The Charlotte News | Jan. 30, 2014

The Charlotte News Volume lVI Number 12 The VoIce of The TowN Thursday, JaNuary 30, 2014

Selectboard

continued on page 9

CCS Students

continued on page 10

Brett SigurdsonThe charloTTe News

Kris Gerson’s second grade class is a hive of activity on a recent Thursday morning. Just before morning announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance—a student from Gerson’s class is proudly one of three students to recite it over the intercom—Abby Foulk walks into the room with a small plastic waste bin about half the size of the current class trash can.

“It’s so cool to see such a dinky trash can,” Gerson remarks as she sets it near a recycling bin and white compost bucket near the class-room entrance.

Part of the reason Gerson’s students are excited is the opportunity to travel upstairs to give presentations to the “big kids”—fifth, sixth and seventh graders—about what they’ve been studying: principally, how to reduce waste through reducing, reusing, recycling and com-posting.

Five students pick up boxes festooned with drink pouches and candy bar wrappers other-wise destined for the landfill and follow Foulk to the classroom of David Baird, a fifth-grade teacher. As they walk through the hall, one student practices the close of the presentation, in which it’s his job to ask “Any questions?”

A few minutes later, it’s clear why these five—and the rest of the students in Gerson’s class—could be tasked with leading a discus-sion on waste reduction. As soon as they enter Baird’s class, as if an automatic response, stu-dent Owen Deale and others gather around the trash and recycling cans near the door and start

inspecting it, moving paper discarded in the trash to the recycling receptacle.

Only after they’ve finished do they gather in front of Baird’s students to begin their pre-sentation.

Gerson and Foulk will later laugh about this after all of the students return from their pre-sentations. Part of the humor emanates from the gall of these kids digging in other classrooms’ trash, and part of it comes from knowing that these second graders are becoming passionate about reducing their ecological footprint and helping others to do the same.

While some could smile and write off the precociousness of youngsters as showing only a momentary interest in recycling and compost-ing, there is perhaps more than meets the eye in Gerson’s class. After all, her students’ interest in closing the loop is only part of a greater push at CCS to pursue sustainability in school, at home and in the community, and it’s a push that recently gained a much-anticipated $10,000 farm-to-table grant from the state agency of agriculture.

One need look no further than the school grounds to see the institutional commitment to sustainability. Sharing space with the play-ground and athletic fields are the school gar-dens, which provide food for the cafeteria, and the new composting shed, which will manage half of the school’s waste stream, reducing the hauling and fuel costs and providing an oppor-tunity to study.

The result? CCS has reduced trash by such

Students in Kris Gerson’s class at

CCS have become so committed to

reducing their ecological footprint

they could be setting the tone for

sustainability at the school.

John HammerThe charloTTe News

After months of hearing budget inputs from various elements of the town, the Selectboard at its Jan. 27 meeting finally set the FY14-15 budget at $3,280,504 after mak-ing a last-minute adjustment to the “Volunteer Recognition” line. Following close on this action was setting the warnings for articles to be voted at the March 4 Town Meeting. The articles were gener-ally administrative in nature and can be found in the article on contested races below.

In another long-standing issue, the town’s Memorandum of Agreement with the Charlotte Fire and Rescue Service (CVFRS) was hammered out with two final changes. This did not come with-out some protracted discussion, but on the whole, most of the

parties came away in agreement. The document was approved with the changes, and the chair was authorized to sign it as a duly authorized agent. It will now go to the CVFRS Executive Board for its members’ signatures.

Ben Pualwan presented a com-prehensive written report from the Community Safety Committee. The report contained a number of consensual conclusions, all of which were unanimously agreed upon. Pualwan pointed out that they had not been tasked with mak-ing recommendations. Because of the complexity of the conclusions and the need for full discussion with the committee members, the Selectboard tentatively scheduled an extra meeting on Feb. 3 to dis-cuss this single topic. Should any decisions be made at that meet-

Lorna JimersoncoNTrIbuTor

After several months of dis-cussion, the CVU Board final-ized the FY2014-2015 budget that will be presented to voters on Town Meeting Day. The proposal increases CVU expenditures by 1.65 percent over last year’s bud-get (a net increase of $36,400).

We had several large challeng-es this year to keep the budget increase that low. Special educa-tion alone is forecast to be over $460,000 higher than last year. In addition, salaries and benefits

for all staff are expected to be $118,000 higher than a year ago. And as usual, we anticipate infla-tionary increases in areas such as insurances, transportation, utili-ties and fuel.

The board also approved two additional half-time positions. We increased staffing for our Power Reading program by .5 FTE. Also we voted to fund a half-time posi-tion for an instructional coach in mathematics.

The Power Reading program is designed to help students who are

Town Meeting to See Three Contested RacesVoters will be asked to pass $3.2 million budget

When the polls open the morning of March 4, Charlotte voters will have three contested races for town positions to weigh in on, including two Selectboard seats.

Running for the two-year Selectboard seat that will be vacated by a retiring John Owen are Bonnie Christie, Matthew Krasnow and Ed Stone, who lost his bid to retain his Selectboard seat to Ellie Russell

CVU Budget

continued on page 4

Contested Races

continued on page 6

Charlotte’s

Conscientious

Students

Selects Set Budget,

Sign MOA

CVU Budget Up Slightly

Over Last Year

(From left) Cole Williams, Wyatt Sigler, Oliver Nelson, Owen Deale and Stephen Zubarik

talk to a middle school class about reducing, reusing and recycling.

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Commentary

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Barrie DunsmoreCoNTriBuTor

It was hardly the most important story of the week. In fact it wasn’t really news at all. For a dwindling group of us, it was just confirmation of what we have known for a long time. Still, the headline, “The ‘Disneyfication’ of

ABC World News with Diane Sawyer,” was a down-er to someone who spent 30-plus years as a corre-spondent for that network—almost a lifetime really.

The story was on Forbes.com, written by media contributor Max Robins.

He begins, “The ‘Disneyfication’ of ABC News is complete. So claims a content analysis (of the three major network evening newscasts) by the Tyndall Report.”

According to this report, “World News took a major leap into the world of infotainment in 2013 compared to previous years and spent dramatically less time covering hard news than its competition. For example, on the Boston Marathon bombing, the most covered story of the year, ABC gave it roughly a third less time than CBS and NBC.”

Columnist Robins notes, “Tellingly, two of ABC News’ correspondents who got the most face time on World News were Ginger Lee whose beat is the weather and Paula Ferris who specializes in con-sumer features.”

He goes on to quote Andrew Tyndall, president of ADT Research and publisher of the Tyndall Report, “The ABC News of Peter Jennings, Ted Koppel and Charles Gibson is over. In more than 25 years of monitoring the three network nightly news casts, I cannot remember seeing such a radical shift in its definition of news.”

Robins makes the point that, while the evening newscasts have lost about half their audience over the past 20 years, together they still draw an average of 22 million viewers and bring in between $400 and $500 million in ad revenues each year. He then picks up the theme of his commentary.

“The so-called Disneyfication of ABC’s news divi-sion has been evolving for years. It’s most glaringly apparent on ‘Good Morning America’ which almost two years ago began beating NBC’s long- dominant ‘Today’ in the lucrative morning news wars.” To further his argument, Robins writes that after Kop-pel’s departure “Nightline” was downgraded and then pushed back to 12:30 a.m. to make room for the Jimmy Kimmel show.

In conclusion, Robins defends Tyndall’s research—some of which ABC had questioned—and adds this parting shot, “It is irrefutable that (Tyndall’s) data does denote a big shift in World News towards an approach that the corporate powers-that-be see improving ratings and driving bucks to the bottom line. Does that mean we can call what was once the network’s flagship newscast ‘ABC Disney World News?’ Watch and decide if the Mouse Ears fit.”

As I said at the outset, none of this comes as news to me or to those of my former colleagues in retire-ment. Over the years we have watched all three net-work newscasts become only shadows of their former

selves—in service to the demands of the corporate bottom line. Perhaps it would help if I explained what that has meant to network television, specifically in my former area—international news coverage.

I long ago gave up on the American broadcast net-works as satisfactory sources for foreign news. While they still have a few good news people in the field, their once significant commitment to cover overseas news is simply no longer there.

Case in point: In the mid-1980s, when I was ABC’s senior foreign correspondent, the London bureau was the network’s international headquarters and support center for about a dozen smaller foreign bureaus in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. We had our own building in central London—nearby to the BBC and ITN with whom we had cooperative agree-ments. The facilities for live transmissions and global satellite connections were state of the art. In addition to correspondents and camera crews with years of overseas experience covering wars and foreign news, there was a 24/7 news desk, each news program had its own field producers, there were tape editors, researchers, engineers and accountants—all together about 200 people. If an important story happened anytime, anywhere in the world, ABC News London was immediately on it.

When I last checked a couple of years ago, the ABC News London bureau was housed in some rent-ed rooms in an office near Heathrow Airport. There were about a dozen people on staff.

There are two fundamental reasons for this dra-matic shift. One is technological. The proliferation of viewing options and news sources—from cable tele-vision to the Internet, totally changed the landscape for broadcast news. The three networks no longer totally dominate the market.

But the other change may have been even more important—and that was the new business model. Into the 1960s, network news divisions cost more to operate than they earned in advertising revenues. But with more air time, news programs eventually became very successful and went from being loss leaders to cash cows. That’s when ratings began to really matter. It is also when Wall Street became interested, which led to the eventual takeover of each network by large, publicly traded corporations with no background—and no interest—in news.

For these new corporate owners, it made business sense to drastically shrink foreign news coverage. Never mind that this seriously degraded their news divisions. Likewise, their company’s stock price came to dictate the content of news programs—based on the questionable premise that the softer the news, the better the ratings and profits. The loss of network news credibility doesn’t matter to the suits.

Obviously I’m not happy about this evolution of network news, but it was probably as inevitable as change itself. Baby boomers often opine nostalgi-cally that if anchormen like Walter Cronkite (once America’s most trusted man) were still around, things would be different. I fear not. Even in the “good old days,” Cronkite was forced into retirement because his replacement, Dan Rather, was considered hot—and Walter was not.

Barrie Dunsmore is a journalist who covered for-

eign affairs for ABC News for 30 years. This column

was featured in the Jan. 19 edition of the Rutland Herald/Montpelier Times Argus. His commentaries

also air weekly on Vermont Public Radio. He lives

in Charlotte.

‘Disneyfication’ of News Leads to Loss of Credibility


Letters

Elizabeth HumstoneContributor

We have a problem. The quality of Vermont’s lakes is becoming degraded, and poor shoreland development is one significant cause. But now we have an opportunity to slow and even reverse this trend with a bill pending in the Legislature.

Vermont has over 800 lakes and ponds that are significant assets to our state. They not only provide opportuni-ties for swimming, boating, fishing and skating but also offer drinking water, wildlife habitat and protection from flood damage. However, according to a national lake condition assessment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 82 percent of our shorelands are in fair to poor condition, and that can threaten public health, safety and recreation and tourism.

As a shoreland property owner and avid user of Lake Champlain’s signifi-cant resources, I am concerned about the threats to our water bodies. In Char-lotte, good development regulations prevent excessive shoreline clearing, reducing water pollution and habitat loss. These requirements protect prop-erty values and enjoyment of the lake for me and my neighbors.

Extreme weather events in the past several years, accompanied by signifi-cant fluctuations in water levels, have caused shoreline erosion and damage to property from flooding. Where exces-sive cutting and clearing has occurred for development, there is notable evi-dence of soil loss, destruction of wild-life habitat and increased water pollu-tion. In many places, the replacement of natural vegetation with hard surfaces, like roofs and paved driveways built too close to lakes, has accelerated the flow of soil and contaminants into the water.

