the charlotte news | august 14, 2014

Charlotte News Volume lVII Number 01 The VoIce of The TowN Thursday, augusT 14, 2014

The Hometown Paper Since 1958

New Park & Ride in Village? 1 • CVFRS’s Busy Summer 1 • Cafferty Runs for Sheriff 6

• Teaching Others to Walk in the Woods 17

diggin' it!

The Charlotte News Volume lVII Number 01 The VoIce of The TowN Thursday, augusT 14, 2014

Town Plan continued on page 8

Brett Sigurdson

The charloTTe News

Jacob Edgar attended a CVU band concert a few

years ago to watch his oldest daughter perform.

During a performance by the jazz band, a sopho-

more stepped out to sing the standard “Autumn

Leaves,” a song Edgar—who runs the Charlotte-

based world-music label Cumbancha—had heard

“a hundred more times than I need to,” he said.

But the moment that Charlotter Francesca

Blanchard began to sing, Edgar turned to his wife,

Deirdre Holmes, and mouthed “Wow.”

“Not only was Francesca’s voice spectacular,”

Edgar recalled, “she sang the song in three different

languages, English, French and Spanish, pronounc-

ing each of them perfectly. Her timing and phrasing

were incredible, far beyond anything I had ever

heard from a high school student before. I’ve heard

enough music in my life to know instantly when

someone ‘has the thing,’ and Francesca definitely

‘had the thing.’”

Something of serendipity followed. His fam-

ily left talking about the performance, Holmes

even suggesting Edgar should sign Blanchard. A

few years later, for their 15th wedding anniver-

sary, Holmes gave Edgar a copy of Blanchard’s

first album, a six-song EP, Songs of an Ovation,

recorded and mixed at the Lane Gibson Recording

and Mastering, which is attached to Edgar’s home.

When Edgar put on the first song, Blanchard’s

original “Mon Ange,” Edgar was hooked.

“It was hard to believe something so exquisite,

mature, confident, subtle had been recorded by an

18-year-old. I was shocked that after years of trav-

eling the world in search of great musical talents I

had come across someone as gifted as Francesca so

close to home.”

Since then, Edgar and Holmes have been guides

for Blanchard—Edgar in particular as a manager,

promoting her songs, booking her gigs opening for

artists like Susan Vega and the Parkington Sisters,

trying to build her audience step by step. They’re

now hoping a greater segment of the public will

hear what Edgar first heard to help Blanchard raise

$25,000 to record her first album, a collection of

original songs in both English and French.

While Blanchard isn’t officially part of Edgar’s

roster of world-music artists, the French-Ameri-

Town Considering

New Park & Ride

Facility in West

Village

The town and Chittenden County

Regional Planning (CCRPC) are in the

early stages of exploring the feasibility

of a new park and ride facility near Route

7 and the West Village.

In a recent letter to landowners,

Town Administrator Dean Bloch said

the CCRPC has retained the services of

DuBois & King, an engineering firm, to

study the feasibility of the project and

develop recommendations for its loca-

tion and design.

According to the letter, the ideal site

will be roughly 0.3 acres of land, large

enough to accommodate up to 25 parking

Now is the best time to invest in solar.

To schedule a free site evaluation, call us at (802) 872-9600 or visit www.allsuntrackers.com

Town Plan Workshop Centers on Natural Resources, Water Quality

With a Little Help from Her FriendsCharlotter Francesca

Blanchard is hoping to record her first album with the help of

her fans

Selectboard Moves Forward on Pay Plan, Begins Budget Process

John Hammer

The charloTTe News

The current Charlotte Selectboard must hold the record for the

most meetings held in its almost half year in office—31 times in

the 23 weeks this board has been in office.

Its members continue to hold almost weekly meetings on the

development of an employee compensation plan. The work,

however, is nearing an end. At its Aug. 11 meeting, the Select-

board decided to engage a compensation-planning specialist

Frank Sadowski of Gallagher Flynn Company, who will put the

finishing touches on the plan. The motion authorized payment

of no more than $6,000 and will likely result in more than 20

hours of assistance.

In following the example it set last year, the Selectboard

opened pre-budget discussions with the Recreation Commission,

library, Charlotte Land Trust and the road commissioner. None

expected dramatic increases to their FY15-16 budgets.

The Rec. Commission anticipates a little extra income this

year from its recreation programs. The commission hopes to fold

that into a Rec Fund Reserve Account that is currently empty.

This reserve account, set up in 2004, will be used in anticipa-

tion of biennial maintenance and six to seven yearly resurfacing

requirements to the tennis courts. They are presently investigat-

ing establishment a disk golf course in the Town Beach area. It

is not expected to cost the town anything.

The Charlotte Land Trust (CLT) presented its semi-annual

list of projects. One, the Bidinger Farm at the intersection of

Hinesburg and Bean Roads is underway and will deplete the

Conservation Fund by $60,000. This will result in a fund balance

of $462,000 by calendar year-end. There are four other projects

totaling 273 acres in the pipeline. The CLT will probably be

reducing its administrative budget request for next year, but will

still seek a continued one-cent on the tax rate for the fund.

Jr Lewis, the road commissioner, who received a greatly

increased state repaving grant this year, does not see any rise in

next year’s budget. He did mention that the price for asphalt is

always problematic and cannot be accurately foreseen, but he

doesn’t expect too much change.

The Carpenter Road Bridge shoring project bids came in too

breTT sIgurdsoNThe charloTTe News

The Planning Commission continued

its effort to bring the public into the pro-

cess of preparing the 2015 Town Plan as

it hosted the second in an ongoing series

of public workshops on July 31, this one

focusing on natural resources.

Thirteen people attended the two-hour

session, which was lead by Brandy Sax-

ton, a community planning consultant

with New York-based PlaceSense. Of

them, eight were members of the Plan-

ning Commission or Conservation Com-

mission, which helped draft language for

the natural resources chapter.

Forestland and FarmlandThe chapter concerns Charlotte’s

landscape in the truest sense, as its lan-

guage covers the influence of forest and

farmland, soil, the lake and its tributar-

ies, flora and fauna and climate on the

town’s future. While the chapter covers

a plethora of topics, the discussion at

the meeting centered on forest habitats,

water quality and farming.

Picking up threads of the discus-

sion from a workshop on agriculture

the week before, those in attendance

discussed how the future of farming

in Charlotte could look, specifically

in the context of its effect on the land

itself, and what that means to protecting

forestland—a significant asset to the

community, said Joanna Cummings, co-

chair of the Conservation Commission.

Citing the success of the town’s preser-

vation of farmland through efforts like

the Charlotte Land Trust, she advocated

for more forest conservation, especially

in areas where farm runoff can affect

Lake Champlain and its tributaries.

These are two key planning consider-

Parking continued on page 10

NEXT TOWN PLAN WORKSHOP

WHAT: Transportation WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 21 WHERE: Town Hall TIME: 7 p.m.

Blanchard continued on page 15 Selectboard continued on page 5

The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 32 • August 14, 2014 • The Charlotte News

The Charlotte News

The CharloTTe News is a nonprofit community-based newspaper dedicated to informing townspeople of current

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and happenings that make the Town of Charlotte unique.

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Commentary

I would like to take the opportunity to respond to the July 30 post on Front Porch Forum by Brady Toensing in which Mr. Toensing takes me to task for all of the town’s spending increases over the last 12 years. [Editor’s note: see letter on page 3.]

What should be an obvious point is that I am only one of five Selectboard members who vote at open and well-attended budget meetings as the Selectboard drafts the budget. In addition, at Town Meeting hundreds of thoughtful Charlotters have the opportunity to modify and approve this proposed budget.

The chair of the Selectboard is responsible for setting the meeting agenda, running the meeting and communicating the board’s thoughts to the public. Aside from these roles, the chair has no other power beyond those of the other members of the board. In fact, the town budget gets significant attention during its development and approval. We at the local level are blessed with pure, direct democracy and are able to participate fully and absolutely in our local spending.

It is not possible to address all of Mr. Toensing’s concerns over town spending in this letter to the News. However some points are worth making.

The fairest measure of effect on the taxpayers is found on the tax calculation page of the annual report and is Dollars to be Raised by Town. This number drives the town’s portion of your tax bill and, unlike the actual tax rate, does not vary with changes in the Grand List.

It is a true measure over the years of how much the Selectboard is asking the taxpayers to put toward the various services provided by the town. The average yearly increase in dollars raised between 1991 and 2003 was 7.2 percent. Between 2004 and 2015 the average increase was 4.4 percent. The history of the increase over the last 24 years is detailed in the chart above.

As you can see, the trend is definitely upward, but the figure varies between years for many different reasons: new buildings (Town Hall, Library, Senior Center), new programs, new initiatives such as the Conservation Fund in 1996 and the Affordable Housing Fund in 2010, unanticipated litigation, inflation, extraordinary delinquent tax payments or balances, etc.

Concerning legal bills, it is correct that we spent around $700,000 over the years I have been on the Selectboard. The context is that we spent significant amounts between 2003 and 2008 on various court actions that could not be anticipated, the most significant one being the litigation over the upgrade to the VELCO transmission lines, an important portion of which we were able to have put underground per our Town Plan. We have had fewer

Environmental Court cases over the last six years, and in fact our legal total two years ago was the lowest since 1998. We addressed the reasons for the increased spending at the time both in our Selectboard reports in the Town Report and at Town Meeting when the issues came up.

