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The Cabot Chronicle

March 2022 · 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 March 2022 pages (PDF)

Automated extraction, spot-checked. Advertisements, the business directory, and puzzles are omitted; obituaries appear as individual entries.

In This Issue

Cabot School Board

If voters approve the proposed FY ‘23 Cabot School Budget of $3,314,718 on Town Meeting Day, Cabot taxpayers will pay over two million dollars in the coming year to fund the school - more than twice what it costs each year to maintain the town’s roads and support the fire department, ambulance, library and all other town services. Beyond its expense, the system for funding public schools in Vermont and how that translates into the property taxes we pay is so complicated that it’s not understood by the vast majority of Vermonters who write checks each year to support them. Given that in the coming days we’ll once again choose to approve or reject the proposed school budget - a large financial investment in the education of our town’s children - this post is an effort to make that funding process and how it impacts our school and town more understandable. Twenty-five years ago this month the Vermont Supreme Court handed down the “Brigham Decision”, in which it agreed unanimously with several property-owners and small-school students that the existing school funding system was both inequitable and unconstitutional. At that time, the kind of school a town could provide for its students was determined mainly by its collective property value - which resulted in big differences in opportunities for students across the state. The court charged the Vermont Legislature to develop a new system in which, “Children who live in propertypoor districts and children who live in property-rich districts should be afforded a substantially equal opportunity to have access to similar educational revenues”. It took the Legislature just four months back in 1997 to craft an alternative approach, first known as Act 6o and since revised as Act 68. This system is definitely complicated, but’s been judged by many policy experts to be the fairest education funding system in the country. In the overview that follows, I’ve used several questions to clarify how the system works, starting with how it differs from the process used to fund our town and highway budgets. 1. How are our local town and highway budgets funded? Each year the Select Board develops these budgets and uses the town’s overall Grand List to set the tax rates needed to fund them. The Grand List is a value equal to 1/100th of a property’s assessed value. In the current year, for example, the town’s overall Grand List of $1,800,391 was divided by Cabot’s proposed FY 21-22 highway

DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior to production

Coordinator: Jeannie Johnson

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School Taxes

budget of $660,563 to arrive at the highway tax rate of $0.3669 (or 36 cents for every $100 of assessed property value.) 2. How is the annual budget for Cabot School funded? This is more complicated. There are three sources of funding: local taxes raised on residential (“homestead”) property, local taxes raised on “nonresidential” property (commercial and industrial property, second homes, etc.), and payments from the State of Vermont. In the current 2021-22 school year, payments from the State accounted for 31% of the funding of the overall budget of $3,314,718, while residential and nonresidential taxes accounted for 31% and 38% of the total respectively. The nonresidential tax rate is set by the State each year and does not differ by town - this year that rate is $1.6576/$100 of property value. 3. How does our local school spending determine our Homestead Tax rate each year? This part of the system uses our per-pupil spending to drive our Homestead tax rate- we can choose in a given year to put more dollars into our kids’ education, but it will cost us to do so. To calculate our spending per pupil for a given year, our “Education Spending” is divided by our number of “Equalized Pupils”. (Education Spending for the current year is $3,022,945: the amount remaining in our overall budget after revenue from sources like tuition and grants from the State for transportation, technical education and small school support are subtracted. The “Equalized Pupils” figure is a two-year average of the number of students enrolled with specific weights attached to different categories of students: grade level as well as English Language learners and students in poverty - our E.P. for this year is 158.32). Our Education Spending per Equalized Pupil, then, is $3,022,945/158.32 or $19,094. When that figure is compared with (divided by) the State-set “Yield” figure of $11,385, the result is a “District Spending Adjustment Factor” of 1.661. When that Factor is multiplied by the State’s base Homestead Tax rate of $1.00, we arrive at our statewide Homestead Tax rate of $1.6671/$100 of property value. After factoring in Cabot’s FY ’22 CLA of 97.25%, the actual local Homestead Tax rate comes out to $1.72 ($1.6671/0.9725=$1.7175). Back to the original premise: our preCLA Homestead tax rate is a direct result of that spending rate of $19,094 per student. Decreasing that rate to $18,094 for example, would drop our pre-CLA tax rate from $1.6671 to$1.5892. 4. How does Vermont’s current school funding system allow communities with

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The Cabot Chronicle is a home-delivered

a limited property base to provide their students with a similar level of educational opportunities as a community with a much larger property base? The answer is the statewide Education Fund, which is essentially a pool of dollars developed to support schools across the state. This year the residential (Homestead) tax rate of $1.7175 and the non-residential tax rate of $1.6576 in Cabot raised (from our total Education Grand List of $1,644,508) a total of $2,779,017 towards the funding of our FY 22 school budget of $3,314,718. As a result of property tax credits to Cabot residents paying some of their Homestead Taxes based on their household income, however (see #5 below), the actual property tax sum paid by Cabot residents to support the school this year is $2,294,723, or a little more than ⅔ of the total school budget. From Cabot and towns across the state, those collected local taxes are sent to Montpelier and comingled in the “Ed Fund”. In addition to property tax payments, about a third of the Ed Fund’s revenue each year comes from Vermont’s sales, rooms and meals, and purchase and use taxes. For towns like Cabot whose total property value (“Grand List”) isn’t large enough to generate all the tax revenue required to support its school, the State uses funds from the Ed Fund to make up the difference. In Cabot’s case this year, that difference was over $500,000. For property-rich towns like Stowe, on the other hand, their collected property taxes that are sent to the Ed Fund each year far exceed the dollars needed to fund their school. The Ed Fund system, then, uses tax revenues from across the state to ensure that any community regardless of its property wealth can access the resources that it agrees are needed to properly fund its school.

nine times a year and is provided locally

05647 ~ Published by the Cabot Community

express written permission from The Cabot Chronicle is contingent upon publisher’s approval and agreement claims based upon contents of advertising. Publisher does occupied by individual item in which the error appeared.

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subscriptions $12.50 ~ www.cabotvermont.org

newspaper devoted to telling the 5. How does the current system base school taxes on a resident’s ability to pay? A 2021 study commissioned by the VT Legislature concluded that personal income was a more accurate indicator of a property-owner’s tax-paying ability than their property’s assessed value. Until the Legislature changes the law, however, homeowners with annual household incomes below $136,000 may file form HS122 with the VT Dept. of Taxes before April 15 to be eligible to pay some or all of their Homestead property tax based on their household income rather than the assessed value of their “housesite” (dwelling and up to 2 adjoining acres). Last year residents that used this option paid 2.5% of their household income in property tax on their housesite rather than the 1.7175/$100 rate on its assessed value. For example, a household with an annual income of $50,000 and a housesite valued at $150,000 using this option would have paid $1,250 in tax on their housesite last year rather than the $2,576 tax based on their property’s value. The savings for going this route are significant - in 2021 Cabot taxpayers received $484,294 in Homestead tax credits from the State of Vermont. More information about this option can be found at https://tax.vermont.gov/ property/tax-credit. Vermont’s current school funding system is based on the principle that all the state’s residents share in the responsibility of providing a solid education for all of the state’s children, regardless of the property wealth of the town they live in. I hope the information above has made that system and how it impacts our school and community here in Cabot clearer than it was before. Please contact me if you have questions, and please remember to vote - on or before Town Meeting Day on March 1.

free of charge.

