Ring toss
Clean & Green
Six council candidates view for three seats
We should use road salt with care
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VOLUME 48, NO. 6
VTrans scribes craft puns
First in flight
New federal regs could end the fun COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER
inghast says this year’s budget season highlighted some major issues with the state’s current education funding formula known as Act 127 and dealing with the law will be a major role for school board members for months after Town Meeting Day. “This year’s budget season has differed greatly from years past largely by the state change in the education funding formula putting a much bigger tax burden on our community,” she said. “The current tax
Rachel Noyes often laughs at her own jokes, but in her defense, it’s hard not to laugh when you’re driving along I-89 and the traffic sign is telling you to “Camp in the woods / Not in the left lane.” Plenty of signs like that have popped up on Vermont’s interstates in recent years — “If you hate tickets / Raise your right foot,” for example, or “Visiting in laws? / Slow down, be late” — that gently remind you not to drive like a maniac but are also objectively hilarious. Noyes ought to know, she wrote them. “The thing that’s so great about this is I submit a lot of these and when I’m on the highway and I see these, I laugh,” Noyes said. “I think they’re so great.” The outreach manager with the state highway safety office, Noyes is one half of a writer’s room in the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Together with Ryan Knapp, the agency’s Intelligent Transportation System chief, they’re tasked with coming up with messages to flash to drivers as they’re motoring along the interstate. The two have been crafting the puns since at least 2020. The paramount purpose of the message boards is to enhance highway safety in real time, Knapp says. That means alerting drivers that there’s a crash ahead, or that there may be black ice on the road, or that there’s snow on the ground and you don’t want to have to call a wrecker to pull your
See SCHOOL BOARD on page 10
See VTRANS on page 12
South Burlington resident Mike Dean took this photo of the inaugural Breeze Airways flight from Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport in South Burlington to Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 31.
School board candidates talk Act 127
Three seats up for grabs, three seats go uncontested LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
The South Burlington School Board has three uncontested seats up on Town Meeting Day with a new candidate, Elaine Cissi, vying for the two-year seat vacated by the board’s current chair, Kate Bailey. Incumbent Chelsea Tillinghast is running for reelection to her three-year seat, while Tim Warren, who was chosen by the board following the resignation of Bryan Companion in September, is seeking reelection for the one year remaining on the term.
Warren, a resident of South Burlington for 25 years, said he has enjoyed working with his constituents and the school community, but his work is not over yet. “I look forward to continuing my service to South Burlington,” he wrote announcing his candidacy. Tillinghast, who has been on full-time mom duty for the last few months, has still found time to commit to the board even during what many have called one of the hardest budget years South Burlington has ever faced. As board clerk for the last two years, Till-
Page 2 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
Six candidates running Sending Love for three city council seats COREY MCDONALD STAFF WRITER RED ROSES TOGETHER FOREVER
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With petitions officially filed with South Burlington’s clerk, the field for March’s city council election is set, with six candidates running for three open seats. This year’s election is wide open, with no incumbent running for reelection. City Council Chair Helen Riehle last month announced she would not seek reelection, while Meaghan Emery, the longest-tenured member of the council, announced earlier this month she would also be stepping down. These announcements came three months after Tyler Barnes, who was elected to a two-year term in March last year, announced he would be stepping down after taking a job out of state. Elizabeth Fitzgerald is the only candidate running for the remaining year of Barnes’ seat. But several candidates have filed to run for the other two seats. Julian Keenan, a member of the city’s Natural Resources and Conservation Committee, has filed to run for Emery’s two-year seat. He will vie against Mike Scanlan and Lydia Diamond. Planning commission member Laurie Smith, meanwhile, is seeking the three-year term vacated by Riehle. Challenging him is Linda Bailey, who previously campaigned for a council seat in 2022 but lost to Tim Barritt. Bailey, a Chamberlin resident, grew up in Johnson and raised her kids in Jeffersonville but later
Linda Bailey
moved to South Burlington. “There are exciting possibilities in our future,” she said in her announcement. Bailey was interviewed by The Other Paper on her candidacy and the issues facing the city. She can be reached via email at lindabailey4sb@gmail. com. The paper will interview all candidates on the ballot, and has already published talks with Fitzgerald, Smith and Keenan. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You noted in your announcement that almost all the councilors in recent years have been from the southeast quadrant, and that “sometimes it seems other parts of our community don’t get the attention they deserve.” What do you think the solution is to that? Do you support the council switching to a district-mode of elections rather than at-large? Are there
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are other ways to achieve that in addition to or separate from that? Linda Bailey: Certainly the easiest way to get a broader representation is to move to some sort of district form. Running at-large is both expensive, and you’re trying to reach out to areas that you don’t know as well. I live in the Chamberlin district, not in the Orchard district, so I know less intimately what’s going on there. So, having someone coming from your area, that’s basically a neighbor, makes them both more approachable, and I would think that the campaigning would be easier as well when you have a smaller number of people to talk to. I just think it would give better representation if you had people from all corners of the city. You said in your announcement that you want to revisit the open space fund — that uses taxpayer funds from everyone in the city — and you said that seven out of seven of those purchases have only been used for property in the southeast quadrant. What do you mean when you say you want to revisit the Open Space Fund — would you eliminate it, decrease it, or simply look at other places for purchases with that money? Bailey: All of the above. It needs to be relooked at. Since the interim zoning and new land development regulations have gone into effect, the space in the southeast quadrant is protected with natural resource protections, with conservation zoning districts, all these different ways that we’ll keep a lot of open space down there. I don’t think that the city needs to invest there, unless they’re investing in something that they’re going to do that will be available to everyone in the city. I was disappointed last summer when a third plan for using the Hubbard Park area, which is in the southeast quadrant and was bought a decade or more ago with open space funds —apparently, that was felt to be still too much development. Now, the only thing authorized is a very small parking lot, a bike path through the center of it, and there’s four acres leased to common roots to raise vegetables to sell. And that’s all that can happen there now, and that’s not what a city park is, that’s not a reason for someone from here to See BAILEY on page 12
The Other Paper • February 8, 2024 • Page 3
Security guard jailed for pretending to be a federal agent MIKE DONOGHUE CORRESPONDENT
A private security guard who authorities say falsely claimed he was both a federal agent and former Marine was ordered jailed Monday after appearing in federal court on fraudulent impersonation charges. Brandon Anderson, 34, of Williston, had been providing armed protection through a private security firm for a Williston building leased by the Federal Emergency Management Agency until he was fired last Friday, officials said. South Burlington Police confirmed this week that it had an incident with Anderson claiming to be a federal agent during an incident at the University Mall three months ago, court records note. The latest case unfolded when the Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department received a call from the FedEx office in Williston on Wednesday, Jan. 31, about a man dressed in full tactical gear and a wearing a holstered
gun, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations said in court records, which also noted he was attempting to ship numerous firearms to New York. A Chittenden deputy sheriff, who is an actual retired federal agent himself, spoke to Anderson over the phone and asked several questions, but soon became suspicious. Anderson claimed he was a “DHS agent” (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) and was trying to ship the guns to a private company, court records show. When asked if he was a sworn law enforcement officer — somebody who carries a firearm, badge and has full arrest powers — the suspect responded yes, records show. The deputy sheriff and Homeland Security Investigations agents responded to the FedEx office on Marshall Avenue and observed Anderson in full gear with a personal identity verification card on the right side of his vest and a black tactical uniform with black body armor with no patches except for a small insignia on the vest, records show.
