The Charlotte News | February 20, 2020

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Charlotte News Thursday, February 20, 2020 | Volume LXII Number 16

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Vol. 62, no.16

February 20, 2020

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

Meet the Candidates featured some new faces, some old familiar ones, and lots of questions for all Juliann Phelps Tuesday’s Meet the Candidates night at the Grange hosted five candidates from the list of nine names on this year’s ballot. Four are running unopposed and one candidate, Matt Krasnow, is the sole candidate who attended who is vying for the only contested race: a three year Selectboard term. Candidates gave a brief background and took questions from the audience of approximately 25 people.

The event was co-sponsored by the Charlotte Grange and the Charlotte News, moderated

by News Editor Chea Waters Evans.Grange President Margaret Woodruff and committee member Dorothy Hill opened the event, welcoming attendees and candidates. The first candidate to speak was Anne Marie Andriola, who is running unopposed for library trustee, a five-year term. Andriola said she’d like to continue “to foster a sense of community in Charlotte” as trustee.

The most questions of the night went to Jr Lewis, who is running unopposed as Road Commissioner. “I haven’t had any competition yet – I guess you’ll have to put up with me again this year.” Questions focused on road maintenance, including salt usage during winter weather, paving, and grading dirt roads. Lewis talked about his vision for the department, noting he’d like to see the town own some highway equipment and put up a salt shed. “Where the sand pile is now, is really a poor spot,” he said.

Amelie Fairweather, a student at Charlotte Central School, asked Lewis, “How do you

A visit from the great red cardinal

prevent wildlife from being hit on the road?”

Lewis responded, “It’s all our job to slow down. People like yourself need to get the word out the wildlife need a place to live and we are infringing on their habitat.” Lewis talked about some of the initiatives other Charlotters have come up with including signs for turtle and salamander crossings.

James Faulkner spoke next. He’s running unopposed for the two year Selectboard term and currently serves on the Planning Commission and as a volunteer EMT with CVFRS. Patrice Machavern asked, “What do you see as challenges, when you are elected to the Selectboard, in holding this role and the other position?” He said he did not forsee any challenges. He spoke of his experience on town commissions in Maine and Massachusetts. When asked what he wanted to achieve while on the Selectboard, Faulkner responded, “I’d like to stabilize taxes and keep our open vistas.”

The most discussion of the night went to Lynne Jaunich, who is running unopposed as CVSD School Director. She addressed questions about the recent agreement among the district and Charlotte Central School regarding security during town elections.

“We wish we didn’t have to do it. The best practice is to lock all the doors [during school hours]. In order for us to open them for town elections, we need to provide security.” She talked about the upcoming bond vote for improvements to CCS, noting the decisions to divide the bond monies are based on needs. “It will go to improving the building envelope.

It’s pretty cold in the classrooms and the walls are an R-value of 1. There really is no insulation and a good chunk of the bond will go to improve thermal efficiency,” she said.

“The needs [at CCS] are the most extreme at this point.”

Christina Asquith asked Jaunich about the quality of education and the board’s efforts to improve it. Jaunich cited outcomes driven by the district’s mission, academic instructional priorities, and their continuous improvement plan. Tony Federico asked

about the co-principal roles at CCS and trends in enrollment. Jaunich said enrollments are flat, “but it’s hard to predict how many kindergartners we will have in the fall.” Chea Waters Evans asked about the transition to proficiency-based grading. “How do you find that translating, with kids applying to college and needing actual grades to get into college”?

Januich said that transcripts currently have both proficiency-based grades and letter grades. “We are kind of in the middle, half the

see CANDIDATES page 7

Selectboard address net metering, bond paying and town meeting schedule Monday’s brief Selectboard meeting was the last for board member Fritz Tegatz and the last before town meeting. The board motioned and approved several routine agenda items, and briefly discussed actions related to the solar net metering agreement RFP. Draft Net Metering Agreement RFP

Photo by Lee Krohn

Photo by Juliann Phelps

A good-sized crowd met the candidates at the Grange.

A few members from the Energy Committee and the public were present to listen to the update regarding the net metering agreement request for proposals. Selectboard Chair Matt Krasnow said the “goal for tonight was to have the RFP. The Energy Committee requested the opportunity to review the RFP and the timeline was not compatible with this meeting date.” The next Energy Committee meeting is on March 4, and Krasnow said he would attend and request time on their agenda to go over the draft RFP. Krasnow said the next date the draft might be available is for the next Selectboard meeting on March 9.

Energy Committee members Rebecca Foster and Dierdre Holmes asked if they could have a draft to review in advance of the committee meeting, and Krasnow said it was possible

and to work with the Town Administrator to get the original RFP (see article page 7 for more information).

Town Presentations The Selectboard heard from three groups requesting time to present during Town Meeting. Trails Committee member Ajat Tariyal gave an overview of their presentation and Article 4. Tree Warden Mark Dillenbeck will speak about his efforts regarding the Emerald Ash Borer. CVFRS Board President Tom Cosinuke said he will give a similar presentation as in previous years: activities in the prior year from a financial standpoint, and their anticipated budget, appropriation and capital spending.

The Selectboard discussed and agreed to give a formal presentation on the town budget.

When asked about the organization of the presentations or the Town Meeting procedural format, Krasnow deferred questions to the Town Moderator, Charles Russell.

Krasnow responded, “We are not in charge of the meeting, the moderator is.” Krasnow

confirmed Russell was not personally invited to tonight’s meeting.

Other Business In November 2019, Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue completed equipping a fire truck purchased with a $125k bond that was approved in 2017. With just over $10k left over from the bond after all initial expenses were paid, Town Clerk Mary Mead said that there are two options for using those remaining funds: put it toward the principal of the original bond or reserve the money for unexpected expenses relating to the truck. The Selectboard agreed with Mead and approved paying the money toward the principal.

The board motioned and approved a request to use town highways for the Cycle 4 CMT fundraising bicycle ride on August 30, 2020 and a renewal application for food or lodging establishment license for the Senior Center.

After brief Selectboard updates on Charlotte Solar and the Charlotte library addition, the board motioned and approved going into executive session to discuss a personnel issue.

The Charlotte News • February 20, 2020 • 3

Opinion 5 things to know about the proposed CVSD budget Bonnie Birdsall DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL LEARNING & COMMUNICATION CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT

1. How voting for our schools works On or before Tuesday, March 3rd, voters will be asked to approve one budget for all public schooling in the Champlain Valley School District (CVSD). CVSD includes Charlotte, St. George, Williston, Shelburne, and Hinesburg.

Voted ballots will be brought to a central location (CVU) and co-mingled (all town ballots mixed together) prior to being counted by representatives from each town from the Board of Civil Authority.

2. Why the budget is increasing The proposed budget is increasing by 4.4% this year. It covers salary increases, a 13.2% increase in the cost of health insurance, and increases in the cost of goods and services at the rate of inflation. The budget also reflects higher Special Education costs which are partially offset by state revenues. More specific information about the budget can be found on the website.

3. Within the budget, CVSD is strengthening programming and supports for students.

CVSD is focused on improving early literacy outcomes, increasing STEM opportunities, and supporting students who come to school with social-emotional struggles. School counselor and administrator roles are being restored at CVU to best meet the needs of and support all students.

4. Rising property values are a significant contributor to increasing tax rates.

Property tax rates are based not on the budget increase but on the increase in the “net cost per equalized pupil”. CVSD is fortunate to have a slightly increasing equalized student count which, when coupled with the board’s conservative fiscal plan, lowers the community’s tax exposure to 3.2%. Changes in the state funding calculation lower this even more to a 1 cent increase on the equalized tax rate. Offsetting this good news is a two-cent decline in the consolidation incentive our district receives.

The largest impact on local tax rates is the CLA or Common Level of Appraisal which is the adjustment the state makes to assessed property values so they reflect current market values. Property values in our community are continuing to rise and the adjustment is applied to the tax rate.

5. Other school-district articles on the ballot There are several procedural votes which are taken at the CVSD Board of Directors’ Annual Meeting. This is held on Monday, March 2 at 5 pm in CVU room 160 and all are welcome.

On Tuesday, March 3, besides the budget, the Board is asking for approval to apply $725,000 of the fund balance - or the district’s financial reserves - as revenue which lowers the tax rate. There will also be an article for voters to approve the purchase of three new school buses. With the help of a state grant, two of these buses will be among the first electric school buses in Vermont. And finally, the Board is asking for support for a $6M Capital Construction Bond. We have a website set up to provide information about the proposed bond. This can be accessed via the school district’s website: www.cvsdvt.org.

