the bolton gazetteboltonvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/october-2019-gazette.pdfoct 09, 2019 ·...

October 2019 Email: [email protected] Volume #7 Issue #10

THE BOLTON Gazette The Town of Bolton, Vermont

“The Land of bouLders and bears”

3045 Theodore Roosevelt Highway, Bolton VT 05676

Continued on 3!

Thank you to the Rooneys As many of you might be aware, Chuck and Sue

Rooney recently sold the Bolton Store here in

“downtown” Bolton. We just want to express

our sincere appreciation to Chuck and Sue for

being such wonderful neighbors and friends to us

here at the Town Office for many, many, years

(30+?). We won’t embarrass Chuck and Sue by

providing great details about all that they have

done for us and for our community over the

years, but we will say that their care, kindness,

and support is probably much more significant

than most folks might realize. Thank you very

much Chuck and Sue; we miss having you right

next door, we wish you well as you turn a new

corner, and we look forward to still seeing you

“around town.” We hope you will enjoy not

having to wake up at the crack of dawn (pre-

dawn?) to “make the doughnuts” every morning!

Phoebe by The mysTery “Thing!”

Phoebe’s Kids’ quesTion

of the month!

I had a really fun adventure with my humans a little

bit ago - we were on a trail, and then we were off that

trail, and then they were looking for something! I

heard one of my humans saying that she didn’t like

“bushwhacking,” whatever that means - I was too

busy having fun running through the ferns to really

pay attention to her whining! But then my humans

found the thing they were looking for, and they were

really excited about it! Look at my picture for a hint,

what do you think the “thing” is?? Find out in next

month’s issue! WOOF! Woof!!

Last month’s answer: Did you figure out where the

name of the ski trail “Gardiner’s Lane” came from?

Well, it is kind of a lane, but the trail was re-named to

honor a real person named Gardiner Lane! Gardiner

lived here in Bolton after he retired and LOVED

Nordic skiing – so much so that back in the late

1960s he started Bolton Valley’s cross-country ski

center. He designed and cut lots of Bolton’s Nordic

trails that are still skied today, like the Bolton-Trapp

Trail, the Woodward Mountain Trail, and of course

Gardiner’s Lane!

CLerK’s Corner Amy Grover * Town Clerk & Treasurer [email protected]

October 2019

smilie school news Hello everyone,

Our first days of school have been filled with bubbles and lots of activities. Students

seemed so happy to be returning and experiencing the sheer joy of seeing old and new

friends.

Bright and cheery bulletin boards now adorn our walls,

welcoming students and families!

Thanks to Cara Mezitt for the great

design, we now have a beautiful new

sign! We plan on painting the posts blue

in the near future.

Students welcomed back their art

teacher, Ms. Kim Aucter, and had great

classes with her.

smilie news continued on page 5

October 2019 Page 3

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October 2019

CLerK’s corner continued From Page 2

Bolton Up and Down Town Club Senior Dinner

Date: Thursday, October 24, 2019

Place: PAPA NICK’S RESTAURANT, Hinesburg

Time: 5 p.m.

Menu: Whatever appeals to you on the Papa Nick’s menu! Cost is $5

per person and includes everything except for any purchase of

alcoholic beverages.

RSVP: Your RSVP is required by October 22nd

to Doris @ 434-3769

Do you need a ride? Contact Doris @ 434-3769

Community Calendar Community Coffee – The Community Coffee is now

WEEKLY! Come join other “Bolton-ites” between 9:30 and

11:00 am every Wednesday at the Bolton Fire Station. Drop by

and have free hot drinks, delicious pastries and congenial

conversations. If you have questions, please contact Carol

Devlin [email protected] 434-3064 ext. 221 or Martha Nye at

[email protected]. Park on the Bolton Town Office side of the parking lot. Please do

not park near/block the fire station bay doors. We hope to see you there!

Bone Builders – Twice weekly sessions to develop and

maintain bone strength. Classes will be offered on

Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and Thursdays at 4:15 beginning

October 8th

and 10th

. Bone Builders will meet at the Bolton

Fire Station. See more information on page 11. Reminder -

please do not park near/block the fire station bay doors.

Thank you!

Senior Dinner – Thursday, October 24th

at 5 p.m. at Papa

Nick’s Restaurant in Hinesburg – yum, see above!

Bolton Community Network – Monday, October 28th

at

5:30 p.m. in the Town Office.

Bolton Community and Energy Fair - Saturday, November 2nd

- 12-4 p.m. @ Smilie

School. See the Gazette cover for more information!

