⚲  Open Saturdays 1–3 p.m. · 3216 Main Street, Cabot, Vermont Contact Us
Established for the People of Cabot

Cabot Historical Society

Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

May 2024 · 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 May 2024 pages (PDF)

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

In This Issue

Cabot Grand List

(continued from page 1) threat of the State imposing penalties for failure to comply with an order to reappraise. You probably remember 2020’s townwide reappraisal. Our independent appraisal company professionally collected data, but while they were measuring houses and identifying outbuildings, property sales in Vermont, including Cabot, were on fire. Fair Market Values are calculated based on previous three years of property sales, but selling prices in 2017, 2018 and 2019 did nothing to predict what people would be paying during and post-COVID-19. As a result, the values set in 2020 based on previous sales did not correlate with what people are paying now. The good news is data collected in 2020 is still accurate – size of structures, how many fixtures, land attributes, etc. The problem is valuing that data, and that can be done in a “statistical reappraisal”. That means we know what we’ve got, now we just need to apply the correct value to it. By analyzing sales since 2020 (sales create “Fair Market Value”), those calculations can be made without going door-to-door with another townwide reappraisal. That saves the town at least $50,000. Property owners will receive notice of their new valuations in May – watch for a window envelope from the Town of Cabot. Parcel values will inevitably go up as we recalculate from 68% of Fair Market Value to 100%. It will be a big change, but the same thing is happening to ALL Cabot parcels. That means property taxes will not go up because of the reappraisal.

↑ contents

May 29 Official Opening

(see ‘Old Center Trail’, page 2) non-motorized trail users access to his land leading up to the cemetery and Old Center from the Willey Building. The Cabot Trails Committee is also grateful to the Town of Cabot Selectboard for their enthusiasm and support as we endeavor to create and maintain recreational trails that Cabot residents and visitors can enjoy. The official opening of the Old Town Center Trail will take place at the Willey Building at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29, and everyone is encouraged to attend. The Cabot Trails Committee will make a brief presentation. The Cabot Historical Society will share some of the rich history of the Old Center of Town. We are very pleased to have collaborated with Cabot School to create our

DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior to production

Coordinator: Jeannie Johnson

↑ contents

Cabot Chronicle Mission Statement:

raise $500,000 to cover its expenses, then the tax rate would be $5 per $1,000. If the Grand List value is $200,000, then the tax rate only needs to be $2.50 per $1,000. Either way , the town needs to raise $500,000. If your property tax bill rises, it will be because the Town has greater financial obligations than last year or because your parcel value increased due to improvements. Your property taxes will not increase because of an increase in your Grand List value.

↑ contents

If You Think We Got It Wrong:

As is always the case, property owners have the right to grieve until the grievance deadline May 20 at 3:30 p.m. . Grievance hearings will be held by appointment May 20, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Grievants may file their grievance with Listers in any one of five methods:  in person at the Willey Building Town Hall,  by detailed email (Listers@cabotvt.us),  by letter or grievance form mailed to

 or via Zoom, Property owners may select the method with which they are most comfortable. The deadline to grieve is May 20 at 3:30 p.m.

To see the impact of the statistical reappraisal on all parcels, go to www.Cabotvt.us. The 2024 Summary Sheet of Changed Real Estate Values will be posted as soon as it is ready. You may request a printed version of the Real Estate Values booklet via the

emailing Listers@cabotvt.us, providing your complete name and mailing address, including zip code.

↑ contents

Old Center Trail

first Poetry on Trail project. For the past several months, high school students have been involved with a poetry class to discover and explore the joy of poetry. Sixteen original poems, created by students, will be displayed along the Old Town Center Trail. The students have made the wooden stands that will display the poems along the trail. The students will introduce the poetry project, and then, from 4:30 - 5:45, pairs of students will lead the community on small group walks along the trail to view their poetry. We hope you can attend the opening of the trail and be part of this exciting event. If not, we hope to see you along the trail in the future. Please check Front Porch Forum and Cabot Connects for updates on scheduled activities.

↑ contents

Joe’s Pond Association

Spring on Joe’s Pond officially began on April 14, 2024 at 4:02 am, when the block fell through the ice, disconnecting the power to the clock. This year’s winner is Stuart Ramsdell from Danville, who purchased his ticket from Hastings Store. After expenses, he will receive $6,974. He will be presented his check at the spring Joe’s Pond Association meeting. Ticket sales this year were $15,701. This year there were 250 paper ticket entries for 4/14 and another 100 on-line tickets for the same date. The Joe’s Pond Association will bank the remaining $6,974 to be used for association activities. Unusually warm weather this winter may have stimulated interest and boosted sales. There was concern that the block might slip through the ice before the ticket entry deadline of April 1, but it held its place until the 14 th . The pond froze over around Thanksgiving. Joe’s had quite a variety of weather from warm rain to freezing cold, wind and of course snow. During the weekend after Thanksgiving, ice fishermen started braving the new ice to see what they might catch. Day by day more fishermen and their shanties became a staple on the ice. People walked on the

↑ contents

Cabot Tree Warden

The snow has melted, and spring is finally here with warmer weather. Spring rain showers will bring blooms for the flowers and spring ephemerals. This seasonal transition also brings the possibility of heavier rains from summer storms. Early May is a suitable time to check culverts, ditches, and water bars for damage, blockage, or washout from the past winter. We had multiple rapid snowmelt events this past winter, which could have caused debris to wash downstream, blocking ditches or plugging culverts. Please check your culverts, ditches, and water bars. If needed clean out culverts and ditches from leaves and other debris. Make sure to repair any problems found as soon as possible before runoff from summer rains can cause more damage. Another issue caused by large runoff events will be soil washing out from around culverts. If the melting snow causes water to flow greater than the culvert can manage, water flows around the outside of the culvert causing soil to wash out along the culvert. I have two culverts on my property with soil washing out along the sides from flooding last July. I plan to bring soil down to fix the culverts with the tractor when the woods roads

monthly and is provided locally free

05647 ~ Published by the Cabot Community

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

newspaper devoted to telling the

↑ contents

Ice Out

ice daily and there were several paragliders taking advantage of the beautiful expanse and views. The total eclipse of the sun on April 8 created just enough excitement for Joe’s Ponders. Most had a gorgeous view from their homes on the lake or very close by. The first loon of the season was spotted on April 10 near the small island. Again, this year there will be a floating loon nest in the area. Please give these summer guests a wide berth and slow your boat when in the area. For the second year, the students at the Waterford School participated in the Ice Out Contest. daughter attends Bill Dimick, whose the school, coordinated the contest activities at the school. Educators used the contest to include content in their curriculum. What a wonderful experience for all. After fifteen years of flawless, dedicated data entry, Henretta Splain will be retiring this year. For these several weeks every year, she rearranges her life and pretty much spends all her time in front of her computer, and her dining room table is just a pile of tickets. Thank you Henretta. Ice Out Committee Diane Rossi, Mary Anne Cassani, Larry Rossi, Henretta Splain, Michelle Walker

↑ contents

T REE W ARDEN

dry out enough to drive the tractor on them. Water bars are another effective means of diverting runoff and preventing erosion to your property. Water bars also fill in with debris and flatten out quickly. The purpose of water bars is to divert water off roads into the surrounding forest, preventing road wash outs and slowing down runoff. Slowly over time, as water bars flatten out, a reduction in water diversion occurs. If this happens on your driveway or woods roads, a timely repair of the water bar will be much less costly than the repair costs from a major road wash out. The following link gives instructions on properly constructing a water bar, which will help repair an old water bar or construct a new water bar on your roads or trails: https://dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/ wsm/lakes/docs/Shoreland/ Waterbars_04162015.pdf With the larger rain events we are experiencing due to climate change, it is especially important to divert storm runoff into forests and flood plains before the water volume increases to dangerous levels. We all need to do our part to prepare for the heavy storm events the upcoming summer months will bring and slow the storm runoff from our properties if possible. of charge.

↑ contents

Just Get Along

Dear Editor, After feeling privileged and able to attend the select board meeting (Tuesday, April 16), (and I still don’t know why the meeting doesn’t start with the Pledge of Allegiance), I feel the need to say something. Some issues seem to fly by without comment with “all on board,” while other issues get bogged down in details, and still other issues are just set aside- tabled for future discussion. In my mind, some issues are emergency issues and some just need to be voted on. I don’t pretend to be savvy or knowledgeable, or even to understand issues and members’ languages. I don’t have a clue about the whys and wherefores of some issues or even some of the members themselves, their jobs away from this job of governance, or if there are hidden agendas or biases, as some have claimed. What I do know is this: I am a member of the community and even I can tell which issues are emergencies, which ones need further discussion, and which ones are passionately discussed down to every detail until the observer hardly remembers the issue. It’s similar to the story of the teacher who visits the village and instructs the villagers on all matter of things and when the teacher leaves, the villagers argue about what he was wearing. We need to focus on what’s important. I know each select board member is doing his and her very best, but some things are obvious to this observer. Discussing, deciding what to “table” or attacking each other, while trying to move things along doesn’t make for a cohesive group or a trusting audience. We need to know that we are being taken care of.

