⚲  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

August 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 August 2025 pages (PDF)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

First Payment Due for Cabot 2025 Property Taxes

by Betty Ritter, Town Clerk

The first payment for taxes is due on August 21, 2025, with the final payment due by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 21, 2025. Taxes may be paid by check in person or by mail to PO Box 36, Cabot, VT 05647. You may also pay them by credit or debit card, which incurs a 3% convenience fee. Town Clerk office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. There is a secure drop box located by the bulletin boards in the foyer of the back door, which is checked every day, including weekends.

The Searles family (above) and photos of the Cabot Village Store (l&r). Main St. Cabot, VT.

↑ contents

Cabot Village Store Sold

In July, long-time business owners Bobby & Stephany Searles transferred ownership of the Cabot Village Store to Michael and Stephen DeLacy, sons of Donald and Mary Lou DeLacy. Michael DeLacy will be the new face of the business, living out a long-time dream. Watch for more about Michael in the September Cabot Chronicle. First, we had questions for Bob and Stephany.

What’s next for the Searles Family?

We’re going to take a little time off to spend time with our family before our kids go back to school and off on their own adventures. We have plenty of house projects to complete and lots of kayaking to do. We’re tossing around the idea of owning another business. Possibly a hotel or respite home, maybe both? The most exciting and scary thing about selling the store is that we have a new, blank book!

How long did you own the store?

We bought the store in August of 2006. Before the purchase, Bobby was the manager of Carol Tire in West Lebanon, NH. I was fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with two of our children. We lived on a beautiful piece of property in West Fairlee, Vermont. The kids and I would pick berries and sell them to a local farm stand. With Bobby working 60-70 hours a week, it was a very isolating time for us, and we knew we needed to make a change. We looked at several stores before we decided on the store in Cabot. It felt like a perfect fit.

Would you care to share any of your favorite memories? Oh, gosh. There are so many. Probably one of my fondest memories is living in the apartment under the store for the first two years that we owned it. Louis was 4 and Wyatt was 2. They thought they were being quiet and would sneak up the stairs, not realizing that we could hear the pitter patter of their feet all the way across the floor above us. More often than not they would come back down with a snack or would “help” Tammy in the deli. Our first Easter in Cabot, Walt and Julie Ackermann came over during the night and hid Easter eggs in our back yard. I will never forget Frank Pastor. He would lean for hours on the ice cream cooler, talking and laughing. And, of course, the “breakfast club” was always a good time.

What will you miss most?

We’ll definitely miss the ability to use the store as our personal pantry! There have been times when we have had an embarrassing amount of open ketchup bottles in the fridge. We won’t miss the phone ringing anytime we leave town because of a warm cooler or the computer being down. The community has been through a lot in the years we have been here. The town has grown and changed but also stayed the same in all of the ways that are important. Saying thank you doesn’t seem sufficient, but thank you. We’ll see you around town!!!!

↑ contents

From page 2

Cabot Mentoring is seeking adults to spend a few hours a month with a youth who desires a caring older friend to talk to, do crafts or cook together, go for walks, visit museums, play frisbee or ride bikes and most importantly, to share and listen about one another’s lives. Mentors are fully supported by the Cabot Mentoring Program Coordinator. The Coordinator will facilitate a good “match” between the adult mentor and youth mentee by conducting thorough interviews and background checks.

↑ contents

English Barn Dancing Friday, August 8

by Karen Mueller-Harder

On Friday, August 8, the Cabot Community Dance will hold a special summer evening of rollicking English “ceilidh” (KAY-lee) or barn dancing! These are similar to American contra dances, but with some different figures, less swinging, and more silliness and occasional mayhem. The dance takes place in the Willey Building (Cabot Town Hall, 3084 Main Street), from 7-9:30 pm. Live music is provided by a great group of local musicians who will set your toes tapping! Non -dancers are welcome to come and listen. Bring a friend, or come alone, to enjoy a great sense of community and connecting with others! All ages and abilities are welcome, and we all dance with each other. Ceilidh dances have no gender

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 2 onward.

↑ contents

Site: Neighbors in Action Address: 3339 Main Street, Cabot, VT, 05647 Date: Fri August 8, 2025 Time: 12:00 PM - 04:00 PM

Go to https://www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.

The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime. Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program! Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App on the App Store, Google Play or text BLOODAPP to 90999. Schedule appointments, view your blood type and results of your mini-physical, and track your donations.

↑ contents

Linda Savoca Appointed to Vermont Commission

Governor Phil Scott’s office announced a range of appointments made in the second quarter of 2025. Included was the announcement of Linda Savoca’s appointment to the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs. Boards and commissions serve an important role in state government, giving Vermonters numerous opportunities to serve their state and communities. The Governor’s office is currently soliciting applications to fill vacancies and upcoming term expirations. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the Governor’s website at https://governor.vermont.gov/boards-commissions to apply.

↑ contents

ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

Advice As you drive the roads of Cabot or stroll along your route, pay attention to the trees around you, remembering the trees there. In the years to come, there will be many gaps where stately trees once stood proud. This past winter, on my land, I removed a beech tree with a trunk over twenty-two inches in diameter at breast height. The once truly majestic tree was losing a long, slow battle with beech bark disease, making it a hazard tree, so I removed it. Not far away, the silhouettes of grand ash trees are visible in the landscape. Unfortunately, with the current rate at which Emerald Ash Borer is spreading, the ash trees will soon become casualties of the relentless progression of Emerald Ash Borer. The stories of both trees are ones of loss: the ash succumbing to an exotic invasive insect, and the beech to a fungal disease carried by a tiny scale insect. Each tree followed its path to decline, but the ending is heartbreakingly the same rapid reduction in their numbers across our landscape, with entire stands at risk in places. The Emerald Ash Borer, a metallic green beetle native to Asia, was first detected in North America in the early 2000s. Its larvae burrow beneath the bark of ash trees, disrupting the flow of water and nutrients. Within a few years of infestation, even the most vigorous ash declines and dies. The beetle’s spread is swift, and despite our best efforts, ash trees from city parks to rural woodlots are falling in its wake. Beech bark disease, on the other hand, is the result of a partnership between a non-native scale insect and a fungus. Once the insect infests the beech, it opens the door for the fungus to invade the tree’s tissues. Over time, cankers form, weakening the tree until it can no longer survive wind or weather. The loss is not just visual, but ecological—beech nuts feed wildlife, and the trees’ shade shelters ferns, wildflowers, and countless forest dwellers. As your tree warden, I feel these losses deeply. Each tree removed is not just a stump; it is a lost chapter in our forest’s story. Still, these hardships also make us think about how our relationship with the forest changes. While we mourn the dying trees, we must plan for recovery—diversifying plantings, supporting native species, and staying alert for the next threat, whether it is insects or disease. Remember the loss of these two tree species on your next walk in the forest or along the back roads. It is our responsibility to support the growth of the next generation of trees to ensure a resilient forest canopy for future generations. If you notice signs of distress in your ash or beeches, such as dead branches high up, cracks in the bark, woodpecker activity, or unusual insect presence, please do some research on the cause. Together, we can adapt, learn, and keep our community’s forests vibrant, even in the face of losing our ash and beech trees. Stay rooted.

