will take you through the centuries, from France to Québec and New Orleans, with lively dance numbers, touching love songs, kickin’ Cajun and Créole tunes and rollicking Québecois favorites.

From our neighbors to the north, they have brought back traditional tunes learned from Québecois elders (and youngsters!), rewoven them into their own arrangements and then have spread them throughout New England and Québec since 2001. The group includes Carol Reed from Leicester (voice, guitar and mandolin), Suzanne Germain from Lincoln (voice and percussion) and Lausanne Allen from South Starksboro (voice, fiddles, flute, penny whistles, harmonica and mandolins).

Town Vermont to the Tenth Power: A town-wide conversation with Stephen Kiernan on Jan. 26 with misdemeanor and non-violent felonies are now automatically released.

Vince Crockenberg This past June, Charlotte author Stephen Kiernan posted an essay on his website titled, “Vermont to the Tenth Power: How a Small State Thrives in a Time of Federal Collapse.” In it he argues that, given the rancor and gridlock in Washington, D.C., we Vermonters should look to the power reserved to the states in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution [see sidebar] and strive, both here in Vermont and alongside other likeminded states, to “shield our state from the worst of Washington’s difficulties, to learn from other states, and to strengthen Vermonters’ capacity to determine our own fate.”

To kick off this VT10th project, The Charlotte News, the Charlotte Library and the Charlotte Grange are co-sponsoring a community conversation with Kiernan at Grange Hall on Sunday, Jan. 26, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., to talk about the ideas he expresses in his essay, which can be read in its entirety at stephenpkiernan.com/ vermont-to-the-tenth-power. Refreshments will be provided by the Grange.

———————————— In 1932, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Louis Brandeis famously said this about the role of the states in the American democracy: “A state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country.”

Many such “experiments”—including women’s right to vote and the rights to interracial marriage, to abortion and to

California, over the objections of the NCAA and collegiate athletic administrators across the country, enacted a law allowing college athletes in the state to pursue endorsement deals and to profit from the use of their name and images when the law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

Stephen Kiernan

same-sex marriage, to cite only a few— all began in the states before becoming federal law With regard to same-sex marriage, Vermont in particular, played a crucial role: After Massachusetts legalized samesex marriage by court action in 2004, Vermont in 2008 became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage by legislative action. And after dozens of states followed suit in the following years, the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 held same-sex marriage to be a federal constitutional right.

States around the country are right now acting on their Tenth Amendment powers.

Here are just a few recent examples: Illinois legalized marijuana starting on Jan. 1 of this year, and the governor immediately granted more than 11,000 pardons for those previously convicted of low-level marijuana crimes, making it easier for them to get jobs, housing and college financial aid.

Twenty-four states, including Vermont, and 48 cities and counties have raised their minimum wage rates in 2020, some states to as high as $13.50 an hour (Vermont’s new rate is $10.96). Congress has left the federal rate unchanged since 2009 at $7.25 an hour.

In 2019 New York became the third state to eliminate cash bail for most misdemeanor and nonviolent felony offenses, which means that poor people will no longer serve jail time because they can’t pay their bail. Most people charged

New Hampshire became the sixth state last year to legalize statewide sports betting. The new law is expected to generate $7.5 million in 2021 for educational programs and $13.5 million by 2023.

In 2019 nine states passed abortion restrictions that could challenge the constitutional right established by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade.

Meanwhile in Vermont, Governor Phil Scott signed into law a sweeping no-limits abortion bill, creating a “fundamental right” to the procedure, and the Legislature is acting on an amendment to guarantee “personal reproductive liberty” as a protected right under the state constitution; the measure will have to be passed again by the 2020 state legislature and then approved by the voters on the 2022 ballot.

Join us on Sunday, Jan. 26, to talk and exchange ideas with Kiernan about what “We, the people” can do in Vermont—and in Charlotte—to, as he puts it at the end of his essay, “exchange the frustrations of Washington with the gratification of taking greater responsibility for our own lives, our shared communities, our home.”

See you on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 24, at Grange Hall, 2898 Spear Street in beautiful East Charlotte.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the Sates, are hereby reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

United States Constitution, Amendment X. Passed by Congress September 25, 1789. Ratified December 15, 1791.

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6 • January 9, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Report from the Legislature

Session preview on climate action Rep. Mike Yantachka The Vermont Legislature convened in Montpelier this week for the second half of the biennium, i.e., the two-year legislative term between elections.

Legislative work did not stop when the session adjourned in May. Off-session work includes constituent assistance as well as study committees, oversight committees and workgroups that meet either in official capacity or to prepare for the coming session. Some of our unfinished business from 2019 will be on the agenda early in the session, including increasing the minimum wage, establishing a paid family leave insurance program and creating a tax and regulate system for cannabis sales in Vermont.

I’m also looking forward to working with my colleagues once more to take significant steps to address the climate crisis through Vermont’s energy policy.

Over the last two years more and more focus has been on what effects human consumption of fossil fuels has had on the global climate. Extracting and burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas emit enormous amounts of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) that build up in the atmosphere and increase the average global temperature. In recent years we have seen the effects in more intense hurricanes, heavier rainfall and flooding, more persistent heat waves, droughts, and wildfires in the west. Melting glaciers and icecaps have contributed to measurable sea level rise leading to “sunny day flooding” in some coastal communities.

These effects drive costs higher for everyone, including Vermonters.

Climate scientists have overwhelmingly concluded that we have only a limited amount of time to act decisively to limit global warming and its effects on our environment, health and economy. Last year Vermonters joined people all over the world in climate demonstrations demanding that governments do something about climate change.

Several years ago, a group of legislators

from the House and Senate formed the Climate Solutions Caucus. This group, now numbering more than 60 members, is committed to take meaningful steps to reduce Vermont’s contribution to the climate crisis. The Paris Climate Accord of 2015 calls for a 50 percent reduction of GHG emissions from 1990 levels by 2028. This goal was adopted by both the Shumlin and the Scott administrations.