↑ contents

Sign Up for Cabot

by Jeanne Johnson At the bottom of the home page of the Town of Cabot website (Cabotvt.us) is a box where you can subscribe for news and announcements. If you add your email address, you will receive notices directly to your inbox of important information for residents of Cabot. For instance, you’ll be the first to

↑ contents

OMMENTARY

in the Community Commentary (LTE), those of this newspaper or its affiliates.

We voted you in because we feel that you have our best interests at heart. Two issues are huge – HUGE. What’s the problem? What’s the holdup? Why are we waiting – why do we need more time? Why do we need more experts? Haven’t we been at this long enough? Don’t we already have the answers? Why are we working backwards, stuck in the details while these issues stagnate, or worse – decay? Even when members pair off to fix the details and proudly and with knowledge bring solutions to the table, there doesn’t seem to be a trusting, cohesive attitude. In my opinion, we don’t need more witnesses, we need to support and embrace what we have. We don’t need to decide if we’re going to fix what needs to be fixed. We just need to fix it! I don’t live in the village but I appreciate the needs of those who do. This is why I appreciate and rely on the select board. I rely on that hard work and energy that you put into this hopefully more rewarding and thankful (rather than punishing and thankless) mission that we, “the body” (according to the book All Those in Favor ), your legislature— put you in charge of. It’s for our community, our protection and our victories. Our select board members are experts in their fields. They know in their hearts what we, the People, want. It’s pretty basic. Make us proud to be members of this loving, caring community whose members come together at the drop of a hat to help each other. I am so proud of us, and I hope for a near future of cooperation, of caring for this special community and that “live and let live” attitude – that Freedom and Unity that brought me here and kept me here for over 50 years. Maria Acchione-Goodrich McKinstry Road

↑ contents

Email Alerts

receive notice that the Change of Appraisal Notice and list of all appraised values and changes has been posted. That system was used to let Cabot residents know what they could expect on the day of the eclipse, and when there was a problem with the town water system. You’ll only receive important alerts, so sign up and stay informed.

↑ contents

WASTEWATER SYSTEM TIPS

The Town of Cabot is asking for your help in maintaining our wastewater collection system. Each year the Town of Cabot is tasked with maintaining miles of underground pipes and our (and yours as a user) four pump stations which lead to the Wastewater Treatment Facility. From your household drains to the discharge of the Wastewater Treatment Facility we process over 7 million gallons a year which is discharged to the Winooski River. Over the course of a year, we deal with numerous clogged lines, plugged pumps, and ground water entering the system which increases the cost of maintaining and operating the system. This is where you can help. Below are listed items which should not be flushed or enter the system and that we ask you to dispose of properly. “Flushable” wipes: Although the package might state otherwise, flushable wipes should not be flushed. These wipes do not break down quickly and cause pipes and pumps to clog. They should be disposed of in a lined trash can. Paper towel and tissues: Although they seem similar to toilet paper they are not. Paper towels and tissues are designed to absorb water and can cause clogging. Toilet paper is designed to quickly break down in water. Please dispose of paper towels and tissues in the trash. Cotton balls, rounds, and swabs: All are small enough to flush but do not break down. They build up in pipes which can cause clogging. Please dispose of in the trash. Feminine Products: These products are designed to absorb water and can sometimes expand to several times the original size. This can and does lead to clogged pipes and plugged pumps. Products should be disposed of in the trash along with any plastic wrappers or applicators. Fats/Oils and greases: Fats, oils, and greases will solidify after cooling. They clump together and build over time. They are the #1 reason for clogged lines. To properly dispose, allow them to completely cool and solidify and dispose of in the trash. PLEASE DO NOT FLUSH SYRINGES, NEEDLES, RAZORS OR ANY OTHER SHARP OBJECTS! THESE CAN AND DO ENDANGER OP-

↑ contents

PROHIBITED IN THE TOWN’S SEWER ORDINANCE!

Ground water added to the sewer system costs the same to treat as sewer. It must be pumped, treated, and disinfected, adding cost to your bill. The Town of Cabot Wastewater Department and H2O Innovation thank you for reading this and with your help we will all have a greener tomorrow.

↑ contents

WATER SYSTEM TROUBLESHOOTING

The Town of Cabot would like to offer our users a few tips on saving water. The Town Water Department works hard every year to maintain the system and keep water rates affordable. With your help we can continue to provide this service for generations to come. The Town of Cabot Water Department is always looking for leaks in the system. As our infrastructure ages leaks can develop. If you notice a new wet area on your lawn, road, or any other unusual wet area please contact the Town Clerk’s Office. Unmetered water loss costs all users and repairing system water leaks helps to minimize operating expenses. On average the American home wastes 10,000 gallons a year from leaky faucets, running toilets and other household leaks. Below are a few tips to help you save. Check your water meter before and after a 2-hour period of no water use in your home. If the meter has changed you probably have a leak. Place a drop of food coloring in your toilet tank. If within 15 minutes the color shows up in the bowl you have a leak. This is most commonly fixed by replacing the rubber flapper in the tank which is a simple and cheap fix. Remember to flush your toilet to remove the food coloring to prevent staining of the toilet. A leaky faucet can waste 2,000 gallons of water a year and a leaky toilet can lose 200 gallons a day. The Town of Cabot Water Department and H2O Innovation thank you for reading this and look forward to providing quality drinking water to you for decades to come.

For questions, comments or to report an issue please contact: Cabot Town Clerk Betty Ritter TC@cabotvt.us Water and Wastewater Facilities Rodger Sheldon rodger.sheldon@h2oinnovation.com

↑ contents

William Cobb

Rev. Dr. William Ellis Cobb “Bill”, age 87, passed away in the early morning hours of April 12, 2024, at his home in Lexington, TN, with his family by his side. Bill's creativity, compassion, fortitude, and courage surely followed him all the days of his life. Born October 28, 1936, in Allston, Massachusetts, Bill went on to graduate from Norwell High School, class of 1955. From his childhood days spent in reckless abandon trials, Bill always strived to do better, to be better. Fresh out of high school, he became the sales service manager of American Sandpaper Co. in Rockland where he spent 11 years. Bill saw glimpses of a world he had never experienced but had imagined. He recalled fond tales of sailing on the company’s yacht, Barbara, traveling the country visiting clients and pitching for the Industrial League softball team. By the time he was 24, he had two beautiful daughters, Tracey and Rebecca. A doting dad, he was never too busy, never too tired, creating many fond memories for his young family: fishing, sledding, softball, games, and imaginary tales. Bill was always a creator, a visionary. He developed an early passion for writing and poetry to channel the many ideas in his ever-turning mind. He was always working on an invention or experiment; a new idea to improve. He soon found his calling as an architectural designer, starting his own business in 1972. He worked tirelessly, designing many houses and developments on the Cape that still stand today. Bill was very involved in the community and was recognized for his work of preserving the natural environment of Cape Cod. In the early 80’s Bill found that through his own trials and tribulations there was a greater calling, God, a will to do better for others. He became a student of ministry in 1983. Shortly after, on a blind date, Bill was introduced to the love of his life, Mary. They were married in 1984, beginning their journey. He graduated from Harvard with a Masters of Divinity in 1986. The following year he was ordained as a minister of the United Church of Christ, enhanc-

↑ contents

Susan Foster

Susan Louise Foster, 70, went to be with her Lord and Savior on March 15, 2024, at her home in Knoxville, TN. She was born on May 22, 1953, to Louise (Cookson) and Herndon (Doc) Stone Foster of Cabot, Vermont. Susan grew up on a farm with her family of four brothers and her parents she loved dearly. She went to school and grew up in Cabot. Over the years she had a variety of jobs but found her passion when she took over ownership of

↑ contents

EMORIALS

ing his lifetime commitment to give back and help others through the struggles of their own life path. Bill and Mary then grew their family with the births of their children William and Mary Elizabeth. Bill’s devotion to family continued. He was seen at every sports game, if not coaching, he could be heard from the stands, cheering, and refereeing every call. Family vacations still centered around the beaches of Cape Cod, fishing, and baseball. While raising his young family, Bill continued to pursue his discovery of ministry, traveling to Jerusalem to be baptized in the Jordan River, and later obtaining a Doctorate of Ministry from Boston University in 1997. After sharing their compassion with others from Massachusetts to Texas, Bill and Mary finally settled in the hills of Cabot, where Bill served as pastor of the Cabot United Church. To further serve his community, Bill founded Faith In Action Northern Communities Partnership in 2004. Officially retiring from ministry in 2009, he continued directing Faith In Action until his health caught up with him at the age of 81. His mission is still active today as Neighbors In Action. We are thankful to all the volunteers over the years involved in his countless missions and endeavors. Bill is survived by his devoted wife of 39 years, Mary, his children, Tracey Powell and husband Willie of Taunton, MA, Rebecca Hickman and husband Scott of Lee’s Summit, MO, William B. Cobb and wife Katie of Lexington, TN, Mary Elizabeth White and husband Elijah of Corinth, VT, six grandchildren, Victoria Powell and husband Jermaine, Tyler Hickman, Elizabeth Cobb, William Cobb, Dustin White, Clayton White, and one great grandchild, Jermaine Powell, Jr. We honor his passing by his family’s continued devotion to his life’s work and everlasting peace. Bill's funeral service will be held at the Cabot United Church in Cabot on Friday, May 10, at 11:00 a.m. followed by a private family graveside burial on Cabot Plains. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bill’s memory to: Neighbors in

Condolences and memories of Bill may be shared with his family at dgfunerals.com. Everyday Office Supplies in Hardwick. It was there that many people in the area got to know and love her. In Susan’s free time, she loved camping and traveling to the Maine coast for vacations. She loved spending time with her family at her parents’ summer camp on Lyford’s Pond. She loved soaking up the sun and spending numerous hours out on the pond relaxing. Later in life, Susan moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. She began working at her church, First Baptist Concord, until her retirement. Susan had the biggest heart for animals and will be so excited to reunite with her beloved dogs Lincoln, Sadie, and MJ. Another one of Susan’s passions was working in her garden and tending to flowers. Susan was a friend to all and had been blessed with many sweet friends in both Vermont and Tennessee over the years. Susan’s pride and joy was her son, Adam Christopher Foster. He was born in 1984 and was always the absolute joy of her life. Adam married Leigh Ann and they had two daughters, Marleigh and Zoie. Susan embraced becoming a “Grammy” as her granddaughters added to the loves of her life. She enjoyed playing with them, teaching crafts, going boating and attending their ball games, among other things. During Susan’s time in Tennessee, her mother relocated to Knoxville and lived with her for eight years until her death. Susan lovingly cared for her mom and made sure all her needs were met. Susan is preceded in death by her parents Louise and Herndon Foster, and her youngest brother Paul Foster.

