⚲  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

July 2025 · 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 July 2025 pages (PDF)

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

In This Issue

Happy Fourth!

The legislative session came to an end a bit like a roller coaster. We wrapped up most of our work on Friday, May 30, working until 11 pm as votes passed back and forth between the House and Senate. I was pleased to see that Governor Scott signed S.45 into law. Now Act 61, S.45 was a bill that passed through the agriculture committee regarding nuisance lawsuits and farms. The bill made long needed improvements to statute to allow farmers to continue the proper management of their agricultural activities (spreading manure, etc.) with less fear of entering into lawsuits with neighbors. It was the most contentious bill in our committee, as it dealt with the subject of farms and neighbors and nuisance. Thanks to good people who find understanding, nuisance lawsuits rarely occur. On rare occasions things can get messy, so it’s good to have better statute in place to help resolve the situation and avoid court. H.401 became Act 42 upon signing by Governor Scott. I reported this bill to the House back in March, and after a few tweaks in the Senate, the bill passed through the Senate and House on a voice vote. Act 42 is the highlight of the session for me. The new statute allows home kitchens to produce and sell up to $30,000 of baked goods and $10,000 worth of other manufactured foods (beef jerky, quiche, etc.) without needing to upgrade to a commercial kitchen. Prior statute allowed only $125 per week for baked goods. This is a huge gain for one of the backbones of our state- small home -based businesses. H.454, the education bill, was voted on and sent to the governor on Monday. The bill would create new school districts and voting wards, set class minimum sizes, create a construction fund, and set a base per pupil cost factor, among other things. The changes outlined in the stat-

↑ contents

Cabot Chronicle Mission Statement:

ute call for several working groups to be appointed to hash out the details. Additional work will be done by the legislature in the upcoming session, as well. I will continue to work with members of the House and Senate education committees to ensure that small rural schools such as Cabot School are given ample opportunity and investment to remain open and successful. Although I know many are frustrated with the process and prospects of H.454, my hope is that the working groups, public input, and further legislative work will produce a framework that will improve quality and lower the cost trajectory of our schools. In a bit of a celebration of the fourth, I’ll highlight a bill that passed out of the House and Senate and I expect to be signed by the governor shortly. S.51 extends tax credits for military veterans, as well as those receiving social security. It also enhances the Vermont child tax credit. I am a proponent of reduced taxes, especially for our military veterans, elderly, and young families.

↑ contents

Joe’s Pond and Fireworks

The Fireworks on Joe's Pond are scheduled for July 3rd with a rain date of July 7. They will be fired off from Marion & Garry Cairns camp, which is on the second pond on Route 15. This is the same place as last year. area The best non-resident viewing would be the West Danville public beach. The Joe's Pond community is currently consumed with the Eurasian Wa-

↑ contents

Cabot Fireworks

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were an estimated 970 fireworks-related injuries last year. Many involving children. With July 4 quickly approaching, please be advised that the Cabot Select Board, along with the Fire Department Chief, are considering important changes to the current fireworks policy. This change aims to protect both those who wish to display fireworks and those who might experience secondary negative effects due to the noise or fallout. Soon, there may be an ordinance or policy that imposes fines if not followed, as well as mandatory town-wide notification of events and an opportunity for public comment to the town clerk during the notification period. As this develops and the Select Board continues to navigate it,

↑ contents

July 11 in the Willey

by Karen Mueller-Harder

By popular request, the Cabot Community Contra Dance will be continuing through the summer! Dances will now be held on 2nd Fridays year-round, so bring your summer visitors for an authentic Vermont experience! The dances take place in the Willey Building (Cabot Town Hall, 3084 Main St), from 7-9:30pm. Live music is provided by a great group of local musicians who are a delight to listen to! On Friday, July 11, Cabot’s own Karen Mueller-Harder will provide the calling, including traditional New England style dances and English barn dances. On Friday, August 8, Don Stratton of Bristol will lead us in contras and squares--if you attended the Old Time square dance in May, that was his calling you enjoyed! Bring your family, a friend, or just yourself, to enjoy a great sense of com-

monthly and is provided locally free

05647 ~ Published by the Cabot Community

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

newspaper devoted to telling the termilfoil invasion, which is of grave concern to all of us. Please go to the Joespondvermont.com website with questions or concerns and to learn more about this invasive weed and help us contain this spread. Boating on Joe's Pond needs to confine itself to the deeper waters of the Pond and not travel in the shallow areas unless egressing to and from their dock. Sincerely, Jamie Stewart

↑ contents

Permit

for this year, please contact the Chief of the Cabot Fire Department if you wish to display fireworks reach out to or a Cabot Select Board member if you have questions or concerns. Until this fully develops, A permit is still required. If you do wish to display them, please also continue to be considerate of your neighbors who have PTSD, livestock, pets or who may unintentionally be negatively affected by your actions. Be safe and Happy 4th of July!

Chief Deasy

↑ contents

Building

munity and joy! All ages and abilities are welcome, and we all dance with each other. We use genderless terminology and all dances are taught, and easy to learn, but if you’ve never been to a contra, you are encouraged to arrive right at 7:00, as we will start with the simplest dances, and then we’ll build upon what you learn throughout the evening. Admission for all dances is on a sliding scale, $5-10 suggested, but nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Water is provided, or bring your own water bottle. The upper floor of the Willey Building always gets good breezes, but if it’s hot and you have a window fan you can easily bring, we’d welcome it to help keep us cool!

of charge.

↑ contents

Flood Resiliency Task Force Update

by Gary Gulka news, but by no means is it a sure thing. As of this writing, we are in the process At the end of April, a FEMA Hazard of making some modifications to the apMitigation Program grant application plication. When applications go to for $3.2 million was submitted to place FEMA in July, we have been told that new bridge structures across Main we may not know of funding decisions Street on the two tributaries of the Wi- until the next calendar year. If we do nooski River, as well as some other work receive funding, the next step is final upstream of the structures. The prelimi- design, with construction beginning no nary project design was developed by earlier than 2027. SLR Consulting, which the Town hired In the meantime, we will be working last year through a state grant. At that with Cabot Garage to seek out alternatime, we were somewhat skeptical of our tive locations to relocate the business in chances of funding due to the amount of the village area. The Town will be hirfederal funding available from the July ing a consultant to help us evaluate the 2023 flood and the large demand around technical and economic feasibility of sites the state. Vermont Emergency Manage- that may be available. The Town has a ment, a part of the Vermont Depart- grant to buy out the Cabot Garage propment of Public Safety, evaluates and erty that will pay the owner the apranks applications before they go to praised property value if the owner FEMA. We were notified a few weeks agrees to go forward with the buyout. ago that our application was ranked in There are very limited sites in the vilthe top tier of applications received for lage. This work will occur in the suminfrastructure projects. This is good mer and fall.

↑ contents

FEMA/Flood Recovery

In the previous edition of the Chronicle, I updated the town on the status of our appeals with FEMA regarding the reimbursement process and future steps for constructing a new public safety building. In the last few months FEMA has turned over many of their flood projects from July 2023 to Vermont Emergency Management and their staff. This new relationship has been challenging and at the same time hopeful. As you may well remember, the old fire station had to be razed as the 2023 flood waters eroded the banks behind the building to such a degree that it would have fallen into the Winooski River. The State Fire Marshall condemned the building and FEMA collaborated with us to build a temporary building on the South Walden Road which currently houses all our fire apparatus. The current problem we face is that FEMA promised the Town that it would help us build a new facility on land we own that was designated for a new Public Safety Building. They have since stepped away from that and are reconsidering their offer. The Town is appealing against that decision. In lieu of that,

↑ contents

Cabot Historical Society VP

You may have heard around town that the historical building was closed to the public through the winter and much of the spring. That is true, and although it generally is closed through the winter, restricting access to the public had been done with an abundance of caution. I found myself, as I often have the last two years, in the Brimblecombe Building with the flag up (if the flag is up, someone always wanders in), waiting for my kids to get out of school. I found myself in the shed, outback, where I hadn’t gotten a chance to look around, and I decided to poke my head into the crawlspace, because who doesn’t love an almost 200 year old basement? In doing so, I noticed that many of the support columns underneath the building appeared to have dry-rotted and were not doing their jobs anymore. I immediately contacted the rest of the board, and we immediately made the decision to restrict access to the building to no more than six people at a time. Since then, it was requested by membership that a grant be sought, and that was done, but we unfortunately did not

↑ contents

Update #2

we received a $5 million grant from USDA to apply towards the new facility with the Town needing to find the remaining funds. The Town is working through the appeal process which is common for flood projects to justify reimbursement for work that has been done or needs to be completed. It is a very laborious and bureaucratic process that has taken many hours of time for our treasurer and also for Chief Dean Deasy and me. Critical pieces of paperwork, emails, pictures and statements from engineers and geologists have been submitted through the FEMA portal to comply with their requirements. I would like to report that we are in the final stages with the information being sent in June for the state to review and then on to FEMA. The appeal process could take many more months and requests for more information from the Town are not unusual. Many towns in our state are currently going through that same process. The Selectboard will continue to update the town on its progress. Michael J. Hogan-Selectboard Chair and Flood Relief Coordinator

↑ contents

Open July 4 as Usual

receive the grant. The timing of the grant was not ideal and once we learned that we were not chosen, the contractors were all tied up until late this summer. A huge thank you to Fred Ducharme and Glenn Goodrich for donating their time and skills and getting the cribbing in place underneath the building, it is rock solid now and many of the old creaks that were heard throughout the building are no longer. The building has most likely been in this condition for decades, as said by multiple contractors, and nothing that we are aware of has been done to the foundation since 1992. In the months of November to early January 2025 three different contractors looked at the building. Two quotes were given for immediate repairs, and one quote was given for an entire full/partial foundation underneath the Main Street building. All repairs would not detract, deter or defer the historical integrity of the building. We are only preserving and making the building stronger. We hope in 20 years on the 200th anniversary the Brimblecombe Building will be standing strong, and our children won’t be faced with these kinds of massive repairs. We look forward to seeing you as always on July 4 th !

