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Cabot Historical Society

Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

February/March 2020 · 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 February/March 2020 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

Selectboard Update

by Fred Ducharme, Chair

The Selectboard thanks the voters of Cabot for providing us the opportunity to serve our community in 2019. The Board considers 2019 a very good year with many significant accomplishments. The paving of the Willey Building parking lot along with installation of lights was a project long overdue. The paving project through town was started by Pike Industries and will be completed this coming spring. The Selectboard would like to recognize and remember our fellow board member who passed away this past year. Ted Domey was a long time Selectboard member who served his town in many capacities. His knowledge of highways and roads from his tenure at the Agency of Transportation was a great benefit to the town as we planned projects over the years. He will be missed by all of us. Thank you, Ted! Matthew Nally is filling out the remainder of Ted’s term. Matt has been a good addition to the board, bringing with him his previous experience in public safety and managing people under difficult situations. The next fiscal year budget that covers the period of July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021, has taken considerable work at multiple budget meetings. The Board has set aside an hour or two for special budget meetings each week to discuss expenses needed to meet the financial demands of the Town. These are public meetings and we invite the public to attend and give us their thoughts and suggestions.

Some areas of the budget were level funded and some were cut. Our goal is to present a reasonable budget to the voters, taking into consideration the town’s operational and long term needs and being sensitive to not over burden the taxpayers of Cabot. The Board had to deal with a budget deficit from the previous fiscal year. The Highway Fund had a deficit of $80,340 due to a difficult winter with more salt use and overtime to deal with all the weather conditions. We try to budget enough, but some winters are harder than others. The General Fund ran a deficit of $98,425 due to budgeting delinquent tax income which was not supposed to be entered as income. Both highway and general fund deficits will be retired over the next five years with minimum increases to the taxpayer. FY2021 (July1, 2020 - June 30,2021) General Fund Operating Budget is $669,701, compared to last year's budget of $717,700, a decrease of $47,999. There are no General Fund projects this year. The FY2021 (July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021) Base Highway Operating Budget totals $861,651, compared to last year’s base budget of $787,084, an increase of $74,567. Consolidating the equipment leases of all town equipment and paying off the balances will save the town $46,000. To accomplish this, we are asking the town to approve a $300,000 grant from CCIF. In addition, the town will borrow $408,000 to be paid off over five years. The total 2021 Highway budget is $1,766,306, an increase of $655,222 over the previous year. Information on the Cabot Fire Department’s updating the current fire station due to violations are listed in the Fire Department’s report in the Town’s Annual Report. Please refer any questions to Chief Walter Bothfeld, Jr. The Fire Department and Selectboard are working together to determine the needs of the community and how to ensure the safety of our volunteer fire fighters. We are thoughtfully studying what we want to do as a community with the property the town purchased. There is no other location in town with that good access to the road with oncoming traffic visibility, centrally located with space for decontamination, maintenance of equipment, servicing and storing equipment. The impact on future budgets is identified in the FY2020 Capital Budget included separately in the Town Report. Please note that neither the General Fund nor the Highway Fund budgets include any contingency funds, so when an unanticipated cost occurs, it may very well result in a budget deficit. The projected 2020-21 Municipal Property Tax rate is 0.6419 if all the articles pass, up from 0.6080 in 2019. The GRAND LIST AND TAX COMPARI- SON 2010-2019 report is included in the Annual Town Report, providing a ten year comparison of Property Tax Rates. The Town is purchasing a new roadside mower with blower attachment which will be able to do roadside mowing multiple times over the summer and have the capacity to clean out many of the 800 culverts in Cabot. We’ve been spending $15-20,000 per year for outside services to do roadside mowing and no one has been happy with it – this way we can do it ourselves. We are investigating installing sidewalks from the village to the Creamery Willey Building committee is working on the date of the anniversary celebration to honor our past. Please refer to our report in the annual Town Report for more information.

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What’s the Story with 3065 Main Street?

by Lori Augustyniak for CCA

While the structure at 3065 Main Street sits dormant, the committee charged with determining its future is not. The Cabot Community Association (CCA) purchased the building in January 2018 and the Economic Development Workgroup of the CCA spent most of that year investigating a possible new use of the building which did not ultimately materialize. In the spring of 2019, the CCA applied for a grant from the Preservation Trust of Vermont to assess the condition of the structure, identify repairs, provide rough cost estimates for repair work and recommend viable options for future use of the building and/or site. The CCA hired Ashar Nelson of Vermont Integrated Architecture, P.C. (VIA), who visited the building in June to survey its existing condition and discuss the building’s history and possible improvements and use for the future. The full VIA report is available on the CCA website (CabotVermont.org). Here are the highlights: --The building is believed to have been constructed in two parts beginning in 1845 (north side), with the south side added in 1880 or shortly thereafter. The building is approximately 2,351 square feet in area. --The building appears to have been used largely on the main floor for mercantile purposes through the mid‐to‐late 20th century. In the 1980’s, the building was converted to three residential apartments and leased privately. --Currently, the building is in a state of disrepair, unoccupied and its condition classified as salvage by the Town Listers.

--The building has an interesting history in the center of the historic Village of Cabot. Addressing this, and whether the building could be “saved” is essential to the success of any future grants on the use of the property. The recommendations in the report identify three options for the CCA: Demolish and Replace – Remove the existing structure and replace with a similar building (size and form). A building on this site is important for the architecture of the village. It will be less expensive than Option 2 and easier to address deficiencies. Building could be net‐zero energy and retain much of the character of the historic building while performing much better. An ideal place for housing in the walkable village. Restore – This would need to be a labor of love as it will be messy and expensive, and the CCA should expect to rebuild much of the building from the ground up. Demolish and Remove – Perhaps a park providing open access to the river could be created in the space left behind? In October, the CCA was awarded a new grant from the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI), a program of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, that helps rural communities access funding for community and business development. The CCA is using the REDI grant to work with a consultant/grant writer to assess options for the site, develop a strategy for the site, identify potential funding opportunities and draft at least one grant application. There have been lots of suggestions made as to the best use of this site-- child care facility, a restaurant, office space, laundromat, workforce housing, barber shop, riverfront park, bakery/café. The CCA wants to know: What are your ideas? The CCA will host several opportunities for Cabot residents and business owners to share ideas for the future of this site, but you don’t need to wait. You can contact the CCA anytime with your ideas and dreams for this downtown location. Email [email protected] or call Lori Augustyniak at 802-563- 2064.

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Chitty Bang Flies to Cabot!

by Karen Mueller-Harder

Join us for the Cabot Community Theater production of “Chitty Bang Bang” April 2-5, at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center. This show, featuring a huge multigenerational cast of community members, promises to be a delight for all! If you haven’t experienced a CCT show yet, prepare to be won over by the group’s engagement and joy in performing, as well as a wonderful array of familiar and new faces and amazing and talented voices! This musical is a glorious romp, based on Ian Fleming’s book of the same name, in which a most unusual car transforms the lives of the quirky inventor Caractacus Potts (Jesse Clayton) and his unconventional children Jeremy (played by Spencer Vitale and Piper Hall) and Jemima (played by Sage King and Ursa Goldenrose), and yarnspinning Grandpa (Luca Socks). You will appreciate the kind Mr. Coggins (Emmett Muller) and castigate the nasty Junkman (John Delgaudio Searles), be delighted by the Turkey Farmer (Freya Van Deusen), and root for the Potts family as they try to win over the officious Lord Scrumptious (Bill Delgaudio), and his assistant Miss Phillips (Linda Savoca) and Chef (Ella Lacelle). A perfectly ordinary picnic at the beach with the delightful Truly Scrumptious (Jessica Della Pepa) turns into an event of international intrigue, as Baron and Baroness Bomburst of Vulgaria (Leo Parlo and Maia Mencucci) endeavor to steal the miraculous car with the aid of their bumbling spies (Jonah Socks and Alex Squires). In Vulgaria, our heroes are pursued by an evil Childcatcher (Wesley Barlow), and Vulgarian military officers (Kellon Mencucci and Ethan Garrison) but befriended by the kind Toymaker (Edith Lane), and a team of imprisoned inventors (Lori Augustyniak, Beatrix Avery, Jennifer Barlow, Danielle Reeves, Ila Steinert, Elizabeth Vitale). The tide finally turns when they team up with the children of Vulgaria (Alexander Clayton, Ariabella Clayton, Lynn Marie Ducas, Calleigh Garrison, Mavis Hall, Ava Stratman, Lucas Vitale), but you’ll have to come see the show to find out what happens! The production is directed by Karen Mueller-Harder, music direction and piano accompaniment is by Mark Violette, and choreography is by Daria Babbitt. The fantastic set/prop design and construction team comprises Lori Augustyniak, Bea Avery, Jennifer Barlow, Blue Christensen, Barbara Halada, Ama Hannan, Todd Parlo, Danielle Reeves, Aysha Rossell, Mekiah Smith, Rachel Squires, and Paul Wade. The costume team includes Elizabeth Vitale, Ewa Jankowska, Megen Hall, Bea Avery, and Ama Hannan. Sound design is by Koschei Searles and Timothy Mueller- Harder, with lighting designed by Cameron Mueller-Harder. Cabot Community Theater will be performing this show for one weekend only, so be sure to mark it in your calendar now! There will be 7:00 p.m. shows on Thursday through Saturday, April 2- 4, and 2:00 p.m. matinees on April 4 and 5. Performances will be at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, and tickets are $10 general admission, and $8 for students and seniors. For reservations or more information, call 563-2064 starting after Town Meeting. See you at the show!

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JOES POND ICE OUT

Tickets for Sale until April 1

Tickets may be purchased for $1 each at Cabot Village Store, Harry’s Hardware, Marshfield Village Store, Corner Stop-Inn Shop, Hastings Store, Marty’s First Stop, Barrel to Bottle, Azalea Sun and other local outlets. To find additional ticket sale locations or purchase tickets online, go to: https://www.joespondvermont.com/iceout.php.