↑ contents

Daniel Lloyd

Daniel Ernest Lloyd was born in Iowa City, Iowa, October 29, 1932, and lived in West Branch on the quarter section farm his grandfather had acquired. He and his two younger brothers grew up on that farm knowing the hard work and the joys of farming. Instead of staying and inheriting the farm as the first-born son, as his father had, he decided to head off to Cornell College to get a teaching degree. There he met his lifelong love, Judith Cameron. She was getting a degree in music education and was from Tennessee, and the daughter of a microbiologist. Daniel’s mother made sure Daniel and his brothers David and James went to church. That connection to God was the bond that would keep Daniel and Judith together after their marriage on June 25, 1955. Their first child Linda was born in 1957 The family headed to Dundee, Illinois, and he began a teaching career and Judith taught piano students. Rick was born in 1959 followed by Lisa in 1964. Mary Mary Searles Searles

Mary Paul Searles of Barre passed away due to surgical complications on April 10,2024, with her loving family at her side. Mary was born in Barre hospital on April 11,1944, to Paul Benoit and Rita (Chaloux)Benoit of Barre. Mary graduated from Spaulding High school in Barre. She went on to study early childhood development later in life and ended up with an associate’s degree. Mary also had a degree in sign language and used that to teach others. In her early years she married Edwin Peake and worked as a waitress at the Wayside Restaurant. They went on to have three children, Eddy, Tina and Paul, they divorced and later on she met the love of her life, Robert Searles. They were married for 50 years and went on to have three more children, Bobby, Jason and Chrissy. Mary made a life in Barre Town with her loving husband and children. Mary spent her life doing what she had a passion and heart for and that was caring for children and teaching others She is survived by her three siblings and their wives: Herndon (Buzz) and Debbie Foster, Arthur and Laurie Foster, and Randy and Becky Foster. She will be lovingly remembered by her amazing friends: Peny Weaver, Edie Menard, Yvonne King, Ken and Megan Palmer, along with numerous other friends and family all over New England and Tennessee. The family received friends in the Chapel of First Baptist Concord on Friday, March 22 with a. service following. In late summer of 2024, a second service to be determined will be held in Vermont for her New England family and friends. Local arrangements are with the des Groseilliers Funeral Home. Condolences and memories of Susan may be shared with her family at dgfunerals.com.

They moved about two hours south and in 1973 he began working for the US Postal Service. By 1975, with his daughter Linda marrying Tim Morris, he and Judy wanted more and more to serve His Lord. While always active in their church, they started going to a bible study. This led to his relocating himself, Judy, Rick and Lisa to Virginia then Vermont. His other children married there, Rick to Teri Lynn and Lisa to Dan Mulligan. Dan and Judy always had hospitality in their home, and in 1990 established the Creamery Inn Bed and Breakfast in Cabot, hosting many people over the years. There were friends from those days who still came to stay with them even after they retired from the ”B and B” in 2000. Daniel leaves behind his wife, three children, their spouses, 23 Grandchildren, 54 great grandchildren , one great great grandchild and many grateful people who he has helped over the years. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his family at the age of 91. Services and burial were held at Christ Covenant Church on April 6.

how to care for children. Mary provided a large registered daycare for 35-plus years in her home. Mary and husband Bob were amazing foster parents, in fact they fostered 104 children throughout their lifetime and even awarded foster parents of the year for the state of Vermont. Mary and her husband were runners up in nationals for foster parenting as well. Mary retired from providing a loving daycare for so many years and started working for Washington County Mental Health as the Transportation Director of Children’s and Families and Developmental Services. Mary had many joys in life, one of which was spending time with her sisters Yvonne, Carmen and Lori. In fact, they started a sister get away that they did yearly and sometimes more often. She and her sisters shared a love like no other. Mary will be missed so much by all of her loved ones she leaves behind, her memory will be forever cherished. Mary was predeceased by her Parents Paul and Rita(Chaloux)Benoit, her brother Norman Benoit, her first husband Edwin Peake and current husband Robert(Bob) Searles,two sons Eddy Sear(see ‘Mary Paul Searles’ page 5) (see ‘Mary Paul Searles’ page 4) les and Paul Searles, a step daughter Sherry Leblanc and grandson Judson Leblanc. Mary is survived by her children Tina and Mike Dindo of South Barre, Paul Searles and wife Lisa Searles of Swanton, Bobby and Stephany Searles of Cabot, Jason and Gaiamae Searles of Grass Valley CA, Chrissy and Annette Searles of South Barre, and one step son Dennis and Eve Searles of Cabot. Mary also had 29 Grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren and was so very proud of Let’s Talk About each and every one of them. A graveside service was held at Hope

↑ contents

Luis Guzman, Actor

Cemetery on April 20. Memorial contri-

butions can be made to Central Vermont

Foster Parents Association, 17 Jorgensen By Janet Van Fleet

Lane, Barre VT 05641. This month’s column is about an acThose wishing to express online contor! Luis Guzman is an internationallydolences may do so at: www.pruneaupolli known film actor who moved to Cabot in funeralhome.com. 19 with his wife and five children, four

of whom were adopted. He had first

↑ contents

EAST HARDWICK VT 05836 z

come up to Vermont in 1974 to visit his friend Dan Chodorkoff at Goddard, fell in love with the state, and visited whenever he could. In 1991 he bought a house in South Wardsboro, moved to Westminster in 1995, and finally came to rest here in Cabot. Guzman has been an actor for over 40 years, appearing in television series and such films as Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love. Recently there was an article in the Chronicle about his role as Gomez in Wednesday , the Netflix production based on the Addams Family. He was born in Puerto Rico, and grew up in culture-rich New York, where he did neighborhood theater in his teens, then worked at the Henry Street Settlement in a program called Job Shop that helped prepare kids for the world of work. One day a friend asked him if he’d try for a part in a TV show, so he auditioned (not expecting any real outcome) and then got a call from his friend’s agent offering to represent him for a role – on Miami Vice! He said he had a breakthrough insight about acting while working with the legendary director Sidney Lumet on the film Q&A, realizing that every role has to start fresh on a blank canvas. “I put my strokes on each new role,” Guzman told me. “I’ve done over 200 projects, and haven’t ever done two roles in the same way. When I do comedy, it’s very organic; I don’t try to be funny, I just apply myself to it. And I can also play a badass. You know, it’s really a thrilling job!” Nevertheless, acting is a job that requires concentration and effort. Guzman was selected for the part of Jacopo in The Count of Monte Cristo, filmed mostly in Ireland. “I felt it was a serious piece, and I should be using an English accent, like the other actors on the set,” he said. After floating the new accent in rehearsal, the director said, “No, you

↑ contents

ART

don’t have to do that. You’re a pirate; you could be from anywhere in the world!” Guzman feels strongly that the arts can be an engine for economic development in Vermont and provide employment for young people, helping to stem the flow of people moving out of state. “We’ve got great talent here,” he says. “If Vermont had a Film Office, like Massachusetts does, we could attract filming projects, offering incentive clauses that specify the need to hire a certain percentage of local talent and local workers. Last summer I did part of Beetlejuice here, and all the labor force to build the set, drivers, caterers – it all came out of Boston.” In addition to his work as an artist, Guzman is known for his commitment to charity. As many in town have heard, he recently appeared on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and donated his $30,000 winnings to Cabot’s Neighbors in Action. He’s also involved in Sleep in Heavenly Peace Vermont, which makes and delivers twin beds and bedding to kids who need them. When he retires, he’d like to do projects that help young people thrive, like the Garden of Dreams Foundation. He’s a man who clearly cares about kids, and he left me with a motto he taught to his own children, “Be smart, be safe, no regrets.”