↑ contents

Paul P. Lesperance

Paul P. Lesperance, 87, of Cabot, VT, went to be with his Lord on June 8, 2025. He passed at home with his loving family and dog Nami by his side. Paul is the beloved husband of Betty Lesperance. Paul was born on October 9, 1937, in Woonsocket, RI. He grew up in Blackstone, MA. The youngest of 11 children, he was the son of the late Ovila and Mary (Reilly) Lesperance. He was the loving father of Jimmy W. Lesperance and partner Tiffany, Cheryl A. Michon, Dianna L. LeBlanc and husband Todd, Lizz Lesperance, Cheryl A. Sylvain and husband, Mike. He was preceded in death by his son Timothy P. Lesperance and his daughter Nancy M. Lesperance. Paul was the proud grandfather of Katelyn M. LeBlanc, Andrew M. LeBlanc and wife Gina, Shannon Sweeney and Paula Sweeney and the great grandfather of Amelia LeBlanc. Paul was the brother of the late Anna Lavallee, Mary Robinson, Melvina Goulet, Louise Shields, Joseph, Bobby, Christopher, Leo, Peter, and Louis Lesperance. Paul has many nieces and nephews and he loved them all. Paul ran heavy equipment for Walnut Farms Construction. He then ran his own excavating business before becoming a crane operator for General Dynamics at the Quincy shipyard. Paul moved to Cabot in 1981. He and his family successfully created Brookside Statuary and Gift Shop, where they produced and sold concrete lawn ornaments. Paul and Betty were founding members of the Ornamental Concrete Producers Association. He also drove school bus for the Cabot School District for sports and field trips.

↑ contents

Merlin Pierce P. Pierce Obituary

Merlin (Pat) Phillip Pierce, 89 years old, of Waitsfield, VT, passed away on May 24, 2025, at CVMC in Berlin. Thank you to the wonderful nursing staff for taking care of him in his final days. Pat was born on January 28, 1936 in Warren, VT, to Hiram and Freda (Thompson) Pierce. Pat loved to share his memories of the "old Warren" where he was raised until 1949 when his parents moved to MA. There he met his wife Jacqueline (Wade) Pierce of 56 years. They were wed in 1959 shortly before moving back to VT. They started their farming career in Northfield before moving to Cabot. They farmed for the Bothfelds until 2013, when Pat was forced to retire. They then moved to Waitsfield to be closer to family. In 2016 he lost the love of his life to cancer and today he joins her again. He is survived by his sisters: Hester Family was of the utmost importance to Paul. He enjoyed family gatherings, which included lots of music and singing. There were many sing-alongs to classic country music, which was his favorite. He loved dancing with Betty around the house, whether there was music playing or not. Paul also enjoyed fishing, cross country skiing, and watching westerns on tv. Paul, Betty and Lizz loved Arizona. They spent many winters in Benson, where they became a part of the community and grew to love the desert as much as the Green Mountains. He especially loved his home in Cabot, where he spent over 40 years enjoying the many moods of Molly’s Pond and the wildlife around it. Paul was very much a people person and had a great sense of humor, always making people laugh and bringing joy to those around him. He was dearly loved and let those around him know without a doubt they were loved as well. The family would like to thank Ruth and Glenn Goodrich and the Cabot Ambulance Service for their friendship and support during this time. Thank you to the entire staff at Plainfield Health Center for your excellent care over the years, and to the entire staff at Central Vermont Medical Center. A special thank you to his hospice team, Alex, Amanda, Bonnie, Donna, Elliot and Jamie, as well as friend and hospice volunteer Matt Nally . They showed such love and care to Paul and his family. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July, 12, 2025, at 11:00 am at Neighbors In Action, 39 Main St. Cabot, VT 05647. If desired, donations in Paul’s name can be made to the Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Rd, Barre, VT 05641.

Sheldon, Corrine (Tiny) Whitney, Whitney, Harriet Sister-in-law Betty Pierce, and hundreds of cherished nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He is predeceased by his siblings: Edward Pierce, Robert Pierce, Frances Pierce, Virginia Jones, Marion Pearce, Elwin Pierce, and Carol Pierce. He was predeceased by his parents, Hiram Pierce (1984) and Freda Pierce (1989). Pats' favorite pastimes were watching the Red Sox and Bruins games. He loved his time with his four hooved ladies and socializing with family. The last few years of his life, Charley & Stephany were his enjoyment. He is a great man and will truly be missed by all. special Thanks to Brianna (Squeaky), Danelle, Ashley, and Tammy from CVHH&H for making his last couple of years comfortable and entertaining. Celebration of life will be at the Warren Town Hall from 1:30 – 4 pm on July 19, 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the local Mad River Valley Little League in his honor.

↑ contents

Are we our Brother’s Keeper?

Things have definitely changed lately. It feels like there are a lot of challenges these days. This is especially true of pets. Over a good span of time, I have gone to White Market in St. Johnsbury, and I sit out front and sell Kingdom Animal Shelter cat calendars or tickets to go into tennis balls for Bark in the Park. I love doing that. I love chatting with folks. I almost always ask them if they have pets…and many launch into stories about their pets. But in the past year or so, I have gotten a number of folks whose faces go a bit sad, and they tell me they can’t afford pets anymore. I suppose we could take the stance, as a Shelter, that people who can’t afford pets shouldn’t have them. But they are such a comfort, such wonderful companions. And pets really shouldn’t be only for the well-to-do. It is so true that medical care and food have become very expensive, prohibitively so. And that means for many that the pets they have cannot get the health care they need. And it breaks peoples’ hearts, to watch their pets decline and not be able to do anything about it. Most people love their pets and want the best for them. At the Shelter, we are trying to help. We are doing this for two reasons. One, it is the right thing to do, to help people do better by their animals, especially when they are facing hard times. It also means that if people can get some financial assistance, they can keep their animals, rather than having to take them to a shelter and surrender them, which can be totally devastating to the family that loves them and counts on their presence in their home. Several years

↑ contents

OMMENTARY

in the Community Commentary, those of this newspaper or its affiliates. ago, a young woman had called the shelter because her cat was ill and she did not have the funds to take her cat to the vet. She was sobbing at the thought of having to surrender her beloved animal. This phone call gave rise to the idea of helping owners with financial difficulties to keep their animals, that we now know as the Community Fund. About five years ago, our Board vice president began applying for grants to establish our Community Fund. Over this time, we have been able to help many, many people with spays/neuters, vaccinations, health exams, simple operations, tend to injuries, and get medications. And this has helped ease their minds about the well-being of their pets and let them keep them. We are committed to using only grants and funds donated to the Community Fund for this and not use money from the General Fund that helps run our Shelter. Volunteers are working on more grants…but as you might imagine, funds are harder and harder to come by. And more and more, we are having to say to folks who call, desperate for help, we cannot help you because we have no more Community Fund money. I don’t usually make a special plea. But it would be wonderful if we have some supporters out there who could help us with this fund, who could help us be “our brother’s keeper”. It seems the humane thing to do, for the humans and the pets, for folks who aren’t quite as lucky or well off as others are. Thank you. Helen Morrison President, Board of Directors Kingdom Animal Shelter St. Johnsbury, Vermont And West Shore Road, Cabot, Resident