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The CCIF Fund Has Limitation

The CCIF Trust Fund has limitations and may soon reach a funding level that prevents the CCIF Committee from paying the obligations set under the CCIF Plan and town articles adopted in previous years. The CCIF Committee is limited each year, by the CCIF plan, to spending four percent of the average balance over the previous six quarters. This is an accepted level in the financial industry to withdraw from a fund without depleting it over time and allowing it to grow enough to keep up with inflation. The balance of the CCIF Trust Fund as of December 31, 2019, was approximately $1,091,182. In recent years, the voters of Cabot have approved using the CCIF Trust Fund to pay for various large projects, such as the new town garage and the new roof on the school gym. Withdrawing this money from the trust fund reduces the amount of money available for other grant programs and reduces any gains upon that money that would be available in the future. The chart above shows the past balance of the CCIF Trust Fund over the past 14 years, with a dashed line showing the value adjusted for inflation. In March of 2015, the voters of Cabot approved a town garage loan using money from the CCIF Trust Fund as collateral, and payment of the loan to come from the proceeds of the CCIF Trust Fund. This loan payment is taken annually out of the 4% allotted to the CCIF committee for all the noneducation programs funded by the CCIF Plan. As we move forward, if the balance reaches a critical level, the CCIF committee will not be able to award any grants. The following chart shows how much money is available for different balances of the CCIF Trust Fund.

CCIF Fund Balance $1,000,000 $900,000 $800,000 $700,000 $625,000 Total Amount Available (4%)

At these different levels, the CCIF Plan can fund the following non-education grant programs and expenditures as

Total Expenditure Administration (i.e. audit)

$40,000 $36,000 $32,000 $28,000 $25,000 defined in the CCIF Plan (amounts rounded to $1000).

$40,000 $36,000 $32,000 $28,000 $25,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 0 Town Garage Loan Payment** $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 Interest Rate Subsidy Grants (Grandfathered)

Town Meeting and Discretionary Grants

If the CCIF Trust Fund average balance falls below $800,000, the Interest Rate Subsidy Grants will no longer be fully funded under the CCIF Plan. And if the CCIF Trust Fund falls below $700,000, the grant programs and the town charge for the annual audit would not be funded under the CCIF Plan. Additionally, if the balance falls below $6,000 $6,000 $4000 0 $6,000 $2,000 0 $625,000, the CCIF Plan will no longer be able to cover the town garage loan payment out of the investment income, as required by Article 22, approved at Town Meeting in 2015. As chartered by the CCIF Plan, the plan shall be binding upon all public officials, elected or appointed. And one of (see ‘CCIF’, page 5)

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CABOT ♦ DANVILLE ♦ PEACHHAM

by Representative Catherine “Kitty” Toll dress outlining expenditures and related initiatives for the upcoming fiscal year. This is the basis for the budget work of the House Appropriations Committee. Please look for my Town Meeting Day Report to see highlights of Governor Scott’s budget proposal and an update of other legislative actions. On Monday, February 10, public hearings will be held to provide Vermonters with the opportunity to speak directly to legislators and weigh in on the Governor’s proposed budget. Vermonters who are unable to attend can email written testimony to [email protected] or mail testimony to House Appropriations Committee, 115 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633. Hearings will be held from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at seven locations across the state including the St. Johnsbury House on Main Street in St. Johnsbury and at Downstreet Housing & Community Development, 22 Keith Ave, Suite 100, Barre City. In mid-January, the House considered and passed Proposition 2 - the proposal of constitutional amendment to clarify the prohibition on slavery and indentured servitude (PR 2). This proposal of amendment passed the Senate on April 24, 2019. On May 8, the House held a public hearing as part of the routine process to consider a proposal of constitutional amendment. Chapter I, Article 1 of the Vermont Constitution is historically significant in that it is the source of the anti-slavery provision that made the Vermont Constitution of 1777 the first state constitution to outlaw slavery. Proposal 2 amends the second half of Article 1 to clarify that slavery and indentured servitude in any form are prohibited. Please contact me directly with your questions and concerns. As always, it is an honor to represent our communities at the State House. [email protected] [email protected] PO Box 192 Danville, VT 05828 802-684-3671 (Home)

(see ‘Public Hearings’, page 7)

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Cabot Ambulance

Cabot Ambulance is still looking for volunteers to become trained and certified to help others in their time of need. We are still here, struggling, but forging ahead and taking things one day at a time. We have lost a few members over the last few months for a variety of reasons, from life decisions or changes to leaving the area, to serving in our military (thank you for your service, Hank!). Regardless of the reasons, Cabot Ambulance is sorely in need of more certified volunteers! We still have the EMT class going. We have lost a couple students, but that isn’t uncommon, and we still have eight in the class, five of which are on our Cabot Roster. I believe the students are doing well, despite some bumps in the road. The Class is scheduled for completion around the end of February, and a Psychomotor or practical skills test is scheduled for March, after which students can take their final National Registry Computer based test and become certified EMTs. We have about 33 members on our roster, but many are either not certified yet, and/or are not able to be active members due to life, family, work, etc. (not through any fault of theirs of course, it’s just life). Only about half of the 33 are active members, and only about half of those are certified, so most of our emergency calls are being covered by about a half dozen of us. Dispatch is forced to call a mutual aid service for the emergency calls we are unable to cover (which, unfortunately, often delays transport for 20 to 40 minutes extra). Of course, this is not intended to make anyone feel bad, whether associated with Cabot Ambulance or not, but just to raise awareness of our situation. If anyone is interested or knows anyone who may be interested in joining Cabot Ambulance, please let us know. Best case scenario would be someone already a trained/certified EMR or EMT. But even some background emergency medical knowledge or experience is helpful, if they are willing to take the appropriate training and classes to become certified. Even if you have no background knowledge or skill at all, if you are willing and able to volunteer and willing to complete the training, we will help put you through it. Also, if you would like to help but cannot join as an active member or become an EMT, we could always use donations to help pay for training or new equipment and supplies. Anyone interested could please contact Daniel Peterson regarding joining the ambulance service or for donations (please see contact info below). Thank you again to all who have served on Cabot Ambulance in the past. And a big thank you to all who are still helping us in any way!

Respectfully, Daniel Peterson [email protected] 1(802)917-8254 (Mobile) 563-3361 (Home)

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

Ronald Elwin Blondin RonaldElwin Blondin, 75, of Gettysburg, PA, formerly of Cabot, died Monday, January 6, 2020, at the Gettysburg Center, following a fight against pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his sons Jamie and Casey, their wives Heather and Julia; four grandchildren Hailey, Jessica, Kyle and Madison; as well as his sister, Cheryl, brothers Doug and Gary; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Born and raised in Cabot, Ron worked on the family farm with his siblings, including his other sister, Donna, until he graduated from Cabot High School in 1963. He joined the Army and served from 1964 to 1966. He later joined the South Burlington Police Department and started a family. In 1975, he moved Jean Clark In memory of Jean Clark January 19 1913-July 14 2019, age 106 January 19, 2020, is the first birthday we cannot celebrate with Jean, so instead, I’d like to take the opportunity to share a little about her remarkable life. Jean Clark was born January 19, 1913, in Grand Rapids MI, just before World War I, and remembered riding in the Armistice parade. She rode with her aunt and uncle because her father was ill with the Spanish flu, as were so many young adults during the Great Flu Pandemic. A few more points of historical reference: the Wright brother’s flight was in 1903, just 10 years earlier. Henry Ford introduced the first moving assembly lines for autos the same year Jean was born. Her mother did not have the right to vote until Jean was 7. Jean’s father was an excellent sportsman, and Jean followed his lead as an athlete, playing golf and tennis into her late 70s, swimming through her 80s, and finally pool walking almost to her 100th year. Jean was a strong believer in education, and after high school, attended and graduated from the University of Michigan at a time when it was relatively rare for women to do so. She remained a Michigan Wolverines fan throughout her life, watched every college football and basketball game she could, decorated her home with U of M paraphernalia, and per her request, was buried in a maize & blue urn with the Michigan “M” logo. She married the love of her life, Stanley Schlee, in 1937. Their first child was born in 1941. Shortly after, Stanley volunteered for WWII service. He saw action, and was very fortunate to return home. Two more children were born in 1947 and 1954. Stanley was a respected lawyer and judge, and beloved father to their three children. He died unexpectedly in 1972. Jean was a fantastic pianist, despite never learning to read music. She played by ear…if you hummed a tune, she would immediately set chords to it and play a rich and robust version on the spot. She was pianist for countless Point Brittany events in St. Petersburg, FL, a his family to Maryland and served with the Howard County Police Department for about 20 years. When he retired from the police force, he worked miscellaneous jobs to keep busy and continue to support his family. In 2007, he moved to Fairfield, PA. Ron provided a great life raising two boys, sharing his love of camping and outdoor activities such as hunting and snowmobiling, as well as his belief in hard work. He took his family camping as often as possible and spent quality time with his boys. His passion for baseball shaped his lifestyle and became one of his favorite things to enjoy and to share. He also became an avid stamp and coin collector. A family service and celebration will be held at a later date in the Durant Cemetery in Cabot, where he will join his father, Elwin, his mother, Eleanor, and his sister, Donna. The Monahan Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral arrangements and online condolences may be made at monahanfuneralhome.com.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 4 onward.

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS CONTINUED

Shirley George ShirleyM . (Grappone) George, loving wife and mother, passed peacefully on January 7, 2020, surrounded by her family. Born in 1934 in Brooklyn, NY she moved to Montpelier,VT, where she attended and graduated Montpelier High School in 1952. Shirley began nurses training at Heaton Hospital, first as a candy striper then progressing to Registered Nurse. Her training included time at Boston Floating Hospital. She was an ensign in the US Navy stationed in Newport, RI, when she met her husband, Philip D. George. They married in 1956 and raised their six children on the family farm in East Calais. Shirley enjoyed being a nurse and continued to work as an RN at Heaton for many years. Other than her love for family and nursing, her passion was watching the Boston Celtics; she loved keeping score and tracking their games. This was something she Charles P. Ginett Charles P. (Eric) Ginett(e) died on December 31, 2019, at Central Vermont Medical Center, with his loving wife of 45 years, Lisa, at his side. after a threeyear illness. Eric was born on August 27, 1946, in Rochester, NY. He was predeceased by his mother, Evelyn (Babcock) Ginett and his father, Warren Ginett. The family made their home in West Webster, NY, where his father worked at Kodak. Eric moved to California in the late 60’s to attend school at Berkeley and Merritt College. He studied various subjects, particularly the Chinese language, in which he became proficient. However, the area that really called to him was working wood and he missed rural living and four seasons. Eric moved to Cabot, VT, in 1972 to pursue a profession in the building trades. He progressed to finish carpentry and shop work and then he started his own business as a woodworking shop. Eric loved hand tools and completed

Doris (Cheney) Therrien Doris Therrien of Boxford, MA, formerly of Cabot, passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 1, 2020, at Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, MA. Up until New Year's Eve, she resided in an assisted living dementia care residence. Doris "Dot" was born on November 12, 1927, in Barnet. She grew up on a farm “on the hill” with her two brothers and five sisters. Dot loved the outdoors and would go for walks or work in the garden whenever possible. She married Russ Therrien on June 26, 1947, and they spent their lives together as farmers in Cabot.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 5 onward.