In contrast, however, Vermont’s emissions as measured by the Department of Environmental Conservation have instead risen by 16 percent. We have to bend that curve by addressing the biggest sources of GHGs in our economy: transportation and heating. This will help Vermonters to save money by living in more efficient homes and driving more efficient vehicles.

While we took some steps in 2019 to help reduce Vermont’s emissions, including starting an EV incentive program and increasing funding for low- and moderateincome residential weatherization, we know we have to do more. The Climate Caucus held several workgroup sessions over the summer to identify further steps we can take. Converting our renewable

energy and energy transformation goals from the 2017 Comprehensive Energy Plan into statutory requirements by passing the Global Warming Solutions Act is the first step. To make our older housing stock more efficient for heating and cooling we’ll have to accelerate weatherization assistance to homeowners and landlords. Changing Efficiency Vermont’s mission to include using funds for moderate-income weatherization through the All Fuels Initiative will also be part of the solution.

Transportation, at 43 percent of emissions, is the largest GHG contributor. We must continue to reduce transportation emissions by supporting EV purchases, electrification and expansion of mass transit options, expanding park-and-ride facilities, and promoting transportation alternatives like bicycling and walkways.

We also know that Vermont can’t combat climate change alone. Alone our emissions are relatively small, but we have a responsibility to do our part.

With the approval of Governor Scott,

Vermont joined with 12 other Eastern states from Maine to Virginia and the District of Columbia to consider a regional program to reduce GHG emissions from transportation. This program, called the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), would be a “cap and invest” system. Details of the design were released this December, and the Legislature and administration will be working together to integrate this effort into Vermont policy. Reducing emissions will not only benefit the climate but will also reduce carcinogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and asthma aggravating particulates in the air we breathe.

I plan to write more about these actions in the future as they develop. I welcome your emails (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com), phone calls (802-233-5238) or in-person contacts. This article and others can be found at my website MikeYantachka.com.

The Charlotte News • January 9, 2020 • 7

Town Louise McCarren Brenda Whalley Temple died as she lived, on her own terms. Brenda passed away in her sleep, at peace and at home, on December 12, 2019. She was a force of nature, spunky, caring, generous and stubborn. She was the best.

Born in Charlotte on March 12, 1935, to Gwendolyn (Thatcher) and Richard Eugene “Gene” Whalley, Brenda was a multi-generational farmer and Charlotter. She attended the Spear School from first grade and then Foote School, Burlington High School for one year and then the Northfield School for girls (now Northfield Mt. Herman). She then headed west and spent a year at Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University in Fort Collins).

What defined her, however, was Charlotte and farming. Farming was her life. It was her multi-generational family life from 1839 when great-great grandpa bought 90 acres.

Over generations it expanded to 268 acres and now is about 100.

Among other animals she raised, she bred and milked Guernsey cows. Brenda was proud to be the breeder of Guernsey cow Brenrock Lieutenant Lola, who was the grand champion at the Eastern States Exposition. Brenda was a long-time member of the Guernsey Breeders Association as well as the Charlotte Grange. She also volunteered for many years at the Charlotte Senior Center.

In 2002 the 3rd graders at Charlotte Cen-

tral School did an oral history with her that revealed much about her life on the farm.

Cutting ice on the lake in the winter to cool the milk during the summer. Thrashing grain in the fall for feed for the animals. In these interviews she admitted that it was all very hard work!

A tragedy struck in 2001 when her barn caught fire and was destroyed. Neighbors near and far came to help clean up and rebuild. That too was hard.

To the Charlotters who had the privilege to know her she was a sparkplug of a person.

When she was no longer able to keep up with the farm, she turned her focus to her garden and her two cats, Baby Boy and Cougar. On nice days Brenda could often be seen sitting in or tending her garden, full of veggies and flowers, on the corner of Whalley and Lake.

A great many people will miss her. Her family includes her younger sister, Phyllis McCarty, of Charlotte and Holland, Vermont. Her eldest sister, Shirley Allen, predeceased her.

Nieces and nephews include Chrissy, Mike and Pat McCarty, Harvey and Steve Allen and Donna Harrington (who predeceased her). Her grand niece Stacey (Harrington) Dobrowolski and her family Scott Jr., Scott III, and Kaylee Botala cared for her and were with her during her final years.

In Brenda’s honor, this year’s town report will be dedicated to her, and a celebration of her life will be held on April 18 at the Charlotte Senior Center at 2 p.m.

Photos contributed

Brenda Whalley Temple

December Property Transfers

Foreclosure: 3BR/2.5BA Condo Chittenden County!

Dec. 2 Thomas and Denise Kessler to Alan and Christina Chant, 0.6 acres with dwelling, 1687 Church Hill Road, $340,000.

Tue., Jan. 21 @ 11AM (Reg. @ 10:30AM) 32 Keystone Dr., #2, Williston, VT

Dec. 5 Karen Fleming to Nationstar Mortgage LLC, 16.20 acres with dwelling, 3965 Lake Road, $623,424.71.

Built in 2017, this 3BR/2.5BA townhouse style condo is located on a cul-de-sac.

2,500±SF open floor plan with huge master bedroom, 2-car attached garage, basement.

(Debtor in possession, please be respectful.)

Dec. 9 Rodney G. and Donna M. Stearns to Brett Leonard and Molly Lafferty, 2.02 acres with dwelling, 7427 Spear Street, $645,500.

Dec. 9 Bradley M. Palmer to Bruce R. and Stella L. Palmer, 3.70 acres with dwelling, 504 Cattail Road, $254,000.

Dec. 16 David A. and Karyn J. Lewis to Benjamin D. and Katherine L. Shearer, 27.50 acres with dwelling, 118 Mt. Philo Road, $841,300.

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Dec. 16 Thomas and Susan Thibault to Alexander W. and Susan F. Sewell, 7.10 acres with dwelling, 546 Spear Street, $420,000.

