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The Cabot Chronicle

October 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 October 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

Newest Neighbor in Cabot Village

by Chronicle Staff Writer

The Cabot Creamery Visitor Center, now known as the Cabot Farmers’ Village Store, has transitioned to their new location at 3075 Main Street in Cabot village. Cabot Creamery signed a lease with Cabot Village Ventures, LLC (the building owner since April 2020) for a portion of the building to maintain a Cabot village presence for the worldwide cheddar retailer of award-winning cheese. Cabot staff moved full bore in August to get the store opened in time for fall foliage traffic, and had its “soft” opening on Thursday, September 17, and currently operates four days a week (Thursday- Sunday). As reported in the August/September Cabot Chronicle, Cabot Creamery has had to make many adjustments to its business operation in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Increased food safety requirements, from even before COVID-19, have necessitated closing the original Visitor Center Store and ending plant tours. The move of the Creamery store is one of those responses. While having visitors to the Cabot Creamery plant is no longer feasible, Cabot Creamery did want to maintain a presence in the village for visitors who would be travelling this fall as the Vermont economy continues to open. In addition to cheese tasting, the new store is stocked with Cabot cheese products and a small variety of specialty products produced by Cabot’s farmerowners from around New England and New York. And there is something else new at this location: The new store is making the front lawn space available to those who are looking to showcase their products. Erica Burke, Cabot Creamery General Manager of Retail Operations, invites local folks to be part of the new store. “The creativity and talent of this community comes in a variety of forms, and Cabot Creamery wants to open this space to all local vendors - farmers, woodworkers, cheesemakers, bee keepers, green houses, wreath makers, bakers, quilters, foresters, sugar houses, orchards, jewelers - to showcase and share your talents with locals and visitors as they come to enjoy our new location and sample the World's Best Cheddar,” said Burke. There are two market spaces available on Saturdays and Sundays and there is no fee to participate. Spaces are limited and by reservation only. If you are interested, please email lori@cabotvermont,org or call 802-279- 4309. “The opening weekend of the new Cabot Farmers’ Village Store was a grand success,” noted store manager Sarah Pastula. She added, “The traffic made up of both locals and visitors created an overwhelming buzz of activity and excitement, while, at the same time, maintaining social distance and following guidelines. From the vendors occupying the lawn with their products and talent, to the many farmer-sourced products and incredible cheese selections located within the store, there was something for everyone in this local collaboration. The staff is looking forward to the many more festive weekends to come in Cabot!” Other local businesses are enthusiastic, too. Alia Clary and Johanna Thibault, owners of Harry’s Hardware and The Den, said. “The Creamery has historically been instrumental in bringing folks to Cabot, and now having the store located in the Village Center is an exciting development that will be fantastic for all the businesses in the Village. We are very excited to have the Creamery's new Cabot Farmers’ Village Store located next door, and we are looking forward to collaborating with them on future events." All coronavirus health guidelines are being followed at the Cabot Farmers Village Store, including limiting the number of people allowed in the store at one time and requiring use of facial coverings.

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The General Election, from President of the United States to Justice of the Peace, will be on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

The Secretary of State’s Office will be sending ballots to every registered voter in Vermont. If your ballot does not arrive by October 7, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 563-2279.

You may return your ballot by First Class Mail, drop it off at the Town Clerk’s Office, or drop it in the secure outside drop box at the rear of the Willey Building (the box is checked throughout the day). You may also wait to vote on the actual day of election.

The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on election day. If you have any questions regarding the voting procedure, please call the Town Clerk.

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CABOT ♦ DANVILLE ♦ PEACHHAM

The Vermont House of Representatives reconvened the 2020 session in late August to pass the State budget for fiscal year 2021 and to complete business interrupted by the pandemic. All work was conducted remotely and continued until adjournment on September 25. Below are highlights of actions passed by both the House and Senate. H.969 - The State Budget passed the House on a strong vote of 141-5. The budget included the appropriation of Coronavirus Relief Funds to support Vermonters, Vermont businesses, education systems and government services that have been severely impacted by the pandemic. In total, the State received $1.25 billion from the Federal Government. The use of these funds came with strict guidelines and must be allocated and expended by December 30. Any unused funds must be returned to the Federal Government. Additionally, the budget supports programs and services, and funds all functions of state government. Hazard Pay - The Vermont Legislature expanded the Hazard Pay Program for essential workers who worked from mid-March to mid-May and earned under $25.00 an hour. The proposal covers essential frontline private sector employees who continued working as COVID-19 closures took place. Eligible employees who worked between 68 and 216 hours in that timeframe will be eligible to receive a $1,200 payment. Employees who worked more than 216 hours will be eligible to receive a $2,000 payment. Employees covered by the program include workers at grocery stores; pharmacies; retailers listed in Governor’s Stay Home/Stay Safe Order (i.e. hardware stores, food and beverage stores, agricultural feed and supplies stores); wholesale distributors; trash collection, waste management, and septic services; privately owned and operated water pollution and control facilities; child care providers for essential workers' children; vocational rehab providers; funeral and crematory establishments; traveling nurses, resident physicians and security services workers. H.967 - An act relating to the provision of childcare at family childcare homes during remote learning days. This bill helps more families access childcare during the Coronavirus pandemic. Currently, small private in-home care providers cannot provide more than four hours a week when school is in session.

This legislation makes it possible for children to have access to childcare during remote learning days. Parents across the state found that their small homebased providers were not allowed to provide care during remote learning. This legislation will allow these providers to make sure children are safe and cared for on remote learning days while their parents are at work. H.795 - An act relating to increasing hospital price transparency. The bill requires the Green Mountain Care Board to develop and maintain a public, interactive, internet-based price transparency dashboard that allows consumers to compare health care prices for certain health care services across the State. S.119 – An act relating to a statewide use of deadly force policy for law enforcement. This bill begins the process of examining the use of deadly force by law enforcement, creating a consistent policy to limit its use to the defense of human life, and establishing oversight, education, and evaluation of any force used. The bill provides modernization to parts of state law that are more than 150 years old. The standards will clarify what Vermonters expect of law enforcement when it comes to use of force and ensure that officers are accountable when use of force is inappropriate. The bill sets forth statutory standards for the use of force and the use of deadly force. The Department of Public Safety and Executive Director of Racial Equity collaborate to create a process for implementing the standards in a uniform statewide policy. S.124 - An act relating to governmental structures protecting the public health, safety, and welfare. This bill directs the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council to update standards for law enforcement officers and create a process for tracking complaints against officers, so police misconduct is held to account. The bill increases law enforcement oversight by expanding the membership of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council to ensure equal representation between the law enforcement community and civilians. The bill seeks to make law enforcement hiring practices consistent by ensuring officer applicants are screened for misconduct as part of the vetting process. In recognition of the importance of body cameras, the bill mandates that each Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) adopt a Body Camera Policy by January 1, 2022. For complete information on any bill, please visit www.leg.state.vt.us or contact me directly with your questions and concerns. This is my final legislative report. It has truly been an honor to serve as your Representative in Montpelier for the past twelve years. Thank you to all who have supported me and placed your trust in me to be the voice of our communities in Montpelier. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve you in the Legislature.

