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Charlotte News Thursday, February 6, 2020 | Volume LXII Number 15
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Charlotte News
The
Vol. 62, no.15
February 6, 2020
Vermont’s oldest nonprofit community newspaper, bringing you local news and views since 1958
The ballots are ready, and there’s no one on them Chea Waters Evans
Things may be heating up on the national stage with the upcoming presidential election, but in Charlotte, things not only aren’t heating up, they appear to have cooled down to almost freezing. This year’s sample ballot (it hasn’t been officially printed yet) shows a dearth of people willing to run for office. There are 13 total races on the ballot this year, and voters have only one contested race to consider. There are 7 positions for which not a single person turned in a petition to run, six positions that have only one candidate running, and seven positions that are blank altogether. The lone contested is for a 3-year Selectboard seat; the three candidates are Matt Krasnow, who currently is on the Selectboard, and Maurice Harvey and Ed Stone, both of whom have filled those seats in the past. The 2-year Selectboard seat is uncontested, with Dr. James M. Faulkner running.
The other uncontested races are Charlie Russell for town moderator, Hugh Lewis Jr. for road commissioner, Lynne Jaunich for CVSD school director, Mary Mead for delinquent tax collector, and Anne Marie Andriola for library trustee.
Town Clerk Mary Mead, who is in charge of town elections, said that though it’s “probably inappropriate” for her to weigh in on the way people vote, said that unfilled spots on the ballot can create headaches for her and Assistant Town Clerk Christina Boohers, who counts the ballots with her on election day. She said that positions that have blank space for a write-in option results in extra work and confusion.
whether they’re a cat or a presidential candidate. Mead said, “If no one gets 30 votes or more, the vacant office remains vacant until someone comes forward and wants to be in that position and the Selectboard makes the appointment, which is good until the next
“The very unfortunate thing with vacancies is that people then have fun with write-ins because they think it’s just good fun to write in their friend’s name or wife or husband or child or maybe Bernie Sanders,” Mead said. Those write-ins can make for a long day of tabulating ballots, and if one person gets more than 30 votes, they are the winner,
Budget talks and a vote against a net-metering agreement at Selectboard meeting Juliann Phelps Members at Monday’s Selectboard meeting passed the FY2021 proposed budget and articles for Town Meeting. The proposed budget was further trimmed by the Selectboard with suggestions from Town Treasurer Mary Mead, Assistant Town Clerk Christina Booher, and from the public. There were more attendees at this meeting than in several months, each there for varying topics, but the budget took center stage. Anticipated total expenses are $3,432,165, tax revenues are $1,963,357, and non-tax revenues are $1,459,808. This equates to a tax rate of $0.2111 without the proposed articles (trail reserve fund and non-profit donations). Chair Matt Krasnow estimated the increase to be about 4% from the previous year’s tax rate of $0.2027. With the proposed articles, the tax rate would be $0.2191, an increase of approximately 8% from the previous year. After highlighting the largest year over year budget increases: CVFRS appropriations, transfer to the highway reserve fund, town clerk and senior center maintenance, discussion centered on the improvement and repair fund. The board decided to leave in funds for the Town Hall roof and lighting, and reduced funds for the senior center roof and HVAC. Booher said, “The Town Hall needs some attention. We’ve got issues we need to address, this
building needs some work. This is where all the meetings are held.” Mead asked the board to consider setting aside some requests, “We just can’t have it all in the same year. Our budget where it is sitting is just way too high. Sometimes you just have to say no.” Krasnow asked Mead and Booher if they would consider cutting the proposed part time assistant town clerk position. Booher replied, “I will be leaving. It would be nice to train someone to be able to replace me.” Booher did not give a time frame but indicated it would be by the end of the year. After approving the budget, the Selectboard voted and approved the articles for Town Meeting, including Article 4 for $57,000 to be transferred into the Trails Reserve Fund and Article 5 for $17,992 to be distributed to nonprofit organizations listed in the town report. The articles both arose from budget discussions in previous Selectboard meetings. Net-Metering Agreement Energy Committee member John Quinney and Sam Carlson from Green Lantern Solar presented a draft net metering agreement to the Selectboard. Board member Louise McCarren spoke primarily on the topic, saying, “I have grave reservations about this.” She distributed an email she had already sent to Quinney outlining her concerns. Carlson attempted to see SELECTBOARD page 5
Unexpected bill from school district catches Selectboard off guard Town working toward security agreement for election day Chea Waters Evans with reporting by Juliann Phelps
see BALLOTS page 5
MEET THE CANDIDATES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 @ 7 P.M. The Charlotte Grange, Charlotte Library and the Charlotte News are co-hosting the annual Candidates Night at the Grange Hall, 2858 Spear Street. Please join us for conversation and refreshments with the candidates on the Charlotte Town Meeting ballot. Each candidate will have a few minutes to present an opening statement, then the floor will be open for questions and discussion.
Town elections have been held at Charlotte Central School for decades; the space is the largest public indoor area in town, and up until two years ago, Charlotters owned and operated the school. In the last two years, since consolidation with four other towns into the Champlain Valley School District, municipal events that have operated the same way for years are suddenly facing new regulations based on CVSD policies now that the school district owns the building. At the Jan. 27 Selectboard see SECURITY page 4
CCS up for $4.5m investment from CVSD bond Chea Waters Evans
The Champlain Valley School District, of which Charlotte Central School is a part, would receive $4.5 million of the $6 million that’s up for a bond vote in March. On Town Meeting Day, voters in Charlotte, Shelburne, Hinesburg, St. George, and Williston will decide via Australian ballot whether or not the capital improvement project is a go. All five towns need to approve the bond vote in order for it to pass. There are current capital projects that the school district is paying for in Shelburne and Williston, both approved before the school district consolidated; those two items total over $20 million. Charlotte is due for many structural improvements that proved difficult to fund in the years before the consolidation—when CCS was its on entity, school budgets had trouble passing through voters even without the added expense of millions of dollars for building maintenance. Jeanne Jensen, chief operations officer for CVSD, said that Charlotte is the last school in the district to need such expansive—and expensive—repairs. The other two schools already began their capital improvement projects, and she
Thermal imaging shows heat escaping from the windows at CCS; infrastructure repairs will improve energy efficiency and help regulate classroom temperatures. Photos courtesy Dore & Whittier Architects
said Hinesburg Community School was historically able to stick to a schedule that maintained the property with smaller expenses spread out over time. That building is in good shape, she said. see BOND page 14
The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 3
Opinion Selectboard turns down cost savings: show your support for town solar John Quinney and the Charlotte Energy Committee Charlotte has an exciting opportunity to save taxpayer money, advance its renewable energy goals, and go solar. At their January 27th meeting, however, the Selectboard rejected the energy committee’s proposal, and the opportunity to save about $2,000 a year on the town’s and Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue’s electricity bills. Matt Krasnow and Fritz Tegatz voted in favor; Louise McCarren, Carrie Spear and Frank Tenny voted against. In 2020, there are countless reasons to go solar, all of them practical. Perhaps easiest to wrap one’s mind around are the cost savings. Under this proposal, the town’s savings arise from net metering credits that are to be produced by a 500 kilowatt solar array, owned by Green Lantern Solar, and sited in a reclaimed gravel pit in Vernon, Vermont. Colchester School District has already agreed to purchase 90% of the credits produced by this solar array; Charlotte was to purchase the remaining 10%. This array will come on line by July 1 this year. There is no upfront cost to the town aside from legal fees already incurred for reviewing the net metering agreement. On the surface, nothing would appear to change—the town would still get its electricity from Green Mountain Power. But by assigning the net metering credits, purchased at a 12% discount, to the town’s electricity bills (the Library, Senior Center, Town Hall, Thompsons Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Fire & Rescue), about 85% of the town’s total annual electricity use would be offset. Charlotte taxpayers would save about $2,000 a year, for the next 25 years. The energy committee’s proposal had the support of the library and Fire & Rescue. Over the last few years, dozens of towns and school districts in Vermont have entered into such arrangements with solar developers, many of them with Green Lantern Solar. These towns are saving money and showing their support for solar. Last Monday night, our Selectboard chose to do neither. Particularly troubling is the disregard for key
provisions of the updated Town Plan, which was passed just a few months ago with over 80% of the vote. Among the specific actions listed in support of energy efficiency and renewable energy, the Town Plan includes the phrase, “Charlotte will encourage greater use of renewables within municipal buildings.” The first chance we get since the vote to take action on our new town goals, we fail to do so? Aren’t Selectboard members obligated to uphold the Town Plan? Fortunately, the Selectboard has another opportunity to consider this proposal and change the outcome. We took note of concerns stated by the Selectboard and members of the audience and responded as follows: •
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What about the technology risk associated with a 25 year agreement? Green Lantern has reduced the term to 20 years. Also, the town may opt out of the agreement at any time provided we’re replaced by an equally creditworthy town or school. Payment terms. Green Lantern adjusted these to be more favorable to the town. What if the solar array fails to perform? Green Lantern has six months to fix the problem – reduced from a year. For the past three years, Green Lantern’s “uptime” across more than 50 solar arrays in Vermont is above 99%. What has other towns’ experience been? The energy committee agreed to contact several towns that have net metering agreements with Green Lantern in place, in order to gather information on the performance of the solar installations, actual savings on electricity costs, and more. Not enough time to read the net metering agreement? Fair enough. The revised net metering agreement was distributed to the Selectboard on January 29th.
The Selectboard will take up the revised proposal at their February 10th meeting at Town Hall. We urge all Charlotters who support solar and are concerned about climate change to attend the meeting. The agenda and relevant materials will be available on the town’s website on Thursday, February 6th, or by requesting them from John Quinney, johnq@gmavt.net. We will also post reminders on Front Porch Forum.
Meanwhile, the energy committee has an online petition in support of solar for Charlotte. Search for “Approve Solar Proposal for Charlotte” on www.change.org, or look for the link on Front Porch Forum. We know there is strong support for solar in Charlotte, and now is the time to take action and show it. Make your voice heard. Let the Selectboard know that you expect them to support solar. Come to the February 10th meeting and sign the petition at www.change.org.
Champlain Valley School District capital construction bond on this year’s ballot CVSD school board On the ballot for Town Meeting Day, March 3, not only will there be articles about the school district’s proposed budget, fund balance, and school buses, but this year there will also be an article about the proposed Capital Construction Bond. We will be providing more information about the other articles in upcoming posts, but we wanted to share details about the proposed bond with our communities as soon as possible. We hope to answer some immediate questions below. More information about the proposed budget and bond can be found on the Budget page of the CVSD website, www. cvsdvt.org/budget. What is the process used to determine capital improvements? How does it get determined what work fits in the regular school district operations budget and what needs to be on a bond? Long-range capital maintenance plans and priorities for each school are developed and refreshed by the district’s Property Services Team. These plans are reviewed each September with building principals for completeness on maintenance items and any additions related to instructional delivery The CVSD Property Services Manager and district COO review the list in October determining which items can be: •
funded through the operational budget
•
funded with existing construction funds
•
large projects grouped for potential biennial bond requests
•
Priorities are reviewed with facilities managers and building administration.