↑ contents

OBITUARIES

Joseph Norman Alexander Joseph N. Alexander, 76, passed away at his home on July 2, 2025. The son of Warren and Pearl Alexander, of Cabot, Vermont, born December 18, 1948. Joe was predeceased by his wife, Patrice (Warner) Alexander. He is survived by his daughter, Heather Alexander Johnson, and his stepson, David Issac. Joe is also survived by his 4 grandchildren, Emma, Drew, Rebecca, and Brandon. Joe graduated from Cabot High School in 1966. In 1966, Joe enlisted in the U.S. Army in the 1st Cavalry Division, serving two tours in Vietnam. Joe was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces.

MilanT . Dion

Milan T. Dion, born on April 30, 1962, passed away on June 25, 2025, after battling cancer. He is predeceased by his father, Guy Dion. He is survived Milan T. Dion Sandy L. Ducharme Sandy LaPoint Ducharme August 7, 1951 - July 18, 2025 Sandy Ducharme was born on August 7, in St. Johnsbury, VT. She was the oldest daughter of Ruth Stuart LaPoint and Avery LaPoint, and one of six children.

She graduated from Cabot School in 1969. Sandy married her high school sweetheart, Richard Ducharme, also of Cabot, on May 22, 1971. They have resided in Cabot ever since. She is survived by her daughters Christina Ducharme (Cabot, VT) and Stephanie Ducharme (Vass, NC), and her beloved grandson Nathaniel Munro-Ducharme (Montpelier, VT). Sandy lived a full and varied life. She loved the arts, walking, nature, and being of service. She was involved in community arts from the time her daughters were small children through to the end of her life. In the 80s you could find her making hats and sculpted dolls. In the 90s she made costumes, arranged hair, and did makeup for all of the high school musicals. In fact, she began making costumes and clothing for her siblings as a very young girl. As an adult, she expanded into creating and selling floorcloths, and eventually became known for her fabulous hooked rugs. Sandy loved rug hooking. She created several masterpieces that won internationally-judged shows, and was regularly featured in rug hooking magazines. Sandy loved to share her joy of art through teaching and her classes were in high demand.

Upon his return from military service, Joe worked various manufacturing jobs. His career included 16 years at Digital Equipment Corporation as a manager, until its closing. Joe was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain on Lake Champlain, where he and Patrice spent many summers. There will be no visitation hours or memorial service at his request. Joe will always be remembered for his sense of humor and incredible memory of his life's events. Please share a memory with others in honor of Joe. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice or the Cabot Ambulance Service in Joe’s memory. Arrangements are in the care of Guare and Sons Funeral Home, 30 School St., Montpelier, VT. Online condolences can be made at www.guareandsons.com.

by his mother, Jean Farrer; his brother, Mark Dion; his sisters, Marcy Hall, Marlene Doyon, and Michelle Hayes; his son, Jamison Dion; and his daughter, Bethany Dion. Per the family's wishes, there will be no public service. Donations can be made to the Turning Point Center of Central Vermont in his honor.

Nature was the inspiration for all of her art. She could be seen walking miles a day in her neighborhood watching for birds, noticing baby foxes, and texting photos of each sunrise. She was also an avid flower gardener. Richard and Sandy ran Hillcrest Nursery for ten years and loved the people and the plants. Sandy fell on July 16 and suffered catastrophic injuries to her spinal cord and was paralyzed from the neck down. Her final days were spent surrounded by loved ones and making us laugh with her facial expressions, which spoke volumes. She made the choice to come off of life support on July 18. Sandy passed in a circle of loved ones sharing stories and favorite moments. She was a gem in our community and will be sorely missed. Memorial services will be held at Richard and Sandy’s home at noon August 9, 2025, at 849 Ducharme Road, Cabot, VT. Parking for the memorial service is located in the field behind the house courtesy of Under Orion Farm.

↑ contents

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bailey Elisabeth Ackermann

Bailey Elisabeth Ackermann made her way into the world on Wednesday, July 9. Born to Ian and Caitlin Ackermann, she weighed seven pounds, ten ounces, and was 21.5 inches long.

Aurora Betty Maxfield "Rory" (Aurora Betty) Maxfield was born May 19,2025 to her proud parents, John and Maura Maxfield of Barre. She is joining her brother Johnny, 4 yrs old and sister Margot, 2 yrs old, as well as her two Maxfield cousins, Emma-8 and Eleanor-6, whose proud parents are Josh and Allison Maxfield. Norris and Lynn Maxfield of Cabot are the proud grandparents and Betty Boisvert, also of Cabot - Aurora Betty's namesake - is the proud great grandmother.

↑ contents

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

The views, opinions and information expressed in the Community Commentary, Appreciation It’s not often that praise is given to governing bodies. This is just that. I have been attending selectboard meetings for quite awhile, and I’ve seen a lot of what goes on behind the scenes. The last few months have been a joy. So much is getting done, in front of and behind the scenes. A question leads to a thought. A thought becomes a plan and a plan becomes an action and without a moment’s hesitation, it’s done. I know—there’s a lot more to it than that, but it all gets worked out.

I continue to be grateful to be living in this community with such dedicated staff: the Library, the Community Association, the newspaper, the Select Board, the road crew, the school board, the listers, the Town Clerk, task forces and committees that support the town, Seth O’Brien who supports all the offices, task forces and committees, and all the clerks and runners in all the various offices—Neighbors in Action and all they do—did I leave anyone out? It’s true—it takes a village—to run a village. Raise your hand if you agree.

Maria Acchione-Goodrich

↑ contents

Card of Thanks

The family of Walter Celley would like to express our sincere appreciation to those of you whose words of comfort and many acts of kindness since his death helped to lighten our grief and gave us many good memories to hold onto.