Dec. 19 Eric Levine and Krista Hoffsis to Annalise Bomberger and Nathan Garn, 1 acre with dwelling, 4500 Greenbush Road, $287,000.

Dec. 23 David Maguire and Karri Donatone-Maguire to Shalom and Lindsey Zeigfinger, 17 acres with dwelling, 4205 Ethan Allen Highway, $435,000.

Dec. 31 Gary and Susan Mick to John Hanley and Laura Obregon, 6.06 acres with dwelling, 990 Orchard Road, $365,000.

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8 • January 9, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Library News

Rachael arrives at the cottage, however, she is horrified to discover the body of her friend Bella Furness. Bella, it appears, has committed suicide, a verdict Rachael finds impossible to accept. Only when the next death occurs does a fourth woman enter the picture, the unconventional Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, who must piece together the truth from these women’s tangled lives. Copies are available at the circulation desk.

Margaret Woodruff Happy New Year from the Charlotte Library! We are celebrating Book Blitz month and hope that you can join us for one of the book-based programs this month. Don’t forget to explore the lists of new books for all ages on our website; go to charlottepubliclibrary.org and scroll down to the “New & Upcoming Books” section on the main page. And if you need a little light in these dark days of winter, stop by to check out one of our Verilux Happy Lights. These mimic sunlight and can enhance mood, energy, sleep and focus. Thanks to the Verilux Company of Waitsfield for this donation.

Raising Humans in a Digital World, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m.

Programs for children Baby & Family Time, Tuesdays at 9 a.m.

Join us for music, stories and play time with babies and toddlers.

Preschool Story Time, Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs and crafts for children ages 3 to 5.

Kindergarten-First Grade After School Story Time, Tuesdays at 2:15 p.m.

Registration required.

Programs for adults and families Exploring Gaia’s Garden, Thursdays in January, 1/9–1/30 at 7 p.m.

Join Karen Tuininga and Linda Hamilton in a four-part study of Toby Hemenway’s classic reference and guide to home-scale permaculture, Gaia’s Garden. Register now and pick up a copy of the book at the library. Permaculture’s commonsense design principles aim to increase sustainability through, for example, smart use of energy and minimizing waste. While these age-old guidelines can be applied to many aspects of our lives, Gaia’s Garden focuses on putting them to work in the garden. Both new and experienced gardeners are welcome for the study of this practical book. Expect interesting reading (about 70 pages in preparation for each session) and lively discussions. Presented

by Charlotte Library’s Seed Library program and Transition Town Charlotte.

Men’s Book Group: Station Eleven, Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m.

Set in the days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear.

Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time—from the actor’s early days as a film star to 15 years in the future when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains—this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor’s first wife, his

oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet. Copies available at the library circulation desk.

Library Book Discussion: The Song of Solomon, Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m.

Milkman Dead was born shortly after a neighborhood eccentric hurled himself off a rooftop in a vain attempt at flight. For the rest of his life he, too, will be trying to fly.

With this brilliantly imagined novel, Toni Morrison transfigures the coming-of-age story as audaciously as Saul Bellow or Gabriel García Márquez. As she follows Milkman from his rustbelt city to the place of his family’s origins, Morrison introduces an entire cast of strivers and seeresses, liars and assassins, the inhabitants of a fully realized black world. Copies available at the library circulation desk. iPhone for Beginners, Monday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.

Learn the basics of Apple iPhone in this hands-on class at the Charlotte Senior Center. We will cover home screen navigation, basic gestures, how to connect to Wi-Fi, common settings and how to find and install apps. There will be time for practice and questions. Please bring your iPhone, preferably updated to the latest iOS. This program is free, but registration is required. Please call the Charlotte Senior Center to register.

Mystery Book Group: The Crow Trap, Monday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.

At the isolated Baikie’s Cottage on the North Pennines, three very different women come together to complete an environmental survey. Three women who, in some way or another, know the meaning of betrayal. For team leader Rachael Lambert the project is the perfect opportunity to rebuild her confidence after a double betrayal by her lover and boss, Peter Kemp. Botanist Anne Preece, on the other hand, sees it as a chance to indulge in a little deception of her own.

And then there is Grace Fulwell, a strange, uncommunicative young woman with plenty of her own secrets to hide. When

What adults need to know to help kids build a healthy relationship with technology. ParentIn of Champlain Valley School District and the Charlotte Library are hosting a book discussion featuring digital literacy educator and advocate Diana Graber’s latest book, Raising Humans in a Digital World. Pick up your book at the circulation desk.

Vermont to the Tenth Power, Jan. 26, 2 – 4 p.m. at the Charlotte Grange.

Join us for a community conversation about “the potential for a more strategic 10th Amendment-based approach to policy development and public engagement—call it state-level activism, Vermont to the Tenth Power—to shield this state from the worst of Washington’s difficulties, to provide the example and impetus for federal progress, to learn from other states as they exercise the same rights and to strengthen Vermonters’ capacity to determine their shared fate.” This notion, outlined in Stephen Kiernan’s essay of the same name (stephenpkiernan.com/ vermont-to-the-tenth-power), forms the basis for our discussion, and the author will be facilitating the discussion. This program co-sponsored by the Charlotte Grange, the Charlotte Library and The Charlotte News.

our library programs and activities, visit our website: charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Charlotte Library contact information Margaret Woodruff, director Cheryl Sloan, youth services librarian Susanna Kahn, tech services librarian

Hours Mondays & Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

Reach us on the web: charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/charlottelibraryvt.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram: @CharlotteVTLib. Unless otherwise warned, the Charlotte Library Board of Trustees meets the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Library minutes and agendas available on the library website.

iPad for Beginners, Monday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m.

Learn the basics of Apple iPad in this hands-on class at the Charlotte Senior Center. We will cover home screen navigation, basic gestures, how-to connect to Wi-Fi common settings, and how-to find and install apps. There will be time for practice and questions. Please bring your iPad, preferably updated to the latest iOS. This program is free. Registration is required. Please call the Charlotte Senior Center to sign up.