The entire 5-year plan is reviewed with the Finance and Facilities committee during budget development. A summary of the capital projects is reviewed with the Board during the operations budget presentation. CVSD is a consolidated district. What does that mean for homeowners in each of our towns? The school buildings in all of our towns are now the responsibility of the entire CVSD community and deferring these necessary maintenance repairs will only delay them to another year when they will be more expensive. The proposed bond is projected to cost a homeowner $10 per year for each $100,000 of assessed value before accounting for income sensitivity adjustments or CLA. see OPINION page 3
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ON THE COVER Looking north along the VAST trail. Mt. Philo on right, Pease Mt. in distance on left by Julian Kulski
4 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Opinion OPINION
continued from page 2
What is included in the proposed bond? How are schools in all of our towns impacted? At Hinesburg, we are addressing deteriorating parking lots and sidewalks, and upgrading the air quality on the second floor of the main building. At CVU, the bond will fund energy efficiency improvements in the 1981 wing, overdue field drainage improvements on two natural grass fields and a resurfacing of the 15-year-old track. At Shelburne Community School, funds will be used to bring the cafeteria’s kitchen into compliance with current code and to repave the parking and drop off / pick-up lot on School Street. And at the Allen Brook School, the bond will fund a fire alarm system upgrade to current life/safety code and additional multiple improvements needed to improve security. The remainder of the bond will focus on critical repairs and upgrades at Charlotte Central School needed to maintain the health of students and staff and eliminating an astonishing waste of energy. The project consists of sealing the envelope of the main classroom wing – new windows, doors, insulation and cladding – and replacing the existing outdated air handling units with high-efficiency energy recovery ventilators. We encourage everyone to go to the CVSD Capital Construction website and view the presentation shared on January 21, 2020, by architects Dore & Whittier. There you will find infrared photos where you can almost see gallons of fuel oil being wasted as heat flows out through single-pane windows and uninsulated structural beams. Additional information can be found on the Capital Construction website, linked from the CVSD Budget page. www.cvsdvt.org/budget Why are voters just hearing about this bond proposal now? The CVSD Board has committed to putting the district on a path to a sustainable capital funding strategy to minimize costs and stabilize tax impacts. After a period of catching up, the vision is to present district voters with consistent, small investment requests – stewardship bonds – prioritized to eliminate the need for the large construction projects we have seen in the past, and our neighbors are experiencing now. In the short term though,
the investment requests will be a bit higher as we clear up deferred maintenance problems. Our physical assets are managed by a team of highly-skilled, and very busy, facilities managers. One of the CVSD School Board’s first acts after consolidation was to centralize the facilities team in order to achieve operational efficiencies and take advantage of economies of scale. The board also addressed how to manage and prioritize capital needs. While Shelburne Community School and Williston Central School had significant deferred maintenance problems that were addressed with their recent bonds, the CVSD board has directed that we respect the tax burden already in place in our community by holding the cost of the first phase of the Charlotte project to a minimum. We are not alone in facing the reality of a backlog of deferred maintenance as Burlington ($70M), Winooski ($58M), South Burlington ($209M) and in fact, the rest of Vermont are all struggling to maintain school facilities in the face of the 13-year moratorium on school construction aid. We are grateful that our own needs are on a much smaller scale. Thank you for your attention to and support for this important matter. Please direct any further questions to the CVSD School Board cvsdboard@cvsdvt.org
The Charlotte Town Link Trail: A smart investment in our community’s future At the Town Meeting on March 3, voters will be asked to approve a request by the Charlotte Trails Committee to fund the next section of the Town Link Trail. As an all-volunteer committee of local taxpayers, we take seriously our responsibility to use our collective funds wisely and efficiently. To that end, we would like to outline reasons why we think our request for funding—detailed in Article 5 on the Town Meeting ballot—is worth your consideration. For more information on the Town Link Trail, including maps of the completed sections and a short video on the trail experience, please see charlottetrailsvt.org/townlink/. Trails improve Charlotte’s quality of life. The system of trails and parks in Charlotte offers residents the opportunity to walk, run, bike, and ski through our beautiful landscapes, connect us to each other and nature, and celebrate Charlotte’s cherished heritage. Governor
Scott, in his recent “state of the state” address, identified population loss as the number one threat to Vermont’s economic future. Trail systems increase our quality of life and make Charlotte more likely to attract and retain people, especially younger people with families. Visit urban and suburban areas in the Northeast that draw young people away from Vermont, and you will find trail systems in which those municipalities invested years ago and now tout as essential to their quality of life. Trails keep us and our children safe and healthy. Trails allow us to visit neighbors and Charlotte’s many amenities without getting into our cars or risking our safety on busy roads. In a wonderfully rural area like Charlotte, where we do not have the luxury of sidewalks and public transportation, it is all the more important to give people opportunities to get around and be active without burning fossil fuels or risking life and limb. Imagine if we and our kids could walk from the west village to the Town Beach without dodging speeding vehicles on Ferry Road, or if we could walk to Mt. Philo without adding our cars to those crowding the parking lot there? Trails are financially responsible. As much as trails can cost because of engineering studies, permitting processes, and construction, they are one of the least expensive ways to improve the infrastructure in our community. Our trails include affordable, unpaved surfaces and are situated either on land the public already owns or on easements generously offered by private landowners. Private donations help cover costs not met by Town funds, which has become especially important as grant money has dried up in recent years. Volunteers help build and maintain the trails, further keeping costs in check. The Trails Committee, which has one of the smallest budgets of all the Town committees, has a track record of building trail sections on time and on budget. Trail systems can raise local home values and increase visits by non-residents to our businesses. Trails have wide public support. A recent survey shows that 82 percent of Charlotte respondents support extending the trail along State Park Road to Mt. Philo—a project we expect to complete in 2020. A state-run trail count showed as many as 100 people using the Town Link Trail on a Saturday in the fall and about 50 on a weekday. The Charlotte
Around Town Congratulations to Lily Kate Keech of Charlotte whose poem “After the Party” appeared in the Burlington Free Press Young Writers Project of Jan. 24. Lily based her poem on one of the project challenges, mystique. She introduced the mystique of a party that she sponsored, and the great time that she and her friends enjoyed. However, after the party she tries to move on but nothing as much fun without her friends. Congratulations to former Charlotte resident Leith Tonino, whose article on cross country skiing in the Jan. 29 issue of Seven Days introduces examples of his plein air poetry. He contrasts his love for cross country skiing to that of Minnesota poet Robert Bly, who uses the cross country skiing experience to describe a “vast, gentle, moody terrain that is both external and internal, located in the place and in the poet alike.” Leith says that his own poetic practice is a technique for tricking himself into “slowness, attentiveness, appreciation of the scene’s infinite detail.” He realizes his pencil has become a kind of ski. Town Plan, approved by public vote in 2018, includes language supporting the Town Link Trail and other recreational paths. For these reasons, the Trails Committee hopes you will vote in favor of Article 5 at town meeting. That article will ask for $57,000 to connect the current northern end of the Town Link Trail, near the Champlain Valley Cohousing, to the west village, and start the path from there toward Lake Road and eventually the Town Beach. In the longer run, we want to connect the east and west villages with a trail. We arrived at the $57,000 figure on the basis of per-mile estimates from experienced trail building companies in Vermont. Like most things in life, the cost per mile of trail construction has only gone up over the years. The sooner we can complete the Town Link Trail, the more money we will save Charlotte taxpayers in the end. Thank you for your consideration. The Charlotte Trails Committee
The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 5
Town SECURITY
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meeting, board members expressed their surprise, uncertainty, and frustration at an unexpected contract emailed from CVSD to Town Manager Dean Bloch. The email details new security requirements for election days and requires the town to pay for them, beginning with this year’s town meeting in March. The email contained a contract, that, among other items, stated, “The Town shall be allowed up to four (4) days per calendar year for Election Days at the School,” “CVSD shall be allowed to hire additional staff as it sees fit on Election Days to provide security and/or traffic control,” and “The Town shall reimburse CVSD for the cost of said security up to the amount of $2000.00/day within thirty (30) days of being presented with an itemized bill.” The Selectboard and town employees were concerned about the email. Town Clerk Mary Mead said, “I think this is outrageous. To send this to us via email, in this short period of time and say this absolutely going to be in place for March town meeting is outrageous as well. … We would be paying $8,000 a year to the school district for something we are not prepared to do.” Selectboard Chair Matt Krasnow said, “I have a real concern about militarizing
school zones and militarizing our polling. We have not been given any opportunity to weigh in on how discreet to keep the security. I don’ t think is appropriate; what’s been a very un-militarized Town Meeting Day and election day culture, to be forced up on the town based upon the liability perceptions of the district.” Board member Fritz Tegatz said, “This is an arrogant ultimatum…if public safety was truly their concern, they should be concerned about parking (during school hours).” He continued, “Maybe we should pay for security on voting days, and they should pay for traffic control every day they have school in the mornings and afternoons. What’s fair’s fair.” Krasnow, Tegatz, and Mead all met with CVSD Chief Operations Officer Jeanne Jensen last Friday to go over their concerns. Jensen said in an interview that the Selectboard shouldn’t have been surprised at the contract, considering that the current standard facility-rental agreement outlines that for town use, they “wouldn’t charge for use of the building for town meeting, but that we would charge for security.” Last year, the Charlotte Recreation Department worked out a deal with the school district which would allow for certain sports teams and rec department activities to use the school facilities; this agreement included a fee for maintenance
Welcome to
and security that the school district said they were required to have for liability and safety reasons. Jensen said the Selectboard shouldn’t have been surprised with the email she sent. “I’m kind of surprised by that, because we exchanged emails on April 12, 2019 with Dean [Bloch], Matt Krasnow, and it was forwarded to Mary Mead. I’m surprised that this is new news.” Jensen also addressed the two main concerns the Selectboard voiced: the large fee and the possible police presence. She said that the phrase “up to” didn’t mean it would definitely cost that much, and that a current estimate places the figure more around $1,300, and that would only be for large elections like on Town Meeting Day and in November. In the past, the town has used Constable Josh Flore as a traffic and security presence. She also said there wouldn’t be any armed or uniformed security on the premises, and that it would be security people in orange vests, unarmed, managing traffic flow and preventing people from walking into the building at unauthorized points. She said that last year, some voters went into the main building during school bus drop off and pickup times, and also attempted to enter the school from the rear doors that let children onto the playground. She also said security would only be there from 6:30
a.m. to 3:30 p.m., when children were in the school. Jensen also said that limiting the number to four was a practical guess, not an attempt to limit voting. “In the draft we put four because we couldn’t find a situation where there were more than four, but that’s totally negotiable,” she said. Citing the loss of the gym, MPR, and music room for those days, Jensen said the elections get in the way of a regular school day. “It’s disruptive, but we’d never tell the town they couldn’t have a meeting there,” she said. She said that the school district is hoping to have a school holiday this fall for the November election, so the cost would be lower and the children would be more secure. “Our intention is to really work with the town here; we really just want to keep the kids safe,” she said. Though there is no evidence that there has ever been a security-related emergency at Charlotte’s town meeting, Jensen said the changes are necessary. She said the school district isn’t trying to make money or restrict people’s voting or gathering rights in any way. “This doesn’t make me happy,” she said. “I really wish I lived in a world where kids can come in and out of town meeting, and parents could come in and out of the school, but that’s not the world we live in.”