↑ contents

Fire Department Insurance

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer The board discussed insurance for the Fire Department at their June 3 meeting. Dean Deasy proposed to the board that the insurance coverage for the volunteer firefighters be changed from PACIF, which is offered by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, to insurance offered by Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services (VFIS). Amy Monahan told the board that currently liability was through PACIF, and sickness and disability insurance was through VFIS. Dean pointed out that PACIF only offers broad coverage, whereas VFIS offers coverage specifically for volunteer firefighters. He stated that the Cabot firefighters deserve the best coverage, and that switching to VFIS would also create savings. Dean mentioned that other towns are making the switch for their Fire Departments. Amy sought clarification on the current insurance policies, that liability for the Fire Department was through PACIF, and sickness and disability was through VFIS. Dean confirmed that is the case, and then said he was also asking for an increase in disability insurance, so injured firefighters would get more coverage if they become disabled. Mike asked Amy Monahan, the Town Treasurer, if the FY26 budget had money in it for the increase in disability insurance. Amy responded that she had no idea the policy existed before she got the renewal notice. Dean did not have any quotes for the increase, and Mike asked if they could address the request at the next meeting. Fred Ducharme asked if Dean was asking for more money in the next fiscal year. Dean wasn’t sure if it was part of the Fire Department budget, or the town budget. Amy said that since she didn’t even know it existed, she wasn’t sure and suspected it was lumped into the overall Fire Department insurance line item. The board decided to wait until the next meeting to make a decision, which was held on June 17. At this meeting Dean reiterated his request to increase the disability coverage, which was currently $200/$300 a week. He said the first level was for the first 28 days, after which the second level of payments started. He requested an increase to $400/$600 a week. There was discussion regarding the costs, and Fred said that the decision was a “no brainer”. Mike agreed. Later in the meeting, the board approved the increase in the disability insurance coverage. The discussion then turned to liability insurance, where Dean stated that the VFIS policy was more tailored to volunteer fire services. He expressed that he strongly felt they should switch insurance for better coverage. Amy said that when she talked to VLCT, they told her that since the Fire

↑ contents

UPDATE UPDATES UPDATE SS S

Department isn’t a separate entity from the town, they can’t leave PACIF unless the town also dropped PACIF insurance coverage. Dean said that VLCT was playing hardball. He added that right now the Fire Department members are not properly covered. Dean said that if members are hurt going to a scene, or returning from a scene, they are not covered by the PACIF insurance. Jeff, an agent for VFIS insurance, told the board that insurance companies can actually require you to insure everything with them. He added that he knows of two other departments that are trying to get out of VLCT. Jeff added that VFIS insurance also protects members' personal effects. Mike said this is a numbers game, and that the board is concerned about the tax rate. He added that they want the best prices, and getting the right insurance and saving the town money is important. Amy and Jeff discussed what was included in the quotes, with Jeff adding that management liability and umbrella liability was also included. He said management liability covers the chief if he gets sued for a decision, or action, as the Fire Chief. Amy speculated that since the Fire Department and the town share the same Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), and the department is part of the town, then if the Fire Department gets sued, the town gets sued. Mile said that the subject was a good budget management discussion. Fred stated he agreed with Dean and the volunteers should get the best insurance. Jeff, the insurance agent, said he does have another municipality program, and he could work up a quote, but it would be a long process. Amy said that the VLCT policies run on a calendar year, so they don’t have to do anything immediately. At the same meeting, Amy talked about the amount of coverage that VLCT had on each of the buildings owned by the town. She noted that the temporary fire house was insured for $5 million, and that was costing the town $14,000 a year. She noted that the vehicles are under a different policy, and the coverage was for the structure and the contents. Amy added that the contents were covered at $175,000. Mike said the building cost $1.5 million to build, and it was only a year old. He concluded that a more appropriate amount might be $2 million. Amy pointed out that they can set the amount of coverage. Fred and Jenn said they need to consider replacement cost. Amy said the policy includes guaranteed replacement cost on all the buildings. The board discussed the need to do a general assessment on the insurance coverage of all the buildings, with Mike noting that the current coverage on the wastewater plant was probably too low. 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

Fireworks Policy

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

At the June 3 meeting of the board, Mike Hogan noted to the board that there had been a discussion about the fireworks policy once before, and that there was some talk about whether it should be an ordinance. He said that an ordinance would involve a fine, because the town could issue a ticket. Mike said the process for adopting an ordinance is a little lengthy, and it can only take effect 60 days after the board approves it, unless there is a petition to vote upon the ordinance. Mike then turned the discussion to Dean Deasy, Fire Chief, who currently handles the fireworks policy. Dean said that when holidays are near, his phone starts ringing regarding fireworks. He went on to say that there is a group of people that enjoy shooting them off and watching them. And there is another group of people that have issues with the noise and their animals. Not everyone will be happy with whatever is adopted by the town. Dean explained that currently there is a “courtesy” policy in place. He said under the policy, he goes to the place that would be covered under the permit to inspect the fallout area, and to check on what type of fireworks are going to be used. Dean said there are commercial and professional grades of fireworks. He proposed changing the requirement that adjoining landowners be notified to another mechanism managed by the Town Clerk. Dean said a 15 day window would be applied, where the applicant comes to the town clerk and she will advertise the application with a sevenday window to receive complaints or objections. Then after the seven-day window, there would be seven days allotted for review of safety and issuance of the permit. Dean said that this 15-day window with the process he described would allow people to voice their opinion. Dean added many towns have fines, and it would be up to the Selectboard to decide on fines and make the policy an ordinance. He also said that some towns just stay away from the issue and have no policy or ordinance. Mike told the board that the town could have an official policy with no teeth, or an ordinance with fines. He said the issue would be enforcement. He related it to the issue of enforcing the dog ordinance. And Mike mentioned they discussed the issue of enforcement when

↑ contents

Flood Hazard Mitigation

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer The town, led by the Flood Resiliency Task Force, has been pursuing two flood mitigation projects involving a grant. At the May 20 board meeting, Gary Gulka presented the status of ongoing flood mitigation projects. He reminded the board that on April 30 the town submitresiding, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues to listen in person. Instructions for

they considered a noise ordinance. He said that Betty had a handout from the state, and mentioned that Calais has a fireworks ordinance. He wondered how things work in Calais. Dean said that he has clamped down hard on anything that would be set off on the commons. He added that he has talked to the Joe’s Pond Association about how they handle fireworks. He said they are pretty good, and have people shooting them off docks and at events like weddings. Mike mentioned liability is a big issue if something happens. He speculated that most people's insurance probably doesn’t cover damage done by fireworks. Connie Hare spoke from the audience and noted that she didn’t get anything for damages when her horses got hurt last year when her neighbor set off fireworks. Dean said that situations like that need to be addressed in the policy or ordinance. Jenn Miner asked if someone is issued a permit, are they still liable for damages. Dean answered that the permit states the Fire Department and the town are not liable, and states that the application should have insurance. He emphasized that they are signing the document as an acknowledgement. He added that if people are shooting off fireworks, they have to take responsibility. Dean mentioned a situation in the past when bottle rockets were landing on someone’s roof and said that is not acceptable. Jenn asked, regardless of the policy, if someone feels fireworks are not safe, who do they call? Dean said that some people get commercial grade stuff from New Hampshire, and if that is the case the Vermont State Police would enforce the laws. Connie asked about liability insurance and Dean said he was beefing up that part of the “courtesy” policy to require liability insurance. Connie said that she is still stuck moving her horses every year. Dean acknowledged her concerns, stating that he has horses, too. He suggested the possibility of restricting fireworks within proximity of livestock. Mike said that he would like to know what other issues towns have had, and Jenn added, whether towns have been successful enforcing an ordinance. Dean also said there could be a deposit, which would be returned if everything was okay afterwards.

↑ contents

Grant

ted a grant application for two projects. One being for a bridge by the Willey Building, and another for the north tributary. Gary said the application was for $3.9 million, and they were very pessimistic about the chances of receiving funding. (see ‘Hazard Mitigation’, page 6)

↑ contents

Hazard Mitigation

(continued from page 5) Gary told the board that there were many other applications, and the available $70 million would be spread around the state. However, he informed the board that Cabot’s application was in the upper tier, which meant it had a potential to receive funding. He then said that he also learned that the project was no longer cost effective, meaning the damages exceed the cost of the project. Gary explained that when they submitted the application, they had a benefit cost ratio of 1:1.5, but since then FEMA had changed some factors in the formula and now the proposed projects had a benefit cost ration of 1:0.6. He said that anything less than 1:1 would not receive funding. Gary said that they can get the benefit cost ratio back over 1:1 if they were to add some things which don’t seem to be very significant. He surmised if the town engaged the engineers they could come up with some more ecological things that would improve the ratio. Gary said they are considering going upstream and adding riparian buffers, and noted that by removing the culvert they would be restoring the stream bed. He went on to explain that it would cost about $2,000 to $5,000 to revise the design plans to show the ecological improvements. Gary thought that there was some money available from the funds the Selectboard had allocated to the Cabot Garage relocation project. He added that all of the updates have to be done by the end of next month, June. Mike Hogan said he thought the decision was a “no brainer”, and stated he didn’t think there were any stipulations on the allocated funds. He added that the town needs both projects done because they cause the most flooding in the town.

