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The Cabot Chronicle

January 2026 · Issue Record

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The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

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In This Issue

Fire Department

(continued from page 1) a single self-contained breathing apparatus exceeds $10,000. When combined with other essential gear, an average firefighter's protective equipment would be valued at approximately $20,000 before entering a hazardous zone to retrieve a life or extinguish a fire. Everything must work flawlessly, no exceptions. • What would it cost to make the temporary building a permanent building? The cost placed on the taxpayers would be astronomical. I wouldn’t even want to guess at it. The existing building is temporary in nature and has never been outfitted with the necessary above and below-grade infrastructure to function as a permanent fire station. Furthermore, the structure would require additional square footage per NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and is already located at the boundary of the permissible building area due to wetlands and stormwater runoff restrictions imposed by the state of Vermont. So going more floors upward would be the only option; however, the current framing was not designed to carry a second or 3rd floor load, only the calculated snow load for that GPS location. After all that, it would not be an efficient layout by any means. Additional infrastructure improvements would include installing a new 8-inch water main along South Walden Road to support a comprehensive sprinkler system. Even if funds were allocated for these enhancements by the taxpayers, the facility would still be considered inadequate for a firehouse on ribboncutting day. It's like putting a square peg in a round hole. • Could you please post a copy of the interior floor plan, with dimensions, for everyone to see? We have presented drawings at several SB meetings where the architect was also available to address questions. We apologize if you missed those opportunities. This is the proposed first-floor bay area (again). The building's design is mainly driven by the required layout and available funding from sources like FEMA and USDA, etc., leading to ongoing revisions of the second floor. Once funding is secured and options are thoroughly evaluated, finalized drawings will be made available for review. Sharing early versions of the second-floor plan could cause confusion, as the design may change. I want the public to see what will be there. As a municipal Public Safety Building, it is important to incorporate specific areas such as NFPA-compliant spaces, decontamination (DECON) areas, training rooms, incident command / Dispatch center, and spaces for the Town's Health officers, Fire Wardens,

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Cabot Chronicle Mission Statement: and Constables, who currently lack dedicated operational spaces and often handle very confidential community records from their homes. The building is designed to accommodate both current needs and future projected growth for the Town of Cabot. • We have seen the street view of the building, Could we also see pictures of the other exterior views.( sides and back views)? Options have been provided to view other sides of the building in the past. The focus was mainly on the front view, which most inquiries requested. This is all four sides. The exterior/ layout of the building has limited modification options due to external restrictions such as apparatus flow, parking, utilities, wetlands, driveway, headlight splash, etc. The exterior design won't change much. Limited windows and doors on one side are included in the design to help reduce noise and light pollution on that side that faces the homes. The building was also slightly rotated to ensure it stays a quiet neighbor, and setbacks and screening to provide ”space” have been maintained to protect neighbors' privacy in their backyards further. • What architect group was used for the current plans? Did you consult with more than one group? Several architecture firms were considered initially. The primary objective was to identify a licensed firm with a proven track record of completing public safety buildings and fire station projects, along with sufficient staff to handle such a project. Additionally, the firm needed to be knowledgeable about current NFPA, OSHA, VOSHA, ADA, and State laws, as well as permitting processes and projected costs. Out of respect for the firms that SB chose not to hire, their names will not be disclosed. Scotts & Partners met all the necessary criteria. They also proposed effective cost-saving measures to maximize the available budget from the outset. Although the firm is sizable, SB maintains direct contact with one of

The Cabot Chronicle is published

No part of this paper may be reproduced without sible for typographical errors. Acceptance of to indemnify publisher from loss or expense on errors in any advertising beyond the cost of space Subscriptions available $25 per year The Cabot Chronicle is a home-delivered the owners, who is consistently willing to provide guidance regardless of the complexity or simplicity of the inquiry. Their relationship with the engineering team is exceptional, and they ensure that every detail is meticulously verified. • Does the state of Vermont mandate what needs to be in newly built fire stations that are “Volunteer fire departments”? If so , can you please post a list of their mandates. This is an excellent question. However, your assertion regarding “Volunteer fire departments” is misguided. Regardless of whether a fire department is “volunteer” or “paid”, the requirements (and restrictions) are the same across the board. As a side note, members from both types often sit together side by side, in many of the State fire classes they attend for the same certification levels. To answer your question succinctly, yes, the Department of Fire and Safety has significant influence over what is incorporated into a “firehouse,” and there is a lengthy plan review process that takes months to get through to make sure everything is in the structure, as do federal agencies, another lengthy review for requirements. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in collaboration with OSHA, enforces fire safety standards. The state of Vermont began to recognize and adopt NFPA regulations back in 1972. All codes since then have been continuously updated about every three years, and there are now over 300 chapters (books), including NFPA 1581, 1500, 1585, and over a dozen more pertaining to firehouses and firefighters. Items that are listed are wordings of “must” are “minimum requirements for safety programs, training, protective equipment, and facility design in fire departments." Covering decontamination, hazards of fly ash, carcinogens, and cancer studies, especially after 9/11, when all the studies from that event started coming out 4 years later. It began making projects like firehouses meet extremely high standards for the safety of the members. The