FedEx said it would not ship the guns that Anderson wanted to send to his employer, Strategic Security Corp. of Smithtown, N.Y., records show. Anderson appeared briefly in federal court Monday and the prosecution asked for a three-day delay in the detention hearing to allow it to further investigate the defendant, who authorities believe to be from Greenwood, Ind. Magistrate Judge Kevin Doyle agreed to continue the hearing until Thursday after ruling there was initial evidence Anderson might be a risk to flee or for non-appearance. The government said it considered Anderson both a danger to the community and a risk to flee. Anderson has been living at a Williston hotel and has been on the job since at least last July, but is now unemployed, Doyle said. Anderson has no known ties to Vermont. Homeland Security Investigations arrested Anderson at the FEMA office on Hurricane Lane in Williston around 2 p.m. last Friday,
and eventually lodged him at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Friday evening. The investigation revealed Anderson was involved in a case three months ago in South Burlington. He was wearing a tactical vest and carrying a gun during an incident at the University Mall on Dorset Street on Nov. 10, 2023, according to South Burlington Police. Mall security asked the man, later identified as Anderson, what agency he worked for, the man claimed he was a “fed,” HSI said in court papers. The man later said he was with “DHS,” and he was working a “protection detail,” Homeland Security Investigations said, adding Anderson was with a 46-year-old woman, who was employed by FEMA. A FEMA security supervisor told Homeland Security Investigations last Thursday that his agency does not employ security officers to perform executive protection, and See ANDERSON on page 7
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Page 4 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
South Burlington Police Blotter: Jan. 29 - Feb. 4 Total reported incidents: 237 Stolen vehicle: 2 Larceny from a vehicle: 2 Suspicious events: 17 Domestic incidents: 6 Larceny: 4 Unlawful mischief: 2 Retail theft: 9 Burglary: 1 Stalking: 1 Threats: 4 Selected incidents: Jan. 29 at 12:15 a.m., a burglary was reported from the Executive Car Wash on Williston Road. The incident remains under investigation. Arrests: Jan. 29 at 6:27 a.m., Olivia A. Hines, 30, of South Burlington, was arrested on Williston Road and charged with violation of conditions of release. Jan. 30 at 9:24 a.m., Michael J. Goodman Jr., 50, no address given, was arrested while driving on Berard Drive and charged with driving with a criminally suspended license. Jan. 30 at 2:30 p.m., Katelynn Charbonneau, 28, no address given, was arrested on Dorset Street, and charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer, retail theft and giving false information to a police officer. Jan. 31 at 1:24 a.m., Christopher J. Adams, 43, of Burlington,
was arrested while driving on Shelburne Road and charged with driving with a criminally suspended license. Jan. 31 at 7:52 p.m., Sharon S. Brailsford, 55, of South Burlington, was arrested on Shelburne and Martindale roads on an in-state warrant. Feb. 1 at 5:10 a.m., Rogerio Marchesini, 46, of South Burlington, was arrested at Olde Orchard Park and charged with domestic assault, unlawful restraint, and interference with access to emergency services. Feb. 2 at 1:10 p.m., Victor O. Allen, 52, of Burlington, was arrested on an in-state warrant on I-89 northbound near Exit 15. Feb. 2 at 9:37 p.m., Eva M. Pellegrino, 58, of South Burlington, was arrested while driving on Williston Road and charged with driving under the influence, first offense. Feb. 3 at 7:09 a.m., Darryl D. Kittredge II, 34, no address given, was arrested on an in-state warrant. Feb. 3 at 9:39 p.m., Brian K. Leclair, 43, of Colchester, was arrested on an in-state warrant. Feb. 4 at 12:16 a.m., Gino Agostini, 62, of Lasalle, Quebec, was arrested while driving on Williston Road and Dorset Street and charged with driving under the influence and possession of narcotics.