[email protected] [email protected] PO Box 192 Danville, VT 05828 802-343-3144 (Cell) 802-684-3671 (Home)

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COVID-19, Women, Child Care and Education

Policy decisions regarding education and child care are gendered. That is a fact that must not be ignored. As public schools in Vermont reopen using a variety of learning models, data signals working women stand to bear the brunt of the impacts. Women experience this from multiple sides: they continue to be primarily responsible for the majority of child-rearing and caregiving, and they make up the vast majority of Vermont’s teachers and child care providers. Many educators will feel this burden doubly, balancing their careers and the needs of their students with the needs of their own children. Most of Vermont’s students will learn virtually at least some, if not most, of the time this fall. Many parents must navigate that change while balancing employment, increased family responsibilities, and supporting children’s virtual learning. Women will overwhelmingly be the ones who are forced to pull back from their careers to meet this challenge. Data from the Census Household Pulse survey, conducted in late April and early May, found that over 80% of U.S. adults who weren’t working because they had to care for their children who were not in school or daycare were women. Even before the pandemic, mothers were 40% more likely than fathers to report that they had personally felt the negative impact of child care issues on their careers, three times as likely as men to report that at some point they quit a job so that they could care for family; seven times more likely to cite childcare problems as a reason for working part-time; and four times more likely than men to take time off work when children are sick. Moreover, women are significantly more likely to be navigating this crisis as single parents; 21% of all children in the United States live only with their mother, compared to 4% living with their father only. As policymakers and communities consider how to provide children with care and education during this pandemic, and how to support Vermonters in getting back to work, the need for a strong early childhood care and education infrastructure has become increasingly visible. While Vermont’s child care providers are paid as much as $20,000 less per year than similarly-qualified and deserving individuals teaching in the K- 12 system, they have not been the beneficiaries of the well-deserved and fierce advocacy we’ve seen for public school teachers. Child care providers have been caring for essential workers’ children throughout the pandemic, and most reopened to all children over the summer. Vermont has made additional investments including offering grants to child care businesses, but along with those investments, child care workers are now being asked to carry an even heavier burden by providing care and support to our K-12 students on days they aren’t at school. A successful plan for the reopening of schools will be one that provides for safe and adequate care and education of Vermont’s children and takes into consideration the needs of educators and working parents. Economic support for families with lost earning potential due to COVID’s impacts must be built in to ensure success. Vermont parents need adequate unemployment benefits, paid family and medical leave, and the ability to take care of their families without losing their income. They need universal health insurance, so when crisis strikes, families and kids don’t lose their health care. They need public benefits like Reach Up, 3SquaresVT, and the Child Care Financial Assistance Program that keep up with inflation and deliver enough aid to meet their families' needs. And they need significant investments in Vermont’s child care system, and in our early childhood educators, to ensure high-quality, affordable early care and learning and after-school opportunities exist so working parents can get back to, and remain, in the workforce. Women in Vermont need our state to develop and implement a holistic, thoughtful plan designed with preexisting inequities in mind. It must be designed to work for all of us and ensure that the burden of this pandemic does not continue to rest disproportionately on women. Without this plan, the risk of downward economic spiral not only harms families, but communities and the state’s overall economic recovery and future. Our strong state is resilient, and Vermont will recover from COVID-19, but that only happens successfully if we are looking out for one another. Together, and with fair and equitable policy solutions, we can all recover.

Pache, Tiffany Danitz. “Vermont teachers say they feel ‘attacked’ by policymakers.” VTDigger, 2/7/2018. https://vtdigger.org/2018/02/07/vermont-teachers-survey-faultpolicy-makers-failing-pay-attentionclass Change the Story, “2019 Status Report: Women, Work, and Wages in Vermont,” 2019. https://changethestoryvt.org/wpcontent/uploads / 2 0 1 9 / 1 2 /WomenWorkWages2019.pdf

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 3 onward.

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Annual Current Use Certification: Agricultural Land and Farm Buildings

Cabot has about 150 parcels enrolled in the State Current Use Program. Owners of agricultural land and/or farm buildings enrolled in the Current Use Program are required to certify annually that their agricultural land and farm buildings meet the requirements for enrollment and continue to be eligible for the program. The due date for landowners to certify is November 1 of each year. Failure to certify will result in the removal of agricultural land and enrolled farm buildings from the Current Use Program. When the land and buildings are removed from the program, the property taxes will no longer be based upon the use value, but will be based upon the assessed value of the land and buildings. Parcel owners with agricultural land in Current Use should have received a certification form from the Department of Taxes by September. If the parcel has only forestland and no agricultural land or buildings enrolled, then a certification

2020 CURRENT USE VALUES

Agricultural Land

Forest Land & Conservation Land

Forest Land & Conservation Land Greater than one mile from a Class 1, 2 or 3 Road is not required, and the landowner will not receive a form for that property.

Certify Online

Did you know you can complete your annual agricultural certification electronically using eCuse? Submitting your form electronically allows you to view the status of your certification, collect signatures for multiple owners, and your submittal will be received immediately upon completion. Start here: https://tax.vermont.gov/property-owners/current-use/certification If you are not sure whether you need to certify, you may look up your School Property Account Number (SPAN) using the online search on the Department of Taxes website Current Use section (go to tax.vermont.gov and insert “Current Use” in the search bar). If your SPAN is listed, you should have received the form by mid-September. If you did not receive your form in the mail by September 25, email the Current Use Program. In your email, provide your name, any other owner’s names, current mailing address, and property information (town and SPAN).

$382/acre

$151/acre

$113/acre

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 3 onward.

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Cabot Town Wide Reappraisal is Finished But Never Complete

Vermont Appraisal Company completed contracted work for the Town of Cabot in July. The last town wide reappraisal was conducted in 2005/2006 by the same company, and they found that during that interval, land values had decreased, and structure values increased. Actual sales over the past three years indicated values in the village and on Joe’s Pond had strengthened. All property owners should have received a Change of Appraisal Notice in the mail, identifying changes in their property value. Tax bills mailed in September were based on the results of the reappraisal. The grievance period has passed for the 2020 tax year, but Cabot’s state advisor from the Department of Taxes advised that 2021 can be expected to be a “cleanup” year. It’s the perfect time for property owners to review their data to ensure accuracy and capture any corrections needed before next year’s tax bills are mailed. Taxpayers are encouraged to call the Lister office (563-3139) before next spring to review the dozens of data elements in their file over the phone or by paper copy, with a possible inperson review when safe. The conditions for conducting this reappraisal were unprecedented because of Coronavirusrelated limitations, so communitymember assistance in collecting accurate data will be very much appreciated, and result in the appropriate assessment of values. The Town printed booklets with property values before and after the reappraisal. If you would like one, call (563- 3139) or email ([email protected]) with the address for mailing.

Cabot Board of Listers Jeanne Johnson, Jacqueline Lumbra and Brittany Butler

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Cabot Property Tax Bills Mailed

Tax bills have been sent out. The first payment is due Thursday, October 29, and the final payment is due on January 14, 2020. You may mail in your tax payment, drop it off either in person or at our drop box, or you may make a payment with a credit or debit card with a charge back to you of 3%.

There are no penalties until January 14 after 5:00 p.m. We do accept the postage stamp of January 14.

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

Laureen Arena Laureen “Lolly” Arena of Cabot died peacefully at home on June 20, 2020. She was born in Barton to Michael A. Malshuk and Helen E. Cerasoli. Surviving family are son Garrett Calissi, daughter-in-law Lori, and granddaughters Chloe and Amber, all of Phoenix, AZ. Lolly liked to explore and travel. She lived in Vermont, New York City, upstate New York, Redondo Beach, California, Arizona, and finally returning back to Vermont for the last decade of her life. She was a free spirit, and did things her way. She had a zest for life, and had the

Mary Alice Kinney of Falmouth, MA, died peacefully on August 1 with her daughter and son-in-law by her side at their home in Vermont. She spent the last two months of her life with them in one of her favorite places, and died one day after her 101st birthday. She was born July 31, 1919 in Princeton, NJ, the second of three daughters born to Dr. Joseph S. and Mary Alice (Robley) Vanneman. After graduation from Princeton High School in 1936, Mary Alice followed in her parents’ footsteps by continuing her education at Dickinson College in Carlyle, PA. While there she met James (Jim) Kinney, a mathematics major and member of the college’s football team, who would soon become the love of her life. Mary Alice graduated from Dickinson in 1940. Mary Alice was married to James Kinney in 1941. She gave birth to their first child Michael in 1944 and moved with him to her parents’ farmhouse in Davisville while Jim served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. After the war ended Jim was hired to teach math and coach at Lawrence High School, and the family enjoyed raising pigs, chickens and vegetables on the farm in Davisville. In 1954 Mary Alice gave birth to their second child Mary Ann, and soon after the Kinneys moved back down Davisville Road into the original summer house that had been renovated for year-round use. Mary Alice was predeceased by her beloved husband of 40 years, James Kinney, as well as by her two siblings, Erlene Mae Elwood Born into a farming family in 1932 in Cabot, Erlene was a fun-loving, happy-natured, can-do, warm-hearted, and beautiful soul. She passed away peacefully in Concord, CA, with family at her side. Being the only sister of four brothers, her early years prepared her well for the type of personality that made a lasting impression on others. She was an advocate of alternative healthcare, owning a health food store in Brewster, NY, and Fort Lee, NJ, for a period of her life. She was passionate and believed in her convictions; she was a protester in the sixties, and was active in legislative issues that she felt strongly about. Lolly was proud of her family, and cherished her two granddaughters. Anyone who knew her often heard her talk about them. Family, friends and neighbors gathered for an intimate celebration of life on top of a little hill, overlooking the pond, on a beautiful evening at her home. There are plans to have another gathering later this summer on the west coast with her friends and family from the time she spent living in California.