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Cabot Listers: It’s

Listers are shifting into high gear, preparing for the statutory June 4 filing of the Grand List, from which all tax bills are derived. Between now and June 4, Listers are downloading Homestead Declarations and applying that information to each parcel (to ensure the correct tax rate is applied to your property), calculating Current Use benefits for enrolled land and penalties for land withdrawn, and updating parcel files to the best of our ability to reflect the current status of your property and improvements. 2021 was another HOT year for property sales, and all the transfers, acquisitions and subdivisions closed before April 1 must be properly recorded and ramifications calculated before June 4. (Sales occurring after April 1 may not be recorded until after the Grand List has been finalized because State law requires tax bills mailed in the late summer must be assessed to the owner as of April 1 each year.) So, don’t be surprised if you hear from your elected Listers for assistance:  If you’ve sold or bought property in Cabot during the year, you should receive a sales verification letter. This is really important , because your answers to those questions impact the Town’s CLA (Common Level of Appraisal), which affects the property tax rate for all property owners, as well as when the Town needs to pay for another townwide reappraisal.  You may hear from us by telephone or email, asking about progress on a zoning permit, requesting help correcting data we think may be incor-

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Cabot Community Theater

We’ve all been missing the opportunity to work and play as a community, but with the current trend in COVID numbers, Cabot Community Theater is hoping we will finally be able to bring “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” to the stage in the late spring or early summer! If you missed out on being involved in 2020, when we were first rehearsing for the show, we’d love to have you join us! Many of the people who were in the original cast will continue in their roles, but some people have moved away, or are not continuing for other reasons, so we will be looking for new cast members for some lead roles and chorus parts, and for people to help with technical and backstage activities. Details are still in the works as of press time; auditions will be an-

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that time of year!

rect, or following up on changes in your property that may affect its value – up or down.  Occasionally, we might need your input identifying which structure you declared for business use on your Homestead Declaration or enrolled in Current Use – the information we receive from the Tax Department is often difficult to reconcile with our parcel data, and we want to get it right for you. As always, Listers invite you to check your parcel data. You can do it without any personal contact: just call us at 802-

nounced on Front Porch Forum EX-

and our Facebook page, or you can send a message to karen@praxisworks.org if you want to be on our direct email list. Cabot Community Theater always welcomes performers of all ages and levels of experience, and our company includes folks both from Cabot and other towns. We plan (as always) to have flexibility in our casting in terms of age and gender, to offer performing opportunities to as many participants as possible. Also: if you have a child in grades 1-6 who is serious or curious about theater, CCT is running an afterschool Theater Club on Tuesdays this spring, March 8May 31, 3:30-4:45 p.m. If your child attends Cabot School, just look for the listing in the afterschool information the school will be sending home; if you homeschool or live in another town, email karen@praxisworks.org for more info!

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Economic Development Workgroup

Last fall, I requested an opportunity to speak with the Commissioner of Vermont’s Department of Housing and Community Development, Josh Hanford. I worked with him years ago, so knew he’s a helpful and accessible person. Not only does that Department administer a range of federal grant programs addressing housing and economic development, Commissioner Hanford sits on the Boards of other granting agencies outside that Department that our Cabot workgroup had talked about applying to for projects. I asked: “What does Cabot have to do to clear the dark cloud of “what did you do with the $2 million”? What do we need to do to become competitive, to apply for funding from their programs, again? And, what would their guidance be on our current debate to disburse the Fund, to bring it to an end?” I attached the “Cabot’s CCIF History…” that made up last month’s story in the Cabot Chronicle. That summary documented how the town was supposed to have provided an annual accounting to the U.S. Dept of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), and to “use, and not accumulate the revenue…in a timely fashion”. But the accounting in the summary also demonstrated that Cabot had grown the $2 million responsibly and instead spent $4 million on solid community development projects over more than 30 years. An appointment for a video chat came immediately. Commissioner Hanford had Nate Cleveland, program director for the Community Development funds, join in. They had clearly read the attachments and had a great response! learned the following:  Their financial management staff knew there should have been an annual accounting to the federal funding agency. That was the reason for the barrier each time Cabot had applied since. Now they also understand that communication between the federal HUD office in Concord, NH, and Cabot had not been great, on either side.  The Commissioner was clear that the documented history, created from the town reports, is sufficient to solve the “you have to tell us what you did with the money” question. The town has put the funds to good use. The Commissioner said, “We will never require an accounting.”  He noted the spending to pay off highway equipment loans and on Cabot School projects was never eligible under HUD but, again, the Town won’t be penalized for its handling of the grant. The actual federal program from which Cabot received the grant, UDAG, is long gone.  They offered, as another example, that

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Federal Grants

Waterbury also had some UDAG money from years back, and finally used it up hiring a Community and Economic Development staff person after Tropical Storm Irene, so Cabot wasn’t the only outlier holding on to the funds.  They noted that, at this point, 2/3’s of Vermont towns have some kind of Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) they’ve gained via federal grants, so there’s more guidance available to towns, and that most are nowhere near the scale of the $2 million Cabot gained, in relation to the size of the town.  They noted, instead, the question that will be posed to Cabot when applying for any funding will be: “What is the Town able to contribute to this project?”  He advised NOT to wipe out the Fund completely, but to create a fund for that match - that seed funding – as simply good community development practice.  I asked about applying the money to support the town’s current interest in developing recreational trails. They were both studiously quiet, providing no answer! Point taken: that there are other grant sources outside of their Department available for that use, but they also won’t tell us not to use this funding that way.  I asked about existing mortgages and the Wastewater Treatment Plant bond. He exclaimed, “Yes – make sure that bond payment was set aside somewhere, somehow, before allocating all the remaining funds…Cabot will have to pay for that bond some-

 Also, “Yes!” on whether Cabot should think about “forgiving” the mortgages on the Town Garage and the senior housing. They agreed that paying those loans off is just Cabot citizens paying Cabot. Affordable housing (which includes our Cabot Commons senior housing) “never anticipates paying its loans off…that’s not generally even included in their budgets”. There you have it! The barrier of “You have to tell us what you did with the $2 million?” wasn’t all that hard to clamber over. Our State partners are helpful, especially when communicated with regularly. We gained strong advice to set aside part of the CCIF fund as local match in applying for funds for projects we would like to get done in the future. We remain a very fortunate town, with a true pot of gold.

Sunday, March 13th at 2:00 a.m.

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Ann Sable

Margery Ann Shefrin, 77, passed away with her children by her side on Friday February 11, 2022. She was born on August 12, 1944, in Women’s Hospital in Manhattan, NYC, to Barnetta Shirley Sable and Sidney Woodrow Shefrin. She later changed her name to Margery Sable to honor her mother’s maiden name. She attended Lynbrook High School in Lynbrook, NY, and then went on to receive her Bachelors and Masters in Education from Queens College of NYc. She taught Social Studies at Valley Stream North High School from 1966-1971. After marrying John Walter des Groseilliers and starting a family, they moved to Hardwick, where they purchased a funeral home. Soon after moving to Vermont she earned her Vermont Funeral Directors License and enjoyed connecting with the community. In 1980, she returned to teaching at the k12 school in Cabot. Studies there from She taught Social 1980-1986 and then went on to be the principal of the school from 1986-1996. Marge earned her PhD. in Education Leadership and Policy from the University of Vermont in 1998. During her time at Cabot she was a passionate educator and worked hard with a quality staff to achieve a high standard

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George H. Twine, Jr.