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The Other Paper • February 8, 2024 • Page 5
OPINION A national infrastructure bank would help pay for needed fixes believe, includes and requires forgiveness and redemption so that we ensure all are included in new economic growth. Rep. Kate Nugent Being able to invest in projects we need right now, from energy transformation I was recently asked to speak at a and climate-resilient downtowns to school virtual national town hall on an idea and remodeling and housing stock, in addition policy new to me, but which has been in to bridges and roads, would have a visible existence since the founding of the United and significant impact on the States: a national infrastructure quality of our daily lives, on the bank. vibrancy of our communities and H.R.4052 is the bill currently on neighborhood connectivity. in Congress that would authoIn addition to advocating for rize this bank and there is a a national infrastructure bank national coalition working to and strengthening the middle get members to co-sponsor and class, I have been working champion the bill. A nationon several bills in the House al infrastructure bank is what Committee on Government Alexander Hamilton developed Operations and Military Affairs, that allowed the states to manage Rep. Kate Nugent including: their debt, create capital for • H.140 is a bill related to funding new projects vital to the government grants that would success of the new country and assist small businesses, nonprofits and generate economic momentum. At another critical time in our country’s other government grantees with access to grant announcements. It would improve history, a national infrastructure bank was used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to infrastructure and efficiency of the state’s processes so that the vital work we as a finance much of the New Deal that helped state expect from these organizations and pave the way to the strongest middle class businesses can continue to be done in global history. This idea interested me • H.612 updates cannabis regulafor several reasons. tions, which initially included removing One, such banks are not new, and have the current potency caps, among other been tested and used successfully, first here and now in many other countries. The changes, and will continue to be discussed throughout the session U.S. has created five such banks during its • A draft committee bill on municipal relatively short existence as a country that, and state ethics code that would provide each time, have helped generate economic uniform guidance and processes from the growth and strength. state ethics commission to all municipaliIn addition, a national infrastructure ties as well as across all state-level elected bank is outside of the normal Congrespositions, like how many other states sional budgeting process, so it does not operate. require new taxes or fees, a budget agree• Proposed alcohol regulation changes, ment or a continuing resolution. In this including one that would expand special way, it can be immune from some of the event permittees to all types of retailers. stagnation in Congress. • An animal welfare bill that would Finally, there is a significant need for create a state agency of animal welfare and capital investment in Vermont and across set standards of care of animal treatment the country that has arisen from decades and transportation in and into Vermont. of deferred maintenance, underinvestment • Various updates and amendments to and political polarization. Such a bank town and city charters. would allow for financing of projects that • A technical corrections bill, which would generate much-needed economic is more than 400 pages long, that updates energy and increase revenues from existlanguage and references in Vermont’s ing taxation sources and avoid needing to increase taxes on the middle class at a time laws, including removing a section that includes a definition of “absconded” — when most feel stymied by inflation and a stagnant housing market. School construc- whose definition had, apparently, been absconded with — and adding “Space tion needs in Vermont alone are daunting Force” to mentions of the branches of the relative to the current government funding U.S. military. capacity. As always, thank you for reading and Another reason I support this: It would reach out any time with your thoughts, have benefits beyond just the physical concerns, or questions, or just to say hello. infrastructure it would help fund, similar I look forward to hearing from you and to how it helped our nation move out of seeing you at my next office hours at the the Great Depression, both economically library on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. and psychologically. to noon. As we have been reckoning with our past in new ways, it seems we also need Kate Nugent, a Democrat, represents to remember the reason we are reckoning South Burlington in the Chittenden-10 and trying to atone — we believe we are House district. worthy of doing better. Doing better, I
From the House
ELECT
Laurie Smith FOR CITY COUNCIL EXPERIENCED, COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP I support the candidacy of Laurie Smith for City Council. Laurie has been an active participant in important city discussions as a commissioner on the Planning Commission. He is thoughtful, seeks understanding and consensus through dialogue, and brings a wealth of experience working with local and state policy as a longtime professional in construction. I believe that today’s and future generations of residents will benefit from his leadership. Meaghan Emery, City Council Vice-Chair
To learn more or to contact me: SmithForSBCouncil.com Laurie@SmithforSBCouncil.com Paid for by Smith For Council, 50 Central Ave, S Burlington, VT 05403
Page 6 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
This winter, remember to use road salt with care Clean & Green Katherine Boyk
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I used to live in Bozeman, Mont., where there is a ban on road salt. As the city is located in the headwaters of the Missouri River, this is wonderful for protecting water quality. But it made for treacherous driving. If you needed to be on the road during a snowstorm — let’s face it, sometimes you do — you were constantly sliding through intersections, unable to stop, or fishtailing into the oncoming lane when turning. I started having nightmares about my car’s brakes not working. So, when I moved to Vermont, I was both relieved and surprised to find road salt being used, making winter driving safer. But it came as a surprise that Vermont, which is generally more progressive on environmental issues than conservative-leaning Montana, would use road salt liberally. Road salt, also called rock salt, is typically made of sodium chloride, and used to melt snow and ice. But when it enters streams and lakes through stormwater runoff, it becomes a toxic pollutant. You might think that the sodium would be the biggest concern for freshwater ecosystems, but chloride is actually more harmful. You might be familiar with using chlorine to kill bacteria in a swimming pool. In a stream or lake, it kills aquatic organisms like zooplankton, aquatic invertebrates and the eggs and embryos of fish and amphibians. Road salt even contributes to harmful algae blooms because chloride kills the zooplankton that would normally eat algae. Once road salt gets into water, it doesn’t break down. Chloride levels will continue to increase over time as more salt is applied each year. Even though road salt is only used in winter, chloride is now found in at high levels in several local waterways yearround. There is particular concern about chloride pollution in Potash Brook. Rethink Runoff’s stream teams monitored chloride levels 28 times at different sites on Potash Brook between 2012 and 2019. In 22 of the 28 water samples, chloride levels were higher than the water quality standard of 230 mg/L. Water pollution isn’t the only issue caused by road salt. It also pollutes soil and groundwater, damages roads, bridges and vehicles, and irritates pets’ paws and makes them sick if ingested.