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Gone to Greener Pastures

by Gwendolyn Hallsmith

Vermont has recently allowed changes to cemetery procedures that make it possible to have what are known as “green burials,” reducing the environmental footprint we all have after we have taken our last breath. Robinson Cemetery in East Calais was one of the first cemeteries to adopt the new practices. Typically, a green burial involves a casket with biodegradable materials that break down easily in the soil and burial at 3.5 feet that allows the soil’s natural organisms to consume the body and the casket. These practices eliminate the chemicals and concrete buried with bodies in traditional burials and the emissions from cremation. In the United States we bury 20 million board feet of hardwood, 1.6 million tons of concrete and 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid every year in traditional burials. Other potential contaminants which can leach into the groundwater over time include heavy metals, varnishes, and paints. People who choose cremation instead should know that on average it takes 28 gallons of fuel to burn a body, which results in 540 pounds of CO2 emissions, along with mercury, Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, and particulates. There are some fears and misconceptions that come with the new practices. Home, 167 Maple St. (Route 62), Danvers, MA. To share a memory or offer acondolence , pleasevisit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.

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Please Leave the Mess

by the Cabot Conservation Commission

There is something very appealing about smooth green lawns and woods free of underbrush, fallen trees and branches, but such tidiness is not the best for nature. Rotting leaves, trees and other plants build the soil and provide food and habitat for microorganisms, insects, birds, mammals—large and small, amphibians, insects and other invertebrates. Microorganisms break down rotting plant and animal material and become food for plants, insects and other invertebrates that in turn feed other pants and creatures on up the food chain. Forests and forest animals need plants of many heights and types for food and shelter. The undergrowth, leaf litter and other debris on the forest floor protect amphibians, reptiles, mammals as well as ground-nesting birds. Brush and smaller trees along forest edges protect many species from predators. To support wildlife and diversity, make paths through the underbrush and leave the tops and branches from wood cutting where they fall or in loose piles. To see into the woods, cut narrow glades to give you slices of the view, but leave plenty of undergrowth and leaf litter and decomposing plants. These "untidy" practices will not only support wildlife, they will likely increase the amount and diversity of the wildlife you see.

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Is It Spring, Yet?

by Amanda Legare The arrival of seed catalogs helps cut through winter’s cabin fever. In choosing my seed catalogs I consider the selection, the price, the descriptions and past experiences with germination, and service from those companies. Some catalogs seem to be products of a PR company. I get the sense that the person writing the descriptions has never actually grown the plant. I have been gardening for more than 50 years and my choice of seed companies has settled down to seven main sources. I buy most of my flower seeds from GeoSeed in South Carolina. Although the catalog says “Seed for Professionals,” I called the company and was told anyone can order. If the order is under $100, the shipping and handling charge will be $6.00, otherwise it is free. Not only does this family-run business have a huge selection, its prices are terrific. For example, at Burpees, buying 100 seeds of Queen Sophia marigold costs $4.95. At Geoseed buying 1,000 Queen Sophia seeds costs $3.15. Because it is essentially a commercial business, you are committed to buying a “Trade packet,” so in this case, unless you have a lot of marigold-loving friends, 1,000 seeds might be going overboard. However, the more expensive seeds are sold in smaller amounts. Geoseeds offer 100 Zahara Starlight Rose zinnia, one of my favorites, for $3.85. Burpee offers 50 of the same seeds for $6.95. GeoSeed does not sell vegetables. Pinetree is a Maine company that’s the opposite of GeoSeed. Pinetree offers packets with small seed counts at appropriate prices. They have an excellent selection, including some unusual varieties. Most gardeners in the northeast, including myself, enjoy Maine’s Johnny’s Selected Seeds catalog. They offer straight forward descriptions for the serious gardener and a nice variety of garden tools. I appreciate their selection of sunflowers and cut flowers. But, before I order anything from Johnny’s, I look for the same seed at another Maine company, Fedco, because the quality is similar, and the price is almost always much lower. Fedco is a cooperative, owned by employees and customers, and profit does not drive the business. They offer a lot of open-pollinated and heirloom seed, and a limited selection of hybrids. They often source their seeds from smaller farms and germination rates are published on the packets. The catalog is quirky and personal, offering lots of information. It’s printed on plain newsprint, all black and white. Sketches, vintage etchings, expert advice and humor fill each page, and that makes it a fun read. I grow loads of different heirloom tomatoes and if I can’t find what I want at Fedco I turn to Sandhill Preservation Center in Iowa. This is a family operation selling only open-pollinated seeds. Because of the expense and the problems small businesses face with bulk mailing, they no longer offer free print catalogs. Although they have a web site where you can drool over more than 300 varieties of red tomatoes, they do not take orders online or on the phone and they do not accept credit cards. I don’t mind writing a check and putting it in an envelope. Sandhill grows the seed they sell for over 80% of the varieties they offer and put their effort into preserving and growing heirloom plants rather than marketing their business. The choice is amazing, and the prices are very reasonable. For perennial seeds my go-to catalog is Jelitto. They offer more than 3,700 varieties of seeds. Many perennial seeds can be tricky to germinate. Jelitto carries a line of pre-treated, ready-to-sprout (no cold stratification needed) seed that they designate "Gold Nugget" seed. They are pricey, but the results more than justify the extra cost for me. Horticultural Products and Services (HPS) out of Randolph, Wisconsin, is geared towards the grower, but they also offer smaller seed packets at excellent prices. They have a broad selection of annual flowers, herbs and vegetables and I always end up getting some seeds from them, as well. High Mowing Seeds was founded in 1996 by Tom Stearns and has been certified organic since that date. In 1999 he bought 50 acres in Wolcott and the company now has more than $1.5 million in sales. They offer more than 60 varieties of lettuce, 17 varieties of cover crops, 16 choices for basil etc. All orders over $10 ship free. Inevitably I realize I’m missing something at the last minute and then it’s off to the local stores to check out their seed racks. ——Fedco - www.fedcoseeds.com - (207) 426-0090 Geoseed - www.geoseed.com (888) 645-2323 HPS -www.hpsseed.com (800) 322-7288 Jelitto - www.jelitto.com - (502) 895-0807 Johnnys - www.Johnnyseeds.com - (877) 564-6697 Pinetree - www.superseeds.com - (207) 926-3400 Sandhill - www.sandhillpreservation.com (563) 246-2299 - (no print catalog or orders by phone.) High Mowing Seeds – www.highmowingseeds.com - 802-472-6174 or 866-735-4454

The “Garden Watchdog” has a directory of more than 7,000 mail order gardening companies with eye-opening reviews from gardening customers: http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/.

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Cabot Recycling

Recycling in Cabot continues to see high participation rates by area residents. At the same time, the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District (NEKWMD) has secured valuable markets for our clean, sorted, and largely contamination free recyclables. For example, at the close of 2019, the NEKWMD was being paid $50 per ton (an increase from $35 per ton) for mixed paper to be used in the manufacture of insulation. At the same time, single sort markets were paying to have their paper hauled away. The reason: our paper stream is clean, dry, and contaminant free. Because recycling markets shift continually, it is important for users of the recycling center to keep up to date when changes happen. Some of the bigger changes over the past year include the addition of screw-on plastic lids and black plastic of any kind to the contaminant list. Please add these items to your trash. Most types of plastic products are not recyclable. If in doubt, consult the District web site at www.nekwmd.org for the list of unacceptable products. Another change for Cabot is the addition of food scrap collection at the recycling center. If you do not do home composting, you can bring your food scraps down on Saturday mornings. All food scraps, including meat, bones, and dairy are fine. What is not taken are PLU stickers, food utensils, paper or “compostable” plates, bowls, and cups, plastic bags, Styrofoam and Keurig cups. Some of the special wastes now accepted include: 1# propane tanks, aerosol cans, hard cover books, tires (for a fee), electronic wastes, batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs, scrap metal, and waste oil. The recycling center, located on Sawmill Road in Lower Cabot, is open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon only. An attendant is present, and trash is collected for a fee. For more information, stop by the recycling center or visit www.nekwmd. Please be sure to support the NEKWMD on the Town Meeting Day budget votes. The Waste District continues to supply top quality services to residents in a cost-effective manner.