Margaret Vanneman Moses and Eleanor Vanneman Sweeney. Mary Alice is survived by her two children, J. Michael Kinney and his wife Elin of East Falmouth, MA, and Mary Ann Tormey and her husband Chris of Cabot, VT. Mary Alice was enormously proud of her grandchildren, and was their friend and supporter as each of them grew from infancy to adulthood. They are Megan (Kinney) Bloomfield and her husband Peter of Norwell, MA; Eben Tormey and his wife Laura of Portsmouth, NH; David Tormey and his wife Arlette of Truckee, CA, and Sam Tormey and his partner Tori Heath of Montpelier, VT. In addition, Mary Alice was blessed to get to know seven great-grandchildren during the last years of her life. They are Molly and Ben Bloomfield, Nolan and Mae Alice Tormey, and Jack, Margot and Frances Tormey. The family would like to thank the many caregivers who assisted Mary Alice during the last months of her life. Special thanks and appreciation go out to the nurses, aides, and doctor from Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, who were so caring, sensitive, and professional during the last weeks of Mary Alice’s life spent in Vermont. A burial service as well as a celebration of Mary Alice’s life to include friends and family will be held at a later date. For those who wish to, contributions in Mary Alice’s memory may be made to VNA Hospice of Cape Cod at 67 Ter Heun Drive, Falmouth MA 02540, Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice at 600 Granger Road, Barre VT 05641, or The James C. Kinney Memorial Scholarship c/o Scholarship Association of Falmouth at PO Box 369, Falmouth MA 02541.

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

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From page 4

Laura Olivia (Wilder) Potvin, 90, of Keith Avenue, Barre, passed away on Sunday, August 9, 2020, at the UVM Medical Center in Burlington. Born on February 21, 1930, in Northfield, she her children Peter Potvin and his wife, Luz of Wesley Chapel, FL; Gloria Colbeth of Wilder, VT; Dorothy Fletcher and her husband, Daniel of Washington, VT; Linda Potvin of St. George, VT; June Rieder of Barre, VT; and Betty Gile and her husband, Dustin of Cabot, VT; her grandchildren Gabrielle Brown and her husband Herman, Peter Potvin III and his wife, Sherrol; Daniel Fletcher; Derek Allen; Arthur Fletcher; Steven Hough; Darcy Allen; Amanda Rieder; Kate Hough; and Jessica Rieder; 13 greatgrandchildren; and one great-great grandchild; her sisters Beatrice McAllister of Williamstown, VT; and Ramona Pierce of Walpole, NH;; as well as multiple nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Bobby, grandson Travis Hough, brother Elbert, who died in infancy, and sister Amy McNaulty.

A graveside service to honor and celebrate her life was held August 26, 2020, in the Durant Cemetery in Cabot. For amemorialguestbok , visit www.hookerwhitcomb.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Laura’s memory may be made to one’s favorite charity.

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

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Cabot Fire Department Monthly Report

Cabot Fire Department went on six calls in August. Three were in Cabot, two in Marshfield, and one in Walden. Two were grass/woods fires, two were motor vehicle accidents, one alarm activation, and one gas propane odor. The department trains on the fourth Wednesday of the month. This month you might have seen us at the common. We trained on connecting to the hydrant system that is part of the town water supply. These hydrants have from fifty to one hundred and fifty pounds of pressure. The variations in incoming pressure to the pumper changes how a pump operator must react to these hydrants. The department is coping with the Coronavirus. We have extra masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer in all the trucks. Everyone wears a mask at our monthly meetings, calls and drills. We get an update from our Emergency Management Director every week to keep us on top of things. We have been lucky that we have not had any large outbreaks in our town. One problem that the department has is that we do not have a safe space to do decontamination in our current station. As we continue, we are going to have to look at getting a bigger and safer place to decontaminate our gear, equipment and personnel. Until next month, be safe.

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From page 5

Through The Cabot Chronicle, the CCA promotes their mission to enhance the quality of community life for those residing, doing business, and visiting Cabot, VT. One aspect of that mission is to empower Cabot residents to participate in the governance and management of our town. The Chronicle is dedicating a staff writer to cover select board and other meetings, for the purpose of keeping community members informed about issues discussed at meetings they might not be able to attend. Most meetings during this time of Coronavirus are available via Zoom for those who would like to listen in person. Instructions for joining meetings virtually through Zoom are posted regularly on Front Porch Forum, or you can call the Town Clerk's office for details at 563-2279.

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Town Auditors’ Concerns

by Cabot Chronicle Staff Writer

According to the minutes of the August 4 Select Board meeting (there is no audio of this part of the meeting), the board asked the Town Clerk “to write a letter to the fire department regarding how many calls and the grants-system disbursements, as the auditors are concerned”(sic). The Select Board also asked the Town Clerk “to write a letter to the Recreation Committee regarding allocations and invite them to the next meeting.”

Fire Department Activities

At the following Select Board meeting on August 18, Skip Bothfeld was present to speak for the Fire Department. Ruth Goodrich clarified that the Select Board was “asking for not just the number of calls or type of call, but how many responders on the different calls… we are looking to get information so we can better support you....” Jenn Miner further clarified, “I think where this originated was back when there were a lot of conversations around the new fire station, the potential fire station, and I think that several people during public comment said it would be easier to get them to urge the Select Board to get behind the fire department if they had generalized statistics, such as call volumes, how many responders, how many volunteers, types of call, etc.” Jenn continued that the NFIRES system that is used by the fire department should be able to provide that information. Skip responded that he would take that request back to the department and will see if they can put something together once a month. Fred Ducharme explained that most people don’t know when the fire department goes out and this information would help the Select Board inform people.

Fire Department Funds

The discussion then moved to grants, and Assistant Town Clerk Michelle Leclerc explained “when the auditors were here two weeks ago, they saw there was $5,000 for the first payment for dry hydrants, and then he asked where the other ones were.” She continued to ex-

The average visit to a charging station like the one in Plainfield is 1 to 2 hours, which would be around $1.75. Jim was not certain the town can legally charge people for electricity as a non-public utility. He concluded that for a village of this size, the amount of projected usage, and the cost of charging a fee, he would not recommend a system that charges people. Jim said he would not personally use the charging station to fully charge his car because he has a charging station at home. People would generally use the station when they are visiting businesses, and some towns view this as service to the business and economy of the town. East Montpelier does charge people for using their charging station, Plainfield uses a donation box. The Energy Coordinator for Plainfield, Bob Atchinson, described their experience with a charging station. They received plain that when Betty inquired, she was told the fire department paid it out of a grant. “The grants are supposed to come to the town because Betty has to report the grants that the town gets, and the auditors were not happy that you have another checking account that you are writing a large amount of checks out of.” Fred Ducharme explained that the town needs a paper trail for everything, so we have it for the auditors and the State. Ruth Goodrich explained that having the separate checking account is a legal liability for the town. Skip stated that it was new information to him. Fred explained that the town is trying to stay on top of all recommendations and it's not after anybody. The town just needs the paper trail in the Town Clerk’s office. Skip agreed to get together with Betty and straighten out the bookkeeping, and get the call information in the next month or so.

Recreation Committee Funds

The Select Board met with the Recreation (Rec) Committee at the September 1 meeting. Mike Hogan started the discussion by explaining the town appropriates money to various things and, monies don’t all have to be spent. The Rec Committee was appropriated $10,000 and the Select Board’s responsibility is to oversee the financial wellbeing of the town, ensuring accurate accounts and details are kept. Mike continued that the auditors are asking for an accurate accounting of how the Rec Committee is spending money, it can be an email or ledger sheet, as long as the town knows how money was spent. Cameron and Jessica North responded for the Rec Committee that they had the budget with everything itemized. Mike said the details of the payments are needed. Cameron was confused by the request because all the money flows through the Town Clerk. Michelle clarified that “the auditors want a timesheet for the payroll.” The Rec Coordinator needs to document what she is doing for the $400 a month she is paid. This clarified the discussion and Cameron agreed they can document what has been done in a couple days and then provide a timesheet monthly.