While Vermont communities may not be seeking to ban road salt entirely — as I experienced in Montana — there is plenty of opportunity to improve water quality by using road salt more responsibly. South Burlington has been working for a number of years on reducing salt use on city-maintained streets and is seeing success. South Burlington uses new, efficient practices like salt-saver plow blades, pre-wetting rock salt with brine to help it stick to the road surface, and GPS monitoring to track salt use per lane mile. With this new technology, the city has been able to reduce its salt use per lane mile by 40 percent since 2014. With the cost of road salt increasing dramatically, the investments in new equipment will save the city money in the long-term. The next area the city would like to address is road salt use on residential and commercial properties. “(We need) a culture shift away from significantly over-applying salt to understanding that sodium chloride is a pollutant and should be used sparingly,” Dave Wheeler, water resources engineer at the South Burlington Department of Public Works, said. A good starting point for this culture shift would be to teach residents and business owners about the proper application of road salt. Many people aren’t even aware that they are using salt wrong or applying too much. Here are some tips if you are applying road salt yourself: • Shovel or plow first, before applying salt. • Then check if salt is even necessary: is the pavement slippery? • If you do need to use salt, scatter it so there is about three inches between each salt grain. A 12-ounce coffee mug full of salt is enough to treat a 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares, according
to Wisconsin Salt Wise. • Road salt doesn’t work when the pavement is below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. When it’s very cold, you can use a different form of deicer or sand for traction. If you hire a plowing company, ask them if they are willing and able to follow the above guidelines. The Lake Champlain Basin Program offers workshops about reducing salt use, and Lake Chaplain Sea Grant has information on its website. There are products that claim to be natural or safe deicers. They are often dyed a lovely light green or blue. But if you read the ingredients, they contain the same compounds as traditional rock salt: sodium chloride, magnesium chloride and potassium chloride. So don’t be deceived into thinking that these products are better for the environment. It would seem our best option is to stick with regular rock salt but use new technology and best practices to greatly reduce how much we apply. I am hopeful that our community can act responsibly this winter to find a balance between safe roads and sidewalks while protecting the health of our streams and Lake Champlain. And yes, several years after leaving Montana, I’m still having nightmares about driving down icy hills, unable to brake or steer the car.
Katherine Boyk is a resident of South Burlington and member of the Natural Resources and Conservation Committee. She works for the Vermont Rural Water Association. Clean & Green is a regular feature, initiated and managed by the South Burlington Energy Committee, and will feature a variety of perspectives from members of city committees and commissions, city staff and outside organizations on environmental issues facing the city.
Letters to the Editor Bring a fresh perspective, diplomacy to council To the Editor: I was excited to read the announcement in this paper from Mike Scanlan about running for South Burlington City Council. I believe he will make an excellent new addition to the leadership of the city. His diplomatic background and experience are just what we need. I have heard Mike speak
at many city meetings and he always seems to provide wise and constructive contributions. His comments come from a fresh perspective and are well thought out. I also find that he listens and keeps an open mind. I believe he will strive to balance the needs of various constituents. He has shown me that he is passionate about making South See LETTERS on page 7
The Other Paper • February 8, 2024 • Page 7
LETTERS
continued from page 6 Burlington a stronger community. This feels like an important time to give support to someone like Scanlan, who exemplifies bringing people together to solve the challenges we face. Please join me in voting for Mike Scanlan. Bob Britt South Burlington
Served schools well, will serve city well, too To the Editor: I strongly endorse Elizabeth Fitzgerald for the city council. I moved from Southern Vermont to South Burlington seven years ago. Before I actually moved, then-school board member, and now state legislator, Martin LaLonde tried to recruit me for the South Burlington School Board due to my 25 years of experience. My short answer was, “Martin, you are crazy. I don’t know South Burlington, and South Burlington does not know me.” “Yes, but you know school boards.” I had seen many versions of school boards. Some I liked very much and some I did not. He did make me very curious though, and I regularly attended school board meetings. Fitzgerald was chair, and I soon came to admire her. She ran excellent meetings. She was knowledgeable, calm, and, unlike some I have known, she respected the public’s right to comment. Once, she even invited comment from someone who might have useful information. I am still not sure that I know South Burlington, but I know Elizabeth Fitzgerald. She served you well once and she will serve you very well again. Wendell Coleman South Burlington
Candidate genuine about collaborating with others To the Editor: Over the 50-plus years I have made my home in Chittenden
County, with 37 years in South Burlington, I have worked with many leaders in education, municipal government, and business. I have known Laurie Smith for many years and my interactions with him have left me with a deep appreciation for his broad and deep knowledge and, above all, his genuine intent to work toward collaborative solutions. His work has involved building projects and business development while keeping an eye on long-term sustainability and environmental impact. Smith reaches out to those who disagree with him to engage in discussion and to learn while developing an improved solution. His varied experience and skills will benefit us all. Simply, his demeanor and communication style with others is highly regarded and will ensure wisdom and balance on the council. Voting for him will be one of the easiest election decisions I will make this March 5 and I encourage you to join me. Mark Furnari South Burlington
Like four years ago, time to vote no on school budget To the Editor: It wasn’t that long ago — 2020 — that we voted down the school board’s proposed budget at town meeting not once, but twice, and passed it on the third try. The successful budget proposal came in at $52.5 million, 1.3 percent over the previous year’s base. This year, the board is proposing a budget that increases spending from $62.5 million to $71.2 million. That’s an increase of $8.7 million, or a 14 percent increase in spending. This is a huge increase. I don’t know any taxpayer whose income will go up by 14 percent this year. To make matters worse, if this budget is passed, it will increase property taxes by a whopping 18-plus percent There are reasons why the tax is so high that go beyond the increase in the budget. It has to do with Act 127, the and the
unanticipated low common level appraisal rate we received that has to do with the statewide education funding. It helps poorer towns provide school funding equity for its students. Wealthier towns, not so much. Violet Nichols, the school board chair, sent a memo out to the community explaining the relationship between the budget, the CLA, the need for the spending increase, and how various spending reductions and tax scenarios could impact the quality of education. Nevertheless, she asked the community to support the board’s 14 percent increase and reach out to the Legislature to fix the education fund so that our property taxes could be lowered. She goes into the details in that memo, so I won’t go into them here. Regardless of the CLA or the Legislature, I don’t see how we can support a school budget that increases its funding base by 14 percent, with or without an 18-plus percent increase in taxes. We need to vote no on the school budget and compel the board to reduce spending regardless of what the Legislature does. We want to pass a school budget for our kids, but it needs to be reasonable and sustainable to be supported by the taxpayers who have to pay for it. A percent increase in spending and an 18-plus percent property tax is not. Joe Patrissi South Burlington
Tax increase won’t make housing more affordable To the Editor: Are you kidding me? Vermont is already the fourth highest property taxed state in the nation (Google it). Looks like we are aspiring to be No. 1. Everyone is talking about affordable housing, so how does an 18 percent tax increase make housing more affordable? It doesn’t. Bob Bramley South Burlington
ANDERSON
continued from page 3 employees should never describe themselves as federal officers, HSI said. South Burlington Police, which had been summoned, spoke with mall security personnel, who said they did not want him carrying a firearm in the mall unless he was on official duties. Homeland Security Investigations said Anderson reported he
supervised four employees and would sometimes wear his full tactical gear while off-duty, including shopping at Shaw’s supermarket. Homeland Security Investigations resident agent in charge in South Burlington, Alex Zuchman, also confronted Anderson about his claims of having served in the U.S. Marines and listing it on his employment paperwork, court
records show. Anderson had claimed in the papers he had an honorable discharge after serving Oct. 8, 2007, to August 13, 2011, court records note. Records from the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service showed he had no civilian or military service.