↑ contents

Selectboard Fiscal Year End

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Amy Monahan, the Town Treasurer, presented her analysis of the fiscal year ending June 30 to the board at their July 1 meeting. She started out with the bad news, telling them she calculated they ended the year with a $50,000 deficit. Amy added that technically the deficit is more. She went on to explain that every year they get a loan, called a tax anticipation note (TAN), for an amount that is based on a complicated formula. She recalled that last year, she was only two weeks on the job and the prior year, FY24, the town had a deficit and she had to add the amount into the TAN amount. Amy told the board that when the loan came due, she had to take $78,000 out of the flood recovery account to pay it off. In calculating the amount of the TAN for this year, she had to include the $78,000 to pay back the flood recovery account, and another $100,000 for the operating account to cover the checks she is about to mail out. She added that July is the town's lowest income month, and also said that the town always expects a specific amount of tax revenue, but they didn’t collect all the taxes due. Amy said that there was over $190,000 in delinquent taxes. Amy said the wastewater fund also owes the town $200,000 because there isn’t enough there to make the payments on the bond, so the money has been coming out of the general fund. Mike Hogan told the board that the $50,000 deficit was preliminary. He added that the town is dealing with three spinning plates: the wastewater plant being 25 years old, all the money borrowed for flood recovery, and the general expenses. Mike voiced that the town wasn’t in as bad a situation as it seemed. Amy concluded that she needed a motion for a TAN in the amount of $520,000 (minutes were not available at the time of this writing, and the actual amount is slightly higher). The board approved the motion. At the end of the discussion, Amy told the board the good news - the highway budget appeared to have a $19,000 surplus.

Fred also said that Cabot should not be the cheapest nor the most expensive. He expressed that they should be somewhere in between. Fred also agreed that it should be doubled for the “After the Fact” permit. Mike asked Brittany to look at surrounding towns and bring back the information to the next meeting. Brittany said other towns charge a different fee for everything, and some do it by square footage. Mike said that since it was the start of a new fiscal year, it is a good time to change fees.

Kyla Kerrigan then spoke to how the elementary side was not part of the survey. She related that when she interviewed for her job at Cabot School, she was asked how she would handle the subject when children asked about the flags. She stated that PreK to 4th grade was left out of the survey, and she felt discouraged because the staff is encouraged to have discussion with the students. Louis Searles stepped forward and explained to everyone that he was the student who spearheaded the effort to raise the flags. He recalled how it was a year long project, and that they did four presentations to the faculty and the students. He noted that after the presentations, everyone had a choice to voice their opinion through an anonymous survey, and the result was overwhelming support. He stated that there is procedure in the school policy for raising the flags, and he personally felt the same process should be followed to lower the flags.

Shani Stoddard told the board that language is super important, and the flag is not just a rainbow flag, it is a pride flag, because of what it stands for. She went on to tell the board that individuals have been harmed just by the conversation about taking the flags down. She related it to how one would feel if the conversation was about taking down the American flag. She spoke at length about her worries, and how it all might impact students. Billy O’Connor, a former student, said that growing up in Vermont she learned that everyone supports their neighbors. She doubted that could be done if the marginalized are not protected. She went on to say that taking down the flags is not a neutral act, it is an active act. Another member of the public spoke about the atmosphere in 2020, and how the political context has changed between then and now. He then talked about how it was a rigorous process to fly the flags, and how removing them is actively saying we are interested in chasing you away. He said that kids today are actively perpetrating homophobic and racist acts against each other. He emphasized that it wasn’t happening at Cabot, but at other schools.

(see ’Flags at Cabot School’, page 6)

↑ contents

Flags at Cabot School

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The School Board revisited the subject of the flags flying on the flag pole during the May 27 meeting. Though the subject was on the agenda for later in the meeting, there were a number of people in attendance, so the board decided to move the subject forward in the agenda to just after public comment. Chris Tormey reminded those in attendance that public comment was a time when community members could voice their opinion. He said it was a one way street, and the board would listen but may or may not respond. Chris asked everyone to be respectful, not single out any one person, and limit comments to a couple of minutes. Everyone introduced themselves at the beginning of the meeting, and this writer will try to attribute comments to specific speakers, but in some cases I was not able to keep track of everyone’s name. Public comment started with a member of the public stating that the approved minutes from the last meeting were unclear about the flag discussion. Chris explained that the board had a discussion about making minutes clearer in the future, and that at the last meeting the board talked about two things, the need for a second flag pole and the continuation of flying the rainbow and BLM flags. He said the motion regarding flying the flags was tabled, and he noted that the decision to fly the flags had been decided by a different board five years prior. Johnny Flood spoke next and said there were a lot of reasons he wanted to speak that night. He said it was in reference to a survey that was sent out to the teachers the prior week. He said the email had been sent to classroom teachers stating the survey needed to be completed by noon regarding whether the flags should continue to fly. He stated that reasonable adults could disagree about these flags and their meaning. He emphasized that it was a school, and felt the survey was irresponsible, and the subject was a missed opportunity for learning. Johnny expressed that it was unfair to pressure students with the survey without much discussion.

↑ contents

Fees and Insurance

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Pavilion Rental

The Selectboard tackled a number of fee and insurance topics at their first meeting in July. At a previous meeting, the board had been talking about the cost of renting the recreation field pavilion, with some commenting that it seemed prohibitively expensive for community members. Betty Ritter told the board that she had talked with Jessica North, and said that they agreed the responsibility of renting out the pavilion should be transferred back to the Town Clerk’s Office from the Recreation Committee. Mike Hogan asked Betty about the fees, and Betty responded that the board and she had agreed upon the fees for renting the Willey Building, and the recreation fee was a flat $125. Fred Ducharme stated that $125 seemd like a lot to rent the pavilion for a few hours. Fred also asked the board if anyone thought they should have a different fee for residents of Cabot and nonresidents of Cabot. Betty Ritter responded by saying that she does not charge Cabot Arts Show and Tell (not affiliated with the Cabot Arts that puts on concerts), and that she does not charge homeschoolers because they give a donation. Peggy Miller said that anything like that should be in writing. Betty said that it is usually a verbal thing. Jenn Miner agreed that it was a good idea to have it documented. Mike added that the town is not charging fees to make enough income to cover expenses, and Peggy added that it is a gift to the town. Betty agreed they don’t make a profit, but it does help with covering cleaning costs. The board agreed to let Betty handle the fee negotiations and moved onto talking about the town’s insurance policy.

Town Insurance

Amy Monahan noted that she had sent the board a spreadsheet of everything that is covered by the insurance. Amy added that she felt the temporary firehouse is over insured, and said they should be able to reduce it from the current $14 million coverage level. Mike said they should have PACIF, the insurance company which is through VLCT, come out and appraise the building. Amy asked if she should have PACIF look at all the buildings. Fred added that it would be expensive to replace the Willey Building.

Zoning Permits

After discussing the insurance coverages, the board moved onto the subject of “After the Fact” zoning permits. Brittany Butler told the board that she had gone to other towns and confirmed that is what everyone else calls a zoning permit issued after construction has commenced. She added that they usually charge double the regular zoning permit fee. Brittany then asked the board if they wanted her to do more work and determine if a permit for a house should be charged more than a permit for a shed. Fred stated he thought there should be a difference, and Brittany agreed.

