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The Cabot Chronicle

April 2009 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

Original issue: Download the April 2009 pages (PDF)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

Assistant Town Clerk Says Goodbye After 20 Years Of Service

By Anne Nadel CABOT After nearly 22 years, Assistant Town Clerk Velma White is moving on to new challenges and adventures. As the town seeks to fill her job, she contemplates the next step in her life.

White has seen her share of town clerks come and go since she took the job in August 1987.

"Let, see," she said when asked to list them.

"Pat di Stefano, Chris Kaldor, Jackie Folsom and Barbara Ayles," were all clerks before Tara Rogerson, and White worked with them all.

She said the primary pleasure of a job like Assistant Town Clerk is the fact that the job is never static, with never a dull moment.

"I like the variations of the job. You'll get different things all through the year and all through the day," White said.

As for the future, White, who lives in Danville, will take each new day as it comes. Perhaps she will find a part-time job that leaves her time to do things just for herself. She'll be free to do what she wants, when she wants after serving an entire town for two decades. But don't think she won't be checking up on her successor.

"Oh," she chuckled, "I'll be here occasionally."

After all, someone has to make sure the new Assistant Town Clerk does the job right.

"I'm really going to miss Velma. I don't know how we would have made it through the past two years without her. We've been lucky to have her steadiness and experience to ease the transition for two new Town Clerks since Chris Kaldor passed away. But Velma's been working down in that basement at the Willey Building for a long time, and she's earned some time in the sun. I wish her well."

- Caleb Pitkin, chair of Cabot Selectboard. Photo Courtesy of Anne Nadel

months in 2008. Several people mentioned this. Trustee Karen Alexander asked, "Where could we cut realistically? In the hiring of the library assistant . . . that's a major increase. Maybe these are things we have to delay for a year or two . . . ." Concerned voter Marvie Domey said, "The library needs to tighten their belts just like everybody else." Trustee Ron Lay-Sleeper said, "The voters have spoken. We are given the task of coming up with an alternative budget and giving that back to the voters." Davidson suggested that at the town special meeting, "We can get out more library supporters. We can't do it without the voters." Trustee Jon Vara counseled caution, saying, "It's clear we have to cut the budget, it's just a question of how. If the library packed a meeting with supporters, we could probably pass the existing budget, but it would kill us in the long run. At the end of the day, we are in a position of having to fund a library . . . our job is to serve the town, and the voters spoke at town meeting. It would be a mistake for us not to hear that message." Domey agreed, adding, "Realistically, if you ask for level funding, that vote would probably pass." Cabot will schedule a special town meeting after library trustees put together another 2009 appropriation request. Editor's note; A new budget, reduced from the March Proposal by about $2,000 but still an increase from the 2008 appropriation, has been proposed to the Cabot Selectboard and a Special Town Meeting is expected to be warned for May. A more By Anne Nadel CABOT recent Library Trustees meeting included discussion on fund-raising. While some Trustees expressed an interest, others remarked they were to busy to fund-raise. In 2008 Friends of the Library reportedly raised about $500.

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Library Budget Defeated

Cabot voters rejected their public library's requested appropriation at Town Meeting. On Thursday evening, March 12, library trustees met to decide what to do next. Several citizens, concerned about both budgets and books, went to the follow-up meeting in the library. By nine votes, Cabot decided, on March 3, to reject their library's request for a town appropriation of $53,668. The request was almost 15 percent more than the 2008 appropriation of $46,803. But the 2008 appropriation excluded a $5,274 carry-forward surplus from 2007. The library actually spent $51,012 in 2008, including $705 from non-town sources. So the 2009 request was roughly six percent above comparable operating expenses in 2008. At the trustees' meeting, librarian Connie Koeller noted that library usage, following national trends, has increased significantly in the last 12 months, as the public looks for affordable activities. "February saw 14 percent more use than 12 months ago, with 60 percent more visits. Year to date, circulation is up 11 percent and visits are up 22 percent," she said, adding interlibrary loans increased by 75 percent since January and February 2008. Trustees asked the visitors for opinions on the mood of the voters, based on the floor debate at Town Meeting.Peter Dannenberg suggested to trustees that Cabot voters are worried about layoffs, home foreclosures and an uncertain outlook for America's economy.

"My sense of what was going on at Town Meeting was that people are frightened . . . it was just a time to hold the line, until the economy turns up again." He added the increase in the requested appropriation, "seemed to fly in the face of what everybody else was thinking." Dannenberg added that he didn't think the per-voter costs for the proposed budget were out of line with other smalltown libraries, but he believed voters were uncomfortable with any increase in this recession. Koeller pointed out that the library is a part of the town, not a private entity like Plainfield's Cutler Memorial Library. She said some of the increase was costs that the town previously included in its general budget. In earlier years, the general budget paid all workers' compensation and unemployment insurance costs. This year, the select board asked the library to include its share of those costs in the library budget. The library budget also contributes to the cost of cleaning the Willey Building, which houses the library and other town offices. Former trustee Paula Davidson said the library returned "approximately $5,000 in unused money" last year from the previous year's appropriation. She said this artificially makes operating costs seem lower than they actually were; it made this year's proposed budget seem dramatically inflated. A significant part of the proposed increase was adding more hours for a library assistant. The position was vacant for several

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 1 onward.

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New Town Officers Appointments

Moderator – Edward C. Smith Lister (3 yr) – Richard Hourihan and Lister (1 yr) – John Christman Sr.

Auditor – Joanna Christman School Director – (3 yr) Linda Gabrielson (to replace Gemma Yammamoto and Ann Cookson (2 yr) (to replace Tim Gochey)

Library Trustees – Linda Gabrielson – 2012 to replace Diane Klingler. Paula Davidson to replace Ron Lay Sleeper (fill out term unti ’10 town mtg.). Margaret Trautz to replace Steve Greg (fill out term unti ’10 town mtg.)

UDAG - Ann Cookson term extended until 2010. Ron Lay Sleeper term extended until 2012.

Willey Bldg Committee – R.D. Eno until 2012. Jon Vara - appointed by library.

Town Energy Coordinator – Lee Blackwell.

Zoning Board of Authority – Cara Cookson & Sue Freeburn.

Town Attorney - still Paul Gillies, add Charles Merriman.

District Rep. – Kitty Beattie Toll.

Newspaper – Still Hardwick Gazette, add The Cabot Chronicle.

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Cabot To The Rescue

By Anne Nadel CABOT Most people know the U.S. Marines' recruitment slogan "looking for a few good men." Cabot Ambulance could add, "and a few good women."

The rescue squad wants you. In 1967, a local funeral director gave a used hearse to Dr. Frank and Virginia Caffin to start the rescue service, which has always been allvolunteer. A history of the organization says Virginia Caffin "volunteered" many of the original members.

In 1967, rescue techniques were rudimentary compared to the finesse and training of today. Now only certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) can be full members. In the early days, the service's primary role was taking those in need of help to the nearest medical facility. The old resurrected hearse cannot compare to modern ambulances and trained rescue workers.

Cabot Emergency Ambulance Service, Inc., the official name, serves more than the Town of Cabot. In exchange for an annual appropriation from the neighboring Town of Marshfield, "the rescue" also serves its residents. Marshfield has no rescue service of its own. Meandering roads sometimes cross in and out of both towns in the span of two miles, so a shared service makes sense. At their 2009 town meetings, Marshfield voted $7,000 and Cabot $10,000 to support the rescue.

According to Vice President Jennifer Miner, in the past the rescue also served Walden, Peacham and Hardwick. Hardwick has its own rescue squad, but Cabot provided support when the call was close to town boundaries. Walden has no rescue service; it got rescue services from Danville, Hardwick and Cabot. That sometimes led to uncertainty about who would respond. Hardwick and Danville are now the primary medical rescue services for Walden.