↑ contents

Use of the Pavilion

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Fred Ducharme asked the board what would be done about parking at the recreation field, specifically for the pavilion. The conversation took place under “other business” at the May 20 board meeting. Fred also pointed out that Cabot Visual Arts wanted to use the pavilion for their monthly “Show and Tell” meeting, but was told there was a $250 fee by the Recreation Committee. He went on to say that a lot of people are irritated about the construction of the temporary fire house at the recreation field, and noted that if the pavilion is used for anything, everyone will be parking on the road. Fred stated he wanted to see if they could put a parking area behind the guardrails to make the pavilion useful again. Fred returned to the subject of the fee, and Betty Ritter said that the visual arts group comes monthly to use the Willey Building meeting room and she does not charge them. She noted that the recreation committee made a policy the other year, regarding the fees, and even in-

↑ contents

UPDATE UPDATES UPDATE SS S

At the June 3 meeting, Gary presented the board with a supplement to the original application. He told the board that they are working with the Guzman property, where the tributary meanders. Gary said that Luis Guzman was willing to craft a letter of support for the application. He also added that Chris Tormey agreed the recreation fields could still be used, with a ten-foot buffer along the tributary and the main stem of the Winooski. Gary told the board that all that the Vermont Emergency Management needed was a letter of support from the Selectboard. He said that if the project is funded then there would be an easement to maintain the buffer. Gary presented a letter for Mike's signature. At the May 20 meeting, the board also discussed the Cabot Garage buyout project. Gary told the board that they were at the next step under the grant, which consisted of performing a phase two site assessment. He explained that involved a sampling plan of the site including shallow and deeper soil samples. Gary said there would be groundwater monitoring wells, too. He said the plan needs to be approved by the Department of Conservation (DEC) site program. Gary explained to the board that they had sent out a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the phase two site assessment, as well as a hazardous building assessment. He told the board they got two bids, and he was recommending approval of the bid from the contractor that did the phase one site assessment. The bid was the lower of the two bids, at $17,000. He presented a contract to the board for their approval. Mike said that phase two was very important, and that it must be done to continue with the project. He recommended the board approve that contract so the town could pursue a major mitigation effort. The board approved the contract unanimously.

cluded charging for town functions. Fred said everyone pays taxes and should be able to use the pavilion. Peggy Miller pondered if the rule was related to the need to lock and unlock the bathrooms, and remove trash. She felt it was worth a discussion with the committee. Betty said that the users get the key for the bathrooms from the Town Clerk, and they are told to take care of their own trash. Mike Hogan recommended that the board invite the recreation committee to a board meeting to discuss the policy. He noted that they are having problems finding people to volunteer to be on the committee. The board revisited the discussion about the pavilion at the June 3 meeting, and Mike noted that he and Fred looked over the area with regard to parking. Betty said the Recreation Committee was not in attendance for the discussion. Fred noted that he and Ben walked around the area, and that he was told by the zoning administrator the area to the right of the firehouse was wetlands. He noted that on the left side, there was a culvert. Dean Deasy pointed out that there are two culverts, one under the road and one from drainage for the basketball court. He added that was the reason there are rocks around the flagpole, because that area couldn’t be paved. Fred said the pavilion isn’t useful unless we have more parking. Skip Bothfeld asked if it was possible to locate parking behind the firehouse. Fred responded by saying there was a buffer of trees, and the slope increased in that area. He speculated they could add parking on the land behind the pavilion. The discussion did not lead to any conclusions. At the June 17 meeting, the board again discussed the topic of the pavilion. Betty again said the Recreation Committee wasn’t present, and noted that she had sent an email but never received a response.

↑ contents

School Flag Pole

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Superintendent Matt Foster informed the school board that only the US flag and the state flag can be flown together on the flag pole, at the April 28 School Board meeting. Matt said that additional non-governmental flags need to be flown on other flag poles. Matt also pointed out the issue of having too many flags on a pole posed a problem when the US flag is flown at half mast. Chris Tormey responded by saying it looks like we need another flag pole. The addition of another flag pole has been discussed in past board meetings for a couple of years. Chris said a new flag pole might cost $800. Matt added that it would be a 16 foot tall aluminum pole. Chris mentioned that Matt’s idea was to wait until the new budget takes effect on July 1, when there would be money to buy a pole. Principal Jennifer Blake relayed a question from an email she received from a parent asking if the decision was a board decision, a community decision, or a school decision. There wasn’t much of a response to the question, and Matt noted that there was only the need for one more flag pole. Jason Monaco reminded the board that the topic of another flagpole was discussed a long time ago. Ellen Cairns noted that Frank Kampf had brought it up when he was on the board. Jason then asked if the board needed to vote on it. Matt said that since it was under $10,000, it would fall under mainte-

Advertising in

↑ contents

For more information, contact us

Fred told the board that a woman that home schools wanted to rent the pavilion for an ice cream social. He said at the rate that is being charged, no one is going to rent the pavilion. Betty suggested that the Town Clerk's office take back the management of the pavilion rental. She acknowledged that the recreation committee needs money, but the community needs service. Fred added that everyone pays taxes, and the fee should be minimal. Peggy Miller agreed, but added that there should be a $50 deposit should there be any problems, but the user would get it back if things were undamaged and clean. Betty noted that they do that on all rentals, and that the deposit is $100. Mike suggested the board look at all the fees that are charged for rentals at their next meeting in July, which coincides with the start of the new fiscal year.

↑ contents

UPDATE

nance, and didn’t necessarily need a vote. Jason reminded the board that he has been opposed to the extra flags on the pole. Chris asked the board if they wanted to officially ask the administration to purchase an additional flag pole, and Jason made the motion. But he stated that he didn’t think they should add another pole, and he was in favor of revising the policy to only have the US and Vermont state flags on the existing pole. He added that he felt the other flags were divisive and political. Alicia Heber asked about the policy or procedure for adding any flag. She said that it is more about the process being transparent. Alicia also questioned if either of the other flags are necessary when we make sure the school policies represent the purpose of the flag. Chris asked the board if they should postpone the discussion on purchasing a second pole so they could have a discussion about the need for a second pole. He said that they could discuss it at the May meeting. Ellen wondered if they could go back and look at the notes since the subject had been discussed before, adding that she thought they had made a decision before. Chris proposed the history of flag policy and process be reviewed at the next meeting. Malissa Pratt moved to table the motion until the next meeting, which was approved by the board. Jennifer asked if the additional flags could remain for now, and Chris told her “Yes.”

Its a great way to reach up to 1900 households in Cabot, Marshfield, Plainfield, Hardwick, & Danville! Spread the word about your product or service while helping to support a great community resource.

↑ contents

Community News Service

Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship. Originally a Vermont Public Podcast. Also published in Hardwick Gazette.

Best friends Mia Preston and Lucia McCallum as children posing front and center with their Cabot soccer team on October 19, 2011. This story was produced for the ear. We highly recommend listening to the audio. (https://www.vermontpublic.org/localnews/2025-05-23/should-i-stay-orshould-i-go-one-recent-grad-reflects-on-afuture-in-vermont) Vermont is an idyllic place to grow up. I was born and raised in Cabot. And as a kid there, I thrived in our small, tight-knit community. Now, I'm living in Burlington. I just graduated from the University of Vermont. And as much as I love this state, I wonder if it makes sense for me to stay. As a 21-year-old with an English degree, I worry about finding a job, affording a place to live, and building a strong community of people my age here. Moving to a larger state with bigger cities might make all that a little easier. I know it’s a privilege to get to choose where I want to begin the next chapter of my life. But still, I'm struggling with this decision. And I'm not alone.

Lucia McCallum at her graduation from the University of Vermont on May 18, 2025.

Most of the people who go to college in Vermont — 57% — leave the state after graduation. That’s more than any other state, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. I ran that statistic by Art Woolf, an economics professor at the University of Vermont who specializes in Vermont demographics. He says to take the finding with a grain of salt, because so many of the people who go to college in Ver-

↑ contents

on a Future in Vermont

mont come here from out of state. Still, Vermont is not retaining recent college graduates. Woolf said one reason is because young people tend to want to live in urban areas. “Now there are some people — young people — who really like the outdoors and being able to kayak and hike and ski, and that is a certain subset," he said. "But it’s not the majority." I like rural Vermont, and I feel like I could build a life in Cabot. But I still don't know what to do. So I headed back to my hometown to talk with some locals about my dilemma. My best friend and fellow Cabotian, Mia Preston, tagged along with me.