↑ contents

Flags at Cabot School

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

(continued from page 5) Another member of the public followed that line of thought, saying that the flags are not divisive. It was stated that if we had a country that was inclusive, then there would be no need for the flags. Lauren Cleary reminded the school board that it is not their job to monitor day to day activities at the school. She said that the project that put the flags up was a school activity, and taking them down should consist of a similar project. Shani Stoddard asked the board if there was any member of the School Board that wanted to take the flags down. Jason Monaco raised his hand. Lisa Dunbar spoke last and said she didn’t have much to add, but as the leader of the PTSA, she has heard that students are unhappy about how this went down. With public comment concluded, the board moved onto the discussion of flags at Cabot School. Chris stated that at the last meeting, Matt Foster had said two flag poles were needed, but he was wrong. Chris added that he spent some time looking back at what was done regarding the flags. He concluded by saying Louis did a year long independent study and made a bunch of presentations about putting up the flags. Chris then recalled that the board looked around at other schools as to what they did about it, and that they had two community forums. He said that in 2020 the board made two unanimous decisions to adopt the flag policy and to adopt a resolution. He explained that under the policy, students can petition the board to fly flags under the US flag. He then pointed to the second page of the procedure, and how long the flags would fly. Chris said the board didn’t want the flags to fly forever, so the process required the board to reaffirm the decision with a vote every year after Town Meeting. He said that in the prior year, the board didn’t have the vote. He said that in the years from 2021 to 2023 a group of students had come to the board with survey results before the vote was taken. Chris said he wanted to keep that practice going and contacted the principal to ask for a survey, knowing it was a bit late. He relayed that the principal worked with the student council and they decided the survey would go to grades 5 through 12. He added that with only a month left of school, the principal made the decision to make it a short survey. The result of the survey was 50-60 yes votes, and 40 no votes for flying the flags. Melissa Pratt said that if they approve it for this year, she felt the survey was dangerous, and sends the wrong message. She wasn’t sure what the process should be. Chris said that in the past it was done by the high school staff and students. Louis Searles said that the original survey was sent out to grades 3 to 12, and it did not require a response. He emphasized there were four different presentations before the survey to educate everyone on the subject. Louis added that the response was 90% in agreement, and only 5% opposed. Frank Kampf reminded the board that when he was on the board, the board had adopted Rory Thibault’s motion to turn the annual decision over to the administration because they had a better sense of the student opinions. Jason Monaco and Ellen Cairns stated they recalled that decision. Alicia Heber said she felt that it is an important decision, but it may be a bit much for it to come to the board every year. Ellen said that she didn’t bring the subject up for a vote last year because she remembered the past decision to turn it over to the administration. Jason stated that his points are the same, and he feels the flags are divisive and political, based upon all the emotions and opinions that have been expressed. Alicia said she disagreed that they are of a political nature, and she feels that it should be an opportunity for an education discussion that should be explored. After some more discussion regarding the potential political nature of the flags and educational opportunities, Alicia moved to continue flying the flags. The motion passed, with only one no vote from Jason. Jason said that the way the policy is written, a kid can come in tomorrow and start the whole process all over again.

Ellen pointed out that in neighboring towns with school choice, the K-8 schools are impacted by school choice because there is no control over high school costs. She added that it is also not equitable, because families with the ability to drive their kids further away have more choices on which high school their kids can attend. Ellen voiced that it would be more equitable to have a regional high school, or a dedicated receiving high school. She noted that not any of these options would work for every student, and the option of school choice does offer families a way to find the optimal high school for their kid. But she speculated that having a choice between a few high schools could offer that ability, and still allow the board to have some control over the high school budget. Chris said they can’t snap their fingers and have a regional high school. He relayed that the chair of the SU board, Clayton Cargill, said this is going to be tough for all three high schools. Chris said to do something right now, short of full school choice. He expressed that a regional high school of all three high schools would have about 200 students, 50 per class. He said the independent schools could bankrupt a school district fairly quickly, adding a regional high school is worth pursuing. Matt told the board that if Twinfield, Danville and Cabot agreed to a regional high school, he felt the state would be hesitant to pay for it with such a small number of students. Chris asked his thoughts on the three choices he presented in his email. He said the SU model would allow Cabot to keep its school board. He added that he would not put much hope into a regional high school. Matt said the high school was fine for the next three years, but after that it would probably be a K-8. He said the other school districts are also going to be having the same conversation. Alicia said that she likes the SU model option, but she restated her opinion of closing the high school. Matt said if the board decides on school choice, then the SU model provides the most protection for keeping a school in Cabot. He said if Cabot was in a SU district, then there is only one board. Matt said he wasn’t sure if they had the flexibility of asking the town to go to a full choice high school. He expressed that the state might freeze everything in its current configuration. He said he could investigate the answer to how soon Cabot could go to K-8. Alicia said that it goes back to the lottery discussion the board had a few months prior. She said that if they can’t make school choice happen, can the board increase the lottery because the applications are exceeding the number of slots in the school choice lottery. Chris asked the principal if that was true. Jennifer answered that the applications are not exceeding the number of slots. She said that there are seven slots open and not used for the coming school year. Chris also noted that the board had increased the lottery by two slots this year. Alicia stated that she is talking about the rising kids, and it might be the case

(see, ’Reform Discussion’, page 7)