Library Expansion Updates • •

Winter Short Stories Book Group, Wednesdays at 10 a.m., Jan. 29–Feb. 19 Explore winter with favorite authors as we read short stories that highlight this frosty season. We’ll read from classical favorites and some new authors as well. Selections available at the Charlotte Library circulation desk. Currently scheduled: Jan. 29: “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway, and Feb. 5: “The Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekhov. This series takes place at the Charlotte Senior Center; please call the Senior Center to register.

For more information about these and all

•

•

•

The library driveway and original entrance are permanently closed.

Please enter the library via the library porch door, either from the north entrance (new sidewalk) or across the Town Green.

The book drop box is now located in front of Town Hall. Please stop there to return all materials when the library is closed for the day.

A pick-up table is set up inside Town Hall. We are happy to put books and other items there for you to pick up. Just call to let us know what you are looking for and we will have it ready for you.

Please contact the library with any questions.

The Charlotte News • January 9, 2020 • 9

On Books

Two outstanding but very different books at the turn of a new decade Andy, to pursue a career in acting. If you think she hit the big time right away, you couldn’t be more wrong. This is a practical, how-to “survival guide” to anyone pursuing an acting career, but it is also a charming, funny, down-to-earth read for people not pursuing any such thing—and such a fun book to read if you, like me, are a fan of Pam and The Office.

Katherine Arthaud The holidays are over and I’m feeling a bit numb. The Christmas tree is still up, a light snow is falling, the dogs are trying to convince me that a second dinner is in order, and my youngest child, a senior in college, is sitting here on the couch applying to grad school (although right now I could swear she is dozing).

It is a new year. My sister just sent an article via group text that we should not abbreviate 2020 to ’20. Leaves too much room for hackers to mess with you. I won’t go into the details now, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Just write it out: 2020. It might just save you a world of trouble.

But enough with good advice, let’s talk about books. What have you been reading?

One of the last books I read in 2019, and one of the best books (if not the best) of the year, was The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. It is stunning. It’s a book about slavery and the Underground Railroad and Northern idealism, about family, love, cruelty, bondage and freedom.

And though the story is real enough, like Toni Morrison’s Beloved, it is filled with dream and magic—not dream and magic in its own neat subset within the story, but dream and magic woven into the novel’s reality, like scenery or breath or weather or thought.

The line between life and death, between the living and the dead, isn’t entirely impermeable here, and young Hiram Walker (born into slavery; his mother is a slave, his father a white master) finds himself living a life that echoes and reflects one of the songs the slaves sing while they walk to and from the tobacco fields, “When you get to heaven, say you remember me/Remember me and my fallen soul/ Remember my poor and fallen soul.”

It’s hard to put a finger on what makes this book so extraordinary. The characters are very well drawn and developed, the writing is excellent and at times poetic, the subject

matter devastating and compelling. I loved it and highly, highly recommend it. I want to say that it is hard to imagine a world where mothers are torn from their toddlers, and sons are torn from their fathers, and husbands are torn from their wives…sold up or downriver, depending on the whims of the master. This book brings it home, painfully, powerfully. God, forgive us.

—————————————A very different book, but also excellent for very different reasons, is one that was given to me for Christmas by my daughter: The Actor’s Life, a Survival Guide, by Jenna Fischer. Does the author’s name ring a bell? It might…for those of you out there who are fans of The Office. Jenna Fischer is Pam. Pam the receptionist. Pam, as in Pam and Jim. The reason my daughter gave me this book is (1) I asked for it and (2) she and I have, as of late, had to take a number of road trips to Boston due to issues relating to a detached retina (a story in itself), during which we have done a lot of listening to the podcast “Office Ladies.” And “Office

Ladies” (if you haven’t heard of it) is the episode-by-episode exegesis (I guess you could say) of the TV show The Office.

OMG, it is fantastic! Fantastic!!

“Office Ladies” stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey (who plays the tightly wound, cat-loving accountant Angela in the show), who are BFFs in real life and who, weekly, comb through an Office episode and talk about what was going on backstage and on set and all kinds of things you would not have known had you not tuned in to this delightful production.

The repartee between the two of them is so funny, lively, affectionate and witty, and so, so informative.

I mean, if you aren’t an Office fan, it would probably be useless and beside the point, but for fans, you just can’t miss this! There are so many fun insider details and “fast facts” that illuminate this brilliant series and the inspired writers, directors, actors and camera people who created it. But, wait, where was I? Oh, yes. The book. The Actor’s Life. So, Jenna Fischer, at age 22, drove from her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, to West Hollywood with her cat,

Here’s a tidbit: “…as early as I can remember, I had big dreams of being an actor. In grade school I got my start when I played Toto in The Wizard of Oz. In case you’re not familiar with the story, Toto is the dog that belongs to the lead character, Dorothy. It was a role that nobody else wanted. I guess the other kids couldn’t find the value in playing the dog. But I didn’t care; I liked dogs! Sure, I didn’t have lines, but I had lots of stage time. See, Toto was onstage every time Dorothy was onstage, and Dorothy was the lead, so I was always right next to the lead! I did funny little dances with the Munchkins and barked at the Wicked Witch. Who needs lines when you can ham it up as the spunky sidekick?

Then in high school I played the Fiddler in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. This was another role that no one else really wanted.

But hey, my character opened and closed the play up on that roof. And without the Fiddler, it would just be called The Roof!”

Excellent foreword by Steve Carell. “Does the woman who played Pam on The Office have any honest and thoughtful advice?” he writes. “Yes. Yes, she does.” So if you want to know how to get the right headshot, find a good manager, a hardworking agent, and what to wear for auditions, this book could really help you. And if you don’t need or want to know any of these things and you love Pam (or Jenna Fischer), check this book out. And seriously, if you haven’t listened to that podcast, try it! Never seen The Office? You’ve got hours of entertainment ahead of you. And the year is young!

Happy 2020!