Mia Preston at Harry's Hardware in Cabot in April 2025. . And Gokey said he always knew he wanted to come back to Vermont. Talking to them, they seemed to share an undeniable feeling that Cabot is home. Flynn says it's because of the people: "There are beautiful places all around the country that you could live, but the community and the camaraderie of Vermonters is something that you don't find everywhere," Flynn said. “I think the older I get, the more I feel like I'm going to have a really hard time leaving Vermont,” Mia told me. Mia is graduating from the University of Vermont in the fall, and she's considering moving back to Cabot within the next year. Like me, she loves our hometown, but doesn’t know if it is feasible to live there right now. “I thrive with people my own age, and I don't really see that much here,” she said. Once in Cabot, we went to Harry's Hardware. Harry's is a community hub — part hardware store, part bar. Inside, each of the metal tractor seat stools at the bar was occupied. People chatted and ate pizza at tables scattered around shelves of tools and animal feed. Toward the back, a group played Magic the Gathering. Mia and I asked Harry's regulars about what they did when they were our age. There are beautiful places all around the country that you could live, but the community and the camaraderie of Vermonters is something that you don’t find everywhere. Alanna Flynn: Alanna Flynn said as a teen, she was itching to get out of Vermont. She's originally from Benson, and she left Vermont four days after she graduated from high school. “I got on a train and I went to Columbus, Ohio, where my oldest brother lived,” she said. “I hung out there for a while, and then I toured with him and his band back to the East Coast and up back to New England, selling merchandise for him.” Kenny Gokey was born and raised in Cabot, but left when he was 17: “My dad passed away when I was just a freshman, so I ended up quitting school, went to work in a granite shed,” he said. "And then Uncle Sam wanted me, so I joined the military, and ended up in Vietnam." Seth O’Brien grew up in town and left for college: “I wanted to see something bigger. So I went to New York, and then decided that was too big and too busy, and made my way back.” In fact, Flynn, Gokey and O'Brien all came back. Flynn moved to Cabot to be a bartender at Harry’s six years ago. She doesn’t work at Harry's anymore, but still lives in town. O'Brien started a computer shop under the Cabot Village Store, and has found community at Harry’s, where he now hosts Magic the Gathering sessions on Wednesdays

Larry Simpson, one of the regulars at Harry's Hardware, showing off a photo of the house he built. Simpson says the best way to make a decision is to talk with people about it. Kenny Gokey suggested I stay in Vermont. He says a younger crowd would benefit Cabot: “If you're a true Vermonter and you've lived here all your life, well, it's like home, you know,” he said. “So I really feel strongly that, if you grew up in this town and you went to school in this town, yeah, you know, come back and tell us how we should be fixing things.” Ama Peyman agrees. She has an organic vegetable farm in town, and she said more young people here could help strengthen the community. “I think we need you," she said. "I think that Cabot's aging out a bit. When I look around at my neighbors, a lot are older than myself and my husband, Nate. And when I

↑ contents

Cabot School Board Chair

On Monday, June 16, the Vermont Legislature approved H454, which lays the groundwork for a massive restructuring of how public schools in Vermont are governed and funded. The full set of those changes in the bill will not go into effect until July of 2028, and several studies and crucial votes will have to happen first. Here are the changes in the bill that will have the most impact on Cabot: go to church here, I attend the little old church here in Cabot, and almost everyone's older than ourselves.” But others, like Flynn, told me there’s something to be said for leaving. “I think that you've gotta leave for some period of time, whatever that looks like,” she said. “I mean, maybe not everybody feels that way, but I feel like you have to know what else is out there to be certain about where you want to be.” Unlike me, some young people already know what they want. High school senior Cian Nott plans to live in Cabot with his girlfriend after they graduate and take a cross-country road trip this summer. “Where I go to school, there's definitely a lot of people who can't wait to get out of here,” he said. "But I think it's really the way you grow up, and the lifestyle you want to lead. For some people, Vermont is the perfect place for a quiet, happy lifestyle."

Mia Preston recording her thoughts on a future in Vermont as she sits parked off of Cabot Plains Road in April 2025.

After we left Harry’s Hardware, Mia and I decided to drive up Cabot Plains Road to go sit by the covered bridge and watch the sunset — something we did religiously in high school. It's a place that's sacred to us. As we drove, Mia sung along to the radio, and the sky grew pink. I'm moving into an apartment in Burlington for the summer, and I don’t know when I'll be living in Cabot again. But I do know that in that moment, I was home.

↑ contents

Vermont’s current 120+ school dis-

tricts will be consolidated into 15-20 much larger units of between 4,000 and 8,000 students. This summer a group of 11 legislators and school officials will come up with three different maps of how Vermont’s existing school districts and Supervisory Unions (“SU”s) might be reconfigured, and next year the Legislature will choose one of them. Supervisory Unions allow the local school districts within them to retain their own boards and decision-making while bene(see, ‘Reform Bill’, page 10)  Dominic Fontaine Dominic Fontaine will attend the University of Vermont and study Business Administration, and hopes to work with a pro sports team.

 Petra Lalomia Petra Lalomia will begin her training with Charlotte Ballet starting this summer and continuing into next fall.

↑ contents

Reform Bill

(continued from page 7) fiting from collaboration. If Cabot School is part of a larger SU in the new map of districts, for example, it can work with neighboring schools in that SU to research the value/cost of forming a regional high school to increase student opportunities.

↑ contents

Schools will be required to meet

specific class-size minimums in order to continue to operate. If a school fails to meet the minimums three years in a row, the Secretary of Education may recommend to the State Board of Education to take action to close the school. The class size minimums are: Grade 1: Grade 2-5: Grade 6-8: Grade 9-12: Prekindergarten, 10 students 12 students 15 students 18 students kindergarten, high school elective courses and Career Technical Education courses are exempt from these class size minimums, which kick in starting with the 2026-27 school year. Dozens of small schools across Vermont (including Cabot) have class sizes that are near or below these minimums.

↑ contents

Rather than continuing to allow the

voters of local school districts to determine how much to spend to support their schools, H454 calls for the State of Vermont to make that decision for them. Starting in 2028, the bill calls for Vermont to return to a “Foundation Formula” plan for school funding. This plan would provide all schools with a base amount of $15,033 per student to operate, with added funds provided for students in situations that make their education more expensive (students in poverty, in rural areas, learning English as a second language, etc.)

Cabot Mentoring and Cabot Ride the Ridges are teaming up this year to walk/ ride in the Cabot 4th of July parade to raise awareness about youth mentoring and to promote the September 14 Cabot Ride the Ridges bicycle event which is the chief fundraiser for the mentoring program. We’ll be having adults walking and children riding bicycles. If your child would like to ride with us in the parade please contact: Mark Christensen, cabotmentoring@gmail.com or call/text 802-

In other news, the first Cabot Ride the Ridges scholarship has been awarded to Jacob Tidd, a 2025 Cabot High School graduate. Jacob will be attending Paul Smiths College in the fall and will use the $1500 scholarship for tuition and expenses. will property cation will next and

The newly established Cabot Ride the Ridges port Cabot youth in their educational pursuits coming years to any Cabot youth who apply. Cabot Ride the Ridges bicycling event which green and throughout the surrounding hills and For information, scan the QR code in the poster. The challenge in moving to the new Foundation Plan mandated by H454 is that schools currently spending less than the “Foundation Grant” specified for their school under the new plan will see both their schools’ spending and property taxes increase, while schools currently spending more will have to cut programs and staff to operate at the new Foundation Grant level. School districts that want to spend more than their Foundation Grant in a given year may do so up to a point (starting at an added 10% and decreasing to +5% over 5 years) but must get local voters’ approval. It remains to be seen how Cabot’s school taxes will be impacted by this new funding plan- there are several moving parts that will certainly change between now and 2028 when the plan’s scheduled to go into effect.

↑ contents

To summarize, Act 454 is an ef-

fort by the Legislature and Governor Scott to reduce the costs and improve the quality of Vermont’s public schools by shifting most of the control for operating and funding them from local communities to policymakers in Montpelier. Although the bill does not address several key drivers of increasing school budgets (rising health-insurance costs, aging school buildings, and increasing student mental health needs), it was approved by healthy margins in both the House and Senate. It remains to be seen how well the bill succeed in cutting Vermonters’ taxes and/or improve the eduof our students, but it certainly present new challenges over the several years for small rural schools communities like Cabot.

Scholarship Fund is a way to supand will be made available in the All of these funds are raised by the is held each September on the Cabot back roads.

↑ contents

Cabot School Board Chair

Students and teachers across Cabot School’s preK-12 campus invited families and community members to school on Tuesday, June 3, to check out what they’ve been working on and learning this semester. Throughout the day, preschool students used toy animals and posters to show and tell visitors about the importance of farms and farm animals. Next door, kindergarteners hosted their families for breakfast before guiding them through their indoor forest: an assemblage leaves and of bark and photographs chronicling how each student’s chosen tree outside had changed through the school year. First- and second-graders showed off the pea and carrot plants they’d Student in HS microbiology startedtheir search at the Exhibition observations of the seedlings’ growth this spring have helped them learn about what plants need to thrive. After lunch in the library, third-and fourth-grade students presented to a large audience their research on a range of natural disasters, from blizzards to floods to tornadoes. Each student group used their learning to produce a brochure as well as a short newscast video outlining how these disasters develop, the damage they cause and how to stay safe when one occurs. Having just returned from a field trip to Bos-

Trail, Freedom fifth-and sixth-graders dressed up as fictional Patriots and Loyalists (farmers, printers, tailors, etc.) and used artifacts and letters to their King to show how pivotal events like the Third and fourth grade Stamp Act had of their research on natural impacted their lives before the start of the Revolutionary War. Middle-school students used a variety of ways to demonstrate what they’d learned this semester in a unit called “A Journey through Adversity and Resilience.” Having researched the challenges faced by the crew of the ice-bound ship Endurance over a century ago, students created a digital, illustrated timeline and composed journal entries of individual crew members who survived the ordeal. After reading “Refugee” about the adversity faced by three different young people during the past century, each student made a detailed drawing of an island and its landforms to represent the in-

↑ contents

of Learning

tense challenges and goals of each young person’s journey. Finally, students researched the challenges presented by natural disasters around the globe and developed a Google Earth product to locate and detail them. In the high school, students produced posters and illustrated booklets to showcase their learning about how the English language works (from words to phrases to genres of literature) and painted a wall-sized tree to show the spreading branches of language over time. In the same classroom, students studying different revolutions created posters, essays, news broadcasts and artifacts to present learning their about how these upheavals have led to dramatic change in societies. The sound of Chuck electric Berry’s guitar from the history classroom drew class describes re- visitors to watch of Learning on June 2 student’s video made to illustrate the connection between different music genres, and in the science classroom students and parents squinted into microscopes and Petri dishes to marvel at the lush growth of different strains of bacteria collected from aquaria and entryways around the school. Next door, geometry students showed off their 2-D and 3-D house designs, while algebra students displayed the research they’d done on the costs of starting a small business and how to use a program to figure out how quickly the start-up loans could be paid off. A wide variety of student artwork was on display throughout the day in the Art Room, and in the performing b u i l d (CSPAC), mentary arts i n g elestudents presented both an original play and a concert students share products they’d disasters project created. Students in the expanding middle school band showcased their growth in both technical skill and artistic voice this year with an hourlong set that included their versions of tunes ranging from the Beatles to Nirvana. When introducing the original musical developed by third- and fourthgraders (“Time Travel Trouble”), Performing Arts teacher Shani Stoddard touched on a theme in evidence across the Cabot School campus that day when he reflected, “Yes, I admire what these students produced in this project, but I admire even more how they grew in the process”.