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

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Softball Tournament Controversy

by Cabot Chronicle Staff Writer

On Saturday, August 1, Stephen Gregg drove by the Cabot recreation field (“rec field”) and noticed a softball tournament in progress. Given that we are currently in a pandemic with social distancing the expected norm, he posted a query through Facebook on the Cabot Connects Town Bulletin Board. The post spawned much discussion, with 76 comments posted in a short time. Cam North, one of the bulletin board administrators, decided to follow-up on the issue and had a lengthy discussion with the Town Clerk, posting what he was able to learn about the event. This garnered another 30 comments and 53 reactions. At the next Select Board meeting, the event was a topic of discussion during public comment. Karlyn Schmidt started the discussion by addressing her concerns about the softball tournament. “There were a lot of people there… and, at some point someone counted and there were 60 cars,” she said. “The people were not social distancing, were not wearing masks.” Betty Ritter, town clerk, said she spoke with Shawn Sicard, one of the event organizers, and he did rent the rec field for the tournament. Betty was not aware there were that many people. Shawn said he had COVID-19 waivers from all participants stating they did not have COVID-19 and were tested. She further relayed that, by his count, there were 125 people at the tournament, and everyone stayed in their team tent area unless they were on the field for a game. Karlyn responded that, based upon the comments on Facebook, many in the community were unhappy about the event, and “many can attest to how many people were there and were not doing what this man said they were doing.” Pat di Stefano continued the discussion with her understanding of Governor Scott’s recommendations that “… individual sporting events with single teams playing was acceptable, but that this jamboree type of tournament was still excluded.” Karen Larsen commented that “…tournament play at this moment is forbidden by order of the governor's office.” She recommended that “those who are in charge of making these decisions, whether it's public meetings or the rental of public space, actually read and abide by those recommendations.” Attending the meeting was Marie Liebold from Barre Coed Softball League to help alleviate some concerns. She started by agreeing that Karen Larsen had a valid point; however, many towns have allowed tournaments to happen. “Our intentions were not to bring any risk to your community.” She went on to explain they simply needed a field, and what they felt was a safe place, knowing Cabot is very conscientious. She said there were seven teams and they were separated by at least six feet. Many of the teams play each other on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. She did want to clear up that the waivers did not state anyone was tested, it just covered COVID-19 symptoms. The Governor does not require people to wear masks while playing softball, but they were always required to carry a mask at the event. The teams did not share balls and were supplied with disinfectants. The softball league does recognize the governor's recommendation, but other towns have allowed tournament play. She added that they did not mean any disrespect to Cabot and take COVID-19 very seriously, with more stringent guidelines than many other leagues. Ruth Goodrich commented that she didn’t think we should have had this event, the tournament had been discussed at a past Select Board meeting, but no action was taken. During the discussion, Betty announced that she has cancelled everything concerning the rec field and the Willey Building, and nothing will be scheduled for these facilities, including the commons.

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Proposed EV Charging Station Discussed

by Cabot Chronicle Staff Writer The Select Board has been considering installing an EV Charging Station at the Willey Building, and asked Jim Wolentyz to present how to charge for electricity used through a charging station, rather than using a donation box as in Plainfield. Jim first spoke about a coinage method, like at a laundromat. He stated that a device did exist, but would not be appropriate for the voltage and amperage applied in a charging station. He investigated smart units that would use a credit card, or ID card, to pay for the electricity, and they would cost around $4,000 to $8,000. The non-smart unit he is proposing to install here at the Willey Building would be 90% covered by Efficiency Vermont and would cost the town $50. To add a chargeable system would cost around $1,700, but after reimbursement from Efficiency Vermont, would cost the town around $100, along with an additional $75 for extra wiring installed at the factory. The cost to the town for installation is approximately $600, but volunteer electricians could eliminate that cost. Jim investigated the East Montpelier EV Charging Station, and learned they had their system installed by Washington Electric for free and leased to the town for five years. He estimates the cost for charging cars costs East Montpelier about $240 per year. A full charge of a car would take approximately 4 to 5 hours, and at a cost $0.19 per kilowatt hour, the maximum cost to charge a car would be around $10.

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School Reopening is a Community Effort Thank you!

On August 7, we welcomed families onto campus for an in-person information meeting. I met them with a thermometer, a mask, and smiling eyes. We sat outside on the CSPAC lawn to answer questions about the reopening that was just a month away. Questions ranged from, “What will happen on rainy days when you can’t be outside?” to “Will children be able to play?” The day before, our flagpole had been blown down in the wind. Parents asked what we could do to ensure it was back up by the time school began. Just hours after that conversation and a quick phone call, we had a replacement pole ready to be donated. We now have an amazing flagpole at the center of our campus that will withstand the wind. Thank you. When we asked for masks that students could wear in case they didn’t have one or forgot one, community members again stepped forward. Nearly 300 masks have been donated by a core group of sewers in our community. They are beautiful, handmade, and worn proudly by our students when they need one. Thank you.

When we asked for tents to help create our outdoor spaces, community members generously lent us tents. As a result, our students have shaded outdoor areas to engage in learning. Thank you. Our forest classroom areas (with the generous permission of a landowner) are being used daily to help students identify plants, walk on trails, and learn about our forests. We can’t wait to take community members on a tour of that area as our elementary grades label and map that area together. Thank you. Our Middle School students are building a garden and outdoor learning space to expand our use of outdoor spaces on campus now and in the future. We are grateful to community members who helped us to clear this area. Cabot School opened on September 8 with the help of the entire Cabot community. Our low community transmission rate is the result of your effort and has made it possible to ensure that our students can safely return to school. Each of you is part of what makes it possible for Cabot School to return to in person learning this fall. Thank you. As we continue into fall, we look forward to a time when we can display and share students’ learning with our larger community and we are deeply grateful for your continued support.

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Cabot Recycles

by Ben Davis Major global shifts in materials reprocessing over the past year caused and are causing massive disruptions in international, national, and regional recycling markets. Through it all, the Cabot Recycling Center has reliably been open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until Noon. The list of materials collected has remained fairly steady over the past few years. Please keep in mind that MANY types of packaging and spent consumer products are NOT recyclable and should be disposed of in the trash. The list is long, and it is available at www.nekwmd.org. Just click on Cabot on the map and you'll get a list of everything the Center takes and a long list of stuff that cannot be recycled at this time. Front and center on the list of materials that cannot be recycled: Dirty or unrinsed items, containers larger than two gallons, screw-top caps, motor oil, gas containers, pesticide containers, styrofoam of any kind, planting pots and trays, plastic furniture, plastic toys, coffee makers, coat hangers, vinyl siding, maple tubing, cds, dvds, vhs, and cases, water line pipes and plastic tubing of any size, hard, rigid plastic (if it shatters, it's not accepted), unacceptable plastic bags and films (any films with food residue). Recycling participation rates in Cabot and surrounding towns are high, and we are doing a good job of it. The NEK Waste Management District is a wellrun municipality, providing recycling and waste management options for 49 member towns in five counties. Please help protect public sanitation employees and reduce the burden on the solid waste collection system. For the safety of yourself and others please follow these recommendations:  ·Properly sort, bag, and contain recyclables.  ·Practice social distancing at the recycling center.  ·Cover nose and mouth with a face

mask. ·Wash hands regularly with soap and

water.

