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When the circus comes to town
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
WWW.WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
L.A. emigrant creates circus class in Williston BY JASON STARR Observer staff
You might call Rob Crites a climate refugee. Or a pandemic migrant. Or just someone ready to return east after building a performing arts career over two decades in Los Angeles. Whatever the confluence of reasons Crites and his family left the drought-choked West for the greener pastures of Vermont, he has found a home here — and a home for his unique educational offerings. Crites is a circus performer with a resume that includes a stint on Paul McCartney’s 2004 tour of Europe and numerous movie and TV roles. In 2020, he embarked with his wife and son on a cross-country trip that included a stay in Vermont, where his parents (Stowe) and brother (Shelburne) live and where he had regularly visited. “We’ve been coming here for
The Circus Skills class taught by Rob Crites (far right) shows off a pyramid at Williston Central School on Thursday. OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
over 20 years, and we just fell in love with it again. We didn’t realize on the trip that we were shopping for
our future home,” Crites said. The family returned to California, but not to stay. By early 2021,
they were back in Vermont, settling in a home in St. George. “Living in Los Angles at the
to $72,000, and the owners haven’t responded to letters from the town assessor or town attorney seeking collection. Earlier this year, the selectboard formalized the town’s tax sale policy in preparation to hold auctions. “With anyone who has delinquent taxes, our first approach is we want to work with that
person, the property owner, to bring their taxes current,” Town Manager Erik Wells said. “There are a lot of different ways to do that, and this is a step available in state law to get the delinquent taxes paid.” The properties are on Butternut Road, Shunpike Road, Old Creamery Road, Williston Road,
Southridge Road and Stoneybrook Drive. A tax sale would likely be held, auction-style, at Town Hall. A property owner can pay the delinquency at any time leading up to the sale to cancel the sale. Even after the sale, there is a one-year grace period allowing the property owner to pay the
height of the pandemic with no vaccines, it certainly opened our eyes to bigger things,” Crites said. “For many reasons we wanted to make a change for the better, and right at the top of the list was quality of life for our son. We were ecstatic at the possibility of him going to Allen Brook, Williston Central and CVU.” Crites worked as a paraeducator at Williston Central during his first year here in 2021 while his son attended Allen Brook. From there he connected with the Williston Recreation and Parks Department. He had been a teacher of circus skills in Los Angeles alongside his performing career, and he saw an opportunity to offer a similar program here. “It seemed like circus was underserved here in the greater Burlington area,” he said. Crites, partnering with Williston Parks and Rec, launched his circus skills class earlier this month. Seven students come to the WCS gym on Thursday afternoons for 75 minutes of juggling, stilt-walking and unisee CIRCUS page 2
Tax delinquencies lead to possible property auctions BY JASON STARR Observer staff
Williston town administrators have identified seven properties to put up for public auction in an attempt to recoup losses from unpaid taxes. The properties have tax delinquencies ranging from $3,000
delinquent taxes (and interest) to retain the property. “The process provides multiple steps and warnings for folks to pay off the delinquent taxes,” said Wells. “It’s been a few years since the town has considered a tax sale. But we want to work to make sure everyone’s taxes are current.”
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