Bolton Harvest Dinner - Saturday, November 2nd

- 5-7 p.m. @ Smilie School. See page

13 for more information.

Bolton gazette information Reminder: The deadline for submissions is the 15

th of the month for the following month’s

edition. To OPT IN to receive the Bolton Gazette electronically and in color (help the town save

on paper and postage costs!) email [email protected]

tel:434-3064

mailto:[email protected]

october 2019 Smilie School News continued from page 3 Ms. Lisa Lavoie, our new P.E. teacher spent some circle time getting to know students.

Our library has moved next door to

the old library, and our librarian, Ms.

Esterline and her students are getting

used to their new learning space.

The Preschool and Kindergarten students had a

wonderful first field trip to Shelburne Orchards

learning about apples and picking their own bagful

of apples. They were delighted to taste cider

doughnuts and fresh apple cider!

Please stop by for a visit. I’d love to chat with you!

Sincerely,

Barbara Tomasi-Gay

Principal

october 2019 page 6

CameL’s humP middLe sChooL news What a great opening to the 2019-20

school year! Fifth graders have settled into

the middle-school routine and bus

schedules are being ironed out. Afternoon

practices are underway for soccer, field

hockey and x-country running teams.

Intramurals have also started for Artists

Inc., Engineering Club, gaga ball, kickball

and mountain biking--to name a few.

A number of exciting field trips have been

in the works. During the first week of

school, 8th grade Team Grit participated

in extreme team building at Hosmer Point.

Team Sequoia embarked on an adventure

on the third day of school--as part of their

watershed unit, students boarded the UVM

research vessel Melosira to collect

biological and chemical data about Lake

Champlain.

Later, in the Rubenstein Lab, groups

learned about aquatic invasive species and

ended with a fish dissection. Finally, to

observe how the city of Burlington

mitigates its stormwater runoff, Sequoia

students visited rain gardens, parking lots

with permeable pavement, gravel

wetlands, green rooftops, and bioswales.

Fifth grade teams Pride and Polaris

traveled to Little River State Park and then

to Ben & Jerry's for a treat. The Polaris

Team has also worked on the Huntington

River and visited Mt. Philo State Park. 6th

grade Team Phoenix students have been to

Lessor’s Quarry and the Stowe Bike Path.

The four 7/8 teams have all gone on

overnight camping trips: Grit went to Fort

Ticonderoga and camped at Button Bay

State Park, Spark Team camped at Ricker

Pond State Park, Team Sequoia started at

Burlington Waterfront, went to the Ed

Weed Fish Hatchery, and then camped

overnight at Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge.

Summit’s overnight commenced at

Shelburne Farms then went to Ed Weed

Fish Hatchery and ended with an

overnight at Grand Isle State Park. That’s

a lot of field trips!

On Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 7:00pm

the PROSPER program will be showing

the documentary film, “Screenagers:

Growing Up in the Digital Age” as part of

the family/community programming.

There will be a guided discussion

following the film. For more information

regarding “Screenagers,” please visit our

website www.camelshump.mmuusd.org.

Continued next page

http://www.camelshump.mmuusd.org/

october 2019 page 7

Mark your calendars for the Sixth Annual

Pumpkin Chunkin’ on Saturday, October

26th, from 11am to 2pm. Come and

witness pumpkins in flight! We are

looking for teams throughout the

community to participate; if you are

interested, please contact Mark Carbone at

[email protected]. This fun,

family event helps support the

continuation of the PROSPER Program; a

seven-week program for 5th and 6th grade

families to assist both through the

challenges of adolescence. Prosper

participants meet weekly for seven-

sessions which include family dinner,

games and activities, and childcare for

younger siblings. For a portion of the time,

parents attend workshops on topics such

as setting limits and computer/Internet

safety, while the student group discusses

topics such as saying “no”, advocacy, and

problem-solving. We are excited for our

Pumpkin Chunkin’ contest—and hope that

you and your family will join in the fun!

Math and reading volunteers are needed to

support math and literacy development

skills. Math volunteers will help with

basic calculation and computation skills.

Literacy volunteers will assist with

reading fluency and comprehension.

Training is provided and schedules are

flexible. If you have a talent/interest that

you would like to share with students, we

are always looking to increase our

afterschool 2:50-3:30 offerings. Please

consider volunteering. For more

information, please call 434-2188 or

email: [email protected].