Residents can view a list of where and when information about the proposed budget for 2020-2021 will be shared and presented in our communities on the school district’s budget webpage. www.cvsdvt.org/budget All meetings are open to the public. You can attend any meeting, regardless of the town in which you reside. Remember, you can vote early!

Vote on Town Meeting Day to eliminate the board of listers Betsy Tegatz TOWN LISTER

As the chairperson of the Board of Listers, I wrote an article in December explaining the need to eliminate the board and allow the Selectboard to appoint an assessor. For those citizens who did not have an opportunity to read the article, please see below: The Board of Listers has proposed to the Selectboard that the town adopt a provision to eliminate the Board of Listers and allow the appointment of an assessor for the tax year 2020 going forward. Like you, we appreciate the democratic process of elections

for municipal offices; unfortunately, it has become unsustainable in the listers’ office. The job has evolved a great deal in the past few years and requires someone who is preferably experienced in assessing or at least possesses the skill set to learn the many responsibilities involved with maintaining and managing the town’s Grand List.

In addition to finding a qualified person to take the lead in the listers’ office, it is becoming increasingly challenging to find residents willing to run and fill the remaining seats on the board. This problem is not unique to Charlotte and has been an issue with many towns. Consequently, the state has provided an option for towns to appoint an assessor by having the town approve an article on Town Meeting Day (*see below in italics).

The appointed assessor will be doing the same job as the primary lister and little, if anything, will change. Since it is very conceivable that the entire board could be vacant by 2021 (no current board members, myself included, are seeking reelection), we are strongly encouraging the community to consider this option. It combines the best of both worlds by allowing citizens to apply for the job if they wish but also enables the town to find the best applicant for the position, ensuring a seamless transition. New England Municipal Resource Center (NEMRC) will remain the town’s appraiser and will keep doing quadrant inspections, building permits, and participate in the annual grievance process. This allows for continued safeguards to maintain equity, as well as a professional resource for the newly appointed assessor.

This article will be up for a floor vote on town meeting day. Please vote to eliminate the Board of Listers so that we can implement a more sustainable and professional alternative.

Thank you!

Betsy Tegatz Lister@townofcharlotte.com 425-3855 ext. 3 *Towns and cities can adopt a charter provision to eliminate the office of Lister and allow the appointment of an assessor. Last session, under Act 21, the Vermont Legislature gave municipalities another option to replace the Board of Listers with a “professionally qualified assessor” without adopting a charter.

To do so, a town must approve an article at the annual town meeting to eliminate the office.

A vote to eliminate the office of Lister will remain in place until a municipality votes otherwise. Forty-five days later – or once the Selectboard appoints an assessor, whichever comes first – the term of any existing elected Listers will end. An appointed assessor can be a contractor or an employee of the municipality and need not be a resident of the town. When a municipality’s charter requires the election or appointment of Listers, it must continue to do so until the charter amendment process is used to take advantage of this new statutory authority. 17 V.S.A. § 2651c.

Appointed assessors have the same responsibility as a Board of Listers. He or she will carry out all property assessment responsibilities, set the grand list, and hear grievances. Also, his or her decisions are appealable to the Board of civil authority. 17 V.S.A. § 2651c (b)(1).

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ON THE COVER Tuttle Barn on a cold wintery day.

Photo by Judith Tuttle

4 • February 20, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Letters To The Editor

Around Town

Please consider voting for Krasnow

Re-elect Matt Krasnow

Congratulations

To the Editor:

The CVU Racial Alliance Committee (RAC), a student club that focuses on building awareness around race at CVU and whose story was featured in the Feb. 15 Burlington Free Press. The article features senior Christel Tonoki who mentored a younger minority student through the program at the suggestion of a school counselor. The article notes that Peter Langella, school librarian, responded to Tonoki’s action by “advocating for the inclusion in the curriculum of more books written by or about people of color.”

I’m writing to ask for your vote on Town Meeting Day to elect me for a 3-year term on the Selectboard.

My first goal in joining the Board in 2014 was to give back to the community that raised me. Once on the Board, I found myself compelled to encourage civility and facilitate fairness in our local government’s decision-making process.

While conducting the routine weekly business of town governance, I’m constantly searching for opportunities to increase civic engagement, volunteerism, and community-building activities.

Though fiscally conservative and socially liberal, I come to the position with no specific agenda or political affiliation.

My loyalty is to optimizing collaboration, engineering mutually acceptable compromises (after listening to all stakeholders) and advancing the goals of the community as reflected in the Town Plan, Town Meeting Day deliberations and grassroots initiatives.

Being married and raising two boys (ages 4 and 2) also informs my local governing efforts as I strive to help maintain and actualize an inclusive, resilient and interconnected community that can support and nurture family growth, experiences and lifelong memories.

In response to these especially polarizing and fragmented political times, I feel a societal obligation to intentionally welcome more divergent perspectives (not fewer) cooperatively forging solutions to the real and local issues in front of us in a healthy way.

I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving my community in this capacity and ask for your vote on Town Meeting Day, March 3, 2020.

I am writing to support Matt Krasnow’s candidacy for the Selectboard in the threeyear slot.

We are very fortunate that Matt has decided to run for re-election and to offer his services to the Town for another three years. I respect and appreciate his even-handed and thoughtful approach to challenging issues in his role as Chair, and the considerate and respectful manner in which he invites those at Selectboard meetings to contribute to the discussion.

I hope that you will join me in voting for Matt Krasnow for three more years on the Selectboard.

who passed away Feb. 7 at the age of 85. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Kids on the Ball, an award-winning tennis and mentoring program, 19 Lindenwood Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403, or to a nonprofit of one’s choice.

To family and friends of Marie McKenna, who died Feb. 14 at the age of 87. Marie volunteered for many years at Charlotte Central School and at the Charlotte Library. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to The Arbors, Holiday Fund, 687 Harbor Road, Shelburne, VT 05482.

Sympathy To family and friends of Richard Heilman, M.D., formerly of Charlotte,

John Quinney Charlotte

The

A vocabulary lesson To the editor: Smarty-pants kids? That’s pretty derogatory, isn’t it? I was perplexed and, to my mind, chalked it up to a choice that I wouldn’t have made. These kids (and some of them are probably over 18) have probably worked pretty hard and calling them smarty pants just sounds a bit disrespectful to me. Sorry, just telling you what I think.

Charlotte News TO ADVERTISE CONTACT: ads@thecharlottenews.org

Kimberley Wrede Findlay Charlotte

March 5, 2020 Copy Deadline: Friday, Feb. 28 Ads Deadline: Friday, Feb. 28 March 19, 2020 Copy Deadline: Friday, March 13 Ads Deadline: Friday, March 13

An informational meeting for the bond will be at held at Champlain Valley High School in Room 160 at 5PM on Monday March 2, 2020.

It’s not really a positive term...

Is smarty pants a compliment? Urban Dictionary defines it as someone who displays intelligence in an annoying way.

Smarty pants can be a cleaned up way of calling a person a smart ass. It is not a compliment, and they are basically telling you that you’re too smart for your own good.

PUBLICATION DATES

Capital Construction Bond

As a consolidated district, residents in all CVSD towns share responsibility for all district facilities. This includes approving and paying for all bonds.

Matt Krasnow Charlotte Selectboard Chair

$6M BOND PROPOSAL NEEDED FOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE UPDATES INCLUDES:

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Charlotte Central school $4.5 m

Building Efficiency - Envelope, insulation, and ventilation improvements

Williston: Allen Brook School $90,000

Fire alarm system upgrade to current life/safety code Multiple improvements to improve security situation in open concept school

HInesburg Community School $395,000

Repave parking lots and fire lane - potholes and uneven surfaces create trip / fall hazards Replace sidewalks / curbs - identified by our insurance carrier as a safety risk HVAC upgrades to 7 / 8 wing - air quality in second floor space is poor and detrimental to learning

Shelburne Community School $380,000

Repave School Street parking lot, drop-off & pick up area Kitchen mechanical upgrades to meet current building codes

CVU High School $545,000

Replace windows in 1981 wing Install drainage systems to 2 natural grass fields Repair and recoat track surface to enable continued use for meets

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District-wide $90,000

Address stormwater improvement projects required by new state rules.

TAX IMPLICATIONS Estimated increase in tax rate: $.01 per hundred dollars.

Annual impact on $100K home: $10 Annual impact on $400K home: $40 (before CLA or education property tax reduction)

More information: http://bit.ly/CVSDcapitalconstruction

The Charlotte News • February 20, 2020 • 5

Town

Selectboard works toward defining recreation roles and lets guns back into the wildlife refuge Juliann Phelps The theme of the Monday, January 10 Selectboard meeting was listening.

