Endangered bats
Title hunt
Wildlife officials find Indiana bat colony in Hinesburg
Champlain Valley High School sports season gets underway
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September 15, 2022
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Weekly news coverage for Charlotte and Hinesburg
thecitizenvt.com
Hinesburg seeks consultant to craft public safety plan
Star spiral
COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
Hinesburg is looking for a consultant to work with a task force of residents to shape the direction of the town’s police and fire departments. The consultant, according to a draft request for proposal, would prepare a 10-year strategic plan for achieving specific goals that
“reflect the community’s public safety values and vision.” Notably, the company would work hand in hand with a task force of residents, chosen by the selectboard, to help shape the plan. “What, generally, does public safety mean to residents of Hinesburg? We’re going to get a lot of different opinions,” town manager See PUBLIC SAFETY on page 11
Vermont Principals Association
Zero tolerance on bad behavior TOMMY GARDNER STAFF WRITER
COURTESY PHOTO
Maura Kelley of Hinesburg shot this stunner of star trails over Shelburne Pond Sept. 2. The exposure spanned almost an hour, Kelley said, and “it’s not the stars that are moving, but actually, it’s us. You can see airplane trails and light pollution as well.”
Players aren’t the only ones who can get ejected from sporting events this year. That’s the message from the Vermont Principals Association, which oversees varsity sports in Vermont, following a year that saw numerous acts of bad sportsmanship and ugly fan behavior — racial epithets, transphobic comments, body shaming and general harassment of all kinds. Lauren Thomas, the VPA’s assistant executive director, said it can be easy to forget that a sporting event isn’t just a game at the youth levels, but, in a way, an extension of the classroom. And one doesn’t expect an unruly fan to simply walk into a classroom and talk trash while kids are figuring out algebra equations, working on a sculpture
or memorizing state capitals. High school sports venues ought to provide the same levels of protection for the students, Thomas said. “You learn so many good skills on the field, and we don’t want the kids to be subject to bullying and harassment,” she said. “As adults, we need to model the type of behavior that we want our kids to show.” South Burlington’s director of activities, Mike Jabour, said it’s far easier to “redirect” a student who acts up at a game, whether through disciplinary actions or old-fashioned teachable moments. For adults, it often takes another adult to step in. “Students can check themselves a little bit more so than an adult can,” Jabour said. “With the way an adult acts and receives, if See SPORTS on page 10