Our first garden harvest was somewhat

successful. Onions, potatoes, cucumbers,

peppers and tomatoes have made it into

the school’s kitchen and children’s

lunches. Our squash, kale, lettuce, and

basil plants did a nice job feeding our

woodchuck and rabbit populations. If you

have any extra spinach, lettuce or kale

starts that you would like to donate for our

fall planting, it would be greatly

appreciated.

The next Mount Mansfield Modified

Union School Board meeting will be held

on Monday, October 7th, 6:30 pm at

Jericho Elementary School. The public is

welcome and encouraged to attend.

Mark Carbone, Principal

Press release from Girls scouts of the green and white mountains

Bolton’s own Pamela Gude was one of three people

honored as “Torchbearers” by Girl Scouts of the

Green and White Mountains in a September evening

fireside ceremony at Camp Farnsworth

in Thetford, VT. Torchbearers are

outstanding in their dedication and

volunteer work for girls in New

Hampshire and Vermont. In addition,

Pamela was also named as Girl Scout

Volunteer of the Month for

September. Congratulations Pamela!



october 2019 page 8

Good Food, along with Fun & Games at boLTon’s 1st Community BBQ – July 2019

About 60 people made their way to the Kilpecks’ Farm on

Duxbury Road on a blazing hot summer Saturday to enjoy

good food, and fun & games down by the Winooski River.

Highlights included lots of chatting and laughter, the BBQ and potluck, cooling off in the river,

and the games! Younger folks enjoyed the giant bubble table, the corn filled pool, the Junior cast

iron frying pan toss, swimming, and the floating picnic table. Bolton’s first cast iron frying pan

toss competition had 27 participants, and all of the winners received a special “Bolton Bear

medal” and prize. Special thanks to:

Kim and Jim Kilpeck, Doris and Rod Wheelock for planning and hosting the event.

The volunteers who helped with set up and tear down.

All the community members who brought yummy dishes to share & tents for shade.

Rebecca Davis from Rebecca Davis Gallery in Jericho, for creating the beautiful boulder

and bears logo for the event.

Rod Wheelock and Richmond Home Supply for the new cornhole game.

NPC Processing, Hannafords, Benny & Jerry’s and Freihoffers for food.

Richmond Market & Beverage, Shaw’s,

Christmas Tree Shops, Aveda Institute and

Snowflake Chocolates for gift certificates.

Janet Metz for a donation.

Tractor Supply for corn for the corn pool.

Brenda Bowler for paper supplies.

Bolton Fire Department for lending tables &

chairs.

october 2019 page 9

DECEMBER 2019 CRATES OF CHEER Although Halloween is still almost a month away, it is time

to start thinking about our December Crates of Cheer which

honor our town seniors and let neighbors facing challenges

know that they aren’t alone. There are a number of ways

you can get involved with the Crates of Cheer:

Make a financial donation. Checks can be dropped

off at the Town Office or mailed to 3045 Theodore

Roosevelt Hwy, Bolton, VT 05676. Checks should

be made out to the Town of Bolton with “Crates of Cheer” in the memo. Cash

donations may be dropped off at the Town Office during business hours, or put

through the drop box in an envelope marked “Crates of Cheer.”

Non-perishable items can be brought to the Smilie School foyer during the

Community and Energy Fair or Harvest dinner – all taking place at Smilie

School on Saturday, November 2nd

, noon to 4 p.m. and then 5 – 7 p.m. After

that date, non-perishable donations can continue to be dropped off in the Smilie

School foyer throughout the rest of the fall.

Can you volunteer? Volunteers are needed to organize, publicize, shop, sort, pack

or deliver crates. Contact Leslie at [email protected] or at 802-598-0048, or

contact the Town Office,

Do you know a family, neighbor, or friend facing challenging circumstances who might

benefit from the boost and support of a Crate of Cheer? Do you know a senior you’d like

to honor with one? Let us know at the Town Office (434-5075) and we’ll add them to the

list. While we will continue to recognize and thank our senior residents with crates, we

want to support other members of our community as well. Thank you in advance for your

help! It takes a community!

There will be a Hunter Education course held at the Bolton Fire Station on Monday

October 21st from 8am to 5pm. This is a Homestudy firearm course so students will need

to complete the Workbook and Manual or online

course beforehand. We will be going offsite to

shoot so transportation is required. Sign up is first

come first serve with a cap at 25 students. Please

register at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. For more

information please go online or call Hunter education at (802) 828-1193.


http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/

October 2019 page 10 Into the woods by ethan tapper

The Landscape View

While many forest landowners and

managers are superheroes in their own

right, working tirelessly to protect and

support healthy forests, there’s a special

super-power that a few forest stewards

have, one that, thankfully, anyone can

develop. I call it the “Landscape View,”

the awareness of how a property fits into

our broader Landscape. While your

ownership may end at the old stone wall,

the Landscape extends far beyond these

boundaries; while your forest may seem

small, it is part of a forested Landscape

that provides habitat for all our wildlife,

cleans the air that we all breathe and the

water that we all drink, sequesters and

stores the carbon that we all produce and

does much more. As a landowner, it is

normal to be protective of that tree you

love or that special place on your property,

but it is also important to use the

Landscape View to understand how these

features are part of something bigger.