↑ contents

Education Reform Discussion

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The topic on the agenda at the June 23 School Board meeting was “VSBA lobbying concerns”, but the discussion quickly shifted into a discussion about the impact of the State’s education reform bill and its possible impact on the Cabot School. The discussions started out with Chris giving an overview of the email the superintendent had sent out highlighting the changes in the education reform law. Chris Tormey told the board there are two things that are a challenge for Cabot school, the class size minimums and the foundation formula. Chris said the language states that if a school doesn’t meet those two criteria over a three-year period, the Secretary of Education may request the school be closed. He also pointed out that, with the foundation formula, the school will be getting less funding. Chris added that they can spend 10% more, but that amount will decrease over time. He expressed that if they stay flat lined it will be really hard, and he doesn’t think the school can overcome the funding issue. Alicia Heber asked about the timeline, and Chris responded that the task force is being formed and will start meeting in July. He added that, in the superintendent's email, Matt Foster identified things the board should do now. Chris said one option appears to be to just need a school district with 4000 kids, and that option might mean Cabot can maintain a school board. He said that going with this Supervisory Union (SU) model, the school could collaborate more with other schools. He suggested that if they don’t, then Cabot will just be a small fish in a big pond. Alicia pointed out that there would still be a class size issue. She expressed that the school would also be working with less and less. Chris countered that with the SU model, they could look for a partner school and do something to get the class sizes larger and not be shut down by the state. He added that if they were in a big district, then the decisions would be left to the five board members. Alicia then offered an alternative proposal and read a prepared statement. She agreed that losing the board would be a detriment to the community. She noted that they already provide a lottery for students to attend other schools. Alicia said that people are being turned away from the lottery to maintain class sizes. She then recalled that in March 2024 the town voted on closing the high school and going to school choice. Alicia said it was a close vote, with 367 to 239. She said the margins showed that a significant portion of the community was ready for change. She said that now they are faced with a different decision, and the closure of the high school is not a matter of if, but when. She added that based upon the student levels, it was unlikely the school would meet the state minimum class sizes. Alicia stated that continuing in this position puts the high school students in a difficult position. She added that she supports school choice through the lottery, she said the current system only works when it is equitable. Alicia stated that some students are denied the opportunity in order to preserve enrollment for everyone else. Alicia said that due to minimum class sizes, it is a gamble to try to meet those levels and the law forces the school to keep every student enrolled, and not use the lottery. She added that may not even be enough to meet class size minimums. Alicia said she sees two paths forwards, one being to voluntarily close grades 9-12 and become a sending town with full high school choice. She said that would allow the town to keep local board control. She added that waiting could mean being forced to merge with another school, lose any option of choice, and lose our local board. Alicia said that a merger with Twinfield was voted down in the past. She stated that a merger is the right path forward. Alicia said it is important they are doing what is best for the students, and she expressed that digging in their heels to keep the school open when families are being denied lottery slots is not sustainable. Principal Jennifer Blake said that her worry is that something is going to change in three years, and the school will start losing its teachers to bigger schools. She added that if they don’t have enough teachers, then some sort of decision will be needed. Ellen Cairns recalled the previous principal saying that if the board doesn’t plan to do something thoughtful, they would be forced to close the school due to lack of staffing. She thanked Alicia for her comments, and said she agreed with some of the points.

↑ contents

Cabot Teens at VSU

Cabot and Craftsbury students at a two-day leadership retreat at Vermont State University – Randolph. From left to right: Robert Herdling (Cabot), Shianne Charette (Cabot), Molly Paire (Cabot), Eva Small (Craftsbury), Aemilia Terrone (Craftsbury)

VSAC’s GEAR UP college and career readiness program brought together 32 students from nine schools for a dynamic residential leadership experience. Over the course of two days at the Randolph Campus of Vermont State tor remembers they have a camera with a flash, and Fergus’s true identity is revealed. Readers will want to dive right into Who’s Afraid of the Light? The Vermont Golden Dome Book Award winner, Lasagna Means I Love You, by Kate O'Shaughnessy, was selected by students in grades four through eight. Award committee summary: After her beloved Nan dies and her wayward Uncle Billy expresses zero interest in being her parent, Mo enters the foster care system. While living with a well-meaning but unsuitable young couple, Mo fulfills Nan’s request that she find a hobby - by taking up cooking and collecting family recipes. Armed with these and a few new friends, can Mo cook up a new place to call home? The Green Mountain Book Award winner, Where He Can't Find You, by Darcy Coates, was selected by teens in grades nine through twelve. Award committee summary: Doubtful, Illinois has been haunted for years by a serial killer, or perhaps a monster. Abby Ward and her friends have learned to live by a certain set of rules: don’t walk alone, don’t stay out late, and don’t close your eyes or The Stitcher will get you. When Jen moves to town, she doesn’t believe the stories, but when Abby’s sister disappears and Jen helps with the search, the things that go bump in the night become all too real. These reader-choice awards are managed by three respective book award committees. The Vermont Department of Libraries provides administrative

↑ contents

Vermont Students Choose Winners of the Vermont Youth Book Awards

The Vermont Department of Libraries announces the award winning 2025 Vermont Youth Book Award titles selected by 17,244 Vermont youth:

The Red Clover Book Award, chosen by

kindergarten to fourth-grade students, went to Who’s Afraid of the Light? by Anna McGregor. The Vermont Golden Dome Book

Award, selected by fourth to eighth graders, was awarded to Lasagna Means I Love You by Kate O'Shaughnessy. The Green Mountain Book Award, chosen by high school students, was given to Where He Can't Find You by Darcy Coates.

The 2025 ballots were made up of the best books printed in 2023, as identified by each youth book award committee. The Vermont Youth Book Awards promote literacy and foster a love of reading and critical thinking skills among Vermont’s children and teens. The Red Clover Book Award winner, Who’s Afraid of the Light?, by Anna McGregor, was selected by children in kindergarten through fourth grade. The award committee remarked: This hilarious book sinks deep, deep down to the very bottom of the ocean, where some animals make their own light—and others avoid it. We meet (but can’t see!) Fergus, who assures us he is “probably very cute,” but disappears each time a different glowing deep-sea creature appears. The mystery builds as each new creature disappears in turn, until the narra- University, students took part in teambuilding challenges and meaningful reflection focused on integrity, motivation, working smarter, learning from mistakes, asking insightful questions, and embracing new experiences. These students are an inspiring group of young leaders—we can’t wait to see where they go next!

↑ contents

Grace

by Alexander Anlyan Down the dancing days of time that sun and moon delineate Past the reasons and the rhymes Our fevered minds precipitate Beyond the urgency of youth Despite the pecking aches of age indifferent to our wills and wiles We weave our stories page by page When chaos tramples harmony And suddenly we lose our way From every challenge springs a light And Grace’s light redeems the day.

↑ contents

District 8, Cabot Village

Center to the Village. The village continued to thrive. A wool carding and dressing shop (which later became the home of the Cabot Carriage Company) was built on the river and nearby William Scales opened a blacksmith shop and a foundry where he made caldrons, pails, and other iron castings. By 1840, there was a starch factory, several shops, and a large hotel in the new settlement. The village was incorporated on November 19, 1866, and a town clerk and a fivemember board of trustees elected. The first school in the village was a small one-room log building located at the northwest corner of the common. By 1845 it had become too crowded and it was replaced by a large two-story building. Meanwhile, the members of the Congregational Church felt they needed an updated meeting house in a better location, so they took down their former building and used parts of it to build a new, more satisfactory building where the oneroom school had been. The smaller Methodist church was located on the southeast corner of the common and for years the two congregations were in friendly competition. Eventually participation in both churches dropped and the two merged, becoming the United Church of Cabot. Both buildings remain, the Methodist building now privately owned.