↑ contents

Cabot Oral History Committee

All is lush and green in the flower beds and veggie gardens. The plants are thriving, but how are you? Sore back? Tired? Overwhelmed? It might be the fault of your garden tools. If you are serious about gardening, and serious about not hurting yourself, you need good equipment. In general, equipment should have strong handles, sharp edges or blades, and ergonomic design. A good tool will feel easy to use. If it’s awkward or difficult, you’ll tire quickly and may injure yourself. Or you’ll just leave the tool gathering dust in the shed. The quality of garden tools at hardware and big box stores is uneven at best. You can find better tools at garden stores, and online retailers. Here is a list of must-have tools, a few details about them, where you can get one, and how much you’ll probably pay. Hori hori : what? Never heard of it? It’s the best trowel ever, with a long, narrow blade that comes to a point. The edges of the blade are sharp, usually serrated on one side, and straight on the other. A hori hori lets you dig with ease, and even saw through small roots. Available from online retailers, and costs $20-25.

↑ contents

Japanese weeding sickle : you may not

have heard of this one either. It’s a sharp, angled blade, attached to a short handle. The angle is perfect for slicing just under the soil, and the sharp blade makes it easy. You can cut through shallow young weedy plants effortlessly, and when you come to a medium-size dandelion, just turn the blade to use the point instead. It almost makes weeding fun. Available from online retailers, and costs $15-20. Bypass pruners : also known as secateurs, these handheld snips are great for tough stems and small branches. The bypass blades make nice clean cuts, as opposed to an anvil-style cutter which tends to crush plant material. My favorite retailer is Felco, with a website of several models, including some for small-handed and lefthanded folks. This is the priciest tool, at $60-75. Garden fork : the best forks have a long handle, and wide “shoulders” above the tines so you have plenty of room for your foot. I prefer forks with an “S” curve to the

↑ contents

Wednesday, July 9 at 11:30 am

Creative Aging Luncheon - Celebrate and Connect Join us for an art show and lunch with your neighbors, experience art on display, and learn about the Creative Care Kit program and how to get involved. Sponsored by Central Vermont Council on Aging. Tuesday, July 22 from 3 pm to 5 pm Free Cooking for 1 or 2 on a Budget A Free Cooking Demo! Tips, Recipes & Tasty Samples to Enjoy! Are you tired of cooking full meals only to be left with piles of leftovers? Looking

↑ contents

Tools

handle and tines, rather than a straight tool; it makes prying up stubborn root mats much easier. Available from online retailers, though sometimes you get lucky and can find a good fork at a feed or garden store. Expect to pay $50-70. Square-ended spade : great for cutting nice clean edges on the garden beds, dividing plants, and digging planting holes. As with the garden fork, make sure the spade has a nice wide area for your foot, so you feel stable and strong when you push down on the tool. Most stores, including hardware stores, will have this item, for $30-40. Bow rake : a rake with a row of short, rigid teeth, about 2 inches each. Very handy for leveling soil or gravel. Available at most stores, for $30-40. Leaf rake : a rake with long springy teeth. These often are available with plastic heads, but I prefer the metal teeth. They are more flexible, and more gentle to the surface you’re raking. Use for excess lawn clippings, weeds that you accidentally chucked into the lawn instead of into the wheelbarrow, and well, leaves. Available at most stores, for $25-35. Start with good tools, and make sure to keep your tools in good condition. Rinse them after each use, and store them out of the sun and rain. I know most people leave dirt on tools, and leave them outdoors…but this is really hard on the metal edges, and degrades the wooden handles. Shovels, pruners, weeding sickles, and hori horis need to be kept sharp. A chainsaw file (available at hardware stores, $10-15) is good for touching up the edges. You may want to do a heavy sharpening once a year with an angle grinder. Our garden business tools are used 5-6 days a week for several hours each day; we do chainsaw file sharpening a couple times a week, and angle grinder sharpening 2-3 times per season. This garden article is brought to you by Susan Socks, aka the Garden Goddess. Stay tuned for upcoming articles on green lawn care, pruning, garden tools, edible landscapes, native plants, and more. For gardening and landscape help, visit the Garden Goddess page at www.SocksFamilyFarm.weebly.com, email gardengoddess802@gmail.com, or

↑ contents

U PDATE

for ways to enjoy healthy, satisfying dishes without overspending or wasting food? Join us for a fun and informative cooking demonstration designed especially for individuals and small households! Location: Twin Valley Senior Center at 4583 US-2, East Montpelier Free Admission – Space is Limited! Reserve your spot today!

email: director@twinvalleyseniors.org (THIS IS RESCHEDULED FROM TUESDAY, MAY 27)

↑ contents

Executive Director

This past May 30 and 31 Cabot Arts hosted the Green Mountain Oldtime Workshop Weekend in Cabot Village where classes in oldtime and Cajun Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Bass and Harmony Singing were offered. About 120 people came to town from Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and New York to participate in the event. There were dances Friday and Saturday night plus concerts and jam sessions in Harry’s Hardware all weekend long. Despite the rain and chill people came out and had a great time. I would like especially to thank the Town of Cabot as well to acknowledge how accommodating Betty and Shirley are for making the Willey Building available for this and the numerous events that Cabot Arts hosts throughout the year. The longer I’ve been in town (ten years now!) he more I have come to appreciate what an incredible venue and community resource the Willey Building is for us all. Johanna at Harry’s Hardware also made a huge difference in the quality of our event by welcoming folks who just wanted to sit in the rear of the store to play music for much of Saturday afternoon. Over the last few years Cabot has become known as the old-time music hot spot of Vermont and is gaining national recognition as the place to visit when old time musicians are traveling through.

↑ contents

Cabot Arts

This year, Oldtime on The Onion (now in its eighth year!) will be relocating to Cabot and will set up at the Pransky Farm on July 18,19, 20. “The Onion” as it’s known, is an all acoustic, alltraditions fiddlers gathering and camp out festival. Having Oldtime on the Onion in Cabot will continue to deepen Cabot’s reputation as a musical and creative place to be. Sadly, this summer Cabot Arts will not be hosting another Arts and Music Festival, in its place, however, we will be expanding the schedule of the Summer Concerts on the Common. Six concerts will be held on Tuesday evenings from July 22 through August 26. Shows start at 6 pm. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket. This year we are experimenting with having a food truck set up for each concert. So bring along some friends and make an evening out of it! Info can be found at CabotArts.org. This summer’s lineup: July 22 Bloodroot Gap - Bluegrass (Spicy Spoke) July 29 D. Davis & Marc Gwinn Jazz/Folk/Pop (Maharaja Spice) August 5 New Lost Nation - Oldtime String Band (Mexirico Authentico) August 12 Jaded Ravins - Rock/ Country (Trina’s Cuisine) August 19 Sap Line - Quebec/New England/Trad (Stag & Thistle) August 26 Marsh Lights - Folk & Roots (Cabot Village Store)

↑ contents

Presented to Gary Gulka

In an effort to celebrate the valuable contributions by many people to our community, the Cabot School Board and the Cabot Select Board have for over two decades sponsored the Cabot Community Service Award. This award recognizes a Cabot resident whose contributions of time, talent and energy over a number of years have had a significant positive impact on Cabot School and/or the broader Cabot community. Previous recipients of this award have contributed to the strength and vitality of our community in a number of ways: through planting trees, coaching, mentoring, and helping to plan and organize community-wide activities. This year’s recipient of the Cabot Community Service Award, Gary Gulka, has been a steady, energetic force for environmental stewardship and community engagement in Cabot for over four decades, using his diverse talents and experience to make our town a better place to live. While his children were still in school, Gary was an active and dedicated volunteer in a wide range of activities benefiting kids in Cabot: from coaching softball to fundraising for the school playground and CSPAC, to chaperoning school trips to Boston, Washington, DC, and Belize. For many years he was a stalwart member of the crew that set up and ran the PTSO’s 4th of July Celebration on the Rec Field, and since 1990 has coordinated Cabot’s Green-Up Day efforts. In recent years, Gary’s efforts in leading the Cabot Conservation Committee have increased awareness of the plant and animal communities around us - by organizing wildflower and bird walks, habitat inventories, and winter hikes with kids and adults to look for the tracks of bobcat, otter and other mammals. For the past twenty years he’s worked with Friends of the Winooski River to improve our understanding of that river’s portion that flows through Cabot, and has led river cleanup and tree planting efforts along its banks.