In 2007, the rescue answered one call from Peacham, and in 2008, four. Although there is no formal appropriation for Cabot Rescue from the Town of Peacham, Miner said, "Most years, a mysterious envelope shows up at some point with a check for us from Peacham."

This year, Cabot voted an Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) to buy a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) defibrillator for Cabot Rescue. Miner called that a major development. The machine not only lets EMTs diagnose and give vital assistance to heart attack victims, but also allows the rescue's first responders to get assistance from and give vital information to hospital staff while en route with the patient. This can mean the difference between life and death for cardiac distress patients. "I really want to thank the voters for that," Miner said.

Miner said all prospective rescue members must have background checks, "for the protection of both the service and the patient."

People who want to join the rescue squad must be at least 16 years old. Although teenagers may take the first responder training course at 15, they must be 16 to test and be certified. The first responder course lasts about six weeks, with classes two nights per week. Miner calls the course, "a great way to get your feet wet and see if you really want to do this."

To become a certified EMT, volunteers must take either the EMT Basic (EMT-B) course, which teaches basic life support skills, or the EMT Intermediate (EMT-I) course, which instructs in advanced life support skills. The EMT-B course is a sixmonth class. The EMT-I course varies from six to nine months, depending on its format. Both require refresher courses and recertification tests.

To attend training, prospects must fill out an application, which has a 30-day review time. They pay for their courses, but get back the tuition after a full year of active service with the rescue.

Miner said members may skip EMT- B training and go directly to EMT-I, if they are sure they are ready to do all the work required of rescue personnel. The EMT-I course is timeintensive; it includes both classroom time and practical field work. But the personal rewards of their EMT work have led some volunteers to full-time jobs in health care.

To become a member of the Cabot Ambulance squad or learn more, call Jennifer Miner at 563-2310.

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New School Buses

By Anne Nadel CABOT It's not every day a brand new school bus pulls up to the curb, especially in small districts during challenging economic times. Yet anyone paying close attention would have seen just that about three weeks ago, and will again within the next three weeks. Cabot School is replacing half its four-bus fleet.

International manufactured both new buses. DATTCO in New Britain, Conn. is the outfitter. Patrick Campbell, school director of maintenance and transportation, said the new buses will replace bus six and bus seven, the two oldest. He said International also built the old buses in 1996 and 1999. Each has more than 100,000 miles of hard use. Bus seven is a compact bus that served as the school's wheelchairaccessible bus. Bus six is full-sized.

Campbell laughed as he recounted the surprise of the drivers who delivered the first bus. Given the urban nature of their home territory, they looked for a conventional stone or brick school building when they drove into Cabot.

"They came into Cabot and to the school, and said, 'we didn't realize we were coming to a church," Campbell said.

Photo Courtesy of Will Walters Campbell described the new buses' added features of built-in toddler seats and four-point harnesses. This will allow one bus to take the school's entire pre-school and kindergarten classes on field trips at one time.

"The booster seats can be folded up to make the seats regular seats again," he explained.

According to Washington Northeast Supervisory Union (WNESU) Superintendent George Burlison, WNESU entered a lease-topurchase contract with DATTCO for the new vehicles. At the end of the fifth year of the lease, WNESU may buy the buses for what he called a "nominal fee," or return them.

"Our buses all have to pass inspection three times every year," Burlison said. "If they won't be able to pass those inspections, there is no point in keeping them." The lease gives WNESU flexibility, if the buses are wearing particularly hard.

WNESU will advertise the two old buses and sell them to the high bidders. Bus six was on the road earlier this year, but is not now; its inspection runs out at month end. Campbell said bus six runs well, but bus seven has no transmission.

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A Bridge Not Far

By Anne Nadel CABOT/MARSHFIELD It’s not every day one sees a covered bridge sitting across a man-made body of water. It’s also not every day one sees a covered bridge, well, sitting next to a body of water. Still, within ten miles of one another, two strikingly similar bridges in Cabot and Marshfield have these distinctions.

To be clear, the covered bridge on Cabot Plains is a true Vermont vernacular bridge, but a recent structure when compared to its inspiration, Marshfield’s Martin Bridge. It was also not truly built to enable people to traverse a body of water, but rather, because its owner, Richard Spaulding, a lover of history, wished to have a covered bridge on his land. He also relocated an old one-room schoolhouse to a spot adjacent to the field where the bridge rests. The bridge is a replica of the Martin Bridge and was built about 20 years ago.

While the Cabot bridge sits atop the world, or so it seems, on the higher elevations of the town, over a pool of gradually thawing ice, on a grassy (albeit currently snow-covered) field, the Martin Bridge until several years ago was falling into dereliction on deteriorating granite abutments on either side of the Winooski River, alongside Route 2 in Marshfield. After the town of Marshfield obtained the land it inhabited from the previous owner, the town got grant money to begin the task of restoring the bridge, which was built in the late nineteenth century.

In 2004, the Martin Bridge was lifted off its stone supports and put on concrete blocks until the proper funds were in place to restore the historic structure. Work began on the project the first week in March. Built by a barn-builder, the bridge was in desperate need of a full refurbishing, and Building Heritage of Huntington submitted the winning bid of $75,000 to complete the job. Building Heritage’s owner, Eliot Lathrop, expects to have the structure completely restored and back on its newly reconstructed abutments by early May. On March 16, a crane lifted the bridge’s roof off and set it down next to the structure’s primary beams. By Tuesday evening, those were in pieces, and nearly no trace of the bridge was readily identifiable.

Lathrop’s company has restored numerous old barns and his four-man crew specializes in timber restoration, but this is the first time they have worked on a bridge.

“We really wanted to do a bridge,” he said, adding, “Since this bridge was actually built by a barn builder rather than a bridge builder, it gives us an advantage. We are really excited to be working on it.”

Lathrop added that he expects to be able to re-use about 75 per cent of the original wood.

On close inspection, it is clear one key facet to the Martin Bridge’s ability to support loads crossing the bridge is not readily present in the Cabot Bridge. Namely, the Martin Bridge is designed with what is known as camber. The huge, bottom beams that span the river when the bridge sits in its place are cut straight, but due to a feature in the design and engineering, when the entire structure is assembled, they arc downward at either end, allowing the bridge a certain amount of flexibility to support heavy loads as they cross the structure.

As of press time, the entire Martin Bridge is in pieces, marked, as the Building Heritage team goes over each segment and inspects every last piece of wood. As one is found to be lacking, it is removed, and when it is all reassembled, the bridge will be completely structurally sound. The end result will be a bridge that is the central feature of a park the public can visit and enjoy. No vehicles will be permitted on the bridge, but foot traffic will be welcomed. Picnic tables and parking located nearby and ample footpaths will encourage people to experience a bit of our local history.

While the Martin Bridge will remain an old bridge, it will have a second lease on life, a gift, like the Cabot Plains Bridge and schoolhouse, to future generations to enjoy, a bit of history that will help them remember what makes Vermont special.

As of press time, The Chronicle was unable to reach Richard Spaulding for comment.

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Statehouse Update

By Katherine Beattie-Toll

I want to thank the voters of Cabot for allowing me the opportunity to speak at town meeting. I look forward to hearing from those who would like to express an opinion on a specific bill or would like to have the opportunity to testify or sit in on committee testimony.

The Legislature was on a two week break over Town Meeting. The session, originally scheduled for 18 weeks, is now scheduled to be completed in 16 weeks as a cost saving measure. Leadership has indicated the final day of the session will be May 8. An extra week off was given in March so more time would be available later in the session when complete information concerning stimulus money is known. Even though there is a lot of very important work to be considered, I am confident this work can be thoughtfully completed by the new adjournment date.