The claim of “a 33 percent increase in the budget” in my second year is not supported by the audited numbers for that year. I believe the 33 percent figure is achieved only because the actual expenditure figure for the Capital Fund Transfer line item in the FY04 on page 10 of the 2004 Town Report was overstated; this was corrected by the auditor.

Lastly, I have great respect for those who want to better understand Selectboard spending, and to that end I will propose to the Selectboard that we look at past long-term spending trends at an upcoming Selectboard meeting in preparation for the upcoming budget sessions. This agenda item will be at the earliest opportunity, likely Aug. 18 or 19 (to be announced in Front Porch Forum).

Charles RussellSelectboard Member

Rise in Town Spending Due to More than One Person

The Charlotte News is looking for one or two full-time or part-time people to sell advertising for the paper. Ad sales experience is helpful but not necessary.

What is necessary is a cheerful attitude, the ability to learn a few new tricks and a good work ethic. You will also need a current driver’s license and a car.

The Charlotte News is an independent, nonprofit bimonthly newspaper and community resource that was established in 1958.

To learn more about this opportunity, please email editor in chief Brett Sigurdson at [email protected] or either of the co-chairs of the board of directors, Vince Crockenberg at [email protected] or Tom O’Brien at [email protected].

Please be sure to include a resume and/or employment history.

The Charlotte NewsBox 251, Charlotte, VT 05445425-4949

Have Fun, Join a Great Team, Earn Some MoneyThe Charlotte News Needs You

Year Dollars to Raise for Town Year Dollars to Raise for Town1991 $496,785 2003 $961,3741992 $647,901 2004 $982,5481993 $659,006 2005 $1,248,6801994 $686,559 2006 $1,389,3201995 $794,936 2007 $1,492,1081996 $623,187 2008 $1,424,5921997 $412,389 2009 $1,692,0371998 $446,962 2010 $1,469,8721999 $977,929 2011 $1,677,9632000 $833,728 2012 $1,542,5062001 $855,829 2013 $1,047,556

The Selectboard is looking for interested citizens to fill the following vacancies:

• Zoning Board of Adjustment—one vacancy with a term ending in April 2017

• Conservation Commission—one vacancy with a term ending in April 2018

• Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge Oversight Committee—one vacancy

Interested applicants should email, call or stop bythe Town Hall office for more information.

Dean Bloch, Town Administrator Charlotte Town OfficeP.O. Box 119Charlotte, VT 05445Email: [email protected]: 425-3533

Get Involved in Town Government!


Letters

On the coverChildren from the reCent Green thumbs Camp work in the Gardens behind CCs. for more piCtures, see paGe 5 and our faCebook paGe. photo by edd merritt.

Next issue deadlines

next issue date: thurs., auG. 28Contributions: mon., auG. 18 by 5 p.m. letters: mon., auG. 25, by 10 a.m.

Higher taxes mean need for Selectboard change

If you are like me, you are filled with dread by an annual and inevitable event—the opening of your Charlotte property tax bill in August. Based on the town’s budget, this year’s bill will be the worst yet, which moved me to go down to our Town Hall to do some budget research.

While part of the blame for high prop-erty taxes belongs in Montpelier, a sig-nificant part belongs right here in town with our Selectboard chairman, Charles Russell. Under his watchful eye, Char-lotte’s actual expenditures this fiscal year (which ended June 30) reached a disturb-ing milestone by exceeding $3 million (excluding the school budget).

An additional, disturbing expenditure milestone under Chairman Russell is the fact that the non-school town budget has gone up 90 percent over the 12 years since he became chairman, including a 33 per-cent increase in the budget in his second year. In fairness, during two of those 12 years (from 2005 to 2007), the chairman-ship was held by Ellie Russell. Since that brief hand-off, however, the budget has gone up another $700,000, or 32 percent.

Illustrative of his profligate spending are the town’s attorney bills. In Chairman Russell’s first year, attorney fees tripled. And over his time in office, attorney’s fees have totaled $700,000, averaging almost $60,000 per year. During the prior 12 years, attorney fees averaged only $18,000 per year. In fact, the attorneys now spend so much time advising our town it is a wonder whether Chairman Russell does anything without first con-sulting with them—while the meter runs.

Chairman Russell has recently taken another break from the chairmanship, but he is up for reelection to the Select-board in March 2015. Next spring, we need to send a message to our Town Hall by electing someone in his place who will rein in these unsustainable budget increases and who can lead without an attorney whispering in his ear.

Brady C. ToensingGreenbush Road

In appreciation of Mt. Philo Forever Scholarship Thank you, thank you, to those who attended the Vermont Parks Forever Foundation’s first celebration at Mt. Philo on July 27. Having the first scholarship of its kind named in Will’s honor is hearten-ing to his family, and we are very grateful to the State of Vermont, Rangers John and Kim, and everyone who contributed for their support.

If you would like to make a gift to the fund so that a young community member who is interested in the environment and stewardship of the mountain can work at Mt. Philo over the summer and carry on what Will set forth, you may send a donation to Vermont Parks Forever, Wil-liam Cameron Hagedorn Mt. Philo For-ever Fund, P.O. Box 815, Montpelier, VT 05601 or online at vermontparksforever.org/donate and type “Will Hagedorn” under “dedication.” You can also donate at the park.

Your gift helps sustain this vital natural resource and the stewards that lovingly care for it.

Joyce CameronSpear Street

CORRECTIONIn the last issue of the News we mistakenly stated that Tree Warden Larry

Hamilton opened Whalley Road after storm damage briefly closed it. Jr Lewis, Charlotte’s road commissioner, reopened the road. We apologize for the mistake.

The financing of Vermont’s K-12 edu-cation system is heavily dependent on property taxes, and the increasing costs of education have driven increases in property taxes that have become a source of frustration for Vermont taxpayers. Even before 35 school budgets through-out the state failed to pass this year, the Legislature was focusing on the issue and spent considerable time trying to address the problem.

This past June I held a community forum at the Charlotte Senior Center to gather ideas and perceptions on the issue from attendees. The wide-ranging discus-sion began with my presentation of some basic facts about the issue. Between 2005 and 2014 in Vermont

• The number of K – 12 students dropped from 100,000 to 89,000

• Education Fund spending increased from $1.1B to $1.4B

• The percentage of Ed Fund derived from property taxes increased from 60 to 67 percent

• The average cost per pupil statewide increased from $11,000 to $16,800

The average student-teacher ratio is 10:1, ranging from a low of 4:1 to a high of 26:1. The number of school districts in Vermont is 277 under a governing system that hasn’t changed in over a hundred years. Of the $1.5B that will be spent on K–12 public education in 2015, 10 percent will come from sales taxes, 20 percent from a transfer from the General Fund, 67 percent from property taxes and 3 percent from other sources such as the lottery, the tobacco fund, etc.

During the discussion part of the forum, attended by 13 Charlotters, the consensus was that property taxes for education are too high, costs are rising out of control and the Legislature needs to find another way to finance public education. Suggestions to address these concerns included cap-ping per-pupil spending, reviewing/reducing unfunded mandates, reducing top-heavy administration, requiring salary contracts to be voted on by the public and looking for models from high-performing educational systems such as Finland’s. I look forward to taking these comments and suggestions back to the legislature in January.

The discussion has been ongoing among legislators as well this summer, and the message from constituents across Vermont is similar to what I heard in Charlotte. Vermonters are frustrated, and the Legislature has not been able to assemble a clear consensus on how to solve the problem. In the Brigham decision of 1997 the Vermont Supreme Court required as a matter of constitu-tional law that the state ensure access to “substantially equal educational opportu-nity for every Vermont child.” Brigham was interpreted as requiring substantially equal access to revenue rather than requir-ing a substantially equal education. The Legislature responded to Brigham with Act 60, the “Equal Education Opportunity Act.” Aspects of Act 60, such as income sensitivity, continue today in modified

form. The core funding mechanism in Act 60 was a sharing pool, requiring towns to pay into a statewide pool to ensure equal access to revenue. In 2003 Act 68 replaced the “sharing pool” and estab-lished in its place the formula for tax rates that we have today. It also established the excess spending penalty. Act 68 is the basis for education finance today.

Since Act 60, income sensitivity has probably gotten more scrutiny and gener-ated more changes than any other aspect of education funding. It began with a prebate, an actual check that was mailed to claimants. It is now an adjustment to the property tax bill. There have also been changes to the definition of income and the value of property that is subject to the adjustment.

Since the enactment of Act 68 in 2005, there have been many substitute funding mechanisms put forward, some that met the requirements of Brigham and some that did not. The proposals fall into two groups:

1. Income Tax Proposals. These plans shift away from over-reliance on the homestead property tax and incorporate either a fixed-rate or progressive income tax rate while complying with Brigham. Problems yet to be addressed here include rental properties, high-income households, administration and transition issues.

2. Expanded School Districts (Governance Consolidation) Proposals.These proposals address the century-old supervisory union/district model. There are currently 277 districts, 282 school boards, 340 SU boards and 1440 school board members. These proposals maintain that by regrouping districts into much larger units, the discrepancies between districts would be diminished, allowing more efficient sharing of resources within districts. We expect to see more consider-ation of this in 2015-16.

Vermont is consistently rated one of the five top states in the quality of K – 12 education, with more than 90 percent of students graduating from high school. With a decreasing student population and maintaining the same infrastructure and the same program quality and quantity, costs per pupil have skyrocketed. The burden on property taxes has increased for working families who do not qualify for income sensitivity assistance. It is imperative for the next legislative session to introduce changes that will not only lower costs but also reduce the burden on property tax payers.