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Chimney Fires

"Tis the season". Yes, After the New Year, temperatures drop, snow falls and thoughts turn to skis and snowmobiles, New Year's resolutions and curling up next to the stove with a good book. And hopefully, safe wood burning. That last one is really important. A great way to spoil your winter season is to have a chimney fire. A lot of us burn wood, either as a primary source of winter heat, or to supplement some other primary source of heat, or perhaps just to enjoy the warmth of a fireplace or wood stove on a cold night. (Would you believe that Vermont leads the nation in the use of wood heating per capita?) A safe installation is critical of course, and plenty of information is available for that, either online or from most local insurance agencies. Having a fire extinguisher handy on each floor of your home is a good idea, and especially important if you burn wood. But what about those chimney fires? There is always a risk of a chimney fire, even if you are diligent about cleaning your chimney and not burning green wood. (Your fire department has responded to more than one chimney fire call in which the homeowner said "Gee, I just cleaned the chimney a couple of weeks ago.") Modern "airtight" stoves have contributed to the problem, as they permit longer burning of a load of wood, but as a consequence, burn cooler. Cooler means a greater chance of creosote buildup in the chimney. Eventually, it will ignite and burn like a hot torch. Hot enough to possibly ignite anything combustible next to the chimney- roof rafters, studs or those old boxes piled up in the attic. You can find a lot of good information on safe wood heating online, starting with the Vermont Division of Fire Safety. But cleaning your chimney is an important step. Your Fire Department will clean chimneys as a part of fire training exercises. The Department can't officially guarantee that you'll never have a chimney fire after the chimney is cleaned, or that your installation is absolutely safe, but there's no charge to clean the chimney or to point out something about your installation that appears to be unsafe. We'd much rather get some training for our members on a nice day, rather than answer a chimney fire call in the middle of the night when it's twenty below zero. That said, if you DO experience a chimney fire, please call 911 immediately, and don't assume it will burn itself out or that you can deal with it yourself. Your Fire Department operates 24/7 365 days a year and is well equipped to respond to a chimney fire.

Chip Taylor for the Cabot Fire Department

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Conservation Committee Applies for Town Meeting Day Grant

by Gary Gulka Our forests, natural areas, plants, streams, ponds, wildlife and natural beauty are fundamental to what makes Cabot a great place to live. Vermont is second in the nation after Alaska for participation in wildlife-related recreation and is rated first for wildlife watching activities. Most of Cabot’s lands are privately held, so the quality of our natural areas and wildlife habitat depends on the land management practices and choices of individual landowners. One of the roles of the Conservation Committee is to educate and assist Cabot residents in learning more about the natural and wildlife value of our land and woodlands and how they can be managed with nature in mind. We believe that the best way to preserve our natural and cultural heritage is to provide the community with specific information about these resources and management practices that will enhance them. A good starting point is to know what kinds of natural communities of plants and animals we have. Vermont classifies about 90 different types of natural communities—some very common, some rare, some only in certain areas of the state. Common natural communities include spruce-fir northern hardwood forest, hemlock forest, northern white cedar swamp, and cattail marshes. Others are rarer, such as vernal pools, red pine forests, and dry red oak-white pine forest. Dominant plants and animals are tied to these natural community types. The bird species present in Cabot, for example, vary greatly from one area to another depending on the type of natural community and the stage of succession. You might find bobolinks in grasslands or agricultural fields, northern cardinals in scrub, and hermit thrushes in mature forests. By understanding the value of various natural communities, a landowner can make land management choices that improve habitat for wildlife, such as making patch cuts to encourage wildlife that need new growth or young forest or locating trails to avoid sensitive areas, such as wetlands. The Conservation Committee has applied for a Town Meeting Day grant for a project called Managing Your Land with Nature in Mind to help improve our understanding of local natural communities and the land management required to support these habitats and wildlife. Voters will be asked to approve the grant on Town Meeting Day. The Conservation Committee proposes to use a consulting ecologist to help with an effort to educate Cabot residents and landowners about the natural communities we have and how they can be managed to meet the landowner’s goals for use of the land with nature in mind. The consultant, with some no-cost help from Vermont’s Fish & Wildlife staff, Vermont Coverts and other organizations, will:

(1) Compile and map currently available natural community data from Cabot; (2) Provide public presentations on relevant topics, such as habitat and natural community identification; (3) Perform field work to help identify natural communities where requested by the landowner; and (4) Lead field trips for the public to natural communities of interest. After the grant period, the Conservation Committee would continue to provide this kind of assistance to landowners. The application is requesting $6,980 from the Cabot Community Investment Fund, to be matched by $3,000 from the Cabot Conservation Fund.

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

by Roland (Slim) Payne As the Tree Warden, I would like to mention again roadside Ash trees in the public right of way (ROW) on our roads will need to be removed when Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infests them. That said, if you are a landowner with Ash trees within the 25 feet of ROW each side of the roadway centerline and wish to cut some Ash trees for firewood, please do so. This applies only to landowners on the roadside ROW on their own property. Once these Ash trees become a public safety hazard due to EAB infestation, they will need to be removed. An Ash tree inventory was conducted by me last winter, counting the Ash trees in the Town roadside ROW. There are over three thousand Ash trees in the roadside ROW in the town of Cabot. This is a considerable number of Ash trees, and given how the EAB spreads and kills Ash trees, the removal will likely need to continue over a period of five to ten years, perhaps longer. In October, I attended the Tree Warden summit presented by Vermont Forest, Parks and Recreation Department in Berlin, VT. The discussions covered all aspects of the response to the EAB infestation towns are facing, including funding, Ash tree management strategies, tree removal methods for the roadside trees, and EAB management response plans. I would like to discuss Management Strategies in this article. The three Ash tree management strategies discussed during the presentation are explained below.

Preemptive management is the first management strategy discussed and would entail starting the removal of Ash trees prior to EAB infestation.

Selective management is the second management strategy discussed, which would be the removal of the larger Ash trees, the denser concentrations of Ash trees, as well as Ash trees that are diseased or in decline prior to EAB infestation.

Reactive or delayed management

is the third management strategy, which is waiting until the Ash trees are infested and dying to start removal of roadside Ash trees. Due to the hazard the Ash trees present during this stage of decline, reactive management is also the most costly, as well as the most dangerous of the three management strategies. Other considerations for discussion as the EAB infestation moves closer to Cabot include whether we should write an EAB management response plan, and methods of Ash tree removal. In the closing of my article I would also suggest landowners assess the Ash trees on their properties, also whether they have the skills and equipment to remove the Ash trees given the size of trees present. If not, plan on consulting a tree service or logger to determine the appropriate method to remove Ash trees on your property to prevent damage to property and/or personal injury

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 7 onward.

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Brief Note for CVFiber

by Andrew Gilbert

Brief Note for CVFiber signed an agreement with Interisle Consulting Group to conduct an initial feasibility and business planning activity. This is exciting news and a big step forward. Also, Cabot residents responded well to the Internet Survey, surpassing 15% and perhaps even a bit more as the window closed. One interesting finding from the surveys, across all communities, is there are a lot of folks ready to pre-subscribe or saying they most likely would sign up. There is a lot of pent up demand and need for real Internet! More news should be coming this spring.

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Cabot Town Warning

The Legal Voters of the Town of Cabot are hereby warned and notified to meet at the Cabot School Gymnasium in the Town of Cabot, Vermont, on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at ten o’clock in the forenoon [10:00 A.M.] to transact the following business from the floor. HAUR polls will be open from 7:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M. in the Cabot School Gymnasium] Art. 1. To elect a Moderator for the ensuing year. Art. 2. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot hear the reports of the Town Officers? Art. 3. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot authorize payment of real and personal property taxes on August 20, 2020 and November 19, 2020 by delivery to Cabot Town Hall postmarked on or before that date; and, Establish that overdue taxes will bear interest at a rate of one percent per month or fraction thereof for the first three months and thereafter one and onehalf percent per month or fraction thereof from the due date of such tax pursuant to 32 V.S.A.ᶳ 5136; and, Establish the amount of the penalty charged by the collector of delinquent taxes for payments made after the due date for payment to 8 percent of the tax collected pursuant to 32 V.S.A. ᶳ 1674(3) (A)? Art. 4. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot elect all Town Officers required by law, according to law? The following Articles will be voted on by Australian Ballot and may be discussed on the floor except for Articles 5 through 8. Art. 5. To elect a Selectperson for a term of two years. [Australian Ballot] Art. 6. To elect a Selectperson for a term of three years. [Australian Ballot] Art. 7. To elect a Town Clerk for a term of three years. [Australian Ballot] Art. 8. To elect a Town Treasurer for a term of three years. [Australian Ballot} Art. 9. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot appropriate the sum of $669,701 to defray the General Expenses of the Town, with an estimated $84,300 to come from income and $585,401 from local taxes? [Australian Ballot] Art. 10. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot appropriate the sum of $1,766,306 to repair and maintain the Highways of the Town including summer, winter and special treatment, of which an estimated $1,084,255 is to come from income and $682,051 from local taxes? [Australian Ballot] Art. 11. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot authorize the Selectboard to sell a piece of property located on VT Route 215 North, Parcel Id #01-002.100, estimated to be 0.80 acres in size and attached Grader Shed, current assessed value of $52,500 with the proceeds of the sale to be deposited in the Highway Fund as sale of land? [Australian Ballot]

Art. 12. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot authorize the Selectboard to sell a piece of property located on 973 South Walden Road, Parcel Id #05-007.000, referred to as the Gary Curtis Property estimated to be 4.00 acres in size and a dwelling, current assessed value of $93,500 with the proceeds of the sale to be deposited in the General Fund as sale of land? [Australian Ballot] Art. 13. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot authorize the Selectboard to grant Faith in Action the sum of $2,500 to support that non-profit entity providing services to Cabot residents? [Australian Ballot] Art. 14. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot appropriate the sum of $1,000 to support the Cabot Conservation Fund? [Australian Ballot] Art. 15. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot approve a grant the sum of $300,000 from CCIF funds to be used to pay off the remaining leases for highway equipment saving the town over $46,000 in interest? [Australian Ballot] Art. 16. Shall the Town of Cabot eliminate the position of Auditor as allowed by the Legislature under 17 V.S.A. ᶳ 2651b, passed in 1998. The Towns financial statements are currently audited by a certified public accounting firm. The Town reports and other related documents will be prepared by the Town Clerk’s office. [Australian Ballot] Art. 17. Shall the voters of the Town of Cabot authorize the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District to appropriate and expend a budget of $794,823, at no expense to the Town of Cabot? [Australian Ballot] Art. 18. Shall the Town of Cabot approve appropriate a sum of $5,469.63 to the Cabot Public Library, to support library services and cultural programs in the Town of Cabot? This is an addition to the $80,000 already in the general budget and would cost taxpayers an additional $2.75/$100,000 household worth. The total amount ($85,469.63) has been approved by the Library Trustees. [Australian Ballot] Art. 19. To transact any other nonbinding business that may come before said meeting. Art. 20. To adjourn this meeting. Dated this 21st day of January A.D. 2020 Fred Ducharme, Chair, Ruth Goodrich, Vice Chair, John L. Cookson, Michael J. Hogan, Matthew Nally This Warning was recorded before posting, Attest: Betty Ritter, Cabot Town Clerk REGISTER TO VOTE:

There is no deadline to register to vote. You will be able to register to vote on the day of election. You can register to vote prior to voting by visiting the Cabot Town Clerk’s Office or going online to olvr.sec.state.vt. us. Registration will be available at the Town Clerk’s office on any day prior to the election between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday .