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Page 8 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
Community Notes High school debate club hosts candidate forum
South Burlington Youth Baseball and Softball has been providing a safe, healthy way for kids to make friends and stay active for over 40 years. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for ages 5 to 12
Sign up today at www.sbybs.com • Scholarships available for all league ages • Your child will improve their game and learn important life skills
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Before Town Meeting Day on March 5, the SBHS Debate team will be hosting an evening forum with the candidates for the open positions on both the School Board and City Council. On Feb. 15, students will ask questions of the School Board candidates from 6-7 p.m., followed by the city council candidates from 7-9 p.m. The candidates for city Council are Linda Bailey, Lydia Diamond, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Julian Keenan, Mike Scanlan, and Laurie Smith. The candidates for School Board are Elaine Cissi, Chelsea Tillinghast and Tim Warren. The event will be held in the city auditorium and it will be available electronically. South Burlington residents Vince Bolduc and Anne LaLonde are coordinating the effort.
Asylum seeker network seeks artists for fundraiser After fleeing life-threatening situations in their country of origin, asylum seekers face a yearslong legal process. While they wait, these new neighbors often know no one here, are not eligible for most benefits, and not immediately allowed to work. Since 2019 the Chittenden Asylum Seekers Assistance Network has stepped in to fill these gaps, providing assistance according to each family or individual’s situation. Artists can help by sharing their creations and creative process through CASAN’s Arts for Asylum Seekers fundraiser. Last year, creatives from Vermont, other states, and across the globe helped the organization raise $9,000 for its transportation fund while brightening April with their art, music, photos, poetry and other creative work shared by email and/or social media. An informational meeting on
COURTESY PHOTO
From left, Mary Scripps, Kimberly Rockwood and Halina Vercessi in an upcoming Shelburne town hall production. See note, below.
Zoom is Feb. 22. Sign up at sites. google.com/view/casan-vermont/ arts-for-asylum-seekers. Email questions to artsforasylumseekers@gmail.com. Artists and other “creatives” — broadly defined to include visual artists, sculptors, potters, poets, writers, musicians, photographers, dancers, gardeners, etc. — will produce and share virtually their work, daily or once a week, for the full month of April. All ages and skill levels, amateur or professional, may participate. A participant does not need to produce a final product each day, but can share steps of a longer-term project, such as progress in painting a portrait, another line written for a poem, or a few more stitches sewn.
Start thinking spring with garden club program The Burlington Garden Club’s monthly meeting is Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. at 899 Dorset Street in South Burlington, and features a program called “Spring Beauty,”
with Charlotte Albers. Go beyond forsythia and look at other plants that can bring added color and beauty to your garden at winter’s end — shadbush, redbud, magnolia, lilac, woodland phlox, wildflowers, and a rainbow of bulbs suitable for the Northeast. Take a virtual tour through lush gardens, learn how to use more natives and spring blooming shrubs beneficial to pollinators and consider layering certain key perennials to create a glorious opening performance in this talk by landscape designer. More information at bgcvt.org.
Convent murder mystery hits Shelburne town hall Go With the Flo Productions presents “Immaculate Deception: and Then There Were NUN, a Convent Murder Mystery,” March 14-16 at 7 p.m., and March 17 at 2 p.m., in the Shelburne town hall. The production is written and directed by Sean Moran and tickets are available online through theaterengine.com or at the door.
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Page 10 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
SB hockey teams skate circles around Burr and Burton LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
Boys’ hockey South Burlington 3, Burr and Burton 2: South Burlington scored with just over a minute left in regulation to earn a win over Burr and Burton in boys’ hockey on Saturday. Mile Van Mullen scored the game winner, his second goal of the game, for the Wolves, who move to 13-2 this season. Colby Reagan added a goal, while Lucas Van Mullen dished out two assists. James Bradley stopped 28 shots to earn the win in the net. It was a rebound win for the Wolves, who fell to Rice 4-1 last Wednesday. Jules Butler had the lone South Burlington goal and James Chagnon (20 saves) took the loss in goal.
Girls’ hockey South Burlington 4, Burr and Burton 2: A two-goal effort from Sabrina Brunet led the South Burlington girls’ hockey team to a win over Burr and Burton on Saturday. Oli Roy and Rosa DiGiulian each added a goal for the Wolves, who are now 11-4 this season. Ava Hershberg and Reese Gordon each chipped in an assist and Taylor Tobrocke (26 saves) for the win in goal.
It was the second win of the week for the Wolves, who also got a big win over the Kingdom Blades last Wednesday. South Burlington beat the Blades 2-1 in overtime to hand the Kingdom team its first loss of the season. Caitlin Bartlett had the overtime game winner for the Wolves, while Hadia Ahmed also scored. Tobrocke made 29 saves in goal.
Girls’ basketball BFA-St. Albans 54, South Burlington 39: South Burlington fell to BFA-St. Albans in high school girls’ basketball on Friday night. Tori Griffin led all scorers with 22 points for the Wolves. South Burlington fell to 1-11.
Gymnastics Champlain Valley 133.5, South Burlington 124.05: Despite a strong all-around effort from South Burlington’s Ella Maynard, Champlain Valley got the edge on the Wolves in a gymnastics matchup on Friday. Maynard was first in the vault and floor exercise and third on the bars to earn the top spot in the all-around competition. Kelsey Adams came in third in the all-around after a thirdplace finish in the vault and the floor exercise.