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

by Roland (Slim) Payne, Jr. Old Growth Forests In Vermont, forest and woodlands are all around us, but old growth forest is the least likely type of forest to find. Today in Vermont, old growth forest makes up only .4 % of Vermont forest (approximately 1,000 acres). What remains is in small patches, like Gifford’s Woods State Park near Killington, which has approximately 20 acres of old growth forest. Prior to European settlement, about 55-60% of Vermont’s forests were older than 150 years. Old growth forest is a stage in forest development greater than 150 years without human disturbance. When asked, what is an old growth forest, most of the time people visualize mature forests, tall stems about the same size with tight densely packed tree canopies. The actual characteristics of an old growth forest include diverse tree structure with multi-layered canopies and canopy gaps, greatly varying tree heights and tree diameters, deep, well-developed soil with lots of dead wood rotting slowly. Mosscovered logs lying on the ground having young seedlings growing from them are frequently found. The tree canopy gaps are usually the result of some natural disturbance the forest has experienced, causing one or several trees to fall. The dead wood characteristics present in an old growth forest may not develop until 275 years or more. The dead wood present is likely the result of natural disturbances or individual trees dying out as the old growth forest develops. The uprooting of larger trees in the old growth forest will result in a pit and mound topography. The pits will be present where the roots of trees are pulled from the soil as trees fall, and the mound will form after the fallen tree’s roots decompose becoming covered by leaves and debris. Occasionally, a large natural disturbance such as a hurricane can destroy or down most of the trees in a forest. The hurricane of 1938 blew down vast areas of trees in the Connecticut river valley from Southern New England all the way up to Cabot and beyond. The old growth forests damaged by the hurricane in 1938 would still be considered an old growth forest, even though the trees that grew back after the hurricane’s destruction are only about 80 years old, as long as there has been no human disturbance. Old growth forests in other parts of the country will have different characteristics based on the climate, trees, and natural communities present for the forest to develop into an old growth forest, if given the necessary time without human disturbance. For anyone looking for unique natural areas to visit in Vermont, the department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation offers a list of 34 sites on their website: https://fpr.vermont.gov/vermont-naturalareas.

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Cabot Play Readings in the Time of Corona

by Karen Mueller-Harder

Cabot Community Theater's production of Chitty Bang remains in a state of suspended animation until it's safe to gather large audiences again, which we aren't trying to predict. When we have performance dates, they will be shouted from the rooftops, posted on Cabot's Front Porch Forum, announced on our Facebook page, and written up in The Cabot Chronicle if the timing allows. While Chitty remains "on hold", awaiting changes in the world, Cabot Community Theater will be hosting some online play readings this autumn and winter, just for the fun of it, and we hope you will join us! We can read plays that might not be practical to perform, you can read a role you might not be likely to play in person, and you can participate with no rehearsal commitment! You are also welcome to "come" and just listen if you like. Readings will be on weekend afternoons, dates to be determined. If you might like to participate, please contact Karen Mueller-Harder at 793- 5617 or [email protected] and we'll be in touch about dates and times (weekend afternoons). Feel free in your email to say what types of plays you'd like to read, and/or search online for scripts if you have a specific idea. We will need to choose plays that are in the public domain, so that everyone can read them online. (If you go to Project Gutenberg and search for "drama," you can see what's there, including the works of Shakespeare, Wilde, Moliere, Shaw, and other plays in the public domain: http://www.gutenberg.org.) We'll make selections based on the people who express interest ahead of time, though the readings will be announced and open to everyone!

 Wear facial covering when you may

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

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CDC Guidelines for Halloween

Halloween can be an important and fun event for families, especially with kids. Information and recommendations for staying safe change week by week. Below are recommendations from the CDC. Keep an eye on Front Porch Forum and the Town of Cabot website (cabotvt.us) for information on local plans, and consider participating in the planning call in the accompanying text box.

The CDC says: Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses. There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween. If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters.

Lower risk activities

These lower risk activities can be safe alternatives:  Carving or decorating pumpkins with

members of your household and displaying them  Carving or decorating pumpkins outside, at a safe distance, with neighbors or friends  Decorating your house, apartment, or

living space  Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt

where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations at a distance  Having a virtual Halloween costume

contest  Having a Halloween movie night with

people you live with Having a scavenger hunt-style trick-ortreat search with your household members in or around your home rather than going house to house Moderate risk activities:

 Participating in one-way trick-ortreating where individually wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go while continuing to social distance (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard) If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 second before and after preparing the bags.  Having a small group, outdoor, openair costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart  Attending a costume party held outdoors where protective masks are used and people can remain more than 6 feet apart  A costume mask (such as for Halloween) is not a substitute for a cloth mask. A costume mask should not be used unless it is made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that covers the mouth and nose and doesn’t leave gaps around the face.  Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask because it can be dangerous if the costume mask makes it hard to breathe. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.  Going to an open-air, one-way, walkthrough haunted forest where appropriate mask use is enforced, and people can remain more than 6 feet apart  If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.  Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing  Having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart  If screaming will likely occur, greater distancing is advised. The greater the distance, the lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus. Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.

Higher risk activities

Avoid these higher risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:  Participating in traditional trick-ortreating where treats are handed to children who go door to door  Having trunk-or-treat where treats are handed out from trunks of cars lined up in large parking lots  Attending crowded costume parties held indoors  Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and screaming  Going on hayrides or tractor rides with people who are not in your household Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgement and increase risky behaviors Traveling to a rural fall festival that is not in your community if you live in an area with community spread of COVID- 19

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What’s the Best Thing that Has Happened to You This Summer?

by Lori Augustyniak 2020 has surely sent most of us quite a few curveballs…but there were some good highlights too. We asked Cabot residents to share what good thing they experienced in the summer of 2020. Here’s what we learned:

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From page 8

The highlight of this summer for me has been that I, along with Dorothy Ayer Larrabee and Patty Houghton Conly, finished writing the soon-to-be-published history, West Danville, Vermont Then and Now, 1781-2020, sponsored by the Danville Historical Society. This book project has spanned eight years and sometimes taken over our lives, but it has been a journey well worth the effort!

Jane Brown

Joe’s Pond

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From page 8

Ohh - this was a very different summer! We had the honor of having Mary Ann Tormey's 101 year old mom in our neighborhood for a couple of months - to visit with and sing her songs. We focused on raising chickens and sheep - clearing the pastures that had been growing in. And...we put PV panels on the garage and bought a used Chevy Bolt - no more gas, oil, muffler!

Peg Elmer Hough

Stone Farm Road neighborhood

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

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2019 Cabot Real Estate Transactions

Date Parcel Seller 23-Jan 06-058.000 Oles David & Karen 23-Jan 12-028.000 Carla R. Payne 25-Jan 10-109.000 Bruce Westcott & Ellen Blachly 28-Jan 06-063.000 P. Webster, G. Glidden, B. & M. Lyford 11-Feb 08-016.003 Ronald Ferry, c/o Elizabeth Ferry 13-Feb 02-002.000 Federal National Mortgage Association 15-Feb 10-034.000 David Brandt 15-Feb 06-051.000 Jordan & Evangeline Kirsch Buyer David M. Oles Living Trust Carla R. Payne Revocable Trust James L. Wolynetz Gordon Clow Sylvia F. Smith Gregory & Stefanie Burtt Thaddeus A. & Susanna C. Brandt Jordan & Evangeline Kirsch, Co-Trustees Parcel Location