We know that healthy, vegetat-ed shorelines are good for wildlife. For instance largemouth bass, one of Vermont’s most important game fish, prefer to nest near undeveloped rath-er than developed shores. Swimming and boating are more enjoyable where water is clear. Views of shorelines are more pleasing where trees and shrubs are visible and scars from develop-

ment are obscured.Today only about a quarter of Ver-

mont municipalities have local stan-dards to protect lakes and ponds. Other state environmental laws, such as Act 250, do not apply to most shoreline development. The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources uses education and technical assistance to try to get prop-erty owners and towns to act. Conser-vation organizations, such as the Lake Champlain Land Trust, the Vermont Land Trust and the Nature Conser-vancy, protect particularly vulnerable shoreland areas. Yet problems persist with erosion, habitat loss and deterio-rating water quality.

To step up efforts to protect Ver-mont’s lakes, last year the Vermont House of Representatives passed H.526 that would result in clear but reasonable standards to regulate development on lakeshores while protecting property owners’ rights to access, use of and views of lakes and ponds. (New Hamp-shire and Maine both have statewide shoreland protections similar to what Vermont is considering.) Towns like Charlotte that have already taken steps to protect lakeshores would not be affected by the legislation. Under the bill, development could still take place in sensitive shoreline areas but with added protections against excessive cutting and clearing and with appropri-ate setbacks from water bodies.

The legislation is not designed to stop development on our lakeshores. Nor will it prevent property owners from mowing their lawns or appropri-ately thinning trees for views. Rather it will provide consistent standards that major improvements will have to meet.

I know firsthand that it is possible to thoroughly enjoy all the amenities of a lake—swimming, boating, and sunset vistas—with shoreland restrictions in place. Plus I have the added benefit of knowing that my property values are protected, my family’s drinking water is safer, the water we swim in is cleaner, and the mink we see playing along the shore will be there for years to come.

The writer is the chair of the board of directors of the Vermont Natural Resources Council. She lives in Char-lotte.

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If You Don’t Have

a Seat at the Table,

You’re Probably on

the Menu

When I tell someone I am running for a two-year seat on the Charlotte Select-board, I can count on being asked three questions: First, “Are you nuts?” Sec-ond, “Who are you running against?” And third: “Why are you running?”

Here are my answers.

Q: Are you nuts?

A: Why would any sane person vol-unteer to serve on the Selectboard? Many citizens feel that the hostile atmo-sphere at Town Hall has turned the democratic process into something to run away from, not participate in. To me, this isn’t progress—it’s paralysis. I think it is easy to lose sight of the goal of serving in elected office, which is to help shape a vibrant, sustainable com-munity through the appropriate use of the human and financial resources at hand. Charlotte town government seems unbalanced at the moment, but I am optimistic that buried acorns of oppor-tunity can be nurtured into magnificent oaks. The first step is to establish strong roots of collaboration.

Q: Who are you running against?

A: It’s pretty easy to figure out who is against whom in Charlotte. It has become harder and harder to know what people are for. There are three open seats on the Selectboard in the coming elec-tions. So far seven citizens are running for those seats, and that is something to celebrate. I am running for accessible democracy that offers each and every one of us the same opportunity to serve in local government. I encourage any-one who has something positive to offer to get involved.

Q: Why are you running?

A: A little wisdom from Madeleine Kunin tipped the balance for me to run: “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you are probably on the menu.”

My first seat at the table of elected town officials was as a Charlotte Library trustee. As the current chair, I have participated in many Selectboard meet-ings. This has allowed me to see that the mechanics of town government are neither as mysterious nor as intimidating as I used to think. But sadly, conten-tious politics has reduced your future, my future, the future of Charlotte to an asterisk at the bottom of the menu, while the main entrees have become anger, accusations and personal assaults. I’d like to help turn this around.

I think it starts with two things. First, elected officials need to do their homework and check their facts before making policy decisions. And second, elected officials need to listen, learn and then lead, in that order. There are many strong voices out there, but it takes open minds to hear the underlying message, which is usually that residents care about this community, want to contribute and are often afraid of losing something pre-cious in the political process.

There are many issues in critical need of attention in Charlotte. Among them are implementing the East Charlotte Village Plan, addressing public safety

concerns (crime and speeding), bringing Town Meeting into the 21st century, and exploring revenue sources other than the pockets of property owners to support the town budget. I would especially like to see us build on our rural/agricultural roots as we shape our future identity.

Ultimately it’s not what my concerns are that is important. It’s what kind of a community you as a voter want to live in. I offer my many years of ser-vice—as a volunteer, an elected official, a mom, a taxpayer—as a foundation for serving on the Selectboard. I have served on the board of the Charlotte Children’s Center and many commit-tees at the Charlotte Congregational Church, founded the Charlotte chapter of CROPWALK, developed the Hike For Hunger as a board member of The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, taught ELF (Environmental Learning for the Future) at CCS, served on the CCS Strategic Planning Commit-tee, worked for nine years as an energy and environmental policy analyst at the state and federal level, currently chair the Charlotte Library Board of Trustees and serve on the Charlotte Safety Com-mittee.

I have lived in Charlotte for 22 years, and my children, Hannah and Ian, both graduated from CCS and CVU.

Let’s hang up a “Welcome” sign at Town Hall. Let in some fresh air. Grab a chair and take a seat at your table.

Bonnie ChristieCandidate for Selectboard

Two-Year Term

Town Hall Atmosphere

Needs to Change

After reading multiple letters to the Charlotte News and the Citizen from the town clerk/treasurer and more recently from her friend, Claudia Mucklow, and then one clarifying response from the Selectboard, it is clear to me that things are not right at Town Hall. There have been too many unsubstantiated accusa-tions.

First, Ms. Mead and others urged a multi-year audit of CVFRS. Nearly $40,000 later and the resignation of several valuable fire and rescue volun-teers, no fraud was uncovered. Then Ms. Mead accused the Selectboard of giving away town property (i.e., the CVFRS building and equipment), when in fact CVFRS owns both the building and most of its equipment because of decisions made (or lack of oversight) by previous Selectboards.

Now we hear that Charles Russell is “a bully” and has created “a completely hostile work environment” and that the other four Selectboard members are “spineless serfs”.

It is clear something must be done to reverse the present hostilities. I suggest mediation between Ms. Mead and the Selectboard for a start. The voters of Charlotte elected all six of them with the expectation that they would work con-structively together. It would be help-ful for the voters to see progress made before the upcoming election on Town Meeting Day.

Ruth E. UpholdFields Farm Road

Volunteers Build New Bus Stop at

Baptist Corners

Those that congregate in the north-west corner of Spear’s Store at 7 a.m. do a lot of talking. They orate, ponder, joke, snicker, explain, judge, tease, whine, bluff and brag. Once in a while, something wise or profound falls out of their heads. And on rare occasions, they actually organize their resources to create solutions. So it came to pass that they built and installed a handsome bus-stop house at the corner of Spear Street and Hinesburg Road. School kids heading to CVU no longer have to withstand wind or rain. In Charlotte, a problem becomes an opportunity when the right people come together.

Photo and text by Stephen C. Brooks

��-DQXDU\��The Charlotte News

Jed PaulsContributor

On Feb. 2, the Charlotte Congregational Church will officially install Rev. Susan Cooke Kittredge as associate pastor. The installation will be part of the regular worship service and promises to be a joyful affirmation of Susan’s new role within the vibrant faith commu-nity on Church Hill Road.

Rev. Cooke Kittredge has been an active mem-ber of the Charlotte Congregational Church since moving to the area in 2008. In this time, Susan has periodically led worship on Sundays and has facilitated a number of well-attended book groups. She also served as the full-time minister during Rev. Will Burhans’ sabbatical in 2010.

In her new position Susan will be work-ing more formally alongside Will, teaming in supportive collaboration to nurture the gifts of the congregation.

Prior to joining the Charlotte Congrega-tional Church, Susan was the senior pastor at the Old Meeting House in East Mont-pelier, a community church with strong denominational ties to the United Church of Christ. Her work there was a culmina-tion of ten dedicated years of education and fieldwork at Vermont College and Andover-Newton Theological School.

In that time, she dutifully took on the demands of a very personal and undeniable call to the ministry, all the while raising five children with her husband, Charlie. In her words, she began the process of

“cutting down a Califor-nia redwood with a Swiss army knife.” But the call was true. When this leg of her journey finally landed her in the pulpit, Susan felt the simple, soul-warming words we all hope to hear in our lives: “I’m home.”

The new associate pas-tor position will allow the Charlotte Congrega-tional Church to attend more comprehensively to its ever-deepening minis-try. Susan’s down-to-earth guidance and inspiration promise to strengthen the

ongoing work of the church. Susan cites “social justice, Christian education and worship” as a few of the areas that will ben-efit from the additional pastoral resources.

Expressing gratitude and admiration for the work of Rev. Burhans, she acknowl-edges the multi-faceted dynamism of the church and that the work of a pastor can be limitless in this type of faith environment. She notes that Burhans, with his depth and passion, takes on so much, “but his shoulders can only be so broad. I am very excited to be working with Will.”

With these additional resources, this past week the church held its first Saturday eve-ning worship. These Saturday services will provide an additional worship opportunity in a more intimate setting for song, prayer and scripture once a month at 4:30 p.m.

Updated information can be found at the Charlotte Congregational Church web-site charlottecongregationalchurch.org.

Charlotte Congregational Adds New Associate Pastor

Susan Cooke Kittredge to be installed Feb. 2

Susan Cooke Kittredge

not reading up to grade-level expecta-tions. This program has been very suc-cessful, and enrollment is increasing. The math coach will work throughout the school with math teachers to help them implement higher standards (i.e., Common Core) into their curriculum and instructional practice.

We tempered these increased expens-es in several ways. First, we expect addi-tional revenue from the state for eligible special education expenses. Second, we are cutting one-third of a position in English because of slightly lower enroll-ment. Also we will achieve some cost savings because a few of our most senior educators are retiring.

The largest cost reduction, however, is the elimination of the equivalent of one house director. Our administration is proposing to restructure the role of house directors (currently one for each of the four houses) to begin more of a focus on a lower house (grades 9 and 10) and an upper house (grades 11 and 12). Eliminating one house director position is expected to lower costs by $119,000.

The tax implications of this proposed budget can only be estimated at this time. For CVU alone (not including the CCS budget) we anticipate an increase in the tax rate from .4489 to .4799. Though this is a 7.4-percent increase, it is lower than in the other CVU towns (Hinesburg, Shelburne and Williston). This is primarily because of the rela-tively smaller number of CVU students who reside in Charlotte.

The actual property tax for Char-lotte homeowners incorporates the cost of educating all Charlotte students (preK-12), Charlotte’s common level of appraisal and, most critically, the state-wide property tax rate set by the Leg-islature, usually in May. The state tax commissioner recently recommended a statewide property tax rate of $1.01. If this is the case, we expect the total property tax increase to be in the range of five to seven percent.

More detailed information will be available in our CVU budget flyer com-ing out in mid-February. Also the CVU Annual Report will be posted online at cssu.org. You can have a printed copy mailed to your home by calling 383-1236.

Lorna Jimerson is a representative to the CVU School Board.

CVU Budgetcontinued from page 1

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Beating the Cold

With the super-cold temperatures we have been having lately, this past week-end’s cold-but-sunny weather was a wel-come break. I took advantage of it and brought in more wood from my woodpile. I, like many other Vermonters, am lucky to have a wood stove to supplement my oil heat. Burning wood, along with turn-ing down my thermostat, has saved quite a bit of heating oil despite sub-zero tem-peratures for extended periods of time. As I pulled the sled across the yard and up the steps I got to thinking about how other less fortunate families and individuals have to deal with the cold.