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 8 onward.

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The Presidential Primary will be on Town Meeting Day

You must declare a political party when voting in the PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY V.S.A. Title 17, Chapter 57, section 2704 “A person voting at the Primary shall be required to ask for the ballot of the party in which the voter wishes to vote and an election official shall record the voter’s choice of ballot by marking the entrance checklist with a letter code, as designated by the Secretary of State, to indicate the voter’s party choice.”

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Cabot Volunteer Fire Department - 2019 Year End Report

Your 153-year old Cabot Volunteer Fire Department (CFD) received 71 total calls in 2019, 47 of which were responded to by CFD members and apparatus. 22 were in Cabot, 19 Marshfield, four Walden, and one each Woodbury and Hardwick. Mutual aid is a critical component of rural response, and we are proud to give and grateful to receive. 17 calls were motor vehicle accidents, seven alarm activations, five vehicle fires, three structure fires, two each of hazmat, chimney fire, gas leak, and 8 “other”. CFD is committed to responding as best able regardless of location, time, weather, or type of call. Hazards in homes, cars, and businesses have drastically changed over time. Research proves an increase in long-term negative health impacts for those who enter these toxic environments. Industry future is the investment in proper gear, facility, training and policies to ensure the safety of volunteers. The 2018 Select Board (SB) concluded that the 1960s existing station lacked the ability to address safety for volunteers and approached CFD to begin the conversation on next steps. A centrally located lot of land, top priority, was purchased by combined town and CFD sinking funds, a building committee was formed, met regularly and began planning the future of Cabot’s emergency services. The 2019 newly elected SB asked for CFD to prove that the facility was not up to standards of occupancy. State and Federal regulators reviewed the station and compiled violations. Here is the detailed violation report: http://cabotfiredept . c o m /Building_Committee_.html. All regulators, CFD Chiefs, and letters from two independent contracting firms urged the SB that the current building was not worth modifying, and ultimately would not meet the health and safety needs for the emergency services of this community. The SB, however, reallocated funds from demolishing a house on the new lot to addressing the violations. CFD desires funding to be strategically used to the best needs of this community, putting funds into the current station does not help the town plan for the future. Violation projects completed in 2019 are: installation of a fire rated door and wall between the training room and bays; installation of a new training room heating system to eliminate exhaust and contaminants from being blown in from the truck bays; and items purchased - eye wash station, new sink and mop basin. These projects have totaled $6,000. Thank you to the volunteers who have contributed to these work nights. Looking towards 2020, CFD has been level funded. Our Tanker has exceeded its 20-year lifespan, refurbishment and replacement options are being explored. Also being explored are the benefits of adding a mini pumper to help service more rural locations in town. Thanks to a grant from the Rural Vermont Fire Task Force, CFD was able to repair a broken dry hydrant at Coits Pond and Houston Hill. CFD is looking to submit for future funding to add to the community's existing 12 dry hydrants. Properly working dry hydrants are critical to quick rural fire response. Lastly, we wish to thank all the members for their time and devotion to this community, those who support our annual Pancake Breakfast and the many people who have taken the time to support the department members and shown interest in knowing more about the future of emergency services in this community.

Respectfully, Chief Walter Bothfeld Jr., and your Cabot Volunteer Fire Department

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Listers Corner Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit

Why are the Listers writing about Homestead Declarations? When you file your homestead declaration with the Department of Taxes, it is then downloaded from the State’s data base into the Town’s Grand List. That data is used to apply the correct property tax rate

– homestead or nonhomestead – on your July property tax bill. If you declare business use of a portion of your home or an outbuilding, we manually code that information so that you are taxed at the proper rate. Listers receive weekly downloads from the Department of Taxes beginning in February.

Filing Deadline April 15 – No Extention for Homestead Declarations The Homestead Declaration is filed using Form HS-122, the Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit Claim or save time by filing your Homestead Declaration online. Many people file their Homestead Declarations at the same time they file their Vermont income tax returns. However, if you apply to extend the time to file your income tax return, the declaration must still be filed by the April filing deadline. Even if a person is not required to file a Vermont Income Tax Return, the declaration must be filed by the deadline. If no homestead declaration is filed by April 15, there can be no property tax credit. You must file a Homestead Declaration annually by the April filing deadline. If you file after April 15, the Town will assess a penalty of 8% when the nonhomestead rate is lower than the homestead education property tax rate (which is the case in Cabot). If you fail to file your declaration by the October 15 filing deadline, your property will be classified as nonhomestead. You then must pay the higher rate, a penalty, and any additional property tax and interest due.

Homestead Declarations

In Vermont, all property is subject to education property tax to pay for the state’s schools. For this purpose, property is categorized as either nonhomestead or homestead. A homestead is the principal dwelling and parcel of land surrounding the dwelling, owned and occupied by the resident as the person’s domicile. All property is considered nonh omestead ( formerly "nonresidential"), unless it is declared as a homestead. The education property tax rate levied on nonhomestead property differs from the rate levied on homestead property. It is your responsibility as the property owner to claim the property as a homestead if you meet, or expect to meet, the following requirements:   You are a Vermont resident You own and occupy a homestead as your domicile as of April 1, 2019 Nonhomestead Property

Property is considered nonhomestead if one of the following applies:  Your property is leased for more than

182 days out of the calendar year.  The property is used exclusively for a

commercial, including rental, purpose.  The property is used for a second

home, camp, vacation, or summer cottage.

How to File Online

Taxpayers may file returns using myVTax, Vermont Tax Department’s free, secure, online filing site: https://myvtax.vermont.gov/. If you haven’t previously used the website, you will need to set up a user name and password.

Paper Returns

If you cannot file and pay through myVTax, you may still use the paper forms.The Homestead Declaration is filed using Form HS-122, the Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit Claim. Use the filing checklist to help you get started, at https://tax.vermont.gov/tax-forms-andpublications/individuals. Paper tax booklets can be requested online.

Property Tax Credit

The Vermont Property Tax Credit assists many Vermont homeowners with paying their property taxes. You may be eligible for a property tax credit on your property taxes if your property qualifies as a homestead and you meet the eligibility requirements described in this fact sheet. The maximum adjustment property tax credit is $8,000.00

Eligibility

In order to file a property tax credit claim, you must meet ALL of the following eligibility requirements: Your property qualifies as a homestead, and you have filed a Homestead Declaration for the current year's grand list. You were domiciled in Vermont for the full prior calendar year.  You were not claimed as a dependent

of another taxpayer.  You have the property as your homestead as of April 1.  You

come criteria (see form for current year income limit).

How to File

The following two forms are required to apply for a property tax credit. You can submit your claim electronically when you file your Vermont Income Tax return. Form HS-122, Homestead Declaration

and Property Tax Credit Claim Section A: Homestead Declaration Section B: Property Tax Credit Claim Schedule HI-144, Household Income (please note: for this year the maximum household income is approximately $136,500) The Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit Claim can be filed at separate times but must be received by April 15 to be considered timely filed. There are no extensions available to file a Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 9 onward.

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Greetings from the Zoning Office

Are you thinking of building this spring, summer or fall? When applying for a building permit, it could take a month or more for permit approval; then, there is also a 15-day appeal period once the permit has been approved by the Zoning Office. Work should not begin until the 15-day appeal period has passed. Once a permit is applied for and approved, you have one year to begin construction. If construction has not begun within that one-year time period, then the permit is void. Make sure, if you have a project that will be taking place, to give at least 45 days for permitting approval. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call the office (563-2041), and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you Brittany M. Butler

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Cabot Middle School Jobs - Leadership Program

Helps Put Students in the Driver’s Seat of Their Education by Peter Stratman

In 2017, Cabot Middle School launched Cabot Leads, an innovative jobs/leadership program that empowers student-voice, cultivates new skills, and provides authentic opportunities for personalized learning. The program also gives students the opportunity to take an active role in contributing to the Cabot community. The mission of Cabot’s Middle- Level program is to design and implement learning experiences in which students investigate, research, build, and present work that intersects with the real world. The curriculum is guided by student-driven projects that are personally engaging and help cultivate the skills and habits they will need to do well in high school and beyond. The leadership opportunities cultivated through Cabot Leads are an integral part of the Cabot Middle School experience. In Cabot Leads, each middle school student selects a school or community-based job that connects with their interests and skills. Students apply for the position by submitting a cover letter and participating in a job interview. Once they are “hired,” students work 30 minutes to 1 hour each week. Sample jobs include: Tech Support, School Prep Cook, Local Farm Apprentice, Buddy Reader, Library Assistant, and Social Media Team, Event Planner, Senior Housing Liaison, Gardens and Grounds Manager and more.

Key Elements of the Cabot Leads Program

 Students select from a variety of possible jobs based on their interests, skills, and learning goals.  To apply for a job, students write

cover letters and are interviewed as part of the application process.

 Students are placed in a job that

meets their interests, talents, and the school’s needs.  On average, students work in their

jobs 30 minutes to 1 hr. / week, but there will be certain times where they might be more involved (e.g. planting in the spring and harvesting in the fall).  Students will work under the support

and supervision of a school or community-based adult mentor. Mentors provide training, coaching, and feedback to help students develop knowledge and skills related to the job.  Jobs will begin in November and

wrap up mid-May. This spring middle school students will showcase their learning at the Cabot Leads Exhibition —Tentatively, May 23rd, 2020.  Over the course of the year, students

will create a Cabot Leads portfolio that captures their learning. This will include journal entries, photos, work samples, etc.  Students’ job performance and portfolio are supported by their site mentor and program leaders. The support for Cabot Leads has been incredibly positive. Teachers and students have shared the experience at state and regional conferences. Last Silas, a Gardens and Grounds Manager, harvests an heirloom carrot from the school gardens.