I continue to welcome your thoughts

and questions and can be reached by phone (802-425-3960) or by email ([email protected]). All my articles can be found at my website: www.MikeYantachka.com.

The Challenge of Financing Education

Legislative Report by Representative Mike Yantachka

Cafferty for SheriffEd is our brother-in-law, friend and

next-door neighbor (married to Susan Krasnow), but we support his bid to become Chittenden County Sheriff for many, more important reasons. Well qualified, he will be proactive in modern-izing the office, hiring women deputies (currently none), effectively advocate for more community drug prevention pro-grams along with drug treatment facili-ties, and give strong support to universal background checks for gun purchases.

Ed will also make good on his prom-ise to institute transparency in the sher-iff’s office by establishing a Community Advisory Committee, providing oversight and advice on the use of your tax dollars and employing his renowned administra-tive expertise.

This race will hinge on “turnout,” and your vote effect will thus be multiplied five or six fold due to an expected ten per-cent historical record. Seven thousand or 8,000 votes from the entire county could win this race. You can vote early at Town Hall or request an absentee ballot now.

We sincerely hope Charlotte represents Ed’s winning margin. Please consider a look at Ed’s website, caffertyforsher-iff. blogspot.com, to learn more about his impressive efforts and qualifications, and please join us in giving our vote to Ed anytime before or on Aug. 26.

Michael Krasnow, Sumru Tekin, Eddie Krasnow and Jane Krasnow

Sirotkin for Senator I had the honor of representing Charlotte in the House of Representatives a while back. Today, it is my pleasure to ask you to vote for Senator Michael Sirotkin in the Democratic Primary on August 26. Michael was appointed by Governor Shumlin to the Senate last winter after his wife, Senator Sally Fox, lost her battle with cancer. We are fortunate Michael is now a Senate candidate in his own right. His negotiating skills, reasoned approach to complicated issues and commitment to service for the common good will serve us very well. I have seen Michael in action over the past 30 years as an effective and respected advocate in the Legislature for public interest consumer groups. The social, economic and environmental chal-lenges we face in Vermont require thought-ful, knowledgeable and ethical leaders. Michael is someone we can count on to do his very best to represent Charlotte and Chittenden County in the Vt. Senate. Please give him your support. Thank you.

Gretchen MorseMonkton Road

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Brett Sigurdson

The CharloTTe News

A quick look at the pages of major

local news outlets the first week of August

shows Charlotte Volunteer Fire and

Rescue (CVFRS) has been busy recently.

On top of its usual calls for medical emer-

gencies, car accidents and fire alarm or

carbon monoxide alarms, the organization

responded to two scary situations at the

beginning of August—a boat fire and

a rescue on Mt. Philo.

But what the stories in the papers

don’t note is the huge increase in calls

CVFRS has experienced in the last

two years. According to Fire Chief

Chris Davis, in fiscal year 12-13

Rescue responded to 362 calls. In

FY13-14, which ended June 30, its

responses rose to 389. Similarly, Fire

responded to 109 calls in FY12-13.

By June 30 of this year it had logged

152 calls. Even more striking, Fire

has already logged 90 calls in the 45

days since the new fiscal year began

July 1.

One of those calls came Aug. 3,

when CVFRS responded to the explo-

sion of a 19-foot antique wooden boat at

Charlotte’s Point Bay Marina. According

to Davis, the boat, carrying eight occu-

pants, had returned to the marina dock to

refuel. After repeated attempts to restart

the boat after fueling, the boat ignited

from fuel vapor in the engine compart-

ment, blowing one occupant into the

water.

All eight of the boat occupants—

including two children—were burned,

though only four adults were transported

to Fletcher Allen Health Care with inju-

ries ranging from minor burns to possible

bone fractures.

According to Davis, the fire was largely

put out by three members of the marina’s

crew by the time fire and rescue person-

nel responded, who rushed to suppress

the fire and move victims out of the way

and nearby boats away from the flames.

Davis, who was close by on a family

fishing outing and provided information

to responding departments, applauded

the efforts of the employees, who acted

quickly to thwart the fire, which, he said,

could have been much worse.

Because of the nature of marinas, with

boats parked closely together full of toxi-

cally flammable objects and crowds of

people, CVFRS members have special-

ized training in fighting marina fires.

“The job they did was phenomenal,”

said Davis of the employees, also citing

the owners of Point Bay Marina. “They’re

a dedicated group. They proved their

training and investment in training paid

off.”

Ferrisburgh Volunteer Fire

Department, Shelburne Fire Department,

Vergennes Rescue, Fletcher Allen and

Vermont State Police assisted in the

response. They were on the scene for 90

minutes.

Five days later, CVFRS members

responded to an injured hiker on Mt.

Philo. First responders hiked into Devil’s

Chair trail to help the teenage girl get out

safely. The operation took an hour.

One reason Davis cites for the increase

in fire and rescue calls over the past two

years may sound familiar to Charlotters

who have followed CVFRS recently: a

lack of volunteers. But it’s not CVFRS

experiencing this—it’s Shelburne.

According to Davis, because the

Shelburne Fire Department is experienc-

ing a lack of trained volunteers, lately

Charlotte’s fire squad is getting called

more and more to provide mutual aid.

Another reason Davis cites for an uptick

in calls is the need for more water rescues

than usual. There have been at least six

water rescues and calls for missing boats

that would otherwise be addressed by the

Coast Guard.

Said Davis, “The Coast Guard mis-

sion has shifted to Homeland Security so

they are not always available for marine

emergencies, and the State Police do not

staff their patrol boat at all, so fire depart-

ments on both sides of the lake are called

out to deal with these marine calls more

than ever.”

Overall, Davis isn’t sure why the level

of calls has gone up recently, though he

explained some of the most common

calls— out-of-control -burns

and fire or carbon monoxide

alarms—could be prevented by

following proper procedures

for outdoor burns and updating

indoor protection systems.

In discussing the rise in

calls, Davis reflected on the

investment Charlotters have

made in their fire and rescue

service.

“Right now we’re doing our best to

make sure when you dial 911 you get the

best level of service possible. Other towns

don’t have that, and it shows. Those are

larger communities. I know there are folks

who are concerned about our budget, but

so far our taxpayers have said this is what

they want.”

As he listened to another call come in

while talking to a reporter, Davis added,

“It’s never-ending, but that’s what we

sign up for. At the same time, it’s not

cheap. And that’s why we train for every-

thing. We want to do our best for this

community.”

CVFRS’s Busy Week Symbolic of Increase in Calls Last Two Years

A Point Bay Marina employee helps put out a boat fire Aug. 3.

Members of Charlotte Rescue carry out an injured hiker from the Devil’s Chair trail on Mt. Philo.

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Who says you can’t play with your food? Local children pull pea pods during the sec-ond round of the Green Thumbs Garden Camp, led by Tai Dinnan and Stacy Carter. Aside from learning about vegeta-bles, seeds, gardens and decomposition, campers also dug potatoes (above) made flower pot art, ate kale chips, visited the ani-mals on Fifth Fence Farm and spent lots of time playing during the week-long camp.

Photos by Tai Dinnen

Playing With (and Learning About) Their Food

Charlotte Museum to Open Sundays in August

The Charlotte History Museum will open its doors Sundays in August from 1–4 p.m. at its location on Church Hill Road. Members of the Charlotte Historical Society will be present to guide visitors through the museum, which includes one of the largest collections of Abenaki-style woven baskets in Vermont.

high. As the result the Selectboard decided to have the work done “in house” by the Road Commissioner with the aid of Selectboard member Fritz Tegatz. The amount to be spent must not exceed $3,000, which is less than a quarter of the lowest of the contractors’ bids.

An open water swim between Essex, N.Y., and the Charlotte Beach was approved for Sept. 7. The swim, which will be held between 1 and 3 p.m., will benefit the Lake Champlain Clean-up Fund and is expected to have up to 30 swimmers.

Two requests of town interest were deferred to the next Selectboard meet-ing on Aug. 18. One, for the replace-ment of seven utility poles and adding one around and through the Town Beach, was sent back for reconsidera-tion of pole placement and potential burial of the cables.

The other was from the Vermont

Hunters Club to hold a series of Halloween adventure evenings called “Throckmorton Manor” in the woods behind the old Flea Market. The events, scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights between October 11 and November 8, would tentatively involve guided tours or wagon rides through the woods, carrying partici-pants to upwards of ten “haunted” Halloween scenes. Funds raised would go to the American Cancer Society.

The Selectboard had concerns about disturbing the historic clay plain forestlands on that parcel, as well as traffic access and potential donations to the town. A walk-through will be conducted before the next Selectboard meeting.

In response to a number of ques-tions raised about the growth of the tax rate over the past twenty-four years, Charles Russell will present a complete analysis of spending at the Aug. 18 Selectboard meeting.

The next regular Selectboard meet-ings will be held on Aug. 18, Sept. 15

and 22.

Selectboard continued from page 1


Hands-to-Honduras Latin Dance Party Benefit

Sept. 5Cut a rug and a check for a good cause at the annual Latin Dance Party to

benefit Vermont Hands-to-Honduras Tela on Friday, Sept. 5, from 7–11 p.m. at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn.

This one-of-a-kind benefit for the program’s 2015 humanitarian service projects will feature live music by Rhode Island’s hottest Latin jazz band, Jesus Andjuar & Grupo Sazon, who will be joined by Alejandro of Grupo Sabor and by Hermes Cardozo. In addition,forFor those unfamiliar with salsa dancing, Salsalina will provide dance lessons. The event will also feature a cash bar, appetizers, dessert and a silent auction.