The most immediate challenge when temperatures drop is how to take care of people who do not have a permanent home. The person standing at the end of I-189 by Shelburne Road asking for a handout; the Vietnam vet who usually lives in a tent somewhere in the woods around the Intervale; the family that is living in a homeless shelter because the breadwinner lost his/her job and can no longer afford to pay the rent.

Less immediate, but still important, are those who do have homes but are strug-gling with their heating bills. For someone who hasn’t had to struggle with situations like these, it is easy to look away and think about something else. We can ignore the inconvenient realities that blemish our oth-erwise comfortable world. But we are our brothers’ keeper, and a moral conscience dictates that those who can, the majority of us, must help.

As a society we have many vehicles to provide assistance to those who need it in such emergencies, from the nonprofits like COTS and the Red Cross to federal and state assistance like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

LIHEAP, a program that provides emer-gency heating fuel to individuals and fami-lies who have or are about to run out of fuel during the winter, has been hit hard by federal budget cuts over the last three years. This program is available to families whose income is less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level. While no state funds were contributed to LIHEAP prior to federal fiscal year 2005, in recent years, federal funds have steadily declined from

a high of $38.6 million in 2009 to $17 mil-lion this year.

As federal funding declined, Vermont has supplemented the program with addi-tional funds to try to keep at least $25 million available. The number of Ver-mont families served has consistently been around 27,000, with a spike to more than 45,000 in 2011 at the peak of the recession.

As more of the burden of funding this program falls to Vermont, the question becomes how to fund it and whether a better solution can be found to address the problem. With most low-income families living in poorly insulated housing, much of their heating dollars literally fly out the window.

The key to increasing the effectiveness of LIHEAP funds is to reduce heat losses, that is, to weatherize homes. The Compre-hensive Energy Plan (CEP) of 2011 called for 80,000 homes to be weatherized by 2020. Weatherization assistance has been available through Efficiency Vermont for all income levels, but especially for low-income homeowners.

However, funding for weatherization programs has been inadequate, and the state is currently about two years behind on reaching this CEP goal. A study committee recommended that reaching the goal would require about $24 million per year until 2020. Funding for 2014 through a one-time source of money is $11 million.

Last year Governor Shumlin proposed a tax on break-open lottery tickets sold at bars and social clubs to raise $17 million, including $6 million for weatherization programs. The House Natural Resources & Energy Committee proposed a half-cent per gallon tax on fuel oil to raise $6 million. Both ideas were rejected by the Legislature, the first as unfeasible and the second as politically unacceptable.

As this session of the Legislature moves forward, I will continue working to increase funding for weatherization and give a high priority for these services to LIHEAP recipients so that their future needs for assistance are reduced.

I continue to welcome your thoughts and questions and can be reached by phone (425-3960) or by email ([email protected]), and you can find my website at MikeYantachka.com.

�J\c\ZkYfXi[�Jgfkc`^_k Legislative Report by Representative Mike Yantachka Lane Morrison

Contributor

The Selectboard has been engaged in a variety of topics over the last few weeks, and the purpose of this report is to inform the town of the status of our deliberations.

MOA between CVFRS and the town

ready for signature. It was agreed in the March 2013 Town Meeting that CVFRS and the Selectboard would prepare a Memorandum of Agreement that formal-izes the relationship of the parties. After many hours of discussions with the two groups and their attorneys and input from community members, the MOA defines the often-sensitive relationship.

For example, for the first time since CVFRS was incorporated in 1951 the ownership of all vehicles and major equipment is addressed. The intention of equipment ownership is to have CVFRS own all assets because they are the insur-ers, users and maintainers of them. This management oversight is led by CVFRS volunteer board members, who have the expertise and direct interest that allow them to carry out their mission for the town. If there is a change in or dissolution of their mission, the assets or equivalent value is will bereturned to the town.

Town clerk/ treasurer compensation. By state statute holders of the positions of clerk and treasurer are elected offi-cials. In the case of one person being elected to both positions, that person isy compensated in a single line item in the budget. The Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) offers compensa-tion data for this situation, which is very common throughout Vermont. VLCT provides data that data also includes the population of communities, and; in our case our clerk/treasurer’scurrent compen-sation is higher than in most towns of similar size. For the 2014/2015 budget

the Selectboard considers the proposed compensation appropriate for the defined duties of the position.

Town administrator appointment. Based on a study of job duties of incum-bents it was determined that, rather than the shared position of town planner and Selectboard assistant, a single position of town administrator was warranted. Based on our town personnel policies, when a vacancy occurs the job will first be posted internally. This policy was properly fol-lowed, and one candidate applied for the position. He was deemed to be well qual-ified and therefore appointed to the new position with appropriate compensation for the increased responsibilities based on guidelines from VLCT.

Town planner / zoning administrator

position combined. With the 2013 retire-ment of Tom Mansfield and the appoint-ment of the town administrator, it was a timely opportunity to combine the posi-tions of planner and zoning administrator. After a nationally posted search, several qualified candidates were interviewed and the highly qualified Jeannine McCrumb was selected.

2014/2015 budget approved for pre-

sentation at Town Meeting. After many hours of discussion, input from town committee leaders and input from the community, the proposed budget and esti-mated tax rate have been finalized. No significant changes are anticipated for the new fiscal year. The proposed budget includes money for continued updates to our town bridges. The new shealth cinsur-ance costs are included and are expected to result in a minor increase in costs.

The growth in the total town budget is estimated to result in a $0.01 increase in the tax rate.

Lane Morrison is a member of the Char-lotte Selectboard.

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The Vermont Agency of Education selected CVU to be a recipient of a $10,000 grant to design, develop and implement a training program in work-based learning for CVU teachers and community partners.

The grant became available after Gov. Shumlin signed the Flexible Path-ways bill (S.130/Act 77) into law last June. Intended to encourage more post-secondary education for Vermont stu-dents, Flexible Pathways calls for the expansion of ways students can experi-ence their education.

Patti Tomashot, director of guidance, was thrilled that CVU was recognized for the innovative work that paved the way to write the grant.

“Over the last three years, a group of dedicated teachers and administra-tors have worked hard to create the G.O.A.L. Program (Go Out and Learn) in which students can design their own learning projects and earn school cred-it,” she said. “Our proposal for the grant was a natural extension of these on-going efforts.”

The Work-Based Learning Pathway is intended to help students gain real-life experience in the community while earning high school credit. MaryAnne Gatos, co-writer of the proposal, sees a natural link with the community-based programs she directs.

“The community has always been gen-erous in helping our students with shad-ow experiences, internships and Gradua-tion Challenge projects,” she said. “Now, with the support of the Legislature and this grant, we hope to expand these efforts to provide a work-based learning experience for every student.”

Jane Krasnow, a CVU school coun-

selor, agrees and adds, “We’re also expanding our opportunities both in the community and in the classroom. Next year the Direction Center is partnering with the Business Department to offer Pathfinders, a career exploratory class for 9th-12th graders.”

Another initiative, the statewide dual enrollment program, enables high school students to take a free college course in both junior and senior years. The bill increases enrollment in Early College Programs such as VAST (Ver-mont Academy of Science and Tech-nology) at Vermont Technical College. This program provides for a tuition-free year of college classes that will satisfy both high school graduation require-ments and enable students to earn col-lege credit. A third component of the bill calls for expanding virtual and blended learning opportunities for stu-dents.

CVU took an early lead in this arena by joining the Virtual High School Con-sortium. Twenty-five virtual seats are available to students each semester in a broad range of classes. This program is also administered through the Direction Center.

In addition to these initiatives, the bill calls for the creation of personal-ized learning plans (PLPs) for every student.

“Students, parents and the commu-nity will all become partners in actively creating our future society,” commented Tomashot. “With all these new possi-bilities, it is a very exciting time to be in the field of education.”

If you’re interested in getting involved in this initiative, please contact the CVU Direction Center at 482-7137.

CVU Receives $10,000 Education Grant

Funds will help continue school’s expanding education initiativeslast year.In the other Selectboard race, current selectboard member Winslow Ladue will

vie against Fritz Tegatz to hold onto a three-year term. Lane Morrison, a Selectboard member who was chosen to fill Heather

Manning’s seat when she resigned last year, will run unopposed for the remaining two years of his three-year seat

Finally, Jenny Cole will run against incumbent Robert Mack for a three-year term on the board of auditors.

Candidates running unopposed are:

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The articles on the Selectboard’s Town Meeting Day warning will ask voters to approve a $3,280,504 budget for FY14/15. That number is $266,738 higher than last year’s budget. Other articles are mostly routine business, including measures to have property taxes due by Nov. 17, 2014, and to authorize the Selectboard to borrow money by issuing bonds.

Town Meeting Day is slated for March 4 at the CCS multipurpose room begin-ning at 9 a.m.


Susan HolsonContributor

As many of you know, the CVU School Board is currently in the throes of developing the high school budget for the 2014/2015 academic year. The final budget numbers, along with sev-eral other variables, will determine our local education tax rate.

For many residents, the budget devel-opment process and its relationship to local tax rates are complicated at best and complete mysteries at worst. We hope that you will find the follow-ing guide useful in understanding how our communities fund our union high school.

Let’s start with some basics about the budget development process. The CVU School Board works on the next year’s school budget during the months of November, December and January. All budgets need to be finalized by late January to be ready for voters on Town Meeting Day (the first Tuesday in March).

The board begins its work by starting with a baseline budget, which includes

1. operating costs to open the school in the following year assuming no changes in current programming (aca-demic and co-curricular) and staffing,

2. known or anticipated cost increas-es/decreases (such as those associated with rising utility costs, contractual agreements, outside providers, etc.), and

3. the Special Education Service Plan (a plan and budget for special education services that is initiated the previous June and submitted to the state in mid-October).

Taking these factors into account, the baseline budget for next year is 3.56 percent higher than the budget for the current year. Among other things, this includes contracted salary increases and a significant increase in special educa-tion costs.

The school budget, less any local revenue (e.g., from state and federal reimbursement of some special educa-tion services, tuition from out-of-dis-trict students, interest payments, etc.), yields Net Education Spending, which is the number that taxpayers are asked to approve on Town Meeting Day. Net Education Spending is the only variable in the state education tax rate formula that is in taxpayers’ control.

We will not try to explain the con-troversial formulas, established in Acts 60 and 68, that are used to calculate the state education tax rate. However, in order to show readers the variables upon which our local tax rate is based, we present the following two equations.

The first shows how the education tax rate associated with CVU is calcu-lated, and the second shows how that tax rate is adjusted for each of our send-ing towns to account for differences in property appraisals between towns and percentage of high school students attributable to each town.

TCVU = S * (N / ET) / B

TLocal Town = TCVU * (EL / ET) /C

The variables shown in these equa-tions are:

TCVU (CVU Homestead Education

Tax Rate). This is the unadjusted tax

rate associated with CVU.TLocal Town (Town-Specific Home-

stead Education Tax Rate). This is your town’s tax rate, adjusted for differ-ences in property assessments and high school student population, and the tax rate you are asked to pay.

S (Statewide Education Tax Rate).

This number is set by the Legislature with input from the state executive branch. The statewide rate is set to ensure that enough money is raised and deposited in the State Education Fund each year to cover the estimated expenses of all school districts in Ver-mont. There is no local input or control over this number, which is tradition-ally made final toward the end of the legislative session (typically between mid-April and mid-May), after taxpay-ers vote on school budgets.

N (Net Education Spending). This is the total warned budget to be approved by voters less local revenue. This is the number that you will be asked to vote on in March, and it is the only number in taxpayers’ control.

ET (Total Equalized Pupil Count).

This is a measure of the number of students at our school. Different stu-dent groups (i.e. poverty and special needs) are weighted differently because the fact that more resources are typi-cally needed to educate certain student groups than others. While the actual CVU pupil count is expected to be 1,256 in 2014/2015, the equalized pupil count is 1,291.