↑ contents

Cabot Ecological Inventory

by Gary Gulka

The Conservation Committee has completed a town-wide ecological or natural resources inventory that was started in 2020. Local consulting ecologist, Matt Peters, was retained to conduct the study and field work. The goals of the study were to gain knowledge of the most ecologically significant places in Cabot, to provide information supporting local land use planning, and to help residents learn about, enjoy and steward those ecologically significant places on their land. Cabot now joins the surrounding towns, Plainfield, Calais, Marshfield, and Hardwick, in completing an ecological inventory. The study focused on natural community types found in Cabot. A total of 54 properties where visited where landowner access permission was granted. Vermont recognizes about 120 community types, about 37 of which are found in Cabot. Natural community highlights from this study include an unusual abundance of enriched communities, often

↑ contents

Service Award

His experience with both river corridors as well as the state agencies that monitor them has been incredibly valuable during the past two years, when he organized and led Cabot’s Flood Resiliency Task Force after the floods of 2023 to educate the community on the factors that have led to the increase in large flood events, as well as ways to reduce their damage in the future. His patience and expertise in both grant-writing and communication (with both state officials and community members) have resulted in Cabot submitting this year a $3.2 million Hazard Mitigation Grant application to FEMA to fund the construction of two new bridges to allow future floodwaters to flow safely under Main Street. It’s an honor and pleasure to award this year’s Cabot Community Service Award to a dedicated “retiree” who’s still excited to spend a beautiful fall afternoon wading through mud and thickets to try to locate a spot where one of our town’s tributary’s flood waters could be diverted and slowed, before they plunge downhill towards the Village. Congratulations, Gary, and thanks again for all that you’ve done for our community. Chris Tormey, Cabot School Board Chair

↑ contents

Study Completed

associated with the calcareous Waits River Formation bedrock. These include rare Rich and Intermediate Fens, Calcareous Red Maple-Tamarack Swamps, and uncommon Northern White Cedar Swamps, Seepage Forests and Swee Gale Shoreline Swamps, as well as Rich Northern Hardwood Forests. Matt Peters presented the report at a public meeting on April 29 in the Willey Building. The full Ecologial Inventory Report can be accessed on the home page of the Cabot town website. We encourage you to take a look at the report, which has a wealth of maps and photos of inventory findings, including photos of significant natural communities and maps of where they are found. Matt conducted a field walk on May 3 to visit several significant natural communities on the Talbert Farm Trails. A second field walk is planned in June. The Cabot Conservation Committee now has the background and a wealth of information about Cabot’s natural resources to share and build upon.

↑ contents

U RBAN F ARM W AY

Through art we can express our emotions, ideas, and share our hearts in ways words alone cannot capture. Art can be a source of unexpected joy, inspiration, or profundity. Creating Art, be it clay, fabric, wood, paint, fabric, or music, delights my heart. It also connects me to nature as I participate in the unfolding of a new creation. All this to say, every Tuesday, starting at 4 pm, all Summer, my studios are open for you to come and explore your creative side Bring whatever you may need to nourish yourself, I have some easels, paints, leather tools, sewing machines, clay wheels, and plenty of room. Musicians, please come and fill the air! [room for 20 in a circle] This is by donation only, no rsvp needed, come at your convenience. [Other classes are available throughout the week.] We can schedule a Raku firing, welding class, herb classes, etc. Anyone want to have a drive-in movie night? ok ok!! Plenty of parking in the lower parking lot beside the hoop houses or next to the studio or by the garage. 201 Urban Farm Way [on top of Danville Hill] first place on the left.

802 917 83 ~ Sandy Pond, host Rev. Sandy Pond LMT,

↑ contents

Vermont State Parks and other cen-

ters are open for your summer enjoyment! Call or email to borrow these passes: State Park Pass – Free entry up to 8 people in one vehicle to a Vermont State Park - day area; Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium – Free Family Admission; Historic Sites pass – Free entry up to 8 people in one vehicle for Vermont State Historic Sites; The Old

↑ contents

Center for Lake Champlain – Aquar-

ium and Science Center - $7 admission for up to 4 people; Vermont History Museum/ Vermont Heritage Galleries – Free entry with Family Pass Welcome aboard! We are excited to announce that Amanda and Kathleen will be working as CoDirectors beginning in July, and we warmly welcome Christina Sacalis as our new Assistant Librarian. All three positions are part time. Also, we are delighted to announce the addition of two youth employees for the summer. Freya Van Deusen and Sage King will join Amanda Otto to help with youth and family programs and library projects. This opportunity is made possible by the Wiswell Foundation.

↑ contents

Our World Challenge - Pick up your

reading chart and stickers. Read or be read to for at least 15 minutes a day for 15 days. Upon completion, participants earn a T-shirt, book and an additional prize of their choice. 10 Page Club - Pick up your reading chart. Upon completion, earn a book and an ice-cream voucher for the Cabot Village Store. Get ready to read! Book Sale (all ages) - July 4 - 9 - Noon Browse through hundreds of used books at the annual Fourth of July book sale. This event is organized by the Friends of Cabot Library and is held annually outdoors in front of the Willey Building. Proceeds support library programs and other library needs.

↑ contents

Mah Jongg (ages 18+) - Tuesdays in

July – 10 am - Noon at the CPL Learn the ancient tile game, meet new friends and neighbors and maybe competitors. Kathleen Chatot will be offering introductory lessons for all levels with regular games taking place each Tuesday. Both fun and challenging, the game of Mah Jongg is said to improve memory, decision-making skills and patience.

↑ contents

Dungeon’s & Dragons (ages 12+) -

Wednesdays - June 25 - July 30 - 2:30 4:30 pm – at the library Join local teen Spencer Vitale for a Dungeons and Dragons adventure designed for all levels of experience. Over the course of the program, players will develop skills in character creation and development, have fun with descriptive writing and drawing prompts, participate in storytelling and play D&D. Snacks provided! Registration is required - email amandaotto.cabotlibrary@ gmail.com to sign up.

↑ contents

Date & Time TBD - announcing soon!

Various Locations - Observe the elements of landscape and nature in this 3week series of plein air painting/sketching classes using a medium of your choice. Join local artist Ruth Kaldor to apply simple elements of design to landscape observation. Participants will use their own materials to sketch with pencil, pen or paint. In the event of inclement weather, the class will be held under shelter and participants will study still life subjects. The first session will be held at the Cabot Rec Field Pavilion. Other locations will be announced soon. All skill levels are welcome! Ruth Kaldor taught art at Cabot School for 20+ years and recently retired from teaching art at Peacham Elementary School. She has taught adult workshops through Studio Place Arts.

↑ contents

Q&A with award-winning Vermont

filmmaker Jay Craven - Tuesday, July 22 - 6:30 pm - Willey Building Auditorium - Set during the chaotic era of the American Revolution, Lost Nation tells the intersecting and true stories of two bold figures from early Vermont history: Ethan Allen, a founding father of the Vermont Republic, and Lucy Terry Prince, the first known African American poet and a fierce advocate for land and liberty. This film is rated PG-13. Story & Activity Time (ages Birth - 7+) - Wednesdays in July - 10:30 am -

↑ contents

Noon at the Cabot Rec Field Pavilion

- Join Amanda Otto, teens Sage King and Freya Van Deusen and special guests for stories, songs, crafts and activities! Stay after for snacks and more active play on the slip n’ slide, swing sets, sand box and fields. Programs are subject to change. 7/2 - Four Winds Nature Institute will bring seasonally appropriate loose parts, science tools, a mud kitchen and more to help nurture a sense of wonder, place, and well -being! 7/9 - Spin Art - Enjoy the process of making colorful one of a kind painted pictures! 7/16 - Fruit Faces - Make playful and tasty creations with seasonal fruits and veggies! 7/23 - Galaxy Wave Bottles Make your own sensory bottles for a calming effect! 7/30 - Surprise Program!

↑ contents

Summer Fun Nights (ages 5+) - Thurs-

days in July - 6-7:30 pm - Programs are geared towards kids ages 5 and up; younger siblings welcome. Adults are welcome to join in the fun too! 7/10 - Hero Capes - Transform a plain cape into your own superhero creation with fabric markers, puff paint, and more. No sewing required—just creativity!