Haylee works as a Gym Assistant in her Cabot Leads position.

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

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Reforming Elementary Education in Cabot

As the father of two elementary aged students, it was with great reservation that I listened to the Cabot School administration’s proposal to dramatically reshape how grades K-6 operate - a conversation brought to the forefront by this year’s budget constraints. I immediately thought of the surveys and town meeting pleas that we must prioritize elementary education, I worried that any reductions in elementary would be perceived as propping up the high school program (which some community members believe should be eliminated). I worried about what happens to the teachers and staff impacted by a reduction of force, and, admittedly, I asked myself “what does this mean for my boys?” Having the benefit of time to reflect and to hear more about how reform of the elementary education model is needed, I feel comfortable encouraging other families and community members to support this path: one that transforms our service delivery model and increases efficiency of resources. Cabot School continues to serve a high proportion of students that require special services, including many students with complex trauma histories. The financial strain of the district bearing much of these costs is becoming increasingly acute – we are spending nearly $300k more on special services than Twinfield Union, which has double our student population (Cabot’s SPED budget is 17% of the total in the Supervisory Union, despite having just 10% of the total students). This also means we have a higher proportion of young learners who require more additional support than in the past. The traditional model of serving students with additional needs has been to pull them out of class to spend time with special educators or interventionists – in practice, this means students spend less time with their peers, are deprived of the socialemotional benefit of being with their classmates and teacher, and sometimes miss specials like art, gym, or library to spend extra time on their work. This traditional model of providing services has not been successful in improving Cabot’s standardized test scores or ensuring all students make progress in their elementary proficiencies. This stagnation has been despite significant investment and energy in bringing more resources to bear – including an elementary counselor, positive behavior intervention (PBIS) support coordinator, and an increase in contracted services from Washington County Mental Health Services and Green Mountain Services to support student needs. The proposed model flips the script and contemplates a “push in” of resources, and reorganization of the classroom structure. One concept under consideration entails combining the K-2 and 3-5 classrooms into multi-age settings (a spread of ages often seen in Montessori educational models). This restructuring would enable a new educational team structure within the school. Each group (K-2 and 3-5) would have two certified teachers, an embedded math/literacy interventionist (also a certified teacher), and a licensed special educator. Functionally, this model would maintain four certified educators among a cohort group of three grades. This concept has been applied to this year’s 3-4 classroom, and the results are promising – yielding substantial gains in math proficiency among each and every student. As part of enhancing the elementary education experience, the budget also proposes restoration of an elementary music program after a two-year absence. The ultimate goal is flexibility within classrooms and an environment where all students can reach their full potential. We expect the administration, leadership team, and faculty to fully and collaboratively develop this concept, or a variation thereof, that will best serve our students. The realities of this year’s budget may have forced the uncomfortable discussion of how we need to be doing better and an unwanted discussion of changing staffing, but it’s clear that the current model is not working to meet the needs of all Cabot students. Meeting these challenges within the existing state funding formula and system is difficult – the only thing more difficult is recognizing that this budget calls for the elimination of positions currently filled by valued members of the Cabot School community. Cabot School’s greatest strength remains its faculty and staff – it is their hard work, dedication, and innovation that will get us through these tough times.

Cabot Commons is managed by the Downstreet Housing & Community

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Restorative Practice at Cabot School

by Glenda Cresto, Principal

Students learn more and learn better when they feel they belong in their school community. Students are more relaxed in their learning community and more receptive to learning when they perceive a sense of belonging. How do we build a sense of belonging at Cabot School? We’re using a Restorative Practices approach or RP. RP allows us to reinforce the behaviors and skills that support students in thriving academically, socially, and emotionally. RP gives students the opportunity to build relationships with their peers and teachers and repair those relationships if conflict arises. Students in elementary, middle school and high school experience RP in community building circles, community meetings, and special advisory activities. RP aligns with our five values: Engagement, Kindness, Respect, Responsibility and Safety.

Building engagement by building

community. We know from research the quality of the bond between human beings is a key element for learning and healthy human development. Every team focuses on building these bonds. For example, back in September, our 5 /6 team gathered students for an Artifact Circle. Each student brought in an object (or artifact) representing an important aspect of their life to share. Students told their story and explained how the object represented an important family member, pet, interest, or memory. Their classmates had a chance to ask questions and share similar experiences. This community building circle gave every student an opportunity to honor something that was unique about themselves. As students discovered common interests, their connectedness grew -setting the stage for engagement in learning. RP promotes belonging by offering experiences where we share stories. These stories help students learn from each other, find common connections, and form a learning community.

Building kindness and problemsolving skills: In December, students on the 1 / 2 team explored kindness, reflecting on two questions: What gets in the way of being kind? How can you show kindness to self and others? During the weeks prior to winter break, students gathered in a daily circle to share the kindnesses they saw in others. Each day, they determined what was in the way of being kind and worked collaboratively to identify actions they could take to strengthen the culture of kindness in their classroom. They discussed ways to communicate and solve small conflicts right in the classroom. Kindness and respect are practiced in circle. Each voice counts and each story is heard.

Building respect by honoring relationships: When students make mistakes in judgment, feelings of shame and embarrassment often surface which separates them from our learning community. Trust has been broken with peers or adults impacted by their behavior, separating them from our community, as well. The RP approach we used to address a problem with vandalism at the high school brought everyone back to community. During the first few weeks of school, the bathrooms on the bottom floor of the high school were freshly painted. Our buildings and grounds crew works hard -- in fact two members of that crew clean every inch of every building every day between the hours of 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. They work like superheroes and take a lot of pride in their work. They were upset when they encountered graffiti on their newly painted bathroom stalls. They joined a circle, which included all members of the 7-12 learning community, to determine next steps in ensuring our common spaces and key people in our community are respected. Students shared all the ways in which physical space impacts learning, supports our feeling of safety at school, and builds our trust in each other. All students heard our buildings and grounds crew explain the impact of the graffiti and had an opportunity to extend their appreciation for the work they do. The student(s) responsible for the graffiti have never been identified; because everyone joined circle, we are sure the student(s) responsible participated. There has not been another incident of vandalism. At Cabot, because of the efforts of two and the respect of all, our physical space creates a safe and organized atmosphere for learning. RP is about repairing harm to those affected. The responsibility of that repair falls upon the person or people who did the harm. The community where this happens is the community that also has a say in what they need to make things right. What they need to be able to regain trust. This is an important part of the RP process. The community holds the space where resolution can be found and has a voice in what that repair looks like.

Building Safety by building bonds, empathy, and perspective: Sometimes friendships change over time. At a small school like Cabot, supporting students as they navigate the white water of changing friendships is essential to preserving the learning community they share. We focus on building skills for effective and clear communication, self-advocacy, listening to and accepting others’ perspectives, understanding personal strengths and learning how our actions, words and choices impact others. Students in all grades engage in team building activities and community meetings. Elementary students construct and affirm classroom expectations together. They set and share personal goals for academic and social emotional growth. High school students come together in a biweekly community meeting to share the low points and the victories they experienced during the week. All students can identify at least one adult they can go to with questions or concerns. All these opportunities are designed to create the strong support system students need to succeed. Our proactive approach to creating a strong support system prompts students to turn to a trusted adult before something becomes a crisis. This year our students on the 1 / 2 team sit with different groups of peers every day at lunch. During the last ten minutes of their lunch period, teachers join each table and lead the group in a “would you rather” conversation. These conversations allow students to get to know different peers, develop new connections, share serious and, sometimes, silly conversations. They also begin to listen to each other’s perspective and think about their own ideas. In taking the time to explore perspectives, solidify bonds and build empathy we are creating a culture where learning, growth, and change can take place.

Taking Responsibility builds confidence: We recognize and reward students for their positive behaviors. When things go wrong, we talk with students. Our conversations generally occur outside of the classroom and emphasize repairing and restoring the relationships impacted by mistakes in judgment. When students return to their learning community, the steps they take to repair and restore hold them accountable for their actions and strengthen their self-confidence. They learn they can make things right, even after making a mistake. As a result, we see increased engagement in learning. RP allows students to fully understand the impact of their behavior on the larger community, builds empathy, and ultimately changes behavior. At Cabot School, we expect our students -- at every grade level -- to present their ideas through high stakes Exhibitions of Learning. That’s asking students to do a lot of risk taking. Every day, we challenge our students to think and work like scientists, journalists, engineers, and artists, and every day, our students go outside of their comfort zone to do so. Through Restorative Practices, we build our classroom and school community as places where students can take risks because they know they matter and will have the opportunity to try again and make things right if they make a mistake. For our students, knowing there is a second chance is knowing they matter. Our values -- Engagement, Kindness, Respect, Safety, and Responsibility -- build the selfconfidence and self-esteem students need to think like scientists, investigate and report like journalists, design like engineers, and create and problem solve like artists.

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Boyes Receives Outstanding Teacher Award

The University of Vermont’s College of Education and Social Services (CESS) and the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) honored outstanding Vermont teachers and Vermont’s 2020 Teacher of the Year at the 39th annual Outstanding Teacher Day on Thursday, December 5, 2019, at the University of Vermont (UVM). Cabot middle/high school music teacher Brian Boyes was recognized at the event as an Outstanding Teacher. As a trumpeter, composer, arranger and band leader, multi-instrumentalist, Boyes has worked in Vermont for the past 20 years as a member of a variety of award winning ensembles. He has been recognized for his soulful and intense approach to his trumpet. As an educator, Brian Boyes has twice received special recognition from the Vermont Arts Alliance for his unique and creative approach to music education at Cabot School. In 2014, he was selected to be a Rowland Foundation Fellow to develop and implement a significant project of educational transformation in Vermont. Boyes started teaching at Cabot School in 1998 and is the architect for Cabot's innovative High School Place Based Learning (PBL) curriculum, which has resulted in a dynamic and creative learning environment in Vermont's smallest High School.

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Cabot High School Alumni Invited to Celebrate in 4th of July Parade

by Lori Augustyniak Show off your Cabot Husky pride! June 2020 marks the 100th graduating class from Cabot High School. To celebrate, the 4th of July committee invites all Cabot School alumni to submit a float or walk as a group in this year’s parade.