As I mentioned in my Town Meeting Legislative Update, Vermont will be receiving around $700 million dollars in stimulus aid, with another possible $300 million available in competitive grants. Tom Evslin has been appointed the “stimulus czar” by Governor Douglas. He is responsible for overseeing the spending of stimulus money and the projects these funds will support. Legislative leadership has proposed a three person stimulus oversight committee to work with Mr. Evslin. The proposal includes a member from the Senate, one from the House and one from the administration. Jane Kitchel of Danville and Janet Ancel of Calais have been selected from the Legislature.

Many residents have expressed both support and opposition regarding the continued operation of Vermont Yankee. Regardless of the decision made to either close the plant in 2012 or relicense through 2032, it is important that the finances are in place to clean up the plant and remove the nuclear waste when the plant does close. The decommissioning of the plant is estimated to cost $750 million in today’s dollars. Currently, the Decommissioning Fund contains $350 million. The Legislature is seeking assurance from the nuclear facility’s owner that the Decommissioning Fund be fully funded prior to the earliest date the plant could close, so the clean up expense does not fall on the shoulders of Vermont taxpayers.

A hearing was held at the State House on Wednesday evening, March 18 to hear testimony on S.115, legislation addressing same sex marriage. Hundreds attended the public hearing in the well of the House sponsored by the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Dozens testified both in opposition and in support of the bill. It is important that I listen carefully to my constituents in Cabot, Danville, and Peacham and make a thoughtful and informed decision when the time comes to vote on this bill. I want to thank the many individuals who have contacted me expressing their opinions on this bill and the many other pressing issues that face Vermonters today.

Residents in this district have shared questions about and concerns for many programs and services, and several have voiced concerns about the proposed budget cuts. VPHARM, the State Meat Inspection Program, the Pittsford Fire Academy Building, the Burn Building at VT Technical College, appropriations for dry hydrants, a state laboratory facility and the fate of the Northeast Regional Library are examples. I have voiced these concerns to members of the appropriate committees and will have better answers in the coming weeks as the budget continues to be revised. Even after the stimulus money is implemented, there will still be a need to reduce state spending for FY 2010 to stay within available revenues and balance the budget.

The House Agriculture Committee has been listening to scheduled testimony on H.93 – an act requiring the State to lease forestland for maple sugar production; H.125 – an act certifying dairy farmers to allow unlimited sales of unpasteurized milk; H.152 – an act relating to encouraging biomass production; H.192 – an act providing a means for farmers’ markets vendors to accept electronic payments; and committee bill (1.5) – an act relating to agency of agriculture, food and markets fee. On Friday, March 20, the above bills, except for H. 125, were passed out of committee.

At the present time, drastic cuts have been proposed in the Agency of Agriculture’s budget, including the state meat inspection program, 2 dairy inspectors, and a Deputy Secretary. These cuts are very troubling. Food safety, consumer protection and protecting the future of Vermont Agriculture are vital to this state. The Ag Committee is committed to supporting the Agency of Agriculture, and committed to securing and enhancing Vermont’s agricultural future by promoting growth, stability and diversity.

Please be in touch if any of these bills are of concern to you. Committee testimony and hearings are open to the public and I encourage individuals to attend.

Please remember that I can be contacted at the State House by leaving a message at: 828-2228 or by email at: [email protected] or by mail at: PO box 192, Danville, VT.

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Nicholas George Bothfeld

On January 14, 2009, at 9:20 pm, George and Liza Bothfeld celebrated the arrival of their son, Nicholas George Bothfeld, at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, Vermont. Nicholas was born 7 pounds 13 ounces and 21 1/2 inches long.

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Are You Creative? Do You Write? Do You Help?

Do You Like To Work With People?

Then contact the Cabot Coalition to see how you can help your community and have fun doing it!

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COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

By Allison Joyal Editor

This section illuminates the diverse points of view of our community members. A variety of voices is sought to represent a broad spectrum of ideas. The goal is to encourage an energetic and civil dialogue without personal attacks. The commentary section strives for balance of opinion immediately & over time. Writers are asked to make their point with the highest regard for the facts.

Dear Editor:

I am writing to express my strong support and gratitude for the Cabot Public Library.

Ok, so I’m biased: Between my wife, my two children, and myself, my family borrows literally hundreds of books each year. Children’s books, novels, non-fiction, cook books. We’ve borrowed ‘em all. Some of them, we’ve borrowed twice. Often, we request specific titles via interlibrary loan, and Connie and Ann are always happy to help us find what we’re looking for. And it’s not just books: Over the past years, we’ve seen falcons, singers, fiddlers, and snakes at the library, thanks to the free programs Connie regularly schedules.

I realize that not everyone in our town uses the library, just as not everyone utilizes the school, or the ball fields. But we all support these things because we know they strengthen our community as a whole. We know that when our neighbor’s benefit from one of these resources, we benefit, too.

The 2009 Cabot library budget did not pass at town meeting. There will be a special meeting to resolve the issue in the upcoming weeks. I’m not writing to encourage people to blindly vote for whatever number the board of trustees brings to the table, although I sincerely hope we can pass a budget that ensures the on-going health of the library. Rather, I am writing to encourage people to consider what a tremendous resource the library is, and to place their vote accordingly.

Finally, if it’s been a while since you’ve visited the library, please go. Even if we pass an increased budget this year, the library is pretty darn cheap entertainment, and in these hard economic times, we can all appreciate that.

Thanks, Ben Hewitt

Dear Editor:

On behalf of all of the parents, youth and other adults involved with Cabot Connects, I would like to thank Cabot voters at Town Meeting for approving a $4,000 allocation to our community mentoring program.

The Cabot Connects Mentoring program is a project of the Cabot Coalition, a grass roots community organization, started in 1998 by a group of community members concerned about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use by Cabot youth. The mentor program is 3½ years old and supports 20 active matches and a seven member Advisory Board.

Except for the 2008 and 2009 requests of $4,000 (specifically for the mentoring program), the Cabot Coalition has been self sustaining through federal and state grants and fundraising. The coalition has also benefitted from in-kind support from the Town of Cabot, Cabot School and hundreds of community volunteers. Over the past 11 years, the Cabot Coalition has secured over one million dollars toward prevention programs for Cabot youth, which have included school health programs, a Substance Abuse Prevention counselor at the Cabot School, alcohol/drug free events for our youth, Store Clerk training (to follow state law regarding the sale of alcohol), summer programming for youth, including the Cabot Roamers bike group, and organization of the Cabot Chronicle.

At town meeting in 2008, a request was made by voters that future funding requests from the coalition and other organizations include an explanation of how town funds were to be used. In response to this request, we submitted a Cabot Connects report, which appeared on pages 16 and 17 in the Annual Report of the Town. Discussion at this year’s town meeting clarified that some voters were requesting more detailed accounting of funds, which we are happy to provide and do so below.

Also at town meeting the question was raised as to why the town should support prevention programming. Data from the Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey show that some Cabot youth are getting involved with alcohol and drugs at early ages. We know from current brain research that young people crave opportunities for risk-taking. One of the best prevention strategies we can offer are risk taking opportunities for youth that result in positive outcomes. Cabot Connects is one such strategy as it provides opportunities for positive risk-taking – building a relationship with someone new, trying new activities and meeting new people.

And there are more benefits, scientifically based research shows that young people with mentors are more likely to stay in school, aspire to and achieve better grades, go on to college, and become more trusting and communicative. They’re also less likely to smoke, carry a weapon, or engage in violent acts. Mentored youth are 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27 percent less likely to begin drinking alcohol, and 52 percent less likely to skip school.

Another town meeting participant questioned the need for paid staff to run a program. It is well researched (www.mentoring.org) that if a mentoring program doesn’t have a paid coordinator, those programs usually fall apart. A coordinator is responsible for recruiting and training new volunteer mentors, carefully matching up kids with adults, providing support/troubleshooting, organizing group activities, managing evaluative paperwork, communicating with teachers, parents, youth, mentors, administrators, support for mentors, meeting with an Advisory board, and various other community collaborations. The coordinator is also responsible for ensuring that background checks are performed on all prospective mentors. Many parents of youth in our program specifically ask about this aspect of our program and are reassured that our policies and procedures provide measures to protect youth participants.