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6 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Town
SELECTBOARD
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address them during the meeting. The central issues for McCarren were the length of the 25-year agreement, anticipated savings, and “dealing with an entity that is not regulated.” She also took issue with a section in the contract for non-performance. “365 days of non-performance before it becomes a default; seems to me a little bit much,” she said. Carlson replied, “Our interests are entirely aligned. If our system doesn’t produce, you don’t pay a penny.” The board voted 2-3 on the agreement, with McCarren, Vice Chair Frank Tenney and Carrie Spear against. Other Business The Selectboard received an email from the school district about providing security for elections held at the school; see the article on page 1. During public comment, Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz read from a prepared statement regarding the West Charlotte Village Wastewater ordinances. He said a recent article in The Charlotte News “implies or even states the impetus for this issue is a request for a couple of businesses in town to use the septic facility. That’s not correct and it’s also misleading.” He said the matter was first discussed in 2008 and the committee created in 2009 by a vote at town meeting. It was reported about at town meeting in 2012 and
BALLOTS
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Town Meeting.” She also noted the lack of involvement on the part of Charlotters, which has been declining in recent years. “I have never, in 26 years, had this many vacant offices,” she said. Maura Carroll is the executive director of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, which is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that provides educational and practical assistance to municipal governments, works with the legislature, and makes efforts to educate the public about their local government. She said that the situation in Charlotte is not surprising. “It’s always sad when we see that happening,” she said. Carroll said there’s a trend across the state that indicates lower participation in town boards, committees, and people running for elected office. Though it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, she said she thinks that new and changing laws and regulations make these types of jobs more complex. “The role of local officials has become more time consuming and requires a greater knowledge of a variety of regulations,” she said. “It’s really unfortunate because these positions are really important and make a difference in the
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then in 2017 an advisory motion, “encouraged the commission and town to pursue this issue.” He said he was on the wastewater committee for almost three years, and that “the committee met two times a month in a warned notice and nobody ever showed up.” The Selectboard approved a request from Race Vermont to use town roads for running events in May and September. The board also approved two Thompson’s Point landowners’ request for authorization to apply for conditional use review for shoreline improvements. They also approved an agreement and consent to collateral assignment of lease of the Caretaker’s Cottage on Thompson’s Point as part of the ongoing process of replacing the of the Association’s water treatment facility. The Selectboard also heard from resident Bill Agnew, who requested the board review the ordinance for the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge for compliance with state law regarding prohibition of firearms. Agnew said, “My concern is the regulations in the town ordinance are in conflict with the state preemption statue.” Krasnow said they would bring the information to the town attorney to review and discuss at future meeting. The Selectboard also approved an increase of hours for the Tech Librarian and to continue their contract with Sullivan and Powers for the annual financial audit. The next Selectboard meeting is scheduled for February 10 at 6 p.m. community.” The VLCT is trying to come up with creative ways to inspire Vermonters to participate in local government. Some towns, Carroll said, citing Burlington as an example, have robust participation and a real culture of municipal volunteering, but it’s hard to find a solution to the problem of an apathetic community. “It depends on individual circumstances, and there’s no black and white answer,” she said. She mentioned that Charlotte is lucky to have a professional town manager at the helm, and said the “snowball effect” of people not running for office can make the problem worse. “When there are fewer people to do what more people are needed for, they get burned out.” Carroll said she thinks one way to increase participation is with education, and “letting people know what each role entails.” She also said training for these positions with others who have held them might be helpful. Though there’s no indication that municipal participation will be on an upswing any time soon, Carroll chooses to be somewhat optimistic. “People always have an opinion about their homes,” she said, “and it’s usually what helps us to recruit folks. Maybe people will step up!”
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The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 7
Morning snack
A lively conversation with Charlotte author
Twenty-five people convened at the Charlotte Grange on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 26, to engage in a lively conversation with Charlotte author Stephen Kiernan about his “Vermont to the Tenth Power” proposal, in which he argues that we should look to the power reserved to the states in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution and strive, both here in Vermont and alongside other like-minded states, to “exchange the frustrations of Washington with the gratification of taking greater responsibility for our own lives, our shared communities, our home.” During the course of the two-hour long event, which was cosponsored The Charlotte News, the Charlotte Library and the Charlotte Grange, a number of proposals for local actions were proposed and discussed. Following on this meeting, thee Charlotte Library will host a community resilience series in April at which we can continue to develop these and other ideas. The dates and times will be announced in The Charlotte News, on Front Porch Forum and on the Charlotte Library website. Please consider joining us.
Photo by Lee Krohn
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8 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Safety
Vermont State Police urge snowmobile riders to be safe while having fun As part of the ongoing and continual efforts in keeping Vermont snowmobiling a safe and enjoyable recreational sport for all, the Vermont State Police would like to send the following snowmobile safety reminders:
•
Do not operate while impaired. Alcohol and drug consumption increase your risk of injuries and fatalities while snowmobiling. Remember, if you feel different, you drive different.
Take a snowmobile safety course. Vermont law requires those born after July 1, 1983, who are 12 years of age and older, to take and pass an approved snowmobile safety course before operating on the State Snowmobile Trail System. “Today’s Snowmobile Rider in Vermont” snowmobile safety course is available in both a classroom setting and an approved online snowmobile safety course. Both can be found by visiting vsp. vermont.gov/auxiliary/snowmobile or vtvast.org/snowmobile-safety-course.
•
Avoid frozen bodies of water. Vermont has experienced unstable temperatures creating very hazardous and unpredictable ice. No ice is safe ice, and ice should be avoided while riding a snowmobile.
•
“Hands On For Safety” is a safe method of operating your snowmobile. The use of hand signals for noting riding numbers in a group or simply waving hello to another rider are discouraged. One can never predict another rider or group of riders coming up on another group. Hand signals for this manner can potentially be misleading. Riders should always assume an encounter with a rider from the opposite direction and should keep their hands on the handlebars.
Check weather and trail conditions. Checking weather and trail conditions will assist in identifying ideal trail riding conditions. It can help with identifying adequate clothing needs for the ride or even planning your ride for another day. Conduct a safety check on your snowmobile. Inspect your snowmobile before heading out on the trails. Having a small tool kit and spare parts can help avoid a breakdown in cutting your ride short. Check fuel, oil, and drive belt etc. before taking off. Wear appropriate clothes and protective gear. Staying warm will make your ride more enjoyable and safer.
Courtesy photo
Appropriate clothing such as insulated bibs and a coat, along with dressing in layers will provide the most protection against the elements. Polyester blends assist in wicking any moisture away from your body. Avoid cotton as it can freeze should it become damp or wet. Wear goggles or a face shield if you do not have a full-face helmet. Vermont law requires riders wear a DOT approved helmet. Whether you are driving or a passenger, a DOT helmet is required. Hockey style or other sporting helmets for young children are not legal and do not provide adequate protection. First aid kit. A basic first aid kit should contain items such as waterproof matches,
Charlotte Fire and Rescue Log January 2020 Wednesday, January 1 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Thursday, January 2 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Standby-Public Safety, Fire, or EMS Operational Support Provided Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Friday, January 3 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Standby-No Services or Support Provided Saturday, January 4 Patient Evaluated, No Treatment/Transport Required Standby-Public Safety, Fire, or EMS Operational Support Provided Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Canceled on Scene (No Patient Contact)
bandages, tourniquet, flashlight, compass, map, and blanket, etc. Bring a friend / file a plan. Snowmobiling with a friend is a safe and enjoyable way to ride Vermont’s SSTS. Having someone with you will assist you should you suffer a breakdown, or you get involved in a collision. You should always tell someone where you are going and when you should be expected to return. Safe operation •
Always operate in a safe and controlled manner. Use caution and drive at a reduced speed, particularly while maneuvering hills and corners.
Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Standby-No Services or Support Provided Wednesday, January 15 Standby-No Services or Support Provided Canceled (Prior to Arrival At Scene)
Respect the trails. Off-trail riding or riding after dark are some of the leading causes of trail closures. The SSTS is operated on mostly private lands generously opened by landowners during the snowmobile season. Please respect the landowners and these trails to ensure a lasting trail system.
Wednesday, January 22 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Friday, January 24 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit
Tuesday, January 7 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit
Thursday, January 16 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Canceled (Prior to Arrival At Scene)
Sunday, January 26 Patient Refused Evaluation/Care (Without Transport)
Thursday, January 9 Intercept Intercept
Friday, January 17 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit
Monday, January 27 Patient Evaluated, No Treatment/Transport Required
Friday, January 10 Canceled (Prior to Arrival At Scene) Saturday, January 11 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Sunday, January 12 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Monday, January 13 Canceled on Scene (No Patient Contact) Tuesday, January 14 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Canceled (Transferred to Mutual Aid)
Saturday, January 18 Patient Treated, Transported by Patient Treated, Transported by Patient Treated, Transported by Patient Treated, Transported by
EMS Unit EMS Unit EMS Unit EMS Unit
Sunday, January 19 Standby-No Services or Support Provided Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Tuesday, January 21 Standby-No Services or Support Provided Standby-No Services or Support Provided
Tuesday, January 28 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Wednesday, January 29 Intercept Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Standby-No Services or Support Provided Thursday, January 30 Patient Evaluated, Released (AMA) Friday, January 31 Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit Patient Treated, Transported by EMS Unit
The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 9
Letters to the Editor Response to “Charlotte Crossings Faces Parking Challenge” To the Editor: In response to the article in the Charlotte News by Jessica Savage, “Charlotte Crossings Faces Parking Challenge,” [Jan. 23] the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment would like to clarify some of the history and facts. The approved site plan was proposed and submitted by Mr. Dunbar and Ms. Kassabian in April 2018. Their Site Plan included 21 parking spaces (including an ADA space), exceeding the 16 minimum spaces required under the Land Use Regulations. Parking space requirements are determined by the combined square footage of, in this case, retail, office and restaurant use. Since issuing approval of their original site plan, they are now proposing changes to the Site Plan which includes increasing the restaurant square footage from 495 sq. ft. to 950 sq. ft., additional parking, modifying the landscaping, and a possible second curb cut off Route 7. Such changes require Site Plan review which entails one joint hearing with the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Site Plan review is, as stated in the Land Use Regulations, “Intended to ensure that
site layout is safe, functional, and of a scale that is compatible with its setting and context, and consistent with these regulations”. These regulations were voted on and approved by the Town in 2016. Modifying the Land Used Regulations for the benefit of one development by public vote, although legal, does not allow for a thorough deliberative review by the citizens of the Town to weigh the pros and cons and the possible cumulative impacts of the proposed changes. The lack of adherence to this carefully constructed process can lead to unintended consequences. Ms. Savage requested comment from the Planning Commission, via email to me about the regulation. I replied via email stating: “The Site Plan for Charlotte Crossings was approved in April, 2018, by the Planning Commission. This plan delineates parking on the north side of the structure. The Charlotte Land Use regulations, under Section 5.5, Site Plan Review, (4)b states: ‘Parking is prohibited within the front yard setback areas unless there is no alternative location on the lot.’ The intent of this restriction is to avoid the strip mall look and considering the fact that the majority of the commercial village areas (east and west) are serviced by fairly narrow streets.” The Planning Commission currently has 80 potential amendments to the Land Use
Regulations (these can be seen on the Town website) reviewed and recommended by Townspeople, members of the ZBA, Zoning Administrators, Town Administrator and theTown Planner. The Planning Commission has been reviewing these with the intention of getting them on the ballot for the November 2020 general election. These proposed amendments, by law, require two hearings by the Planning Commission and two by The Selectboard prior to putting them before the town for a vote.