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newspaper devoted to telling the Honor Act, a Bill that passed the Senate on Wednesday, 12/17/25, was pushed by NFPA/OSHA and addresses specific jobrelated concerns (cancer) for firefighters. In the background, it started a firestorm of new regulations that are coming forth. I could really make this a 3-page answer, but I think you get the idea. • Is there a department at the state level that regulates the building of volunteer fire departments? If so, what department is that? Due to independent funding secured by Cabot for this project, approval from multiple Federal and State permitting agencies will be required. • Please post what the bottom line cost of the new building is proposed to be. FEMA ? UDAG ? Cabot taxpayers? How will it affect our tax rate? Thank you for your transparency. The Selectboard would be better positioned to provide an answer to this. We serve solely as an advisor to the Selectboard regarding the requirements for the operation of the Fire Department. To my knowledge, there is no UDAG funding specifically allocated for this purpose. I took the liberty of reaching out to the Selectboard to address your question and to ensure clarity, without overstepping. According to the Selectboard, “We know how much the USDA is giving us, $5.1 million, and we also know how much more we need from FEMA to get to our 8+ million to actually build the building. We won’t know any tax implications until we see all the funding numbers and what is left over to be paid by the town.” (Selectboard) As I have stated for several years, my goal is to achieve a zero balance. I fully acknowledge that the residents of Cabot were significantly impacted by the recent floods; I witnessed this firsthand through over personally accumulating 1,000 documented volunteer hours while serving in the Chief position. I am not alone in this recognition. • The current building plan looks like a building that does not belong in a small town in Vermont. Have you considered a building that is more architecturally compatible with the rest of the town? If not, why? I understand that everyone has their own opinions regarding design taste, color, style, and architectural features. That’s why people's homes are painted different colors. The building was designed using multiple photographs from different angles of existing structures along Main Street. These photographs included the Willey Building, the Yellow Building next to Harry's Hardware, the red building to the left of that, Harry's Hardware, the Church, Cabot School, and various residential homes on Main Street. Some of these elements were (see, ‘Fire Department’, page 3)

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Cyndy Phillips

(continued from page 1) what you do here,” and I loved their attitude and I loved how excited people were, and then one day a friend said to me, “You know, that organization where you get your food from, they’re looking for an ED.” “Really?!” I was just so - I’m not really sure there is a better word for it yet - smitten with what they do, I really am. I’m in love with it. I love what they do, and I love how they do it. I wasn’t going to throw my hand back into the ring with an organization unless the right organization presented itself, and the more I learned about Neighbors in Action, the more I loved them. You don’t find that that often. They are here to feed the kingdom. People ask all the time, “What is your role here?” and I point to our mission: We’re here to feed people, here to build community, and nobody has an additional agenda. Neighbors in Action helps ensure that food relief and social interactions have a more meaningful and enduring impact. They really live their mission, and I think that’s exciting. And, to be honest, this is the first organization that didn’t call me a flatlander and tell me they were looking for someone more local, which tickles me! It’s exciting to be with a nonprofit and be able to give back in so many elements.

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Neighbors in Action?