↑ contents

Wastewater Plant

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Mike Hogan, chair of the Selectboard, informed the board at the April 2 meeting about a request made to Senator Bernie Sanders to earmark money for the wastewater plant. Mike described how he and Fred are getting more involved with the wastewater plant and noted that it is 25 years old, and everything is wearing out. He mentioned they are trying to develop a fund to pay for the needed repairs. Rodger Sheldon of H2O Innovation, a Quebec-based company contracted to maintain the plant, was then invited to speak about the plant. He discussed a contract that he sent the board for a membrane expert to come out and look at the plant. He also mentioned that a blower died at the plant the other night. Mike explained the board is trying to get money from other sources, otherwise money for the repairs will have to come out of the general fund. Karen Larsen asked if the town has a strategic management plan that guides water treatment, investment, repair, and maintenance, rather than repairing things as they break. Rodger responded that they have a program and mentioned that a number of communities are trying to think preventative rather than reactionary. He explained the problem is when communities start thinking about it, everything is already in trouble. He added that he would definitely suggest it. Rodger explained the town is “so far behind the ball” at the moment, he noted that there are three to four pump stations that need work. He added that groundwater is coming into the system, and some parts are on their “last leg.” He concluded that there is a lot of equipment that should be replaced. Fred Ducharme told the board he and Rodger have already discussed the main problems with the plant and added that getting some parts has long lead times and the town should have spares sitting on the shelf. R.D. Eno noted the plant is a xenon system and asked Rodger how many of those types of plants he works on. Rodger said, “only one.” R.D. asked how Cabot got the only one in the state of Vermont. Rodger said he should include the state of New Hampshire in that question. Fred noted that Rodger told him the other day there are some xenon systems running in California, and asked how many operators work on those systems. Rodger said there are a few plants of the same size, and they typically have three full-time operators running them. promotes their mission to enhance is to empower Cabot residents to participate writer to cover selectboard and other meetings, able to attend. Most meetings are available are posted regularly on Front Porch available on the Town website, CabotVT.US

↑ contents

Predicament

Gary Gulka spoke from the audience about his recollection of when the town decided on the type of system. He said the first choice was a subsurface disposal system, but the town couldn’t get the land. He added that at that time, the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) and the engineers thought the xenon system was a better technology. Karen mentioned she heard from a family member that lives in California, and relayed that multiple towns there are banding together to hire and share full time wastewater plant operators. Rodger noted that he has two guys that work in Danville and Marshfield. Mike concluded the conversation by restating the need for a full-time operator, and Rodger agreed that there is a lot of work needed, and it's not just wastewater. He noted there are a number of hydrants that may have caps that do not come off. The board returned to discussing the wastewater plant at the April 16 meeting, and Rodger talked about the membrane expert from New York and his inspection of the plant. He said a summary of what they found is being developed. He added that Fred was there during the inspection and they found a number of vacuum leaks and issues with the pumps. He said he should have the report available next week. Fred said that Travis, the membrane expert, noted the pumps should be replaced as soon as possible. He added things at the plant are worn out, the pumps loose vacuum and the butterfly controls are leaking. He noted it could be six months before they could get a new permeate kit for the system, but the town is currently spending a lot of money trucking wastewater away because the system can’t process it. Rodger agreed they needed to get new pumps but noted they would be just buying time. R.D. asked if they are not processing sewage and Fred responded that the plant isn’t keeping up with the amount of wastewater. Rodger noted that getting new pumps could take a couple weeks to a month. Mike asked if Rodger had a ballpark estimate on the pumps and Rodger said he didn’t. He explained he’d have a better idea after he starts pricing stuff. He mentioned that if they purchased the permeate kit through Travis’ company, that Travis could sell them the pumps and they could be retrofitted into the kit. Rodger also recommended having an extra pump sitting on the shelf. Mike noted the cost for new pumps is probably a wash when compared to the cost of trucking wastewater. The board agreed to move forward to purchase new pumps. the quality of community life for those in the governance and management for the purpose of keeping community via Zoom for those who would like Forum, or you can call the Town Clerk's by clicking on "Selectboard Meetings.

↑ contents

Ambulance Service

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer R.D. Eno started discussion regarding the draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for an emergency transport service (a.k.a. ambulance service) at the April 2 meeting of the Selectboard. He mentioned the board had voted the previous week to send out an RFP. R.D. distributed an updated draft of the RFP and said he and Mike had made some deletions to get it to a more manageable length. He said they did not consult with Cabot Ambulance because it might be compromising, but the deletions are based on some points made by Cabot Ambulance at the board's last meeting. Karen Larsen said the draft had been shared by email to the board for informational purposes and she had responded with suggestions. She stated there were four elements she strongly suggested be put back into the RFP. She spoke to the board and asked about their opinion, and if they were happy with removal of all performance requirements, requirement to accept Medicare and Medicaid, and mutual aid requirements. The rest of the board responded individually with “yes”. Karen then spoke to why she had included those requirements in the original RFP draft. She explained with that information from bidding agencies they would be able to compare bids apples to apples. Mike noted there was one thing missing from the draft, which was the response date. R.D. pointed out it was on page four. Karen said the part about payment structure had an incomplete sentence. Then she asked why response performance criteria had been removed. She asked how the board would under-

↑ contents

Cabot Ambulance Department

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Emergency Services was on the agenda for the April 16 meeting of the Selectboard, and when that agenda item came to the floor, R.D. Eno passed around a paper detailing a motion he wanted to propose. He mentioned that it was similar to the motion he offered several months ago regarding a Cabot Ambulance Department. R.D. explained that he and Fred Ducharme had visited the Cabot Ambulance leadership and he believed the updated motion addresses some of their concerns. He then proceeded to read parts of the motion: “Therefore the Cabot Selectboard hereby resolves to create the Cabot Ambulance Department (CAD) as a department of the Cabot Municipal Government, accountable to the Cabot Selectboard” The motion listed a number of items connected to the establishment residing, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues to listen in person. Instructions for

↑ contents

RFP

stand success at the end of one year if they eliminate any language that classifies success. R.D. responded that he felt performance was part of the contract language and something that would be discussed with the winning bidder. Karen asked how the board could select a successful bidder without a statement of performance. R.D. expressed that requiring a statement of qualification is sufficient to evaluate the bids. He added that he thinks it's a mistake to closely define the final outcome of our contract and that he is comfortable with the current draft of the RFP. Mike concurred by saying he thinks the board can make the contract as detailed as we want. R.D. also expressed that they should add that payments would be made monthly. The board approved the RFP with Karen voting in opposition. Mike then spoke about the previous meeting and how it had become very vocal. He noted there seems to be a lot of passion involved with the people in the Fire Department and Cabot Ambulance. He expressed that everyone needs to work together in this town and the two entities have to find a way to coexist. He said if it means one day the Cabot Ambulance comes under the Town, the board would have to work out a way to do that. Mike went on to recommend the board think about that whole process, and that he sees some kind of a working group whereas the Cabot Ambulance, after its year of contract, would become part of the Town. He concluded that he didn’t want to ignore what people wanted in the advisory vote.

↑ contents

Proposed

of the CAD and what conditions the resolution would place upon Cabot Ambulance. R.D. then explained to the board that the motion was a resolution, and it does not take any steps to create the CAD. He mentioned that to create the CAD, they would need the help of an attorney, but the resolution would commit the town to create the CAD. He also pointed out liabilities carried over would be assumed by the town, and after the July flood, the board had made the offer to absorb Cabot Ambulance into the Fire Department without inquiring about their liabilities. He expressed that this would be the same in this case. R.D. went on to explain that Cabot Ambulance (CA) is a non-profit and its dissolution is required for its assets to become part of the Town, and he set the date to be July 1, 2025, because the (see ’Department Porposed’, page 7)

↑ contents

Department Proposed

(continued from page 6) board currently has an RFP for emergency transport service for the time period from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. He also noted how the resolution requires no further action to be taken by Cabot Ambulance leadership once Cabot Ambulance accepts and the board approves the resolution. R.D. also explained that the books of Cabot Ambulance need to be shared with the board because they would have to do fiscal planning in the fall. R.D. concluded by saying it's clear that the community wants Cabot Ambulance to be retained as the emergency transport service for the town, and he thinks this proposal is the way forward. Mike Hogan then said he did not think any action should be taken upon this resolution since it's the first time the board has seen it and it wasn’t warned on the agenda. He said he can’t support the action that night. R.D. said “with all due respect, the item was warned.” Mike said that action cannot be taken on anything under other business and the agenda has nothing listed under emergency services. He added that he supports what was being done, but he hasn’t seen the resolution before the meeting. Fred confirmed with Mike that he supported the resolution but supported allowing time to review it. At this point Karen shared her thoughts and said she was deeply confused by the resolution. She agreed that much of the language and text mirrors your previous motion that this board voted 4-1 against before tabling it. Karen went on to say that the board was in an RFP process, and to put this resolution to the board during that process seems precipitous. She emphasized that Cabot Ambulance voted twice against the particular resolution, and that absorbing unknown liabilities is not a responsible way for a public board to proceed. She added that a municipality needs to manage the reporting, structure, and leadership of any organization in the Town. She went on to say she does not support Cabot Ambulance coming under the Town in a specific structure that was guaranteed forever, and all time. She added that she agrees that having a high quality local ambulance service is required, but how we do that with the stewardship of this board should not be decided in a motion that no one has seen.

↑ contents

Update on FEMA Projects

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Tyler Billingsly returned to discuss the FEMA road culvert projects at the April 2 board meeting. Mike Hogan explained these projects are the ones that have temporary fixes and need to be replaced with permanent fixes. Tyler recapped the discussion from his last visit, summarizing the five sites.