In 1788 Lt. Thomas Lyford, a millwright and former soldier in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, purchased land along the Winooski River in what is now Cabot Village and built a sawmill and then milled lumber for a grist mill about where the bridge to Elm Street is now. The grist mill was operated by his son, Thomas Jr., who stayed in a small cabin on the hill overlooking the river during the week to operate the mill for customers who came from miles around. On weekends, he returned to his father’s home on the Plain. The mill pond that powered Lyford’s mills covered much of the meadow in the northern section of the present village. The surrounding area was mostly cedar swamp but the stream made it an attractive spot on which to settle. Samuel Lee and Elias Hitchcock were the next to build houses near the mills. John W. Dana, a farsighted busin esman , bought a large portion of land in the area and sold it to individuals. He established a small store near the river and soon the community grew to include several farms, a distillery, and a tannery with a boot shop. He deeded an acre and a half to the town in 1822 for a common where the local militia drilled. The Meeting House, owned by a group of Congregationalists, was moved from the Center of town and erected on the northeast corner of the village common around 1826 where it remained until 1849. Just as years before when town business was moved from the Plain to the Center, business again moved from the Main Street and the Common. From left to right, the Congregational Church and the I. O. G. T. hall immediately behind it; low roof of the carriage shed, and a succession of buildings that served as a fire station, boys’ and girls’ outhouses, wood shed, and on the right, the school. At the front of the common there appears to be a well pump. The Civil War Monument is visible with a black iron railing surrounding it. Streets were unpaved.

Cabot Carriage & Paint Shop, probably around the turn of the century. The Winooski River is directly behind this row of buildings and the houses in the background were where the creamery is now, on Route 215.

By 1863, the school was too crowded so a much larger two -story building was constructed on the spot where the meeting house first stood. Elementary grades were located on the first floor and high school students were on the second floor. The building was heated by three woodburning furnaces and there Morse Brothers Store was located where the Cabot Garage is now. This was Main Street after the 1897 flood.

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

↑ contents

Cedric Houston - How I See It

by Jeanne Johnson On June 28 I received a voicemail message from Cedric Houston: “I’ve lived in this town of Cabot for 90 years this year. I read your Cabot Chronicle every time it comes, and it is the most one-sided paper. I would like to talk to someone and have them come and interview me on some of this stuff.” So I called him back and made a date. We sat down July 9, and here is how it went: Cabot Chronicle (CC): So, what's on your mind? Cedric Houston (CH): What's on my mind? CC: Well, for one thing you said, you thought that the paper was very onesided. CH: I think it is. Very one-sided. It's very liberal now. Very liberal. It’s all “nothing is wrong in Cabot, everything is perfect here, “ that's basically what it's saying, and yet in the last 10 to 15 years we've had a pile of people move out and we've had a lot of people move in, and the people that moved in, most of them have money and not much for kids. CC: What do you mean by not much for kids? CH: Well, when I was in school, we had 300 people in high school and school. So they don't have many kids anymore. It's all older people with money that are moving in and they've got the money to make one firehouse, two firehouses, and then they wanted a third one. CC: Third firehouse? CH: Well, no, they've had one, two. Well, anyway, I think they were trying for the fourth one. And this is Cabot. They haven't put out a fire in ten years. CC: Really? They've gone to a lot of fires. CH: But they haven't put one out and saved a house in years. I don't think they have. I'd like to see the houses that they've saved. I would love to see them. And I think maybe Cabot ought to get together with Walden, Marshfield, whatever, and say, let's get together and make it a combination unit instead of putting millions of dollars into Cabot and we haven't saved anything yet. That's all. The school, two or three years ago we had three graduates. I mean come on, we had 36 one year when I was in school. Why don't we combine with other schools? We could go to Hardwick, some of us, some could go to Danville, some could go down to Marshfield. And they aren't teaching what they used to teach, and they're teaching stuff that don't need to be taught, as far as I'm concerned. But you need reading, writing, and arithmetic. A little music don't hurt ya I just think Cabot has not upgraded itself as a community as to what the people need. We've had a lot of people move south, east and west and wherever to. CC: What do you think we do need? CH: We need something, except for the most liberal people in the world which we've got here. They all think we should have everything, but we don't need togetherness. The only time they get together is on the 4th of July. We have in the school now, I think, a principal and a vice-principal and a doctor and a lawyer and an Indian chief. I don't know, I don't keep track of it anymore. I ran the Fourth of July one year, for the PTA. They kicked me out. I had it too big.

CC: Get out.

CH: I did. This was back in 19... I'm going to say 65, 66, somewhere in there. I made over $10,000 in this town. We had old engines, we had two bingo stations, two lunch tables, we had everything. They didn't like it. It was too big. And they took me out, they kicked me out, because I was running it. I don't know the answers. I haven't been to the Fourth of July and I know they have a pretty good fourth down here now even. But it isn't like the old days. Now you gotta take a bus and park somewhere else. We never had that. That's when I made all the money in town. We parked where we could, and now you got to truck them all in with a bus for the Fourth of July. I mean - I got an old mind that says, let's live like we should. Now we are 85-90% liberal democratic population in Cabot. When I was growing up, we were 85-90% Republican. Let's get in the middle somewhere. I like some of these people that are against me. I would like to see Cabot back to a place for everybody to get together and get along and love each other and whatever. But this is the way I feel. The town has not improved itself as a town that wants kids and people and to get together like it used to be. CC: So were you thinking the reason that people are moving in with money but not with kids is because we're not attractive anymore to families with young kids and less money? CH: Well I've been here for almost 90 years, will be this year. I just know that it is not the town that I grew up in. And I expect things to change. I know that. Things are going to change in life no matter what we do. I know that stuff. I'm not completely stupid. But I just think that we have not improved the lifestyle in Cabot, even in Vermont. We haven't. CC: Do you have any suggestions for things the town should be addressing, paying attention to, making a project of? CH: You can't just keep spending money on firehouses down by Gocheys. You can't spend on it where the old one was up by the Cabot School. You don't remember that part. There used to be a firehouse right next to the school, right between the church and the school down in the back. That's where the firehouse used to be. The fire truck used to be there. And then they moved down the road, and now they moved up by the Rec Field, and now they wanted to build another one. I think we have some of the wrong people on the select board and the different boards. I don't say all of them. I mean, I know quite a few of them. I like them. You got people that are on some of these boards that are going to keep the school in Cabot no matter what. And you've got from three preschooler grades to 12 regular grades. So you got 15 grades down here. And you've got 130 something people. Come on. That is out of sight, out of mind. It really is. I'd love to see them keep preschool - the one through seven maybe or whatever in town. I'd love to see that. I don't think kids need to go out of town, but it is not very far for some kids to go just to Marshfield or Hardwick or Danville. That's no trip now at all for everybody. They all travel out every day no matter where they go. They do.