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Promote your program in our Summer Camps guide for targeted exposure to a local audience of kids and parents as they make plans for the upcoming summer season. This advertising section is a go-to guide for summer camp and recreation seekers, making it the ideal place to outline your offerings and secure more early enrollments. To learn more or reserve your space, talk to us today! Stowe Reporter/News & Citizen at 802-253-2101, Shelburne News/The Citizen at 802-985-3091 or The Other Paper at 802-864-6670 for information or to advertise your camp (ask about multi-paper and color deals). Deadlines: February 1, February 29, March 28.
STOWE REPORTER NEWS&CITIZEN
Elaine Cissi
Tim Warren
Chelsea Tillinghast
SCHOOL BOARD continued from page 1
hikes are totally unsustainable and a major detriment to our city.” While she believes in the equitable spirit of Act 127 as written, the law is not equitable to South Burlington students or other districts like South Burlington, and she noted that a failed budget this year would be “abysmal for our students and community.” Although Cissi is new to the school board scene, she is not new to the South Burlington School District and currently serves as the president of the Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School parent-teacher organization. “I’ve been quite involved in my daughter’s education and have been a present figure in all of her schools to date,” she said. “During the pandemic, we were much involved in her day-today learning. I have been vocal through the years on all things related to the district and have made it a priority to know not just what happens in our daughter’s classroom, but also what the climate is in her school at any particular time and in the district as a whole.” She and her family moved to South Burlington over a decade ago, less than one year after her daughter was born, and, naturally, her first two stops upon arriving in the new city were “getting a South Burlington library card and registering to vote,” she said. But the decision to run for school board now, she said, is due to her commitment to democracy, and because her daughter is now old enough for her to begin branching out. She said since being involved in the PTO and the theater program at the middle school, she has become more aware than ever of the many unique needs that students have. “I believe in civics education and model, whenever I can, the idea that we all must be critical thinkers and give back and be aware and involved to make our
democracy work,” she said. “I taining necessary extracurricular recognize this is a problem for the programs, including advanced state to address and not one we in placement and honors opportuSouth Burlington can rectify — nities, and career and technical the potential effects of Act 127 on education. our schools and community have “My job as a school board galvanized me.” member is to listen respectfully, She said she is also deeply to ask thoughtful questions, to concerned about talk of cutting bring what I know of education several extracurricular programs and my daughter to the table and in the district should the budget to represent all members of this be voted down in March. community but especially the “Act 127 has wrought so many working-class people in South Burlington who difficulties in the value educaSouth Burlington “I believe in civics tion greatly School District. Even if the school education and model, and who are so concerned budget increased whenever I can, the about the zero percent — impacts of Act not possible in idea that we all must 127,” she said. this economic Both Cissi climate — taxes be critical thinkers and Tillinghast in South Burlingsaid they both ton would still rise and give back were in favor by double digits. of the Town South Burlington and be aware and Meeting Day can’t fix the state to expand mandates of Act involved to make our vote the board to 127,” she said. include seven “We are thus left democracy work.” members. to deal with the “It allows repercussions. — Elaine Cissi for a diverse Our schools and representation, children are left to healthy discussion, and a lessdeal with the repercussions.” In addition to that, the district ening of the load for individual also faces some massive infra- members. I do believe, however, structure needs due to its aging that any increase in the school board must come with a commitbuildings. “I do think discussions regard- ment from the community to ing transferring fifth grade to the serve and be a voice not just for middle school, while I respect the adult individuals, but also for all impetus behind this discussion, our children,” Cissi said. Tillinghast explained that the is rather tertiary, given the needs at (the middle school),” she said, current five-member model has speaking about a committee this caused an immense workload year that discussed the viability of for school board members in the moving fifth graders to alleviate past two years, and two additionspace and manage facility needs. al members would allow for a “Any movement of fifth grade to well-trained board to proactively (the middle school) is rather akin address problems in the coming to kicking the can down the road.” years. “Expansion to our school She said this year, the district’s top priorities should be board is much needed,” she said. steering budget discussions in an “More members would mean Act 127 world, while also main- greater efficiency for the district.”
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The Other Paper • February 8, 2024 • Page 11
Obituaries Burke and partner, Grant Davis of Colchester, Mariah Burke of Colchester, Connor Burke of South Burlington and Isabel Burke and partner, Ian McKenna of Brockton, Mass.; great-granddaughter, Claire Lafayette Swomley; and several nieces and nephews. Regina was predeceased by her parents, Mitchell and Isabelle; sister, Phyllis (Jane) LaFayette Gremban in 2023; and brother, Richard Mitchell LaFayette in 1987. Her family would like to thank the staff of Gazebo Senior Living, Maple Ridge Lodge assisted living, Elderwood at Burlington and McClure Miller Respite House for their care of Ginny over the past few years. A private graveside service will be held in the summer. Interment will be at Mt. St. Joseph Cemetery in Bristol. Please consider a donation in Regina’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research or your favorite charity. Arrangements are in care of Stephen Gregory & Son Cremation, South Burlington.