↑ contents

SELECTBOARD UPDATE UPDATES UPDATE SS S

Fred said that it is up to the board to figure this out, he added that the community voted five to one in an advisory vote to keep Cabot Ambulance. He went on to explain how he and R.D. met with Cabot Ambulance leadership because they wanted to show them that the board wants them to continue to serve the town. Fred went on to say that the board is supposed to work together and figure things out, and make it work for the community. He emphasized “We, as the Selectboard, have to make this work.” He agreed with waiting a couple weeks to review the resolution, but he also agrees with R.D. in that he doesn’t see anything with their liability that is going to encumber the Town. Mike asked Skip for his opinion, and Skip said he would like to hear from Cabot Ambulance, which was represented by several of the leadership at the meeting. Jenn Miner spoke and confirmed the executive leadership did meet with RD and Fred, and they spoke to what causes concern to members of Cabot Ambulance. Jenn added that each member has only one vote, and the membership has not provided any written guidance. She said she did ask permission from the membership to meet with R.D. and Fred and to work on the issues. Skip confirmed with Jenn that she would have to take the proposal back to the membership. Mike then proposed that Jenn talk to the membership and the board will discuss the proposal at the first meeting in May. There was some concern expressed by a member of the public about Karen’s statements regarding Cabot Ambulance, and Karen spoke to the fact that she has repeatedly spoken about her support for a high quality local ambulance service, and for Cabot Ambulance to apply to the RFP so the town has a contract that honors the tens of thousands of dollars. Karen then said she was stunned that in the middle of an RFP process, which has been voted upon by the board, an RFP process enshrined in the budget, the board has members going to a private entity who may be bidding on that contract. She added that it seems to be a violation of defined business processes and is troubling and inappropriate. She stated that the conversation should happen after we move through the RFP process. R.D. said that he rejected categorically the indication that there has been anything improper. Mike concluded the discussion by stating they would talk about it again at the May 7 meeting.

He mentioned a little more engineering and permitting were needed, but they were all the same, and Menard Road needed a new pipe arch under the temporary bridge. He said Mack Mountain Road needed a box culvert. He explained all the sites are at risk, but in decent shape. He said the temporary fixes won’t survive a 100-year flood but could handle a 25- or 50-year flood. Tyler then talked about FEMA funding, and said they are very tricky to work with, and slow. He explained if the individual project costs over $1,000,000, then FEMA will pay the actual cost of the project. If it's under $1,000,000, then FEMA pays the project estimate. Tyler then explained how FEMA payments happened. He said FEMA covers 75% of the cost, and if they agree with everything, then funds are set aside and obligated to the project. The town can draw up to 75% of the allocated funds for the project, with the remainder available upon completion. Tyler then explained he sent the board cost estimates for doing the projects in 2024, but he felt 2024 was too aggressive. Mike asked which site Tyler recommended being done in 2024, if the others had to be delayed until 2025. Tyler recommended Blodgett Road, or Menard. He said Menard would be the fastest. Tyler recommended the Jug Brook road culverts be combined with Blodgett Road when put out to bid because they are all in the same area. He also said the town would get a better price with them combined. He did caution that combining them might exclude the smaller contractors. Mike then asked Tyler how he was paid. Tyler explained that FEMA has a percentage curve which will eventually be paid by FEMA. Tyler added a decision wasn’t needed that night, as the projects could go out to bid in May. He said waiting until August would be too late.

are making good progress. He explained the Army Corp of Engineers’ permits all went in the previous week, and Agency of Natural Resources’ permits were sent in that day. He said the permit process usually takes two to three months. Tyler talked about how Blodgett Road, Jug Brook Road upper and lower

↑ contents

New School Board

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer The Cabot School Board held its first meeting after Town Meeting on March 25. At this meeting, the board was reformed and Ellen Cairns was elected chair, Chris Tormey was elected Vice Chair. The other members on the board at that time were Jason Monaco and Erica Fucello. A fifth seat was left vacant due to a Town Meeting ballot error, and the board decided to appoint someone to fill the seat until the next scheduled election, which will be the state primary on August 13. The board proceeded to interview the two applicants for the vacant board position, Sheryl Graber and Kerri Moll. Ellen stated that she had given it some thought regarding whether the interviews should be public or private, and Mark Tucker said the board has always done it in open session. Ellen added that since there will be an election in August for the seat; the recording can serve as a forum if the applicants decide to run for the seat. The board discussed whether to vote on the applicants after the interview or wait until the next meeting. The board agreed to wait and decided to have a special meeting to appoint the new member. Erica started the questioning by asking the applicants what made Cabot special to them. Kerri went first and described how she grew up in Massachusetts in a large community where one could go out and not know anyone they met. She said when she and her husband decided to move to Vermont, the big selling point Cabot had was a community that had a school where an adopted child would be accepted. “We wanted a place where our child could thrive whether they looked like us or not. We know all towns have their problems, and not all are perfect.” Sheryl described how she has owned property in Cabot since 1977, when they bought the farm at the bottom of the hill, the big yellow house. She said Cabot is her home and she loves Cabot. She said public school is her thing, and education

↑ contents

Principal Controversy

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer When the School Board reorganized itself at the March 25 meeting, Mark Tucker, the superintendent, reviewed the process for handling complaints. He explained that when there is an issue in the classroom, the parents should talk to the teacher. Then, if matters are not resolved satisfactorily, to take it to the principal. Next would be the superintendent. Mark went on to say that administration is responsible for running the school and the board is responsible for policy. He noted that there are times when the issue could end up before the board, and the board would be acting as a quasijudicial board and needs to remain neutral. He stated that he understands board members bump into constituents and listen to concerns, but he explained that technically the board members do

↑ contents

Member

is something she is passionate about. Kerri spoke again, stating that she grew up in a family of educators and she had been working at an amazing school. However, she explained COVID-19 interrupted it, and now she has a private therapy practice. She expressed that working on the board would be a great way to continue to be involved with school. At this point the two applicants started talking between themselves, but Ellen interrupted and asked what they thought would be their challenges serving on the board. Kerri expressed that she may be at a disadvantage when she doesn’t know the backstory to an issue, but she would be ready to ask questions. Sheryl said that getting used to Vermont rules and regulations, and the dynamics of the different entities in the Supervisory Union would be her challenge. Ellen then asked what their thoughts were regarding the next steps after the town meeting vote. Sheryl answered that she thought a survey was important and retrieving the survey from a year ago is important in developing a new survey. She added that it seems people feel unheard, and there may be misunderstandings. She stated she is not convinced all parties understand all the dynamics. Kerri responded by saying you understand what the school is facing, the budget, the discipline, other things one hears at school. She added that you need to hear both sides, and unfortunately there will be people that are unhappy. She said she thinks it's important for the board to hear from the community. The board held an executive session at a special board meeting on March 28 to deliberate on their choice between the two candidates. The board met in executive session for about 15 minutes and when they returned to an open meeting, the board unanimously appointed Kerri Moll to be the new School Board member, to fill the vacant seat until the election in August. Kerri responded to the appointment by saying she was super excited and felt honored.