George H. Twine, Jr., 83, of Plainfield, passed away on Saturday, February 5, 2022. George was born June 8, 1938, in Proctorsville, VT. He was the son of George H. Twine, Sr. and Margarette Blanchard. He attended southern elementary schools and then moved to Walden in the mid1940s where he lived with his foster parents Jack and Ruth Burbank. From there he attended and graduated from Danville High School in 1957. George joined the United States Air Force in 1958 and was honorably discharged in 1963. On December 20, 1963, he married Gail Lamberton from Marshfield. They made their home in Marshfield before moving to Jefferson City, TN, where they resided for 23 years before returning home to Vermont in May of 2020. George had several occupations from a youth up until he retired from Dollywood in 2012. His occupations included farming, truck driving for Cooley, assisting Buggy Morse at Lower Cabot General Store and later helping Hazel Jones early each morning opening Jones store in East Montpelier while logging and sawmilling independently. Then on to Tennessee and his favorite passion, cooking at Dollywood. He found the backroad way to Dollywood early each morning at 5:00 a.m. While in Tennessee he took the time to master gluten free cooking to help Gail with her migraine headaches and then for anyone who needed gluten free food. He loved cooking boiled

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EMORIALS

of education for all students. After divorcing, she moved to Washington, DC, and worked at the National Center for Education and Economy, reforming schools nationwide from 1996-2006. Afterwards, she was Superintendent in a suburban school outside Pittsburgh, PA, and finished her career as a trainer of Principals and Superintendents at the National Institute of School Leadership. Driven by her independence, honesty, and compassion, Marge was known for bringing class and grace into her profession. She had the unique ability to help people realize their own potential. In 2008 she moved to the Chicagoland area to take on her next chapter as a Granny and spent her time with her children and grandchildren in both Chicago and Vermont. Above all else, she loved her family and friends fiercely. She is survived by her daughter Jennifer des Groseilliers (Monique Maye) and their children: Crosby, Douglas and Riley; her son Douglas des Groseilliers (Nicole des Groseilliers) and their children: Abigail, Daniel and Julia, her sister Ethel Jesse Shefrin (Stephanie Perrin). Many Cousins and Dear Friends. She was predeceased by her parents and youngest sister Ronnie Inez Shefrin. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in memory of Marge to Suncrest Home Health and Hospice, 5 Revere Dr Suite 130, Northbrook, IL 60062.

dinners for all who came to visit and especially his sister-in-law Denise. George was a quiet participant. He enjoyed rabbit and deer hunting and nature of all kinds as well as guns and coins. He was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and very proud of it. He belonged to the Masonic Temple in Cabot and enjoyed cooking for any event they had. He was the animal control officer in Marshfield for several years. He was known for feeding many little outside critters in Vermont and Tennessee. He enjoyed fine woodworking for others such as picture frames, belt buckles and scarf holders and anything someone requested. He loved his family in his own special ways. Being ‘Papa” was a role he welcomed with pride, saving all cards and notes from his granddaughter Seleste and grandson Corey as well as any publications regarding their achievements. He became known as Papa to many, including a lovely young lady in Tennessee named Crimson. He enjoyed visits with friends and story sharing. He would give anyone a helping hand who asked. Survivors include his daughter, Dawn Twine-Johnson (Duanne Johnson), grandson Corey Johnson, (Madyson Martin), sister Donna Cross (Gary Cross) and family, Aunts Lucille Curtis and Elsie Wilder and Cousin Cindy (Twine) Wooten as well as many in-law family members that meant the world to him.

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William Edward Berminham

William Edward (Ted) Bermingham passed away January 18, 2022, at his home in Cabot where he had lived for 61 years. Ted was born on April 28, 1927, in Rye, NY, to Rutledge and Grace Crow Bermingham. He graduated from the Taft School in 1945 and enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the occupying forces in postwar Germany. He entered Princeton University and received an A.B. in history with the 1951 graduating class. Ted subsequently taught school, earned a B.S. in animal husbandry from Colorado A&M, and worked for several years in advertising and television in New York. He came to Vermont in 1960 when he was appointed by Governor Stafford to be the director of the Vermont Development Commission. Ted married Norma Canales of Barre on July 4, 1960, and they moved to Cabot. They had a daughter, Eden C. Bermingham DVM (Joseph Melchiorre Jr.) of Milton, DE, and a son, Erin R. Bermingham of Montpelier. Ted served on the Cabot School Board and on the Planning Commission. In 1961, Ted joined Sterling School, a boys’ preparatory school in Craftsbury Common. Over a span of 14 years, Ted worked at Sterling first as a teacher and coach, then as the School’s Headmaster. He and Norma formed Farm & Forest Productions in 1979, providing media and consulting services to a variety of clients. Farm & Forest Productions made videos to assist businesses with marketing, recruiting, and safety; it also produced educational films for broadcast, with an emphasis on agriculture and forestry. Ted had a lifelong passion for working with horses. He also worked with ranch horses in Colorado, raced Thoroughbreds in Maine and Montreal, bred Arabian and Percheron-Thoroughbred horses, drove Belgian draft horses, and with his family taught a one-week draft horse school for several summers on his farm in Cabot. However, for almost 20 years, his focus was on the training and racing of Standardbred harness horses. Ted, Erin, and Eden earned licenses to train and drive harness horses professionally. During this time, they raced extensively at both fairs and commercial raceways in Maine, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Ted’s brothers, Rutledge Jr. and Eldridge, sister Pamela Bermingham Nichols, and niece Anne Bermingham Allsopp predeceased him. Survivors include his wife, two children, sister-in-law Sylvia Canales of Barre, and four nieces and five nephews. Ted lived a full, wonderful life and cared deeply about his family, friends, and students. He had a genuine curiosity about animals and their contribution to life’s joy. There is no service scheduled; burial will take place this summer at the Cabot Plains Cemetery for the immediate fam-

38, Cabot, VT 05647. Donations may be made to the Central Vermont Humane

05601.

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ARPA Funds Allocated

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer The Selectboard is responsible for allocating and spending the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds received by the Town. The Selectboard has already allocated and spent a small fraction of the funds and has been talking over possible future allocations. At the January 18 meeting, the board allocated funds for a few small projects. There had been discussion regarding a wastewater pump controller for a private residence at a previous meeting. Due to miscommunications over the years as to who is responsible for the repair and upkeep of the pump, and since there is nothing in writing, the board agreed to repair it this time. The Selectboard approved a motion to allocate ARPA funds for the pump controller, providing there is an understanding the property owner is responsible for any upkeep or cost thereafter. There was no amount designated for the allocation in the motion approved by the board. The Selectboard then turned its attention to allocating ARPA funds toward improvements on the Willey Building. The board had already allocated and spent money for a color copier in the Town Clerk’s office, and at this meeting they allocated another $3,000 for a copier in the Listers’ office. In addition to the copier, the board reviewed a proposal to replace the windows in the Town Clerk’s office. They had been waiting for a complete list of items for the Willey building, but Betty Ritter noted windows orders have a long lead time and need to be ordered soon. The board decided to allocate $10,500 for windows. This was intended to cover the cost of seven windows, plus installation and paint. The board also briefly discussed heat pumps for the Willey building, future requests from the recreation committee and the trails committee. Mike Hogan

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Dreaming of Spring

by Elizabeth Vitale, Cabot Food Hub

With the slightly warmer temperatures at the end of February, I’ve been busy in my greenhouse prepping for Spring. If you, like me, are dreaming of turning the soil and planting your gardens, you might want to consider planting a little extra lettuce, carrots, or fresh herbs, and selling them on the Cabot Harvest Hub! Or, perhaps you’ve spent the winter knitting hats, making soaps, perfecting your grandmother’s apple pie recipe, or sugaring, and you’d like to share your products with a wider community. If you’re ready to start (or expand) your business, the Cabot Harvest Hub may be the right place for you! It's free to join as a Producer, and the only fees are a 10% commission on any promotes their mission to enhance is to empower Cabot residents to participate to cover select board and other meetings, able to attend. Most meetings during meetings virtually through Zoom are

noted they have until 2024 to allocate the money, so there is plenty of time to manage the requests. The board returned to ARPA funds at the February 1 meeting. The discussion started with Mike Hogan talking about a recent issue that involved the health officer inspecting a rental property. He said it would have been good for the town to own a digital camera, from which the memory card could be removed, and the picture loaded onto a town computer. He said the town should be able to purchase two for no more than $600, and it would be the property of the town. Matt Nally expressed concern about the need for a policy regarding the storage of the camera, and how the pictures are recorded and disbursed. Mike said the pictures would be property of the Town, and stored on Town computers, to which the public does not have access. Matt responded that before the Town has a potential problem, the Town should know how the municipality is going to deal with the pictures. Jenn Miner, the Health Officer, said she appreciates the idea of having access to a camera, and agrees with Matt that “we should have a policy.” The board approved a motion to buy two digital cameras with ARPA funds, but Matt voted no since there is not a policy in place.