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10 • January 9, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Education

Operations school budget reviewed at December 17 board meeting Compared with other high schools in Vermont, CVU is at the bottom of the ranking of guidance counselors per students. Each guidance counselor at CVU has a caseload of over 300 students. A list of these guidance duties ranges from college readiness, applications and testing to daily crisis intervention and followup for students having difficulty. It was generally acknowledged that covering this wide a range of needs is not possible with the current guidance staff.

Nancy Richardson The Dec. 17 CVSD School Board meeting focused on the operations budget, the part of the budget that deals with maintenance, food service, transportation and technology services. This side of the budget also includes the management of the capitalneeds budget.

The same drivers behind a budget increase in general and special education are present in the operation side of the budget. The increased cost of personnel health care, which is rising 13 percent for FY 2021, combined with possible increases in the student count, administrative needs at the high school, and provision of equitable services among the district schools will push the budget increase to a possible 3.9 percent this year.

Discussions of operations indicated that an additional halftime person is needed in the transportation department, and changes are recommended in the foodservice area to move the ever-increasing benefits package to the general education budget.

The board also discussed the need for a communication plan that explains the capital budget to the community.

The need to provide equity among district schools is evident in several areas that will require additional personnel or a redeployment of existing personnel. Areas needing equity adjustments are STEM coding staff, planning room staff in some schools, and counseling and administrators at CVU. Some of these positions will be funded through Medicaid and other means.

The board acknowledged that its goal as a new district to ensure equity in services across all schools has been accomplished quickly and has also increased costs.

It expects that, after the basic equity accomplishments of the past two years have been completed, schools will have achieved an equal baseline of services and that further adjustments will not primarily be driven by equity needs.

Kindergarten registration at Charlotte Central School

Children who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2020 are eligible to attend kindergarten at Charlotte Central School. Kindergarten registration for the 2020–2021 school year will take place Feb. 7, 2020. Please call Naomi Strada at 425-6600 to make an appointment, indicating your child will be coming to CCS, and to receive a registration packet.

We look forward to meeting your child on this special day!

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The Charlotte News • January 9, 2020 • 11

Out Takes

And what happens if you get writer’s cramp? is created to raise questions. And it does.

Edd Merritt If I was a junkman selling you cars, Washing your windows and shining your stars, Thinking your mind was my own in a dream What would you wonder? And how would it seem? ….

Singing words, words between the lines of age.

Words, words between the lines of age.

Neil Young, “Words (Between the Lines of Age)” A former Charlotte neighbor who recently moved to Wake Robin stopped by our house with servings of delicious dinner items, and in the course of his visit we got off food and onto a discussion of the nature of the printed word versus the visual or technological presentation of ideas. (Now there is a leap of topic.) It was not the issues themselves so much as it was the way ideas generate thoughts when they are presented through literature rather than visually or as statements of certainty with foregone conclusions.

I happen to be a fan of discussion that helps develop understanding among the parties, using the written word as the basis for that interpretation. It usually generates questions that visual presentation often does not. To me, movies are created to make a point. And they do. Literature

people who exist within them.

OK, OK, age has something to do with this belief. As a college student of the 1960s, books were the norm. Beth and I just finished cleaning out overloaded bookshelves in our living room that contained dusty tomes, many of which were classics. We did save family histories, thoughtfully written chronicles of events over the period of our lives and a batch of science fiction masterpieces just for the “halibut.” (I have as complete a Philip Dick collection as anyone might care to own, including a favorite titled, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the basis for the movie Blade Runner.)

Communication on screen only presents ideas of the filmmakers without the nuances of the written word. It seems as though presentation rather than rendition of provocative thoughts has become the nature of the game. The universe exists in what we see on the video screen, from one movie to the next.

A good part of the reason that our shelves contained so many books was that we used them. As part of an educational experience, they examined issues and people that we would go back to time and again.

We needed the books to expand our own thoughts and the author’s use of language to give meaning to their ideas. While movies may help us expand our thoughts, they do not provide the media for dialogue as well as books do.

I suppose that since journalism is my retirement calling and my medium is the rapidly disappearing newspaper, I must believe in its advantage as a way of communicating to readers and, in the course of that communication, giving the readers a returnable basis for clarification, dialogue and, yes, criticism of another’s ideas. Something called “human interaction” often stems from it, and I happen to believe that that is an important element of culture. Since one of journalism’s intents is to advance the knowledge of our communities and, thus, the culture they contain, it needs to have a clear focus on what that means to the

A recent Sunday New York Times carried a section on what happens when newspapers fold. It noted that, over the last 15 years, more than one out of five papers has folded, and the number of journalists has dropped in half over that same period. The reporter interviews members of communities in which papers ceased to be. One of them is Burlington, where the writer says that, while the Free Press has not closed, “local

coverage has been reduced to the point of uselessness.”

“The populace makes civic decisions,” he says, “with little or no background information.”

Another section of the article addresses “the demise of print.” A writer from Concord, Massachusetts, says that, while she subscribes to her weekly, she finishes “reading it in about two minutes because there is nothing there.” A writer from Pittsburgh describes a situation close to my own. Both she and her husband are retired.

His morning still begins as it has for a number of years, “reading the paper—not online, but sitting in his chair and reading every single word. I don’t know if he will ever read it online,” she says. Yet, his mode of informing himself “will soon be a lost art.” A third contributor whose paper stopped publication said that it was local news that made the print paper theirs. It was “our paper, not just a paper.”

I’m currently reading a science fiction book about a distant future in which mortals are a mere fraction of the universe’s creatures.

“Scriveners” play a major role in laying out what that universe looks like, and as a result, their being-hood is relatively safe from destruction.

Like Neil Young “After the Gold Rush,” their ability to lay out ideas in verse makes them “the chosen ones,” thoughtful wordsmiths, pilots who are “flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun.”