2507 Coits Pond Road 1554 US Route 2 3303 Main Street 2882 Coits Pond Road 0 Ducharme Road 166 Cabot Plains Road 388 Sawmill Road 1660 Coits Pond Road 456 US Route 2 0 Ducharme Road 86 Porter Road 714 Churchill Road 207 Stone Farm Road 81 Barnet Drive 1617 West Shore Road 0 Cabot Plains Road 0 Ducharme Road 714 Churchill Road 3 Cross Road 27 Cross Road 2781 Cabot Plains Road 6149 Mack Mountain Road 3884 Cabot Road 6640 Mack Mountain Road 2424 Main Street 101 Jug Brook Road 3503 VT Route 215 North 2768 US Route 2 1403 West Shore Road 1045 Walbridge Road 1171 Churchill Road 0 Cabot Plains Road 334 Tetrealt Road 1121 Taylor Way 462 Houghton Road 556 Danville Hill Road 2214 South Walden Road 1989 Cabot Plains Road 2506 Main Street 2689 US Route 2 303 Bolton Road 1170 Urban Farm Way Price $0 $0 $185,000 $56,148 $0 $35,000 $130,000 $0 $0 $0 $59,900 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $13,500 $227,000 $0 $0 $0 $20,000 $225,000 $45,000 $48,000 $45,000 $112,000 $150,000 $0 $300,000 $0 $30,000 $175,000 $0 $259,000 $240,000 $149,000 $352,900 $187,000 $140,000 $125,000 $175,000 $0 $40,000 $227,500 $0 $0 $187,193 $0 $0 $0 $205,000 $95,580 20-Feb 12-039.000 Michelle K. Lemieux & Douglas J. Morrison Michelle K., Kimberly K. & Michael R. Lemieux 8-Mar 08-025.000 Susan Carpenter 8-Mar 12-002.004 US Bank NA 13-Mar 06-078.000 Robert Bothfeld, Jr., Revocable Trust 15-Mar 08-009.000 Victoria Palmer & Jon Vara 15-Mar 03-019.000 Levi Bourne & Rachel White 19-Mar JP-141.000 Dorene Heffernan, Jeffrey A. Temple 26-Mar 02-010.000 Hilton & Linda Abbott 27-Mar 08-003.100 Darien McElwain 1-Apr 06-078.000 Robert Bothfeld Revocable Trust 11-Apr 05-031.000 Marcel & Shawn Fontaine 11-Apr 05-033.000 Shawn Fontaine 16-Apr 02-022.000 Edward Domey & Jeanne Johnson 29-Apr 11-004.000 Russell Veroneau 2-May 07-029.100 Phillip L. Paull & Cynthia W. Russell 2-May 12-029.000 Nicholas Jackson & Sarah Mahan 10-May 10-058.000 Larry & Cherry Gochey 6-Jun 07-033.000 Brian L. & Patricia M. Carter 26-Jun 01-005.000 Eric L. & Cheryl A. Flanagan 1-Jul 12-019.000 Roy & Jacklyn Folsom 1-Jul JP-169.000 James & Steven J. Craige & Anne E. McNay West Shore Road LLC 10-Jul 05-025.001 Matt J. Moody & Paula L. Davidson 16-Jul 06-070.000 Johann D. Schwers 5-Aug 02-006.002 Erik Oliver & Theresa Stimson 14-Aug 01-031.007 Andrew Adams & Karen Carver 17-Aug 03-047.000 Gerald H. Niquette 27-Aug 12-017.005 Ruth L. Hogan 30-Aug 04-012.004 Aaron S. Fuller 3-Sep 05-028.001 Leonard & Rhonda J. Van Riper 9-Sep 02-011.000 Steven I. & Sharon Stahl 17-Sep 10-059.000 Joshua & Rebekah Bencanaan 25-Sep 12-018.000 Timothy Trody 25-Sep 02-019.000 Frank Pastor Estate 11-Oct 04-057.000 Audrey J. Carson, Nancy J. & Donald J. Sousa William F. Pendergraft, Jr. 6-Nov 06-082.000 Albert & Dawn Carbonneau 18-Nov 04-012.000 Gwendolyn Hallsmith 21-Nov 12-012.000 Joel C. & Eugenia M. Schumacher 25-Nov 08-011.000 Richard & Sandra Ducharme 25-Nov 08-026.000 Barbara Carpenter 2-Dec 12-008.000 Booth Properties II, LLC 16-Dec 05-007.000 Gary Lee Curtis 19-Dec 12-017.007 Michael J. & Mary Ellen Hogan 23-Dec 08-012.000 Virginia Lehoe 27-Dec 05-025.000 Lee T. Blackwell & Ruth G. Richards 29-Dec 09-028.000 Richard Smith Susan & Samuel Lyman Carpenter Green Mountain Power Corporation Rose Bothfeld, Trustee Victoria Palmer & Jon Vara Levi & Rachel White Jeffrey A. & Nancy W. Temple Mary-Alice & Mark Abbott, Joan Graves Scott O'Grady Michael A. Paladino Shawn Fontaine & Felicia White Domey Johnson Revocable Living Trust Craig & Barbara Cook Donald E. & Kathryn Matthews Nicholas Jackson Timothy L. & Jennifer Gochey Everette C. & Claudine M. Eastman Wells Fargo Bank, NA Randolph & Carrie Kempton Matthew & Amanda Otto Manfred Schwers Charles P. & Annette Pettengill Erika L. Farnham & Mayo L. Braiden Niquette Family Trust Lisa Howard Thomas A. & Cally L. Dunbar Terry & Shirley Potter Marguerite J. Schroeder John N. & Amatul S. Peyman Nicholas & Nichole Graves Nationstar Mortgage LLC Dawn Houston, Evelyn, Michael & Philip Walbridge 1080 Houston Hill Road Headwaters Garden & Learning Center, Inc. Eammon & Eugenia Carleton Richard, Sandra, Stephanie & Christina Ducharme 849 Ducharme Road Susan Carpenter Jeffery S. St. John & Erica Fowler Town of Cabot Gideon N. Mangan Virginia & Michael C. Lehoe Lee T. Blackwell Richard & Laura L Smith 40 Garden Way 111 Keene Road 2320 Ducharme Road 4035 US Route 2 973 South Walden Road 0 Houghton Road 916 Ducharme Road 1243 Walbridge Road 562 Thistle Hill Road

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Alicia Esser Visits the Willey Building

Alicia Esser researches references to her great uncles' generosity.

by Staff Writer

Who is Alicia Esser? She rode into town on a motorcycle last month, touring Cabot sights and scenery that she had heard so much about from her grandmother, Elizabeth Dickenson. Elizabeth Dickenson, herself, a grand niece of C.A. Willey, lives in Solvang, CA, and is a long-time supporter of the Cabot Library. For many years, Elizabeth has boxed up books and sent them to the library in honor of her great uncle. Elizabeth Dickenson has often told Alicia about her grandmother’s older brother, C.A. Willey, and his story of finding fortune. By Alicia’s account, her grandmother tells that C.A. Willey lived on a farm outside of town, where he sugared and painted coaches for a living. Working with paints, he managed to develop a lacquer for coaches that would stand up to Vermont’s harsh weather conditions. This weatherproof coating caught the attention of the Ford Motor Company, who bought this lacquer and contributed to C.A. Willey becoming quite a successful businessman. After Alicia’s Willey Building visit, she headed for the Elm Street Cemetery, where her grandmother directed her to seek out the headstones of other relatives, both Willeys and Mallors. Ms. Esser is eager to connect with anyone who knowingly is a decendant of the Willey Family or the Mallor Family. Call the Chronicle for the contact information for either Alicia Esser or Elizabeth Dickenson.

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Shop in Place

Resiliency. Generosity. Service. Our village businesses contribute so much to

our community. And they need our support. As you shelter in place, please also shop in place, whenever and wherever you can. It may be just the thing that sees our local economy through to the other side.

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Critical Thinking - The Other National Deficit