CP: For 2026, I think that’s very specific, and I would say it’s to meet the growth that we’re going to see - we don’t have an option. We know that it’s going to grow. We served 100 more children this year for Toys for Tots. We have new signups every single week at every single location, and we hear the same thing over and over: “I’ve never had to ask for help before.” So, we’re going to move into an environment, I think, in 2026 where people that have never faced food insecurity are going to think about, “Where am I getting the means, where am I getting the items, to feed my family? Where is that coming from?” One of the greatest things about the boxes that we put together and the work that goes into them is that they are so complete. There’s meat, dairy, eggs, there’s produce. When I show people our food boxes, they’re absolutely blown away. The other day I was taking food to my hospice patient. I was unpacking and putting things away, and there was smoked salmon inside and butter and rice and lentils and strawberry cups. Part of the thing I love about them is that they’re different. There’s got to be a fit for people, you know- we may not be a fit for you if you are elderly and you live alone. - A lot of times we see that they want things premade. “I just wanna pop something in and have a meal.” And that’s fine, there’s a lot of organizations that are doing that. What I find with our food boxes is they are for one-or-two, three-orfour, five-or-six, or greater than that (number of people). Those five-six boxes blow me away in what’s inside them: a huge block of Cabot cheese, three pounds of hamburger, full salad kits, loaves of bread, two dozen eggs. It is a substantial amount of food, plus we do pet food, dogs or cats, because everyone deserves to have a companion. CC: This seems to be a change. Years ago, I remember hearing about people coming in, getting a box and taking out things that required preparation, real “cooking.” This seems different. CP: A big sea change, yeah, I agree with that. We were also serving a different type of client, I think. At this point we’re serving more families. We do see with the one/two boxes, sometimes they say, “Do you have something more prepackaged? Do you have something that’s canned?” Because they want ease; and you know what it’s like - what does everyone always say? “I hate cooking for one person!” Tell me to cook for one person, I’m not going to, I can live on cereal! No one wants to cook for one person. But when you’re looking at families, you want to sit down for a meal. What I love about Vermont is Vermont appreciates all the things that I feel are sort of fading away a little bit in the way of connection. We don’t connect with each other the same way that we used to. And don’t get me wrong. I adore technology. I’m not telling you don’t have your kids on their phone, that also is kind of peace and quiet, like when we used to gather around the TV and everybody had to be quiet until the commercial, then go ahead and make popcorn. I’m not telling anyone to abandon technology, it is 2025. But the idea of having a meal together is still important, the idea of cooking together, the idea of handing down recipes is still important, and I feel that our boxes help facilitate those things for people that are food insecure that weren’t doing them before. I think that’s beautiful.

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CP:

You know, I am annoyingly optimistic. It’s not that I’m not a realist. I think that every challenge is an opportunity to lead with “yes”. I don’t know if they’re so much values, but there are things that I hold absolutely dear. Building strong communities is one of them. So whatever values it takes to build strong, strong local communities, those are the values I would say I embody. We’re going to get to a point, I think, in the next five years, where we’re much more reliant on each other locally than we’ve ever been before, and I would say that 48 out of our 50 states are not prepared for this: Vermont is. We are the cleanest, safest place to live right now. We always joke with everyone that when we first came up here, we were “oxygen drunk.” joke, though. green land, our It actually wasn’t a With 80% contiguous oxygen saturation level here is so different than Orlando that we literally were just laughing the whole time. We were just so happy about everything, and I was telling a friend, and was told - maybe it’s the oxygen - and I thought, maybe they were onto something! Do I miss certain things? Yeah: in Orlando I can go out at 3 o’clock in the morning and find French fries, that was cool; I could go wander around the mall during the day if I wanted to; there were water parks I could take the kids to. Sometimes I miss those things. But I value the ability to connect with people in a way that I haven’t been able to in a decade where we were living. Vermont is incomparable to anywhere else we’ve ever been. If you want to build communities, if you want to get involved somewhere, if you want to feel like you’re making a difference for your neighbors, this is the state to be in. CC: How do you build trust with volunteers, staff, donors and community members.

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CP:

That’s an easy one I have one sentence for: I model the way. I never ask you to do anything that I’m not willing to do. I keep promises. I was at Lyndonville this morning, because they’re trying to come up with a new process for food distribution, and they were like, yep, we’ve got this, and you know, I believe them. They’ve been doing this without me for years and years and years and years, but sometimes you just need a fresh set of eyes on it. So, while we’re building the process, I’m also cooking their volunteer lunch, I’m breaking down egg boxes. I’m seeing where we saved space over in this left quadrant, can we move the fridge? Can we do that? using a predictive analytical mind and stirring the ziti. So, I think you have to be in the trenches. I think you have to be involved. I think you have to be willing to wear every single hat in an organiza-