↑ contents

Cabot Rec Field Pavilion

7/17 - Adventures in Colorful Cooking - Explore colorful, fresh ingredients and flavors while preparing simple, delicious food to eat together. Join us at the Cabot Rec Field Pavilion to make fresh salsa and homemade quesadillas with Reeve Basom from the Center for Agricultural Economy. All supplies will be provided, but if you have a fun ingredient to share, please feel free to bring it along! Cabot

↑ contents

Features Ethan Allen

and Lucy Terry Prince Jay Craven’s newest film, “Lost Nation,” will screen at 6:30 pm, Tuesday, July 22nd at the Cabot Library and Town Hall Auditorium, in Cabot, Vermont. Craven will appear at the screening for post-film Q & A. “Lost Nation” is a Revolutionary Warera action drama set in the early upstart Republic of Vermont. The picture stars Irish actor Kevin Ryan (“Copper,” Harry Wild”) as Vermont founding father and rebel schemer, Ethan Allen, who leads resistance to New Yorker land claims, launches an ill-fated attack on British forces in Montreal, and leads invasions by his Green Mountain Boys into Yorker strongholds of Guilford and Brattleboro. “Lost Nation’s” parallel and intersecting story features Kenyan actress Eva Ndachi (“Beautifully Broken”) as pioneering poet, Lucy Terry Prince, who was enslaved at the age of 3 in western Massachusetts – and settled a Guilford, Vermont homestead with her family during this same time. Like Ethan Allen, the Princes found themselves caught up in turbulent times that threatened their prospects for the land and freedom they sought. Like Allen, Lucy Prince upset the status quo in her assertive use of early Vermont’s legal and political systems to defend her family from encroachment, harassment, and intimidation. Prince family antagonist, aspiring Guilford politician John Noyes, is played by Rob Campbell (“The Crucible,” “The Unforgiven”). British intelligence chief and former Green Mountain Boy cofounder Justus Sherwood is played by Barry Del Sherman (“There Will Be Blood,” “American Beauty”) and Lucy Prince’s daughter Drucilla is played by explorers will discover the magical world of mushrooms! Children will become nature detectives, using all five senses to meet and greet the fascinating fungi that call our forest home. This hands-on outdoor experience combines scientific observation with creative expression, ending with each child drawing their newfound fungal friend. Outdoors behind the

↑ contents

Willey Building

7/31 - Fun with Flowers - Join us to build your own fresh flower mandala. Mandala patterns will be available, or participants can design their own. An assortment of fresh flowers, flower petals, leaves and natural materials will be provided for each participant but feel free to bring something to share! Cabot Rec

↑ contents

Field Pavilion

Thanks so much to our Saturday volunteers: Vicky Palmer, Elizabeth Vitale, Marianne Robotham and Beth Wade and to Losada Stoddard for running our D&D program on Tuesday afternoons. Additional thanks to Dana Glazier for making custom made tangram sets for Story & Activity Time. We are so grateful to our Library Trustees who provide support and direction: Angela Ogle, Taeryn Robbins, Kurt Steinert, Erin Ruddell, and Leah Sare. Kathleen Hoyne – Library Co-Director Amanda Otto – Library Co-Director Christina Sacalis - Assistant Librarian

↑ contents

to Play Cabot Library

young actress and Spelman College student, Karma Bridges, daughter of popular rapper and film star, Ludacris. Vermont actors Rusty DeWees and Ariel Zevon play Yorker Asa Locke and Mary Allen, respectively. Lost Nation was shot on 52 Vermont and Massachusetts locations and includes 43 speaking characters, including Vermonters Ira Allen, Seth Warner, Gideon Brownson and Thomas Chittenden and founding fathers Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and Samuel Adams (played by his direct descendent, Samuel Adams). Acclaimed singer, composer, and Julliard-trained violinist, Mazz Swift, composed and conducted the “Lost Nation” film score. Swift plays lead violin in Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and has performed at Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Swift has composed and/or played with Vernon Reid, James “Blood” Ulmer, Whitney Houston, DJ Logic, Kanye West – and the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra, among others. “Lost Nation” is Craven’s tenth feature film. His work has shown at Sundance, Lincoln Center, The Smithsonian, and more than 500 cities and towns across the U.S. - and 53 countries. He is the recipient of the Vermont Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the 2023 Herb Lockwood Prize, a Golden Gate Award, the National Endowment for the Arts’ American Masterpieces citation, and selection to the American Film Institute’s AFI Project 20/20. His 1993 film, “Where the Rivers Flow North” was a finalist for Critics Week at the Cannes International Film Festival. Tickets are free and available at the door. For more information contact Jay Craven (jcraven1590@gmail.com).

↑ contents

From the Jaquith Public

This year at our summer concert series we have fantastic bands playing in the Old Schoolhouse Common bandstand on Thursday nights from 6:30 pm until dark starting on July 10 through August 14. We will have our book and bake sale, and if you don’t have time to pack a picnic there will be a different vendor at each concert ready to sell you delicious food. Come on down and hear some music, visit with neighbors, dance and have a good ol’ time!! All of the events will be outside rain or shine. We have tents to keep everyone dry and will only cancel if there are dangerous conditions.

↑ contents

State Parks, and visit a historical

site all for free? The Jaquith has free Vermont State Park and museum passes for one day loans. You can use the Vermont State Park Day Pass in any of the state parks. The museums you can visit include: ECHO ($7 charge per person up to four people), Vermont Historical Museum, Shelburne Farms Museum, Fairbanks Museum, Birds of Vermont Museum, and the Vermont State Historic Sites. We also have passes for Ben & Jerry’s and $1 discount coupons for the Montshire Museum. The Montshire Museum has a “Warm Welcome” program with $3 admission for VT and NH residents with an EBT card, adult Medicaid card, or a free/reduced price school meals letter with a limit of six visitors. You can call ahead to reserve any of our museum and state park passes.

↑ contents

August 1

Join Nicky for story time and snack at 10:30 followed by fun activities based on the theme, “Color Our World”. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet and messy! Nicky has a Master Degree in education and loves to create fun learning opportunities for children.

↑ contents

Library:

audience in this fast-paced exploration of the heavens. The eight classical planets are visited and investigated – as well as Pluto, gravity, and the incredible cold of space. Dinoman uses dinosaurs, meteors, comets, liquid air and goldfish to give students a unique view of the heavens.

↑ contents

Wednesday, July 9 at 6:30 pm

The One-Man Circus-in-a-Suitcase gives everyone an opportunity to participate in an enthralling, whimsical celebration of the imagination. From Kevin O’Keefe’s suitcase an entire circus emerges: tent, band, lights, the boisterous ringmaster Steve Fitzpatrick, the officious Mervin Merkle, the incredible Bumbilini Family, the Magician to the Stars Clyde Zerbini, and Keefer–an innocent trying to run away and join the circus. However, the most important performers emerge from the audience.

↑ contents

Corn Hole, Bocce, Croquet

From croquet's swing, a mallet's grace, to bean bags thrown with joyful pace, birdie soaring, a playful flight, a summer day, bathed in warm light. Bocce balls, a rhythmic roll, croquet mallets taking hold. With laughter shared, and spirits bright, a lawn game joy, a pure delight.

↑ contents

Wednesday, July 30 at 6:30 pm

Human beings live in a world of amazing color and detail, but many animals see things a little differently. Dogs don’t see red, and cats see much better in the dark than we do, a hawk can pick out details at distances where we would need a telescope. This program will explore some of the differences in animals’ visual experiences and how plants and animals make use of sight and color.

↑ contents

What Not String Band

Led by central Vermont singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Colin McCaffrey, the What Not String Band is a revolving and ever evolving line-up of great players. This time around he’ll be joined by Eric O’Hara on pedal steel and dobro, Jens Hybertson on fiddle, Eli Goldman on bass, and Matt Flinner on mandolin. They will strum, pick and saw away at classic old country and western, bluegrass, swing and traditional fiddle tunes with an emphasis on fun and spontaneity.

↑ contents

EAST HARDWICK

leans in 2015, and is already making an impact in the local and national scenes with their high energy performances. Drawing from the past while blazing a trail forward, the group blends earthy funk music with Young’s lofty original compositional style into a sound both familiar and fresh to fans of contemporary groove-oriented jazz. Noah was born and raised in Marshfield, VT and has been living and playing music professionally in New Orleans for the last 14 years. He will be joined by guitarist Max Bronstein, who is also from Marshfield (now living in New Orleans) and local VT drummer Andy Gagnon.

↑ contents

June 21 through October 11 from 10

am to 1 pm Join us each Saturday at the Old Schoolhouse Common for local vendors, live music, and free community led Skill Shares. Vending space is free, so if you are interested in applying as a vendor, leading a class (we provide a small stipend), or playing on the gazebo stage, please email marshfieldrh@gmail.com or

↑ contents

Here’s how:

1. Come to the library and sign up to read! We will give you a reading log and stickers so you can keep track of your own progress. For every 15 minutes you read, or you are read to, put a sticker on your reading log. Jot down the title of your book. Earn 50 stickers—win a prize and book of your choice.

↑ contents

Needs You!!

Did you know there is a community garden in Marshfield next to the Old Schoolhouse Common? The Marshfield Community Garden is seeking committed volunteers to help weed and harvest the garden. If you are interested, please contact the Jaquith Public Library at 802-

den email list.

↑ contents

← From the Cabot Chronicle