item sold. This fee covers credit card processing fees, website hosting fees, and marketing. How do we keep our fees so low? The Cabot Harvest Hub is a not-for -profit program of Neighbors in Action (formerly Faith in Action). Our mission is to support our neighbors, sustain our farmers and artisans, and build a more resilient local economy! You can support our mission as well by shopping online on the Hub, http:// CabotHarvestHub.org, Monday thru Thursday, with pick-up in town Saturday mornings. The Hub offers a wide array of local products, from meat, bread, and milk to handmade cards, household items, herbal teas and more! Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to create a more sustainable local economy in Cabot. A dollar spent on the Hub, is a dollar that stays local! the quality of community life for those in the governance and management for the purpose of keeping community this time of Coronavirus are available posted regularly on Front Porch Forum,

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Cabot Commons Land

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Over the past couple of years, the topic of a small piece of land situated behind the Willey Building owned by Cabot Commons had briefly been discussed at various Selectboard meetings. At the January 18 meeting, Judy Pransky presented an offer to the town on behalf of Cabot Commons. Judy presented the idea of Cabot Commons donating the land to the library for use as part of a nature study program. She said the piece of land is about ¾ of an acre and that she has been paying the taxes on the land as a donation each year to Cabot Commons. She went on to indicate the library is interested, and she has spoken to Kathleen Hoyne and the board of trustees, and all are in favor of the donation. Kurt Steinert, a Library Trustee, commented it is land that multiple town en-

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The February 13 “Sunday Best”

online version is titled “A Sex Therapist Dishes on Four Decades of Helping Couples Hook Up”. It is available at https://www.sevendaysvt.com/ vermont/a-sex-therapist-dishes-onfour-decades-of-helping-coupleshook-up/Content?oid=34847148, or go to SevenDaysvt.com and search residing, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues via Zoom for those who would like to or you can call the Town Clerk's office

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Donation

tities could benefit from, and it is nice to have some land adjacent to the library and the Willey building. He added the trails committee thinks it could be a place to start a trail that heads up to the old town center. Kurt noted that, as part of the town, the library cannot accept the donation and they are asking the board to accept the donation for the library. Judy said it would make sense to produce a reasonable use plan, and it is only a small piece of land that goes up the hillside from the playground. The board openly discussed several other uses for the land, such as an overflow parking area. But Judy said other uses like that would not be a beneficial use if it is being used as a nature study center. It was decided to leave this matter open for discussion by the board when it reforms in March, after Town Meeting.

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in the News

Washington Electric Coop Co-op Currents January 2022 In the not-quite-monthly newsletter, the marriage therapy practice of Cathie and Israel Helfand and their Marriage Quest retreat is highlighted. Attracting couples from all over, the Helfands discuss videoconference and other online tools that haven’t been available to them without high speed internet and what it could mean for their business. The article is titled “For WorldRenowned Marriage Therapists, High Speed Internet Is a Missing Piece of Business Operations”, and is available at https://35coti2fdydv27b6wjrhdxq9wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/ uploads/2022/01/1-2022-WEC-Currentsfor-web.pdf, or just go to https:// www.washingtonelectric.coop/about-wec/ newsletters/ and search “Helfands”.

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Experience:

 Selectman and Road Commissioner for many years.  Managed sewer facility during construction of Town Sewer Project  Secured easements for every household on sewer line.  Acquired first ten-wheeler for Highway Department  Oversaw upgrade and replacement of bridge on Old Route 2.  Guided improvements of Main Street culvert after flood of 2011  Pursued grants to fund blacktop applications on Route 215 and South Walden Road  Worked with VTrans to ensure maximum funding for town road repairs.

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T UESDAY , M ARCH 1—A USTRALIAN B ALLOT O NLY

Ballots were mailed to all registered voters February 7. They may be returned by mail, dropped off at the Town office or drop box, or voted in person on March 1 at the Town office. All ballots must be received by the Town Clerk no later than 7:00 p.m. on March 1. Below is the official Warning for Cabot Town Meeting 2022. The full 2022 Annual Report, which includes this Warning and a great deal more information, is available for pickup at the Town Clerk’s office, Cabot Public Library, Cabot Village Store and Harry’s Hardware. It is also posted on the Town of Cabot website (cabotvt.us). It will be on the home page until Town Meeting and available thereafter under the “Publications” tab, as well as previous annual reports and minutes of town meetings.

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Candidates, Six Questions

by Jeanne Johnson, Editor In lieu of an in-person candidate forum for voters to speak directly with candidates for the two vacant positions on the selectboard, The Cabot Chronicle

(CCA) posed these six questions to each of the candidates for election. These answers will also be posted on the CCA website (CabotVermont.org) and the Cabot Connects Town Bulletin Board on facebook, as well as a link on Front Porch Forum. 1. What do you think is the most important issue facing the Selectboard?

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R. D. Eno:

Just when our local economy was revitalizing itself with new business, the pandemic struck. Our biggest challenge will be helping to restore economic momentum. I will devote myself to that objective, and I will do my best to reawaken volunteer enthusiasm as part of my effort.

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Skip Bothfeld:

The biggest issue facing the Select Board is looking forward for the future growth of Cabot. Pursuing funding, partnerships, and helping ensure this is a quality place to live, work and feel connected. Lisa Olson: I believe that one of the most important issues facing the Selectboard and the Town of Cabot is the lack of affordable housing. We need to be able to attract more families with children to our town. The more children that we enroll in our school, the less expensive our per pupil costs become and this directly affects our tax rate. I want young families including our own grown children to be able to afford to buy a house and raise their own families in Cabot.

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Amy Hornblas:

The most important issue facing the Selectboard now is figuring out how to protect citizens from infringements on our ability to live here. We live in rural Vermont because we love nature, and enjoy living in harmony with it and each other. According to the town survey conducted for the Town Plan over a decade ago, a leading concern was our ability to continue living here. Too many nonsensical policies and rules can interfere with our ability to do for ourselves. In 2014 the town of Cabot was about to implement a new set of zoning rules which would have made it more difficult for people to live here, by restricting our ability to share our land with our extended families, have a home-based business, or grow our own food. That’s when I spearheaded a ballot question which returned zoning decisions to the voters. The ballot initiative passed with over 400 votes in favor, and only 50 against. Through the process, I met many of my neighbors and had great conversations. I’ve continued to participate in town activities, such as budgeting and planning meetings, and have

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R. D. Eno:

In addition to the “Public Comment” item on every Selectboard agenda, Cabot residents already have several platforms on which to voice their opinions – Cabot Connects, Front Porch Forum, and the columns of the Cabot Chronicle. Selectpersons should be monitoring these platforms and should respond to comments, if only to send the message: “We hear you.” Selectboard attention to public opinion is the best way to encourage its expression.

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Skip Bothfeld:

I welcome conversations with anyone wanting to make Cabot a better place to live. Folks can email me to begin dialogue: Bothfelds@gmail.com. I would encourage people to participate in the SB meetings to be a part of the governing process. Lisa Olson: I would like to see the Selectboard do some of the same outreach that the school does to engage with the residents. There should be surveys sent out and public gatherings to discuss the issues that the board is dealing with. I would also like to see coffee and dessert nights or afternoons at the library where board members can informally meet with town residents and discuss the things that are on their minds.