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Fire Department

(continued from page 2) incorporated into the exterior design while avoiding the high costs of reconstructing certain features. The building is considered "timeless" due to its brick facade, which requires little to no maintenance and includes non-paintable surfaces such as aluminum window trims. Features borrowed from these structures on Main Street include a band just below the roofline and a ledger above the windows, as seen on many existing structures in Cabot. A flat roof was maintained to keep the overall height minimum and to allow placement of HVAC equipment out of sight and off the ground. There is also the option to include a roof-mounted solar system. Earlier conversations with GMP would enable the town to benefit from any existing solar credits after applying them to the Public Safety Building and applying the balance to another GMP town account (like the Town Clerk's Office), reducing or even eliminating their power bill. Full Disclosure: the solar system's idea is still under review to determine if its integration into this phase of construction is even possible at this time. • I am aware of the nearby towns’ fire departments - namely Walden and Woodbury. I am wondering if there has been conversation about sharing some resources with them? We are such tiny towns and the modern infrastructure nowadays is so important and so expensive that it seems like it would make sense to share between the locations rather than each department having its own resources in entirety. Thanks for your thoughts. This is an excellent question! However, the description of Cabot as "such a tiny town" is unfortunately inaccurate. The CFD was established in 1867, when farms in the area covered the landscape surrounding Cabot. According to town tion, and if you’re not willing to do that, you’re not made for nonprofit, and you’re not made for the kind of organization that Neighbors in Action is. I mean, it’s in the title. Neighbors – in the NEK everybody knows everyone. In Action.- I just think they’re amazing. Specifically, I always follow what Vermonters do, I’m not here to change anything. I don’t want to bring Florida up here, there’s a reason I left, I’m not interested in that. But I also think that you’ve really got to be willing to learn and listen up here, because Vermont is not an easy place to live. So, these first couple of weeks I’ve been letting my volunteers tell me what to do. Tell me how to do it. If it makes sense, we’ll do it your way, if I think we can do it better, we’ll have a conversation about it, but none of it is just because I said so.

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Last question: How can the

community best support you and the organization? CP: I believe that true stewardship has three tenets: time, talent, money. Money is the easiest one - if you have the ability to donate to us, I implore you. It is more important now, this year, than it has ever been before. We are seeing exponential growth within our program, (see, ’Cyndi Phillips’, page 4)

records, CFD had at that time a 4-man, hand-pull hose cart and a small handful of members. Flash forward to 2005, the grand list has increased significantly, reaching $83,976,110. To address the growing volume and complexity of calls at that time, in 2011 CFD, with its membership increasing, expanded from a twoperson cab/engine to a six-person cab/ engine equipped with foam capabilities, a larger pump, and jump seats preloaded with SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus). By 2015, the grand list had risen to $168,194,277, and it has continued to skyrocket, as well as our call volume, with 2025 showing $272,505,815 in total assets now needing protection. This figure does not include town- owned buildings, nor does it account for vehicles, barns, and home contents, which further increase the assets at risk. As I said, we are not a “tiny town” anymore. Cabot is growing. The key point is that the Cabot Fire Department must be prepared to respond to an increasing volume and a wider range of emergency calls. We go out on about 150 calls a year. We are members of the Capital Fire Mutual Aid Program, an organization comprising over 31 towns, and CFD is one of the largest departments in the area with 30 active members. The agreement implies mutual assistance: we respond to their needs, and they assist us when necessary. Our department occasionally responds to Barre with apparatus, and similarly, departments (such as East Montpelier Fire) send apparatus and personnel to take part in large structural fires in Cabot. Additionally, we collaborate with Woodbury on their airboat, and neighboring departments use our cascade system to refill self-contained breathing apparatuses, which are essential for firefighter safety. We also request assistance from Vermont Hazmat for use on certain calls, or swift-water rescues, or if Cabot requests the Hardwick fire department ladder truck, all of which allow (see, ’Fire Department’, page 4)

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Jane E. Fitzpatrick

Jane E. Fitzpatrick passed away peacefully at home in Barre, Vermont, on Friday, November 21, 2025, after a long illness. She was 87. Jane was born on April 11, 1938, in Northvale, New Jersey, to Douglas and Dorothy Zabriskie. She attended high school in Closter, New Jersey, and upon graduation worked at Lederle Laboratories in Pearl River, New York. During High School Jane met her future husband, Brendan Fitzpatrick, at a local ice cream shop. After two years they married and started a family in Dumont, New Jersey. After relocating to River Vale, New Jersey, Jane owned a ceramic store in Park Ridge, New Jersey, where she provided personalized guidance for participants to create their own pieces. In 1973, Jane sold her ceramic shop, and the family left New Jersey and relocated to Cabot, Vermont. While living in Vermont, Jane was employed at Cabot School as the school Secretary and later as the Docket Clerk at the Vermont State Supreme Court. After 17 years at the Supreme Court, Jane retired and she and her husband settled in Florida for 17 years before ultimately relocating back to Vermont.