Regina LaFayette Burke Regina (Joyce) LaFayette Burke, 84, died peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, at McClure Miller Respite House with her family by her side after a long illness. She was born in Burlington on March 3, 1939, the daughter of Mitchell Thomas LaFayette and Isabelle (Ann) Thompson LaFayette. Ginny grew up in Middlebury and graduated from Middlebury High School in 1956 where she was junior class marshal, football queen, a member of the yearbook staff and participated in basketball and chorus. She studied elementary education at Castleton Teachers’ College for two years before getting married and raising a family. Regina married William David Burke at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Middlebury on Oct. 11, 1958. They had three children, JoAnn, John, and David, and lived briefly in Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado over Bill’s career in the U.S. Air Force before settling in South Burlington in 1966. After their divorce, Ginny worked as a licensed practical nurse at Fanny Allen Hospital for over 20 years. Ginny loved spending time with her extended family at their camp on Lake Dunmore in Salisbury while sunbathing, swimming, ice fishing or playing cards. She enjoyed vacationing in Florida, Michigan and North Carolina. Her favorite trip was to Paris with her daughter JoAnn, son-inlaw Rob, and granddaughter Jenna, where they visited the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum and Monet’s house and garden in Giverny. Ginny had many close friends and was a member of the Red Hat club. Regina is survived by her children and their spouses, JoAnn (Gina) Burke Fisher and (John) Robert Fisher of Asheville, N.C., John Mitchell Burke and Ann Rand Burke of South Burlington, and David William Burke and Karen Trombley Burke of Ferrisburgh. She is survived by five grandchildren, Jenna Burke and spouse, Max Swomley of Denver, Alexa
William F. (Bill) Ladd William F. (Bill) Ladd, 86, of The Villages, Fla., died Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, and joins his wife, Lois Brassard Ladd, the absolute love of his life to whom he was married to for more than 55 years. Bill was born March 6, 1937, in Colchester, to Edythe (Barker) and Robert C. Ladd. He graduated from Burlington High School, Class of 1955, where he was a three-sport athlete. He was quite proud to have played in the 1955 VT/NH Shriner’s All-Star Football game — which Vermont won in an upset, 18 to 6 — and to have played four years of varsity baseball, winning three state championships. He was most proud of being honored by legendary BHS baseball coach, Orrie Jay, as one of the “24 best players” he had ever coached during his 50-plus-year career. Bill met his beloved wife, Lois, shortly after returning home from his military service of four honorable years in the U.S. Air Force,
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three in Germany. The best friends married Sept. 14, 1963. They bought a home in South Burlington and together raised their three children, Cheryl, Bryon and Donna. Bill deeply loved his family. With his eldest daughter, Cheryl, he shared his love of trivia, taught her to golf, and enjoyed an incredibly special father-daughter friendship. With his only son, Bryon, he shared his love of hunting— spending many fall weekends in the woods or at deer camp with the guys—and was the role model for fatherhood that Bryon emulates every day. With baby daughter Donna, he shared his love of sports and the importance of sportsmanship and, along with his wife, provided a shining example of what marriage should look like. An avid golfer — with three holes-in-one and several rounds under par to his credit — Bill and Lois enjoyed many years golfing together. In 1985, for their 25th wedding anniversary, they traveled to Scotland on the golfing trip of a lifetime. In 1999, they retired to a golfing community in Florida so they could golf together in the winter months. In 2008, they became full-time residents of The Villages in Florida, where Bill was a member of the O.F. Golf Club for over 20 years. Bill proudly served as an usher at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, South Burlington, and St, Timothy’s Catholic Community,
Regina LaFayette Burke
William F. (Bill) Ladd
The Villages. A life member of the Knights of Columbus Council #7525, he served many years as membership director and was instrumental in establishing the Louis J. Trono 4th Degree Assembly #2106 in South Burlington. He served as its faithful navigator from 1989-1991. Bill, Dad, Pop, Uncle Bill, Mr. L., Grampa and Papa will be remembered for his wonderful smile, his incredible intelligence, staunch political views, trivia expertise, quick wit, and, mostly, for his heart of gold, remembering all the dates that matter to the people he loved. He would never miss an opportunity to send a card, an email, a text or make a phone call to family and friends on all the important holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and special days of remembrance. Bill is survived by his children, Cheryl Ladd, Bryon (Kathy) Ladd,
Sr., and Donna (Tim) Kaczmarek; five grandchildren, Melissa Ladd, Christine (Jason) Parent, Bryon (Shelby) Ladd, Jr. PA-C, Evan Kaczmarek and Maria Kaczmarek; four great-grandchildren, Alexis, Jazlyn, Lawrence and Savanna; his sister, Jean Dixon; brothers, Richard (Judy) Ladd and David Ladd; and his large, extended family of sisters- and brothers-inlaw, nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends. A Mass of Christian burial will be said Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at 11 a.m. at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in South Burlington.A reception for family and friends will immediately follow the service. Interment will occur in Resurrection Park, South Burlington, beside his beloved wife, Lois. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: Camp Ta-KumTa (takumta.org), or St Jude’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).
Page 12 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
WARNING
CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT 2024 ANNUAL MEETING
The legal voters of the City of South Burlington School District are hereby notified and warned to meet at their respective polling places at the Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School on 500 Dorset Street, the Orchard School on 2 Baldwin Avenue, the Gertrude Chamberlin School on 262 White Street, and South Burlington City Hall Senior Center on 180 Market Street on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 7:00 o'clock in the morning, at which time the polls will open, until 7:00 o'clock in the evening, at which time the polls will close, to vote by Australian ballot on the following articles:
ARTICLE I ELECTION OF OFFICERS
To elect three (3) Directors to the South Burlington School District Board of School Directors, one (1) Director for a three (3) year term, one (1) Director for a two (2) year term, and one (1) Director for the remaining one (1) year of a two (2) year term as required by law.
ARTICLE II BUDGET
Shall the voters of the City of South Burlington School District approve the School Board to expend Seventy-One Million One Hundred Ninety-Two Thousand Eight Hundred Ninety-One and 00/100 Dollars ($71,192,891.00), which is the amount the School Board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year?