to do this job and to do it well. I have watched his growth as a leader as he assumed the Chairperson position this past year. He presides over the Selectboard meetings in a very evenhanded and respectful way. No drama, no histrionics; just good solid leadership in a town that needs more of this common sense approach! For example, Matt was very helpful in a series of meetings held to negotiate the agreement between the Town and the Friends of the Charlotte Library on payment for the new addition to the library.
If folks in town feel the parking regulation should be eliminated entirely or amended, we recommend such proposed changes follow the well established process the Town has in place. Any citizen is welcome to submit their recommended changes to the Land Use Regulations at any time.
We are so fortunate to have a person with Matt’s abilities and integrity running for this position. As a working father of two he is in an underrepresented demographic. In a longstanding Krasnow family tradition, Matt has chosen to donate his time to the town.
Peter Joslin, On behalf of the Charlotte Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustment
I hope that you will join me in voting for Matt Krasnow for 3 more years on the Selectboard. Sincerely, Nan Mason
Matt Krasnow for Selectboard
Re-elect Matt Krasnow
To the editor:
Matt Krasnow has provided thoughtful, evenhanded leadership as chair of the Selectboard. The town is fortunate that Matt is willing to run for reelection. We need him!
It is a great pleasure to write a letter in strong support of Matt Krasnow for the position of Selectboard in the 3-year slot. It is clear to me that Matt is the best candidate for this position. He has already proven that he is able
Peter Richardson Charlotte
Report from the Legislature Affordability for working Vermonters Rep. Mike Yantachka Last May the 2019 legislative session ended with a sense of frustration that we couldn’t get two key bills across the finish line, not because of opposition in either the House or Senate, but because the two chambers couldn’t agree on a common version for either bill. One of the bills, H.107, would have enacted a paid family and medical leave insurance program and the other, S.23, would have raised Vermont’s minimum wage. Both bills were high on the agenda as the 2020 session began a few weeks ago. They were both sent to conference committees during the first week of the session to iron out a compromise. Agreement was
quickly reached and the bills were passed by large majorities in both chambers and sent to the Governor. However, despite the overwhelming support in the legislature, Governor Scott indicated that he would veto both bills and did so for the Paid Family Leave bill on January 31st. The Senate has enough votes to override the veto but getting to 100 votes in the House is still in question since the bill passed 89 to 58. Affordability has been a mantra of the Governor since his election in 2016. His approach has been to hold down spending and taxes, a reasonable approach to be sure. However, affordability does not mean the same thing to everyone. Those at the top end of
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the income scale may see taxes as the focus of unaffordability. Those in the middle of the income spectrum worry more about childcare, housing and medical expenses as well as taxes. Those at the lower end of the income spectrum experience financial stress in every aspect of life. When we try to address affordability, it is important to think about the entire spectrum of wage earners. The Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance bill provides up to 12 weeks each for new parents to bond with their newborn, 8 weeks for family care due to illness, and 6 weeks of optional temporary disability benefits at an additional cost for the employee’s own illness. The United States is one of only two countries that do not have a paid family leave program, the other being Papua New Guinea. The cost of providing this insurance would be a premium of 0.2% assessed on earned income. For a worker earning $50,000 annually, the cost would be $100. The Governor recognized the need for such a program by offering a 6 week paid leave package for state employees, a pool of 8,500 workers, at about 3 times the cost and opening it up on a voluntary basis for any other employed Vermonters. Like any insurance program, the smaller the pool
of insured, the more expensive the cost. The legislature decided that all working Vermonters should have the same access to this insurance with better benefits and lower premiums. Similarly, the Minimum Wage bill seeks to help Vermonters at the lowest end of the pay scale. While the House proposed to get to $15 over four years, the conference committee agreed to a compromise that raises the minimum wage from the current $10.96 to $11.75 on January 1, 2021, and to $12.55 a year later. It reflects the legislature’s commitment to supporting families and communities throughout the state by giving our lowest wage earners a much-needed raise. Increasing the minimum wage not only strengthens our families and our workforce, it boosts the greater economy by putting more spending power into the pockets of Vermonters. Forty thousand of our lowest paid workers will see increased earnings over the next 2 years. Exceptions to the minimum wage for tipped, student, and agricultural workers remain unchanged. I welcome your emails (myantachka.dfa@ gmail.com), phone calls (802-233-5238), or inperson contacts. This article and others can be found at my website MikeYantachka.com.
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10 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Town News from the Grange February 11, Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m., come to the Charlotte Grange and “Meet the Candidates!” Hosted by The Charlotte News and the Charlotte Library. Meet and ask questions of all candidates running for a town office. Hear what they have to say on their plans for our town, prior to Town Meeting Day. February 18, Tuesday, starting at 6:30 p.m., will be the monthly Acoustic Open Mic evening…songs, tunes, stories, poems. Sign up by contacting Mike Walker at mjwalker@ gmavt.net or come along on that night. First come, first served! The monthly events provide a fabulous opportunity to hear local performers play in an informal and very supportive environment. Hot cider and cookies provided. No admission charged, but donations welcomed! February 21, Friday, starting at 6:30 p.m. Come for a potluck dinner with music by The Nells trio and Charlotte singer and guitarist Hugh McBride. Bring a dish to share and enjoy dinner with old and new friends and neighbors. The Grange Hall has a stove that can be used for heating dishes and/or baking pizzas. No admission, but donations welcomed! Starting in February, with Thursday, February 6, Transition Charlotte will be holding their monthly meetings at the Charlotte Grange Hall on the first Thursday of each month. Meetings start at 6 p.m. with a potluck dinner. For more information about these meetings and Transition Charlotte, or to get involved, contact Ruah Swennerfelt at ruahswennerfelt@gmail.com. Save the date: Sunday, March 8, starting at 4 p.m.! Pete Sutherland and Oliver Scanlon of Pete’s Posse will be presenting “Fiddlers of the Next Generation,” a showcase of their current students. As well as being popular and in-demand as performers, Pete and Oliver are passionate educators and this event will provide an opportunity for some of their current students to share their talents and tunes with a wider audience. Hope to see you there! Suggested donation: $10.00 BIG NEWS: Grange Hall is steeped in history within Charlotte, having started its life in 1870 as a debate hall for the Young Men’s Literary Association. This club spared no expense, building a beautiful two-story Italianate-style building with a flat-roofed, square belfry tower on the east side. Unfortunately, the club did not own the land on which the building stood and in 1871 the land and building were acquired by the Charlotte School District #10, and thus became the school for the children living in East Charlotte. This continued until the consolidation of all the small schools into Charlotte Central in 1949. The building was then sold and in 1958 the Charlotte Grange, which had been in existence at that time for about 50 years, purchased the building. Little has been done over the years to change the building; the outhouse was ultimately replaced by a tiny bathroom and a furnace was installed to replace the wood stove. The cloak room became a small kitchen for Grange events. The rest of the interior has remained unchanged. This building needs work in order to remain a viable community resource. And for that we need to consider serious fundraising. With the
help of some generous donations and a small grant from SCHIP, we were able to upgrade the electrical service into the Grange Hall, including an up-to-code panel box and to repair the extensive water damage caused by the placement of the fire escape on the south side of the building. At the same time, we were able to scrape and paint the entire south side and wire brush and paint the fire escape and reposition it so as to eliminate any further water damage. With thanks to Transition Charlotte, we were also able this fall to acquire insulating window inserts for 6 of the large windows on the main floor. Last year we applied for a grant from Historic Preservation of Vermont to repair and make functional the interior of the eight schoolhouse windows on the main floor and to restore/ rehabilitate the main entry doors. These two projects alone have been estimated to cost over $12,500. We were very excited to learn that we were awarded a grant to have this work done. It is a 50/50 matching grant which means we need to have all the work completed and paid for before the 50% grant money is actually awarded. We have, using small grants from Preservation Trust of Vermont, been able to have two studies done on the building; one to prioritize the work needed on the building and the other to make the building ADA compliant. It is our goal to preserve this building for our town, but we can’t do it without substantial financial help. The reality is that the building is sound but needs maintenance, and grant funding does not usually cover regular maintenance. The building has no septic and no water. We have a cistern in the basement and purchase water for bathroom use and so we can do dishes; it is not potable water. We have a holding tank which needs to be pumped out on a regular basis. The building needs to be insulated and totally rewired inside. The ADA compliance plans include a new handicap ramp, a new, secondary, handicap entrance, handicap bathroom, and remodeled kitchen. We need a larger parking area. As a Grange, we hold two rummage sales a year which constitutes our sole income stream. That money is used to keep the Hall open and provide for our annual donation of dictionaries for all Charlotte third grade students and new flags for all the veteran graves in all the town cemeteries. Mike Walker has done an outstanding job of bringing people into the Grange Hall with his monthly music events and more and more local people are now familiar with this building and hopefully can see the potential in rehabilitating and restoring the Hall as a beautiful, useful historic resource for our town. We will continue to apply for grants but at this point we need to raise enough money to move forward with the work on the interior windows and entry doors. We need to raise the entire cost of the project so that we can do the work before the grant can be awarded. Anyone interested in donating or helping us raise money can contact Margaret Woodruff at Margaret.woodruff@gmail.com or Trina Bianchi at alchemy@gmavt.net or by snail mail at The Charlotte Grange, PO Box 54, Charlotte, VT.