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Cyndy Phillips

(continued from page 3) and we are the NEK’s best-kept secret. We really are. When people find out what goes into the food boxes, the community dinners that we do, the way we support people in each of these areas, they’re absolutely blown away. But because so many people on the receiving end of this don’t have money to give, if you have money to give, even if it is five dollars a month, we would love that. Check with your employer, see if they have matching funds. If you want to make a one-time gift, that would be great. Unfortunately, we just need funding, and grants this year are disappearing at a faster rate than they ever have before, and the amount per grant is down about 50 percent from what it was. Time is another option. We always have opportunities where you can come out and help. We put boxes together, or we run community dinners, or we have people that want food boxes but can’t drive to get them. Maybe you want to be a runner for something, maybe you have the ability to drive around – it’s beautiful driving around the NEK. Time is just as valuable as money. Talent is the third one, this is my fa-

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Fire Department

(continued from page 3) us to use resources Cabot does not retain. As Chief, I face a daily delicate balance: ensuring equipment is readily available for any possible Cabot life safety situations that may come in. Whether assets are received from neighboring departments, managing possible response times, or purchasing and maintenance costs, if Cabot owns such equipment. I Jane enjoyed all sports, but golf was her favorite. She was a member of the New Smyrna Beach Golf Club in Florida, where she celebrated her first hole-inone. Jane also liked cross-country skiing, line dancing, traveling and took up rollerblading at age 62. Jane always loved a festive gathering and was often the life of the party. Jane is survived by her husband of 69 years, Brendan, her four children, Tim (Lisa) of South Carolina, Tara (Tom Fontana) of Vermont, Sally of New Jersey, and Michael of Vermont. Jane was blessed with six grandchildren, LeeAnn, Jared, Dylan, Connor, Lindsay, Garrett and nine great grandchildren. She is also survived by her three sisters, Carol Knieriem and Donna Nead of Colorado, and Nancy Knapp of Florida, and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their deep appreciation for all the help provided by Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice and special thanks to Dr. Robert Robinson for his commitment to Jane’s well-being and comfort over the years. There will be no calling hours at this time, however, a celebration of life will take place in the Spring. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice. Arrangements are by Hooker Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, Barre. For a memorial guestbook, please visit www.hookerwhit comb.com.

vorite, because people say, “I have nothing to give,” and every single one of us has something to give. Are you really into yoga, do you want to run a class? Do you paint? Do you do storytelling? Are you an electrician? Do you know something about Vermont history? That would be a benefit to us. Do you cook? Do you make an old-fashioned recipe? Is there something fun you create that can go into each of our boxes? And I’m not saying it even has to be a tangible item. Maybe it’s an insert that we put in the boxes, like a great recipe you know for hazelnuts (we’ve been giving out a bunch of hazelnuts lately!). We’re going to be reimagining the backyard at this building. I want to build a food-forward space that is ADA compliant so that everyone has the ability to hang out with us when they want. ADA compliant swings and seats, a little walking path back there, maybe an herb walk so that you have an edible landscape. Do you know about things like that? Do you know about horticulture? Those are talents. And so, right now we are looking for one of those three things, and everybody’s got one of three, so whatever your time, talent, or monetary funding is, we’d ask that that you’d connect with us and help us build a stronger organization for the NEK. can say that it is truly an ongoing balancing act happening daily without the Town folks even knowing it. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you (Jeanne) for organizing this event, as well as all of you who submitted questions. Our focus stays on academic inquiry and transparency, particularly regarding the questions posed. Moving forward, WE have a strong, growing community, and CFD is proud to protect it! Be Safe! - Chief Deasy