I know families have shrunk. I mean, when I was growing up, there were four or five families in Cabot had 16 kids. If that tells you anything. It wasn't mine. My father came from a family of nine, and that was a Houston family, but I don't see anything wrong with that, but guess what? None of these families got state aid. None of them got money from the government. None of them with these 16kid families. And I think that now you've got one kid, you've got to get state aid. I think it's way out of sight now. You want a house in Cabot, you want to vote for the tax raises, pay your taxes. I had five kids, and I never got help for them. And I know that I married a woman, she was the oldest of 16. That's my first wife. They never had help. And I just think that Cabot can be a lot better place to live. If it weren't for the creamery in town, there wouldn't be anybody here. The creamery pays, what, almost $500,000 in taxes? $400,000, I don't know what it is. And I just think we've gone out of sight in this town. I'm still here. But guess what? I've sold my house and everything. I don't own anything here. I don't own any of this. Somebody else owns it all. I've got a place in Florida I own. That's it. But I live here until I go. Cabot could be a better place to live if people took care of their own families and didn't try to make everybody else in town pay their taxes. But this is the third firehouse at least in the years I've been here. They had a firehouse right between the school and the church, right down in back. CC: Is that the first one you remember? Yeah. Nobody else remembers that. CC: So the first one was between the school and the church, then the one across the road from the creamery? CH: Across, yes. And now they want to get rid of the one they just put a million dollars into again. And I think it's all nuts for the fires that they've put out and saved buildings over the years. I want to know how many buildings they have saved in the last, say, five years They may have put out the fire and left a charcoal pile. CC: Any other thoughts? CH: I'd just like to see the kids go to school where they can learn any subject they want and do anything they need. There's no baseball team, no basketball. There's none of that big stuff that we used to have. We used to have baseball teams and everything when I was in school down here. I don't think they have a high school basketball team. We had one. I played. High school baseball teams, soccer teams. We had them all. They don't have none of them. And part of that is because of the little electronic devices they have. They don't want to. They got to look at them instead of playing ball. And that's the way they're brought up. There's way too many of them. What can I say on that? CH: I worked all over New England. I've worked everywhere. I've probably built 150 houses. I've probably built 20 barns. I've built firehouses in Massachusetts. CC: You've built firehouses? CH: I've built a three-car, three- or fourstall firehouse in Massachusetts. I built two fish houses on the coast of Maine. What the heck's a fish house? Well, the big places on the ocean where they pull the big fish in and do all that stuff. CC: Oh processing?

CH: Yes all that stuff. I built two of them out in the Maine on the coast. I've built a lot of different stuff in my age. I've worked everywhere. I have quit. I'm not building any more houses, I'm not building any more barns, I'm not building any more firehouses. I had 260 acres when I started this place. That house down across, this one here was mine (gesturing to the house photo on the wall behind him). That's right down, straight across the road here. The one in the picture. Yeah. That was mine. I had a farm there. That was when I was 17 years old. My grandfather died and I moved in with my grandmother and continued to farm. When he died, somebody had to do the milking. And I went over to the milking first. You know, I had a house. A house and 260 acres. I think I paid $12,000 for everything. For 260 acres, a barn and cows and everything. That was kind of a nice deal, but I gave away most of the land. I sold 140 acres, I think, in Walden. I sold it for $3,000. CC: What'd you do that for? CH: I didn't know any better. I didn't need it. What do I need that line for? Then I sold some land over here. I sold that for $2,500. I never made money on any idea. What the heck? But money wasn't the aim of my life, I guess. I liked happiness, love, and companionship, and friends. And that's what I'm still after. Ian Ackermann owns the place now. Mr. Sugarman. He's the one who has the logs and that stuff down here. And that's the way it is. I'm just simplifying. I'm just an old country boy, I guess. Material things are not my thing in life. They just aren't. People are my “important” - people, friends. We've got a big get-together here next Sunday with a lot of friends, relatives. They may be coming from everywhere. It's just to get together. It's a good time of year, and it's in the summer. People can get here. CC: I wouldn't want to drive up that driveway in the middle of the winter without a truck with serious tires. CH; Well, guess what I did last winter. My wife had to go to the hospital. She stayed in there until January. And guess what? I've been driving a pickup for 20 years without winter tires on it because I'd gone to Florida. It didn't make it one day. I turned around and I ended up in the trees. I had some damage. In the past, I've had a snowblower. I've had a plow truck. I've had everything to keep it open. And I've always had winter tires. And I didn't have any of that stuff. It didn't work for me. I’ve had five kids – got four now. I lost one when he wanted to skip school on his graduation day and, he did, drove into a pond, broke his neck - that was not a good idea. I still think about him. But that's the way it was in my life. Property and stuff doesn't interest me. I got the place in Florida, and that's probably going to my daughter in Florida now, she'll probably just have it. That's the way it goes. I'm into more people. I like friends, whatever. I used to go to all the dances and all that stuff. I used to play ball. I played golf. I still play it once a year, maybe. I went with my boys here a few weeks ago. But no, I played on town teams of softball and baseball until I was 60. And when I got 60, I couldn't, my body just couldn't do it anymore. I had to go into golf, and so I went into golf some. And I got playing quite a little. I can't do the stuff I'd like to do. But no, this is what I, I'm just, I like people. I like friends and all this stuff. I'm not worried about other stuff. I hate wars. I hate killing of any kind. Any kind. I don't care what it is. CC? Not a hunter then? CH: I used to shoot deer. I used to have a big party every summer and we always had a venison roast. We had a few deer right here. I could count 25 more than once down there. Now you don't see a deer down here anywhere. Every once in a while, a deer will come up through the yard. Or two, three of them around somewhere. And I see them, oh God, they're pretty. I love them. I'd rather have deer than bear .I haven’t seen a bear in the yard. I've seen moose. I had a moose come down over this hill one day. I said, he's going down over that bank. Guess what that moose did? He came up and looked me in the eye. Came right up to the window right on that corner. I don't know what the future will bring for us. We have done quite a lot of traveling in the last 20 years, but we just can’t travel like we used to. But no, I still like life. I don't believe in suicide and that kind of stuff. but I will not ever go into a nursing home and live there. I've been into too many nursing homes and found them almost like a dump sometimes. And I've been to too many of them. I don't want to ever be put in a nursing home. I don't care if I sit here and don't eat and die right there. I don't care but I do not want that stuff. I don't. I'm at the age now where who'll miss me? ... I have been to one or two nursing homes that are pretty nice. But I've also been to some that are terrible. I just don't want to ever go there and live in them. I don't. I'll croak before I'll do that. I don't want to ever commit suicide but I sometimes wonder if maybe that's what I'd end up doing. That's what my father did, I think. I think he did, but we don't know and I never asked to prove it. He was my age right now. 89. And his wife had been gone for six, seven years, she died of Alzheimer's. Terrible. My mother was a 160-pound woman, and when she was 76, 77, she started coming down to this dementia, and because they lived in Florida in the winter they had to stay home. Couldn't go down anymore. She died when she was 84, I think it was. My father lived alone for three, four, five years. And one day he told me, “You know, I don't like this living alone. I'm going to go to the Greensboro nursing home, I've been in there, and they don't have all this sickness that they do with others.” He said, “I'm going up there and live there.” He said, “Can you take me up?” I said, “Dad, you can come here and live with us, we'd love to have you.” “No,” he says, “I'm not going to do that with my kids. I refuse to do it with any of them.” So, I took him up on a Sunday afternoon or a Monday morning. Healthiest person in the world. He could talk with anybody, do anything. Wednesday I get a call: He's gone. And we found a pill bottle that had two pills left. And not too many people knew about that. I said, “Let's just leave that in the cupboard and leave it alone. He wanted to go. He wanted to go.” I never questioned it or anything. And my sister didn't think about it, and we just let it go. And that might be something I might even do when I get done. I don't know. I don't say I will because I don't believe in that stuff. But on the other hand... when you get to your 90s.... That was a long time ago. A long time ago.