by Chip Taylor This title is on a bumper sticker that has been on the rear window of the last several cars I've owned. We're still dealing with a serious pandemic plus a very important upcoming election. So, it's a good time to consider how we can all become good critical thinkers. Some of you may remember the story of the brand new Corvette that could be had for just $200 because there was a catch (which I'll not go into here.) It's a classic urban legend, along with alligators in the New York City sewers and the claim red cars attract the attention of police more than cars of any other color. None are true, but these urban legends are generally harmless. Not so harmless are misleading claims like "Pizzagate", consuming bleach or even hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus cure, and that no children died in the Sandy Hook shooting as they were all "crisis actors". These claims are dangerous and possibly life threatening. But with an endless barrage of media stories, how can we possibly sort fact from fiction? How do you know there really isn't a new Corvette out there for $200, that crime and births don't increase whenever there is a full moon, or that there were really no hidden bombs that brought the World Trade Center down? Here are some helpful suggestions: First, it's very important to stick with expertise. "People say..." or "My cousin claims..." or "My gut feeling is..." are no substitute for experts. And consensus from experts in an appropriate field carries more credibility than a single person, or people in a different field: Medical advice from a medical doctor is more credible than medical advice from a doctor of geology or physics. And a claim from a "lone wolf" is unlikely to be correct if it runs counter to a consensus of thousands of other experts in the same field. Second, hold out for good evidence. Good evidence is NOT what a celebrity says on a TV talk show, an anecdote from a friend or what your gut tells you. Carl Sagan famously said that "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." Tell me you saw a dog running down Main Street in Cabot and I'll not ask for evidence. Tell me you saw a giraffe running down the street and I might want some evidence. Tell me you saw a live T-Rex on Main Street and for sure I'll want a lot of extraordinary evidence. Third, fact check important claims. If your favorite politician makes a pronouncement that sounds good or perhaps not so good, check it out. Politifact.com and factcheck.org are excellent to see if what a politician says is really true or "Pants On Fire". Snopes.com is terrific for all kinds of claims and should be your "go-to" site before you pass along to others something a friend claimed on social media. Medical issues - and who doesn't have a medical concern at some point? - Sciencebasedmedicine.org is excellent, as is Quackwatch and What's The Harm? Please DO realize that YouTube is NOT a good starting point for fact checking in among some excellent videos are hundreds of totally bogus ones that have no basis in reality. And even Wikipedia isn't a perfect source of evidence-based information. For all the good information found there, misleading things still get posted - if only briefly before being corrected. If you're going to use Wikipedia, be sure to take a close look at the References at the end of an article to check out sourcesandcitations . Finally, if you want to become a good critical thinker, here a couple of excellent sources: Carl Sagan's The Demon Haunted World. (It's in the Cabot Library if you don't happen to have a copy in your home.... which you should.) "Here be Dragons" is a short video on critical thinking by Brian Dunning. (Also in the Cabot Library, but on YouTube, as well. One of the good videos on You- Tube!) James Randi's book, Flim Flam - Psychics, ESP, Unicorns and other Delusions. And for anyone home schooling an older child or who might want to learn more about critical thinking themselves, consider How to Think about Weird Things, Critical Thinking for a New Age by Theodore Schick, Jr. and Lewis Vaughn. Please do remember that, while we are all entitled to our own opinions, we are NOT entitled to our own facts.

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P.O. Box 275 Cabot, VT 05647 [email protected]

To Friends of Cabot Historical Society:

Thank you for your past support of Cabot Historical Society. We hope you are healthy in this difficult time. We are canceling the 21st annual Cabot Apple Pie Festival. We hoped to hold the festival on October 17, 2020, but we cannot risk the health of volunteers and visitors. We hope to chat face-to-face with you next year. During this pandemic, we froze fundraising. We canceled our 4th of July open house at the Main Street museum. Many of our neighbors are struggling with financial setbacks now. The Board of Directors decided to suspend the $10 annual dues this year. Every annual member stays active until normal life returns. Until we can meet again, please remember our society. If you have old letters, diaries, and odd items from the past, please consider donating them when our museums reopen. We still have costs for the Main Street museum building and the West Hill one-room schoolhouse. If you are able to help, we would be grateful. One way is to use Amazon Smile, if you buy from Amazon. It costs you nothing! Please name Cabot Historical Society as your charity. Learn more at http://smile.amazon.com/ch/03-0266315.

THANK YOU!

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From page 12

How to upload a copy of your registration for verification. How you can join more than one club. How you can donate to your club or other initiatives. How TMAs will be processed at VAST and when to expect your sticker, but how you can ride in the meantime (after Dec 15th). *If you buy Family TMAs, after you buy your first two our database will automatically recognize family TMA pricing on your additional TMAs. The links are below. But, before we get to that please read current information about the process.

MEMBERSHIP CARDS

All VAST members from 2020 will be sent a membership card starting this week. This card will have your name, address and unique ID on it to help you log into the system. Using this ID will prefill all your information including your name, address, phone, email and snowmobile information. If you had more than one TMA in your name last winter all your snowmobiles will be populated as well. In addition to VAST mailing the membership cards, all clubs have been sent a list of their members from last season, with their member numbers, so you can get that information from your club too. If you would like to look-up your VAST Member ID number (because you lost your card, etc.), there is a video below to show you how to do that, but you must have an email address registered with VAST already to do that. If you do not use your membership card to buy your TMA, you will just need to fill out all the information into our system. You can still buy a TMA without your membership number. If you have had a change of address this past year and we do not know about it, you can email that information to [email protected]. Keep your card each year, because your membership number will be the same each year.

VOLUNTEER TMA DIRECTION FOR CLUBS

All VAST clubs will be sent a club specific coupon code for their volunteers they wish to give a volunteer TMA to this year. This coupon code will be used on the VAST online site by that volunteer when they go to get their Volunteer TMA from VAST for the season. The club will also be sent an Excel Spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is for the club to list each person they are giving a volunteer TMA to. The club will need to put the volunteer's full contact information and VAST member ID and coupon code into the appropriate fields. Then the club will send it back to VAST. After that is done, the club can give the coupon code to the volunteers listed on the sheet the club sent back to VAST. When that volunteer uses the coupon code they will not be charged for the TMA or for club and county dues. VAST will use the spreadsheet the club sent to us to verify that each volunteer using the coupon code is actually on your list before we mail the TMA to the volunteer. We know that not all clubs know who they are going to give volunteer TMAs to in October. Just keep the Excel Sheet and add to it and resend to VAST as you add more volunteers. Specific instructions on who to send the spreadsheet back to VAST will be sent to each club president with the spreadsheet next week.

Go to VTVast.org for the VAST website with videos you can watch including: how to look up your membership number, how to buy your TMAs, etc.

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Cabot Vital Records

Births

Date of Birth Last Name First Name Town of

Birth Town of Residence Middle Name

Davis M Randolph Cabot

M St. Johnsbury Cabot

M Cabot Sex 3/2/2020 Wheeler Rio

3/30/2020 Ciprano Luca Dean

4/24/2020 Ackermann Bryce Albie

6/8/2020 DeForge Annabelle Grace F Berlin

7/14/2020 McLain Joshua David M St. Johnsbury Cabot

7/24/2020 Randolph Faye Frances F Newport City Cabot

8/13/2020 Golden Jasper Jacob M Randolph Cabot

9/20/2020 Otto

Deaths Date of Death

8/1/2020 Kinney Mary Alice

8/27/2020 Walker Roger K Last Name Cabot

Cabot Penelope Grace F Cabot First Name Middle Name Town of

Death Town of Residence Age 101 Cabot Davisville, NJ

91 Berlin Cabot

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Pandemic Postponements

by Cabot Chronicle Staff Writer

Respecting State and CDC guidelines to keep community members safe, many public event plans are on hold:

Willey Building Centennial

On page 65 of Cabot’s 2020 Annual Report of Town Officers, the Willey Building Committee shared plans for a Centennial Celebration for the matriarch of the village October 3 and 4. If planning resumes, look to The Cabot Chronicle to keep informed, as well as Front Porch Forum and the Town website (cabotvt.us).

NEK Fall Foliage Festival

Next year’s events are something to look forward to, but in the meantime, family jaunts into the countryside to enjoy the beauty of Vermont that even the novel Coronavirus can’t take away from us may provide photo opportunities and family memories.

Cabot United Church Fall Foliage

The good food, great company and fabulous veggie auction will be missed this year.

Cabot Historical Society’s Apple Pie Festival

See the notice elsewhere in this edition about the cancellation of the 21st Annual Cabot Apple Pie Festival. Annual October events are not only great social occasions, but also fundraisers for community volunteer and nonprofit groups that depend on these activities to support their good work. If you are able, please consider supporting one or more of these local organizations with a small donation to help them get through these tough times. We’re all in this together.

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Ruffles & Flourishes

Charles B. Putnam of Cabot, Vermont, was a Civil War musician. He spent two years playing in the First Vermont Brigade Band. William Allen Perry of Cabot was in the same army band. Perry enlisted on April 20, 1863, and mustered in on May 26, 1863. Perry received a disability discharge on December 22, 1863. Putnam was born on January 1, 1846, in Marshfield. He was just 17 years old when he enlisted on May 11, 1863, as a musician. He mustered into the First Vermont Brigade Band, two weeks later, on May 26 at Brattleboro. Cabot received credit for his service. Putnam served for two years, until June 29, 1865. The First Vermont Brigade (infantry) was nicknamed the "Old Brigade." It was part of the Army of the Potomac. The Old Brigade had more casualties than any brigade in the history of the U.S. Army; 1,172 killed in action. The Civil Warument on Cabot's Common includes some of their names. Bands from Vermont were at Seminary Ridge during the intense fighting on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The band attached to the First Vermont Brigade served with the Army of the Potomac from 1863-65. Putnam was with the band the entire time. He kept a diary of more than 200 pages. It is among the most detailed accounts of There were 15 original band members, including Perry and Putnam. Six were later recruits. One killed in action. Seven members of the First Brigade Band came from subordinate regimental bands; two came from other regiments. The others enlisted directly into the band. Putnam survived the war. In 1871, after the war, Cabot's first telegraph office was in Sprague & Wells store on Main Street. Charles B. Putnam was the first office manager.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 13 onward.