Saturday, July 4

at 10:00 a.m.

Line up for the parade starts

Parade starts at 11:00 a.m.

There will be a special prize for the best alumni entry, so start planning to win now! The committee has just begun meeting to plan the 2020 event, but we hope to include some special events to celebrate Cabot graduates, so come to Cabot’s 4th of July Celebration, even if you are not in the parade. For more information please contact Lori Augustyniak at the Cabot Community Association, [email protected] or 802-563-2064.

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Upcoming Events at the Jaquith Public Library

All events are free and held at the library 122 School St. RM 2, Marshfield, VT. For info call: 426-3581 or email: [email protected] or visit our website: www.jaquithpubliclibrary.org Jaquith Library Book Sale & Open House

Saturday, February 1 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Come to the Open House and Book Sale! Find some great books and then go to the library for refreshments, family friendly activities and music with Goddard & Suzy Graves from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Sylvie Daley from 11:00 a.m. to noon and Peter Mayhew from noon to 1:00 p.m. All welcome: community members, patrons, and families. Get Your Winter Read On! All books $2.00 or less!! All book sale proceeds benefit the Jaquith Public Library. Please no magazines, encyclopedias, Reader’s Digest Condensed Editions, textbooks, moldy or torn books, games or puzzles. Books may be dropped off at the library one week in advance. Volunteers to make refreshments, set up, sell, and clean up are welcome.

Pop-up Cards with Ellen Bresler

Wednesday, February 5 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Join Ellen Bresler at the library to make cards for Valentine’s Day or any other occasion. It’s such a kick to start with a flat piece of paper and bring it to life with a few folds and cuts.

Chocolate with Nutty Steph

Wednesday, February 12 at 6:45 p.m. Meet the founder of Nutty Steph's and learn about her winding road toward chocolate utopia! Taste the confections invented by this legendary Vermont brand, and learn about the unique ingredients, all carefully chosen to support local relationships, agricultural sustainability and impeccable taste. Sweeten up one of the darkest months looming over Marshfield with this intimate night of sharing and indulgence.

Almost There: Movies about the Future Third Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.

February 19: (1997) This movie about the adventures of a 23rd century Brooklyn, NY, taxi driver is notable for its visuals and its humor. Leonard Maltin called it “A visual candy store of futuristic images.” (PG 13)

Farming and Gardening with an Eye on Climate Change: A series of talks for gardeners, farmers, and people who eat It is easy to picture what very hot weather, heavy rain, hail, or drought can do to our garden and farm plants. The effects of climate change on soils, soil organisms, and plants are less eventful, but at least equally important. What do we need to think about, understand, and DO to grow food as the climate changes? Wednesday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m.: UVM Plant and Soil Sciences Professor Josef Gorres on how temperature, erratic and extreme weather, and atmospheric carbon affect soil organisms, soil ecology, and plant growth. Saturday, February 8 at 2:00 p.m. (snow dateSunday , February 9): Permaculturist Karen Ganey on increasing biodiversity in our farms and gardens, and mitigating climate changerelated effects with Permaculture design concepts and practices. Saturday, February 29 at 2:00 p.m. (snow date Sunday, March 1): Seed growers Sylvia Davatz and Anne Miller on increasing the adaptability and fortitude of our plant varieties.

Farming and Gardening with an Eye on Climate Change: A series of talks for gardeners, farmers, and people who eat Wednesday, March 11 at 7pm Food Systems Consultant Cat Buxton on building and maintaining healthy, resilient soils.

Pie for Breakfast Fundraiser: Celebrate National Pi Day with pie! Saturday, March 14 from 9 to 11 a.m. All kinds of pies: fruit, quiche, crème, meat, pizza…..you name it, we might have it. Served with coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Suggested Donation for all you can eat: 12 and under $4, 12 and older $7 National Pi Day not only commemorates a very special number, but also Albert Einstein’s birthday, so help us celebrate and raise money for the Jaquith Library.

Fruit Tree Talk

Tuesday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. Nicko Rubin of East Hill Tree Farm will share his knowledge and experience of fruit trees .

Almost There: Movies about the Future The movie series continues on: Wednesday, March 18 at 7 :00 p.m.

Showing Up For Racial Justice: Living Room Conversations about Racism

4th Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thought-provoking conversations about racial justice and how YOU can be part of ending racism in our communities. Come to one, or come to all! Free and open to the public. All are welcome! Please RSVP if you need childcare. February 26 - Talking About Racism with our Friends and Neighbors March 25 - Movement for Black Lives April 29 - Tracing our Ancestry and Immigration Chapters in History Four: Turmoil Perennially Swirling

Saturday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. The public is encouraged to participate in this free reading and discussion series of presidential biographies. Books are available for loan from the library. For more information, please call 454 - 1680. Co-sponsored by The Marshfield Historical Society and the Jaquith Public Library. February 8: A Thousand Days; John F. Kennedy in the White House by Arthur M. Schlesinger March 14: Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream by Doris Kearns Goodwin Story Time and Playgroup

Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Join Sylvia Smith for story time, and follow up with playgroup with facilitator Erin Barry. For children birth to age six and their grown-ups. We follow the Twinfield Union School calendar and do not hold the program the days Twinfield is closed.

Monthly Book Group for Adults

Fourth Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Join us for the Jaquith book group. For copies of the book, please stop by the library. New members are always welcome, and it’s only one hour a month! January 27: Savage Feast by Boris Fishman February 24: Story of a Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon March 23: Dubliners by James Joyce

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Plainfield Little Theatre - As You Like It

by Tom Blachly Plainfield Little Theater announces its Winter production of Shakespeare's timeless romantic comedy, As You Like It, to be produced February 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22 at 700 p.m., and February 15 and 23 at 2:00 p.m., at the Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, 16 Main Street (U. S. Route 2), in Plainfield Village, VT. The production features Sorsha Anderson as Rosalind, Richard Littauer as Orlando, Pollaidh Major as Celia, Matthew Winston as Touchstone, David Klein as Jaques, Clarke Jordan as Duke Senior, Carl Etnier as Duke Frederick, Jesse Clayton as Oliver, Jessica Della Pepa as Amiens, Robbie Harold as Ada, Cynthia Seckler as Corrine, Fergus Ryan as Silvius, Macey Mayfield as Phoebe, Paul Cavaliere as Le Beau, Jessica Goodlin as Audrey, Sonia Howlett as Chantal, Jim Hogue as Oliver Martext, and Stetson Cozza as Charles and William. Tom Blachly is the director, Lori Stratton is the stage manager, Carol-Rogstad- Meunier is the costumer, and Joe John is the set designer. Tickets are $15 general admission, available by calling 426-3384 or emailing [email protected].

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What’s “Contra Dancing” Anyway?

by Karen Mueller-Harder

If you have seen the publicity for the Cabot Old Time Family Contra and Square Dance, but haven’t been inclined to come because you don’t really know what contra dancing is, here’s the scoop! Basically, contra and square dancing are the same thing, but in two different shaped sets. If you’ve ever done a square dance, with four pairs of people in a square shape, with circles, stars, and dosi-dos, you’re already in the right ballpark. In contra dances, you stand across from your partner, in a longways set of dancers--the Virginia Reel is a contra dance many are familiar with. No special footwork is needed, and the dances are easy to learn, and are taught by the “caller” for the evening. At the Cabot dance, we do a mixture of these formations, plus occasional opportunities to do a polka or waltz. The next dance is on Saturday February 8, in the Willey Building, and Cabot’s own Karen Mueller-Harder will be the caller. She will begin with basic principles and get you up and enjoying yourself right from the start! Over the evening, she will build on what you’ve learned, without it ever getting too daunting, so please come and try it out! The dance begins at 7:30 p.m., but if you want extra support, you can come a few minutes early and Karen will give you some pointers and additional guidance. There will also be dances on March 14, April 11, and May 9, so mark your calendar! You can come to the dance alone, with a friend, or your whole family. Each dance is taught without music, then is “called” or prompted while you dance with the music, until everyone has it down. People typically change partners between dances, and anyone can dance either part. The Cabot dance is particularly beginner-friendly, so we hope you will give it a try! Hope to see you at the dance!

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Who W[nts [ Community Christm[s Dinn_r?

by Fred Ducharme Many have offered to help. Someone in charge is needed.

Anyone interested in organizing the event,

please call Fred Ducharme at 563-2102.

Fred initiated and continued the tradition for several years, and is willing to help and advise, but he needs time with his family, too, over the holidays.

Looking for someone to take the leadership reigns.

Come and brainstorm to see what people can do to get it running again.

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Cabot Library Trustees Seek Supplemental Funding for 2020

by Kurt Steinert The Board of Trustees of the Cabot Public Library have initiated an appeal to Cabot voters to consider a supplemental funding request at the Annual Town Meeting on March 3. The request for an additional $5,469.63 is intended to offset shortfalls resulting from a level-funding mandate issued by the Selectboard, which set the Library’s annual budget at $80,000, the same funding level as 2019. The original funding proposal, unanimously approved by the Library Trustees, was for $85,469.63, which provided for increases in certain fixed costs, and support for a small increase in programs to meet growing demand from Library patrons. The modest supplement would cost taxpayers an additional $2.75/$100,000 household worth. “We would like Cabot voters to have the opportunity to consider this small increase for themselves,” said Beth Wade, Library Board Chair. “According to Vermont State Law, Library Trustees are responsible for setting Library budgets. Each year, we work to carefully balance the needs of the community and our fixed costs, some of which increase each year, outside of our control. We think voters in Town should have the opportunity to decide whether this is an investment that makes sense for them.”

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Enrollment is Open, and We Have Mentors Available!

by Susan Socks Did you know that youth age 7-17 can join Cabot Mentoring any time? Our enrollment is ongoing, and we currently have a number of mentors available. We always match based on interests and personality; one of these mentors might be just the right person for your child! If your child is interested, we’d be happy to talk and see if we have an available mentor who’d be a great fit. Before being matched with youth, all mentors pass background and driving record checks, and attend training. Our mentors are truly exceptional people! Mentors and mentees meet two to four times a month, and are free to choose their own path: skiing, hiking, biking, academics, arts, crafts, cooking, gardening, concerts, theater, reading, games, visiting new places, and just having good conversations. For more information on Cabot Mentoring, please visit our website, www.cabotmentoring.org . If you have questions, pleasecontact me at [email protected] .