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12 • January 9, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Outdoors A new trail on the other side of the lake is as old as time

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF CHARLOTTE SEWER ALLOCATION ORDINANCE The Selectboard of the Town of Charlotte does hereby ordain: Pursuant to the provisions of 24 V.S.A. Chapters 59, 97, 101 and 24 V.S.A. §§ 2291(15), 2291(22), 3617 and 3625, and other such general enactments as may be material thereto, the Selectboard of the Town of Charlotte (the “Town”) hereby adopts the Town Sewer Allocation Ordinance (the “Ordinance”). The Ordinance may be concisely summarized as setting forth the terms and conditions under which the Town may allocate a percentage of its unallocated and uncommitted reserve wastewater disposal system capacity in its municipal sewage disposal facilities over the remaining life in the disposal system consistent with the guidance set forth in the municipal plan. The Ordinance is to support the goals set forth in the Town Plan of enabling further infill of the West Village area by creating sewage disposal opportunities by utilizing the unutilized sewage disposal capacity within existing Town sewer facilities.

Adopted this 6th day of January, 2020.

CHARLOTTE SELECTBOARD /s/ Matthew Krasnow, Chair /s/ Fritz Tegatz /s/ Carrie Spear Photo contributed from champlainareatrails.com.

Chea Waters Evans A trip to Essex, N.Y. on the ferry from Charlotte involves traditions: lunch at the Old Dock, a walk for an ice cream down the street, cocktails at the Essex Inn, and a stroll to the playground. Charlotter Terry Dinnan hopes that another tradition will begin for Charlotte families and the many others who pass through the small town on the other side of the lake: a walk through The Essex Quarry Nature Park.

Dinnan, along with his business partner Al Ulmer, owned and operated a 35-acre limestone quarry in Essex for more than 25 years. They recently sold the land to Champlain Area Trails, a nonprofit based in New York that, according to its web site, “creates and maintains hiking and crosscountry ski trails in the Champlain Valley that link communities, connect people with nature, and promote economic vitality.”

Dinnen donated his half of the profits from the quarry’s sale back to CATS to help establish The Essex Quarry Nature Park. The organization plans to develop two miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails and hopes to have the project completed for the town’s annual Essex Days celebration in August of 2020.

The property is accessible to ferry riders; it is situated on Lake Road in Essex, partially within the village itself, and within walking distance of the ferry landing. Dinnan has enjoyed access to properties that others have opened to the public and imagined that future for this quiet, mostly wooded area. He said that thought it was work that brought him there, he “felt blessed to spend that time in such a lovely spot.”

Dinna said one unique feature of the park, which will be highlighted with explanatory signs along the trails, are the 400 millionyear-old fossils—once part of the world’s oldest coral reef.

The property is on the site of the former Essex Quarry that operated from the late 18th century to just a few years ago. Stone carved from the quarry walls was used in many of the buildings in Essex and was shipped south by lake and river barge, where it was used in the construction of the State House in Albany and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Today, the site showcases a combination of natural, geological, paleontological and historic features. These include fossils from an oceanic reef that dates back to a time when New York and Vermont were actually on separate continents thousands of miles apart.

The eastern part of the property features a rare natural community that was identified

by Steve Young, an ecologist with NY State’s Natural Heritage Program as a “Limestone Woodland.” It occurs on shallow soil above limestone bedrock and, while it occurs extensively along Lake Champlain, it is rare on the planet and in the rest of New York.

Dinnan said he hopes to make the Charlotte connection stronger in years to come, with an eventual connection to the Charlotte Town Trail. “The son of the CATS director (a UVM student) did meet briefly with Marty Illick and a Charlotte trails committee person,” he said. “This meeting was very general and didn’t get into specifics, but the idea of coordinating various public trail efforts might make sense at some point. It’s very preliminary now, but the potential is exciting as the Lake Champlain area is such a beautiful resource.”

CATS is raising money for the trails through donations and grants. For more information, contact the CATS office at 518-962-2287 or email info@ champlainareatrails.com.

/s/ Louise McCarren This Ordinance shall become effective on March 6, 2020, unless a petition signed by not less than 5% of the qualified voters of the Town requesting a town meeting vote on the question of disapproving the amendment is filed with the Town Clerk or Selectboard on or before February 19, 2020. The full text of the Town of Charlotte Sewer Allocation Ordinance may be viewed at the Town Clerk’s office.

For more information, contact: Dean Bloch, Town Administrator, Charlotte Town Hall, 159 Ferry Road, PO Box 119, Charlotte, VT 05445, (802) 425-3533; www.charlottevt.org.

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF CHARLOTTE SEWER USE ORDINANCE The Selectboard of the Town of Charlotte does hereby ordain: Pursuant to the provisions of 24 V.S.A. Chapters 59, 97, 101 and 24 V.S.A. §§ 2291(15), 2291(22), and 3617, and other such general enactments as may be material thereto, the Selectboard of the Town of Charlotte (the “Town”) hereby adopts the Town Sewer Use Ordinance (the “Ordinance”). The Ordinance may be concisely summarized as setting forth the terms and conditions under which individuals and entities that are granted a sewer capacity allocation in the municipal sewage disposal facilities in the West Village area may use such facilities. The Ordinance’s rules and regulations are necessary and desirable for regulating the public’s use of these sewers, establishing fees therefor, controlling the character of the discharge of wastes into the public sewer system and providing penalties for violations thereof. The purpose of the Ordinance is to support the goals set forth in the Town Plan of enabling further infill of the West Village area by creating sewage disposal opportunities by setting forth rules for use of the unutilized sewage disposal capacity within existing Town sewer facilities.

Adopted this 6th day of January, 2020.

CHARLOTTE SELECTBOARD /s/ Matthew Krasnow, Chair /s/ Fritz Tegatz /s/ Carrie Spear /s/ Louise McCarren This Ordinance shall become effective on March 6, 2020, unless a petition signed by not less than 5% of the qualified voters of the Town requesting a town meeting vote on the question of disapproving the amendment is filed with the Town Clerk or Selectboard on or before February 19, 2020. The full text of the Town of Charlotte Sewer Use Ordinance may be viewed at the Town Clerk’s office.