The first step in cultivating your

Landscape View is zooming out from tree-

scale to forest-scale. Trees are individually

important, but are much more so as part of

forests, dynamic systems that grow and

change over time. While the death of trees

through natural disturbances or harvesting

may seem startling or sad, it is a natural

and important part of how forests grow

and develop --- trees die, but the forest

lives on. The Landscape View allows you

to see how seemingly insignificant issues

and/or unpleasant actions on your property

--- the harvesting of trees and deer,

controlling invasive plants --- can

contribute positively to the broader

Landscape.

While trees on your property may seem

“just fine,” forests across our Landscape

are recovering from whole-sale land

clearing for agriculture in the 1800’s. This

created a forested Landscape lacking

diversity in composition (number of tree

species) and structure (ages and sizes of

trees) compared with how pre-settlement

forests were likely to have been. Diversity

is critical; more diverse forests will be

more resilient to the effects of climate

change, feature better wildlife habitat, and

sequester and store more carbon than less

diverse forests. Harvesting trees in a

thoughtful way can help forests become

more diverse while also producing outside

benefits: local, renewable resources that

decrease our reliance on non-renewable

resources produced under more adverse

cultural, social and environmental

conditions elsewhere in the country or the

world. Periodically generating a little

income from sawtimber, firewood and

other forest products helps private

landowners (who own 80% of Vermont’s

forests) afford to own land, lowering

development pressure and helping forests

stay forested.

Use the Landscape View to consider the

harvesting white-tailed deer; deer are

Continued next page

October 2019 over-populated in much of Chittenden

County due largely to increases in

developed and posted land, in addition to

decreasing hunter numbers. We all love

deer but deer over-population is a serious

threat to forest health; their browsing

damages young trees and plants, lowering

diversity and often increasing the

abundance of invasive exotic plants. Deer

over-populations can also create problems

for the deer themselves, making them

smaller, less healthy and decreasing the

quality of their own habitat. I’ve seen

serious negative impacts of deer over-

population on many properties and started

recommending harvesting deer, especially

antlerless deer, as part of a holistic forest

management approach. So, while you may

not notice deer or their impacts on your

land, allowing hunters to harvest deer

from your property is important from a

Landscape perspective.

Finally, take the Landscape View when

considering the management of invasive

exotic plants. Invasive plants pose a

massive threat to forest health,

outcompeting native species and

diminishing the benefits that healthy

forests provide, from wildlife habitat to

water quality. They spread across property

boundaries with ease, so while your

buckthorn infestation may not bother you,

it contributes to an extremely serious

Landscape-level problem. Taking active

measures to control these plants, through

(on a small scale) cutting or pulling them

up or treating them with small amounts of

carefully-applied herbicide benefits the

Landscape immensely. You can learn

more about invasive plants and their

treatment at VTInvasives.org or at

https://vtfishandwildlife.com/node/299

With all of these issues, taking the

Landscape View puts your property in

perspective. While your forest may be

small, take pride in knowing that it’s part

of something far larger, and in making the

tough choices and putting in the hard work

to make it healthy for all of us.

Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County

Forester. He can be reached at

[email protected], (802)-585-

9099, or at his office at 111 West Street,

Essex Junction.

Read an interview with Ethan Tapper in Seven Days!

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/work-chittenden-county-forester-ethan-

tapper/Content?oid=28445230

Bone Builders comes to Bolton! Your Community Senior Center is delighted to announce

that Bone Builders, the free RSVP program focusing on

improved strength, bone density and balance, will be

coming to Bolton, starting in October! Classes will be

held twice a week at the Bolton Fire Station and weights

will be provided, thanks to a grant that RSVP was able to

obtain. This class is open to and appropriate for both men

and women who are interested in preventing (and even reversing!) Osteoporosis. Tuesday

morning classes start Tuesday, October 8 at 10:00 am and Thursday afternoon classes start