The board heard from the Recreation Commission and Director regarding roles and from the Energy Committee on the proposed net metering agreement with Green Lantern Solar. Members of the public pressed the board to commit to a new net metering request for proposal (see separate article), which the board motioned and approved to have ready for their next meeting. The joint meeting with the Recreation Commission and the Recreation Director, Nicole Conley, was regarding respective roles of each party. The board moved no closer to a determining the roles, rather hearing from several members about the lack of communication between the commission and the director.

Selectboard Chair Matt Krasnow framed the discussion as a way “to adapt the roles of the commission and the director, how to improve the commission experience, and find out the priorities.” He asked, “What are the fun parts…that you want to spend more time focusing on?”

Rec Commission member Craig Reynolds said he’d like to have more interaction with the Rec Director, a sentiment shared by several other members of the commission.

Rec Commission Chair Bill Fraser-Harris said the roles and job description of the Rec Director was created without commission input. He also said that though Conley is in charge of hiring of beach attendants,“In the past, the Rec Commission has been part of the review and hiring process.”

Rich Ahrens, who is also a member of the commission, said, “Our relationship is very blurry. I don’t think there is any clarity on our part on what the director’s responsibilities are and how we relate to the director.”

Krasnow responded that he, Conley, and Fraser-Harris have spent time trying to define the roles and responsibilities of the Rec Commission. “There is some charge to the commission,” he said, “and what the commission is supposed to be doing – but most of it historical.” He suggested moving forward by developing a mission statement and asked the members to identify what they enjoy doing the most as members of the commission.During the discussion, Conley explained her role as director, including her recent work negotiating and lowering the CCS school facility usage fee levied by the district, and the move to online registration for rec programs. She said several commissioners have come to speak to her directly, despite the fact, she said, that “There is a misconception going on here that people aren’t communicating

with me.” She continued, “It’s important to know there is a level of disrespect going on here that no one seems to discuss. I thought the point of was not to talk about what the rec director isn’t doing, but how we can work together to make this a good unit… I am not thinking this is the case.”Krasnow said the Selectboard created the director’s job description, and reiterated that the meeting was “to find a way to have a better working relationship with a commission with an undefined mission with a director that has a clear job description.” At the end of the discussion Fraser-Harris said, “We’d like to make it fun again, for all concerned.”

Firearms and the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge At the previous Selectboard meeting, resident Bill Agnew brought to the Selectboard’s attention that a 1998 ordinance regulating conduct in the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge was not consistent with state statutes. According to the Town Administrator Dean Bloch, “The town attorney agrees with the assessment that the ordinance is inconsistent with state law to allow towns to regulate use but not the possession of firearms. The ordinance should be amended to reflect that.” The board agreed to update the ordinance as soon as possible. Jenny Cole, co-chair of

the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee requested time for the committee to propose revised signage.

Other Business The Selectboard motioned and approved RFPs for mowing and maintenance of cemeteries and town lands. Previous contractors Adam Danschler and Vanessa and Dale Knowles attended and provided input on the RFPs, including providing clarity on the scopes of work and timelines.

The board appointed Fritz Tegatz as volunteer Clerk of the Works for the Charlotte library addition, approved a license agreement for utilities crossing under town highway for Jonathan and Erika Bearman at 1576 Lake Road.

The Selectboard also interviewed and appointed Willie Tobin to the Conservation Commission for a term ending April 30, 2023. Krasnow updated the board on the CSVD agreement regarding security during elections at CCS, including a meeting with members from the district, Tegatz and Town Treasurer Mary Mead. He said they would circulate an updated draft of the agreement that reflect the concerns of the board and “are working to come up with a communication model that works.”

The next Selectboard meeting is Monday, February 17 at 6 p.m.

Important information for Town Meeting Day Mary Mead

TOWN CLERK/TREASURER

Town Meeting is right around the corner.

I have received several phone calls from people who are interested in reserving one of the tables in the hall to display their materials, etc. So, first of all, it is all on a first come first serve basis. We are typically setting up on Monday afternoon and you are welcome to come in and

put your name on one of the tables, or even bright and early on Tuesday when the polls open at 7 a.m. I like to leave the table closest to the kitchen free in case there is a bake sale, or some other delicious food offering going on, but any other table is up for grabs. That being said, the statutes dictate what campaign materials, publications, etc. are allowed in the polling place. There are some changes from last year and we were sent

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the following from the Secretary of State’s Office: There was a clarification of “Campaigning at the Polling Place” (17 VSA Sec 2508) to bring VT law into compliance with a US Supreme Court ruling. Under the new changes, election officials may only prohibit people from wearing, displaying or handing out political materials that display the name of: •

A candidate on the ballot, or

•

An organized political party, or

•

that demonstrate support or opposition to a question on the ballot

It’s the third one that I wanted to make sure you were all aware of, so you don’t go to a lot of effort printing up something that you are planning to hand out at Town Meeting Day, only to find out that it is not allowed.

If your group is requesting money or project approval from the Town as part

Send Us Your Charlotte News! news@ thecharlottenews.org

of the budget or as a separate article, any materials handed out inside the polling place or set up on the tables will be asked to be removed. Likewise, please don’t hand anything out to people as they walk into the polls and please don’t leave materials on the chairs in the MultiPurpose Room. This is different and new since last year. As always, the Town will have an Informational Meeting the Monday night before Town Meeting, and any handouts would be welcome.

Read your budgets! The Champlain Valley School District and Town of Charlotte both have significant increases. We will be discussing the Town budget and separate articles for Trails and donations on Town Meeting Day. Amendments can be made to increase or decrease requests. The final decision made at the March 3 meeting for Articles 3 ($3,423,165 for Town budget), Article 4 ($57,000 for Trails) and Article 5 ($17,992 for donations) will be what we vote on April 7 by Australian Ballot. Last year, 164 people showed up to vote in April which doesn’t feel very representative of the Town as a whole.

The final approval for the amount of tax dollars the Town will need to raise is decided on April 7, not March 3. Don’t forget to vote.

Absentee ballots are available until 4 p.m. on Monday, March 2.

6 • February 20, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Town

Charlotte News

The

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It’s Girl Scout cookie time!

NOTICE OF VACANCIES AND EXPIRING TERMS ON TOWN BOARDS AND OF TOWN OFFICIAL POSITIONS February, 2020 The following boards and positions currently have unfilled seats: •

Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee (1 seat; term ending April 30, 2021)

The following boards and positions have seats with terms ending April 30, 2020: • •

From left to right, Kierstan LaClair, Colbie Curler, Sadie Devoid, Skylar Gallese and Cadence Delibac.

Photo by Cindy Bradley

Didn’t get a chance to place your order? No worries. Just stop by one of our upcoming cookie booth locations and pick up a few boxes.

Friday, Feb. 21 from 4-6 pm at Kinney Drugs in Shelburne Saturday, Feb. 22 from 9am-12pm at Shelburne Supermarket or from 10am-1:30pm at JoAnn’s Fabrics in South Burlington Friday, Feb. 28 from 4-7 pm at the North Ferrisburg Mobil Saturday, Feb. 29 from 9am-12pm at Tractor Supply in Shelburne Sunday, March 15 from 2-6pm at Walmart in Williston Thank you in advance from Charlotte Girl Scout Troop #30066.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee (3 seats; 3 year term) Chittenden Solid Waste District—Town Representative & Alternate Representative (2 year term—term ends on May 31) Conservation Commission (3 seats; 4 year term) Emergency Management Director (1 year term) Energy Committee (4 seats; 2 year term) Fence Viewer (1 year term) Green-Up Day Coordinator(s) (1 year term) Planning Commission (2 seats; 4 year term) Recreation Commission (3 seats; 3 year term) Thompson’s Point Design Review Committee (1 seat; 3 year term) Thompson’s Point Wastewater Advisory Committee (1 seat; 3 year term) Trails Committee (4 seats; 2 year term) Tree Warden (1 year term) Zoning Board (2 seats; 3 year term)

If you have interest in serving the Town by participating in any of these capacities please send a short statement explaining your interest and relevant background information by Friday, March 13th to Dean Bloch, Town Administrator at dean@townofcharlotte.com. If you have questions, please e-mail or call 425-3071 ext. 5, or stop by Town Hall.

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QUILT CAMP August 3–7; ages 8–14

MAKERS GONNA MAKE (maker camp) August 10–14; ages 7–11 To register visit: shelburnemuseum.org/learn/ families/summer-camps/

The Charlotte News • February 20, 2020 • 7

Report from the Legislature

Building a foundation for carbon reduction emissions levels by 2050 along with recommendations to get to net-zero emissions that year.