For more information, contact: Dean Bloch, Town Administrator, Charlotte Town Hall, 159 Ferry Road, PO Box 119, Charlotte, VT 05445, (802) 425-3533; www.charlottevt.org.

The Charlotte News • January 9, 2020 • 13

Sports Report

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December ends on a bounce Both men’s and women’s basketball finished the past year with victories. The men toppled Mount Mansfield (58-37), and the women beat Burr and Burton by nearly 50 points, with four Redhawks scoring 12 or more points.

Christmas must have been generous to Nordic skiers as both men and women took honors at Sleepy Hollow. Charlotters crossed the finish among the top five with Finn Mittlestadt tying for first, her sister Isabelle in fifth, and Gus Lunde and Skyler Heininger placing third and fifth among men.

With a hat trick from Nicole Wright, CVU women’s hockey beat Rutland 5-4 in overtime. Nicole’s third goal was the game winner.

RAISE YOUR HAND

Photos contributed by Alexis and Peter Middlestadt

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14 • January 9, 2020 • The Charlotte News

From the Bench

Family Division of Superior Court: a divorce and custody primer Helen Toor

The Family Division of the Superior Court handles several kinds of cases, including divorce, “parentage” and juvenile cases.

Today, let’s discuss divorce cases.

If you and your spouse have reached an agreement about dividing your property and any custody arrangements, you can file a “stipulation” with the court.

Otherwise, one party will file the divorce “complaint” and the other must file what is called an “answer.” The complaint must list the grounds for divorce. In Vermont, most divorces are what some refer to as “no fault” divorce. That means that no one has to prove that the other did anything wrong to get the divorce. Instead, living apart for six months or more is a basis for granting a divorce.

There are many issues to resolve in a divorce. These include dividing up property, whether one person will pay any support (what used to be called alimony) to the other and for what period of time, and who will get to stay in the home. If one party owns a business, that may have to be valued by an expert and a decision made about whether the other party is entitled to some portion of its value. If there are children under 18, there will have to be a custody order determining where the children will live and how much time each parent will have with them (“parent-child contact”), as well as who gets to decide major things like what school the children attend or what medical care they will receive. There must also be a child-support order stating whether one party must make payments to the other to help pay for the children’s expenses and how much those payments will be.

Even if both parents agree on all of these issues, judges are required to consider the best interests of the children. Sometimes

that means they will question the parents about why they are proposing a certain schedule or other arrangement for the children. A judge can reject an agreement if he or she believes it is not good for the children, although it is rare that we do so.

There are several timeframes that restrict how soon the divorce can be finalized. For example, at least one party has to have lived in Vermont for at least a year before the divorce can be granted, and if there are children, the divorce cannot be granted until at least six months have passed since the case was filed.

Mediation If the parties can’t reach an agreement, it may be helpful to seek the assistance of a mediator who specializes in family law. Mediators are skilled at trying to find common ground between the parties and working out at least some of the disputes.

However, if the parties end up going to court with no agreement, the first thing that will get scheduled is usually a “case manager’s conference.” The case manager is a court employee who will explain the process and attempt to clarify what is in dispute and whether some issues can be agreed upon. If disputes still remain, the case will end up before a judge for trial.

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Divorce trials When hearing the evidence in a divorce trial (there are no juries in family court, although there may be assistant judges), a judge must apply the law in Title 15 of the Vermont Statutes in deciding how to divide property and award custody.

There is no set rule in Vermont about what percentage of property goes to each party. Instead, when dividing property the judge is required to consider such things as the length of the marriage, the parties’ sources of income, their employability, the contribution of one party to the other’s education and training, and where the property originated.

People are often surprised to learn that everything owned by either party is considered joint property for purposes of a divorce, no matter whose name it is in.

However, things like family heirlooms are usually awarded to the person whose see DIVORCE page 15

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The Charlotte News • January 9, 2020 • 15

Charlotte Senior Center

SENIOR CENTER MENUS updated to the latest iOS. No fee.

Registration is required.

Library Director Margaret Woodruff will lead the four-part discussion group on Short Stories for Winter, Wednesdays, 1/29-2/19 from 10 – 11. Possible readings are: “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway, “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Lost in the Snow” by Mark Twain “The Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekhov. ___________ WEDNESDAY Afternoons – Free Events at 1 p.m. No registration

Carolyn Kulik

SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR

“Nothing is more imminent than the impossible . . . what we must always foresee is the unforeseen.” ~ Victor Hugo, Les Misérables ___________ “Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.” ~ Henry Miller. ___________ “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” ~ Helen Keller.

Since it is now 2020, this brings to mind eye and vision testing. But aside from the more mundane meanings of eyesight and observation, vision has such wonderful synonyms: imagination, creativity, insight, awareness, discernment, foresight, etc.

While there are physical ways to correct eyesight, perhaps the best way to improve (non-physical) vision is practice – just like stretching your body. It’s something to think about. ___________ Courses Starting Soon Here are more new courses at the Senior Center. Be sure to call the Center, or visit our website at CharlotteSeniorCenterVT. org, for expanded information about these courses and many, many others.

Fri., 1/10 from 1 – 3, Writers Gathering on Fridays Monthly, second Fridays. Ongoing.

Now in the process of re-forming, this self-directed group is looking for those who enjoy words and writing—stories, autobiographical pieces and poetry. Read and discuss your pieces, listen to those of others and offer encouragement all around.

Please register to indicate your interest.

No fee.

Tues., 1/14, from 1:30 – 3:30, Traditional Rug Hooking for Beginners Dates: 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4 & 2/11 Learn the basics of rug hooking while creating a small project. No supplies needed for first class. Hook and fabric kit included in fee. Maximum 10.

Registration required. Fee: $110, payable at the start of the course, or before.

Fri., 1/17, from 12:30 – 2, Writing Your Life Story Dates: 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7 & 2/14.

You’ve got your story to tell, but what to include and what to leave out? Explore storytelling techniques and utilize inclass exercises to help move you along.

Registration required. Fee: $60 for the five-part series, or $12 per class.