Rotary Club invites local high school students to compete for speaking competition prize High school age students in Charlotte, Shelburne and Hinesburg have the opportunity to compete in the first round of the annual Rotary speaking competition at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at Pierson Library in Shelburne. This first-round winner will represent the Rotary Club of Charlotte-Shelburne-Hinesburg Rotary Club. The winner could aspire to follow in the footsteps of last year’s local winner, Christel Tonoki, a student at CVU, who went on to win the second and third rounds of the competition and the $1000 Grand Prize at the finals held at the District 7850 Rotary Conference. The entrants prepare and deliver a five minute speech on the topic “How does Rotary connect to my world?”, relating the relevance of this topic to teamwork and to
everyday relationships. The competition is open to high school age students only. Memorization is not required. Friends, community members and parents are encouraged to attend. For details and entry forms, go to Rotary7850.org Youth Services: Speech Contest.
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.
The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 11
Into The Woods
Wolf trees: from the past and for the future Ethan Tapper If you’ve ever walked in Vermont’s woods, chances are that you’ve stumbled upon a “wolf tree.” These giants of the forest are hard to miss; massive, gnarled trees with huge lateral branches extending from their trunks. They are called “wolf” trees because they were once standing in the middle of an open field, like a “lone wolf.” Their unusual form is due to their lonely nature -- with no adjacent trees to compete with, they stretched their branches out to reach light in every direction. I think that just about anyone can intuitively appreciate wolf trees’ beauty, the impressive scale of their huge-ness and ancient-ness, but the ecological importance to our forests, which has not always been appreciated, is increasingly clear. In any discussion of Vermont’s forests we must first understand that their present condition has everything to do with human land use. By the early-mid 1800’s Vermont was 80% deforested, primarily for sheep pasture. Scattered trees in pastures were retained for shade and/or (in the case of sugar maple) for sugaring. The wool industry in Vermont declined in the mid-late 1800’s and over the following century most of these pastures regenerated into forests (today, Vermont is about 75% forested). While it may seem remote, the legacy of the clearing of the 1800’s is still with us; most of Vermont’s forests still haven’t had time to develop the features characteristic of the “old growth” forests that were cleared centuries ago. This includes big,
old trees, but also trees of many ages and sizes, dead standing trees, dead wood on the forest floor, soils rich in carbon and organic material and more.
seem to use wolf trees in some way. The emergent understanding of the below-ground connections between trees, facilitated largely by root grafts and fungal associations, suggests that old trees are critical hubs in the midst of a vast subterranean network, and that they even “subsidize” young seedlings, sharing resources with them. Even in death, old trees have tremendous value, enriching the soil and providing habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna.
Today, wolf trees are often the only truly old trees in our forests. If you can, imagine what some of these trees have “seen.” Perhaps they were once young saplings, growing in the forest. In the 1800’s the trees around them were cleared, and they were left standing alone, in endless fields. For 100-150 years they stood with sheep and then cattle grazing around them, congregating under them for shade on hot days. After all this, young forests regenerated all around them, reclaiming these old pastures. They are true legacies, the only living things which have persisted throughout the radical changes in Vermont’s landscape over the last 200 years. Our remaining wolf trees have also survived early 20th century forest management practices, which prized the efficient growth of timber above all else. In this management philosophy, wolf trees and other old trees were considered “decadent,” taking up growing space that could be used to produce younger, fastergrowing, more valuable “thrifty” trees. To this end, many wolf trees were cut or killed just to get them out of the way. Modern forest science has come to understand the myriad benefits that big, old trees provide. In addition to being visually striking, they provide foraging, nesting and denning
Sugar maple wolf tree in Westford, VT. Photo contributed
habitat for a huge range of wildlife species, from birds to rodents, mammals and their predators; just as livestock once bunched around them for shade, virtually all wildlife
As we steer our forests towards a healthier future condition, we need to work with what we have; while wolf trees are not the same as the old trees that may have punctuated the forest 200+ years ago, they confer many of the same benefits to our forests. While they were once vilified by some forest managers, recognizing the importance of big, old trees is a part of modern, thoughtful, holistic forest management. It doesn’t mean that we should never cut a tree – there is an increasing understanding of the benefits of actively managing our forests to be more like old growth forests -- but retaining wolf trees and a few trees per acre as “biological legacy trees,” whose sole function it to become big, old trees, in the course of management will ensure that we’re encouraging healthy, vibrant forests for the future. Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester. He can be reached at ethan.tapper@ vermont.gov, (802)-585-9099, or at his office at 111 West Street, Essex Junction.
12 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Library News Margaret Woodruff
conclusive or definitive way but rather to celebrate it, to hint at its possibilities.”
It’s hard not to get distracted by the construction activity here at the library. Every day brings a new project, from exterior siding to interior painting. Some of this construction requires closing the library and so we will be closed from Saturday, February 22 to Wednesday, February 26 to allow for demolition and flooring work. We will reopen on Thursday, February 27. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the new space on Tuesday, February 18. Access to adult collections will be limited and the stacks will be closed at some points. Please call ahead if you know what you’re looking for and we can have it ready for you. Thanks again for your patience as the project moves forward.
Author Reading: I Live in the Land of Apples, Tuesday, February 18 @ 7 p.m., Join author Joanna Easton as she reads from her memoir “I Live in the Land of Apples.” Joanna has lived in Charlotte since 1982, raising two children here and currently living in East Charlotte.Compelled to make sense of her life’s mysteries, JoAnna’s memoir outlines the detective work, joys and struggles involved in the understanding of that life, following a zigzag path from questions to epiphanies, through study and onto some semblance of sovereignty. As a photographer and a poet, her keen experience began early and lingers still, guided by an inner compass developed to field loneliness and difference. Original poems bring a lyrical flow to a more or less, linear time line. JoAnna’s education and career as an Educational Therapist adds the crispness of science – neurology, psychology, and cognition underpin her career. Motherhood, gardening and yoga soften the edges, while physicality and energy add fire to the adventure.
Please note that programs taking place after February 12 will meet in the new library space.
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, Thursday, February 6 @ 7 p.m. Join local childhood education faculty for an insightful, hands-on workshop. This 1.5 hour workshop will provide a researchbased 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. Soup Supper: Women in the News, Tuesday, February 11 @ 5:30 p.m. Join us for a hearty soup supper and a chance to learn firsthand from Christina Asquith, the founder of The Fuller Project, a journalism group that reports on issues impacting women for major news outlets. She’s also a former war correspondent and author of Sisters in War about the lives of Iraqi women during the US invasion. Co-sponsored by the Charlotte Congregational Church, UCC
and the Charlotte Library. This event takes place at the Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Road. Candidates Night @ the Charlotte Grange, Tuesday, February 11 @ 7 p.m. The Charlotte Grange, Charlotte Library and the Charlotte News are co-hosting the annual Candidates Night at the Grange Hall, 2858 Spear Street. Please join us for conversation and refreshments with the candidates on the Charlotte Town Meeting ballot. Each candidate will have a few minutes to present an opening statement, then the floor will be open for questions and discussion. Better Together Book Club, Wednesday, February 12 @ 7 p.m. This month we are reading Burnout: Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA. Copies are available to check out at the circulation desk. Audio and ebook versions are available for download on the Libby or Overdrive app or at https://gmlc.overdrive.com/gmlccharlotte/content.
Library Book Discussion Group: The Animal One Thousand Miles Long, Thursday, February 13 @ 7:30 p.m. The phrase “an animal a thousand miles miles long,” attributed to Aristotle, refers to a sprawling body that cannot be seen in its entirety from a single angle, a thing too vast and complicated to be knowable as a whole. For Leath Tonino, the animal a thousand miles long is the landscape of his native Vermont. Tonino grew up along the shores of Lake Champlain, situated between Vermont’s Green Mountains and New York’s Adirondacks. His career as a nature and travel writer has taken him across the country, but he always turns his eye back on his home state. “All along,” he writes, “I’ve been exploring various parts of the animal, trying to make a prose map of its body—not to understand it in a
Men’s Book Group: The Gift of Rain, Wednesday, February 19 @ 7 p.m. Set in Penang, 1939, this book presents a story of betrayal, barbaric cruelty, steadfast courage and enduring love. The recipient of extraordinary acclaim from critics and the bookselling community, Tan Twan Eng’s debut novel casts a powerful spell. Set during the tumult of World War II, on the lush Malayan island of Penang, The Gift of Rain tells a riveting and poignant tale about a young man caught in the tangle of wartime loyalties and deceits.
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 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. Library Expansion Updates • •
•
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• For more information about these and all our library programs & activities, visit our website: www.charlottepubliclibrary.org.
The library driveway and original entrance are permanently closed. Patrons may enter the library via the library porch door, either from the north entrance (sidewalk under construction) or across the Town Green. The book drop box will be located in front of Town Hall. Please stop there to return all materials when library is closed for the day. A pick-up table will be 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 • February 6, 2020 • 13
Schools
School board approves budget Nancy Richardson
At the Champlain Valley School District school board meeting on January 21, the board weighed educational goals, equity concerns, and various budget constraints to approve a budget that will be put in front of the voters on March 2 and 3. Among the educational needs and goals were the immediate needs for a guidance counselor and administrative support at CVU, and the imperative to ensure equity among all schools in their educational offerings and support services. In addition there is an effort to provide more intensive services within the district for students with emotional and behavioral problems. These requests were met by reshuffling of personnel, creatively using grants, and requesting additional personnel.
The constraints that affected budget decisions were the increase in health care costs of 13 percent for salaried employees and the enrollment of special education students who need more intensive services. By applying $750,000 from the fund balance to the revenue side of the budget, the increase in net education spending is projected to be 4 percent. This amount will increase the tax rate from $1.45 to $1.48. The budget and the use of the fund balance will be in front of the voters in March.
The board spent a considerable amount of time discussing the capital budget. The board’s intent is to begin to build a fiveyear capital plan that deals with school maintenance and improvements in a timely fashion. This will prevent problems that can become too large as maintenance needs
are not addressed. Because this is the first capital needs request under the new CVSD, there was concern that the size of the bond issue might surprise voters who are used to voting on bonds for individual schools. An effort will be made by the B\board to communicate to the voters that these capital requests are now for all schools in the district and will be larger than previous individual school requests. The board voted to address the current needs of Charlotte Central School, Shelburne Community School, Hinesburg Community School, and Allenbrook School in a request to the voters for approval of a bond issue for $6,000,000. Charlotte Central School faces problems that have been present for some time, concern security and student health, and
cannot be delayed. Temperatures in some classrooms are in the 90s in the warmer months and cold in the winter. Ventilation and mechanical systems are inadequate. Doors and windows are leaking resulting in increasing heating bills. The repairs and improvements of CCS are proposed to be $4,500,000. The other schools need improvements in grounds and building security upgrades and are expected to be $1,500,000. It is the board’s intent to use the five-year capital plan to address building improvement needs in a prioritized fashion, perhaps mitigating the need for large bond issues. This approach will educate the voters to the fact that the capital budget will now address maintenance and improvement of six district schools, instead of one.