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Speeding Concerns

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Public comment at the December 2 meeting turned into a discussion about speeding in the village. Dale Brown spoke up about speeding in a small town and noted that he lives directly across from the school. He said that people are doing 40 or 50 mph in the school zone. Dale added that even when kids are crossing the street, people are not doing 25. He said that he watched kids step into the crosswalk while looking at their phones. Dale expressed gratefulness that no one has been hit yet, and added that he didn’t know the answer. He relayed that he spoke with a friend at the Washington County Sheriff's office and they said they want to do more, but that funds are limited. Mike Hogan stated that they have had a lot of discussions about speeding. Fred Ducharme said the bottom line is that they are not spending enough on the Sheriffs. He said the town needs to spend 4-5 times the amount they have budgeted, noting that the kids are spacing, looking at their phone and not paying attention to traffic. Fred then turned to Dale to encourage him to tell the board about the guy in the pickup.

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Cabot Garage Buyout

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Gary Gulka, chair of the Flood Resiliency Task Force, and Emily Lewis, a representative of contractor DuBois & King, presented the results of the study to find relocation sites for the Cabot Garage at the December 16 meeting of the Selectboard. Gary reminded the board that the task force had made the announcement that the town had been awarded the grant to replace the bridge across the north tributary. Then he noted that the project had been separated from the project to replace the culverts on the south tributary that run under Main Street. He recalled that the town had received a grant from Vermont Emergency Management to buy out the Cabot Garage property, the first step in the project to replace the culverts with a bridge. Gary said that part of the buyout was for the owner of the building to be compensated for the appraised value. If the relocation is successful, he stated, then the bridge project could proceed. But he emphasized that the town has not received funding for that project. He noted that they have applied for FEMA funding and hoped that the subtraction of the north tributary bridge project from the request made it more likely it would be approved. He then told the board that the task force hired DuBois & King to do a desk

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UPDATE UPDATES UPDATE SS S

Dale recalled that the other day he was sitting on his couch and heard the guy coming. He said the guy went by at 50, and later that day, the same rig went the other way. He said the guy was right on his neighbor's “ass” and then passed his neighbor. He said his neighbor made a motion to get out his phone to take a picture and the guy turned around and confronted his neighbor. Dale said the guy asked if his neighbor had a problem with him and also said he had a gun. He said it's a white Tahoe, or something like that. Mike said it's an issue the county is facing, there aren't enough deputies. He added that there is a shortage of state police too. He speculated that even if they doubled the budget for sheriff patrols, there wouldn’t be any difference. Amy Monahan said that there was about $8,000 in the budget for the sheriff’s office. Betty Ritter said the deputies don’t see anyone speeding when they come out. She noted that they now have a vehicle that doesn’t look like a police car. Frank Kampf asked about speed cameras, and Betty said they have been looking at that with the sheriff’s department.

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Progress

top study of seven possible properties for the relocation of Cabot Garage. He said the next phase would be to select the most promising sites and do a more detailed analysis of how the facility could be built on the site. Emily then took over the presentation and told the board that when they looked at the proposed sites, they analyzed the soils, water and wastewater access, wetland proximity, physical spacing, and access to the main road. She said their report shows how each site rated in each category, and then she reviewed the seven sites. She said that site 1 was town property located behind the Willey Building. She said that site had some challenges because of the stream located behind the site, which creates buffering requirements. But she noted that it is very close to the current location of Cabot Garage. Emily added that the soil had a high water table, and it would also require relocation of the playground Emily described site 2, located on Elm Street across from the cemetery, as one of the flattest sites, it contains no hydric soils, and has a deep water table. She said that one of the challenges was its distance from Main Street. She then shifted to site 3, which is on Main Street, on creamery land where the yellow house used to be. Emily noted that it has a central location, but the land is very steep and has hydric soils. 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.

She added that they would have to coordinate with Creamery construction. Site 4, Emily said, is relatively flat in several areas, but the edges get a little into the wetland area. It is located on Sawmill Road, by the water treatment plant. She pointed out that one of the detriments of the site is that it is the farthest from the village. The next site, site 5, is also located on creamery land on Whittier Hill Road. Emily said the land is somewhat flat, and the soils are buildable, noting that it is close to town water and sewer. Emily said that site 6, which is just outside the village on South Walden Road, is just outside the town water service area, and has hydric soils. She said that the site has challenges for building upon it, and it is right on the edge of a habitat corridor. The last site, site 7, is located on Danville HIll Road, and Emily said it would need an Act 250 permit. She noted that it is flatter, but has a shallow depth to rock. She then showed how they created a comparison matrix in their report to rate each site, describing that each site was scored on a scale of 1-5 in each category. Then the overall score was summarized to help rank the sites. Emily said they