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THE BAND OF THE "OLD VERMONT BRIGADE!"

At the urgent request of the citizens of this city will give a MILITARY CONCERT! at the CITY HALL

Friday Evening, July 21st, I865 N. D. Adams Leader and Conductor Doors open at 7. Concert Commences at 8 o'clock Tickets 50 cents

PROGRAMME

PART FIRST.

1. Gen. Grierson's Grand March...................... 2. Song: "How Fair Thou Art".......................... 3. Waltz: "Il Baccio" (The Kiss).................... 4. Dirge: "Brave Men, Behold Your Fallen Chief" (In memory of Gen. Sedgwick) 5. Medley: "High Daddy".............................

Downing Weidt Arditti Downing PART SECOND.

1. Quadrille: from "Stradella"....................... 2. Song: "The Vacant Chair"............................ 3. Galop: "Trab, Trab"................................ 4. Aria: from "Robert le Diable"..................

Ficton Vose Kuken Meyerbeir 5. "The Officer's Funeral" In Memory of Our Brave Comrades Who Have Fallen 6. Potpourri on Army Calls: Introducing many of the familiar Bugle Calls and pieces played by most of the Bands of the "Old Sixth Corps."

Finis

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 Twin Valley Seniors to Build a Pavilion Twin Valley Seniors has begun a major project to build a pavilion that will provide a place for gatherings for residents of central Vermont, and needs your help. The pavilion could be used for cookouts, exercise and art classes, weddings and family reunions, just to consider some of the many possibilities. Twin Valley Seniors has entered into A Community Thrives grant program sponsored by Gannett Media (USA Today, Burlington Free Press) that will fund grants up to $100,000 for viable community projects. Twin Valley Seniors grant request has been accepted, but Twin Valley Seniors must raise money to remain qualified for a grant. Starting September 21 through October 16, use the link: mightycause.com/organization/twin-valley-seniors to learn more about the pavilion and be a part of the undertaking with your donation. If we all give together, we can do this. Twin Valley Senior Center, located at 4583 US Route 2, East Montpelier, 05651, serves the social, emotional and physical well-being of senior age citizens of East Montpelier, Calais, Plainfield, Marshfield, Woodbury and Cabot. The center offers access to community resources, services and activities. For information visit: twinvalleyseniors.org or call 802-223-3322.

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CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS

Thanks to a generous bequest from

Kathryn Welsh, we have beautiful new cherry shelving in the computer room which matches the main library room shelving. Jon Deerfield from Real Tree Woodworking did a fantastic job over the summer, and the Library Trustees have been busy readying the room for a reopening, by appointment, hopefully soon. We are excited for you to see the “new” room!

More great news – Cabot Public Library was awarded a 2020 CLiF (Children’s Literacy Foundation) Rural Libraries Grant, which grants our library $2,000 worth of new children’s books, new books and programs for the elementary school children and $500 worth of books for the Cabot school library. We’re so excited for families to take advantage of all these new books, which should be available in the next few months.

Curbside library service is currently available Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Call (563- 2721), email ([email protected]) or browse our online catalog on our website (www.cabotlibrary.com) to request items. Pick up times are coordinated with patrons. If you need a library card, we will set you up over the phone or by email.

Outdoor library sessions will continue, weather permitting – Check out our website for a listing of new books, audiobooks, magazines, and DVD’s the library has to offer. Stay tuned as we determine our next steps in the reopening process.

Instructions for using the online catalog: 1. Go to our website:

www.cabotlibrary.com 2. Click on THE CPL CATALOG 3. Reserve item by clicking “Request

Hold” to the right of selected item 4. We will gather the materials 5. We will call you or email you and set

up a pick-up time Monday through Thursday. 6. Materials will be bagged, labeled with

your name, and put on a cart in the back foyer at your pick-up time. Don’t know what you want to read?

We’ll help you pick out something!

Summer Reading Program- Thanks to all who participated in our Summer Reading program – if you’ve completed 15 days of reading this summer, call or email to pick up your t-shirt and prize! Cabot Library has all the new Middle school and Green Mountain Book Award books!

Echo Center Passes – Call or email to receive the library code for the Echo Leahy Center for Lake Champlain’s reduced rate. The museum is open Monday –Friday with Wednesday’s FREE admission. Adults are half off, and kids are free with a library code. Tickets must be reserved online in advance for a timed entry. If you are not a library patron, we'll get you set up over the phone or email.

Online resources:

RB (Recorded Books) Digital – Over 9,400 downloadable audiobooks, 725 downloadable e-books. There are no holds or waiting lists for core titles; they are always available. Contact the library for sign up info.

Green Mountain Library Consortium/Overdrive/Listen Up! Vermont

– 17,000 audio/e-books downloadable and free. Everything and anything. Contact the library for sign up info.

Universal Class – Access over 500 online courses free. This might be the perfect time to take that class you've always wanted to. Contact the library for sign in details.

Vermont Online Library - Covering everything from newspaper articles to DIY car repair, the Vermont Online Library (VOL) can help with any topic. Available for free to all Vermonters, VOL has options for all ages from elementary school through adult. You can even use it to read current articles from the NY Times, Washington Post, the Economist, and more. Use the link on our website. Free eBooks – https://www.guten berg.org.

Wi-Fi- The Wi-Fi will stay on, as always, and patrons can access it from outside the building.

Fall Educational Plans – As schools manage reopening – whether online, in person, or a combination of both - we are here for you. We can help navigate online resources and help access research materials available throughout the state. Ask for our compilation of resources for home-school families.

Many thanks to Bill Wheeler for help with the computer room drapes and helping fix the play structure fencing. Thanks also to our Library Trustees – Linda Gabrielson, Jeannie McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert, Beth Wade, and student representative Mekiah Smith for all their support and help with the outdoor library and reopening plans. Kathleen Hoyne, Library Director

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Central Vermont Wins State Crown

An Ohio dad solved the social distancing problem with a “candy chute” for Halloween. Kids put their candy basket under the bottom of the chute at the bottom of the stairs, and dad never leaves the top of the stairs. Facebook photo.

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League of Women Voters of Vermont Congratulates Vermont Voters

The League of Women Voters of Vermont congratulates Vermont voters for the record turnout in the 2020 primary election. Sue Racanelli, President of the Vermont League of Women Voters said, “Exercising the right to vote is how we keep democracy strong. Let’s break the General Election turnout record in November!” The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to men and women of all ages. With more than 100 years of experience and 800 local and state affiliates, the League is one of America’s most trusted grassroots organizations. Follow us on Facebook.

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Where in the World is the Cabot Chronicle?

Chip Taylor in Glendo, Wyoming, getting ready for the total solar eclipse...and of course reading the Chronicle.

“This was the total solar eclipse of August 2017. And, indeed, I DID go to Wyoming for it- I drove out and back via Colorado Springs, where I connected with good friend and fellow critical thinker Col. Hal Bidlack, USAF (Ret). He arranged for me and several mutual friends to get a free spot at Glendo State Park if we joined his local astronomy club, and offered an astronomy lesson to people at the Park. So, a couple days with friends camping after sightseeing around Colorado Springs - got to see the grave of a distant relative and somewhat famous Colorado pioneer woman and almost got to meet the Chip Taylor who is with the Colorado Fire Department - fun!:” When asked if he plans to travel to see the next eclipse, he answered: “The December 14th total eclipse would be my third if I decided to see it, but it is in Chile, and lasts just two minutes. So, I'll pass - not ready just yet to do a ten-hour plus air flight for a two-minute eclipse, with COVID-19 still an issue. So, will hope for clear skies in 2024, when the USA again gets a total solar eclipse.”

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