Tickets for the event are $30 and can be purchased by calling 425-3838 or by sending a check to Hands to Honduras-Tela, 190 Red Tail Lane, Charlotte, VT 05445.

For more information, contact Linda Gilbert at [email protected] or by visiting handstohonduras.org.

Eric Hanley and daughter Meghan, of Shelburne, at last year’s Latin Dance Party

ations, according to Saxton’s presentation at the outset of the meeting. Soil erosion and storm water runoff containing phosphorous and other pollutants are having a negative effect on local water quality and wild-life habitat. Further, because of develop-ment, blocks of forest habitat are becoming increasingly fragmented, creating unsuitable habitat for wildlife and some plants.

But if the town wants to conserve more forestland, Bob Hyams, a member of the Conservation Commission, said the town needs more tools to conserve land. He said the town has a program for conserving large parcels of land but not necessarily smaller parcels that could protect or enhance eco-systems.

“Maybe we can think of ways to give our-selves more flexibility,” said Hyams.

Larry Hamilton, however, cautioned about setting up antagonism between those who favor farmland or forestland. “It should be an add-on rather than a shift,” he said of preserving forestland. “They’re both pretty important.”

Marty Illick, a Planning Commission member and chair of the Lewis Creek Asso-ciation, noted that the organization’s data shows that phosphorous and other chemi-cals from farm operations are not absorbed in the clay plain soil and flush into tributar-ies and lakes in heavy rain events. Some advocated for language that requires the addition of buffers between farmland and waterways, others more outreach to farmers about practices that effect water quality.

In response, some cited a tension between agriculture and natural resources, that fac-tions on both sides could define such buffers differently. Mike Russell suggested finding ways in which farmers and natural resource advocates have similar objectives and build bridges from there.

Roell Boumans, co-chair of the Con-servation Commission, felt the discussion was too focused on particulars. The Plan-ning Commission said the town needs to think long term about the effects of climate change.

“We need to go beyond talking about wildlife,” he said. “We have to deal with trends like development, global change and how these things will effect us. Both of these

together could have compounding effects.”He recommended the town make a list of

its most important assets, the threats to them and how to address them.

New shorelaNd regulatioNs

A major part of the meeting also con-cerned how the state’s new Shoreland Pro-tection Act, which went into effect July 1, affects town planning efforts. The act estab-lishes new regulations for shoreland devel-opment as a means to protect and preserve water quality and animal habitat, as well as the durability of the shoreland. These include new vegetation protection standards for plants within 100 feet of the average water level to absorb runoff from upland areas, new regulations for impervious and cleared areas on properties, and standards for new developments, which must be 100 feet from the water level.

While developed properties are grandfa-thered in, some redevelopment projects will require a permitting process, something that will affect Charlotte’s shoreland district and seasonal home district. Thus, the bulk of the discussion focused on ways to educate homeowners about how the Town Plan lan-guage would meet the new regulations and how the town could educate water-adjacent landowners.

Generally the town is already in line with the regulations, said McCrumb, but the permitting process is new. So the main issue concerned educating affected property owners.

Cummings suggested more outreach through programs like the Charlotte Water-shED program and the Lakewise Program. Some suggested the renewal of Thompson’s Point leases could be an avenue for sharing the state’s shoreland protection goals or even sending water bills to homeowners.

The Planning Commission will use the feedback it received at this and other meet-ings as it prepares a final draft for the Select-board later this year.

The next Town Plan workshop, centering on transportation, is scheduled for Aug. 21 at Town Hall beginning at 7 p.m. Drafts of the plan are available on the town’s website. For those who cannot attend meetings, com-ments can be submitted any time by email to [email protected], by mail to Charlotte Planning & Zoning, Attn: Town Plan Comments, PO Box 119, Charlotte, VT 05445, or hand-delivered to Town Hall.

Town Plan continued from page 1


The Charlotte News Annual Fundraiser

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Please make your check payable to: The Charlotte News and mail to P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445

Our Generous Donors Aug. 1 - 11Hal and Marjorie Blake Frederica Botala

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Fresh Air Kids Visit VermontAnthony (second from right), a 10-year-old boy from the Bronx, will be staying with the MacAuley family of Charlotte as one of 23 New York children being hosted by Western Vermont families involved with the Fresh Air Fund. This summer, over 4,000 children will enjoy a summer outside of the city with volunteer host families in suburban, rural and small town communities across 13 states, from Virginia to Maine, and Canada through the Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family Program. During his stay, Anthony—pictured with (from left) Lucianna MacAuley, Catherine MacAuley and Noah MacAuley—will get to experience the wonders of Vermont through swimming, biking, sailing and more.

Join the group, Vermont Coverts, for a walk through Mt. Philo’s his-tory during a special hike on Saturday. Aug. 16, beginning at 9:15 a.m.

Guiding the walk through Ver-mont’s oldest state park will be Char-lotters Kate Lampton and Larry Ham-ilton.

Lampton has lived at the base of Mt. Philo for 40 years. She is an ama-teur historian on the park and on the Mt. Philo Inn and has given talks on this and other land- related issues.

Hamilton, Charlotte’s tree warden, is a retired professor of forestry at Cornell University. He is a senior advisor for the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas and

editor of the Mountain Protected Areas Update magazine.

Participants will meet at the park entrance and hike to the summit along the paved park road, a moderate walk that should take an hour. Along the way, walkers will hear about the natu-ral and human history of the park and how it reflects many of the forces that have shaped Vermont over the centu-ries. There are plenty of great picnic spots on the top, so bring a lunch and drink and enjoy the views. Dress for the weather.

Registration is requested. For ques-tions and more information, contact Coverts Cooperator Norm Riggs at 425-4545 or Lisa Sausville at 877-2777 or lisa@vtcoverts. org.

Lampton, Hamilton to Host Mt. Philo Hike

Warren Zevon was hiding in Honduras when he asked his dad to send

lawyers, guns and money to get him out of there. Here at the Charlotte

News we’re not down on our luck like the narrator of Zevon’s song. But

while we don’t need lawyers and guns, we do need help in the form of

money so we can continue to publish the best community paper in the

area.

This July alone, 193 households have contributed just over $15,000 to

our Thrive at 55 campaign. And since we launched our Thrive campaign

last year our wonderful community of supporters and readers have helped

us raise almost more than $4039,000. The names of our July donors are

on the left, and on behalf of the Board of Directors, we thank all of you.

If you have not already contributed to the News this year, please

consider doing so as soon as possible. With your help we can meet and

exceed our goal of raising $55,000 by the end of the year—and ensure

that Charlotte’s only nonprofit community paper continues to arrive in

your mailboxes every other week filled with the stories that celebrate the

people and places that make Charlotte a special place for all of us.

Send Lawyers, Guns

and Money!

Homestead Tax Rate Up Over Last Year

When Charlotters open their tax bills this month, they can expect to pay slightly

more than they did last year.The Selectboard met during a special meeting July 31 to set the FY 2015 munici-

pal tax rate at $0.1590, which represents a 4.8-percent decrease from last year’s rate of $0.1670. This decrease is due in part to a $125,000 surplus applied to the tax rate, as well $160,000 in spending reductions made to the budget at Town Meeting, said Nancy Wood, a town auditor. She added the municipal rate was also lowered in part due to a 0.8 percent increase in the Grand List from last year.

While the municipal rate is down, the total homestead and non-residential tax rates are up from last year, due largely to a 3.8-percent increase in the town’s state-set homestead education tax rate, which, at $1.5161, is up from $1.4600 last year.

The homestead tax rate, which consists of the combined municipal and educa-tion tax rates, is $1.6751 per $100 of appraised value, an increase of three percent over last year’s rate of $1.627. That number, in turn, was up nearly ten percent over the FY2013 rate.

For residential properties valued at $300,000, this means the projected property tax amount is $5,025—about $200 more than last year’s tax for a similar property. For properties valued at $500,000, the projected property tax amount is $8,375.

For nonresidential owners, the combined municipal and education tax rate was set at $1.5965. This represents a 1.6 percent increase over last year’s rate of $1.572. For businesses, summer camps and open land valued at $300,000, the projected property tax is $4,789. At $500,000, the projected tax is $7,982.

PH

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A group of particpants pose for a picture a the Aug. 9 Geneology Day event at the Senior Center, hosted by Ceal Moran. Participants moved around a variety of tables to learn more about researching their family histories. P

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AN

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ont’s landscape.-landscape design &

installations- estate services including m

owing & garden m

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spa installations

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Parking continued from

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A map of the proposed areas for a new

park and ride shows the

six preliminary sites in pink.

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Photos by Brett Sigurdson

12 • August 14, 2014 • The Charlotte News

Up in the Air, Junior Birdmen

And we’ll have fun, fun, fun now that daddy took the T-Bird away

—The Beach Boys, “Fun Fun Fun”

So, two weeks ago the third annual

Grammy camp bus headed for Eden.

Having packed up hammers, nails, raw

lumber and bolts—and sans mom and

dad for a week—camp leader Grammy

was set to preside over the construction

of a tree fort.

And the Queen of England would

have been proud of her leadership. For

three years running, Beth has hosted

this event for our twin grandsons at

our camp on South Pond. The boys are

nearly 8 now, and their degree of inde-

pendence and living skills have grown

with each succeeding year.

Last year the sunfish and perch at

our end of the lake filed with Vermont

Health Connect to repair their torn jaws.

I believe nearly every fish bit a hook

with something tasty hanging just past

the barb. Unfortunately, even raising

their top fins and shaking madly they

couldn’t dislodge the unwanted lure.