Mike Yantachka Expectations that the Legislature would take significant steps to address the climate change crisis this year have been high. Over the last 12 months Vermonters have joined people all over the world in climate demonstrations demanding that governments do something about climate change. After a month of testimony from businesses, utilities, farmers, conservationists, local and state government officials, scientists, and citizens, including youth activists, the House Energy & Technology Committee voted 7 to 2 to recommend passage of H.688, the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). This bill, if passed, will create a foundation and a roadmap for the actions that will reduce Vermont’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The GWSA would elevate Vermont’s current “goals” for GHG emissions to required reductions with deadlines for action. The bill also requires action to enhance the climate resilience and preparedness of Vermont communities, including utilizing our natural and working lands to capture and store carbon. The goals have been in place since 2006 and currently do not require action to reduce emissions. Vermont’s GHG emissions are the highest per capita

Photo contributed

of any state in the Northeast, including New York. Our emissions are 13% higher than 1990 levels, while every other Northeastern state has seen a decline.

Massachusetts is in its second decade of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions through a Global Warming Solutions Act. Since enactment, Massachusetts has reduced its emissions by 25% while growing its economy by 25%. Reducing pollution, increasing efficiency, lowering costs, building resilience, and investing

locally increases economic growth. H.688 aligns the resources of state government to focus on achieving these targets, including establishing a strategic plan to get the job done.

The bill sets specific greenhouse gas reduction requirements for Vermont: 26% below 2005 emissions levels by 2025 (in-line with the Paris Agreement), 40% below 1990 emissions levels by 2030 (in-line with Vt.’s 2016 Comprehensive Energy Plan), and 80% below 1990

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Vermonters are already feeling the impacts of climate change in more severe and frequent extreme weather events. The bill requires putting in place adaptation measures that ensure that Vermont’s communities, infrastructure, and economy are better prepared and resilient and highlights the unique needs of rural areas and their vulnerable infrastructure, economies, and emergency preparedness.

Delay in implementing climate solutions, whether strategies to reduce carbon emissions or enhance resiliency and preparedness, is costly. Climate solutions reduce risk and cost while increasing energy efficiency, supporting our natural and working lands, improving public health, and growing the economy.

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 www.MikeYantachka.com.

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The bill also establishes a Climate Council led by state government agencies to develop and adopt a Climate Action Plan by 2021 with specific strategies to achieve these targets, as well as build climate resilience in Vermont communities. The work of the Council will be informed by required stakeholder and public input, with the Plan adhering to specific guidelines established in H.688.

Guided by the Plan and the legislative intent in H.688, the Agency of Natural Resources must adopt regulations to reduce GHG emissions. Other agencies (i.e. VTrans, Agriculture, Commerce, etc.) may also adopt regulations. The bill does not mandate specific strategies but does ensure accountability with specific deadlines and the emissions reduction requirement. The Council is also required to make specific recommendations to the legislature regarding statutory changes and funding essential for success in meeting the emissions reductions and resiliency needs of the state.

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8 • February 20, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Town

Net metering RFP still up in the air Juliann Phelps

Attendance at the Selectboard meeting ticked up on Feb. 10 for a specific reason; members of the public filtered in for the net metering agreement agenda item. It had been discussed and voted on at the previous meeting and was voted against, 3-2. Following letters to the paper, Front Porch Forum posts, and general community chatter, it was back on the agenda. After discussion that continued into Monday, Feb. 17’s meeting, the Selectboard determined that enough time hadn’t been given to complete a request for proposals and they would try to do so in time for a meeting in March.

Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz opened the discussion. “I am a little surprised we are here again,” he said. “Last meeting, I made the motion to accept the proposal as presented. I was pretty apprehensive about doing it. I’m being asked to commit the town to a 20-year contract to spend money. I have one proposal.

I made the motion, voted for it. In hindsight, I am still nervous about that.” Krasnow noted the turnout “is really encouraging,” and asked those in attendance to address the board directly with their comments, which took up a good portion of the night’s meeting.

Energy Committee member John Quinney and Sam Carlson from Green Lantern Solar were present, with Quinney reviewing the history of the RFP, saying the library roof solar panels are “a pretty small project as far as these projects go. In order to make it attractive to potential developers, we added in the kilowatt hours associated with town buildings and fire and rescue.” Tegatz responded that his concern that the RPF was for the library solar panel project and not specifically for net metering credits. “This agreement is down to just buying credits. In my mind, that was not what the original RFP

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old system, half the new,” she said.

Amelie Fairweather and Dorothy Hill both asked about the recent cancellation of the Pumpkin Man and Halloween parade.

Fairweather said, “It should have been up to the students to decide.”

Matt Krasnow was the final candidate to speak. He said, “I started to realize during my last term, I thought I was giving back to the town, but I realized I got an incredible education [from the public] in civics, engagement, and policy--as well as thinking in a judicial way.” He cited recent accomplishments of the Selectboard, including the new playground at the beach, the Charlotte Library expansion, and the recently

Photo by Juliann Phelps

was for because it included the construction part of it.”

Krasnow said, “Process-wise, from the original RFP, none of the proposal was accepted by the Selectboard. That RFP was over.” He continued, “The best thing to do is come up with a net metering stand-alone RPF. Based on…the events unfolding, this is the most judicious path forward for the town to make sure we are following our purchasing policy.”

Resident Ruis Swannerfelt asked, “The Selectboard agrees the town should contract with somebody for a net metering situation since we can’t put solar panels on the roof?”

Krasnow agreed; Lousie McCarren did not.

Vice Chair Frank Tenney noted the town plan “doesn’t state net metering specifically” and cited efforts by the Planning Commission to recommend areas where solar arrays could be installed.

passed West Charlotte Village Wastewater ordinances.

“Moving forward in the next three years, I’d like to focus on more engagement from people my age,” said Krasnow. “There’s a bimodal demographic in Charlotte. My parents’ generation, who want to continue living in a place they love. The other piece is a great school system and we need young families to populate our public school system. We need to have a way to have affordable way to live in Charlotte to attract young families to live here.

It’s not an easy task.”

Federico asked Krasnow how the town could support the Selectboard, to which Krasnow responded he’d like to see people attend Selectboard meetings or communicate through local channels like the town newspaper or Front Porch Forum. Machavern asked Krasnow, “Your opponents also have

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Members of the public pressed the Selectboard on their commitment to the Town Plan, climate change, and a net metering agreement. Nancy Richardson asked, “What can the Selectboard members tell me that gives me confidence that you are with the town plan and the energy plan, and intend to move us into the 21st century to help with climate change?” Matt Olney followed, “How do we get to a plan? You’ve [Krasnow] proposed a path, can the board agree to pursue that path?” Peter Richardson said, “There is a softness coming from the board about whether you want to do net metering at all.”

our loan with VEDA is 15 years.” He cited a list of 35 towns and schools who have entered in net metering agreements with his company, noting that it is a competitive environment.

Energy Committee co-chair Rebecca Foster said, “It’s very distressing for the Energy Committee to come to this meeting and find out that proposal we’ve been working on over the past few months is suddenly a surprise.

Can we have a timeline, if you are committed to an RFP?” Krasnow responded that they would draft an RFP for the next Selectboard meeting. Resident and Planning Commission member Marty Illick said, “The town has been negotiating with this group and there’s been a process going on after an RFP was issued…To end that and start all over again seems completely un-kosher.” Krasnow responded, “You were on the board. It got voted down, 2-3. I am looking at finding enough votes to get a net metering agreement that has a majority of the board.” Quinney noted, “I accept you are committed to acting in the best interest of the town. I wish the process had been clearer earlier.”

Sam Carlson of Green Lantern Solar fielded questions from the Energy Committee and the Selectboard about other net metering agreements, the proposed project in Vernon, as well as how solar projects are financed and developed. He explained the length of the 20-year agreement is “what’s needed, because

During a follow-up at the Feb. 17 Selectboard meeting, Selectboard Chair Matt Krasnow said the “goal for tonight was to have the RFP. The Energy Committee requested the opportunity to review the RFP and the timeline was not compatible with this meeting date.” He explained the next Energy Committee meeting would be on March 4 and he would attend and request time on their agenda to go over the draft RFP. Krasnow said the next date the draft might be available is the next Selectboard meeting on March 9 or March 23. Energy Committee members Rebecca Foster and Dierdre Holmes asked if they could have a draft to review in advance of the committee meeting, and Krasnow said it was possible and to work with the Town Administrator to get the original RFP.

historical perspective and institutional memory, what differentiates you from the other two?” Krasnow said, “I’ve spent time investing in our community and in the town to try and figure out what the needs are. I’ve built up six years of experience and feel like my relationship with committees have been productive.”

The event wrapped up after about two hours.