Students encouraged to apply for 2020 summer GIV Institutes The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont summer applications open February 1st. Vermont teens passionate about learning are invited to apply for GIV’s ten fun, intensive, residential summer opportunities on college campuses statewide. At GIV, rising 10-12 graders spend 1-2 weeks diving deep into academics or the arts, making new friends and gaining new
skills and confidence while having the time of their lives. Each student chooses their own focus area from a broad range including Arts (visual, performing and technical), Astronomy, Environmental Science and Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Health & Medicine, Entrepreneurship, Global Issues/Youth Action, or Technology, Design and Coding. Surrounded by others who share the same interest and passion for learning,
students engage in hands-on exploration of the topic, receive mentorship by topical experts and professionals, explore career paths in their field of interest, and broaden their network of friends.
continue its special discounts for girls attending STEM and Entrepreneurship Institutes and will add similar incentive pricing for boys enrolling in the Arts and Global Issues/Youth Action Institutes.
More than 10,000 students have participated in Governor’s Institutes since it was cofounded by the Agency of Education 36 years ago. GIV strives to be accessible for all students by providing tuition reductions and scholarships for every student who needs them. GIV will
A full list of Institute opportunities can be obtained by visiting www.giv.org or emailing info@giv.org. Students can apply at www.giv.org/apply.
January 2020 Property Transfers Jan 8 Scott Hardy to David and Heather Main, 5 acres, 801 Mt. Philo Road, $140,000 Jan 13 David G. Schermerhorn, trustee, David C. Schermerhorn Revocable Trust, to Salvatore Provetto and Lisa Bruder, 3.25 acres, lot #3, Church Hill Road, $140,000.
23 Wishbone Lane, $200,000 Jan 21 Charlotte Oaks LLC to Andrew Zehner 2019 Revocable Trust and Suzanne L. Whitty 2019 Revocable Trust, 1.14 acres with dwelling, 209 Hills Point Road, $1,165,000 Jan 23 Joshua Rose to Silvia Doyle, 5.3 acres with dwelling, 343 White Birch Lane, $750,000
Jan 13 David and Robin Oates to Leland and Cheryl Brown, 1.12 acres with dwelling, 5807 Mt. Philo Road, $100,000 Jan 21 David Wilson and Elizabeth Bunsen to William Smith, 1.65 acres with dwelling,
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14 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
School
CCS participates in the National Geographic GeoBee
Charlotte Central School students competed in National Geographic GeoBee on Tuesday; finalists from each grade’s GeoBee competition answered questions about geography around the world. The finalists who qualified for the school GeoBee were Henry Bushey, Brahm Lasek, Parker Trono, Arthur Edwards, Caleb Albertson, Jack Dorr, Griffin Hengelsberg, Payton Shattie, William Lollis, Charlie Taylor, and Nik Blasius as an alternate.
(Left) Henry Bushey, grade 7, was the school champion. The runner up was Brahm Lasek. Right, seventh grader Vega Tariyal, the 2019 school champion, with an award for being the Vermont state champion last year and advancing to the National Bee in Washington D.C. Stephanie Sumner, co-principal, presented them with their awards. Photos contributed CVSD Offers Publicly Funded Prekindergarten (PreK) for children between the ages of 3 and 5* who reside in the towns of: Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston. Now Enrolling for the 2020-21 School Year What is publicly funded prekindergarten education? Publicly funded prekindergarten is defined as: •
Ten hours per week (for 35 weeks) of developmentally appropriate early learning experiences that is based on Vermont’s Early Learning Standards. • Children who reside in Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne, St. George and Williston and will be *3, 4 or 5 years old and not attending kindergarten, on or before September 1, 2020 are eligible for universal PreK funding from CVSD. Funding is limited to 35 weeks during the academic school year (September 2020-June 2021). *Children must be at least 3 years old on or before Sept. 1 2020 to qualify for prekindergarten funding. What Should CVSD Families Know About Universal/Publicly Funded PreK? • Publicly-funded PreK services can be found in schools and qualified community-based programs (homes and centers). This link will bring you to a data base of qualified PreK providers in VT. https://education.vermont.gov/student-support/early-education/universalprekindergarten-act-166/families-of-prekindergarten-students • The state tuition rate paid to community-based private PreK providers on behalf of CVSD children attending prekindergarten during the 2020-21 school year is $3,445. How do I apply? • If your child is going to attend a qualified prekindergarten program outside of the school (in the community) you will have to enroll both with the community program/provider (for your child’s place in the program) and with your school district (to ensure PreK funding for your child is sent to the program). The full registration packet is available on CVSD’s website at: http://earlyedcvsdvt.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/9/2/38925317/act_166_2020-21_full_ registration_packet.pdf • If you would like information about PreK programs offered in a CVSD school contact your local school about the enrollment process. If you have questions about the CVSD registration process contact Wendy Clark at wclark@cvsdvt.org or 985-1903. If you have questions about publicly funded prekindergarten contact Shelley Henson at shenson@cvsdvt.org or 985-1936.
The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 15
Schools BOND
continued from page 1
Literature shared by the CVSD school board outlines the building’s issues: water-damaged siding, inadequate building insulation, poorly controlled, outdated mechanical systems, inadequate mechanical ventilation, and leaking, compromised siding on the exterior of the building. These factors contribute to uncomfortably warm and alternately, uncomfortably cold, temperatures in classrooms and cause “significant waste in the form of out-sized fuel oil heating bills.” New ventilation systems and ductwork are part of the project, as well as new or updated plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and fire prevention systems. There will also be significant improvements to the building envelope, which currently features leaking stucco and siding and rotted underlayers of the roof in the front of the building.
design scheduled through December of 2020 and exterior construction work beginning in April 2021. The entire project is due to be completed in August 2021.
If approved, the building project will begin immediately, with planning and
Tax implications for the bill are expected to increase district-wide at a rate of $.01
Thermal imaging shows heat escaping from the windows at CCS; infrastructure repairs will improve energy efficiency and help regulate classroom temperatures. Photos courtesy Dore & Whittier Architects
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per hundred dollars, with the annual impact on a$100k home to be $10; a $400k home would have an annual impact of $40. Interested community members and CVSD families can attend an informational meeting and guided tour of
the school on Monday, Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 8:30 a.m. There is also a meeting covering the entire bond at Champlain Valley Union High School on Monday, March 2 at 5 p.m.
Smarty-pants kids make dean’s list Chester Barber was named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s fall 2019 dean’s list. Joseph Franceschetti was named to the University of Delaware’s dean’s list for the Fall 2019 semester. Emma Hess was named to the dean’s list at Endicott College for the fall 2019 semester. Hess is majoring in photography and is the daughter of Richard Hess and Meghan Hess. Genevie Lemieux was named to The University of Rhode Island’s dean’s list for the fall 2019 semester. Hadley M. Murphy was named to the dean’s list at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, for outstanding academic achievement during the fall semester of the 2019-20 academic year. Julie Sulva was named to the dean’s list at the University of New Hampshire for earning high honors for the fall 2019
semester. Sulva is majoring in history. The following students were named to the fall 2019 semester dean’s list at the University of Vermont: Carly Alpert Daniel Bernier Hannah Bernier Catherine Cazayoux Samuel Comai Annabelle Creech Spencer Dooley Meara Heininger Seamus Higgins Maeve Higgins Samuel Knox Trevor McGlaflin Thomas McGrade Lillian Oates Abigail Postlewaite Benjamin Recchia Andrew Slauterbeck Sage WhiteCloud Thomas Wright
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16 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News WARNING TOWN OF CHARLOTTE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING2020 The legal voters of the Town of Charlotte are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Charlotte Central School Multi-Purpose Room, 408 Hinesburg Road in said Town on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at nine o’clock in the forenoon to act upon any of the following articles not involving voting by Australian ballot, and to meet at the Charlotte Central School Multi-Purpose Room in said Town on the same date to vote by Australian ballot to begin at seven o’clock in the forenoon and to close at seven o’clock in the afternoon.
REQUEST EARLY or ABSENTEE BALLOTS: You or a family member can request early or absentee ballots at any time during the year of the election in person, in writing, by telephone, email, or online at mvp.sec.state.vt.us. The latest you can request ballots for the Town Meeting Election is the close of the Town Clerk’s office on March 2, 2020. (Any other person authorized by you who is not a family member must apply in writing or in person for a ballot for you.)
Article 2: Will the voters of the Town vote, pursuant to 32 V.S.A. § 4773, to have Property Taxes payable on or before November 16, 2020 and to have payments made to the Town Treasurer as receiver of taxes?
WAYS TO VOTE YOUR EARLY BALLOT: • You may vote in the town clerk’s office before the deadline. • Voter may take his or her ballot(s) out of the clerk’s office and return in same manner as if the ballots were received by mail. • Have ballot mailed to you, and mail or deliver it back to the clerk’s office before Election Day or to the polling place before 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. • If you are sick or disabled before Election Day, ask the town clerk to have two justices of the peace bring a ballot to you at your home. (Ballots can be delivered on any of the eight days preceding the day of the election or on the day of election.)
Article 3: Will the voters of the Town approve the Selectboard’s budget of $3,423,165 for the fiscal year July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, in addition to those monies raised pursuant to Article 4 and Article 5 if any, of which an anticipated sum of $1,963,357 will be raised by property taxes and an anticipated sum of $1,459,808 will be raised by non-tax revenues, which approval shall not become effective until the voters approve such budget by Australian ballot vote in accordance with the requirements of the charter of the Town of Charlotte?
ON ELECTION DAY: If your name was dropped from the checklist in error, or has not been added even though you submitted a timely application for addition to the checklist, you can fill out a new registration form. • If the clerk or Board of Civil Authority does not add your name, you can appeal the decision to a superior court judge, who will settle the matter on Election Day. Call the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-439-VOTE (439-8683) for more information.
Article 4: Will the voters of the Town approve raising the sum of $57,000 by property taxes, in addition to those monies raised pursuant to Article 3 and Article 5 if any, to be allocated to the Trails Reserve Fund, which approval shall not become effective until the voters further approve this Article 4 by Australian ballot vote in accordance with the requirements of the charter of the Town of Charlotte?
If you are a first time voter who submitted your application to the checklist individually by mail and did not submit the required document, you must provide a current and valid photo identification, or a bank statement, utility bill, or government document that contains your name/current address.
Article 1: To hear the reports of the Town officers and to act upon the same.