And, well, that’s what grammies are for

– remove the hook, throw the fish back

in the water and wait for the next catch.

Three days straight on the dock,

however, did not bring in a single fish

of edible size. But, undaunted, the kids

stuck to it. Ironically, perhaps, bass

fishing became a major topic at this

year’s annual pond landowners meet-

ing.

We did not have to worry about fish-

ing at Grammy camp this year, how-

ever, because our dock lay underwater.

Ben could not walk to the end as he did

in past years, spy the larger fish circling

their nests and chasing minnows and

then drop his hook where they couldn’t

miss it. This year the story moved from

shoreline to tree line.

Grammy had prepared long and hard

to have a rough design for a tree house,

along with the tools seven-year-olds

needed to construct it. Needless to say,

the book designs proved to be much

more elaborate than anything we built.

Windows? No, not in the plans. Doors?

Stoop and crawl. Walls? Well, we start-

ed on a couple of end pieces that will

be draped with a tarp for a future roof.

Their construction of a ladder to

climb the seven feet up onto the tree

house floor, followed by the laying of

a ramp to get inside, raised the boys’

interest in work—and thus their ham-

mers—better than anything all week.

Rory was especially excited after

he discovered a hammock in the camp

basement and helped hang it under the

tree house, managing to swing and sing

while the rest of us pounded nails. He

softened ground and raked dirt, and

found a two-by-six piece and filled one

side of it with half-pounded nails that

he said would serve as a coat rack for

those who hung out in the fort. As soon

as we built the walls, he’d be happy to

hang it—a next-year proposition.

Ben became the sign smith after

finding a discarded wooden placard

on which he would affix the fort’s

name once it was determined—“Fort

Gotcha!” or something equally brazen.

Periodically he disappeared to, as we

later learned, ready himself for a chal-

lenge at the games of Sequence or Clue

that he pored over in the camp.

I think I learned something about

the dangers of planning things in great

detail this year. Elaborate adult plans

designed to occupy seven-year-olds for

five days without mom and dad don’t

always work out as anticipated. And I

happen to believe that that’s OK.

In a recent New York Times com-

mentary, John Beckman expresses his

feelings about the importance of what

he calls “delinquency” to kids’ learn-

ing. As a young person you learn by

pushing limits.

Growing up in Dubuque, Iowa, just

down the Mississippi from where I per-

formed my delinquent acts, Beckman

says he and his friends “spent weeks

hunting down lumber and scrap metal

for the purpose of building a teetering

three-story tree fort, complete with lad-

ders and trap doors, that overlooked a

boarded-up coffin factory.”

While our Eden fort doesn’t over-

see final resting boxes, it can be the

watchtower for the pond’s civil wars.

We Yankees at the north end can use its

height and camouflage, for example, to

spot the south end Rebels as they kayak

through the cut that feeds our bay and

be ready to lay siege as soon as they hit

the north shore.

We’ll see what the twins think of that

script.

Often, a screwed-up jaw and rolled

eyes indicate the loonyness of Grandpa

Squid’s ideas, however. But, hey, loo-

nyness and aging go hand in hand,

don’t they? And as far as the kids are

concerned, school—with all its for-

mal learning plans—will come soon

enough. So let them enjoy summer

while they have it.

As Beckman says, “like sports

leagues, summer camps, and other

decidedly more nutritious ways we try

to influence kids’ summer fun, all these

commercial amusements are invented

by adults–to profit adults. And how

boring is that? As history shows us, kids

have always been the experts on fun.”

So here’s the deal, squirts, and listen

closely. Grammy camp had better be

fun, right? If not, we send you and the

pedal boat over the dam. No grimaces

allowed. Smile when your hammer hits

fingernail rather than wood. And it’s

OK to dance when you beat your broth-

er at Clue. Just don’t sleep too soundly.

Revenge can come at any time, night

or day.

OutTakes Commentary by Edd Merritt

Upcoming at the library

Wednesday Night Knitters, throughout the summer. Join us every other

Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m., next on

Aug. 20. We compare notes, knits and

share good company.

Kindergarten library card party, Wednesday, August 20, 5:30 p.m. Calling all kindergarteners. Stop by the

library this evening for a look at our cool

new books, enjoy a yummy cool snack

and coolest of all, get your very own

library card!

library board meetingThurs., Aug. 28, at 5:30 p.m.

Board members: Bonnie Christie,

Chair; Vince Crockenberg, Treasurer;

Emily Ferris, Vice-Chair;

DorriceHammer, Secretary;

Jonathan Silverman, Member-at-Large.

library contactsMargaret Woodruff, Director

Cheryl Sloan, Youth Services Librarian

email: [email protected]

phone: 425.3864

Website: www.charlottepubliclibrary.

org

library hoUrs Mon. & Wed.: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tues., Thurs., & Fri.: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

The Charlotte News • August 14, 2014 • 13

The Café Menu

MONDAY, AUGUST 18:

Confetti corn salad, green

salad, banana cake

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20:

Ham and cantaloupe salad,

homemade dessert

MONDAY, AUGUST 25:

Vegetarian seven bean soup,

variety of breads, kale

salad,fresh watermelon/blue-

berries

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27:

Grilled shrimp, potato salad,

homemade dessert

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 dona-

tion is requested. Reservations

are not required for the Monday

Munch.

Charlotte Senior Centerby Mary Recchia,

Activities Coordinator

Please look for the new fall program

of activities as an insert in the next

issue of the Charlotte News. Until then,

we hope you can join us for a bit more

summer fun.

––––

Here’s a chance to show your “fall

colors” in our ninth annual Charlotte

Senior Center Community Art Show.

With a theme of “My Vermont,” this

show will hang in the Great Room for

the month of September and is open

to all “creative spirits” 50 years old or

older in our community. Registration

forms with specific details are available

in the front foyer at the Center with

a deadline for submitting forms of

Aug. 15. A reception for the artists,

friends and relatives will take place on

Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m.

––––

Hank Kaestner will take us on

another bird watching expedition

on Wednesday morning, Aug. 20,

from 9:00 -12:00. Good views are

guaranteed through Hank’s “Oh-my-

God” telescope. Meet at the Center so

we can carpool together to the location

Hank has scouted for spectacular bird

watching. Please register for this event;

if we have to change the date due to bird

migration or weather, we will call you.

Registration required. No fee.––––Join us for our annual summer BBQ

Friday, Aug. 22, beginning at 5 p.m.

Bring a friend. Bring the family.

Join the fun. Enjoy the music and

entertainment of Woody Keppel &

Friends, a world-renowned vaudevillian

who will perform his unique brand of

bumbling earnestness. Please RSVP by

Aug. 18. Fee: $12 per person.

––––

Looking ahead, please join Jim

Lovejoy for the first poetry reading

of the season on Monday, Sept. 8,

from 1–3 p.m. Building on the fun and

excitement that has developed with our

Poem in Your Pocket readings over the

years, this after-lunch poetry bonanza

provides a regular time for listening,

reading and writing, and sharing a

love of language. Whether it’s a poem

you’ve written or one you’ve found in

a book or on Poets.org, pack a poem in

your pocket and join Jim as he guides a

wonderful afternoon of word wonder.

No fee.

(Above) The men’s breakfast group was

treated to a dream day on the lake by Allen

Martin aboard the Nancy Ann on a picture-perfect Vermont summer

day, July 24.

(Right) A group of 12 kayakers getting ready

to go on a leadership training workshop with Jane Yagoda and True

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SPORTS

Travis Roy whiffle ball tournament coming up this weekend

Konnor Fleming, Charlotte and CVU graduate, now Macalester College student, made a name for himself while becoming a national media hero last year as he flew over the outfield wall to snag what normally would have been a whiffle-ball homer for his Crusader team. It is hard to tell if ESPN or Fox News will attend this year’s event, hoping Konnor’s feat will be repeated. However, the annual fundraiser for the Travis Roy Foundation will again be played August 15 through 17 in the Essex Little Field of Dreams. This will be the inaugural game on the field modeled on the ballpark in the cornfield in Iowa onto which legends of the sport emerged from the corn and played in the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams. Twenty-eight teams are registered, more than in previous tournaments. The Crusader roster contains a number of familiar local names: JJ Strausser, Tyler Colvin, Anthony DeToma, Andrew Diddel, Rahn Fleming (last year’s hero’s father), Lawrence Halvorson, Evan Michaud, Michael Michaud, Drew Nick and Daniel Rowan.

Redhawks now wearing greenTwo recent CVU graduates will be among nine new-

comers to the University of Vermont men’s soccer team this fall. One, defender from Shelburne Zach Evans, was the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Vermont last season. As leader of the Redhawk defense, he was a mainstay in a backfield that allowed only seven goals while posting 13 shutouts and capturing the Division I state championship. The other, Williston’s Joe Castano, like Evans, captained CVU his last two years. He was twice an all-state selection and played on the twin-state team as a senior. They join two other former Redhawks, Shane Hanley, a sophomore forward from Williston, and Mike Clayton from Shelburne, a senior forward.

by Edd Merritt

The Kelly Brush Foundation is holding a benefit to highlight the foundation’s achievements in improving the lives of those living with spinal cord injury through the love and enjoyment of sport.

Inspire!Vermont will showcase the work of the non-profit founded by Charlotte native Kelly Brush Davisson and her family after she sustained a spinal cord injury in a ski racing crash.