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CCA Offers Coworking Space in Cabot

By Lori Augustyniak Coworking spaces are filling a deep need across Vermont, by providing startup entrepreneurs and remote workers a place to get away from distractions at home, as well as a professional setting for clients. And coworking can provide opportunities not found in traditional offices, eliminate the isolation of working at home and keep overhead costs low. Vermont is home to many such collaborative workspaces, from Brattleboro to Burlington. Three coworking spaces are open in the Northeast Kingdom: in Greensboro, Lyndonville, and Newport. The CCA has received requests to investigate creation of a dedicated coworking space in Cabot, and while we form a committee to do just that, there is a temporary option available. The Cabot Artisans Gallery at 3053 Main Street is closed for the winter, and the CCA is making that space (heated and internet connected) available for remote workers or other residents to use. Details are still being arranged, so watch Front Porch Forum for an announcement or call the CCA . Coworking spaces aren’t for everyone, but if you or your organization could benefit from joining a community coworking space, or you would like to be part of the committee to create a designated coworking space in Cabot, contact the CCA at 563-2064 or [email protected].

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 Twin Valley Senior Center is ready to start booking your Free Tax appointment. Please call 802-223-3322 to book an appointment to have your taxes prepared free of charge by qualified AARP tax volunteers. Any low income person can have their taxes done at the center. The following is what you should bring to your appointment.

What you should bring to your appointment: Social Security cards (or mail from Social

Security) with the full names of both spouses and any dependents you’ll claim - names and SSN’s must exactly match the government’s records or the return will be returned for correction. Also, we’ll need the dates of birth for any dependents you may be able to claim. Photo ID for both spouses – If available,

bring a Vermont driver’s license or other state-issued photo ID - identity theft is a big concern and Vermont requires this information on the return. All your ‘tax information’ reporting income - wages (and tips), retirement and Social Security benefits, unemployment, dividends and interest, proceeds from sales (and the cost of assets sold), earnings from selfemployment, gambling winnings, etc. Your newest property tax bill if you own your home (to claim the Property Tax Adjustment) Your previous tax returns for reference and comparison If you expect a refund and want it directly deposited into your account, please bring a check so we’re sure we have the right numbers for your account Landlord’s Certificate (signed original) for Vermont Renter Rebate Records of any estimated income tax payments you made to the IRS and/or to Vermont If applicable, records of expenses, including mileage, you might claim as deductions from your self-employment income or as itemized deductions For Property Tax Adjustment or Renter Rebate, the name, SSN and income of anyone else who shares your home (required to be reported as part of the ‘Household Income’ used to calculate the Adjustment or Rebate) Any other information you’ve used in the past in preparing your tax returns

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 14 onward.

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CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY FALL NEWS

Read to Me, our new program that provides free books to every child in Cabot for the first three years of life, was launched in July of last year. Thanks to the family and many friends of Mary Tebbetts, the first year of the program will be funded from their donations in Mary’s memory. Please consider sponsoring a child for a year with a $30 donation. So far, we have five children in the program – if you know of any child that was born since July 2019, please let them know about this program.

Preschool Story Hour- Tuesdays

– 10:00 a.m. Join Beth Wade for stories, songs, and crafts! Story Hour follows the Cabot school schedule. All are welcome! Contra Dances - Saturdays, February 8 and March 14 – 7:30 p.m. Dances are always on the second Saturday of the month September – May – please look for flyers indicating each month’s musicians. All are invited. The dances are taught and are easily learned by young and old. The contra and square dances are traditional Vermont and New England social dances that have been danced for many generations in the town halls, barns, and kitchens around Vermont. The music is provided by piano and an assortment of fiddles, mandolins, guitars, and the occasional surprise instrument. Musicians are always invited to sit in and join with the fun of playing traditional dance tunes. There is a small suggested donation to help cover the cost of the caller. For more info, please call David Carpenter at 802-426-3225 or email [email protected]. Yoga for Every Body –Christyn King - Saturdays through April - 9:15 -10:30 a.m. Yoga for Every Body aims to foster a sense of inclusivity, accessibility, and playful enthusiasm to the process of coming home to ourselves. The more that we inhabit our bodies, cultivating space and strength to be with the edges that we encounter within ourselves, the more resilient and compassionate we become in our relationships with others. It brings me great joy to bring more yoga (the word itself translates to ‘union’) to our village in the spirit of strengthening and uniting our community, one body at a time. A generous CCF grant has allowed me to purchase props (mats, blocks, straps, etc.) to outfit the Willey Building for weekly classes and monthly workshops, all of which will be donation based. The hope is to create a wide open door that invites everyone to come, regardless of income, ability, age, etc. If you have a body, you belong! More inform ationcanbefound at www.livingwithguts.org or by emailingChristyn at [email protected].

Community Book Group meets monthly – usually the third Wednesday of the month at 10:30 am. Check the library for dates/times and to pick up copies of the latest book. All are welcome! Look for the upcoming series, The Seven Deadly Sins sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council – “Delve into selections from the Great Books Foundation’s new volume, The Seven Deadly Sins Sampler, and discover why, according to Dartmouth professor of ethics and human values Ronald M. Green, these short stories remind us that most of our problems arise in the hidden recesses of the human heart.” Many thanks to Ama Peyman, Anne Miller and Netdahe Stoddard for organizing the following series of events for 2020 Black History Month:

Celebrate and Sing Freedom at The Den - February 7, 5:00-7:00 p.m. - Farmer Ama hosting Readings by Boston poet/playwright Letta Neely, Vermont poet Rajnii Eddins, author of "Their Names Are Mine", Vermont Rap MC Omega Jade & dual steel drums with Emily Lanxner, More! Bring drums & instruments, we’ll sing Freedom Songs together. Donations appreciated, All are Welcome! Food & Drinks for sale by The Den. Coffee House & Open Mic = Sunday, February 9 -6 p.m. – Vermont authors, poets & musicians. Coffee, cocoa, tea, and cookies at the Cabot Library. Blessings, readings, music & all ages fun! BIPOC (black & indigenous, people of color) poets bring work to share. We'll have books prepped with African- American poems to read aloud by whomever would like to read. FREE for teens, families and elders - all ages. Sign up to read poems or play music by calling the library in advance.

Story Hour Tuesday, February 11

- 10-11:00 a.m. Farmer Ama reads classic & modern short books for young children “featuring African Americans in everyday situations, being themselves, being black and brown, being human children." FREE for grandparents, parents & children of all ages! Movie/Discussion Thursday, February 13 - 6-8:30 p.m. - The Cabot Library has multiple copies of the VT READS book, The Hate U Give, sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council. Come in and pick up a copy in advance of the movie/discussion, or be inspired to pick up the book that evening. Light dinner snacks, popcorn & drinks. Topics: THUG book vs film, racial conflict, resilience, thrival and survival in times of change. FREE PG13 Teen-to- Adult program. A Human Family Potluck Thursday, February 20 – 6:00-8:00 p.m. A Soul Food Supper at our family style Grandparent's Table. Bring YOUR traditional family food & drink to the potluck, or just come and be fed as Farmer Ama is making her yummy Soul Food to share with YOU! All are welcome! FREE and all ages! Check out our website at www.cabotlibrary.com for the latest info on upcoming programs. Email [email protected] or call 802-563-2721. Ask about downloading audio and ebooks for free through Listen Up! Vermont. Thank you for your support! Much gratitude to the Library Trustees for their time and dedication to the library: Linda Gabrielson, Jeannie McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert and Beth Wade.

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Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife Classes

Winter Wildlife Tracking Wildlife Walk

February 8, 1:00—3:00 p.m. Westshire Elementary School, 744 VT- 113, West Fairlee, VT 05083 Ali Thomas, education manager for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, will be leading the walk. The first hour will feature information on learning how to begin tracking wildlife. The second hour will be an outdoor adventure hike to see what signs of wildlife can be found. An experienced naturalist and tracker who has worked on conservation education projects throughout the country, Thomas studied under renowned wildlife tracker James Halfpenny. According to Thomas, tracking wildlife is a great way to connect with nature and the outdoors and getting started requires no experience or equipment

Introduction to Ice Fishing

Wednesday, February 26 South Bay Memphremagog Access Area, Newport, VT 9:00 a.m.—12:00 noon Learn the basics of ice fishing. Topics covered will include safety, equipment, regulations and more. All equipment will be provided. Participants should dress for the weather and bring plenty of hot chocolate.

Fly Tying Course in Montpelier

Starts March 10 Tuesday evenings, March 10, 17, 24, 31, 6:00-8:00 p.m. ANR Annex Building, 190 Junction Road, Berlin, VT This course is presented in partnership with Mad Dog Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

More classes are available in additional locations. To learn more or register, go to https://vtfishandwildlife.com/.

Register Now for Green Mountain Conservation Camp Explore the outdoors!

GMCC offers opportunities for hiking, canoeing, fishing, archery, .22 rifle and shotgun shooting, orienteering, and other fun activities. Campers have a unique opportunity to meet Vermont State Game Wardens, foresters, fisheries and wildlife biologists, and others who work in the outdoors. Wildlife education and outdoor skills are the focus of GMCC and the program’s goal is to cultivate a caring attitude among Vermont youth for Vermont’s fish and wildlife resources.

Camp Locations:

Buck Lake Camp

1051 Buck Lake Road Woodbury, VT 05681 - 802 472-5066 Buck Lake Camp in Woodbury, Vermont is pleasantly nestled in the woods alongside Buck Lake.

Edward F. Kehoe Camp

636 Point of Pines Road Castleton, VT 05735 - 802 265-4577 Kehoe Camp is located on Lake Bomoseen in Castleton, Vermont and features a particularly beautiful mountain view.

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Fill the Mailbox with Cards

90th Birthday Card Shower For Laura Potvin Long-time Cabot resident is turning 90 on February 21. Her daughter, Betty Gile, and her

friends want to shower her with birthday wishes on her special day.

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