Wed., 1/22, from 2:30 – 3:30, Basic Cartooning Dates: 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12 & 2/19.

With simple step-by-step demonstrations learn what it takes to draw cartoon people and how to make them express their emotions using just dots and lines. This is a great talent to share with the younger set. Fee: $36 for the series, or $8 per class.

Fri. 1/31, from 12:30 – 3:30, Unique Impressions In this three-hour workshop, enjoy the process of printmaking without a press by using super-sensitive gelli plates.

Each print will be one of a kind. Once dry, your prints can be further included in mixed media work, or used as cards or as pages for a handmade book. Registration required. Fee: $35, includes materials.

In conjunction with our Charlotte Library friends, there are two workshops with Susanna Kahn, the library’s tech librarian: iPhone for Beginners, on Mon., 1/20, from 10 – 11:30 and iPad for Beginners, Mon., 1/27, from 10 – 11:30. The two separate, hands-on classes will cover home-screen navigation, basic gestures, how to connect to Wi-Fi, common settings and how to find and install apps. There will be time for practice and questions.

Please bring your iPhone, preferably

1/15: Gardening and Mindfulness with Cheryl Wilfong As an award-winning garden writer, blogger and mindfulness teacher, Cheryl explores the parallels between nature and human nature. Stories from the garden teach us the big lessons of life - including impermanence, change, aging and, Cheryl’s favorite subject, composting.

At 2:30, after the talk, consider staying on for Mindfulness Meditation with Jill Abilock. There is no fee and no registration is required. These classes are usually twice a month, with the following one on 1/29.

1/22: Ghana ~ An African Surprise with Hank Kaestner In this talk, Hank will open your eyes to Ghana, the most modern of West African countries.

In addition to the obligatory wildlife (with lots of birds, of course), he will share his experiences learning about the slave trade.

Included are the incredible cultural sites of religion and commerce that make Ghana such a special place to visit.

1/29: First Aid Basics ~ A Review with John Snow In this introduction to first aid, participants will learn a number of basic skills as well as a simple process for determining what might be wrong with a patient and how to provide appropriate assistance. No previous training is necessary, and all are welcome. [Please note that this is not a certification class.]

Health Event On Wed. morning, 1/22, the Foot Clinic requires preregistration. The Blood Pressure Clinic on the same day at 11:30 is open to walk-ins, however. The following foot clinic will be on Wed., 3/4.

Art & Music Sun, 1/19, from 1 – 3 p.m. is ShapeNote Singing in the Great Room. This traditional, a cappella four-part harmony has been called “full-body, shout-it-out singing.” And the more voices shouting, the better. Songbooks are provided. A “good voice” is not required. Stop by to listen or sing, and leave whenever you wish. No fee.

The two-month Art Exhibit: “Challenge Quilts ~ Black & White Plus One,” continues to the end of January. These are the responses to the challenge put to the Champlain Valley Quilters to use only three colors. Be sure to check viewing times, as the exhibition space is used for many classes, as well.

Winter Weather Closings When there is iffy weather, remember that the Senior Center follows the school closures of Champlain Valley

Suggested donation for all meals: $5

Monday Munch

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

No reservations required.

January 13

Beef & barley soup salad Homemade dessert

January 20

Chicken Caesar salad Chocolate cake

Wednesday Lunch All diners eat at noon.

Reservations required.

January 15

Stuffed cabbage Fruit & nut pudding

January 22

Kielbasa German potato salad Brownies

Thursday Gents Breakfast

7:00–9:00 a.m.

Reservations required.

January 9 & 23 Menu and Topic - TBA (Keep up to date on Menus at our website, CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org, and on Front Porch Forum, as they sometimes change.)

School District (CVSD). Closings are announced on local TV and radio stations, at CVSDVT.org, on our website: CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org., and on the Senior Center’s phone greeting.

~ The best times to see the ART EXHIBIT in January ~ Mon. & Wed. at noon, Thurs. & Fri. after 12:30 Please call the Center during the week to check on Sunday availability.

Do visit our website, CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org, for more details and menus. If you have questions, would like to register, or ask about volunteering - please call 425-6345, or stop by M-F from 9-4.

We are at 212 Ferry Road, Charlotte, right across from the post office. The Senior Center’s mission is to serve those 50 and up. Residents from other communities are always welcome. There are no membership fees.

See you soon!

And may we all improve our vision in 2020. ______________________ Charlotte Senior Center 802-425-6345

16 • January 9, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Classifieds Reach your friends and neighbors for only $12 per issue. (Payment must be sent before issue date.) Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@thecharlottenews.org.

Temporary orders

DIVORCE continued from page

13

family they came from. If those heirlooms are worth a lot, however, some other property might be awarded to the other spouse to even out the values.

Support from one party to the other is also governed by a number of criteria that are set forth in the law, including the financial resources of each party and their employability.

Custody issues require that the judge consider a number of things in deciding the best interests of the child. Those include the relationship of the child to each parent, how well each parent will be able to address the child’s future developmental needs, how the child is adjusted to his or her current living situation, who has been the child’s primary care provider and so on.

Once the custody order is issued, child support is calculated based on a formula set forth in the law. Child support is usually done by a different court official, a magistrate.

As soon as a divorce case is filed, a standard order is issued that limits both parties from transferring assets, cancelling insurance and so on. There are also temporary orders that get issued early in the case with regard to such things as custody arrangements and child support during the time the case is pending in court.

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Use a lawyer As always, because the law is complicated, it is wise to hire a lawyer if you are considering a divorce. This is true even if you have an agreement. There may be issues that will create problems down the road, such as unforeseen tax consequences or problems when one parent decides they want to move across the country with the children. Just having an agreement reviewed should not be terribly costly and may save you future headaches.

Helen Toor is a superior court judge serving on the civil court bench in Chittenden County. She was appointed to the bench in 1999 by Gov. Howard Dean. She writes occasional columns for The Charlotte News on matters of Vermont criminal and civil law.

She lives in Charlotte.

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