B (Base Amount). The Legislature, with a recommendation from the state executive branch, sets this number for all school districts in Vermont. The base amount is adjusted up or down by law based on a select cost of living index. This number is also tradition-ally made final toward the end of the legislative session, which is after Town Meeting Day.

C (Common Level of Appraisal).

This is a community-specific number that the state uses to address the fact that property appraisals in all com-munities have not been done at the same time and thus cannot be used as a common measure of value for homes across communities. The CLA adjusts education property tax rates to account for these differences in property assess-ments town to town across the state.

EL (Local Equalized Pupil Count).

This is the number of equalized high school pupils in your town.

Using this equation with our first-cut calculation of Net Education Spending and reasonable estimates of the other variables, we calculate that adoption of the baseline budget (a 3.56% increase) would increase the CVU tax rate by more than ten percent. The CVU board understands that such a tax rate increase is too much, and we are working toward a budget with a goal of no increase in net education spending.

The board has now begun work to understand planned expenses and antic-ipated revenue and to debate additions and reductions to bring the budget into a position to warrant voter approval. The CVU School Board is charged with

the challenging task of developing a fiscally responsible budget that hon-ors our collective goal of providing a superior educational experience for all of our high school students. We have to balance investing in our children’s education, based on new information on best practices, with the realities of declining enrollment and a challenging tax environment.

Some final notes about state educa-tion taxes:

1. Money raised for education comes not only from the homestead taxes discussed above but also from non-homestead (commercial property and second home) taxes.

2. Education property tax rates are developed for each of our preK-8 schools and for CVU. The educa-tion tax rate associated with CVU is apportioned among the four CSSU towns according to the percentage of each town’s students attending the high school. The apportioned CVU educa-tion tax rate is added to the education tax rate developed for each town’s preK-8 schools to yield the town-spe-

cific education tax rate that you see on your property tax bill.

3. Many Vermonters can take advan-tage of “income sensitivity” payments from the state to ease or limit the burden of property tax payments. In 2013, pay-ments were based on household income of up to approximately $97,000.

For the past several years, the CVU School Board has welcomed “budget buddies” from the CSSU community to learn more about the budget process and participate in its meetings during the budget session. If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a budget buddy during next year’s budget ses-sion, please contact one of your local school board representatives.

Charlotte representatives to the CvU sChool Board

Lorna Jimerson: 425-2497Marilyn Richardson: 425-2391

Susan Holson is a CVU School Board member from Shelburne.

The CVU Budget Process and Its Impact on Your Tax Rate

Jenny Cianciola, with the help of Julie Holmes, conducts the CCS 5/6 boys and girls choir. On Jan. 23, the CCS Winter Concert featured also featured performances by the sixth-grade jazz band and fifth and sixth grade bands.

Singin’ Sweet Songs at CCSP

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.


As Charlotte’s Planning Commission begins a potentially far-reaching revi-sion to the Town Plan—the first major rewrite of the document in nearly 15 years—Charlotters divided by class, politics and topography face an impor-tant question: What do they want their town to become? This is the first in a multipart series of articles that will explore Charlotte’s present and future.

Brett SigurdsonThe CharloTTe News

One day in the early 1880s, Hamilton Child, publisher of several gazetteers and direc-

tories in Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont, stood atop the 968-foot peak of Mt. Philo in Charlotte. To his east he saw the singular peaks of Camel’s Hump and Mount Mansfield piercing the clouds, and he was reminded of a line from William Cullen Bryant’s poem “Thanatopsis”: “The hills rock-ribbed and ancient as the sun, the vales stretching in pensive quietness between.” To his west he saw a car-pet of lush land dotted with farms and homesteads that rolled out to the blue waters of Lake Champlain, to a hori-zon backdropped by the Adirondacks that formed a panorama he summed in two words: “Vermont’s best.”

Yet, as Child examined the land-scape below, he perceived something intangible. To his north he saw a line of low, rolling mountains that gave rise to separate settlements on each side, essentially splitting Charlotte within itself literally and figuratively. “This

natural division of the town,” Child later wrote in his Gazetteer and Busi-ness Directory of Chittenden County for 1882–83, “has not only been in surface, but also politically, leading to much rivalry and jealous feeling on the part of the inhabitants of the two divisions, retarding somewhat the growth and best interests of the township.”

Fast forward 130 years to Charlotte’s Town Hall. It’s late November, and members of the Planning Commission are discussing the growth and best interests of Charlotte during one of its monthly work sessions centered on revising the Town Plan, a document that puts in writing Charlotters’ vision for the future of their town.

On this night, the commission’s examination of Charlotte’s landscape contains a lot less drama than the natu-ral kind Child witnessed. The first 20 minutes of the meeting are taken up by a debate over the number and order of the new Town Plan’s table of contents.

“Let me get this straight,” says Jeff McDonald, chair of the commission. “We’ve got ‘Natural Resources,’ Lake & Shoreline,’ ‘Forestry & Agriculture’ would be six, ‘Housing’ would seven, ‘Economic Development’ eight and ‘Facilities & Services’ nine?”

“I think putting ‘Housing’ so far down—it doesn’t seem right to me,” commission member Paul Landler interjects.

“Maybe we should keep ‘Housing’ there and just switch ‘Economic Devel-opment’ with ‘Forestry’ so we go ‘Lake & Shoreline,’ ‘Housing’ and ‘Forest-ry & Economic Development,’” says McDonald.

“The way I look at housing, it’s the

whole nerve cen-ter of everything,” insists Landler. “It’s why we have the Town Plan. That’s why it needs to be up front.”

Otherwise sitting quietly through the proceedings, Linda Radimer responds. “But if you turn it around, Paul, and look at it from how we want our town to—it’s a plan for the town, and within that town we want to maintain things like rural landscape and farming and stuff. I don’t think this is a priority list, but I do think if we can cluster like things it makes more sense.”

“We could still keep it loose,” said McDonald, laughing. “We’ve got another nine months.”

––––

To describe the Planning Commis-sion’s work on this night as dull is inaccurate. For a town that has changed in ways big and small since the last comprehensive rewrite of the Town Plan 15 years ago there was weight to the night’s discussion that belied the normal tedium of planning and zoning policymaking. It seems numbers—even the order of chapters—matter.

In the commission’s binders are figures provided by planning consul-tant Sharon Murray. Those numbers show that in the last 15 years Char-lotte’s population has grown negligibly, from 3,569 to 3,754. They show that, as a population, Charlotte has grown older—the average age has risen by six years since 2000, from roughly 39 to 45, as the number of those 65 and over has risen by 60 percent while those 18 and younger has diminished by 26 percent.

They show that Charlotte has also become wealthier, that more people in Charlotte now make over $200,000 a year (15.3 percent of the popula-tion) than those who make $25,000 and under (10 percent). In fact, more families have an income of $200,000 or over than those in any other salary category Murray looked at. And median household income in Charlotte in 2010, was $92,475, compared with $59,878 in Chittenden County and $51,284 in the state as a whole.

In these figures, Murray sees Char-lotte facing the same crucial trends the state as a whole is facing, which will

necessitate a shift in services, facilities and housing.

“Charlotte’s demographic trends, including an aging population and smaller household sizes, are not unique to the town,” she says. “They mirror regional and state trends, as our existing population of baby boomers enters its retirement years. This is resulting in a natural decrease in the existing popula-tion that hasn’t yet been offset by new people moving into town.”

But in light of the high cost of living in Charlotte—the average cost for a house is $537,415, twice that of county and state figures—Charlotte may have a tough time attracting younger genera-tions to send its students to school and become the next generation of town leaders. The cost of living in here could jeopardize the town’s goal, as stated in the Town Plan, to promote Char-lotte’s “the social, economic, cultural and racial diversity.”

For Marty Illick, the newest mem-ber of the Planning Commission, these numbers tell an important story, one Charlotters should listen to.

“I can’t imagine how any voter out there would not care about this,” she said in early January. “If you don’t have your next generation coming in...every-one should be caring about this.”

––––– In addition to the tangible trends

these figures illustrate, there are chang-es in Charlotte that are perhaps harder to see, for these exist in the percep-tions of what the town is becoming or should become. Those who sat among the gathered crowds at Selectboard, school board or other town meetings throughout the last year and really lis-tened could hear something of a drum-beat growing quicker, picking up speed when the discussion turns to where Charlotte is going.

“Charlotte is a bucolic bubble in which people want to live without smokestacks and power lines but also have services that add to the tax bur-den,” said Bob Mosaris at a recent school board meeting. “That’s putting the hardship on the people on the other side who say, ‘Well, I don’t have that money to spend.’ We have to reconcile that somehow.”

Charlotte’s Web Chapter One: Which Direction Forward?

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“I think we’ve kind of got our heads in the sand here, thinking we’re still a rural community,” said Bruce Hasse, who spoke about speeding on rural roads at a Community Safety Commit-tee meeting in early November. “We’re not the rural communi-ty we used to be, unfortunately. We’re a bedroom community. A lot of people are commuting back and forth to Burlington who don’t have ownership here.”

Indeed, to live in Charlotte is to bear witness to the push and pull between divisions over preserva-tion and growth, rural versus sub-urban, perception versus reality.

There is, for instance, the mat-ter of promoting renewable ener-gy, which so many Charlotters have embraced, with language in the Town Plan encouraging its use by all. And yet the past year has seen an emotional legal battle over a proposed 12-acre solar farm in East Charlotte that has been opposed by some who believe the project violates the orderly development and aesthetic beauty of the town.

Or the matter of safe, sustain-able transportation, which the Town Plan promotes through side-walks and bicycle lanes. In 2012, Charlotters voted to install side-walks in the West Village—with the post office, library and town offices it is the de facto center of Charlotte—only to have the deci-sion reversed a month later due to a groundswell of opposition, mostly because of the correspond-ing rise in taxes.

Or the matter of Charlotte’s identity as a rural outpost in Chit-tenden County. The current Town Plan’s stated goal is to keep the town rural, a place of diversi-ty that will ceaselessly retain its small-town, community-oriented spirit, and tied in some way to its agricultural heritage. The plan even states Charlotters have “a strong commitment to maintain sustainable agricultural operations with unpleasant odors, slow-mov-ing vehicles, dust and all.”

Yet, in a Vermont Public Radio special called “Counting Vermont: A Look At the 2010 Census,” host Steve Delaney cited Charlotte’s attachment to greater Burlington. He noted that Charlotte’s identity is currently in transition from an agricultural community to a sub-urb, and thus the town is without a true identity of its own.

“More and more of the people who live in Charlotte think of it as a bedroom community,” he said. “They drive to Burlington or other towns for work and recreation.”

–––––

Jeanine McCrumb, the person in charge of helping push Char-lotte toward its future, was hired by the town six weeks ago. She has wasted no time becoming acquainted with the Town Plan in her capacity as Charlotte’s new planning and zoning administra-tor, a job she took over from Dean Bloch, who has become the town administrator.

McCrumb is still making her way through the numbers Mur-ray compiled, but she sees issues that could be at odds with each other, issues that will have to be navigated against the backdrop of Charlotte’s policy push and pull.

She offers as an example the movement to preserve agricul-tural land and open space, which can drive up the cost of neighbor-ing land prices. How then, she wonders, will the town balance the desire for open space and the desire to promote economic diversity—two important town goals?

“It is a balancing act,” said McCrumb. “That’s where you kind of have to look at what your goals as a community are.”

To do this, McCrumb is hop-ing to gather as much local data and input from Charlotters as the Planning Commission can get. These will tell the story of where Charlotte has been since 2000 and where it’s going, or should be going.