And the program is growing to meet Cabot’s needs. Last year, we collaborated with the Cabot Roamers bike group and this year, we are working with Faith in Action to provide food to families in need. We have also worked with the Twinfield School District as they build their own mentor program (with paid personnel).

As we identify new funding sources to continue working with youth to help them make healthy decisions, it is quite significant to demonstrate that there is local support and value for the program. Again, thank you for your support on Town Meeting Day.

Please feel free to stop by and review our program evaluation report, compiled by an independent consultant from UVM. If you have any further questions about our budget or programming, please do not hesitate to co n t ac t me atca bo tco [email protected] or 563-3338.

Respectfully submitted, Kathleen Hoyne

“It has shown me how fun it is to do things and go places with people who are your friends” - quote from youth in Cabot Connects Mentoring program 2008 Town Meeting Allocation to the Cabot Connects

Mentor Program Supplies for Mentor events, outings, mileage Mentor training & background checks Mentor and Advisory Board meetings Annual Volunteer Recognition Liability insurance 1,970.75 809.25 286 300 634 Total $4,000 New Town Truck Takes a Digger.

To submit articles, send to [email protected] 2009 Town Meeting Allocation

to the Cabot Connects Mentor Program 2000 Supplies for Mentor events, outings, mileage Mentor training & background checks Mentor and Advisory Board meetings Annual Volunteer Recognition Liability insurance 500 700 300 500 Total $4,000 Dear Editor:

In last month’s issue, we were very pleased to see coverage of the skating rink on the common. We hope to make some improvements and provide a local outdoor rink again next winter.

We would also like to extend thanks to others who helped with the project, but were omitted in the article. We are all grateful to Tyler Placey-Noyes and Mark Codling of Cabot Heights Cleaning for clearing the snow to make skating possible.

Thanks again to everyone who helped. If you have any suggestions or want to help next year, let us know.

Connie and Richie Hourihan Cabot's new town truck slid off the road the day before Town Meeting. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Courtesy of; "Name withheld to protect mailbox."

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Rec. Dept. News

By Libby Hale With Basketball behind us and spring well on the way, Little League is upon us. By this time everyone who wants to play should be registered. Even if your child pre-registered, he or she also needs to register with the current form and check to “CVLL”. This was a little confusing, and for that, we apologize. We wanted to get an early idea of potential numbers of participants interested for organizational purposes, thus the informal pre-registration. There has been great interest and we have more than one team at some levels. We currently need more coaches and helpers to ensure that everyone who wants to play will have the opportunity to do so. Please contact Rebecca at 563-3503 or Libby at 563-3226 with questions or input.

Dinner and Bingo nights are picking up momentum and have been really fun. Whether you and your family come for dinner, bingo, the open gym or all three, come on down and join the fun. The simple spaghetti dinner with vegetable, beverage and dessert is free of charge. Bingo is 50 cents per card per game with the pot split 50-50 to the winner. Good, cheap, local fun: what more can you ask for? The next is set for Saturday April 4, withdinner at 5:30; bingo is from 6:00 to 8:00.

We are planning a field work day to get Larry’s field up and ready for the coming season on Saturday April 18. Bring a shovel, edger, hammer, paint brush or rake and join in the fun at 9:00 a.m. to get the field all spiffed-up for the season! Everyone is invited so don’t wait for your individual, personalized invitation, just come on down and join us for some fun and rewarding work.

The Cabot Roamers are up and cruising and have a really fun schedule planned. This is a bike touring group aimed toward kids fourth grade and older. For more information, call Mark Bromley at 563-3370

The Recreation Department meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 in the Willey Building. The next one is April 14. All are welcome!

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St Patrick’s Day Dinner Recap

Cabot Connects, the youth mentoring program, held a fundraiser, a St. Patrick’s Day Feast on March 17. The Willey Building was transformed into an Irish festive dining hall with shamrocks, corned beef, potatoes and lots of green desserts. Over a hundred dinners were served. Photo courtesy of Bill Walters.

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Saturday, April 4 9 – 11:30 a.m. Cabot Fire Station

Faith in Action Northern Communities Partnership is sponsoring a 5,000 pound free food giveaway.

This distribution of free goods is primarily for Cabot’s elderly and disabled but every resident who has a need is welcome to come and select items they can use. Food will be displayed giving folks time and volunteers to help the “shop.” (There is no cost or charge of any kind.) We would love to see all 5,000 pounds of goods given away that day!

For questions or further information about any of our many free volunteer services and programs, please phone Faith in Action Northern Communities Partnership at 563- 2278 and thank you for your participation.

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Salads & Soups for Spring Cleansing

Springtime is the most beneficial time of year to cleanse.

We will discuss healthy food choices to encourage a springtime renewal for the body and have some fun in the kitchen preparing and eating fresh organic soups and salads.

For ages 12 and up.

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Summer Shenanigans

By Karen Mueller-Harder

It's been some years since there's been community theater in Cabot, but there's a move afoot to put on a show this summer! The idea is to do a production which will include everyone who wants to be involved; adults, kids, teens, families, either onstage or off. It will probably be a combo of one-act comedies, to allow for a more flexible rehearsal schedule around people's vacation trips, but the details will depend on the level of interest in the project. If you'd like to be involved, please call or drop a line to Karen Mueller- Harder at [email protected] or 563-2669. Watch for more details in the next Chronicle!

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Why Lowering the Drinking Age is a Bad Idea

By John S. Searles, Ph.D.