not have authority to make decisions around discipline. After the reorganization process was completed, Ellen Cairns opened the meeting to public comment. For the discussion on March 25 the principal, Becca Tatistcheff, was not present. First to speak was Dan Dunham, and he said he believed he was speaking for more than himself. He speculated that the reason for division on the school and the vote was due to the leadership and he wanted to bring up the discussion for new leadership, specifically the principal. He expressed that there is a need to go in a different direction and the community isn’t going to get anywhere with the division. Ellen responded that the subject wasn’t something the board could address in public comment. Mark said he doesn’t know the process, and the school has a principal that has a contract for another When the School Board reorganized itself at the March 25 meeting, Mark Tucker, the superintendent, reviewed the process for handling complaints. He explained that when there is an issue in the classroom, the parents should talk to the teacher. Then, if matters are not resolved satisfactorily, to take it to the principal. Next would be the superintendent. Mark went on to say that administration is responsible for running the school and the board is responsible for policy. He noted that there are times when the issue could end up before the board, and the board would be acting as a quasi-judicial board and needs to remain neutral. He stated that he understands board members bump into constituents and listen to concerns, but he explained that technically the board members do not have authority to make decisions around discipline. After the reorganization process was completed, Ellen Cairns opened the meeting to public comment. For the discussion on March 25 the principal, Becca Tatistcheff, was not present. First to speak was Dan Dunham, and he said he believed he was speaking for more than himself. He speculated that the reason for division on the school and the vote was due to the leadership and he wanted to bring up the discussion for new leadership, specifically the principal. He expressed that there is a need to go in a different direction and the community isn’t going to get anywhere with the division. Ellen responded that the subject wasn’t something the board could address in public comment. Mark said he doesn’t know the process, and the school has a principal that has a contract for another year. He recommended the subject be put on the agenda for another meeting. He told Dan that you are ok to bring it up, but the board cannot take any action unless it is on the warned agenda. Dan said he did appreciate the board listening to him. Ellen said she appreciated that he came and said something that might not be popular. She noted that the board needs to talk about ongoing community communication. Ellen confirmed with Dan that he was looking to remove the principal, after which she said that Mark will have to do some research. Chris Tormey said in the past the school has had issues with principals, and people have made the issues known to the superintendent. He recalled that the superintendent responded by making plans with the principal at that time to see if they can overcome their challenges. He said that after one survey it became clear there was a big problem and the superintendent chose not to renew the contract with that principal. Dan said he didn’t think it mattered what had happened in the past, and Ellen expressed that Chris was describing the process. Mark spoke at this point and said, with all due respect, this is a very small sample size (assuming he was talking about the five members of the public physically in attendance) and you said it's a fact and everyone knows it. Dan corrected him and stated that he said you would have to be under a big rock not to be aware of the problem. Mark said he does not recall ever getting an email with explicit complaints. He said there are disagreements about decisions made by the principal under school policy and it doesn’t always go over well with the families involved. Dan asked Mark if he felt the principal was doing an exceptional job and stated that it’s ridiculous that he needs an email stating otherwise. Mark responded by noting the board is in public comment and does not act upon things in public comment. He said he would advise the board on the next steps since they cannot do anything that night, but Mark wanted something formal to act upon. Morgan Churchill spoke next, and talked about how his son went to Barre technical center but it didn’t go well. So he talked to the principal about doing school to work, and the principal agreed. Morgan then described there was an exception, that his family would have to homeschool in the afternoon. He recalled that the principal said there was a lack of teachers to manage it. Morgan said that when he did it, the guidance counselor did it with him in no time at all. He insisted it doesn’t take too much time for someone at school to do it, instead of brushing it off. Mark noted that this is the first time he had heard about the situation. Morgan then talked about the ski program and how it is confusing and Mark said the policy is under review at the moment. The meeting broke down into a bit of back and forth and Ellen called it back to order. She said that if anyone has questions or concerns, to email Mark and cc: her. Ellen added that she will look into the next steps regarding Dan’s question, and the process for breaking a contract. She added that the board also needs to hear from more of the town. Danielle Warner spoke about the survey that was conducted last year, and she complained that the survey was buried in an email. She said the results came back and they were dismissed because 29 families were not that much. She added that a year later the whole town almost voted for school choice, implying that may not have been the case if the survey was taken seriously. She said that she thinks leadership has a big role in the problem and started using expletives. At this point Ellen cut her off and ended public comment. At the special meeting on March 28 the board talked about what had happened in public comment. Ellen expressed that she did not sleep the night after the meeting on the 25th and felt she should have been better prepared. She stated that going forward she will preface public comment and set the boundaries. She said that if there is to be a discussion, it needs to be on the agenda. She added that the conversation needs to be civil. Ellen went on to say that she was glad to hear from members of the public, but she felt the board engaged too much during public comment. She noted that any board member can speak up to pull the meeting back and make sure we are all acting appropriately during public comment. Chris said he thinks it best to remind people that it's just for comments, and that it’s one way. He said public comments are a way for the board to hear (see ’Principal Controversy’, page 9)

↑ contents

Principal Controversy

(continued from page 8) from the community. Chris added that the board should have a very clear line, and each person has an amount of time to express things, and at the end, the chair can leave it open to the option for the board and administration to share comments. Chris then added that the chair could say there appear to be a lot of concerns and the board should have the topic on a

↑ contents

Consulting and Gardening

Most of us have a lawn around the place we live. There are good reasons to have a lawn: it’s a place to play, to relax, and to get from one part of the property to another. In our area, shorter vegetation also means fewer ticks. However, most lawns are far from green, no matter what color they are. Typical lawns are a desert for pollinators, provide no wildlife habitat, and make no food for humans. Lawn maintenance uses huge quantities of gasoline, fertilizers, and pesticides. In the USA, more water is used to irrigate lawns than any other agricultural crop. That’s right, lawns are our #1 irrigated “crop”, despite not being tasty at all. Here are a few ways to green up your lawn:  Mow high. Set your blades to three-tofour inches. This allows some flowers to bloom, helping out pollinators. It also provides more cover and habitat for insects and other arthropods.  Keep non-grass plants in the mix. If you have violets, thyme, clover, dandelions, wild strawberry, or other plants in your lawn, that’s great! Having a diverse mix of plants makes your lawn more resilient to dry spells, and provides food for pollinators and other small animals. This Susan Stay tive edible ing Farm.weebly.com future agenda. He pointed out that at the previous meeting they started to get into a dialogue, and it was not the best time. Ellen pointed out that it is unfair to other people that might have wanted to be part of the discussion but didn’t know about it because it wasn’t on the agenda. Jason Monaco agreed that it makes more sense to have it on the agenda. He felt it would be good to explain to people how it works because most have not been to these meetings.

↑ contents

We are Hiring a Food Specialist/Cook

Leave clippings on the lawn. The clippings will fertilize your lawn for free. Use electric tools. There are many great mers electric on the mowers market. and They string are quiet, trim-

and you won’t reek of gas fafter you’re done working. Gas-powered mower and trimmers engines are spew copious amounts of pollutants (including up to 30% into the of the air. gas Gas as mowers unburned can emit aerosols) pol-

lutants at the same rate as 45 cars. Gas trimmers can be even worse. Only mow what you need. Think about where you work and play, and only mow those areas. Consider replacing lawn with native shrubs or trees, a vegetable garden, berry bushes, or a meadow of native prairie grasses and wildflowers. Save your money and don’t buy fertilizer or herbicides. Most fertilizer ends up washing away, eventually collecting in ponds and lakes, and causing toxic algae blooms. Herbicides aren’t needed at all; broadleaf plants like clover are a great lawn component, helping the lawn to stay green even in dry spells. garden article is brought to you by Socks, aka the Garden Goddess. tuned for upcoming articles on naplants, garden tools and techniques, landscapes, and more. For gardenhelp, visit www.SocksFamily Our team is looking for a new member to prepare meals throughout the day for our little ones, making their meals fun, healthy and enjoyable. This is a part-time (25-30 hours per week) full year position.  Responsibilities: Assist with food preparation and cooking  Requirements: Must meet state licensing require-

 Follow recipes and portion control guidelines ments for education.  Prepare the center's food order and weekly Must meet all standards and remenus quirements relating to education  Maintain a clean and organized kitchen area and experience as set by the state  Assist with inventory management and restock-  and accreditation agent. ing supplies Must possess a high school diploma  Collaborate with team members to ensure or its equivalent. smooth kitchen operations

↑ contents

July 4th Celebration

by Lori Augustyniak,

The Annual July 4 th Celebration in Cabot, started more than 50 years ago, and each year has provided ample opportunity for community-building, celebration and fundraising. Traditional activities include the parade stepping off at 11 am., rummage sale, book sale and open house at the Historical Society. Drop off for the rummage sale is 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the school gym June 30 to July 3. What else there is to do, experience, eat and buy is up to you! The July 4 committee is always on the lookout for new activities, entertainment, fundraisers and vendors. We are still accepting registrations for vendors. Businesses and food vendors are welcome. There are nominal fees for participation to help offset the cost of hosting the event: Cabot Business vendor – $25 Business vendor not from Cabot - $50 Not for Profit Vendor, not selling - No Charge Not for Profit Vendor selling goods - $15 If you work with a community group or own a business that would like to participate in this year’s festivities please contact the CCA at info@cabotver mont.org. The parade, organized by the Cabot Fire Department, includes the usual array of entries including the giant puppets, horses, tractors, fire trucks and emer-

↑ contents

And Report What You

by Gary Gulka

The following is a press release from the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife: Vermont Fish and Wildlife is asking drivers to slow down and be cautious when travelling at night in early spring or to take alternate routes to avoid driving roads near wetlands and ponds that salamanders and frogs cross during their breeding season. Every year, typically in early spring, many of Vermont’s amphibians leave their overwintering sites and migrate to the wetlands and ponds where they will breed and lay eggs. The timing of this annual event, termed Big Night(s), coincides with melting snowpack, thawing soils, relatively warm evening temperatures, and rainfall. Due to this year’s mild winter, these conditions are expected to align and trigger spring amphibian migration, earlier than usual. “One of the benefits of checking out amphibian road crossings,” says Fish and Wildlife herpetologist Luke Groff, “is that you can see many individuals and species in a short period and small area,

↑ contents

DOG LICENSES

I want to let everyone know that I have hired Shirley Ducharme as an Assistant Town Clerk. She has become an asset to the office. Stop in to say hi and welcome her in this new position. We still have that their owners tered. It is a requirement the Town but is a State. Please feel call to check on this

↑ contents

& Parade

gency rigs, musical performers, Cabot residents of note and more. There is no need to pre-register to participate in the parade, but all participants are required to fill out the parade participation form. Parade rules and registration forms are available to download at www.cabotvermont.org or on site the morning of the parade. Community judges will score parade entries to award five $50 cash prizes to the entries chosen in the following categories - Cheesiest, most Historic, most Patriotic and Judge’s Choice. If you would like to serve as a judge for the parade entries, please email info@cabotver mont.org. The Cabot 4th of July Committee is a group of dedicated volunteers and business owners organized with support from

funded through donations and sponsorships. The Cabot 4 th of July Celebration would not occur without the support of The Town of Cabot. Updated information will be posted on www.cabotvermont.org.

Editor’s Update: We’ve just been informed that Joe’s Pond Fireworks are returning this year! Wednesday night, July 3; raindate Friday night, July 5. See https://www.joespondvermont.com/ fireworks.html.