Article 5: Will the voters of the Town approve raising the sum of $17,992 by property taxes, in addition to those monies raised pursuant to Article 3 and Article 4 if any, to be distributed to the not-for-profit organizations identified on page 21 of the Town Report specifically as requested by those organizations, which approval shall not become effective until the voters further approve this Article 5 by Australian ballot vote in accordance with the requirements of the charter of the Town of Charlotte? Article 6: Will the voters of the Town vote to authorize the Selectboard to borrow money by issuance of bonds or notes not in excess of anticipated revenues for the next fiscal year? Article 7: (To be voted by paper ballot) Will the voters of the Town authorize the elimination of the Office of Lister and replace it with a professionally qualified assessor appointed by the Selectboard, who shall have the same powers, discharge the same duties, proceed in the discharge thereof in the same manner, and be subject to the same liabilities as are prescribed for listers or the board of listers under the provisions of Title 32 V.S.A.? Article 8:To transact any other business proper to come before said meeting. BY AUSTRALIAN BALLOT Article 9:
To elect Town Officers.
Article 10:
To elect Directors for the Champlain Valley School District.
Dated this 27th day of January, 2020 at Charlotte, Vermont.
/s/ Matthew Krasnow, Chair /s/ Frank Tenney, Chair /s/ Fritz Tegatz /s/ Carrie Spear
Town of Charlotte Selectboard
NOTICE TO VOTERS For Local Elections BEFORE ELECTION DAY: CHECKLIST POSTED at Clerks Office by February 2, 2020. If your name is not on the checklist, then you must register to vote. SAMPLE BALLOTS will be posted by February 12, 2020. HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE: There is no deadline to register to vote. You will be able to register to vote on the day of the election. You can register prior by visiting the town clerk’s office or going online to olvr.sec.state.vt.us.
If you have physical disabilities, are visually impaired or can’t read, you may have assistance from any person of your choice. If any voters you know have disabilities let them know they can have assistance from any person of their choice. If you know voters who cannot get from the car into the polling place let them know that ballot(s) may be brought to their car by two election officials. If you have any questions or need assistance while voting, ask your town clerk or any election official for help. NO PERSON SHALL: • Vote more than once per election, either in the same town or in different towns. • Mislead the board of civil authority about your own or another person’s true residency or other eligibility to vote. • Hinder or impede a voter going into or from the polling place. • Socialize in a manner that could disturb other voters in the polling place. • Offer bribe, threaten or exercise undue influence to dictate or control the vote of another person. FOR HELP OR INFORMATION: Call the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-439-VOTE (439-8683). (Accessible by TDD) If you believe that any of your voting rights have been violated, you may file an Administrative Complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office, 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633. If you believe you have witnessed efforts to commit any kind of fraud or corruption in the voting process, you may report this to your local United States Attorney’s Office. If you have witnessed actual or attempted acts of discrimination or intimidation in the voting process, you may report this to the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice at (800) 253-3931. INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTERS using Paper Ballots CHECK-IN AND RECEIVE BALLOTS: • Go to the entrance checklist table. • Give name and, if asked, street address to the election official in a loud voice. • Wait until your name is repeated and checked off by the official. • An election official will give you a ballot. • Enter within the guardrail and go to a vacant voting booth. MARK YOUR BALLOT: For each office listed on the ballot, you will see instructions to “Vote for not more than one, or Vote for not more than two, etc.” • To vote for a candidate, fill in the oval to the right of the name of the candidate you want to vote for. • WRITE-IN candidate(s). To vote for someone whose name is not printed on the ballot, use the blank “write-in” lines on the ballot and either write-in the name or paste on sticker, then fill in the oval. CHECK OUT: • Go to the exit checklist table and state your name in an audible voice. • Wait until your name is repeated and checked off by the official. CAST YOUR VOTE by depositing your voted ballot in “Voted Ballots” box. LEAVE the voting area immediately by passing outside the guardrail.
The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 17
Rec News
Spring Program Guide Nicole Conley
Recreation Lacrosse -- Children in third through eighth grade will participate in the US Lacrosse league and are required to have a US Lacrosse membership. Visit www.uslacrosse.org/membership to register or renew a membership. Your child must have an updated US Lacrosse membership to participate in the lacrosse program. Please be ready to record your child’s US Lacrosse number along with the expiration date on the online registration form at www. charlotterec.com. YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR CHILD IN THE TOWN YOU RESIDE IN. Registration Fee and Deadline 3rd-8th grade registration fee $80 by March 9th Mini Lacrosse -- Mini Lacrosse will be offered to kindergarten through second grade on Saturday mornings at Charlotte Central. Each participant will get a chance to learn more about the game while having fun. Saturdays, May 2 –June 6 Time: 9:00am Cost: $35 by April 27 Martial Arts --Most children and teens will receive some benefit from Villari’s martial arts after training for just a few short months. But the real benefit comes from long-term training. There is something special that happens to a child who grows up in a Villari’s martial arts school.
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm Cost: $60 Res/$65 Non
5-week Sessions Session 5: Feb. 18 – Mar. 24 Session 6: Mar. 31 - May 5 Session 7: May 12 – Jun 9 K-3 – 2:00-3:00pm 4-8 – 3:00-4:00pm Cost: $75
Afterschool Horseback Riding Lessons – In this six-session class each child will have their own goals to accomplish. Merrymac Farm will safely introduce your child to grooming and caring for a horse, natural horsemanship groundwork, first aid and safety as well as time riding a horse. Whether this is your first time around horses or you just want more barn time we will find a program that works for you. The farm houses rescue horses, chickens, rabbits, cats and Lilly the piggy!
Spring Driver’s Education - The Charlotte Recreation Department will be offering a Driver’s Education Program this spring by the 802 Driving school. The six-week Driver’s ed program will be taught by Joe Barch, who has over 15 years of experience teaching in the public schools.
Thursdays, April 30 – June 4 (6-week session) Time: 3:30-5:30pm Cost: $285
Dates & Times: March 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 April 1, 2, 6, 8 6:15pm-8:15pm Location: Charlotte Central School Registration Fee: $690
Afterschool Tennis Lessons – Afterschool tennis lessons will be taught by Kate Ahrens, a Charlotte Resident twice a week at the Charlotte beach tennis courts. Mondays & Wednesdays Date: May 4- June 8, 3:30- 4:30pm Grades 1-4 Cost: $125 (10 lessons)
Safe Sitter Courses -- Safe Sitter® prepares teens to be safe when they’re home alone, watching siblings or babysitting. The course offers four main content areas: Safety Skills, Child Care Skills, First Aid & Rescue Skills and Life & Business Skills. Lessons are filled with fun activities and role-playing exercises. Teens will practice choking rescue and diapering. Register for one date that works best for your child. Register with the town offering the program. Instructor: Rec. Staff Grades 6-8 Williston Shelburne Hinesburg Charlotte
Tuesdays & Thursdays Date: May 5- June 4 Tuesdays ~ 2:30- 3:30pm Thursdays ~ 3:30- 4:30pm Grades 1-4 Cost: $125 (10 lessons)
Boater Safety Course -- Boating safety education is required for any motor boat operator, 12 years of age or older, born after January 1, 1974. The Boat Vermont, 8-hour classroom course, provides the opportunity to take, pass and be officially certified. Participants must be present at all 4 classes to be eligible for certification. Location: REI Store in Williston. Instructor: Jon Fick - Ages 12+ Mon & Wed, 6:00-8:30pm May 4-13 $15 Res/$20 Non Let’s Go Fishing -- The program teaches families how to have fun fishing while using proper skills, ethics and respect for resources and rules. Families learn water ecology, fish identification, habitat needs and how to find fish. There is hands-on casting and making your own lure. As well as time to practice new skills with live fishing. This is a parent/child program. All materials supplied. Instructor: Chuck Goller -- Ages 6-14 and an adult Saturday, May 16, 1:00-4:00pm Location Lake Iroquois Beach Cost Free (Pre-Registration Required)
Afterschool Soccer (Grades K-4) -- It’s time to lace up those cleats and enjoy a fun afternoon of outdoor soccer. This program will take place after-school at Charlotte Central.
Fri, Mar. 20 Sat, Apr. 11 Thurs, Apr. 23 Sat, May 16
3rd and 4th Grade – (Seeking volunteer coaches!) Dates: TBD Time: 3:00-4:00pm Cost: $35 by April 24
Kindergarten -- 2nd grade Fridays -- May 1 - 29, 3:00-4:30pm
To register for any of the programs listed above please visit our website at charlotterec. com. Full and partial scholarships are available for Charlotte youth. Questions? Contact Nicole Conley by email Recreation@townofcharlotte.com
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18 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Sports Ski-cross teenager competes at the next level Chea Waters Evans When Muriel Spell was in middle school, she made up a sport in her head: part downhill slalom ski racing, part 100-meter dash. Imagine her delight when she found out it actually existed in the form of ski-cross racing—and then imagine, six years later, Muriel competing in the United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association’s national skier cross competition…and coming in second. She is skiing this week in the Holeshot skier-cross race series at Gore Mountain. Muriel competes in both freestyle ski and ski-cross races. The freestyle ski races send athletes off of 30-40 foot jumps; ski-cross involves four skiers taking off on the same track at the same time. Muriel’s mom, Jill Spell, describes it this way: “I find it very similar to NASCAR, or BMX motorbiking; it’s exactly that but downhill skiing and with people instead of motorbikes.” The sport relies more on a skier’s ability to navigate the course and use technical skills more than a traditional ski race, which involves complex equipment and specific race gear and competition suits.
An avid skier since she was very young, Muriel said she was in at a friend’s house when she was 13, and saw her first ski-cross race on a little television in their kitchen. She said she had often wished there was a “more fun” version of traditional ski racing, where the competition involved going head-to-head with friends, and there it was, right in front of her. “I looked at the TV and I said, ‘Who the heck read my mind,’” she said, and found a race nearby and signed up. Since then, in the three years she’s been competing, she went from a curious and excited newbie to second place her age group last year at the USASA Nationals. The Charlotte 16-year-old and Champlain Valley Union High School student trains mostly with boys. “It’s like [a girl] playing football,” her mother, Jill Spell, said, noting that there are far fewer girls and women who compete. She’s okay with the danger aspect to a certain extent, she said. “It’s fine as long as she stays on her feet.” Muriel said she’s energized by the intensity and the competition. She said her race times are usually a good 5 or 6 seconds faster than
her training runs on the same course. “I love having people next to me; it’s one of my favorite things about the sport,” she said. Training happens every weekend with a coach in Stowe, and some Fridays, where Muriel works with Green Mountain Academy, a snowboard and freeski club. “I train in the park a lot,” she said, where she practices going over jumps and rails. Based on her performance at Nationals last year, Muriel was invited to participate in The Hole Shot Cross Tour at Gore Mountain in New York this week. The tour’s web site describes it as “a competition designed to bridge the Muriel Spell is competing this week in the Holeshot Tour gap between grassroots and world at Gore mountain. The invite-only ski-cross race series is a cup level for Snowboardcross and stepping-stone to higher competition levels. Photo courtesy Jill Spell Skicross. The series also brings together athletes across the country she places, but she’s looking forward to to identify the top juniors.” competing. “This is my first time doing a race of this scale,” Muriel said, “so I’m really just As one of the youngest competitors in the going into it with an open mind to see where tour, Muriel said she’s fine with wherever I am.”