“It’s really important to look at what you have and what’s been working,” says McCrumb. “That’s what I really haven’t had the time to do. It’s really about what the town’s goals and values are. It’s about fine-tuning the strategies to get there—that’s really where the opportunity is.”

Murray sees potential in the revision of the Town Plan to address the Charlotte’s issues and Charlotter’s desires for their town. “It has as much weight as the town gives it,” she says. “It needs input and support from town officials, including the Selectboard and the community at large, to truly reflect community needs and objectives and to be useful to—and effec-tively used by—the town.”

Illick sees another opportunity. “I think this should be a tool to bring us together and to be used,” she said. “It’s not going to have utility unless people know about it and see it and know how to use it and actually find application.”

____

Back at November’s Planning Commission meeting, it’s time to talk opportunities. Everyone has

settled for the time being on the order of the table of contents. It’s time to get into the main part of the night’s agenda, a discussion centered on a chapter titled “Com-munity.”

“What is community?” Dean Bloch asks the commission, kick-ing off a discussion of that night’s central topic. “What is going to be in that chapter?”

“This section starts off the Town Plan,” says McDonald, indicating its importance to the document and to Charlotte itself.

“What are we?” he asks the commission. “What are we about?”

What do you think? The Char-lotte News has created a webpage devoted to Charlotte’s work on the Town Plan, which you can find at charlottestownplan.word-press.com. There, we’ve created a survey that asks Charlotters what they want for their town. We’ll post responses on the web-site and in future issues. You’ll also find the current Town Plan, future drafts of the 2015 Town Plan and all future installments of our Charlotte’s Web series there.

Charlotte’s town PlanIn BrIef

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Planning Commission hopes to have a draft of the new town plan ready by summer. It will hold a hearing on the document in November and submit a final-ized to the Selectboard by Jan-uary. The Selectboard will, in turn, hold its own hearings. The town hopes to have the Town Plan on the ballot at Town Meet-ing Day in 2015.�� 7KH� 3ODQQLQJ� &RPPLVVLRQ�

holds work sessions devoted to the Town Plan during its second meeting every month. The next two are Jan. 30 and Feb. 20.

ing, it was suggested that any additional costs arising be added to the town budget by amendment from the floor of the Town Meeting. The Selectboard expressed its feeling that this committee be re-established.

In what is has been a perennial issue, the Selectboard and road commissioner addressed the sand-to-salt ratio for the town’s roads. Road Commissioner Jr Lewis felt uncomfortable with the fact that he has been given full discretion to use salt on the town’s roads. This is particu-larly a problem when every surrounding town applies 100 percent salt to their hard surface roads.

Charlotte’s roads have 16 percent salt (the mix is nec-essary to keep the sand pile from freezing), and Lewis has been getting many negative comments because of the icy condition of Charlotte’s roads. He went to some trouble to explain the many variables that need to be considered with the decision for application for salt. He appeared to be in favor of limiting salt applications but felt its use was necessary for public safety in certain circumstances. He asked that the public be allowed to express their desires by vote. The Selectboard explained the difficulties of conducting such a vote and once again gave him the discretion to use as much as necessary. They offered to revisit the issue after fuller research and review can be made.

In further discussions about the town’s roadways, the Selectboard granted permission to change an agricul-tural curb cut to a driveway at 1029 Guinea Road. The owners, Peter Levine/Summit Family Trust, were also granted permission to install utility lines under Guinea Road. Similarly, Johns Congdon was permitted to install utility lines under Bingham Brook Road.

In another utility action, the Selectboard approved the reconfiguration of Green Mountain Power (GMP) poles associated with the Charlotte Solar complex on Hinesburg Road. Chairman Charles Russell pointed out that GMP had been cooperative in re-siting three power poles to minimize their visual impact.

When neighbors made the point that no one was policing the details of the Public Service Board (PSB) agreement with the contractor, they were told that any complaints or criticisms to what was being built need be taken up directly with the PSB. The town is funda-mentally prohibited from taking a direct role because it had distanced itself earlier in the proceedings in order to minimize the legal costs to the town.

The next regular Selectboard meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10. As noted above, a special Selectboard meeting to discuss the Safety Committee’s report is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 3.

Selectboard continued from page 1

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a large margin that it has reduced its need for dumpsters by half—from two to one—and has reduced hauling costs by $5,000. The school has also diverted four tons of food scraps a year from the landfill.

––––A big reason for the school’s

increasing sustainablity ethic is the leadership of a group of ded-icated parents and volunteers like Foulk and Deirdre Holmes, both of whom are members of the school’s Food Squad (which aims to bring aware-ness and education surrounding healthy, locally sourced food to the school lunch program) and 4Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, rot) Committee.

According to Holmes, the greening of CCS began a few

years ago with a wellness coor-dinator who began a year-long farm-to-table curriculum. As a parent she became inspired. Holmes, who is a health and nutrition consultant, and other parents got involved on the 4Rs Committee and the Food Squad, channeling their individual pas-sion for sustainability into the energy at the school.

The biggest change could be seen in the cafeteria, where members of the Food Squad and CCS food service manager Elizabeth Skypeck helped con-nect students to where their food comes from by picking vegetables together, doing ini-tial food preparation together and holding taste tests in which students would try a snack Skypeck prepared, like kale chips. Students loved them.

With the help of the 4Rs Committee, the school has implemented a compost and recycling station near the trash

in the cafeteria, and it has installed waste stations at the athletic fields and compost bins in about 70 per-cent of the class-rooms.

At the time, Holmes noted that she was excited by the prospect that the youngest students at CCS would see these choices as obvious because they expe-rienced them at a young age.

“I’m so excited by the idea that the youngest kids at the school now, in a couple of years, they’re just going to be running the show because they will never have not

had a lunch at school that had some season-al vegetables and involved recycling and composting,” Holmes said in a December 2012 News story on the Food Squad. “They’re going to be identi-fying places where the mes-sage isn’t.”

Looking back on that comment now, Holmes is cautiously optimistic this is happening.

“I do think there are early signs of kids expecting composting, recycling, sus-tainable thinking to be the norm and the practice,” said Holmes. “Many kids take to it very easily and are asking the right questions, identi-fying the opportunities for improvements and wanting to turn those opportunities into realities.”

Foulk also sees CCS stu-dents taking a lead on these initiatives, but she cautions that “kids’ commitment is somewhat contingent on the messaging and values com-ing from the adult world.”

That’s where Kris Gerson comes in.

––––To get an idea of how com-

mitted Gerson’s students have become to reducing their eco-logical footprints, one student started riding the bus instead of having his mom use gas to pick him up and drop him off.

“Then he stopped bringing a plastic spoon,” said Gerson, “then he started using reusable containers, and his mom has mentioned to me that he is often seen going through the trash at home and taking out the recy-cling.”

Gerson can’t point to any one event that spurred her students’ interest in sustainability, though she imagines it started with stu-dents making posters for the cafeteria and her room about composting and trash. Owing to a combination of her own inter-ests in sustainability and a class “filled with deep thinkers,” she said sustainability has evolved into something of a culture in the classroom.

According to Foulk, students in Gerson’s class exhibit, “an intellectual curiosity about materials—where they come from, how they were invented, what they are used for, their role in the economy and the environment—all at a second grade level. They ask ques-tions, look for evidence and gather data all the time.”

Foulk points to the curricu-lum connections Gerson makes with sustainability. She has, for example, taught math concepts by studying statistics related to consumption as well as a project in which students mea-sured and sewed reusable snack pouches. In English class, she has integrated writing persua-sive letters about the 4Rs and blogging about daily reduction habits.

“The culture is set by her leadership,” said Foulk, “but she has spawned many caring and thoughtful students, who respectfully remind each other about sorting, packing a waste-free lunch and more.”

email: news @charlotte newsvt.com

CCS Students continued from page 1

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Custodian Dale Durant displays one week's worth of garbage collected from Kris Gerson's second grade class at a recent 4Rs Committee meeting. The class produces so little trash—or "landfill"—it got rid of a larger trash recep-tacle in favor of a smaller one.

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Through what they’ve learned

about the impact of recycling

and composting and reducing,

students have become mindful

of their choices. They now aim

to have zero-waste class par-

ties that avoid paper plates and

packaged foods. Students are

even taking on the challenge

of exchanging only recycled

Valentine’s Day cards.

“They constantly notice the

positive impact of their prac-

tice,” said Foulk. “Little trash is

visible and commented on and

celebrated every week! The

culture is sustained because

they make connections between

their actions, their learning and

the visible outcomes. It’s pretty

convincing that they are making

a difference.

What’s more, Gerson’s stu-

dents see the value of passing

this on to their peers.

“The class talked about

becoming leaders at school, try-

ing to persuade everyone to join

us with our goal of zero trash,”

said Gerson. “And I feel that

this is just the beginning.”

––––If it is just the beginning, CCS

as a whole recently received a

big incentive to take sustain-

ability to the next level through

a $10,000 farm-to-table imple-

mentation grant from the state.

According to Holmes, who,

along with Anne Bijur, accept-

ed the grant in Montpelier on

Jan. 16, the money will be used

to support the school garden’s

production for the cafeteria, to

train food service personnel to

cook using more whole foods

and to hire a farm-to-table coor-

dinator, as well as for profes-

sional development to help staff

and faculty add sustainability to

their curricula.

“The grant should give a

boost to our gardening, com-

posting and waste reduction

efforts at school,” said Foulk.

“The more we do in a vis-

ible way (contribute to school

lunch, recycle food scraps back

into the gardens, offer a sum-

mer camp program), the more

we build enthusiasm and com-

munity participation.”

The grant was given out at

the state’s annual Farm-to-

School Day at the statehouse.

Holmes said the number of

people and school’s participat-

ing was amazing, as she didn’t

realize the extent to which

farm-to-table movements were

happening throughout the state

and region.

According to Bijur, a parent

and Vermont State Lead for

the National Farm to School

Network, farm-to-school pro-

grams are in all 50 states. In

Vermont, according to a UVM

study, 55 percent of schools

claim to have farm-to-school

programs, while the USDA

census says 86 percent of

school districts participate in

similar programs. For Holmes,

that’s an opportunity for CCS

to tap into other programs that

are working to expand their

sustainability goals.

For Bijur and others, this

movement isn’t just about sup-

porting local agriculture indus-

tries and reducing fossil fuel

consumption. It’s about health-

ier students.

“From a health perspective,

farm to school has proved an

effective vehicle for increas-

ing fruit and vegetable con-

sumption in children,” said

Bijur. “According to the CDC

[Centers for Disease Control],

over one-third of American

children are overweight or

obese, so this is a huge problem

from a public health perspec-

tive but also because of the cost

to the economy to treat

the associated diet-related

illnesses.”

Foulk is already thinking out-

side the classroom to Charlotte

as a whole. In March, she’s

planning to bring a group of

Gerson’s second graders before

the Selectboard to ask the board

to envision zero-waste policies

for all town events. The setup

would bear similarities to the

system in place in Gerson’s

classroom: recycling, compost

and trash bins, monitors to help

sort waste, and a plan to haul

everything away efficiently.

It’s the kind of persuasion

Gerson’s students have become

quite good at. During the

group’s presentation to Baird’s

class last Thursday, the fifth

graders listened intently. When

it’s over none of them have any

questions, but Baird is excited.

“This is something you

should feel really good about

doing,” he tells his students.

“All these little things add up to

something bigger.”

Luke Sampson proudly shows off a reusable snack pouch he uses in Kris Gerson's second grade class.

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How are Charlotters, who love the outdoors, faring this winter with inches of ice, little natural snow and wild tem-perature swings?

“I just strapped crampons on my boots to bring hay to our llama,” Eddie Krasnow said during an early Janu-ary deluge. “That’s the extent of our excitement today. I am happy just to sit indoors. This is bunk.”