↑ contents

See

and some species may not be seen the rest of the year.” The spotted and bluespotted salamanders, for example, belong to a group called the “mole salamanders,” because after breeding, they retreat underground or under logs or stumps, and are rarely seen until the next spring.” Groff is encouraging Vermonters to explore the roads near their home and report amphibian road crossings to the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas (https://www.vtherpatlas.org/sightingsubmission-form). If it is safe to take pictures of the migrating amphibians, please include them in your report. This information is used by Fish and Wildlife, the Agency of Transportation and other conservation partners to assess the need for wildlife passages and barriers that allow all wildlife, not just frogs and salamanders, to more safely cross roadways. Vermonters who wish to contribute to the Fish and Wildlife Department’s work to conserve frog and salamander populations can donate to the Nongame

form or on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife website (https://vtfishandwildlife.com/ nongame-wildlife-fund).

↑ contents

OFFICE CLOSINGS

quite a few dogs have not regisof not only requirement of the free to give me a registration. The Town Office will be closed on Tuesday, April 30 for Clerk Training. We will be back in the office on Wednesday, April 30.

closed on Monday, May 27,

↑ contents

RSVP By May 6

The Cabot School Board is looking for community members to serve on a committee which will plan one or more community forums. The purpose of these forums will be to discuss and create a long-term sustainable plan for the school. The committee will ideally be made up of two school board members, two parents of students who currently attend Cabot School, two parents of stu-

↑ contents

Northeast Kingdom Waste Management

by Corey Raynor Do you have the urge to sweep away the dusty, the dirty, the dingy? Feeling ready to tackle the disorganized, disheveled parts of your home? Maybe it's time to throw out what isn't bringing you joy? All these Springtime urges are the result of the long Northeast Winter and here at NEKWMD (Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District) we want to encourage you to be green when you clean. Let's start in the garage, under the sink, and basement where stuff can really collect. All of those toxic cleaners, pesticides, air fresheners, paints, nail polish, yes, nail polish, all those containers marked with the hazardous materials symbol, it may be time to clear them out. Before you pour, hold up! They should NEVER be dumped down the drain or put in the trash. You can dispose of the toxic stuff the best way possible by giving it to us, NEKWMD. We are starting up our Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program for the season on May 2. It runs all summer every Tuesday and Thursday by appointment. Call us starting April 18 at 802-6263532 to make an appointment. Are you wondering if you have some HHW lurking about? Check out our website, https:// www.nekwmd.org/household-hazardousspecial-wastes to find out more or just

Can't make a Tuesday or Thursday? We will have events scheduled throughout the summer on Saturdays. Our first two will be on May 11 at the Ryegate transfer station, and Peacham transfer station on May 18. No appointment necessary, 25-gallon limit per resident. Re-

↑ contents

2 Half-Day Slots Available

by R. D. Eno

The Cabot Child Care Center, which opened last November in the basement of the United Church, expects to be fully enrolled by June. The current kid-count of four infants and three “wobblers” (under two years) is expected to grow by another eight toddlers (two-year-olds) before the summer, with more than half coming from Cabot families. ABC & LOL, which operates the Cabot center as well as pre-school and day-care centers in St. Johnsbury and Peacham, has brought on board Crystal Wilkins as

↑ contents

of Cabot School

dents who are homeschooled or attend other schools, two community members who do not have school-aged children, and one or two high school students. It is anticipated the committee will meet three-to-four times this spring, and potentially more if needed. If you are interested, please send an email stating which of the categories you are in (parent of current student...) to ellen.cairns@ccsuvt.net or call Ellen at

May 6 ,at noon.

↑ contents

District

member, our HHW program including these events is free of charge and open to members of the district only. Cleaning out the closets from all those clothes, shoes, sheets, towels? No longer want your skirts from the eighties? Your pants from the sixties? Found some stained stuff you meant to pre-treat five years ago? Grown out of your belt? Oof, it was a long Winter. If your accessory or textile isn't moldy, dirty, or wet, it can go into an Apparel Impact bin. We have one here but there are many throughout New England. Find a bin here https:// www.apparelimpact.com/nearestbin Or donate to a secondhand store like Salvation Army. Thinking it would be easier to just put them in the trash? Hold up! Please do not put clothes in the landfill aka the Earth closet. The Earth closet is getting rather full. Have you looked in your junk drawer? Been hording all your old batteries from your PlayStation controller? Keep meaning to dispose of your old cell phone? Or is that old dead cordless drill still on the counter waiting for the replacement battery? Old car battery in the garage? Thinking of throwing them out? Hold up! We will take ALL batteries for recycling. There's only one exception and that's any lithium-ion battery over 300 kwh's, but other than that, we would like all your batteries. Check out other battery drop off locations: org/locator/. Remember https://www.call2recycle.

as you clean out - reuse and reduce are far better than recycle. Donate what you can and try not to buy more stuff to replace the old stuff. So, before putting any stuff in the landfill, hold up! Give us a call and see if can be reused or recycled.

↑ contents

Full Enrollment

Cabot’s director, taking the helm from Heather Smires, owner of ABC & LOL, who’s been acting in an interim capacity. With teachers Carlie Beliveau and Kaitlin Kimball, and with Sue Bussolotti in the office, the Center is now fully staffed and looking for a part-time cook to help start up its meals program. Still available are two half-day slots, suitable for families with limited day-care needs. You can contact the Cabot Child Care Center for employment or enrollment information at www.abcandlol.com, or by

↑ contents

You’ll

Troop leaders, summer camp help, single -time helpers are needed by council Looking for a way to have a positive influence on the next generation? Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains may have just the opportunity you are looking for. Whether you would like to lead or help a Girl Scout troop, want to spend a summer outdoors with campers, or just have a skill you'd like to share on a short -term basis, your help is welcomed. "There's just something about Girl Scouts that's very appealing," said Michelle Mainz, a troop leader in Raymond, NH, who is better known as M&M when working at Camp Kettleford. "I like the fact that we're teaching them right behavior, we're teaching them to be brave, we're teaching them to try stuff even when they're a little bit afraid." Volunteering for Girl Scouts is also a great way for adults to connect with other adults, fostering friendship and community.

↑ contents

Feel The Love

"I think my strongest community connections and friendships are almost all based in Girl Scouts," said Jennie Clarke, a Girl Scout volunteer in Essex, VT. She encourages more adults to consider volunteering for Girl Scouts, emphasizing that it's not just troop leaders that are needed. Anyone with a special skill like sewing, engineering, or outdoor knowledge can share that with Girl Scouts. "We had one woman who was an engineer," she said, "and she had all these bridge-building materials, so the girls could practice building a bridge and figure out what design and what materials work best. I like to tap into what other people's talents are and find ways they can come in and do one meeting." You can learn more about paid summer camp opportunities and volunteering for Girl Scouts by visiting www.girlscoutsgwm.org, emailing customercare@girlscoutsgwm.org, or calling

↑ contents

High in Area Competition

The Barre-Tones acapella chorus that sings in two awards in area competition in Framingham, this 2023 area competition photo included back Carolynn O’Donnell, Susan Klein and Carole Furr; next row, Kathryn Tatko; second row, Theresa White, Peggy Gates, front row, Sandy Atkins, Julia Morgan, Valerie Hollenbeck.

by Sandy Atkins A Vermont acappella chorus, the Barre-Tones, including Cabot’s Janet Whitlock, Lynn McKinney, and Sandy Atkins, scored high and won two awards in area competition on April 11, at Framingham. Mass. The chorus, which sings in the barbershop style, was one of eleven chorus competing in Area 2 competition of Harmony Inc., an international organization of women barbershop chapters. The Barre-Tones placed fifth and received recognition as a chapter member of the organization for 55 years. Other awards at the competition recognized the Barre-Tones as the highestscoring small chorus (under 25 singers on stage) and the Rising Star Award, as the chorus with the most improved score Editor’s Note: Back in the 90’s, when gram, we held an annual Red Ribbon Tree individuals killed in impaired driving crashes—it & Drive campaign. Friends, classmates and tos on a Christmas tree in the Well of the a very moving ceremony, and the Barre-Tones ols in beautiful red blazers. They added were grateful to have them there. Once I spoke with a Barre-Tones member harmonize so beautifully, and without music, handle. She swore they could teach me to that offer yet, but I remember it and it’s on

↑ contents

Scores

the barbershop style, scored high and received Mass., on April 11. Members of the chorus in row (left to right) Janet Whitlock, Amy Donald,

Oliver, Sylvia Beck. Suzan Doucette and Amy Diane Benoit, Lynn McKinney, and Lisa Parro; Montanus, Tracey Coutts, and director Carol

since the last competition. The chorus also attained a score that qualifies them to sing in international competition in Louisville, Ky., in November. The eleven choruses in Area 2 of Harmony Inc. come from Maine, Quebec, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The Barre-Tones represent Vermont. Choruses are scored in three: areas, performance, musicality and singing, by two judges in each category. The BarreTones improved their score by 57 points over last year’s competition to earn the award. Judges for the contest came from Boston, Texas, Arizona, New York, Oregon, Michigan, and Nova Scotia. The chorus rehearses on Mondays, at the Capital City Grange. For more information about the group, see barretonesvt.com or harmonyinc.org. I ran the Governor’s Highway Safety Proevent at the State House, memorializing kicked off the holiday Don’t Drink family members placed special memenHouse and told their stories of loss. It was participated, singing Christmas cardignity and hope to the ceremony, and we

afterwards, admiring their ability to when I can’t carry a tune if it had a sing on-key. I haven’t taken them up on my bucket list of “to-dos”!