One of the quotes of the evening appeared to summarize some of the sentiments expressed by other attendees. Resident Peter Richardson said, “I applaud those who showed up tonight, especially those running unopposed. Those who did not show up, did they indicate why?

There’s a message there somehow.”

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The Charlotte News • February 20, 2020 • 9

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, March 22 The Hinesburg Artist Series presents its 24th annual concert with the South County Chorus, HAS Orchestra and guest artists at 4:30 pm at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, Hinesburg. Tickets ($20 for adults / $15 for seniors and students) are available from the FlynnTix Box Office (flynntix.org), the Hinesburgh Public House, Blue Cottage, and the Hinesburg Recreation Department.

Friday, April 17 All community members are invited to join Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services as we celebrate 70 years of service to Charlotte and area towns! Show your appreciation for their dedication and service at The Old Lantern, Greenbush Road, Charlotte.

Cocktail hour at 6 p.m., dinner and awards at 7 p.m. followed by dancing with music by The Hitmen. Cash Bar. Proceeds from ticket sales will go toward community outreach and training support programs. Call 425-3111 to purchase your tickets. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Food Shelf News Susan Ohanian In a long list of bizarre food “celebrations,” February is named Canned Food Month.

Some may disagree but my celebrations reach a bit beyond cream of mushroom soup. That said, there’s nothing bizarre about the Food Shelf supply of basic canned goods. The Food Shelf also has items on hand to accommodate another February celebration--National Oatmeal Monday-but we’re taking a pass on Pork Rind Appreciation Day. The Food Shelf always offers milk, butter, yogurt, string cheese, bread, bagels, bananas, potatoes, and onions. Frozen meat offerings from the Vermont Foodbank or Costco differ each month, depending on availability of funds. Generally we have ground meat, fish sticks and chicken.

Of course none of this happens automatically but depends on a legion of loyal volunteers. Nancy Block keeps things on track for the Foodbank order and once a month Nancy and John Lavigne receive the order and put everything in place.

Kelly Stockwell and Marie Andrioia stock the shelves with basic supplies so that distribution days run smoothly.

Items needed but not available from Vermont Foodbank are purchased by volunteers at Costco and smaller portion items such as condiments (ketchup and mustard) are picked up by shoppers at Hannaford’s. At present, we have five Hannaford shoppers: Rosemary Raszka, Janet Landrigan, Josie Kaestner, Alaina Murphy, and student volunteer Wolfie Davis.

Marilyn Holmberg and Sharon Richards take charge of buying locally produced milk from Shelburne Market at a discount.

A round of applause for our volunteers, many of whom have been doing this work for more than ten years. It is this commitment to our mission of reaching out a helping hand in our community that brings vibrancy to the Food Shelf.

Of course there’s more to this story of getting food out to people in our community: administration and communication, organization of Wednesday night and Thursday morning distribution.

Tune in next month for more details about some behind-the-scenes activity.

Special Thanks

Financial Assistance As a reminder, the Food Shelf has some funds available for emergency assistance with fuel and electric bills. You may contact Pat Rodar at 425-3083 if you need assistance.

We are available to all community residents.

Privacy is very important and respected in our mission of neighbor helping neighbor.

For emergency food call John 425-3130.

For emergency assistance (electricity, fuel) call Pat at 425-3083.

Donations

We are hugely grateful to Brian Houghton for the donation of 500 pounds of good, local beef. Yes, 500 pounds! Talking to Claire Houghton, Brian’s mother, reveals that this son of a teacher at Charlotte Central School has raised cattle here for twenty years. Reflecting on the local solicitude that supports the Food Shelf in helping people, Brian decided to show his gratitude for being part of this generous community with this gift. And so we have 500 pounds of grass-fed, hormone-free, protein-filled love.

Localism at its very best.

More Thank Yous Thank you! to the anonymous donor who regularly leaves Philo Ridge Farm products such as eggs and greens at the door on distribution days.

We offer thanks for financial contributions from Sharon Weaver, Network for Good, Your Cause, LLC Trustee for Red Hat Matching Funds, Waitsfield Champlain Valley Telecom, Meg Berlin, Anne Castle, Charlotte Organic Co-op.

A correction from last month: Thank you for Roberta Wood’s contribution in honor of Remo & Donna Pizzagalli.

Important Upcoming Distribution Dates at the Charlotte Congregational Church Wednesday, Feb. 26, March 11: 5-7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb 27, March 12: 7:30-9:30 a.m.

The Charlotte Food Shelf Inc. is a nonprofit organization and all donations are tax deductible. Our organization is run by volunteers, and so all donations made to the Food Shelf go directly for nutritious food and/or assistance to our local neighbors in Charlotte and North Ferrisburgh. Should you wish to honor someone with a donation, a special acknowledgement will be sent to that person.

Checks may be mailed to: Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance, P O Box 83, Charlotte, Vermont 05445 Donated food drop off locations All non-perishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library, The Charlotte Congregational Church vestry, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. Please check the expiration date. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf before the Wednesday distribution hours or before 7:30 a.m. on the Thursday distribution mornings.

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

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10 • February 20, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Benefit Far from home, local Australians hold an event to help

The strangest thing about seeing news and speaking to their families, Kazmier and Helem agreed, was the new silence brought to the landscape and their families’ backyards. It’s summer in Australia right now, and Helem said he saw a video from a friend that brought home the new reality of nature there.

Chea Waters Evans

From across the world, Vermonters watched last fall as devastating wildfires swept across Australia. For two local Aussies, the news was particularly difficult to watch. Damien Helem, from Charlotte, and Dina Kazmier, of Shelburne, both felt the frustration of being far from home as their country went up in flames, and now they’re working to help as much as they can from so many miles away.

Kazmier said that the two friends, who are each other’s “closest Australian mate” in Vermont, have struggled as they watch their friends and family struggle from afar.

“It’s very surreal,” she said. “My mom was watering her house and garden every day to prevent the soot from sticking to the dwelling—she’s an 86-year-old lady, and my sister said she was trying to keep everything damp. That image is just so surreal, because you think, I should be there watering and making sure she’s not outside with that bad air quality.”

The fires started in northern Australia, in New South Wales, where Kazmier is from.

Helem is from Melbourne, in Victoria, and as the fires progressed, they moved south toward his former home, and friends of his who actually recently moved back to Australia from Vermont. He said they were right in the thick of it: “There were a lot of images you saw where people were evacuated to the beach, and people were moving up and down

“Right now, it’s just dead quiet,” he said.

“There’s nothing. It’s apocalyptic...you kind of forget” “That’s one of the most beautiful things—I just have this vision of my sister’s backyard, and now there’s just silence,” Kazmier said. She said usually the kookaburras and the galahs are so loud, you can barely hear anything else, and now those birds are absent.

Eight-year-old Christopher Kazmier, whose mother, Dina, is from Australia, drew this picture of a kangaroo trapped in the Australian wildfires.

Photo courtesy Dina Kazmier

the beach to get away from the fires, and some were even in the water.”

Though neither Kazmier or Helem lost any family members or property, they said many they know did. Helem said seeing it all go down where you’re so far away led him to want to do anything he could to help, so he started planning a benefit to raise money for the firefighters in Victoria.

“You do feel really helpless,” he said.

“You see your country on fire, and you’re sitting there on the other side of the world,

in picturesque Vermont, protected from natural diasters (knock on wood); to see that happening and just the extent of it, it’s really disturbing.”

The firefighters, he said, risked everything to protect the land and people of Australia, and he hopes to give back in any way he can.

“It’s crazy how intense these fires are,” he said. “The winds can change at any moment, and it’s a wall of fire, like 50 or 60 feet. It’s intimidating how minute the firefighters are in front of these huge flames. It’s like hell.”

Kazmier and Helem are hosting a benefit this weekend to raise money for the firefighters in Victoria. On Sunday, Feb. 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., they are having a grazing dinner at The Great Northern restaurant on Pine Street in Burlington. A ticket gets two drink tickets and unlimited food provided by local chefs and restaurants including The Great Northern, Hen of the Wood, Penny Cluse, Honey Road, Juniper, Butch & Babe’s, Charlotte chef Matt Jennings, and Molly Stevens. Drinks are provided by Zero Gravity, Foam Brewers, and Mad River Distillers. There will also be a silent auction.

Tickets are available at.eventbrite.com/e/aussiebushfire-benefit-vermont-tickets-92068428147.

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The Charlotte News • February 20, 2020 • 11

Library News

Rebellion Burlington. Registration is helpful, but not required.

Margaret Woodruff

Better Together Book Club: Fair Play by Eve Rodsky Wednesday, March 12 @ 7 p.m.