The suggestion that the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) should be lowered to 18 has been advanced in the past couple of years primarily by the groups Choose Responsibility and the Amethyst Initiative headed by former Middlebury College president and historian John McCardell. While it is true that 134 college presidents have signed his Amethyst Initiave to initiate a discussion on lowering the drinking age, this represents only 3% of all the college presidents in the US. That is, 4015 college presidents have NOT signed the initiative and believe that more needs to be done to reduce underage drinking. Dr. McCardell’s main argument as I understand it is as follows: The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 which mandated a significant financial penalty for states having a lower drinking age than 21 is not working. He claims that rather than reduce underage drinking, the law only served to limit public drinking in controlled situations (presumably bars and public gatherings) and has driven most underage drinking into unsafe “dark places and farmers’ fields.” In addition, McCardell asserts that underage drinking, especially binge drinking, has increased since the MLDA- 21 law was enacted. However, there are absolutely no data to support such a contention. In fact, since 1984 when the law was passed drinking has declined significantly among those under 21. Binge drinking has declined among 18 year olds by about 36% and among 19-20 year olds by 25%. Perhaps even more importantly, drinking among high school seniors is at its lowest point since tracking began in 1975 – down almost 40% since 1982. These statistics come from the respected Monitoring the Future study conducted annually by researchers at the University of Michigan. So, I’m not sure what data Dr. McCardell is referring to. I would also like him to provide the data that demonstrates drinking in “safe” places like bars by 18-20 year olds will result in lower consumption, less binge drinking, and a decrease in alcohol-related consequences. To be sure, there are no such data- in fact, exactly the opposite is true. The more bars and outlets for obtaining alcohol in a particular area, the more drinking and alcohol-related harms increase. What about the consequences of underage drinking? The establishment of MLDA- 21 provided the opportunity to compare rates of adverse events before and after the drinking age was 21 for all states. The data were immediate and dramatic. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities have declined among all age groups since 1984, however, among 16-20 year olds this decline is about twice as great (-62%) compared to other age groups (-30%). McCardell contends that the MLDA law had little to do with this decline. He suggests that safer cars, increased use of seatbelts, and the promotion of designated drivers are more responsible for the decline than MLDA-21. However, this does not account for the two-fold decrease compared to other age groups. Also, it is interesting to note that non-alcohol-related traffic fatalities among 16-20 year olds have actually increased since 1982 – they are presumably driving the same safer cars and using the same seatbelts! There are many scientific reports that come to the conclusion that the MLDA-21 is very effective in reducing alcohol-related harms among 18-20 year olds; there are NO studies that demonstrate lowering the drinking age to 18 will be beneficial in any way. McCardell also seems to suggest that the MLDA-21 law is at least partially resposible for non-highway fatalities and injuries that occur especially in college-age individuals. However, he does not specify a particular mechanism by which this would occur or how increasing access to alcohol in this age group would result in a decrease in alcohol-related injuries. The idea that 18-year old individuals would somehow act responsibly because they were expected to is not a sound psychological theory and enjoys not one iota of empirical support. Another argument is that a 21-year old drinking age discriminates against these individuals unfairly. However, there are other areas that carry either government or industry minimum age requirements. The US Constitution requires an individual to be 25 years old to be a member of congress, 30 to be a senator, and 35 to be president. In addition, it is illegal for anyone in the US under the age of 21 to purchase a handgun or qualify for an interstate commercial driver’s license. State governed casinos in the US do not allow individuals under the age of 21 to enter or gamble; most rental car companies will not rent a car to individuals under the age of 25, and it is quite difficult for anyone under the age of 21 to rent a hotel room. These are reasonable age restrictions based on an approach that recognizes that at least some responsibility accrues with increasing developmental age. Then there is the question that always comes up: “If you’re old enough to fight and die for your country, why can’t you have a beer?” This question was best answered by Air Force Colonel Evan Hoapili: “The problem of course is that physical ability alone is too simplistic a measure for wider societal standards. For example, you have the physical ability to turn wheels and push pedals long before the minimum driving age. You have the physical ability to reproduce earlier than the legal age of marriage. And, you have the physical ability to pull a trigger well in advance of the youngest age to serve in the military.” Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune put it more bluntly: “Among the qualities that make 18-year-olds such good soldiers are their fearlessness and sense of immortality—traits that do not mix well with alcohol.” Not surprisingly MLDA-21 is supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the driving force behind the original 1984 bill. However, other noteworthy organizations also support maintaining the 21-year old drinking age including: 1. American Medical Association 2. National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine 3. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 5. Surgeon General of the United States 6. World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol and Public Policy Group 7. WHO Expert Committee on Problems Related to Alcohol 8. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 9. Governors Highway Safety Association 10. National Safety Council 11. International Association of Chiefs of Police Finally, the World Health Organization Alcohol & Public Policy Group succinctly focused the issue when discussing MLDA- 21:

“The difference between good and bad policy is not an abstraction, but very often a matter of life and death.”

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Did you Know…?

Children who start drinking before 15 are four times more likely to become alcohol-dependent, seven times more likely to be in a car accident, and 11 times more likely to be involved in alcohol-related violence later in life than people who wait until 21 to start drinking?

Source: David H. Jernigan, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

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AMETHYST INITIATIVE : Rethink the Drinking Age

Launched in July 2008, the Amethyst Initiative is made up of chancellors and presidents of universities and colleges across the United States. These higher education leaders have signed their names to a public statement that the problem of irresponsible drinking by young people continues despite the minimum legal drinking age of 21, and there is a culture of dangerous binge drinking on many campuses.

The Amethyst Initiative began with an invitation extended to John McCardell, President Emeritus of Middlebury College and Founder of Choose Responsibility, to speak at a meeting of the Annapolis Group, a group of about 120 liberal arts colleges, in June 2008. In preparing for that presentation, McCardell contacted several Annapolis presidents who were long-time friends to solicit their thoughts about the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age. The group quickly discovered a common desire to reopen public debate over the drinking age and began to frame a statement expressing their views. The statement as finally drafted does not, by design, prescribe a particular policy change. It does, however, state clearly the signatories' belief that 21 is not working as well as the public may think, that its unintended consequences are posing increasing risks to young people, and that it is time for a serious debate among our elected representatives about whether current public policies are in line with current realities.

The group discussed the possibility that other presidents might agree that 21 has not been an unmitigated blessing and might welcome both the formulation of language to which they could subscribe and the opportunity to join others who are similarly persuaded. They thus began to widen their circle of correspondence and quickly concluded that all presidents and chancellors of all colleges and universities should be invited to join the effort, which now needed a name. And the Amethyst Initiative was born.

The Chronicle asked the Amethyst Initiative to contribute an article explaining their views, but we were unable to receive comment. For more information, you can go to the following websites:

http://www.amethystinitiative.org/http://www.chooseresponsibility.org/

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New Website Helps People Assess and Change Risky Drinking Habits

A new Web site and booklet from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) aims to help people reduce their risk for alcohol problems. Called Rethinking Drinking, the new materials present information about risky drinking patterns, the alcohol content of drinks, and the signs of an alcohol problem, along with information about medications and other resources to help people who choose to cut back or quit drinking.

The Web site -- RethinkingDrinking.niaaa.nih.gov -- also features interactive tools, such as calculators for measuring alcohol calories and drink sizes.

"About 3 in 10 U.S. adults drink at levels that elevate their risk for alcoholism, liver disease, and a diverse array of other physical, mental health, and social problems. Yet, many people give little thought to their drinking habits and the attendant risks," notes NIH Acting Director Raynard S. Kington, M.D. "These new materials remind all of us to think about how alcohol may be affecting our health."

"We know that many heavy drinkers are able to change on their own," explains Mark Willenbring, M.D., director of NIAAA's Division of Treatment and Recovery Research. "Rethinking Drinking is a convenient, low-cost way to provide the required information and tools for those able to change before they develop symptoms. People who have more severe alcohol involvement will require professional help, and starting with Rethinking Drinking may help them make the decision to seek help at an earlier stage in the disease process.

Copies of the Rethinking Drinking booklet can be downloaded from (RethinkingDrinking.niaaa.nih.gov), or ordered from NIAAA by phone at: 301-443-3860.

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Preventing Child Sexual Abuse

Preventing child sexual abuse means raising children to be respectful. Being treated with respect is everyone’s right and responsibility. We all know how to manipulate people. Just as any skill, it becomes better with practice. Children need to understand that it is never okay to force or trick someone into doing something. Small examples of this behavior can become teachable moments to explain the differences between manipulation and respect.

Mainstream media (TV, movies, video games…) can have a huge influence on a young person’s ideas about sexuality, relationships, and respect. Are the role models on the screen being rewarded for bullying others? What messages are being sent about sexuality? Are the body images on the screen realistic? Subtle messages, repeated on the screen over the years, can make a large impact on a developing brain.

AWARE is teaming up with other agencies in the state to create a sexual abuse prevention program for young children (pre-K – 2nd grades). Believe it or not, there is a need for a program of this kind. Many of the old school models put too much responsibility for preventing sexual abuse onto the children themselves, when it is really an adult responsibility. (We don't teach children to say "no" to physical abuse, for example.) A school program can help teach children about respect, but it’s their daily experiences that will have the greatest impact. There are many ways adults can help create a positive, honest atmosphere for children to grow up in. Together we can create an environment that promotes respect and healing. For more information please contact AWARE at 472-6463.

By Amy Hornblas, Youth Services Coordinator for

AWARE (Aid to Women, Men and Children in Abuse and Rape Emergencies)

Preventing child sexual abuse is a job for the whole community. School programs can play a part, but children need to receive protective messages often and early in life. That means that parents, caregivers, and other role models need to be involved. What are protective messages, and how does an adult talk about “it” with children?

Sexual abuse thrives on secrecy. Adults can shatter the cloak of secrecy by creating a safe atmosphere for children to discuss their experiences and concerns. We need to make sexuality a topic that can be discussed, even if it’s embarrassing. Unfortunately, our fear of sexual abuse often leaves us afraid to discuss sexuality at all. Research has shown that not discussing sexuality at all can put a child at risk for becoming a victim or perpetrator of sexual abuse. Youth need to understand what healthy sexuality is in order to be able to tell when a situation is abusive.