ARTICLE III ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO DISTRICT’S CAPITAL RESERVE FUND AUTHORIZED
Shall the South Burlington School District’s Board of Directors (Board) be authorized to allocate the audited surplus funds from the 2022 fiscal year in the amount of $2,266,362 to the District’s Capital Reserve Fund which, in combination with funds previously allocated or allocated in the future, may be expended for future capital improvements as determined by such Board and detailed in the District’s Facilities Stewardship Plan as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the requirements of 24 V.S.A. 2804? Polling places are at the Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School on 500 Dorset Street, the Orchard School on 2 Baldwin Avenue, the Gertrude Chamberlin School on 262 White Street, and South Burlington City Hall Senior Center on 180 Market Street. Voters are to go to the polling place in their respective District. The legal voters of the City of South Burlington School District are further warned and notified that a public information meeting will be held to discuss Articles I, II, and III on Monday, March 4, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at 180 Market Street. The legal voters of the City of South Burlington School District are further notified that voter qualification, registration, and absentee voting relative to said annual meeting shall be as provided in Chapters 43, 51 and 55 of Title 17, Vermont Statutes Annotated. Dated at South Burlington, Vermont this ___10th___ day of January 2024. South Burlington School District Board of School Directors
BAILEY
continued from page 2 go over there. We need to look at doing more with what the city owns, making things more accessible. So, I’d like to relook at how the open space fund is used, whether it’s buying open spaces in other sections of the city, whether it’s making the cityowned properties more valuable and useful to the people who live in the city, rather than just keeping open meadows in the southeast quadrant, which is already well protected with the land use regulations. You spoke at one of the last meetings regarding the city’s budget and specifically its efforts to fund climate change initiatives — in a nutshell, you urged caution against spending on climate initiatives if money was tight. The city is using American Rescue Plan Act money for next fiscal year, but it could be an expensive endeavor in future years. What is your opinion on these initiatives and spending tax money on them? Can you detail what your thoughts are on that? Bailey: First off, I believe climate change is real, and I believe that everybody needs to do their part. I’ve got a whole batch of grandchildren that I want to have a decent world going into the future. So, it’s not that I’m against doing things to help pull down climate change, but we still have to look at what can people afford out of their pockets. Most of the residents in South Burlington do not have particularly deep pockets — we need to make sure that the things that we do actually bring value for the money we spend. I just want to watch the city’s budget. With the way these school budgets are going right now, unless the Legislature changes things, people are going to be taking a hard hit, especially those on lower or fixed incomes. We just need to use some caution and look at the consequences of what we’re doing. Keeping on the topic of budget and finances: you brought up an interesting point in your announcement in that
there’s been a ton of discussion recently among a wide variety of stakeholders about the need to work with other cities and towns and share in the expense of services. Do you see Vermont, or Chittenden County at least, shifting away from a strictly local approach towards a more regional approach, and what does that mean for Vermont’s tradition of local governance? Bailey: I am a native homeowner. I grew up in Johnson and raised my kids in Jeffersonville, so I do have a small-town background, and moving to South Burlington and living in Chittenden County for a number of years, I see how tied together all of our cities are. If you don’t know, you can’t tell when you go over the border from South Burlington into Burlington, into Winooski, into Williston. I think that just from an economy of scale viewpoint, there have got to be ways that we could work together to help all our budgets — budgets are all getting large. There’s are things like, coordinating on retail theft, coordinating on climate change, things done together could have a better impact. Last, I wanted to see what other priorities you would have if elected: perhaps there’s an issue you have in mind that residents may not be aware, or maybe there’s something you think is not getting enough attention, whatever that may be. Bailey: I want South Burlington and Vermont to be a good place to live going into the future. I suppose one of the things, I want the city to look at their emergency planning. I’ve seen a little bit that the city has done and, in my opinion, it seems to be a bit on the bare bones side, not much detail into how it would we work with if Lake Champlain flooded, and the Queen City Park area was getting flooded, or if we went into a serious drought, what would we be able to do to help our community and region deal with that? I don’t know all the answers to these questions, but I think they need to be explored. Being proactive rather than just reactive at things that come along.
VTRANS
continued from page 1
Received for record and recorded this _16th___ day of January 2024, in the records of the City of South Burlington.
car out of a ditch. They pair with national safety campaigns put forth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has an annual calendar of enforcement campaigns specifically for occupant protection, or impaired driving, for example. They work with local and state law enforcement as well. But over the years, the pair has written their own puns and jokes to time with the holidays, cultural events or the changing seasons, and they’ve become immensely popular. A Reddit thread posted last year showcased some of people’s favorites: • “No Valentine? / Your seat belt will hold you.” • “You may sparkle / But don’t drive lit.” • “90 is the temperature / Not the speed limit.”
The agency in 2021 put on a contest to solicit feedback and ask for public submissions, and Knapp and Noyes said they were flooded with one-liners — which quickly became a lot to manage. “We got a lot of submissions,” Noyes said. “People got really excited about it.” They must work within certain boundaries, of course. The messages get approved by agency leadership. And it’s much harder than it looks, given there’s a limited amount of space on the message boards. But the mission remains the same — urge people to be safe and smart on the road. Theoretically, people will see the joke, will have a good laugh, remember the joke, and then, either consciously or See VTRANS on page 13
The Other Paper • February 8, 2024 • Page 13
VTRANS
continued from page 12 subconsciously, take their foot off the pedal. “People get numb if it’s just the same dry message over and over again, which I think is a great argument for the humorous and the pop culture messages, because just anecdotally speaking, it’s generating a lot of conversations,” Knapp said. “We hear co-workers talking about it. We hear family members talking about it. We see it all over social media. So, in my mind, the proof is in the pudding: We have people talking about highway safety.” But the party might be over. In December, the Federal Highway Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, released an updated 1,100page manual that spells out how signs and other traffic control devices are regulated. In its regulations, the agency strongly recommended against overhead electronic signs intended to be funny. Traffic signs, the federal government said, should be “simple, direct, brief, legible and clear.” In the following weeks, dozens of news outlets across the country reported on the new guidelines, with outlets like the Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press reporting on the federal government’s ban on fun. But the agency later clarified that, no, the federal government has not declared
that there Shall Be No Fun. Their recommendation is to avoid humorous messages “because it may confuse or distract drivers.” Messages should “fulfill a need; command attention; convey a clear, simple message; command respect; and provide adequate time for proper response,” a spokesperson said. Knapp and Noyes say the agency is convening a committee to consider all the changes that they will need to meet to comply with the new regulations. The new guidance gives a two-year window to make changes. It’s unclear for now how they’ll proceed — Knapp said that the agency supports the funny messaging. But he added that they’ll work with their federal partners “to better understand what we need to do to stay in compliance and remain in compliance.” For now, Knapp and Noyes said it’s their hope that they’ll continue writing their puns. “There are so many contentious issues in this world and perceived outrage and everything else. This is a way for us to relate to the everyday road user,” Knapp said. “We’re not the big bad government, we’re people just like you, you know, we have families, we have kids, we have jobs, we drive on the roads and we want to get home safe, just like everyone else.”
PUBLIC NOTICES
Page 14 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
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The Other Paper • February 8, 2024 • Page 15
Horoscope February 8, 2024
ANSWERS FROM THIS ISSUE
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Page 16 • February 8, 2024 • The Other Paper
3 New Destinations in Florida!
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