Thursday, October 10 at 4:15 pm. Wear comfortable clothing. To express interest or ask

questions, please contact Martha Nye at [email protected]

https://vtfishandwildlife.com/node/299


https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/work-chittenden-county-forester-ethan-tapper/Content?oid=28445230

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/work-chittenden-county-forester-ethan-tapper/Content?oid=28445230


october 2019 page 12

Seeking DRB clerk – paid position The Town of Bolton is seeking an individual to clerk (paid position

starting at $16/hour, approximately 5 hours per month) for the

Development Review Board (DRB). The DRB is a quasi-judicial body

authorized and delegated to uphold and interpret the Bolton Land Use and

Development Regulations (BLUDRs), and authorized to hear appeals

from decisions of the Bolton Zoning Administrator. The DRB clerk

would be responsible for attending DRB hearings (the 4th Thursday of the

month beginning @ 6:30 p.m., and generally running 2 – 2.5 hours, and if

needed, and not frequently, the second Thursday of the month) and

scribing the meeting minutes. A town laptop is available for scribing

minutes during the meeting. The draft minutes would then need to be sent

to the Planning and Zoning Administrator (PZA) in a very timely manner,

allowing the PZA time for review and subsequent posting on the town

website within a 5-day timeframe in order to be in compliance with VT

Open Meeting Law. The minutes, while not required to be a direct

transcription of the meeting, would need to capture the significant

discussions, action points, and decisions. If you are interested in this position, please contact

Bolton’s PZA, Larry Lewack at [email protected]

Come Be part of our t.e.a.m! Still seeking: T – Town Constable (stipend position, appointed/elected) E – Emergency Management Director (volunteer, appointed) A – Animal Control Officer (stipend position, appointed) M – Multiple Board and Committee Members (volunteer,

appointed): Conservation, Development Review, Energy!

Contact the Town Office for more information or see

http://boltonvt.com/about/employment-opportunities/

Census 2020 hiring Census takers

The United States Census 2020 is seeking census

takers for our town/area. Compensation is

$16.50+/hour, and workers are required to be 18 years

of age or older. 2020 Census jobs provide flexible

hours, weekly pay, and paid training. Apply online at

www.2020census.gov/jobs or call 1-855-JOB-2020 for

more information or help applying (the Town Office

does not have additional information, please contact

Census 2020 directly). The U.S. Census Bureau is an

Equal Opportunity Employer.


http://boltonvt.com/about/employment-opportunities/

http://www.2020census.gov/jobs

october 2019 page 13 Continued: Community & energy Fair and Harvest dinner Energy Fair 12 – 4 p.m. Imagine a more comfortable home, spending less on your heating bill, AND eliminating your

reliance on fossil fuels. That can all be done right now! Come to the Energy Fair at Smilie

School to find out how. We will have third-party experts presenting workshops every hour,

and vendors showcasing how they can help you.

Sign up for a FREE energy efficiency audit offered by Efficiency Vermont (500

available statewide, value $400-$500)

Learn if you qualify for free weatherization of your home (income-dependent)- stop

those cold drafts stealing your heat!

Find out about Efficiency Vermont's brand-new rebate that covers a large share of

weatherizing your home

Learn about tightening up your home, and all about heat pumps and pellet boilers

Come see electric and plug-in cars, how they might work for you, and what rebates are available for electric vehicles and chargers

Enjoy the Community Fair AND get all your energy questions answered in one place. This is

going to be THE place to be on November 2nd. Visit boltonvt.com/fair for a full schedule of

workshops and list of vendors, or to contact us.

Harvest Dinner Potluck 5-7 p.m. Come on out and join family, friends, neighbors for a

Harvest Dinner Potluck before the cold winter winds

start to blow and we all snuggle in at home to hibernate

until Town Meeting Day in March!

What: Harvest Dinner Potluck

When: Saturday, November 2, 2019 from 5 – 7 p.m. in

the Smilie School Gym, following the Community &

Energy Fair

The town will provide: Ham! Turkey! Vegetarian Lasagna! Rolls! Butter! Harvest Dinner

Cake! Along with cider, milk, tea, and coffee, and all paper products and eating utensils.

Please bring: your favorite entre, side dish, or dessert to share, your serving utensil, and your

appetite!

Hope to see you there! Any questions – call the Town Office or email

[email protected] Stay tuned for more updates! ~~~ The Bolton Economic

Resource Committee

DONATE PRIZES? -- HELP OUT? == GET VENDOR SPACE…INFO? -- Contact the

ERC at [email protected] Join the Economic Resource Committee (ERC)?? YES!!

Meetings on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the Bolton Town Office.

http://boltonvt.com/fair



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