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Amy Hornblas:

Based on survey results from the 2010 Cabot Community Planning Survey, the most valued feature were our working farms, with 78% of respondents rating them as “very valuable.” When asked to guide the planning commission’s work, “retention of farms” was listed as the top priority issue. Concerns about affordability, and being able to age in place, were also mentioned by many respondents. Through conversation with my neighbors, I know that these concerns are still present today. Over the next few weeks I will be calling and talking with as many people as possible, in order to understand what is important to them, and what our town can do to support each other. I want every voice to be heard, and none silenced. If you would like to talk, please let me know! You can email me at: amyhornblas@gmail.com. 3. What has the pandemic taught you about how the Selectboard could better serve the needs of

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R. D. Eno:

While I agree with Mike Hogan that it was irresponsible – and, I would add, cowardly – for the state to pass the burden of mask mandates to the towns, I was outspoken in favor of the Selectboard issuing such a mandate for Cabot. It was a hot potato, but taking the heat is part of the Selectboard’s job. As we learned during the state of emergency early in the pandemic, if masking is required, most people will comply without any need for enforcement. Happily, the latest wave of COVID infections seems to have peaked, but if another crisis occurs, I will advocate strongly for taking every measure recommended by public health authorities to keep our community – and our commerce – safe. Skip Bothfeld: After reading about the masking issue in the Cabot Chronicle, I think that the SB is trying to hear what people think. This pandemic changes weekly and the SB is learning just like everyone else. We all need to work together on this issue. Lisa Olson: I really appreciate the way that the Selectboard has started using Zoom during the pandemic. I have found that it is so much easier to keep track of what is going on, just by putting on my headphones and listening to the discussions as I am home making dinner or folding laundry. I also appreciate that the Selectboard solicited opinions regarding a mask mandate over the course of two meetings. I think that it has been helpful to post the agendas and Zoom links on Front Porch Forum and I would like to see the approved minutes also be posted, so that the town can easily have access to what is happening at the Selectboard meetings. I have not always agreed with some of the unanimous decisions made during the course of the pandemic and part of the reason for my candidacy is that I would like to see another point of view represented in their discussions. Amy Hornblas: My favorite part about living in Cabot is participating in town activities. I attend Town Meeting faithfully, have helped mop the floors after Maple and Apple Festivals, and attend town and board committee meetings just for fun. (It’s better than TV!) I love being around people, and working together. The most important lesson I learned about the effects of COVID on our town was how quickly our connections with each other were severed. Not only did we not see each other, but suddenly people became very distrustful of each other. Insensitivity, isolation, and loneliness increased dramatically. Health issues related to food, addiction, and anxiety have most likely increased, as well. All of this stress increases the effects of pre-existing conditions. People are going to need more help than ever as we begin healing from this collective trauma. In the face of all of the strife over the past few years, our Cabot Selectboard has maintained its humanity, staying open and responsive to the community’s needs. I am running for selectboard so that I can help them continue this work. No matter what difficulties we face as a community, we need to stay united. Freedom and Unity is the Vermont motto- each generation is challenged to stay open and connected, even when threatened. Over the past few years, my faith in humanity and our ability to care for each other has grown tremendously. I believe our community is able to do this, and I am honored to help in any way I can. 4. How do you think the Selectboard can engage local businesses and organizations to facilitate economic development? Ruth Goodrich: Get out and visit with business owners or set up a time to meet with them as much as possible to discuss concerns & ideas. R. D. Eno: There are state and federal municipal planning and development grants that Cabot can seek out to support private initiatives and non-profit organizations, as well as municipal needs. In order for grant applications to succeed, and to better advocate for local projects, the Selectboard ought to be in regular conversation with Cabot’s business community and municipal boards. The Selectboard can sponsor roundtable meetings of local officials, organizations and business owners and include both private consultants and representatives of the state Agency of Commerce and Community Affairs to devise new strategies for promoting Cabot as a visitor destination and a wonderful place to live. We can also publish marketing materials such as rack cards for distribution at Vermont Visitor Centers. The Selectboard needs to be a proactive participant in the in task of economic development throughout the Town. Additionally, despite drastic mismanagement of the UDAG (CCIF) funds, Cabot still has a substantial UDAG capital reserve that it can apply to leverage additional grants for development projects. The assets of that reserve ought to be thoroughly and accurately accounted for and preserved for economic development purposes. An important component of new business development will be high-speed internet service, which we expect CVFiber, the Communications Union District of which we’re a member, to provide within the next two years. The Town can expedite the roll-out of this vital utility and help hold down future user costs by granting a portion of its ARPA funds, as other member town are doing, to CVFiber.

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Skip Bothfeld:

As a local business owner, I understand how challenging running a business can be. The SB could develop incentives for people to locate in Cabot, i.e. tax breaks, permit assistance, etc. Having thriving local businesses benefits everyone. Lisa Olson: I think that we should be engaging with all of the different groups in Cabot, both coordinating with our local business owners, and also inviting the ideas and contributions of everyone in town. For example, I am interested in the trails committee’s vision to connect the town center to the rail trails. Cabot is already well known for our Ride the Ridges event. I think we could easily market Cabot as an outdoor adventure (see Six Questions, page 13)

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Six Questions

(continued from page 8) destination, drawing more people here to create a larger customer base for businesses in town. Amy Hornblas: In 2017 I participated in the Cabot Village Revitalization plan, and also the revision of the Cabot Town Plan. My goal was to bring the priorities I heard from my neighbors (concerns about affordability and agriculture) to these planning groups. The Cabot Town Plan is going to be reviewed again this year, in 2022, and I encourage people to get involved so that our priorities can be included. As a representative on the Regional Planning Commission and chair of their Clean Water Advisory Council, I have continued to raise concerns about decisions that will affect us and our ability to live and grow food here. Many regulations are currently being implemented which will be affecting small farmers and rural residents in numerous negative ways, such as best management practices for farms and bans on woodburning. We need to stay aware of these, and proactive about addressing them when we can. Residents and business owners need to be included when writing these plans so that the full implications can be understood and considered. For example, to me one of the most important statements in our zoning regulations is Section 3.4: “No regulation herein is intended to infringe upon the right of any resident to use a minor portion of a dwelling for an occupation...” As we continue to live and thrive in rural Vermont, these are the types of regulations we need to keep an eye on so that we can support ourselves and each other going into the future. 5. How do you propose to ensure the Town uses ARPA funds in a fair and equal way to benefit all residents of

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Ruth Goodrich:

By following the guidelines and purposes of the ARPA. R. D. Eno: The Selectboard should use Cabot’s media platforms to invite applications for ARPA funds, and appoint an ad hoc ARPA Committee, consisting of representatives from the DRB, the Planning Commission, the School and the Town to sift through the requests (including from the Selectboard itself) and make recommendations. Skip Bothfeld: The first step should be a community assessment to see where the community was hit the hardest by the pandemic. Help those entities, then consider organizations that benefit the largest number of residents, an example could be the emergency services. It could also be used to improve our infrastructure in town, such as roads and public buildings.

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Lisa Olson:

The regulations around ARPA funds allow them to be used only for certain purposes, among which are water, sewer, and broadband Internet. I would like to see a strong discussion of using ARPA funds to help bring fiber to more of the town. High-speed internet is becoming more of a necessity, as people use computers for more of their daily tasks and increasingly work from home. Having better internet speeds will make Cabot a more attractive place for families to call home.

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Amy Hornblas:

I was in the room at the Cabot Selectboard meeting when the members signed the grant paperwork from the federal government for the town garage. I will never forget the amount of eyebrow raising, and concerns muttered under breath, for agreements they were having to make in order to secure the funding. Now that I’ve been a representative for the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission, and chair of their Clean Water Advisory Council, I can say with certainty that nothing is free. Funding has a purpose, and it always comes with strings attached. My motto, and that of my frugal neighbors, has been to keep expenses down as much as possible. Lowering the overhead frees us to avoid deals with strings. Not that we should turn down assistance, but we need to also consider the long-term costs, as many of these contracts can have the result of increasing our expenses in the long-term. As for ARPA funds specifically, it is clear that the money released from the government in response to COVID-19 has resulted in creating clear economic winners and economic losers. This fact needs to be openly discussed and its implications weighed in the process of recovery. 6. What would you suggest the Selectboard do to improve communication with the Creamery? Ruth Goodrich: Invite creamery representatives to come meet with us as a board, in the past SB members have met with creamery representatives at the creamery, and we need to open those lines of communication both ways. R. D. Eno: One Selectperson should be designated the official liaison with the Creamery, and that liaison should find a correspondent within the Creamery management. Communication between the two should be reported regularly to the Selectboard. It should also be a Selectboard priority to return a Cabot Creamery retail presence to the village and to make provisions for renewed tourist traffic. And as the Selectboard becomes more engaged with the local business community, the Creamery will be an important participant in the conversation. Skip Bothfeld: The SB should consider asking local business owners, big and small, to form a business group that could be given time to discuss relevant issues. To improve communication specifically with the Creamery, the SB Chair could have a set date every month to meet with Cabot Creamery representatives.