Jane and Eddie Krasnow are winter hikers. “We are waiting for good condi-tions,” says Eddie, a veteran of many vernal ascents of Camel’s Hump. “Janu-ary is usually a good month for hiking. I have a ski pass, too, but February and March are better months for skiing.”

“It’s all about the gear,” says Jane Michaud as she spikes her way up Mt. Philo. “It’s really about the footwear. All of this winter equipment is quite expen-sive, but it’s cheaper than a broken bone.”

Like many on the Mount these days, Jane wears Stabilicers. “They Velcro over your boots and little screws dig into the ice,” she says. “I get outside every day. My dog needs exercise. I keep my

foot gear in the car so I am ready for anything.”

“Before it rained I had a wonderful time sledding,” Jane continues. “Santa brought me a Hammerhead sled. I used it on Mt. Philo on Christmas day. It was beautiful… then!”

Others clamber up Mt. Philo with Micro Spikes or Yaktrax Extreme. Both feature steel spikes that gain purchase into ice and hard-packed snow.

“It’s been a pretty good season,” says passionate Nordic ice skater John Rosenthal. “I’ve had many good days, including one in November on Shel-burne Pond with nice smooth ice. Now that’s unusual.” As of mid-January, John had skated more than a dozen times.

This winter John has pursued good ice far and wide in northern Vermont. “Lake Champlain was frozen from its narrow neck in the south to Crown Point Bridge and Port Henry,” he says. “We skated beneath the bridge to Port Henry and back. I ventured to Lake Memphre-megog for the first time, but it’s a long drive and the ice was not great.”

John had better luck at Lake Carmi near the Canadian border. “There’s a skater on the Yahoo group site (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/VTNor-dicSkating/) who lives on Lake Carmi,” he says. “We can park in his driveway

and use his house. His reports are very reliable, and the ice was terrific.” Like-wise there was good ice on Lake Wil-loughby, “but that’s too far to drive, too,” John says.

On a recent rainy Saturday Jim and Liz Foster and Jessie and Jeff Bradley joined John and Nancy Rosenthal to skate 12 miles on Otter Creek, from the base of the falls in Vergennes to Lake Champlain and back. “We all made the same mistake,” John says. “There was at least a half inch of rain water on top of the ice and none of us thought to put plastic bags over our socks. Our feet were soaked.”

“I am getting annoyed with this rain,” Rowan Beck says. Yet she gets outdoors every day, too. “I use Yaktrax, the ones with the strap over the top of the foot,” she says. “When it is so icy, I have to pick my route carefully to get good trac-tion. My snowshoes are even grippier, but they make so much noise.”

“I’ve also been sledding on Mt. Philo with my daughters,” Rowan continues. “We have Mad River Rockets—they are quite old. We look like orange and black turtles as we climb with them on our backs!”

“Another nice place to walk in Char-lotte, especially when it’s icy, is the Town Link Trail,” Rowan says. “It’s

nice and flat. I park my car at the Co-Housing on Greenbush Road and walk to Route 7. It’s so pretty, especially near the pond at the Berry Farm.”

Liza Wright and family have not been trapped indoors by the weather. “When the ice was everywhere Thomas and Edie skated out our back door and across the fields to a neighborhood cow pond where they played pick-up hockey,” she says.

“We’ve also been skiing at Sugar-bush,” Liza adds. “We sharpen our edges and they groom well. It works.”

Tom Wright and his son Thomas joined Chris Boffa and son Cole recently to ski on Mt. Philo. “They used back-country equipment,” Liza says, “climb-ing up using skins and skiing down with free-heel bindings.”

Liza gets outside every day. “We have a puppy with lots of young energy,” she says. “I also need to get outdoors for myself. Like everyone I feel cooped up by this ice. I need fresh air, light and exercise for my mental health. We just have to be creative and resilient.”

Amen!

Elizabeth Bassett is the author of Nature Walks in Northwest Vermont and the Champlain Valley, available at area businesses.

Out-Doors

by Elizabeth Bassett

It’s About the Gear (and the Attitude)

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Magdalena Naylor, M.D., Ph.D.Contributor

Medical science, focused as it is on curing the ills of the body, has often treated the mind like an annoying younger brother, one whose presence is to be ignored whenever possible, humored when unavoidable, and used as a scapegoat when the need arises.

While doctors pay respect to the importance of treating the “whole patient,” most patients have remained faithful to the mind-body dualism, dividing the psychological from the physical. Such patients accept the fact that they often respond emotionally to physical disease but largely dislike the possibility that the emotional state itself might alter the course of a physical illness or that treating mental distress might improve physical health.

We know that the body’s psychophysiological reactions to disease are mediated by brain and body mechanisms, including the endocrine, neuroimmune and autonomic nervous systems. While the different course a disease takes in different people is largely accounted for by the characteristics of the disease itself, some of that difference is explained by the dif-ferent ways people respond to the stress of illness. For example, classic experiments have shown that crowd-ing accelerates the rate of tumor growth and mortality in animals.

How is it possible that psychological stress can evoke physiological changes—changes that can even lead to permanent damage to the brain’s nerve cells?

Stress—the perception of a physical or psycho-logical threat—activates three main pathways in our body: the musculoskeletal, which is involved in the development of muscle tension; the autonomic nervous system, which contributes to cardiovascular problems; and the neuroendocrine, which contributes to metabolic illnesses, that is, to disruptions in the chemical processes by which cells produce the sub-

stances and energy needed to sustain life. For example, the muscle rigidity evoked by stress

may cause tension headaches or exacerbate preexist-ing painful conditions, such as low back pain.

Our brain doesn’t distinguish between real threats and false alarms. When there is a false alarm—for example, when we become angry in the express line behind somebody who has 13 rather the 12 items in their basket—our brain perceives it as a real danger, as if a bear were trying to get us. No difference. The information goes down from the brain to every organ in our body. Our heart rate increases, our blood pres-

sure goes up, and the release of norepinephrine acti-vates blood platelets causing them to become “sticky” and ready to clot together to limit blood loss in the event of an injury.

This is fine if we bleed, but if the alarm is false, these “sticky platelets” may increase the risk of arte-rial clotting and a consequent heart attack.

Cortisol, a steroid hormone produced by the body, prepares the body for action in response to stress. But cortisol can also suppress the immune system to pre-vent it from overreacting and harming healthy cells. That response, however, can leave the body insuf-ficiently protected against infections or malignancies.

Recent advances in biological psychiatry have shown that depressed patients exhibit enhanced base-

line platelet activation, or “sticky platelets.” If a per-son with untreated chronic depression also has high cholesterol blood levels and atherosclerosis (harden-ing and narrowing of arteries), these “sticky platelets” may adhere to that narrowed artery, clog it and, as a result, contribute to a heart attack.

This also might be one of the mechanisms by which depression in physically healthy young people acts as a significant risk factor for heart and cerebrovascular disease, as well as for increased mortality after a heart attack.

***

An acute stress response is an adaptive function of our body. Traffic jams, financial problems, marital problems, occupational stress, long express lines at the grocery store—we can perceive any or all of these as threats to our wellbeing. Over time, however, the cumulative chronic perception of stress can lead to adverse physiological consequences, including insom-nia, abnormalities of glucose metabolism (diabetes), chronic pain and increased blood pressure—and it can double your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

During stressful situations people need to ask themselves, “Is this worth my sticky platelets?” If you know that every time you get angry, a physiological event takes place that increases your risk of heart attack, you may decide it’s time to manage your stress.

It’s important to keep in mind that stress doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Stress interacts with genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors to determine the course and severity of illness.

The logic is simple: If outer stress, and inner dis-tress, can exacerbate illness, then we must manage them both to achieve good health.

Magdalena Naylor is a professor of psychiatry at

UVM and director of the MindBody Medicine Clinic

and the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit at

Fletcher Allen Health Care. She lives in Charlotte.

Is this worth my sticky platelets?A look at the mind’s effect on the body

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SPORTS by Edd Merritt

Kwiniaska Announces Junior

Membership Essay Contest

Vermont Junior Golfers are invited to submit essays on “Life Lessons of Golf” for a chance to win a 2014 junior membership to Kwiniaska Golf Club.

Entries must be original and tell a story of how golf may provide inspiration for you. Essays should be at least 500 words.

All entries must be postmarked or emailed by March 18. Essays will be judged on the basis of creativity, originality, passion for the sport and grammar. The winning essay will be selected by a committee of club members.

Submissions may be mailed to Kwiniaska Golf Club, 5800 Spear Street, Shelburne, VT 05482 or emailed to [email protected]. The winning essay will be selected by April 18 and will be posted on the Kwiniaska website, kwiniaska.com.

Participants must be under 18 as of March 1, 2014.

Middlebury and Jericho host Nordic

races

CVU’s Nordic skiers took to the trails in Jericho on January 18 and a week later at Middlebury’s Rikert Center. The first races saw both men and women finish second as teams. In the women’s race, Charlotte senior Anna Franceschetti finished seventh; another Redhawk, Thomas Clayton, took fifth among the men. At Middlebury, Autumn Eastman won the race with Rachel Slimovitch and Charlotte’s Tatum Braun and Anna Franceschetti finishing among the top ten.

Alpine skiers hit Sugarbush and the

Snow Bowl

Emma Putre led the women and Skye Golann led the CVU men through the gates at Sugarbush and the Middlebury Snow Bowl to fifth place for the team at Middlebury and third later in the week at Warren. Allison Kahn, Skye Golan, Caden Frost and Trent Smith also finished with times among the first ten.

Women’s basketball and men’s hock-

ey continue to pile up victims

Undefeated seasons continue for the lady hoopsters and men pucksters. It was 35 wins in a row for the Redhawk women’s basketball team as they defeated Rice on the Green Knights’ home court, 59-49, and the 26-point win over St. Johnsbury made it 36. As usual, Charlotte’s contribution has been major. Against Rice Sadie Otley scored 14 points and Laurel Jaunich captured 10 rebounds for the defending state champions. Although Rice pulled ahead in the fourth quarter, Emily Kinneston and Kaelyn Kohlasch took charge with Kaelyn scoring seven of her total nine

points in the final period. Jaunich’s nine points led the Redhawks over St. J.

On the ice, the Redhawk men continued their winning ways by trouncing Colchester 10-1 at Cairns Arena. Thomas Samuelsen and Brendon Gannon each scored twice and were joined by Charlotte’s Elliot Mitchell plus Cam Rivard, Ryan Keelan, Brandon Murakami, Patrick Pattison and Oscar Kelly as the team spread the wealth among many. CVU stands at 13 wins and a tie for the season and is ranked by the Free Press as number one in the state.

Women’s hockey is back on the

winning track

CVU/South Burlington Rebel-Hawks loosed some frustration with the way the season has been going by knocking back Harwood Union 6-1 behind Sarah Fisher’s hat trick and then beating Mississquoi 6-2. In both games, the Rebel-Hawks benefited from goals by Courtney Barrett and Molly Dunphy. In a 5-5 tie with Spaulding earlier in the week, Molly scored four goals and assisted on the fifth.

Aube alone isn't enough for men’s

basketball

Charlotte’s Lucas Aube has been a prolific scorer for the Redhawks, but the team stands with a 4-8 record, the latest loss at the hands of St. Johnsbury, 65-45. In mid January, Aube’s 21 points, 13 rebounds, five steals and three blocks led CVU to a 53-39 win over Spaulding. His 12 points at North Country were not enough, though, to bring CVU back from a weak second

quarter, and CVU lost 59-54.

CVU wrestlers one of 30 teams in

Essex tournament

January 17 saw CVU head to Essex High School for the Mike Baker Classic Wrestling Tournament. With thirty teams from New England and New York on hand, the depth of talent within each weight class made for tough

competition, said coach Gunnar Olson. The Redhawks placed higher than any previous team, and four grapplers made it to the podium. Grant Poston placed second at 170 pounds; Charlotte’s Kienan Kittredge came in fourth in the 195-pound bracket; the Leggs, Alex at 132 and Jarett at 106, both came sixth in their classes. CVU as a team placed eighth.