UPDATE: The Library closing dates have changed. We will be closed from Saturday, February 22 to Wednesday, February 26. Join us Thursday, February 27 for cider and donuts in our new space! Please note that programs taking place after February 26 will meet in the new library space.

The Charlotte Library will be closed until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 so that library staff may attend Town Meeting Day.

Programs for Children Baby & Family Time Tuesdays @ 9 a.m.

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

Preschool Story Time Tuesdays @ 10:30 a.m.

Stories, songs and crafts for children ages 3 to 5.

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

Registration required.

Programs for Adults & Families TIPS for Tuning In: RESCHEDULED Thursday, February 20 @ 7 p.m.

Join local childhood education faculty for an insightful, hands-on workshop. This 1.5 hour workshop will provide a research-based parenting techniques focused on building resilience for all children including those who have experienced adverse childhood experience (trauma). This will be a hands-on workshop where you will learn 3 concrete

strategies that you can practice at home with your children. Participants will also leave a list of resources.

Film Showing: “No Small Matter” Wednesday, March 4 @ 7 p.m.

A feature-length documentary film and national engagement campaign that brings public attention to this vital question by sharing powerful stories and stunning truths about the human capacity for early intelligence and the potential for quality early care and education to benefit America’s social and economic future. Co-sponsored with the Charlotte Children’s Center. Registration is helpful but not required. Snow date: Monday, March 9.

Extinction Rebellion Tuesday, March 10 @ 7 p.m.

Concerned about climate change and not sure what to do about it? Join us for a presentation on the current science and learn about Extinction Rebellion’s approach to action.

This is a joint presentation by Extinction Rebellion Champlain Valley and Extinction

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For more information about these and all our library programs & activities, visit our website: www.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 at www.charlottepubliclibrary.org Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/charlottelibraryvt Follow us on Twitter & Instagram: @CharlotteVTLib

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• The library driveway and original entrance are permanently closed.

• Patrons may enter the library via the library porch door, either from the north entrance or along pathway from Town Hall parking lot.

• The book drop box is located in front of Town Hall. Please stop there to return all materials when 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!

Library Fundraising Update Here at the library, we are very excited about moving into the new addition.

We look forward to sharing the large and sunny children’s space and to planning activities in the beautiful dedicated space for programs. It is hard to believe that only a year ago we were developing plans and preparing a bond application! All of us involved in the project know that we could not have succeeded without the generous and ongoing support of the Charlotte community.

We are now within $13,000 of our fundraising goal and seek your assistance to get us all the way to $600,000. If you haven’t had a chance to donate to the library expansion project, now is the time! And, if you are in a position to add to a previous donation, we would be very grateful for your additional support! We would love everyone in Charlotte to be a contributor to this valuable town resource, regardless of the amount given.

Donations may be sent to the Friends of the Charlotte Library, P.O. Box 344, Charlotte, VT 05445. Or you may make a donation online via PayPal at charlottepubliclibrary.org/support-thelibrary/library-friends/.

Please join us Sunday, May 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. for our (re)opening celebration in this next chapter of The Charlotte Library. Again, thanks to all who have given to this campaign!

12 • February 20, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Sacred Hunter

The blessing of a great fighting fish Bradley Carleton The last week of February and the first two weeks of March are one of my favorite times in winter. The days are growing longer, the sun is higher in the sky, and the breezes begin to carry the promise of warmer days ahead.

And most importantly the Great White Perch season is in full swing!

This blessing of a great fighting fish is paradoxically a bane to our ecosystem.

You see, the white perch (actually, a bass called Morone Americana) is an invasive species that is harming the balance of our lakes. It out-forages other native species like yellow perch and feeds heavily on smelt and walleye fry. For this reason, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has no limit on the number you can catch. I’m talking BIG numbers! Like 200-500 fish in a day! And the outdoors community is doing everything they can to take advantage of this blessing – or curse – depending on which side of the shanty you sit on.

Actually it’s generally so nice out on the lake this time of year that most ice fisherpeople come out of their shanties to soak up the sun in comfortable folding chairs, pulling up one fish after another and whooping loudly when they catch one giant whitey, which occasionally tip the scales around two pounds and 14 to 16 inches. The beautiful thing about fishing for white perch is that no one is left out. Most ice fisherpeople will keep their best spots a secret when it comes to yellow perch, smelt, walleyes, trout, salmon, lakers or pike. But when the whites come in, everyone is invited. If you see someone 50 yards away from you “bailing” fish (putting one after another in the bucket) pick up your equipment and ask if you can sit beside them.

Maybe offer them a donut or coffee but the answer is almost always “Sure! Pull up a chair and help me out here!” It’s a friendly atmosphere, almost carnival-like, with the sunshine pouring down, the smell of someone grilling burgers and hot dogs on the ice and war whoops every time someone lands a big one.

Now for the “why”. Because they taste great!

Although they are a bit slimy to clean, with a decent fillet knife – I prefer the electric variety – you can clean one fish every one to two minutes into neatly de-boned fillets. I take the little ones (under 7”) and grind the fillets in a blender until they make a pasty solution, add breadcrumbs, finely chopped green beans and hot Thai sauce. I squeeze them into patties and bake them on a cookie sheet, then freeze them in vacuum sealed packages of six, stack them in the freezer, and when you don’t want to do a lot of prep work for a quick dinner, warm the back up on a

A nice catch by Steve Osborne.

Photo by Bradley Carleton

cookie sheet. Add some red pepper relish and BAM! You’ve got a great appetizer or entrée.

“Okay, all this sounds great, but where do I go,” you ask. That’s easy. You follow Tiffany Tenney and her fiancé Jacob Holmberg. Or you can just drive up to St Albans Bay and head to Hathaway Point. Parking is limited to the access and the roadside, unless there’s enough ice to drive on (never drive on ice unless it is at least 12-18” thick and a clear black base). Most people will just walk out to the toward the green can and set up shop about 200 yards offshore in about 15-18’ of water. For equipment it’s best to have a small ice rod, 24 to 30 inches, and an open-faced reel with two pound or four pound line.

Add a lure like a Swedish pimple or spoon type lure, tip it with a piece of nightcrawler or spikes (fisherpeople call them “spikes” because the gentry get grossed out by calling them by their more common nomenclature – maggots).

Once you’ve gotten over the heebie-jeebies of putting these little creatures on the hook, lower the lure down until it “bounces” off the bottom. Reel it up just a turn or two and gently jig it up and down in tiny movements.

If you’re there on the right day you will get bites nonstop and soon you will be battling the mighty Morone Americana and trying to wrestle it up through the icy cylinder of water. And when you do, you’ll want to let out a war whoop all your own. Come join Tiffany, Jacob, and my fishing buddies Steve Osborne, Chris Thayer, Doug Hartwell, and my lovely bride, Katie Carleton, for an afternoon of sunshine, laughter and white perch!

Bradley Carleton is Executive Director of Sacred Hunter.org, a non-profit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature.

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The Charlotte News • February 20, 2020 • 13

Tunes To Tune Into Jazz for love, whether you’re lonely or sparks are flying

heard in “Me and My Devil,” “New York Is Killing Me,” and the album’s title track, exposing Heron at his most vulnerable and McCraven at his most virtuosic.

John Moses Greetings from Los Angeles!

I’m writing to you around Valentine’s day (although I’m sure you’ll read this after) and I’m afraid this year’s is a bit lonely for me. You may recall from my last letter that I recently became engaged to a wonderful woman and she fell down a well? Sadly, and much to my dismay, she is stuck still at the bottom of that deep, perilous well. The authorities remain unable to get a ladder or rope long enough (something to do with a delay from their equipment distributor) and we’ve worked hard to make our best of the strange circumstances that have so drastically affected our relationship.

Communication has been the most difficult hurdle; yelling up and down the well produces a mess of unintelligible noise and has proven to be fruitless. I drop notes down to her, and she wraps some paper around a rock and heaves it back up to me (she has a fantastic arm). We talk about friends, family, recent movies, and the salamanders who seem to be encroaching on her position. While moderately successful, this method connection lacks a certain intimacy.

I’ll be honest with you, I miss my gal.

In another life, I’d be sprinkling rose petals around the apartment, igniting an impressive fire even a dad could be proud of, and playing the music I feel best speaks the language of love: jazz. It’s one of my favorite genres; it can be tastefully abstract while still conveying a resonant message

Illustration by Alison Rosenfeld

and mood in a variety of ways. However, I completely understand that there is often a distinct barrier of entry between a style of music that’s challenging and largely instrumental and some music enthusiasts.

So, the situation is this: I’ve got a future wife in a well, a handful of music I’m excited about, and your undivided attention. Let’s see if we can’t make some sparks fly together, you and me.