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Lisa Olson:

Many of the Creamery’s employees are also residents of our town. Addressing the needs of this workforce will benefit the town as a whole. Among other concerns, the Creamery has voiced a need for more childcare options for their employees. This is an issue that I am committed to helping the Selectboard facilitate. Amy Hornblas: Improving everyone’s communication with the selectboard has been my top priority all along. The selectboard needs to hear from all the members of the community, including youth, elders, farmers, homesteaders, loggers, businesses, commuters, parents, etc... The Creamery is probably the most common topic of conversation among folks in town, which unites us all. Jobs, roads, tourists- what is the Creamery up to and how will its actions affect us? Is the plant leaving? What is happening to the Visitor Center? What is the Creamery doing to help us maintain our agricultural landscape? These subjects are constantly on people’s minds. A Cabot resident contacted me last year with a concern about the Agrimark

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Central Vermont.

Volunteer drivers leave the Twin Valley Senior Center in East Montpelier on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with meals loaded in their cars to help feed high-risk older Vermonters. The in-person visits deliver more than nutritious meals, as they create relationships that helps decrease isolation and loneliness for people that are home bound. Cabot resident Sandra Mennella has been a client of Twin Valley Seniors' Meals on Wheels program for over five years. When asked what her favorite benefit of the program is she exclaimed, "It relieves me of cooking, and I love the food". Sandra, like others, has certain nutritional needs and care is taken to prepare food she likes and will enjoy. March 21 - 28, is national Meals on Wheels observation week and the volun-

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April

For more information, see page 9 or go to tax.vermont.gov or whatever topic you need into Biodigester project, since there did not seem to be any public process prior to its construction. After asking my contacts at the regional planning commission, I learned that this kind of project does not need public review or Act 250 approval because it is not in conflict with the regional plan, and does not affect “more than one municipality.” It appears that, despite numerous regulations, public input around these kinds of developments is not routine, and the selectboard could be helpful in learning about and advocating for the town around such issues. Hopefully it can continue to improve in its role as a conduit between the various members of our community.

teers and staff at Twin Valley Senior Center are proud to be part of this vital program, in conjunction with Central Vermont Council on Aging, to serve wellbalanced, nutritious meals to those aged 60+ years that are unable to provide meals for themselves. To be eligible for Meals on Wheels you must be experiencing a physical or mental condition that makes it difficult or unable to obtain food or prepare meals. This may be temporary or permanent. The spouse of an eligible person is also eligible. A disabled person of any age may qualify if they depend on a person receiving Meals on Wheels. What is the cost? There is no charge, however donations are important to continue operating the program. Funding is partially offset by Central Vermont Council on Aging through the Older Americans Act. Money is raised by fundraising programs and donations. If you would like to donate, your help is always needed and appreciated, so please note MOW on your check. A suggested donation of $6.00 per meal helps to cover cost and no qualified person is turned away. Twin Valley Seniors serve the communities of Cabot, Calais, East Montpelier, Marshfield, Plainfield, and Woodbury in Central Vermont. Our goal is to serve you and your neighbors by offering health clinics, meals, and exercise classes, along with other activities. Bus transportation to the center by GMT is provided three days a week for on-site lunch.

questions or comments.

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Roz Daniels’ Fiber Art

Late Winter Quilt: by Roz Daniels The first quilt is called Late Winter. I made it in the winter of 2015, the year the snow was SO deep. I was inspired by the large drifts that were everywhere and the soft colors of the afternoon light on the snow. It is currently hanging in the American In the Mood: Embassy in Djibouti. The Department of State invited me to loan the piece through My In the Mood piece is displayed in the Statehouse now. This piece was inspired their Art in Embassies program at the request of the Ambassador, Jonathan by two fabrics. The polka dot fabric was found on a trip to the fabric store Mood, of Pratt. He wanted to take some of New England's winter with him as he headed for Project Runway fame, in New York City and the other piece was from a 1970’s full his post in the Africa. length dress of my mother’s. She used to wear the dress to go dancing with my father. Their favorite song was In the Mood.

Just a Little Rain: Quilt by Roz Daniels This second piece, Just a Little Rain, is currently hanging in the Statehouse in Gallery 9, which is the Committee Room for the House Education Committee. It's just off the main lobby. This piece was inspired by Malvina Reynold's 1960's song What Have They Done to the Rain?, which begins with those words. As I rocked my first grandchild on a very rainy day, I sang this song to her because it sounds like such a beautiful lullaby. But I remembered that the song is actually a protest against nuclear destruction and I then realized that I care a lot more about the world's future now that I have a grandchild! Website https://www.rosalindsdaniels.com Joy from the Basement:

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Hooking

by Sandra Ducharme The Vermont Rug Hooking Studio has spring rug It was made to depict what I heard as our son, Clayton, practiced his drums in the hooking workshops scheduled as follows: basement. All of the sympathy I received when folks heard I had a beginning drum-

mer in the family was completely unfounded. I loved every minute of that music makFine Shading Flowers and Scrolls : 2 Saturdays, ing. Each note sounded like joy coming from the basement! But I could never hold on March 12th and March 19th. This workshop will exto the notes that flew up the stairs. This piece is my attempt to grab some of those flyplore using value swatches, dip-dyed wool and teching notes and hold onto them visually now that the house is quiet. It is currently on niques for creating depth and beauty in your work. Cost exhibit at the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange, TX, through May 7 as part of Stuof workshop $125 plus materials. dio Art Quilt Associates' exhibit called Musica!

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Creating Realistic Animals with wool: 2 Satur-

days, April 9th and April 16th. This workshop is open Open Hooking Workshop: Saturday, for beginners to advanced. We will explore using tex- May 7th. You may bring a current project tured wool and values in creating realistic animals. It is and get guidance on any problem areas you amazing to watch your animal come to life before your might have or start a new project. Open eyes! Cost of workshop $125 plus materials. workshops are fun and relaxed! Join us for a day of learning new techniques, stepping Finishing Your Rug: Saturday, April 30th. Bring outside your comfort zone with bright colors, your project and learn the different ways to finish your using wonderful textures and more. Cost of rug. You may bring rug binding, wool yarn for whipping workshop $60 plus materials. and any other I tems you might use. Cost of workshop For more information and to register for a $60 plus materials. workshop, please visit our website: www.vermontrughookingstudio.com.