CVU grad helps Midd snap a losing streak

In somewhat unusual circumstances, the Middlebury College men’s hockey team was riding a three-game losing streak before facing the Colby Mules Saturday. Down early in the first period, Middlebury tied the score on a setup by former Shelburne and CVU skater, Robbie Dobrowski, now a junior wing for the Panthers. Middlebury pulled ahead in period two for a 5-2 win, putting them 7-7-2 overall and 5-4-1 in NESCAC conference play.

Charlotter Colby Jordan takes air in a skiing competition recently. During the

winter, Colby attends Mount Mansfield Winter Academy in Stowe. He travels

throughout New England to compete in FIS-level slalom, giant slalom and super G

competitions.

SportsShorts by Edd Merritt

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[email protected]


Charlotte Senior Centerby Mary Recchia,

Activities CoordinatorThe Café Menu

MONDAY, FEB. 3: Smoky split pea soup with ham, wintertime salad, strawberry delight

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5: Inside-out chicken cordon bleu, garlic mashed potatoes with spinach, birthday cake and ice cream

MONDAY, FEB. 10: Nina’s beef and cabbage soup, salad and bread, homemade dessert

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 12: pasta with meatballs in marinara sauce, tossed salad, red velvet cake

Senior LunCheonS are held every

Wednesday at noon. Reservations

are necessary in advance and can

be made by calling the Senior

Center at 425-6345. A $4 donation

is requested. Reservations are not

required for the Monday Munch.

Snow Days! If there is ever a question

whether the Senior Center is closed due

to weather, know that we will follow the

CSSU school closings that are posted on

local TV and radio stations as well as at

cssu.org.

––––

Poetry reading continues with Jim

Lovejoy on Feb. 3 from 1–3 p.m. Build-

ing on the fun and excitement that has

developed with our “Poem in Your Pock-

et” readings over the years, this after-

lunch poetry reading event will provide

a regular time for listening, reading,

writing and discussing this wonderful

form of literary expression. Whether a

favorite poem you have written, a book

of poetry you enjoy, a literary journal or

a poem from Poets.org, pack a poem in

your pocket and join Jim as he guides a

wonderful afternoon of poetry reading.

Registration required. No fee.––––

Join Elizabeth Llewellyn for Colored Pencils, Beyond the Basics on Thurs-

days from 10–11:30 a.m. on Feb. 6, 13,

20 and 27.

Colored pencil painting is affordable

and requires a minimum of supplies

when compared with other painting

mediums. Colored pencil is a clean,

non-toxic medium that does not require

complicated set-up and clean-up time.

In this advanced class, students will be

introduced to working with an emboss-

ing tool, using colorless blending mark-

ers and working on toned paper. All

levels of skill are welcome. Materials:

same as above plus a Prismacolor Pre-

mier colorless blending marker and an

embossing tool. Registration required. Limit 10. Fee: $48.

––––

Do you want to research your ances-

tors but are not sure how to get started?

Have you started your search and need

some ideas on what to try next? The Genealogy Group will meet on Feb.

6 from 1–3 p.m. to share ideas, trade

information and tell stories of your

journey through history. Family Tree

Maker software by Ancestory.com are

available to assist you in your search. No Fee.

––––

Do you enjoy eating breakfast out in

the company of friends? If so, and if you

are willing to share in the preparation

of the meal and related housekeeping

duties, then the men’s breakfast may

be for you. There are opportunities to

practice your skills and to learn from oth-

ers—and plenty of time for conversation.

Please call to make a reservation for Feb.

13 at 7 a.m. Suggested donation: $5.––––

The American Red Cross Blood Drive, a much-needed community event,

will take place on Thursday, Feb. 13,

from 2–7 p.m. The comfortable atmo-

sphere and great snacks make giving the

“Gift of Life” at this site most pleasur-

able.

Events following the Wednesday luncheon. Those who do not share lunch

with us are welcome to drop in around 1

p.m. to enjoy the after-lunch offerings:

Feb. 5: Travel to Madagascar with Hank Kaestner. Known as the King of

Vanilla, Hank Kaestner will take you to

one of the most remote destinations in

the world to explore vanilla production.

Visit remote regions of that country and

learn about Madagascar’s unique flora

and fauna. Following the slide show,

Hank will lead a tasting of different

vanilla ice creams, including Vermont’s

own Ben & Jerry’s. Join us for an

afternoon of adventure, entertainment

and education about one of the world’s

most unknown countries and one of the

world’s best-known flavors.

Feb. 12: The 1,200-Year-Old Trek “On the Road” with Tom McAuliff. From the Pyrenees to Santiago de Com-

postella, Tom shares his lasting impres-

sions from 27 days of hiking across

northern Spain. History, culture, topog-

raphy, food and wine all contribute to the

common experiences of 100,000 other

hikers/pilgrims who undertake the Cami-

no de Santiago each year.

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Benjamin Mason, MEd, CEP

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Rick GomezMaster Electrician

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Rec News

by Kristin

Hartley

I hope you are all getting out and enjoying the winter! The days are get-ting longer and there are a lot of fun things to do in Charlotte.

If you like to skate there have been perfect skating conditions at the town

skating rink. If you haven’t been there yet it is located on Hinesburg road west of CCS. It is a great place to spend a little time having some out-door fun. Many thanks to volunteers Bill Fraser-Harris, Jeff Payne and Ed Sulva for their time and effort in caring for the ice. Skaters, please remember

to turn the lights off if you are the last to leave.

If you like to ski, or would like to try it, we have a deal for you. This year we are teaming with the Town of Hinesburg to provide discount tickets at Smuggler’s Notch six Sundays dur-ing the winter. You can find registra-tion forms on our town website or here at the town offices. I need to receive your completed form and check by the Wednesday before you ski. Discount tickets are available for children and adults. (Checks should be written to the Town of Hinesburg). The dates are Feb. 2 and 9 and March 2 and 9. Get out there and enjoy!

Our recreational basketball season is in full swing. Feel free to watch some of our Saturday games at CCS. The schedule can be found on the town website.

You can hear the lilt of Scottish music coming from the Congregational Church vestry on Friday afternoons. Our second session of Celtic dance has begun, but there is still room if

your child is interested. The program is for children in kindergarten through eighth grade and is a great place for your child to learn to love dance.

If your child likes to beat the drums, sign up for afterschool percussion classes here at CCS with Andrew Gagnon on Friday afternoons. Andrew works with children from first to eighth grade and provides private and semi-private lessons.

The Charlotte Recreation Depart-ment is proud to announce a chil-

dren’s choir for grades 2-4 or children 7-10 years of age. Jenny Cianciola will be directing this choir for children who love to sing. Jenny will teach vocal training based on Kodaly concepts, and her repertoire will include a variety of music. The program begins March 11 and ends July 12. Practices take place 6 p.m. Tuesdays at CCS. Two exciting performances are planned. I hope you will take part in the awesome oppor-tunity.

On March 8, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Recreation Department will

host a Red Cross babysitting certi-

fication class. This certification will help you be prepared and give you confidence, and it will look great on your resume for those summer jobs.

Last but not least, Adult Boot Camp has begun. What a blast! It’s not too late to sign up, and we are offering another four-week class in February. Class meets Tuesday and Thursday 6-7 a.m. at CCS. We will be adding a Saturday class at 8 a.m. Come create personal change and be a part of your community!

More information about all of these programs, including registration forms, can be found on our town website (charlottevt.org) or here at the Char-lotte town offices.

As always, there are full and par-tial scholarships available for all rec-reation programs. If you have any questions about any of our programs contact me at [email protected] or 425-6129 ext. 204.


Lenson

the LandCharlotte land trust

Do you know where this photo was taken? Bill Symmes took the above photo in Charlotte around Christmas on a

rare sunny day after the ice storm that passed through the area. Send your guesses about its location to [email protected].

The Charlotte Land Trust sponsors this series as a valuable way of re-minding people of the extent of Charlotte’s natural beauty. We encourage anyone with a photo of Charlotte—it does not necessarily have to be of con-served land—to submit it to the above email address with a brief description of where it was taken and why you feel the picture indicates the town’s beauty or is a special place to you.

The next “Lens on the Land” feature is scheduled for Feb. 27. Please submit your photo and description by Feb. 17.

Ice Jam Damages Roadside Trees

Larry HamiltonContributor

Several trees planted under the program of restoring Charlotte’s roadside trees suf-fered badly in a recent episode of ice dam-age along Lewis Creek. On Jan. 11, an almost-record such event closed Roscoe Road in Charlotte along the creek. Large ice blocks not only covered the road, but flooding carried them about 250 feet across the road into Jimersons’ horse pas-ture—almost to the woods on the far side.

This stretch of road had been relocated farther from Lewis Creek last spring to reduce bank erosion problems coming perilously close to the road. The new right-of-way land between road and creek gave an opportunity for the town to plant stabilizing native shrubs such as hazel-nut, winterberry and witch hazel as well as roadside shade trees of red and sugar maple, river birch and shadbush.

Going into winter, these all looked very good, establishing well. Today is a differ-ent story. The photo below shows the Tree Warden talking to one survivor red maple. Several others also, with ice blocks almost touching, have survived. Thanks to Road Commissioner Jr Lewis and his crew who, under adverse conditions in opening up the road, tried to preserve some of the

trees. Hopefully many of the ice-buried shrubs will resprout.

The past two weeks have been tough ones for staying on your feet due to serious ice. Rain has been repeatedly followed by freezing. Many a local resi-dent has come a-cropper, sometimes with bruises, occasionally with bone injury. Ice is treacherous stuff except in summer tea or a whisky. It can also be powerful and especially damaging when frozen-over streams and rivers thaw enough to let the force of running water lift plates of ice and push them up and over river banks.

Unfortunately, it was not only the 2013 tree and shrub plantings that were dam-aged. Five years ago, under a special Roadside Tree Restoration Project (the familiar Rutter Family Tree Restora-tion Project), seven heritage river birch were planted and had been performing extremely well. These were badly clob-bered by the ice. These and others in East Charlotte are being monitored by volun-teer tree steward Annemie Curlin. She is much saddened by such damage, as am I.

Hopefully the Charlotte Selectboard will be able to make special tree replace-ment funds available to the tree warden when spring planting time rolls around, since the Rutter Fund resources are fin-ished. Meanwhile, let our mantra be “Snow, not ice.”

Larry Hamilton is Charlotte’s volunteer

tree warden.

A look at the damage from ice blocks

to river birch: the Lewis Creek ice jam

carried some ice blocks 250 feet across

Roscoe Road.

lar

ry h

am

ilto

n

Noah Kiernan captured this scene of the waves crash-

ing against the ice as the sun set over Town Beach

recently. Have a great winter photo you want to see in

print? Send it to [email protected]

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by Margaret Woodruff

Winter Wednesday at the library.

We have a host of enlightening pro-

grams and projects at the library this

February. From felted bead Valentines

to fresh grown sprouts, from local wool

products to faraway medical adven-

tures, we hope you find something (or

more than one!) that will capture your

interest. If you have program ideas to

share, please let us know—we love

to keep our Wednesdays lively at the

library.

Upcoming at the Library

Kids programs and activities

Full STEAM Ahead: Friday Free

For All for Preschoolers, Fridays,

10:30–11:30 a.m. From rocks, blocks

and socks to babies, bugs and hairy

bread, we’ll investigate it all using our

science, technology, engineering, arts

and math skills. Join us for discovery

and diversion every Friday morning

through Feb. 14. Suitable for ages 3 to

5 who are comfortable in a storytime

setting without parent or care giver;

parent/caregiver must remain in library.