Sexual feelings are normal and begin at an early age. This is why it is important to be as open as possible about these issues with children. Of course, we want to be sensitive to the child’s age and understanding. You can do this by finding out what the child wants to ask or say before you launch in with way too much information. Some of the goals to keep in mind are to: (1): explain that sexual intimacy is part of a trusting, loving relationship, (2): provide factual information so that you remain a trustworthy resource, (3): respond in a way that encourages the child to keep talking, now and in the future.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

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Curds & Whey

By Bonnie Stevens Dannenberg CURDS to Editor and staff of The Cabot Chronicle. Happy one year anniversary!

CURDS to the Dunham Brothers for relieving a weary shoveler after the last major snowstorm in Lower Cabot. Thank you for offering that gracious sweep of your plow! What an unexpected kindness.

WHEY to snow banks that still obstruct visibility for drivers. Drivers and pedestrians, be warned. Snow bank owners, please be mindful of this and cut them back.

CURDS to the Cabot Firemen, Richie and Connie Hourihan, John Christman, Ken Christman, Mark Codling, Skip Bothfeld, Tyler Placey Noyes, Aaron Celley, Cia Considine, and Bill Walters for organizing, clearing snow, spraying water, videotaping and maintaining the new ice rink on the Common. We enjoyed a great day of skating February 7 and are hoping for a few more weeks of good ice.

CURDS to Rich and Connie Hourihan, the Cabot Coalition, Bill Cobb and Cabot School for collaborating and organizing a new community food program designed to provide food on an ongoing basis to families in need.

CURDS to Maelily Robison, who won the raffle of a gingerbread replica of the Vermont State House. The raffle was sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, to benefit the food bank.

CURDS to the Cabot Chronicle Maple Festival committee.

CURDS to Rusty! For your much appreciated birthday cards.... Thanks

WHEY to whoever dropped full bags of garbage along the South Walden Road and Coits Pond Road.

Items for CURDS & WHEY are submitted by community members. To submit items, e-mail [email protected] or call 563-3396. We need your news!

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From page 8

The Hardwick AWARE and Cabot Connects Mentoring will sponsor a four session clinic for teenage girls and women on Women’s Self Defense. Participants will learn how to recognize possible dangerous situations and how to avoid them. Instructor Dylan Abare will demonstrate and teach effective defensive techniques taken from Shalin Kempo Karate. Comfortable clothing recommended (tee shirt, loose pants, sneakers, etc), bring your water bottle and your questions… MONDAYS 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Cabot School Gymnasium April 6, April 13, April 20, April 27

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On Track with Cabot’s Christmans

By Samantha Brown How did a Cabot teen begin racing cars? Lyndsay Christman explained she wanted to race cars for some time but her mother, Joanna and stepfather John said it was too dangerous. Desperate to race, Lyndsay attempted to persuade her parents and soon, convinced Joanna to accompany her to a racetrack. After seeing the track was well supervised and that there were always paramedics on site, Joanna agreed and allowed Lyndsay to race.

Soon after, Joanna became curious about her daughter’s new interest and decided to try racing herself. Much to her surprise, Joanna discovered she was quite fond of it. “It’s nice to be in complete control and to have people cheering for you,” says Joanna. “You also have the opportunity to meet others with the same interest and talent.” Lyndsay, who has made many friends while racing, agrees and adds the other participants are friendly and always willing to offer advice. “All the people I’ve met have been like a second family to me,” she says.

Both Lyndsay and Joanna agree. Racing has improved their overall family bond. “It definitely brought my parents and I closer together,” says Lyndsay. Lyndsay and Joanna talked about their first race, during which they raced against each other. “I raced against Lyndsay,” recalls Joanna. “I remember she was actually driven off the track”. Despite this, being Lyndsay’s first race, she was able to regain control of the car and, remarkably, achieve third place in the race. “She didn’t let it stop her,” Joanna said proudly.

When the two first started racing, they shared a ’93 Chevy Cavalier. Lyndsay, who had wanted her own car, now races a ’96 Chevy Cavalier while Joanna continues to drive the ’93. As far as the racetrack goes, Lyndsay and Joanna currently commute to the Riverside Speedway in Groveton, NH. While they are both content with the Riverside Speedway, the two hope to eventually race on Thunder Road in Barre. Over the past couple of years, both Joanna and Lyndsay have won many trophies. Joanna has won three first place trophies, four second place trophies and three third place trophies as well as a Rookie of the Year award and a champion plaque for the “Angels.” Lyndsay has won one first place trophy, five second place trophies, and a Racer of the Year award for the Dare Devils. She has also won two third place trophies for the “Angels.”

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Meet The Board

By Dot Knowles Marcia Penley was born and raised on a chicken farm in Proctorsville, VT, in Windsor County. Her father had as many as 10,000 chickens at one time, and it was the kids job starting at a young age to help gather, clean, and candle the eggs. Everyone in the family helped with the business. Marcia's mother made her dresses from the colorful calico grain bags.

In 1967, Marcia left VT and moved to MA to live with her grandparents, and graduated from Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Worcester, MA, as a Registered Nurse. Her first job was at the Massachusetts General Hospital where she started a week after graduation, and she has been actively employed in nursing ever since. She has worked in all areas of the hospital, from the newborn nursery to the intensive care unit, but in 1990 she began doing home health nursing and that is what she likes best. She currently works for Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice where she says she enjoys helping people learn about their illnesses so they can keep themselves well at home.

Marcia has two children and 6 grandchildren. Her son, Christopher, is a Major in the United States Army, and lives with his wife and three children in Iowa where he is employed full time with the Iowa National Guard. He has been to Afghanistan twice and expects to be deployed there again soon. Marcia's family is very proud of him. Her grandson, Ben, got his first deer this year at the age of 10. Her daughter, Meredith, lives with her husband and three children in Norfolk, MA where she teaches fifth grade. Meredith’s husband is a high school athletic director and football coach and the family enjoys supporting his team.

Marcia and her husband, Ernie, live on the Groton Forest Rd in Marshfield with two dogs, a cat, and eleven chickens. Aside from working for home health, she and her husband enjoy volunteering at the Twin Valley Senior Center. She also loves traveling to visit with her grandchildren, gardening, reading, doing jigsaw puzzles, swimming, snowshoeing, and just being outdoors. The Penleys have made miles of hiking trails through their property and love to walk and hike. They also have a large pond and picnic/recreation area where their friends and family spend a lot of time in the nice weather. The seniors from the senior center visit there for cookouts several times each summer. Marcia says that the ponds and trails are more fun when shared with friends.

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Smith on Town Meeting: 17 Years of Them so Far

By Will Walters Ed Smith has been moderator of Cabot for 17 years. “But, then, it may be only 16 years,” he said.

Prior to succeeding Jan Westervelt as moderator, Smith served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA). “I had to run a couple of meetings of the Board of Adjustment. A lot of the public would be at those meetings. I was intrigued with the problem of running a meeting according to Robert’s Rules of Order.”

Westervelt succeeded Warren Alexander as moderator, served four or five years and decided to pass on the gavel. Smith relied on his experience on the ZBA and sought election as moderator. He says he “has had 17 years to learn large meetings [where] Roberts Rules are like an old tool,” that keeps being sharpened to meet the change in times and styles.

The descendents of General Roberts, author of the first Robert’s Rules of Order, publish new editions occasionally to settle questions of procedure that evolve over time. This is needed, according to Smith, because as style and expectations of the body politic change, so must the procedures.

Referring to town meetings where people gather on a regular basis for decision making regarding their local government. Smith said “we take it for granted. HVa is] part of the heritage of New Englanders,” It is “something we take for granted that others don’t know how to do.” The purpose of these meeting is to resolve differences, and Robert’s Rules of Order “are the physical means to settle differences.”