“Inspire!Vermont is our chance to showcase the impact we are having in the spinal cord injury and ski racing safety communities and to thank the many supporters who have helped us achieve so much,” said Zeke Davis-son, president of the Kelly Brush Foundation. “We are genuinely inspired by what the foundation has been able to accomplish in a relative-ly short amount of time and look forward to carrying this tremendous momentum for-ward.”

Since its inception nine years ago, the foundation has raised more than $1.5 mil-lion, predominantly through an annual bicycle ride, the Kelly Brush Century Ride Powered by Vermont Bicy-cling and Walking Vacations. The foundation has pur-chased more than 100 pieces of adaptive athletic equip-ment, including monoskis, handcycles, specialized gear for scuba diving and more than 400 miles of safety net-

ting for ski racing courses. Inspire!Vermont will take place Aug. 20 from 6–8:30

p.m. at the Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education at Shelburne Museum in Shelburne. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the foundation’s web site, KellyBrush-Foundation.org.

The ninth annual Kelly Brush Century Ride is set for Saturday, Sept. 6, beginning in Middlebury. To register for the ride, visit the foundation’s website.

For more information on either event contact Betsy Cabrera at 802-497-4909 or betsy@kellybrush founda-tion.org.

Kelly Brush Foundation’s Inspire!Vermont Fundraiser Aug. 20

Kelly Brush Davisson on her handcycle at the start of the Kelly Brush Century Ride. Inspire!Vermont, the Kelly Brush Foundation’s upcoming event is Aug. 20.

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Optimism

Being an elder does not give you carte blanche. As I grew older and developed more and more opinions, I assumed it was my privilege to say anything I wanted. Now I find this is not the case. If I issue a sharp comment that people don’t like, they give me a disapproving look and figuratively step back. I now consider

myself a keeper of a few old-fashioned ways and must carefully mind my P’s and Qs.

Of course, alternatives abound to replace critical opinions. Optimism rather than criticism can be incorporated into everyday life. It’s about perceptions of ourselves and others in the world around us. But how can we make optimism a reality and grasp it as a habit?

One day when I was feeling down in the dumps, I decided to experiment and say something pleasant to everyone I encountered. The weather was lousy, heavy rain poured, and a chill hung in the air. Everything took extra effort. Once I stopped focusing on myself and let my discontent go, it became easier to switch toward a positive outlook. I paid for the gas and thanked the attendant for his cheery smile. That made me feel better.

In the grocery store I approached the

vegetable man and complimented him on arranging the oranges so artistically. He grinned. “No one has ever mentioned that before,” he said. “I take pride in piling them up attractively in a kind of pyramid.” The checkout lady greeted me by name and I mentioned her bright green sweater. “It’s a favorite,” she said. “My daughter gave it to me for my birthday.” Many people have personal stories they delight in sharing. All you have to do is ask.

As I wheeled my grocery cart toward the heavy glass door, someone behind me said, “Wait, wait.” He was hurrying to open it for me. I was tired by then and wondered if I was shuffling along. Of whom did I remind him? His mother? His grandmother? Who cares? I liked the interchange.

I felt my mood lighten as I loaded the groceries in the car. A young man stepped over: “Can I take your cart back to the

store?” “How courteous—but I won’t volunteer to pay for your groceries,” I countered. It was even a bit flirtatious. He chuckled. Suddenly the day was sprinkled with an upbeat flavor.

Something deep inside me had shift-ed, allowing brighter energy to surface. Magically, I was leaving a trail of opti-mism in my wake and realized how happy I felt driving home.

I did this for the next two days and found those small connections reward-ing. It beat going around with a scowl on my face. But, I reminded myself, these expressions must be genuine.

Yes, I think I’ll keep carrying on in this vein and lighten up a bit. Maybe my age isn’t an impediment after all.

Outwater is a part-time Charlotte resi-dent and author of the books 82 Remsen Street and Revisiting Remsen Street.

Taking Care by Alice D. Outwater, Ph.D.

can singer-songwriter has had a global upbringing, living in the south of France, Ethiopa, Burundi—she moved to Char-lotte at 10—and traveling to such far-away places as India, Thailand and South Korea, among others. In fact, her family is just as diverse, with adopted siblings from Ethio-pia and Gautemala, a French father and American mother, who is also a singer and songwriter.

Growing up, Blanchard avoided her mother’s attempts to encourage her to play guitar. At 14, though, Blanchard began to tool around on her mother’s Ovation, learn-ing to play the Beatles “Blackbird,” taking lessons. Then she began writing her own songs.

The response to her musical imagination has only grown since then, with perfor-mances across Vermont, in Boston—where she recently graduated from Boston Univer-sity—Montreal, London and Paris. She has also been featured on Putumayo’s Vintage France collection as well. Interest from promoters, labels and booking agents across North American and Europe has followed.

So now Blanchard is on the cusp of a new precipice: how to make the jump from amateur musician to professional record-ing artist. The bridge to take her there is a solid album that Edgar plans to showcase to potential labels.

This is a new economic reality for musi-cians just starting out—hence, the need to crowd fund for Blanchard’s album.

“Gone are the days when labels will sign untested artists and pay them large advances or finance big-budget albums,” said Edgar.

“The music industry has become increas-ingly based on a do-it-yourself model. Art-ists are expected to pay for the recording of their own albums, build their own audiences and basically prove themselves before any serious label will take an interest.” This new economic reality creates the need to crowd-fund for Blanchard’s album.

Blanchard plans to record a 12-song album of originals —six in English, six in French. Edgar describes some of the songs as “slow, almost dreamy ballads that allow her voice to shine,” as well as catchy, upbeat songs.

“Francesca’s compositions are extremely infectious, with melodies that stick in your head even if you don’t understand the words,” he said.

They’ve hired Montreal-based singer-songwriter Chris Vela, who recorded the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars in Charlotte last summer, to lead the recording, as well as a group of accomplished local musicians to help lay a foundation for Blanchard’s voice, the centerpiece of the songs.

“The key to the album is Francesca’s voice, which is gentle, rich and filled with subtle emotion and heart-wrenching puri-ty,” said Edgar.

The combination of Blanchard’s songs and her voice have the makings for some-thing timeless, and that’s the point, says Blanchard.

“We’re inundated with so much these days, and things last for such a brief amount of time,” she said. “I want to create some-thing that has a strong first impression, but also a lasting one that will still sound contemporary in 20 years. This is not a collection of 12 hit singles. Each of these songs transcends that fad (for me, in any case). The goal is to invite my audience to delve into them as deeply as I have and to

encourage deep listening. And re-listening (and re-listening!).”

But it all starts with the successful crowd-funding campaign for the album. As of this writing, Blanchard has raised nearly $11,500 from 95 donors. If she doesn’t suc-cessfully reach her $25,000 goal by Aug. 28, she won’t receive any of the money.

Despite the all-or-nothing nature of such crowd-funding efforts and the fact that a major artistic undertaking can hinge on the kindness of strangers, Edgar believes crowd-funding campaigns like Blanchard’s present a “wonderful model for helping art-ists and entrepreneurs create new works and products,” he said.

“Crowd-funding makes it easy for all of us to support artists,” he said, recalling the old days of wealthy royalty serving as patrons of the arts. “Our small contributions can add up to major amounts, through sheer volume, generating the amount of money it takes to create a recording of international caliber.”

In Charlotte and in Vermont, Edgar

has been impressed with a support for the arts, and he hopes people will support Blanchard’s efforts and help her become “the star she desires to be,” he said.

“Everyone who participates in this cam-paign can hopefully look back someday and be proud that they were a part of something truly special.”

Blanchard is currently calling Charlotte home, but she’ll follow where the album takes her. She has Edgar and Holmes to thank for getting her to this point, she said—and she’s excited for where the com-munity’s support will take her next.

“It’s a never-ending learning experience with these two, and they never cease to push me, in the best of ways,” she said. “They know my potential and won’t settle for less. The journey keeps going. I’m just so grate-ful it could start.”

To find out more about the project and to donate, visit www.igg.me/at/franc-escaalbum. For more information about Blanchard and her music, visit frances-cablanchard.com.

Blanchard continued from page 1

Blanchard at work in the studio with Jacob Edgar (middle) and Lane Gibson.

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Thank you to all who visited our table at the Town Party. Friends, supporters and volunteers past and present stopped by along with many children to enjoy the Tootsie Pops. Audrey Bean raised $71.50 for the Food Shelf from the sale of raffle tickets for her beautiful handmade afghan. Mrs. Vermont America, Charlotter Sera Anderson, drew the winner: Rita Cowie of Pelican Rapids, Minn. Thank you, Audrey! Fire & Rescue volunteer Jon Davis coordinated a delivery of leftover hot dog and hamburger buns, burgers and chips that were distributed on July 23 and 24 at the Food Shelf.

Wish list On our wish list are tissues, toilet paper,

healthy kids’ snacks, ketchup, mayo and canned tuna. We also are in need of clean pint and quart jars (with lids), such as jam jars.

Any surplus fresh veggies from your garden? We would love your extra har-vest! You may drop items at the Food Shelf on Wednesday, Aug. 20 or Sept. 10, at the Charlotte Congregational Church. If no one is there you may leave the veggies on the outside entry steps in front of the Food Shelf door at the back of the church.

As summer winds down we are thinking of school and would appreciate donations of school supplies. Specifically, we need pens, pencils, graph paper notebooks, glue sticks, washable markers, colored pencils and erasers. Thank you!