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Cabot Tree Warden

March is here and sugaring season is under way. The snow will soon melt, and nature’s wonderful display of trees budding, then leafing out into spring’s vibrant green color. spring ephemerals The emergence of is short but provides an incredible display of beauty. Unfortunately, Invasive plants are also some of the first plants to grow new foliage in the spring. Many of my past articles have described how invasive plants can outcompete and displace native plants in our forests. The control of invasive plants is usually done by manually pulling the plants and hanging upside down to dry out the roots or cutting them back with a scythe, depending on plant type. An additional means of controlling invasive plants is Invasivorism, consuming the edible species of invasive plants as food. Conservation biologist and University of Vermont professor Joe Roman was the first to use the term Invasivorism about 20 years ago. sivorism is to consume invasive Invaspecies, both plants and animals, to reduce or control their populations. There are many people who find the thought of invasive species on their plates unappealing, there are also many chefs working to change that perception of invasives species. Some chefs, like Doug Paine, Executive Chef at the Juniper bar and restaurant in Burlington, are embracing the idea of Invasivorism by regularly including invasive species on their restaurant menus. For home cooks, invasive species recipes are readily available. A quick internet search for “invasive species recipes” will provide many ideas to create

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THE T REE W ARDEN

tasty dishes like garlic mustard pesto, apple and knotweed pie, and kudzu quiche. There are cookbooks devoted to preparing invasive species such as “They’re Cooked - Recipes to Combat Invasive Species.” Purslane and garlic mustard are two commonly found plants easily harvested. Purslane is a weed that appears on many of North America’s invasive plants lists. Purslane also happens to be a superfood that is high in beta carotene and heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. The peppery flavor of purslane makes it a good addition to a salad. I have been pulling purslane as a weed in my garden for years, until last summer. It is now harvested with the greens for salads. Another invasive that makes a good addition to a spring meal is garlic mustard. Garlic mustard is a quick-growing European weed, an invasive plant notorious for pushing into Vermont’s forest understories. Other commonly found plants that are edible include burdock, dandelions, Japanese knotweed, and kudzu. Burdock and dandelion are not listed as invasive plants, but certainly are nuisance plants in the yard and garden. Please do ample research on invasive plant identification, when to harvest invasive plants, and proper preparation methods before harvesting and consuming invasive plants. Some native plants commonly harvested in the spring, such as ramps and fiddleheads, can suffer from over harvesting. With invasive plants, there is no concern of over harvesting. Invasive plant populations need to be kept under control by removing as many plants as possible. This spring, when foraging for edibles plants, give thought to trying something new.

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April 1

For dogs that are neutered or spayed the fee is $10,00 For dogs that are not neutered or spayed the fee is $15.00 You will also need to provide an updated rabies vaccination form if we do not have one on file. Please do not wait until the last minute. This can be done anytime.

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Conservation Committee

Our native North American beaver, Castor canadensis , is probably one of the least appreciated and most misunderstood animals in our surroundings. Beavers are often seen as a nuisance species, blocking culverts, flooding roads, fields, and driveways, and taking down admired trees near our homes or yards. Often, a first reaction is, “Let’s get rid of ‘em!” In reality, we did get rid of them at one time, totally, in the 1800s, before we understood the benefits they provide to fish, wildlife, flood mitigation, and even agriculture. Beaver and the fur trade, which dates back hundreds of years, played a major role in influencing the settlement of North America by Europeans. Today, perhaps we have ten percent, maybe less, of the beaver population before European settlement, but they are making a comeback. They are now seen as a “keystone” species, which creates and maintains extensive and diverse wetlands which support numerous species that depend on this rich habitat, including fish, amphibians, birds, aquatic insects, and numerous mammals such as deer, moose, and bobcat to name a few. Aside from humans, it is the one species that modifies or engineers the environment to meet its needs – true ecosystem engineers. Beavers seek areas of flowing water and areas with abundant trees for food and construction of their lodges and dams. Lodges and dams are built out of sticks, stones, leaves, grass, sod, and mud. Beavers swim up underneath the pile and hollow out a central living quarter above the waterline, connected to the outside by underwater tunnels. Favorite foods include aspen, cottonwood, and willow, but beavers will eat most any plant, and prefer the inner bark of deciduous trees, called the cambium layer. They pile waterlogged tree branches underwater, and this is their winter food cache. They will eat aquatic plants in the warm months. Our concept of picturesque rivers and streams today being free-flowing, clear, neatly tree-lined, rocky substrate channels contrasts with what the early European settlers found – murky swamps with a messy collection of woody dams, with gnawed tree stumps, sludgy river bottoms, dying trees (from flooding) bifurcating stream channels jumping their banks, often as far as the eye could see but at the same time, lush green riverbanks, abundant fish and wildlife, and an ecosystem in equilibrium. Extirpation of beaver and our encroachment of the flood plain for agriculture, industry, and homesteads put an end to this common occurrence. Beaver wetlands are cyclic. They will move into an area and build a dam (which can be hundreds of feet in length). For the first seven to ten years, the ponds are very productive, but eventually the food source diminishes, and they will relocate upstream. The abandoned pond reverts to meadow, and as food sources in the form of willows, alders and aspen return, the process starts over again. Beaver baffles or diversion fences around culverts, which include a hidden pipe to drain the beaver pond and thus tricking the beavers, can be very effective in eliminating conflicts like flooded roads. A Vermonter, Skip Lisle, and his company Beaver Deceivers, is known nationally and internationally for resolving beaver conflicts. Hundreds have been installed in Vermont and are cost effective as a permanent solution. Eradicating a beaver family often only leads to reestablishment by another. The upper Winooski drainage from Coits Pond to Cabot Village (although not easy to see or access) provides an excellent example of the rich wetland habitat created by beavers that was so prevalent before European settlement. The meadow above the Cabot recreational fields on South Walden Road appears to be a good example of a beaver meadow adjacent to the Winooski River where sediment was deposited for an extended period to create these flat, rich deposits. Beavers are still active in the area today. Learning to coexist with beavers when we can is a beneficial strategy to increasing biodiversity in our town. We now appreciate the value of wetlands much more than we did even a few decades ago. With only two to three percent of our Cabot land mass as wetlands, we can certainly benefit from a little more. For more information, I would suggest consulting the following publications: Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb (Note: this book is in the Cabot Library); Best Management Practices for Handling Human Beaver Conflicts (VT Fish & Wildlife publication ); Living in Balance with Beavers – YouTube (https:// www.youtube.com/watch? v=_W_Q92eZoQE&t=10s). 4583 U.S. Route 2

East Montpelier, VT 05651

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Cabot Ice Rink - the

by Susan Socks

This season marks my 10th rink as lead volunteer for the Cabot Rink, and I think it’s our best rink yet. Thanks to a cold December, we were able to set up earlier than normal. The rink was built and flooded on 12/18 and 12/19, and our first skate was 12/27. After the whopper winter storm in early February, our hardworking volunteers shoveled and scraped and resurfaced to save the rink. We have an excellent collection of loaner skates in the skate shed, as well as sticks, pucks, and goals. Thanks to our daily maintenance crew (Christy Aucoin, Shane Smith, Harper Smith, Mary Saggerson, Dana Robinson, Lynn Rockwell, Stef Burtt, Ry Hoffman, and the Cabot Leads middle school rink crew), we have someone checking the rink AM and PM, seven days a week. I’m happy to see so many people out skating this year, more than I remember in any other season. The Cabot Rink received some excellent press this season, with articles in Seven Days, Times Argus, and the Caledonian Record. If you missed the articles, links are posted on the Cabot Rink facebook page. Rink closures and other upincluding the homestead declaration and property tax credit forms and renter credit forms for most taxpayers.

to schedule an appointment or with questions about this service. COVID guidelines will be followed and mask required. Twin Valley Senior Center, located at 4583 US Route 2, East Montpelier, serves the social, emotional and physical well-being of senior age citizens of central Vermont.

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End is Near!

dates are also posted on the facebook page. By the time you are reading this article, the skating season will be nearly over. Historically, our final skate has been between March 6-26. Make some time for one last skate, before the sun and warm temps shut us down for the year. If you have skates or hockey sticks to donate, or would like to join the volunteer rink crew, please contact me at

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Consulting and Gardening

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been spending your winter dreaming about green growing things. Visions of abundant vegetable gardens, bursting flower beds, and red ripe strawberries dance in your head. The glossy seed and plant catalogs filling your mailbox are dumping fuel on the fire. But before you drop hard-earned money on a wild shopping spree on either seeds or plants, here are some things worth considering.