The longest town meeting Smith presided over was this year, he said, which ran for about four hours. “I was disappointed we ran so long, some people had to leave” before the end of the meeting. But people had to go and milk cows and other things that must be kept to a schedule.

“But we weren’t goofing around,” said Smith. “Some serious issues you can’t cut off.” “The moderator should in no way or method move the matter to vote. It must come from the floor. The moderator is the mirror of the meeting.” When the meeting decides it has heard enough to make a decision, the floor calls the question. If enough people vote the question, debate stops and a vote is taken. If the meeting wants to hear more, the motion to call the question will fail and debate continues.

Smith said that this year’s meeting took longer because it had some serious issues to be settled, and “it is the meetings’ advantage to listen to everyone.” He said it is not only important that everyone speak, as is their right, but that everyone who speaks is listened to. “Listening,” Smith said, “is how a good decision on the issue can be made.”

Smith said the shortest meeting he chaired was a school district meeting which lasted, about 30 minutes, he was not able to recall when. “Not recently,” he added.

When asked about the difference between town and school district meetings, Smith said “Town meeting always has more people HaUN[J the school. It doesn’t matter when you schedule it.”

Will the new state law making Town Meeting Day an unpaid holiday help increase attendance? Smith responded “I don’t know.” Interested people will attend and others will do something else, he said. “I’d like to see it a paid holiday.”

Smith said he has been going to the “Town Meeting Tune Up” seminar sponsored by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns for ten years. It is attended mostly by moderators and selectmen but is open to anyone. He said it costs the town some money but was not sure of the cost. “I always come back with some new ideas,” he said.

He prepares for town meeting by spending two days reviewing Robert’s Rules of Order and meeting with the school board. He also talks to the town clerk to make himself familiar with issues that will come to the floor. He noted the Secretary of State’s office is open on town meting day to take calls from moderators seeking advice.

And, he said, “I make sure I don’t drink too much coffee and had a good breakfast.”

“I try to get feedback.” Smith does this by talking to the school board and the selectboard, as well as the town clerk after the meeting and asks them to tell him their impressions of how the meeting went, as they can see things from a different angle sitting up front. He though a feedback form, or exit poll would be useful.

Smith’s opinion is, “As a meeting we are progressing. It is easier because more and more people are aware of what should happen.” He noted the trend in town meeting over the whole state is declining. But in Cabot the trend in up, at least for town meeting. The school district meeting may be going down, according to Smith. He feels, overall, participation is on the upside because more young people are attending or speaking up. He said he sees a steady stream of people voting on Australian ballot questions throughout the day but these voters don’t join in town meeting. “That’s their right,” commented Smith, but he would like them to sit down and be part of the meeting also.

Reflecting on his general assessment of the years he has served as moderator, he said things have evolved over that period of time, and conducting the meetings has required changes in how he chairs them. His goal is to, “pass the meeting on in better shape than I got it,” so that the next moderator has a well functioning town meeting to start with. It’s not that Smith said he wants to move on, but noted “I am running out of jokes.” And it is very doubtful that his vest will be passed along with the gavel.

Smith was asked a final interview question -- would he be reading the next edition of the Chronicle to see how his answers appeared? He responded with an emphatic “Certainly.”

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Twin Valley Seniors Meets Meals On Wheels

By Marvie Domey The Twin Valley Senior Center (TVSC) will be preparing Meals on Wheels (MOW), packaging and delivering from our own kitchen at the Old Schoolhouse Common beginning the first week in April. Formerly, the meals were prepared at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier.

Our cook and a few volunteers have made this possible. More volunteers are needed to help deliver meals. Drivers are reimbursed for mileage. If anyone can spare 2, 4, or 6 hours a week, or whatever you can offer, the help would be greatly appreciated. As the center continues to grow and serve more meals on site, we need volunteers to help prepare, package and deliver MOW.

The mission of the TVSC Home Delivery Meals program is to provide users with a quality service that allows them to remain in their home.

In order to qualify to benefit from the program, candidates must: Be 60-years-old or older, and: 1) Have trouble preparing food, be unable to able to afford to buy enough food, or get to market. 2) Be unable to prepare a well balanced meal each day. 3) Not have anyone to help prepare meals. 4) In need of meals for self and/or spouse while recuperating from illness, injury or recent hospitalization.

There is no charge for the meals; however, donations are important to the operation of the program. We do ask a donation of $3.00 per meal if it can be met by the recipient. Meals will be delivered regardless of ability to pay. TVSC covers the towns of Cabot, Calais, East Montpelier, Marshfield, Plainfield, and Woodbury.

If you know of anyone in this area in need of meals or other services, please call 426-3477. Transportation will be arranged for anyone wishing to attend activities at the Center.

Gift Certificates are now available and make a great way to introduce someone in your family to the Center. The price is $3.00 for individuals aged 60 and older; $5.00 for guests.

We are actively looking for more space. If anyone has any ideas please call the center.

The foot clinic will be held on April 13. Please call 426-3281 to register. The fee is $15.

The newsletter will be reinstated in the near future. If anyone would like to help with this, please call or write: Twin Valley Seniors, Inc., PO Box 143, Marshfield, VT 05658; phone, 426-3447.

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Twin Town Homemakers

By Marvie Domey We have had a great start this year. Ruth Kaldor showed us different methods of card making. This month we are having movie night at the senior housing. Next month we are planning a speaker on gardening. We homemakers want the town to know that we are here. If there is anything you need call us. Let it be car ride or just some company. We have many members willing to help out.

Call Rose Ksepka 426-3631 or Rose Bothfield at 563-2715.

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LIBRARY NEWS

Europe, Asia, the New World and the Antipodes. While a student in New Zealand Dan played pipes, bouzouki and banjo and sang in the Irish band Blackthorn. More recently he has been half of several musical duos in the Europe area including Musion, The ASBO Duo in Edinburgh and The Boussens Which Project in Toulouse. Besides playing for concerts Dan has been quite a successful dance piper and has performed for both Scottish Highland and Country dancing. Together with Jon Bews and pianist James Gray he has played for country dances and ceilidhs throughout Scotland and Europe. When not on the road or in the air Dan partitions his time amongst Oban & Edinburgh, Scotland and Marshfield & Brattleboro, VT.

Suggested donation at the concert will be $10.00. Please join us for an evening of great Scottish music and help support the Jaquith Public Library.

Contact: Susannah Blachly, Director ( 8 0 2 ) 4 2 6 - 3 5 8 1 o r www.marshfield.lib.vt.us for more info.

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Iain MacHarg In Concert

On Sunday, April 5th at 4 pm, Scottish piper extraordinaire, Marshfield’s own Iain MacHarg, will perform in a benefit concert of traditional Scottish music for the Jaquith Public Library. He will be joined by fellow piper Dan Houghton. The concert will take place at the Jaquith Library, Old Schoolhouse Common Building, in Marshfield.

As Iain’s father is one of the premier bagpipe builders in the world, it is no surprise that Iain developed into a well respected and accomplished player from an early age. He was promoted to the professional grade in 2001 after earning the title of EUSPBA Grade One Season Champion. In addition to competing as a solo piper, Iain has also been involved in many other aspects of Celtic music. He has founded three Highland Pipe Bands in Vermont (Catamount Grade 3 & 4, the Green Mountain Highlanders) and has played with several folk groups. Iain’s solo album, Rooted in Tradition, and his Christmas Album, Celtic Christmas, are sold around the world. Iain has also published Feadan Mor, a collection of original tunes for the bagpipe. Iain is also founder of the Vermont Institute of Celtic Arts, which he hopes will someday be similar to the College of Piping in Prince Edward Island. Iain currently works as Vermont’s only full-time piping instructor. In addition to his approximately 90 solo students, Iain also teaches group and band workshops.