Calling all knittersWe love those hand-made gloves and

hats. If you have some spare time and yarn, now is a good time to start the knitting so we have a good supply by cold weather.

transportation helpDo you have a pickup truck or large

SUV and a few hours to spare each month? We are in need of a couple of strong vol-unteers to help with getting large amounts of groceries from Costco or other stores

to our shelves. We would need a three- to four-hour block of your time (and your vehicle) once or twice a month. Call the Food Shelf at 425-3252 and talk to Karen if you think you could help.

distribution volunteers neededWe need volunteer substitutes to help

with food distributions on Wednesday eve-nings once or twice a month. Can you help? Call Nancy Barnes at 238-9173.

Volunteers from the Charlotte Congregational Church have planted a beautiful vegetable garden. We need vol-unteers to help the Food Shelf harvest the garden twice a month on the Wednesdays food is distributed. Call 425-3252 if you can help.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is run entirely by volunteers so all donations go directly for food or assistance to our neighbors in need. If you are a customer of yourfarm-stand.com, you may make a donation to the Food Shelf as part of your online order, otherwise checks may be mailed to:

Charlotte Food Shelf & Assistance 403 Church Hill Road P. O. Box 83 Charlotte, VT 05445

All nonperishable food donations may be dropped off at the Charlotte Library,

The Charlotte Congregational Church ves-try, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church (main entrance) or at the Food Shelf during the distribution mornings. We request that all fresh foods be dropped off at the Food Shelf by 7:30 a.m. on the Thursday distri-bution mornings or before 5 p.m. on the Wednesday distribution evenings.

The Charlotte Food Shelf is located on the lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Distribution days/times are posted in this newspaper and on the bul-letin board in the Charlotte Congregational Church Hall. You may also call the Food Shelf number (425-3252) for a recording of the distribution times.

For emergency food, call John at 425-3130. For emergency assistance (electric-ity, fuel) call the Food Shelf at 425-3252.For more information call Karen at 425-3252 or visit our website at https://sites.google.com/site/charlottefoodshelfvt/.

Food Shelf News

by Kerrie Pughe

The Food Shelf is open from 7:30–9:30 a.m. on the following Thursdays:

Aug. 21, Sept. 11, Sept. 25

It will also be open from 5–7 p.m. on the following

Wednesdays:Aug. 20, Sept. 11, Sept. 25

Food shelF hours

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Real Estate

Listings

Teaching Others to

Walk in the Woods

Bradley CarletonContributor

I walk through the summer woods in the cool morning air. Sunlight beams down through the canopy of leaves like pillars of light leading me along a path borne of a curiosity for all things natural. At times I stop to ask the Great Spirit which way to turn, and I am often met with a small voice telling me to “follow my heart.”

I wonder at the miracles when I allow my mind to cease its cerebral machinations. A squirrel chatters to me from atop a white oak. I follow his call and stumble to an old yellow birch with a gor-geous barnacle of chaga. Gifts like these come only when I am in the present.

As some of you may know, Sacred Hunter runs an outdoor mentoring program for at-risk

youth—13-16 year old boys—under the name Traditions Outdoor Mentoring. This sum-mer I was invited to work with a slew of young boys and girls who are seeking a connection to their world as their adolescence begins to challenge them. I spent two weeks working with Shader Croft School, run by Steve Hyde, of South Burlington. Steve runs programs for these young people in Hinesburg, Williston and, this year, Charlotte.

The focus is on experiential learning. Participants have math and reading classes in the morn-ings and field trips in the after-noon that directly relate to the lessons in their morning sessions. We have taken swimming tests, visited an automotive garage, and learned the elements of geocach-ing, outdoor cooking and critter calling, all within the context of experiencing our earth and our society through the empa-thetic guidance of counselors like Jess Barnum of Charlotte, Phil Peterson and my wife, Katie Carleton.

It is utterly fascinating to me to watch these young people learn to respect each other as they learn about the world around them. I frequently ponder the similari-

ties of young bucks in the woods as I watch the boys attempt to spar and challenge each other for dominance. The play is always well monitored such that no one buck begins to play too rough with another.

The girls re-define the stereo-types of femininity. I expect them to be doe-eyed submissive fawns, and they prove to me that they know as much about four-wheel drives and GPS coordinates as the boys! I smile, pleased to see that they have the self-esteem to challenge our notions of what a girl can do. This pleases me greatly.

I have enjoyed sharing my knowledge of animals with them and was thrilled to see their inter-est in learning to communicate with various critters using my calls. One day we sat around in a big circle learning to speak duck, goose, turkey, deer, crow, and owl and peacock language. We explored how animals interact with each other and how they depend on their relationships to survive.

As you walk through the mid-summer woods, take the time to notice how all things are inter-connected. When you enter the woods the squirrel may announce your arrival. His shrill alarm will catch the attention of a blue jay, which will scream to the crow, which will caw-caw to inform the deer that you are headed their way. The turkey may respond to the crow with a shock gobble, and the dialogue opens up to include all the beasts and fowl of

the woods. It’s like a giant ripple on the water, speeding news of your presence throughout the cathedral.

As the sun began to sink into the Adirondacks, the young peo-ple reflected on their day. It is then that we all realize that all we do affects what is around us. If we treat each other with the respect that we give the animals, we will begin to see that this

entire community relies on each other to flourish.

Bradley Carleton is executive director of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that seeks to edu-cate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature and raises funds for Traditions Outdoor Mentoring, which men-tors at-risk young men in outdoor pursuits.


Send your calendar event to [email protected]

Places To Go & Things To Do

MONDAYSSenior Center Café, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Featuring soup, salads, bread and des-sert. No reservations necessary.

Charlotte Multi-Age Coed Pickup Basketball Open Gym, 7–9 p.m. at the CCS gym. High school students wel-come. 425-3997 for info.

WEDNESDAYSCharlotte/Shelburne Rotary Club, 7:30–

8:30 a.m., Parish Hall, Trinity Episcopal Church, Shelburne.

Newcomers Club of Charlotte, Shelburne and surrounding area meets once a month on the third Wednesday from September to June. Variety of programs, day trips and loca-tions. Information: Orchard Corl, presi-dent, 985-3870.

AA Meeting, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, 7 p.m.

Senior Luncheon, Senior Center, noon. For reservations, call 425-6345 before 2 p.m. on previous Monday.

Volunteer Fire Dept. Mtg., 7:30 p.m., Fire Station.

Charlotte Multi-Age Coed Pickup Basketball Open Gym, 7-9 p.m. at the CCS gym. High school students wel-come. Call 425-3997 for information.

Food Shelf, open from 5–7 p.m. June 11 and 25. Lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Information: Karen at 425-3252; for emer-gency food call John at 425-3130.

THURSDAYSFood Shelf, open from 7:30-9:30 a.m.

June 12 and 26. Lower level of the Charlotte Congregational Church vestry. Information: Karen at 425-3252; for emer-gency food call John at 425-3130.

FRIDAYSAA Meeting, Congregational Church

Vestry, 8 p.m.Charlotte Playgroup, 9:30–11 a.m., CCS

MPR. Free, ages 0-5.

ONGOING EVENTS

Regular Church Services

SATURDAYSSt. Jude, Mass, Hinesburg, 4:30 p.m.

SUNDAYSCommunity Alliance Church, Hinesburg,

Gathering Place, 9 a.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m., Worship, 10:15 a.m. Information: 482-2132.

Charlotte Congregational Church, Worship, 10 a.m., Sunday School, 10 a.m. Information: 425-3176.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mass, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Information: 425-2637.

St. Jude, Mass, Hinesburg, 9:30 a.m. Information: 482-2290.

North Ferrisburgh United Methodist Church, Hollow Road, Worship, 10 a.m., Sunday School, 9:45 a.m. Information: 425-2770.

Cross Roads Chapel, Relocated to the Brown Church on Route 7, Ferrisburgh. Worship, 11 a.m. Information: 425-3625.

Assembly of God Christian Center, Rtes. 7 and 22A, Ferrisburgh, Sunday worship, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday School, 9 a.m. Information: 877-3903.

All Souls Interfaith Gathering, 291 Bostwick Farm Road, Shelburne. Sunday Service 9 a.m., Evensong Service 5 p.m. 985-3819

Trinity Episcopal Church, 5171 Shelburne Rd., Shelburne, 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, 9:15 - 10:15 a.m. “Space for Grace” (educa-tional hour), 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist (with child care and Sunday School). 985-2269.

It is better to have taken the leap and suf-fered than to have stayed put and won-dered what was on the other side of regret.

Jim Morse is a former Vermont Supreme Court Justice living in Charlotte. Find more of his Doodles & Jots in his book, avail-able at the Flying Pig Bookstore or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Red Barn Books.

Morse's Doodles & Jots

THURSDAY, AUG. 14Selectboard meeting, 9 a.m., Town Hall. Agenda and

materials online at charlottevt.org.Blood drive, 2–7 p.m., Charlotte Senior Center. During

the summer months, on average, about two fewer donors give blood at each Red Cross blood drive than what is needed to meet the needs of patients. Vacations and summer activities are among the reasons regular donors may not find the time to give. But, patients don’t get a vacation from needing blood – the need is con-stant. More info: redcross.org

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 6 p.m., Shelburne Museum Circus Lawn. Join Vermont Shakespeare Company for an unforgettable evening as they present one of Shakepseare’s most popular plays. Bring seat-ing, a picnic and enjoy the show! Cost: $25/adults, $22/seniors, $15/students, under 12 free. Tickets and more info: flynntix.org.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15Town Office Closed in recognition of Bennington Battle

Day.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16Vermont Coverts Mt. Philo Hike, 9:15 a.m. See story on

page 8. Shelburne Vineyard Open House, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Shelburne Vineyard will participate in the VT Grape and Wine Council’s Open House with Wine Tasting and Tours of the Vineyard and Winery. Tours are scheduled on the hour from 1:00 pm – 4 pm. More info: shelburn-evineyard.com

8th Annual Yard & Bake Sale at the Vermont Zen Center, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Shelburne. Join members of the Vermont Zen Center at their 8th Annual Yard Sale. Visit the Center and their beautiful gardens. Enjoy home-made baked goods while shopping for treasures large & small. All proceeds go to benefit the Vermont Zen Center. More info: 310-4074 or 985-3177.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17Inventing Ethan Allen, 2 p.m., Ethan Allen Homestead,

Colchester. John Duffy and Nick Muller poses serious questions about Ethan Allen’s political and personal motives, intentions and accomplishments, as well as his political and military tactics and their effectiveness, and his place in the story of Vermont. Free. More info: 863-403.