↑ contents

From the Jaquith Public Library

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 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 food 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.

Did you know you can visit a museum, go for a swim or hike at the Vermont 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 4 people), Vermont Historical Museum, Shelburne Farms Museum, Fairbanks Museum, Birds of Vermont Museum, and the Vermont State Historic Sites. Did you know 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.

August Events at the Jaquith Public

All events are free and held at the library

For more info: 802-426-3581 or visit

www.jaquithpubliclibrary.org

Morning Programs with Nicky Auerbach for Kids Birth to Age Seven August 1 - This is the last program

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.

Summer Concert Series Thursdays Library (unless noted otherwise)

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 11 onward.

↑ contents

Q&A on Status of Fire Station Replacement

With FEMA’s rejection of Cabot’s funding applications and the success of appeals unknown, the Cabot Chronicle had questions about what’s ahead with fire station plans. Here are our inquiries, and the answers provided by the selectboard chair.

USDA-approved fire station grant – can it be used for anything other than the 2466 Main Street location? No. The grant was specific to the new Public Safety Building with the caveat that the $5.1 million be added to other monies to build the structure. It cannot be utilized for any other purpose.

If Cabot doesn’t build a new fire station at 2466 Main Street, can we use the USDA grant for improvement at the South Walden Road temporary structure? When we purchased the Main Street property in 2018, the purpose was to build a future Public Safety Building to replace the old one. If we don't build at 2466 Main Street, then the property can be sold with the permission of the voters, as it is owned by the Town. There are no plans to make any improvements to the current temporary building on South Walden Road. If FEMA doesn’t pay for the old fire station demolition, can we then use the land for parking? That would be a decision of the Selectboard. There might need to be some barriers for parking as the bank continues to erode. It also might need some more evaluation as to parking area delineation.

If FEMA does buy out Cabot Garage, can we afford to lose that parking at the Willey Building, if the land may only be used as green space? That is still in process, as an alternative site has to be found for the garage to relocate the business. Many of these questions are being analyzed by the Flood Taskforce. There are no plans to lose any parking at the Willey Building.

↑ contents

CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS

LIBRARY HOURS: Monday noon

- 6 pm, Tuesday 10 am - 6 pm, Wednesday 11 - 6 pm, Thursday noon - 6 pm, and Saturday 9 amnoon. Curbside library service is still available during regular library hours. The library will be closed the week of August 18 - 22 as we work on painting various areas in need. We will reopen Saturday, August 23, for regular hours thanks for your patience. Thanks so much to everyone who came out to the annual July 4 Library Book Sale put on by the Friends of the Cabot Library - together $2,055 was raised! Thanks especially to Sandy Atkins, Beth Wade, Maria Acchione-Goodrich, Terri Persons, Peg Hough, Shane Smith, Dana Glazier, Leah Sare, John Grosvenor, Sage King, Harper and Mekiah Smith, the Steinert family, the Vitale family, and Jack Daniels's family and friends. Vermont State Parks and other centers are still 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 Stone House Museum and Historic Village in Brownington, Vermont – Free entry with pass; ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain – Aquarium and Science

Center - $7 admission for up to 4 people; Vermont History Museum/ Vermont

Heritage Galleries – Free entry with Family Pass; Craftsbury Chamber Players

Mah Jongg – Tuesdays in August –

10 am - Noon - 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.

Plein Air Workshop Series – Friday, August 1 - 10 - 11:30 am - Location TBD - Observe the elements of landscape and nature in this plein air painting/sketching class 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. 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.

Cabot Book Group – Thursday, August 28 - 2- 3 pm - All are welcome! – August’s book selection is All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. 1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Muhammad Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the smalltown of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake. Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another. A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope. Copies of this book will be available in the library for you to borrow. Email [email protected] for more info and to be added to the book group email list.

Thanks so much to our Saturday volunteers: Vicky Palmer, Elizabeth Vitale, Marianne Robotham and Beth Wade. Many thanks to Sage King and Freya Van Duesen for their enthusiasm and hard work this summer. Additional thanks to Spencer Vitale for offering D&D and to the following youth volunteers; Shianne and Madison Charette, Aspen Long and Stella Herber. We are so grateful to our Library Trustees who provide support and direction: Angela Ogle, Leah Sare, Kurt Steinert, Erin Ruddell, and Taeryn Robbins.

Kathleen Hoyne – Library Co-Director Amanda Otto – Library Co-Director Christina Sacalis - Assistant Librarian P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 802-223-3322 [email protected] funded nonprofit Senior Medicare Patrol program as they discuss some red flags that can help you detect telehealth fraud.

Wednesday, August 20,

following lunch

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

↑ contents

Telehealth Fraud

In a post-COVID world, telehealth services have become commonplace. While telehealth can be an effective way to receive healthcare services, fraudsters are looking to exploit it for financial gain. Join Jean McDermott with the federally

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

↑ contents

Tackling Milfoil

In August, 2024, the invasive aquatic plant Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) was discovered in Joe's Pond. Since that event, the Joe's Pond Association (JPA) has been engaged and deeply invested in combating this infestation of an aggressively prolific species that threatens the social, economic and ecological functions and values of Joe's Pond. Despite committing tremendous resources of time, effort and funding toward non-chemical control and containment of EWM, it continues to proliferate, increase in density and expand the area of infestation; which mirrors the pattern that all other lakes in Vermont, that suffer from EWM, have experienced. Because the JPA is aware of the experiences of other VT lake associations, JPA is the first lake association in VT to have proposed and be permitted by the VT Agency of Natural Resources to apply the herbicide ProcellaCOR within one year of its discovery. Significant to this regulatory decision is the extreme commitment to which the JPA has made to control the infestation through nonchemical means and that support for the herbicide treatment has been provided by both the Cabot and Danville Selectboards and Conservation Committees. The following notification, required for public distribution under the Aquatic Nuisance Control permit issued to the JPA, provides information on the herbicide treatment date and time and the required water use restrictions. Much more information on the Joe's Pond EWM infestation and the JPA EWM management activities is available on the JPA website at: https://www.joespondvermont.com/.

↑ contents