Seven CVU championship teams honored by Vermont House and Senate House concurrent resolution congratulating the 2019 Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks boys’ volleyball program on winning a fourth consecutive State championship
CVU gymnasts won all events at the Green Mountain Training Center. Taylor Hoar won the bars and was the all-around gymnast. Tali Giubardo won the vault and floor exercises and placed second in all-around. Laurynn Bombardier won the beam and was third in all-around.
Offered by: Senators Ashe, Baruth, Ingram, Lyons, Pearson, and Sirotkin
The gymnasts also traveled to St. Johnsbury on Feb. 1 where they defeated the Hilltoppers. Alix St. Hilaire won the beam and placed second in the all-around. Taylor Hoar won the floor exercises. Loga Claffy placed second in the floor, with Alix St. Hilaire placing third.
Whereas, in the 2019 boys’ State volleyball championship, played in Colchester, the undefeated and No.1 Redhawks met the second-seeded Essex Hornets, and CVU won every set, securing a fourth consecutive State title, and
Whereas, Head Coach Jeff Boliba, Assistant Coach Robyn Davis, and Analytics Coach Matt Saltus were all supportive, now therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives: That the General Assembly congratulates the 2019 Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks boys’ volleyball program on winning a fourth consecutive State championship, and be it further Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to CVU.
Edd Merritt
Gymnasts compete
Offered by: Representatives Yantachka of Charlotte, Brumsted of Shelburne, Lippert of Hinesburg, Macaig of Williston, McCullough of Williston, and Webb of Shelburne
Whereas, the victorious Redhawks were Daniel Watson, Oliver Pudvar, Jackson Konowitz, Ethan Harvey, Issac Davies, Jacob Boliba, Alex Spitznagle, Baker Angstman, Noah Allen, Lars Jensen, Alden Randall, Ethan Czarny, Asa Roberts, Devin Rogers, and Jonas Keim, and
Sports Report
Seven CVU championship teams were honored with Joint Resolutions of the House and Senate last week congratulating them for their achievements. The Boys Championship Volleyball Team with head coach Jeff Boliba and analytics coach Matt Saltus present for the reading of their resolution. Photo contributed The Vermont House of Representatives honored Champlain Valley Union sports teams this month with the following resolutions: H.C.R. 204 Congratulating the 2019 Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks boys’ volleyball program on winning a fourth consecutive State championship H.C.R. 205 Congratulating the 2019 Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks State championship girls’ volleyball team H.C.R. 206 Congratulating the 2019 Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks Division I boys’ cross-country championship team H.C.R. 207 Congratulating the 2019 Champlain Valley Union High School
Redhawks Division I championship girls’ crosscountry team H.C.R. 208 Congratulating the Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks Division I boys’ soccer program on winning a second consecutive Division I championship H.C.R. 209 Congratulating the 2019 Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks girls’ soccer program on winning a third consecutive Division I championship H.C.R. 210 Congratulating the Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks on winning a second consecutive Division I boys’ golf championship
Alpine skiers compete in Essex Carnival Over this past weekend CVU showed a number of skiers placing among the top 10 in the slalom and giant slalom races. In the girls slalom Olivia Zubarik came in 3rd, with Bonney Patton placing 7th, and Emily Marvin 9th. Isaac Goldman took 7th in the boys slalom. Olivia Zubarik came in first in the girls giant slalom; Bonney Patton took 8th. In the boys giant slalom Ethan Lisle placed 7th.
Redhawk hoopsters fare well Both boys and girls basketball teams stay on or near the top of their leagues. The girls remain undefeated with a 12-0 record, and the boys have lost only two games, while winning 12. The most recent loss was to St. Johnsbury by a single point.
The Charlotte News • February 6, 2020 • 19
Charlotte Senior Center
SENIOR CENTER MENUS Suggested donation for all meals: $5 Keep up to date on Menus on our website: CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org
panel of four professionals Here is your opportunity to learn about other paths to wellness from the four very experienced and well-trained panel members who will introduce their special fields briefly, with time for your questions.
Carolyn Kulik
SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR
“A rat is a rat.” ~ Sonny Bono “You dirty, double-crossing rat.” ~ James Cagney __________ Can’t you just hear Cagney saying that line in your head? As you know, in this country, we view rats as pests which also symbolize negative qualities: untrustworthiness, destruction, disease. Consider then, The lunar Year of the Rat which just began this month. “In Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus; married couples prayed to them for children. . . Rats are clever, quick thinkers; successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life.”[chinesenewyear.net] So, “A rat is a rat” – except when it’s something else, entirely. Health Event A friendly reminder that our Blood Drive is today, Thurs., 2/6, from 2:00-7:00. If you’ve never been here, it’s very comfortable - with genial hosts and great snacks. To volunteer to donate, please call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767, or go to redcrossblood.org. Courses and Notes Thurs., 2/13, from 12:30-3:30, Creating Handmade Books with Linda Finkelstein In this fun three-hour workshop, learn how to make a simple hand-sewn book and also an accordion book. Bring items to collage for the creation of your fabulous books combining imagery and words. Fee $35, in-
RAISE YOUR HAND
cludes materials. Pre-registration required. Sun., 2/16, from 1:00-3:00, Shape-Note Singing This traditional, a cappella, four-part harmony has been called “full-body, shout-itout singing” and is also known as Sacred Harp. No performances and no auditions; a “good voice” is not required. Songbooks are provided. Leave your shyness at home, and come try it out. Listen or sing, and leave whenever you wish. No fee. No registration required. Short Stories for Winter with Library Director Margaret Woodruff has gotten off to a good start, and Margaret is considering having more discussions on other collections in the future. (You might want to pass on any suggestions on to the Library.) This series continues until the end of the month, and no new ones have been planned yet. Don Stevens, current Chief of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, spoke on The Circle of Life and Native American Belief Systems last Sunday, and it was exciting to have a very attentive full house. Don says he’d be happy to return – so stay tuned. Likewise, Writing Your Life Story has participants and instructor Laurie McMillan leaving class with big smiles on their faces. A little inspiration can go a long way and perhaps function as a kind of health tonic. It is on tap for continuing in the spring – and possibly beyond. WEDNESDAY Afternoon – Free Events at 1pm. No registration 2/12: More Paths to Wellness ~ with a
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Mischul Brownstone, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacher® ~ The Feldenkrais Method uses gentle movements and directed attention to help people learn new and more effective ways of moving and living the life they want. Tina D’Amato, Doctor of Osteopathy ~ Osteopathy, a branch of medical practice that focuses on whole-person diagnosis and care, includes the use of medication and surgery, in addition to manipulation of the bones, joints, lymphatics, and muscles. Liesje Smith, Certified RolferTM ~ Rolfing is a technique of deep tissue manipulation aimed at the release and realignment of the body, and the reduction of muscular and psychic tension 2/19: A Personal History of Beer & Brewing in Vermont with Bill Mares The former legislator, teacher, journalist and home-brewer will talk about beer, home-brewing and the craft beer industry in Vermont. Mares, the author of Making Beer, is the co-owner of the House of Fermentology which is now part of the “agricultural campus” at Nordic Farms in Charlotte. 2/26: Antarctica’s White Wilderness with Patrice MaComber Come learn about the history and wildlife of Antarctica, our chilliest continent. Art News
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Emelia Brogna, Doctor of Physical Therapy ~ Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on treatment technique that encourages the body to heal itself. Through gentle touch, therapists gently encourage the production and distribution of the cerebrospinal fluid. When the central nervous system functions well, health improves: muscles relax, circulation increases, pain and swelling decrease.
The February Art Exhibit is 2020 Hindsight: A 25-year Retrospective of Barbara Waters’ Artistic Explorations. Her work includes abstract personal reflections and nature-inspired works in oil, acrylic, gouache, graphite, and collage, as well as collagraph and monotype prints. In the foyer, the 12-panel oil, “Lifeline,” honors the emergence of life from the void, its dance through time, and disappearance back into the void. Don’t miss this one – it’s a big show with more than 60 pieces. Be sure to check on viewing times. All are invited to the Artist’s Reception on Sat., 2/8 from 1:30-3:30. This is your opportunity to meet the artist and hear about her creative process. The Spring Schedule will be included a bit early with the next issue of this paper and also posted on our website on 2/20. Please
Monday Munch
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No reservations required.
February 10
Fassolakia Iadera (Green Bean, Potato & Zucchini Stew) Green Salad Homemade Dessert
February 17
Tortellini & Zucchini Soup Greens Apple Dumplings Fresh Fruit
Wednesday Lunch All diners eat at noon. Reservations required.
February 12
Broccoli Quiche Butternut Squash Patty Hot Fudge Sundaes
February 19
Oven-Fried Chicken Cauliflower/Roasted Red Pepper Gratin Rhubarb Crisp
Thursday – Gents Breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Reservations required.
Feb. 13 & Feb. 27 Menu and topic - TBA
note that signups will begin 3/2. Please call 425-6345 to register after that date - or kindly mail in your registration. Winter Weather Closings When there is iffy weather, remember 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. The best times to see ART in Feb. Mon., Tues & 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 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
20 • February 6, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Classifieds
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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. MT. PHILO INN A unique hotel with panoramic views of Lake Champlain and private road to Mt. Philo. 1800 sq. ft. 3-bedroom suites with 2 bathrooms and a complete kitchen. By the day, week and month. Privacy, space, tranquility. Bigger on the inside. MtPhiloInn.com, 425-3335. Want a great start to 2020? LET LAFAYETTE PAINTING will give your home a beautiful, fresh look. Our painters can do a lot in a day. Lafayettepaintinginc.Com or call 863-5397 to hear about our winter discount.
EXPERIENCED TRAVEL COMPANIONS available to accompany seniors/adults for day trips, weekend jaunts, weddings or vacations or help to migrate south. Call today 802-355-3790 for a free consultation. We are looking for a few DRIVERS TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME on the day our newspapers are issued to help drop them at various locations within Charlotte, Shelburne, Ferrisburgh and Hinesburg. If you have some spare time and want to help distribute our local newspaper please send an email to: treasurer@thecharlottenews.org.
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Thursday, February 6, 2020 | Volume LXII Number 15
Charlotte News
The nonprofit community news source since 1958
T
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