Chicago-based guitarist Jeff Parker’s newest body of work, “Suite for Max Brown,” hit shelves late last month with a bang. Known for his involvement with experimental rock quartet Tortoise, Parker’s latest releases with local windy city record label International Anthem found widespread acclaim, landing “Suite for Max Brown” at #1 on the Current Contemporary Jazz Billboard chart. And for good reason - the entire album swirls in gorgeous fashion while daring to present itself through new compositional techniques. At first listen, Parker’s

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creation might sound like a room full of artists riffing and taking cues from one another: a typical jazz record. However, what we’re hearing is the culmination of multiple private recordings, or one-on-one sessions, between Parker and individual band members improvising on top of previously recorded music beds, beats, and samples, all assembled by Parker during downtime on tour. The album explores improvisational jazz in the digital era in a way that’s adventurous, digestible, and comfortable. The opener, “Build a Nest,” features the record’s lone vocal cameo from Parker’s daughter Ruby, opening the door wide open for the flavors of rhythmic mania, soundscapes, and hip hop-inspired grooves that run through the album from front to back. Treat yourself to forty minutes of Jeff Parker; this one is special.

We’ll remain in Chicago for a moment and lend an ear toward “We’re New Again,” a collaboration between drummer Makaya McCraven and XL Recordings, reimagining Gil-Scott Heron’s seminal final album, “I’m New Here.” McCraven’s rendition marks the tenth anniversary of Heron’s release, and the latest cover of the source material since Jamie XX’s 2012 remix album, “We’re New Here.” Where “I’m New Here” bolstered Heron’s smoky vignettes with sample-based trip hop backing, Jamie XX found a new life in the album through broken beats and UK bass inventions. McCraven’s rendition lands somewhere closer to the original record, trading its dusty ’90s- and 2000s-inspired sound collages for sidewalk jazz-colored panoramas. Think Ken Nordine meets Pharaoh Sanders as opposed to Portishead.

Much of the record dances between elegiac interludes and long form compositions.

Songs like “People of the Light” and “Running” mark some coffee shop Jazz moments; musings and memories gliding atop winding percussive tapestries you might hear late at night, stumbling into The Radio Bean. These tracks are balanced by the record’s vocally melodic moments,

Let’s leave Chicago and head upward above the clouds. We’ll pivot into the unknown and find ourselves in the world of Terence Nance, a brilliant and dangerously innovative filmmaker and musician, recording music under the guise of Terence Etc. You may know Nance from his HBO show “Random Acts of Flyness,” a collection of psychedelic shorts revolving around themes of race, sex, and the double-sided beauty of American life.

It’s no surprise that Nance’s polychromatic creativity reaches beyond his talents in film and finds identity in music, as demonstrated by his short form “Things I Never Had” EP. In collaboration with his brother, Nelson, and Brooklyn based musician Nick Hakim (who also composes music for Random Acts…), “Things I Never Had” is a short and sweet collection of questions finding nebulous, funk-drizzled resolutions.

Songs “Infinite or Infinity,” “Like That Tho”, and the EP’s title track find intersection with contemporaries Moses Sumney and Perfume Genius, illustrating introspective poetics through dynamic avant-pop and neo-folk meditations. “My — Love,” used throughout “Random Acts of Flyness,” provides a string of staccatos as comedic relief with lighthearted romantic remembrance. It’s a light break from the weighty arrangements of the other pieces surrounding it. Most of the songs run long (between 4-6 minutes per track), allowing ample time for twisting, sparkling experimentation from Nance and his collaborators. I think big things are in store for Terence Nance, and it seems he’d agree. His music, in his words, asks: “Do you often miss (things) you’ve never had?

Experiences? People? Abilities? Qualities?

Foods and Drinks? Et Cetera and what have you? These four songs and rumination there-in may be, is, and will be yours - is yours - rest assured.” Whether those big things manifest visually or sonically, both or otherwise, I can’t say-- but make sure you keep your eyes and ears on what Nance is doing, because whatever it is, it’s likely to be necessary and new.

As our time together comes to a close, I hope you’ll explore the outskirts of the extended Jazz universe with songwriter Gary Corben’s Samba-bopping “Gods of Brasil” record, kick back to the global movements of “Las Formas en Flujo” (the multidimensional full-length from LA’s Gnome Beats), and listen in awe to “Acid,” the newest futuristic cinematic ballad from one of my favorite UK duos, Jockstrap.

Signing off, John Moses Hear the music online at: charlottenewsvt. org/category/living/music/ John Moses is a former Charlotter and a musical host of The Lab, a radio show on KCRW in Los Angeles (an NPR affiliate).

You can email John at: john@mushpost.com

14 • February 20, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Outdoors

Our beloved lake and spring awakenings Elizabeth Bassett How is it that sometimes our eyes don’t see things, things in plain sight? How many times have I driven or pedaled past signs that barely register! Small blue and orange signs announcing, “Ahead of the Storm, Stormwater Resilience Demonstration Site,” have become part of my Charlotte wallpaper. I recently read the Kingfisher, newsletter of the Lewis Creek Association, and learned about these signs and the project behind them.

Ahead of the Storm, AOS, is a local endeavor designed to improve water quality in Lake Champlain. It’s no secret that runoff from farm fields, lawns, and paved surfaces pours into local brooks and streams, making its way into Lake Champlain. Thorp Brook, McCabe’s Brook, LaPlatte River, and Lewis Creek are among the waterways that channel sediment and pollutants downstream, impairing water quality and the health of our lake.

Sixteen AOS projects, about half of which are in Charlotte, are either in the design or building phase or are completed. These include Charlotte Central School, East Thompson’s Point Road, Charlotte Senior Center, and Big Oak Lane neighborhood.

Let’s look at the completed project on East Thompson’s Point Road. In addition to the abovementioned blue and orange sign, a wide gravel strip runs along the north side of the road. The LCA website explains that

this demonstration site is in the Town of Charlotte right-of-way, adjacent to land that drains into Thorp Brook. Water quality samples measure very high phosphorous and sediment due to agricultural use and the poor absorption of clay soils.

This AOS project is intended to slow the flow of runoff and filter pollutants before the water enters Thorp Brook, which in turn empties into Lake Champlain Bay about one mile downstream at Town Farm. The project drains 17.3 acres of agricultural land, residential property, and roads. The original drainage ditch and culvert were undersized; the contour of the roadside ditch was changed from a V-shape to a U-shape; the ditch was filled with gravel intended to slow flow and trap sediment. The culvert beneath the road was replaced with a larger one to accommodate increased flows that will accompany more extreme weather events that are a part of climate change.

In addition to the sites in Charlotte, be on the lookout for AOS projects in Hinesburg at LaPlatte Headwaters Town Forest and Champlain Valley Union High School, and at Shelburne Community School.

No doubt you’ve noticed increased hours of daylight-hooray! Spring may still be distant but there are signs of hope and commensurate stirrings in the natural world.

Great-horned owls have been hooting to one another since December. On long and frigid winter nights, the deep bass of the male owl

is as eerie as it is beautiful.

Great horned owls get a jump on the season, nesting in late January or early February. (Sometimes their eggs freeze!) Their young are first to fledge, minimizing competition for available prey.

Also at night you might hear the barking or highpitched screams of the red fox. Generally solitary until mating season, which begins in February and continues into early March, red foxes fill the night with sound as they seek their mates.

With attention focused on recent Australian bush fires, and the loss of up to a billion animals, marsupials have been in the news. Kangaroos, wombats and other marsupials deliver babies that are tiny and not fully developed. The infants crawl to the mother’s pouch where they nurse and continue to develop. Did you know that we have a local marsupial, the only one in North America? Opossums have moved into our neighborhood, migrating northward in recent decades. Despite the nighttime wanderers’ thin fur coats and naked tails, ears, and snouts, Vermont Center on Ecostudies reports the first opossum in Burlington in 1988. By 1995 they had reached Montreal. They have an appetite for

Photo by Travis Titus

Great horned owl.

deer ticks so I’m always delighted to find one in our garden!

The Virginia opossum has its first litter of 5-13 young in February. The young are about the size of a bumble bee at birth, only one-fifth of a gram. As soon as they are born they crawl, blind, into the female’s pouch and begin to nurse. After 60 days of pouch life, they crawl out and may be carried on her back. When they are about 100 days old, they are on their own.

Keep your eyes open in the outdoors!

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The Charlotte News • February 20, 2020 • 15

Charlotte Senior Center

SENIOR CENTER MENUS Suggested donation for all meals: $5

for registration (at the Senior Center), and more information will be available in the Spring Schedule. Stay tuned.