Adirondack Art Association Auction & Cookout, 4 p.m., Essex, N.Y. This benefit for a new building pur-chase fund will feature local meat and craft beer and a silent auction to support the organization's building fund. More info: 518-963-8309.

MONDAY, AUGUST 18Selectboard meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall. Agenda and

materials online at charlottevt.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19Selectboard meeting, 9 a.m., Town Hall. Agenda and

materials online at charlottevt.org

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20Kelly Brush Foundation Inspire! Vermont event,

6–8:30 p.m., Shelburne Museum. See story on page 14.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21Town Plan Workshop: Transportation, 7 p.m., Town

Hall. See story on page 1.Selectboard meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall. Meeting is in

conjunction with Town Plan workshop, above.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23Vergennes Day, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Vergennes City Park

and city venues. Event will include Pancake breakfast, Little City 5K & 10K Races, 70+ crafters/vendors, horse drawn wagon rides, bandstand music, chicken BBQ, children’s venue, car show. More info: addisoncounty.com.

Hidden History at the Ethan Allen Homestead fund-raiser, 4 p.m., Colchester. Join Ethan Allen Homestead Museum for a fundraiser to support the Museum’s operations. Author Gary Shattuck will lead a private tour of the area where the Black Snake Affair took place, and share the findings from his new book. A reception will follow. RSVP by calling 865-4556 or e-mailing [email protected]

Bounty of Vermont Day, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Lantman’s Market, Hinesburg. This popular event brings commu-nity and Vermont producers together in a tent filled with excited Vermont entrepreneurs who provide the finest goods Vermont has on offer. Bounty of Vermont Day allows these small Vermont companies to shine through - allowing visitors to interact with local goods and the people who create them. More info: lantmans.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 24Charlotte Museum open, 1–4 p.m. See story on page 4.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27First day of school, K-9th gradesZoning Board of Adjust Meeting, 7 p.m., Town Hall.

Agenda and more info at charlottevt.org.Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival concert, 7:30

p.m., Elley-Long Music Center, St. Michel’s College, Colchester. This unique concert evening will have two distinct parts: one emotionally and intellectually stimulat-ing; the second wildly entertaining and uplifting. Cost: $30/adults, $15/students. More info: lccmf.org. Festival runs Aug. 23–31.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 28First day of school, 10–12 grades


Around TownCongratulations

Sympathy

You can expect on-time service, courteous crews and professional craftsmanship when you hire Lafayette Painting. We have been beautifying the homes and businesses of Chittenden County since 1977. Call us at 863-5397 or visit LafayettePaintingInc.com. (-02)

MOWING: Call Portfolio Cuts to handle all your mowing needs. Professional lawn stripping with bag-ging capabilities. Consistent, Quality work everyday. Call Nathan now for free estimate. Fully insured 734-7135, Portfoliocuts.com. (57-02)

NEW AT THE MT. PHILO INN: Overnight accom-modations, spacious 2-3 bedroom suites available by the day, week or month. Adjacent to Mt. Philo State Park, with panoramic views of Lake Champlain. Each "wing" in the historic inn has a private entrance, full kitchen, laundry and porch. MtPhiloInn.com 425-3335.

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Heat your home with a Maxim Outdoor Wood Pellet Furnace by Central Boiler and gain energy independence. Boivin Farm Supply 802-475-4007. (57-01)

ARE YOU TIRED? Of overpaying for a mowing service and getting sub-par work? Then call Portfolio Cuts today for a free estimate. Local references, fully insured. Consistent, quality work. Call Nathan 734-7135. Portfoliocuts.com. (57-02)

DRIVERS: Money & Miles… New Excellent Pay Package. 100% Hands OFF Freight + E-Logs. Great

Home time/Monthly Bonus. 1 yr. OTR exp./No Hazmat 877-704-3773 (-02)

8th ANNUAL YARD SALE/BAKE SALE – at the Vermont Zen Center: Join members of the Vermont Zen Center at their 8th Annual Yard and Bake Sale. Shop for treasures large and small while munching on delicious home-made baked goods and enjoying the beautiful gardens. Items for sale to include artwork, antiques, pottery, sporting goods, household furnish-ings, books, multi-cultural clothing, classroom & teach-er resources, video games, electronics, toys, and more! All proceeds benefit the Vermont Zen Center and its many programs. When: Saturday, August 16, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (no early birds please) Where: 480 Thomas Road, Shelburne. For more information, please call 310-4074 or 985-3177. (-01)

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].

Classifieds

to Noa Urbaitel, a senior at Champlain Valley Union High School from Charlotte, whose written piece titled “Cinnamon Rolls on Broadway” was published in the “Young Writers Project” section of the August 1 Burlington Free Press. Noa had a separate piece published in July. It appears he is on a roll (pun intended). In “Cinnamon Rolls,” he reflects on bits and pieces of Manhattan. Standing in the median of upper Broadway and peeling “apart the stickiness of a cinnamon roll,” he says he “fell in love with New York City all over again.”

to the following students from Charlotte who attended the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) this summer: Alex Duchac, environmental science and technology; Natalie Franklin, engineering; Leo Garbose, arts; Andrew Oliver, entrepreneurship; Micah Ranallo, entrepreneurship; Theodore Turnau, entrpreneurship; Noa Urbaitel, arts. GIV hosted nine institutes this summer on college campuses throughout Vermont, with 430 high school students attending.

to Rob Niccolai, a recent transplant to Charlotte who was hired by Kelleher Samets Volk (KSV) to become the company’s client group director. In overseeing KSV’s relationship with its clients, Niccolai hopes to “build and maintain a collaborative culture among employees” while directing the day-to-day management of the client group.

to Allison Maxfield and James Carmichael of Forest Hills, Queens, New York, who were married Aug. 2 in Newmarket, N.H. The bride teaches school in Queens, and the groom is a brand manager for the National Football League in its New York City office. The bride’s grandparents are Marge and Hal Blake, who spend summers on Thompson’s Point.

to John Moses, who graduated from Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain, with a master’s degree in global music and entertainment. John is the son of Meredith and Peter Moses of Charlotte, who were fortunate enough to travel to Europe for his graduation.

to Jim and Susan Fitzpatrick, summer residents of Charlotte, who were featured in an article in the Aug. 10 Burlington Free Press that discusses the sale of their 14-year-old website business SchoolSpring.com. The site helps school districts hire educators while helping teachers find jobs. In her article, Lynn Monty quotes Fitzpatrick as saying that SchoolSpring is “Monster.com just for educators.” Fitzpatrick is a former principal of Champlain Valley Union High School.

is extended to family and friends of Rayelen Prouty Moore of Charlotte, who passed away July 20 at the age of 90. The family plans to hold a memorial service in the fall. They ask that those wishing to make donations in her honor consider doing so to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018.

is extended to family and friends of Dale Manning of North Fayston, who passed away Aug. 5 at the age of 48. His surviving family includes his nephew Grant Manning of Charlotte. The family asks that those wishing to make contributions in his memory consider doing so to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641-5369.

is extended to family and friends of Roger Hutchins of Swanton, who passed away July 3 at the age of 64. His surviving family includes his brother Vern and Vern’s wife, Rachel, of Charlotte. The family asks that those wishing to make memorial donations consider doing so to the Vermont Charitable Foundation, 789 National Guard Road, Colchester, VT 05446.

is extended to friends of Town Hall pet and best friend, Mo-Mo, Assistant Town Clerk Sharron Balaban’s yellow Labrador retriever who passed away Aug. 2 at the age of 13. Mo-Mo was known to greet all who came into Town Hall with a friendly wag of his tail and a sniff. He often positioned himself in the building so that he could see people as they came through the door. Mary Mead’s dog, Sally, and he were good companions.

Correction:In our last issue we failed to print the complete

address for donations in the name of Lindsay Goldsborough Reagan, which the family requests be made in her name to Foreside Financial Services, Three Canal Plaza, c/o Samantha Swift, Portland, ME 04101.

Those who attended the second annual Town Beach Party

on Aug. 3 reveled in music by the Mystic Party Band and Tom

and Oskar Williams, played on paddle boards supplied by

Outdoor Gear Exchange and saw entertainment ranging from

Celtic dancers to storyteller Bud Shriner. “This is an entirely

volunteer-driven event for the community, so thanks to everyone

else who contributed in large and small ways,” said Bill Fraser-

Harri, chair of the Charlotte Recreation Commission.

(From left) Vanessa Crowley, Dale

Knowles and Fraser-Harris carve a

pig donated by Peter Trono of Fat

Cow Farm. According to Fraser-Harris,

the party was a “tremendous” success

despite a lower-than-expected turnout.

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the charlotte news | august 14, 2014

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