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Where are these seeds coming from,

and where are my dollars going? Most seeds are sold by a handful of very large, multinational corporations. Large corporations offer just a few highyield varieties, while many locallyevolved varieties, developed over thousands of years, and sustained by generations of seed-savers, vanish. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, since 1900, around 90% of seed varieties have been lost. This loss of agro-biodiversity poses a real threat, since less diversity means a greater risk of loss to diseases, pests, and climate change. But there is good news! Home gardeners and farmers still have access to heirloom seeds and locally-developed genetics. Fedco (a Maine cooperative) offers a diverse selection of seeds, as well as listing the size of the seed producer’s operation, allowing you to choose what type of farmer you are supporting. High Mowing (Wolcott, VT) offers seeds specific to the Northeast US. Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Maine) offers heirloom and organic seeds. The Seed Savers Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving heirloom genetics, offering heirloom varieties and helping gardeners save their own seeds. You can also purchase vegetable plants suitable for our area from several local growers in Cabot and surrounding communities. Purchasing from these suppliers helps support both our local economy, and our food plant genetics.

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Are these flowers/shrubs/trees a

good choice for my yard? When selecting perennial plants, you’ll want to check that it grows in your USDA hardiness zone (Cabot yards are 4A or 3B). But also consider the following:  Is there enough sun? It’s easy to think of a space as sunny when it’s noon in June. But think about how the sun changes throughout the day, and throughout the growing season. Keep in mind how the sun will be blocked by buildings or trees. There are plants suited to full sun, partial sun, partial shade, and full shade. Know the conditions, and choose your plant accordingly.

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~~~Taking a Break

Cabot Show & Tell is taking a break

Watch for updates in future editions What is the seasonal soil moisture? Especially in Vermont, some areas are prone to spring flooding and saturated soil. Some plants thrive with “wet feet”, but many do not. If you have very wet soil for any part of the year, check that your plant can tolerate it. If you have a rare Vermont yard that is very dry, be sure to select droughttolerant plants, or be prepared to invest in an irrigation system. Is this plant invasive? While some invasive plants are banned from sale, large corporate nurseries still sell plants such as snow-on-the-mountain and burning bush that are considered invasive in Vermont. Before purchasing a plant from a large company located far away, check online listings for “noxious weeds” and “invasive plants” to be sure you aren’t buying a huge headache for yourself and your neighbors. Better yet, buy from a small local nursery. We have multiple nurseries right here in Cabot. Is this plant native? Native plants are an excellent choice. They evolved here over millennia, and are well suited to our conditions. If the plant you are considering is not native, check if there is a native alternative. Just Google “native alternative to …”. Do be sure you are looking at New England natives! What is the wildlife benefit? Plants can support wildlife in multiple ways: shelter, host plant for caterpillars (a crucial food supply for nesting birds), pollen, nectar, fruit, or nuts. To see what wildlife value your plant has, check the National Wildlife Federation’s Native Plant Finder tool. Note that exotic/non-native plants generally don’t have much wildlife value. What is the human benefit? Whether it is beauty, fragrance, food, privacy screening, shade, or reminding you of someone special, your plant should be meaningful to you.

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I ready for these seeds and

Try to think ahead to what you’ll Are you set for garden space, tools, water, mulch? Are you physiable to dig holes for shrubs or trees, will you need to hire help? If you are seeds indoors, do you have consoil, light, and a place safe from A little forethought goes a long to reducing springtime stress. And you’re not ready, it’s okay to wait, and 2022 to prepare for good gardening 2023. This garden article is brought to you Susan Socks, aka the Garden GodStay tuned for upcoming articles on lawn care, pruning, garden tools, landscapes, and more. For gare n i n g h e l p , v i s t or

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Community Service Program (ages

15-18): Fulfill your H.S. Community Service requirements at the library! Go to cabotlibrary.com for more details.  Shelve Books - 1-2 volunteers needed starting immediately! Monday - Thursday afterschool for 1 - 3 hours  Program Assistant - 1-2 volunteers needed. Wednesday, February 16th Wednesday, May 25, 2022. 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 3:00 5:00 pm  Story Hour .. Assistant -1-2 volunteers needed Tuesday, March 8 - Tuesday, May 31. Tuesdays from 10-11 am during your “crew block” at the Cabot Rec Pavilion.  Summer Reading Program Assistant -1-2 volunteers needed March 9 May 25. 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month from 3:00 - 5:00 pm.  Mural Assistant -2-3 volunteers needed March 9 - May. 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month from 3:00 5:00 pm.  Program Assistant -1-2 volunteers needed. Thursday, March 10 - Thursday, May 26, from 3:30 - 5:00 pm.

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EWS

color and frog kits. Each kit comes with books, materials for crafts, sensory activities and handouts. In addition, you can access the corresponding PDF (found on our website under the "Library Resources" tab) with links to songs, videos, healthy snack recipes and ideas for additional crafts and activities. Cabot Book Group – The book series is

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African American Experience: The

Harlem Renaissance , facilitated by Vermont Humanities Council scholar, Gina Logan. All are welcome! “During the 1920s, New York’s Harlem neighborhood hosted an explosion of AfricanAmerican cultural expression. This series features a history of the era alongside texts that have come to define it.” The last session is: Thursday, March 24 – Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston

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Amanda’s:

Making Comics - Lynda Barry This book is packed full of fun and exciting ways to create unique characters! I’ve been using a number of the drawing exercises during the Graphic Novel Club. I love both the process and outcome of the collaborative drawings - try them with a group of friends or the whole family! A.O. Be Prepared - Vera Brosgol “Funny, detailed, dramatic and beautifully illustrated” graphic novel about an elementary aged girl’s unexpected experiences at summer camp – Lynn Ducas.

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Empire of Pain: The Secret History

of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe Same author of Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland, Keefe writes another masterpiece of narrative reporting about the history of three generations of the Sackler family and how they manipulated the FDA, doctors, the public, courts, etc. on their way to unparalleled wealth by lying about the addictiveness of OxyContin. It is a fascinating story that will hopefully help to prevent such a thing from happening again Thanks so much to the Library Trustees for their ongoing work for the library: Linda Gabrielson, Jeannie McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert and Beth Wade and our student representative, Ila Steinert. Very special thanks to Jeannie McCallum and Linda Gabrielson for their many years of dedicated service to the library (8 and 6 years, respectively). Your contributions have been many and invaluable. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian

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Order Anytime. Pick up is two

days after you order or any time thereafter at the Jaquith during open hours! Jaquith Library is raising funds through Just Food Hub, a company that provides authentically fair-traded food sourced from worker coops in the Global South and small organic farms in Palestine and the US. Order online: jaquithlib rary.justfoodhub.us. The library will receive 30% of all sales. This is an ongoing fundraiser, order anytime.

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Murray Bookchin

Murray Bookchin (1921-2006) was a philosopher and social theorist who lived in Burlington, Vermont from the 1970’s until his death in 2006. In 1974 Bookchin and cultural anthropologist Dan Chodorkoff founded the Institute for Social Ecology, initially based at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont. His ideas about social ecology have had a profound impact on social theory and are more relevant than ever.

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Free Event! (Inclement weather

date: February 27 th) 12-4 p.m. Create a snow sculpture or snow painting and receive a grab bag surprise & a book, have some hot soup & bread, storytelling and singing around the fire 1-2 p.m. Sing-a-long with Heidi Wilson 2-3 p.m. Breathtaking circus stunts with Brent McCoy

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For Kids ages 9-12 FREE!

Each week we will have a different program and a different educator. Funded through a grant from the Association of Rural and Small Libraries. Call or email the Jaquith to obtain a program schedule and to register. PLEASE SEND US YOUR RESUME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TEACHING A PROGRAM.

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For kids Birth to Age 5

Get ready for some fun with Sasha during story and activity time. Gather around a fire for songs and stories, hot tea and oatmeal and outdoor activities. Come dress for the weather. Please sign-up in advance with your contact information so we can get hold of you if we need to cancel.

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More Available for Checkout!

STEAM-focused Makerspace kits catalogued and ready for checkout! Robotics kit, magna tiles, snap circuits electricity kit, friendship bracelets kit, microscope kit, origami/calligraphy kit, toothpick/ play dough building kit, pattern block kit, marble run kit and bird watching kit. We also have games, puzzles, snow shoes and more. Supported in part by the Vermont Humanities Council.

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← From the Cabot Chronicle