Please call 425-3864 or email youth-services@charlottepublic library.org to sign up.

Maker Series: Felted Bead Valen-

tines, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 3:15–4:30

p.m. Imagine making beautiful beads

from wool! We’ll do it in this second

session of our 2014 Maker Series,

using wool roving, soapy water, and

lots of rubbing. You’ll have beads

enough to create the perfect piece of

cozy jewelry for you or your special

Valentine. For third grade and up.

Take the bus from CCS with a parent

note. Please call 425-3864 or email

[email protected] to sign up.

Winter Kinder Afterschool:

Winter Wonderland, Wednesday,

Feb.19, 3:15–4:30 p.m. You’re not

the only critter outside on these frosty

days. Come to the library and discover

all the wonderful things happening

outside our window and under the

snow. How are the birds and animals

keeping warm? How do frogs and tur-

tles survive? Where do all those tracks

go? Ride the bus from CCS with a

parent note. Please call 425-3864 or email [email protected] to sign up.

Adult and family programs and

activities

Fresh Greens in Your Kitchen,

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 5:30 p.m. Spring

up your winter with some fresh greens!

Queen of Sprouts Jen Slater gives us

a hands-on sprout lesson. She shows

us the simple steps for growing your

own sprouts and explains first-hand

how easy it is to grow a variety of

sprouts almost anywhere. Plant your

own sprout garden to take home with

you, and help harvest pre-grown micro

greens for a delicious salad supper to

enjoy together. Space is limited and

registration required. Please call (425-3864) or email [email protected] to sign up.

Wednesday Night Knitters,

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 5 p.m. Join us

to compare notes and knits and to share

good company.

Imaging the World: Radiolo-

gist Kristen DeStigter in Uganda,

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m. For the

past five years, Dr. Kristen DeStigter,

a radiologist living in Charlotte, has

traveled to Uganda, bringing critical

prenatal diagnosis techniques to remote

areas of this African country. Join us as

Kristen shares her experiences setting

up the foundation Imaging the World

and training frontline health workers

to bring medical expertise and quality

healthcare to the world’s most under-

served communities. Refreshments

served and time for discussion follows

the presentation.

Wool Night @ the Library, Wednes-

day, Feb. 19, 5:30 p.m. Meet Drew and

Brittany Slabaugh, farmers at Shakey

Ground in Charlotte, and Bay Ham-

mond, the new farm manager at Green

Mountain College, who is co-manager

of Doolittle Farm and has over 20 years

of experience raising sheep for wool.

Bay, Drew and Brittany will talk about

their herds and the stories behind their

sheeps’ wool. They’ll have wool and

roving samples for you to touch and

feel. See how to knit your own hat in

under two hours, how to do needle felt-

ing and crocheting, and what to do with

roving wool. Come with your own yarn

and knitting questions and share ideas

about using local wool.

Did you know? The Charlotte

Library circulated close to 24,000 items

last year. That’s over 10 items for

every library cardholder and includes

everything from local history books to

international bestselling movies. Don’t

have a library card? Stop in anytime

during library hours and get yours.

Library board

Next meeting: Thursday, Feb. 20,

at 5:30 p.m. Board members: Bonnie

Ayer, member-at-large; Bonnie Chris-

tie, chair; Vince Crockenberg, trea-

surer; Emily Ferris, vice chair; Dorrice

Hammer, secretary.

Library ContaCt information

Director

Margaret Woodruff

Hours

Mon, Wed: 10 a.m.-–7 p.m.Tues, Thurs, Fri: 10 a.m.-–5 p.m.

Sat: 9 a.m.-–2 p.m.

Phone 425-3864

Email [email protected]

Website charlottepubliclibrary.org

Arduino Sparks Fun at the Library

The Charlotte Library opened its “Maker Series” on January 20 with an

“Introduction to Arduino” in partnership with the Vermont Department

of Libraries and SparkFun, a company that is a pioneer in the world of

“Makerspace.” An arduino is a powerful microcontroller that can be used

in an infinite number of ways, from making lights blink and motors run

to robotics. Eleven young people met in the library with Jeff Branson, a

SparkFun educator, to learn about basic circuitry, computer programming

and virtual prototyping. With LEDs blinking, kids connecting wires and

typing away, it was full STEAM (science, technology, art and math) ahead

at the library. The library’s arduino kits are available for checkout.


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Around TownCongratulations

Sympathy

The Charlotte News Classifieds: Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue (payment must be sent before issue date). Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer. Send to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email your ad to [email protected].

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CVFRS Honors its Own at Fire & Ice Party

At Charlotte Volunteer Fire & Rescue’s annual Fire & Ice party Jan. 17, friends and neighbors came out to the Old Lantern in Charlotte to celebrate the volunteer firefighters and rescue personnel.

CVFRS members also took the occasion to cele-brate those in their own ranks. This year’s Fire Chief’s Award for outstanding contributions to the fire depart-ment by a member went to Bryan LaBarge.

Dustin St. George won the award for the new mem-ber, junior member or cadet who made the biggest impact over the last year.

The CVFRS member with the most class during the past year was Assistant Chief Dick St. George, who made 90 responses out of 109. Captain Devin St. George was honored for attending the most training sessions, with 41 drills and 95 hours of special train-ing. Devin was also one of three CVFRS members who were honored for ten years of service to the fire department, along with Chris Mack and Josh Flore.

Members of CVFRS would like to thank Lisa and Roland Gaujac, owners of the Old Lantern, for the use of the facility and the meal, Shelburne Meat Market for its contribution to the meal, and the following members who helped put on the event: Pam Daw-son, Meg Modley, John Snow, Chris Mack, Andrew Haigney and Jon Davis.

The Fire & Ice party raised $500 toward equipment for CVFRS’s new ambulance.

to Megan and Ethan McLaughlin on the birth of their son Lincoln on December 17.

to Carter Fisher and Delanie Cynewski, students at Roger Williams College in Bristol, R.I., who earned placement on the dean’s list for the fall semester 2013. Carter is majoring in criminal justice; Delanie has yet to declare a major.

to Phoebe Judge, a freshman at Columbia University, New York City, who earned placement on the dean’s list for the fall term 2013. Phoebe is the daughter of Jean O’Neill and Walter Judge of Charlotte.

to William Hall, a student at the University of New Hampshire in Durham who earned placement on the dean’s list as well as highest honors ( a grade point average of 3.85 or above) for the fall semester 2013.

to Alexandra Lazar, a student at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H., who earned placement on the president’s list (a grade point average of 3.7 or higher) for the fall semester 2013. Alexandra is majoring in creative writing and English with a concentration in fiction.

to Konnor Fleming, a junior at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., who earned placement on the dean’s list for the fall semester 2013. Konnor is the son of Karen Fleming of Charlotte and Rahn Fleming of Hinesburg.

to William Leckerling, an attorney with Lisman Leckerling, P.C., who was recently appointed to the board of trustees of the Howard Center. The center provides professionally trained counselors who help families confronting a range of issues, from autism and other developmental disabilities to mental illness and substance abuse. Founded in 1873, the center serves more than 15,000 individuals and families yearly.

to Sumru Tekin, a Charlotte artist who recently earned the Barbara Small Award. According to an article in the January 22 Seven Days, the award was established to help mid-career artists by providing access to Burlington City Arts studios for a year plus a $1,000 grant. This the second award recognizing Sumru’s work this year, the first being a MacDowell Fellowship at the New Hampshire artists colony.

to Jim Lampman who opened a new “culinary center” near his Lake Champlain Chocolates Pine Street offices. It’s called the South End Kitchen at Lake Champlain Chocolates. Jim and his son Eric developed the space out of an old warehouse, formerly home to Sondik Supply. The Lampmans received recognition of their labors by earning the 2014 Good Food Award.

to Gregory Armell and Heather Morse who announced their engagement. Greg is the son of Kevin and Cynthia Armell of Charlotte, Heather, the daughter of Dan and Melinda Morse of Addison. The couple is planning an August wedding.

to Whitney Williamson and Erich Finley who announced their engagement. Whitney is the daughter of Bruce and Linda Williamson of Charlotte. Erich is the son of Elizabeth Bright and Bruce Finley of Ohio. The couple is planning a summer wedding.

is extended to family and friends of Eleanore Abraham of Shelburne who passed away January 22 at the age of 93. She and her late husband, William, lived in East Charlotte as well as in other places in this country and abroad. The family asks that those wishing to send condolences please do so through the Ready Funeral Service at readyfuneral.com.

is extended to family and friends of Ryker Harvey Reynolds who passed away Jan. 24 in New Hampshire at the age of one month. Ryker’s surviving family includes his parents Nicholas and Christine Reynolds of Conway, N.H. and his grandparents Susan and John Lavigne of Charlotte. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Ryker’s memory be made to the March of Dimes National Office, Attn: DRFR, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, N.Y. 10605 or at marchofdimes.com.

is extended to family and friends of Colleen LaBerge-McGrath of Winooski who passed away January 15 at the age of 67. She was the oldest of 11 children born to Leo LaBerge and Reina (Aube) LaBerge on the family’s farm off Lime Kiln Road in Charlotte. The family asks that in lieu of flowers those wishing to make a donation in her name consider making it to the Franklin County Humane Society, 30 Sunset Meadows, St. Albans, VT 05478.

is extended to family and friends of Gwenda Faye Clark of Charlotte who passed away January 16 at the age of 71. Following her husband Wayne’s retirement from the Air Force in 1987, the Clarks moved to her family’s house on Mount Philo Road. Her husband died in 2010. Last year she volunteered to cook at the Charlotte Senior Center and met many new friends there. Her surviving family includes her son, Chad, and his wife, Kim, of Charlotte.

is extended to family and friends of Chandler Murray, D.D.S., of Middlebury who passed away recently at the Equinox Terrace in Manchester, Vt. A Middlebury dentist, he maintained an active practice until 1973 when he took a position with the Vermont Department of Health. Following his retirement, he and his wife, Dorcas, moved into a passive solar house in Charlotte that he designed and built with his son Roderick. During his retirement he volunteered with the Charlotte emergency services and the Charlotte News. The family asks that in lieu of flowers people consider making donations in his memory to Native American Rescue Relief, the Vermont Food Bank or the Belvidere Cemetery Association (c/o J. Brown, 3958 Route 109, Belvidere, VT).

Wells & Woodhead Perform in Shelburne Feb. 9

Concert to benefit Lake Champlain

Waldorf School

Internationally renowned vaudevillians Wells & Woodhead will perform their one-of-a-kind antics for family audiences at the Shelburne Town Hall on Sun-day, Feb. 9, at 3 p.m. Danish borne Henrik Bothe, with his electrifying plate and rope spinning routines, joins local Charlotte entertainer Woody Keppel, who has entertained audi-ences around the world for over two decades with his whacky and endearing character, Woodhead.

The duo’s new show, FOOLZ, is a character-driven amalgam of music, comedy and juggling that visually demonstrates the power of teamwork.

Blending classic vaudeville routines with cutting- edge humor, FOOLZ offers something for everyone. Wells & Woodhead’s signature grand finale is a one-of-a-kind frenzied, frenetic juggling consortium of chairs, guitars, bird cages, umbrellas and rubber chickens that leaves the audience with a sense that anything is possible.

Wells & Woodhead have appeared recently on the nationally televised Chinese Comedy Festival from Beijing, the HBO Comedy Festival in Las Vegas, Paris’s “Le Plus Grande Cabaret Du Monde,” (Europe’s top-rated TV show) and the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno”.”

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Lake Cham-plain Waldorf School.

The show is best suited for ages 3 to 103. Tickets are available at the door. Adults are $10 and kids $5.

Documents

The Charlotte News | Jan. 30, 2014