Dan Houghton grew up surrounded by Scottish traditional music and dance and started his musical career playing the whistles, viola and tiompan (hammered dulcimer) when he was about seven. He has been fingering the pipes and flute since the early 90s and has played and taught throughout

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 10 onward.

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Esteemed Cabot Poet reads at Jaquith Library

On Sunday, March 29, poet Baron Wormser of Cabot read from selected writings at the Jaquith Public Library in Marshfield. Baron Wormser was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1948. He grew up in Baltimore and went to high school at Baltimore City College and to college at the Johns Hopkins University. He did graduate studies at the University of California, Irvine and the University of Maine. In 1970 he moved to Maine with his wife Janet. For 25 years he worked as a librarian in Madison, Maine. He also taught poetry writing at the University of Maine at Farmington. From 1975 to 1998 he lived with his family in Mercer, Maine, in an off-the-grid house on forty-eight acres. His memoir, The Road Washes Out in Spring: A Poet's Memoir of Living Off the Grid, concerns that experience. In 2000 he was appointed Poet Laureate of Maine by Governor Angus King. He served in that capacity for six years and visited many libraries and schools throughout Maine. He read his poem, "Building a House in the Maine Woods, 1971" at Governor Baldacci's inauguration in 2003. He currently resides in Cabot, Vermont, with his wife. Since 2002 he has taught in the Stonecoast MFA program at the University of Southern Maine. He works widely in schools with both students and teachers. Wormser has received the Frederick Bock Prize from Poetry and the Kathryn A. Morton Prize along with fellowships from Bread Loaf, the National Endowment for the Arts and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. In 2000 he was writer in residence at the University of South Dakota. For eight years he led the Frost Place Seminar at the Frost Place in Franconia, N.H. The reading was free and open to the public. For more information on other events call 426-3581, or visit our library’s website at www.marshfield .vt.us.

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COMMUNITY CALENDER

Submitted by Sue Freeburn First Wednesdays Program, St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 7 p.m. The Great Camps of the Adirondacks, Vt. State Curator David Schutz shares examples of the Adirondacks style of architecture and colorful stories of the Gilded Age.

Greyhound Adopt-a-thon, Petsmart, Williston, FREE, 11-2, sponsored by Greyhound Rescue of Vermont. Greyhounds will be on site with photos and information on other dogs ready for adoption. Info: 878-4844.

Ian Tamblyn, at The Music Box, Craftsbury, 8 p.m., $10, kids free (All proceeds go to HEART). Ian Tamblyn is a Canadian folk music singer, songwriter, record producer, adventurer, guide and playwright. Info:586-7533.

11th Annual Franklin County Quilt Show, St. Albans City Hall, FREE, 9-3. Over 100 quilts, vendors, demonstrations, door prize and raffle. Info: 326-3135.

Iain MacHarg performs with

Dan Houghton, Marshfield's Jaquith Public Library, 4 p.m., suggested donation $10. Traditional Scottish music.

5. Area chefs create chocolate items for tasting and judging, live music. Info: 322-1683, to donate a chocolate item, silent auction item or to volunteer. A WGDR fundraising event.

Spring Summit Celebration Part

3, Stowe Mountain Resort, Barbeques, beers, and bands. Great events, contests, deals, entertainment and fun. Info: 800-253-4754.

Annual Sunshine Daydream Festival, Killington Resort, K-1 Lodge 11 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE, live music all day playing Grateful Dead covers. Ben & Jerry's will have free samples of ice cream, tie-dyeing. Info: 422-6200.

The Wilderness Road: Vermont's

history in songs, new and old, with Pete Sutherland. The Hardwick Town House, 7:30 p.m., Adults $10, kids under 12 free. Folk musician and songwriter Pete Sutherland will sing original and traditional songs drawn from Vermont's colorful history. Info: 472-5948.

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GREEN CHEESE

In a letter to US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner defending the windfall, AIG Chairman Edward Liddy wrote, "We cannot attract the best and brightest talent to lead and staff the AIG businesses, which are now being operated principally on behalf of the American taxpayers-if employees believe their compensation is subject to continued and arbitrary adjustment by the US Treasury." The US Treasury decided it is powerless to ban bonus boons by AIG and other bailout beneficiaries. The federal government now owns 79 percent of AIG stock. International business is complex. Supercomputers churn out predictions that are almost as good as long-range weather forecasts. But family budgets are different. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that consistently spending beyond your means and betting on winning the lottery someday doesn't work. When the bill collector calls, most of us won't be on the world's wealthiest list. Not long ago thrift was a virtue and most people earned their daily bread by hard work. Now dubious securities deals are valued more than sweat on the brow. The result of an economy built on smoke and mirrors won't be a rising tide that lifts all boats, but an over- inflated balloon that any pin prick will burst. Yet the sage wisdom of the money men is that Joe Consumer should do more of the very same things that lured us into this dismal swamp. Their counsel seems to be, “if you run fast enough, you can get across before the quicksand sucks you under.” Those flimflam advisors say, “don't look back. Let the devil take the hindmost; keep borrowing from China to buy junk.” If your lifestyle, like mine, seems more like that of the poor and obscure than the rich and famous, it's better to pinch pennies, not gamble on long shots. The economy is a long distance race. Sprinters burn out. In the long run, slow and steady wins. Those whose shaky financial dealings made and lost fortunes hope the world is rife with fools looking for quick and easy fixes. They urge you to hand over your money in return for a promise to coronate you when you yank a sword from a stone. If you agree, your reward is more likely to be a coronary than a crown.

Copyright 2008 Peter Dannenberg. All rights reserved. Used here with permission.

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Common Cents

By Peter Dannenberg

Microsoft monarch Bill Gates lost $18 billion last year, but still regained his throne as Fortune magazine's richest person in the world. The many serfs on the footstool find fewer silver linings in their losses. Politicians no longer swear by the Yankee folk saying: Use it up / Wear it out / Make it do / Do without. Their motto in this recession seems to be: Spend some more /Have no doubt / It's not new / So throw it out. Economists say this is the wrong time for belt tightening. Monetary prophets urge us to borrow more and breathe life back into our drowning financial system. The government ponies up cash from our taxes so banks can lend it back to us at usurious credit card rates. Banks love that federal largess, but recently found religion and became tight-fisted about granting credit. They seem to have learned a hard lesson that the false prophets hope the rest of us will ignore. Bernard Madoff, Prince of Ponzi pyramid schemes, made off with $65 billion and made paupers of many who invested their life savings with him. He's learning another lesson. A Wall Street rhyme says, "He who takes what isn't his'n must pay it back or go to prison." Madoff pled guilty to 11 charges that could earn him up to 150 years behind bars. Since he's 70, it's possible he might not serve his full sentence. The stock market is in such dire straits that pecuniary pundits hailed four days without a drop in share prices as a parting of the sea of red ink. Government agencies hire laid-off bankers to help them shut down other bankrupt banks. It's a booming business; they can't keep up with the failures. The vicious cycle quickens. International insurance colossus AIG received more than $170 billion in US taxpayer bailouts, much of which paid off policies that banks bought from AIG to protect chancy investments. AIG set a new corporate record in the last three months of 2008 by losing $61.7 billion. AIG said it will add $165 million in new executive bonuses to $55 million already paid to their barons on March 15, 2009. Beware the ides of March! I am shocked-shocked when crowned heads of finance come across as greedy.

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Sat, 4/25-26

Green Mt. Antique Gun & Knife

Show, Pownal, Sat 9-2, Sun 9-2, Gun & knife dealers from across New England selling, buying and trading antique, used and new guns & knives. Free appraising. Info: 875-4540.

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Sat, 4/25-26

Everything Equine and Horses, Champlain Valley Fairgrounds, Essex Junction. A weekend for the horse enthusiast featuring seminars, handson demonstrations, 4-H exhibitions, horse show and trade floor. Info: 878- 5545.

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