↑ contents

Spring Walks and Outings in May

by Gary Gulka The Conservation Committee is sponsoring a spring ephemerals walk with ecologist Brett Engstrom of Marshfield on the Talbert Farm Trails. This is a great opportunity to see and learn about new plants and early wildlflowers in a rich northern hardwood forest natural community. Later in May, we are sponsoring a bird walk once again along Channel Drive near Joe’s Pond and the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. This is a special place on Channel Drive Directions: Channel Drive is on Route where forest, open water and wetlands converge to form a diverse habitat, and we easily see 30-40 bird species every year.  Spring Ephemeral Walk, May 5, 2 pm: Meet at Talbert Farm sugarhouse on Bothfeld Hill Rd  Bird Walk, May 19, 7:30 am: Meet 15, 2.2 miles west of the junction of Routes 2 and 15, and 3.3 miles east of the junction of Routes 215 and 15. Note: You will be directed to off-road parking along Channel Drive. Please carpool where possible and arrive early so we can start promptly. Bring binoculars if you have them.

↑ contents

Volunteer Trail Stewards Needed

Trail Stewards play an important role in providing needed maintenance to ensure trail users have a safe and enjoyable visit on the Cabot Trails.

The Cabot Trails Committee needs volunteer Trail Stewards to help with trail maintenance, special projects, and trail workdays. Some of the work may involve light trail clearing (removing tree limbs and cutting brush), building and maintaining trail kiosks, installing trail signs, installing water bars, monitor and reporting safety & maintenance needs.

You can volunteer as an individual or consider volunteering as a team to provide quality outdoors activities with friends or family.

If you are interested in volunteering as a Cabot Trails Steward, please contact

↑ contents

Anne of Green Gables

Cabot Community Theater is dediby Karen Mueller-Harder cated to keeping our ticket prices low, to Coming soon! Cabot Community Theater presents a full-length stage production of Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery's timeless story of a resilient and imaginative young girl, and her adventures in Avonlea, a small farming town in Prince Edward Island. The show, featuring a huge multigenerational cast of community members, will enchant you and warm your heart. The play will be performed one weekend only: Thursday through Saturday, May 2-4, at 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees on May 4-5 at 2:00 p.m. Performances will be at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, located behind the main school building at 25 Common Rd. make live theater accessible to the whole community. Admission is only $10, or $5 for kids/students/elders/low income; you may pay with cash, check, or Venmo at the door. Although there are still seats available at all performances as of press time, most of our performances do sell out, especially the matinees, so we strongly recommend making reservations! Just fill out the form at tinyurl.com/cctanne or use the QR code on the display ad in this issue of the Chronicle! Seats are general admission, unless you need special accommodations (please describe on reservations form). The theater and bathroom are wheelchair accessible. The play is appropriate for all ages, but requires a decent attention span, so may not be a good fit for really young children.

↑ contents

Offer Virtual Forums on Ranked Choice Voting

Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas announced a twopart series of virtual forums which her office will co-host with the League of Women Voters of Vermont (LWVVT) to discuss Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). As interest has grown in RCV, in the state legislature and among municipalities, interest groups and voters, the Secretary and LWVVT hope these discussions will inform the debate and raise the profile of this system of voting. “Ranked Choice Voting is a new and powerful way of choosing our leaders, and we know that Vermont legislators will be considering RCV legislation next session,” said Secretary Copeland Hanzas. “I wanted to work with the League of Women Voters to bring the public, stakeholders, and experts together to discuss, learn, and explore it as the legislative work continues.” The first forum is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 , from 7:00-8:30 pm on Zoom. Ryan Kirby of Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center will present an overview of Ranked Choice Voting, covering key concepts and presenting a simulation for participants to better understand what RCV is and how it works. The second forum will take place on Wednesday, May 8, from 7:00-8:30 pm on Zoom. This session will dive into the details of administering RCV elections in Vermont, featuring Brattleboro Town Clerk Hilary Francis and Burlington Assistant City Clerk Sarah Montgomery. “We are excited to be co-hosting these events with Secretary Copeland Hanzas,” said Sue Racanelli, President of the League of Women Voters of Vermont. “These forums are another chance for us to continue the League’s work on RCV and encourage informed and active participation in government here in Vermont.” Please register here for the May 1 forum and here for the May 8 forum. Questions for the panelists about RCV can be submitted in advance to bkeller@lwvofvt.org.

↑ contents

Get Outside On Green Up Day

We know it isn’t your litter but Vermont needs our help to be beautiful! Pick up your free Green Up bags and spend an hour or two picking up litter around your road. It makes a huge difference and it feels great to give back to the community. Pick up bags at the Town Office and Hardware Store a week before Green Up Day and at the former fire station parking lot (across from the creamery) on Green Up Day. Bring full bags back to the former Cabot fire station parking lot between 9 am and 1 pm. Check for updates on Front Porch Forum or Town of Cabot website: cabotvt.us. Only Green Up roadside-recovered tires accepted.

↑ contents

Monday

10 am – 6 pm, Wednesday 2 - 6 pm, Thursday noon - 6 pm, and Saturday 9 amnoon. Curbside library service is still available during regular library hours. Youth Programming - Be sure to visit our website: cabotlibrary.com and check FPF for updates, registration information and added programming. Dungeons and Dragons (ages 9 - 13) Ongoing - Tuesdays, 3:30 - 5:00 PM Join Losada Stoddard as DM for our newest D&D campaign. Learn how to build a D&D character, and then set out on your Adventures. No experience necessary! Come for the mysteries and magic, tails and talons, puzzles, and prophecies! Snacks provided. New members are welcome anytime!

↑ contents

Cabot Rec Field Pavilion - Join

youth librarian Amanda Otto for stories, songs, snacks, crafts and open play. All are welcome! Many thanks to the Friends of the Cabot Library for funding over 150 books for beginner readers - come check out a book! Additional thanks to Ackermann

Story Hour, to Beth and Paul Wade and Betty Jones for their help with eclipse programming and to Losada Stoddard for running the D&D campaign for kids!

↑ contents

Story: Writing Memoir Without Be-

ing Excommunicated Join Vermont author Erika NicholsFrazer in discussing writing memoir and the vulnerability of sharing your story, as well as fears that it might hurt others or be judged harshly. Erika will read from her memoir, Feed Me: A Story of Food, Love and Mental Illness, and we’ll look at examples of compelling memoirs and do some writing of our own. Bring whatever you prefer to write with. Bio: Erika Nichols-Frazer, the author of , Feed Me: A Story of Food, Love and Mental Illness (Casper Press, 2022) and the poetry collection, Staring Too Closely (Main Street Rag, 2023). She is the editor of The Mountain Troubadour , the Poetry Society of Vermont's annual print journal. She volunteers with Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, is on the board of the Green Mountain Book Festival, and has taught writing to all ages . She is the Writing & Humanities Coordinator at Vermont State University, Johnson. She lives in Waitsfield with her husband and various animals.

↑ contents

Cabot Book Group – Thursday, May

23 – 2pm This month’s selection is The Maid by Nita Prose Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-fiveyear-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter— she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of

↑ contents

L IBRARY N EWS

cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late? A Clue -like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart. Books are available at the library – all are welcome!

↑ contents

Setting as a Character

Whether writers live in small cabins in Vermont and write about the natural world or live on Long Island, New York, and write about their suburban experience, they can create place as something more than merely a backdrop for their action. Writers can transform place into something that serves as another character, one important enough to influence characters, affecting characters’ needs and desires. This discussion will talk about how to transform setting from a non-vital backdrop into something that enhances dramatic moments, reveals character, and affects tone. Bio: Sean Prentiss is the award-winning author of Finding Abbey: The Search for Edward Abbey and His Hidden Desert Grave , which won the National Outdoor Book Award, Utah Book Award, and the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award, and the author of Crosscut: Poems . He has also written two creative writing textbooks, Environmental and Nature Writing and Advanced Creative Nonfiction , and two creative nonfiction anthologies, The Far Edges of the Fourth Genre: Explorations in Creative Nonfiction and The Science of Story: The Brain Behind Creative Nonfiction . He and his family live on a lake just on the other side of the mountain from Cabot, and is as an associate professor at Norwich University.

↑ contents

Yoga for Everybody! Sundays 10:30-

11:45 am Seize the potency of a fresh year by making a commitment to your vitality with a weekly practice of yoga! Classes are a playful invitation to meet yourself while gaining strength, flexibility, balance, alignment, and attunement to the rhythm of your breath. All are welcome, beginners especially encouraged. Mats and props provided. Donationbased ($10 suggested). Sundays at the Willey building, ongoing 10:30-11:45 am. Thanks so much to Samn Stockwell and Sarah Spletzer for sharing their insights on writing with our community of writers. Thanks also to the Library Trustees and Student Representative for their dedication and hard work: Niall McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert, Taeryn Robbins, Erin Ruddell and our student representative, Ila Steinert. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian

↑ contents

← From the Cabot Chronicle