Health Events On Wed. morning, 3/4, the Foot Clinic is offered, and it does require pre-registration for appointment times. The Blood Pressure Clinic on the same day at 11:30 is open to walk-ins, however. The following Foot Clinic and Blood Pressure Clinic will be on Wed., 4/1. ___________

Carolyn Kulik

SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR

“I realized it for the first time in my life: there is nothing but mystery in the world, how it hides behind the fabric of our poor, browbeat days, shining brightly, and we don’t even know it.” ~ Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees “There is no logical reason for the existence of a snowflake any more than there is for evolution. It is an apparition from that mysterious shadow world beyond nature, that final world which contains—if anything contains—the explanation of men and catfish and green leaves.” ~ Loren Eisley, The Immense Journey __________ As you can see, the Spring Schedule is not inserted in this issue of this paper as promised last time. The following Charlotte News issue of 3/5 will include the Spring Schedule which covers March, April and May. In addition, on 3/1, it will be posted on our website: CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org. Signups will start as of Mon. 3/2 – although most classes will be starting later in the season.

Please stop by or call 425-6345 to register.

You may also mail in your registration and payment.

That first week of March has ongoing classes or groups which continue every season and do not require advance registration. These include exercise and health classes: Chair Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Pilates, Pilates Plus, T’ai Chi Ch’uan for Beginners, T’ai Chi Practice for Advanced Students, and Strength Maintenance. Then, there are the regular gatherings: Duplicate Bridge, Spanish Conversation, Mahjong, Fiber Arts Group, and the Arts Group on Fridays.

Other events to keep in mind that first week are:

Mon., 3/2 – From 10:30-11:30, Age Well Restaurant Tickets will be dispensed.

You must be 60 years of age; the suggested donation for each ticket is $5, good for one year at participating restaurants on certain days. Please bring cash or check.

Tue., 3/3 – Introduction to Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement, at 1:00.

Gentle, mindful movement brings new selfawareness to increase our ability to do what we want to do. Free.

By popular demand, there will be two separate classes of EssentricsTM this season. Please note that both of them do have fees: Wed., 3/4 – Essentrics on Wed. at 8:30 - requires adv. registration, limited to 15; fee: $8 per class; $50 for 7 sessions.

It is a full-body workout that improves how you feel in your body through a dynamic combination of stretching and strengthening that works through all the joints and releases tight muscles. Please bring water and your own mat.

Fri., 3/6 – Essentrics on Fri. at 9:30 requires adv. registration, limited to 15; fee: $8 per class; $50 for 7 sessions.

Courses and Notes Two of the Senior Center’s language instructors will be returning this season.

On Mon. 3/9, Alysee Anton will begin two classes: at 1:15, French for Travelers (beginners) and at 2:30, French Conversation Circle (intermediate).

On Fridays at 1:00, starting 4/17, Nicole Librandi will be back to teach a series of beginning Italian classes.

Perhaps most exciting will be a new, Movie Classics Discussion Series comprised of 4 films on a theme, to be shown on four Friday afternoons starting in April.

The screenings are co-sponsored by the Charlotte Public Library, and they will be screened in the library’s brand new meeting space. There will be plenty of time

Send Us Your Charlotte News and Photos! news@thecharlottenews.org

WEDNESDAY Afternoon at 1:00 p.m.

Free Events, No registration necessary The 2/12 event, More Paths to Wellness, was informative and well-received by the attentive audience which asked great questions afterwards. The panel of four professionals introduced the fields of Craniosacral Therapy, The Feldenkrais Method, Osteopathy, and Rolfing. Many in the audience requested that these panels continue in the future to introduce other modalities.

2/26: Antarctica’s White Wilderness with Patrice Macomber ~ Discover the history and wildlife of Antarctica, our chilliest continent. After a short pre-trip to Buenos Aires and Ushuaia (The City at the End of the World), we’ll spend time cruising through the South Shetland Islands.

3/4: Ocean Currents, the Gulf Stream & Sailboat Racing with Don Porter ~ It’s just the right time of year to share an educational journey from an offshore sailor’s perspective! Learn about the critical influence ocean currents have on our climate, the surprising dynamics of the Gulf Stream, and how gale force winds and rogue waves in these waters conspired to define one of the most challenging Newport-Bermuda sailboat races.

3/11: American Sign Language Explained! with Jody Crosby ~ Find out how American Sign Language and Sign English are structured, learn some basic signs, and leave with an alphabet chart for fingerspelling.

Art News The February Art Exhibit: “2020 Hindsight ~ Barbara Water’s Retrospective” continues to the end of this month. The 60-piece show of abstract, personal reflections and nature-inspired works in many mediums is certainly worth a visit.

The March Art Exhibit will showcase works from our friends at Wake Robin and include pieces in oil, watercolor, acrylics and hot wax in both representational and abstract styles. ___________

Winter Weather Closings When there is iffy weather, remember

Keep up to date on Menus on Front Porch Forum and our website: CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org as the menu sometimes changes.

Monday Munch

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

No reservations required.

February 24

Creamy Carrot Soup Zucchini Fritters Greens Apple Dumpling Fresh Fruit

March 2

Philo Ridge Carrot/Ginger Soup Salad Roasted Cranberry Cheesecake Bar

Wednesday Lunch

All diners eat at noon.

Reservations suggested.

February 26

Spinach/Mushroom Lasagna Garlic Bread Lemon Bars

March 4

Beef Burgundy Homemade Birthday Cake & Ice Cream

Thursday – Gents Breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Reservations required.

Feb. 27

Menu and Topic - TBA that the Senior Center follows the school closures of Champlain Valley School District (CVSD). Closings are announced on local TV and radio stations, at CVSDVT.org, as well as on our website: CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org. and phone message.

During school vacation (2/24-2/28), please check our website for a posting, or call the Center for the phone message which is updated at 7am in the case of a closure.

Best times to see ART in Feb. & Mar. Mon. at noon, Tues. after 2:30, Wed. 10:00 to 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 on course listings, events 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 Rd., 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.

Stop in and say hello. See you soon! _______________ Charlotte Senior Center 802-425-6345

16 • February 20, 2020 • The Charlotte News

Sports Alpine Skiing

Edd Merritt

Nordic skiers double their efforts This time of year Nordic skiers split their time between high school and New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) events, and some skiers participated in both. Most of the higher performing racers choose NENSA, which has four Eastern Cup races and one high school-specific State Race. The State Race was held in Rumford, Maine, on Feb. 8 and 9.

The Eastern Cup two-day races feature classic and skate techniques. The age groups are under 20, under 18 and under 16; if racers score well enough, a select few will qualify for the Junior Nationals and represent New England.

In the NENSA Vermont Championships in the U18 Girls Classic and the U18 Girls Skate, the Mittelstadt sisters, Finn and Isabelle, finished in the top 25. Finn won the U16 Girls Classic and was 2nd in the U16 Girls Skate. She and her sister were named to the U18 Girls Vermont Elite team, and Finn was also named to the U16 Girls Vermont Elite team. The elite teams will represent Vermont in the New England Championships.

In the U18 Boys Classic, Gus Lunde placed 32nd, Skyler Heininger, 52nd, and Conner Falk, 78th. Sam Holmes placed 26th in the U16 Boys Classic and in the U16 Boys Skate. In the U18 Boys Skate Heininger placed 30th, with Lunde in 36th and Falk in 77th.

St. Michael’s College senior Colby Jordan from Charlotte placed 36th in the slalom race at the Bates College Carnival on Feb. 7 and 8.

Redhawk women’s basketball undefeated season nearly ends Tied 42–42 at the end of the third quarter, it took CVU women’s basketball team a 21-point fourth quarter to top Essex, 63–46. Leading Redhawk scorers were Mekkena Boyd with 21 points and Catherine Gilwee with 19 points, five of which were three pointers. Key to CVU’s victory was switching from man-to-man to a zone defense at the start of the fourth quarter. CVU remained undefeated with 14 wins, having overcome Rice 60–33 the previous week.

CVU gymnasts win second state title in last three seasons Behind the strong comeback from Tali Giubardo, who missed last season recovering from a serious vertebrae injury, the Redhawks topped second-place Essex by five points, 143–139, to win the state championship. Tali was the leading individual, winning the all-around title and floor title, placing 4th in the vault, 4th on the bars and 3rd on the beam. Laurynn Bombardier won the vault with Delaney Miller-Bottoms placing 7th. Taylor Hoar placed 5th and Miller-Bottoms tied for 6th on bars. Miller-Bottoms was 2nd in the beam, Hoar, 4th, and Logan Claffy, 5th. In floor exercises Claffy finished 3rd, Bombardier took 4th, and Hoar tied for 6th.

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.

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