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December 1

The Selectboard held several more meetings to finalize the draft budget. The first of these meetings was on December 1, where the board reviewed budget requests from the Highway Department, Emergency Management, the Conservation Committee, the Flood Resiliency Task Force, and the Cemetery Commission. The board also heard the appropriation requests from the CCA and the Cabot Chronicle . First up was the highway budget. Mike Hogan told the board that Sid had met with Amy Monahan earlier in the day, and asked Sid to review the budget changes. Sid said that garage maintenance was raised from $3,000 to just under $13,000. He added that they got an estimate for the salt shed door to replace the canvas that is currently being used. Sid said the wind often blows the canvas aside and the salt gets wet. Sid said he would prefer to build another salt shed, and noted that the original plans called for a 40’ x 50’ salt shed. He wasn’t sure why they ended up with a smaller salt shed. He then mentioned that he and Amy had increased chloride to $27,000. He said that the $12,000 they had only takes care of spring grading. Amy then reminded Sid they had talked about paving. Mike asked if there were any small projects in the coming year. Sid said he would like to pave Whittier Hill Road, from Main Street up and around the corner. Mike asked how much of the $50,000 that would be used residing, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues to listen in person. Instructions for

presented the report to the task force, and the task force selected 3 sites for further research. Those sites are 2, 4, and 5. Gary told the board that the task force met with the creamery and they expressed openness to the consideration of the Whittier Hill site. However, he added, they also expressed a jurisdictional opinion was needed regarding Act 250 since the creamery is governed by Act 250 for all of its land. Fred Ducharme asked if Greg Moore, owner of Cabot Garage, had a preference on the sites. Gary said that Greg prefers the Whittier Hill site. He added that Greg has a lot of customers that work at the creamery, and they walk to/from his business. Gary added that the next step was to amend their contract with DuBois & King and do further analysis and narrow it down to one site. Mike Hogan asked if the creamery has a price on the Whittier Hill property. R.D. Eno responded that they didn’t have a price in mind, but they would be interested in a land swap. Mike expressed that a land swap would be a good approach. The report of Dubois & King is available on the Town website: cabotvt.us.

and Sid said “all of it”. He added that the price for one mile is over $300,000. Mike suggested the town establish a reserve fund for paving. But said they would have to look at the overall budget and how it affects taxes. Sid and the board talked about sand and salt, and Sid mentioned that salt went up in cost, so they raised that line item from $65,000 to $70,000. Next they talked about the aging equipment, Sid listed off the ages of the various big pieces of equipment. Mike proposed an article to put before the voters that asks “shall the town of Cabot create a highway equipment reserve fund”. The board next reviewed the Emergency Management budget. Jenn Miner said there really hasn’t been a budget before, noting that if they bought supplies there was no place to store them. Jenn noted the one item they really needed was radios. She suggested that Dean Deasy add two radios to the Fire Department order that would be allocated to Emergency Management. Fred Ducharme brought up the subject of an emergency shelter, and said they need to look into generators to run the school. He said that was the only place they could reasonably house people in an emergency. Fred felt that the town keeps kicking the can down the road on that issue. There was more discussion regarding the issue, and whether the town or the school should be buying the generators. Dean said the town would need towable generators, one to run the wood chip plant, and one to run the gym. (see, ‘Finalizing Budget’, page 6)

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December 8

The board held another budget meeting on December 8 to review water and wastewater budgets, and the recreation department. Mike told the board that the previous board had numerous discussions about future funding of the wastewater plant, but the flood got in the way of planning. He recently reviewed the engineering report on the plant which lists repairs and maintenance that is needed. He said the report recommended a capital funding plan to cover expenses. Mike said the town has been paying for a lot of the costs for the wastewater plant out of the general fund because user fees don’t cover expenses. Amy shared the FY25 amounts, stating the income was $178,900 and the expenses, without repairs, were $268,969. She added that the wastewater fund owes the general fund over $200,000, and it is increasing because the plant is operating at a loss. Mike said that they need to find some sort of solid funding source. Mike then moved the meeting on to the Recreation Department agenda item. Jessica North spoke to the board about the coordination fee, she said she wasn’t familiar enough to speak to other aspects of the budget like the pavilion bills and the ice skating rink. Mike asked why the fees are not being divided between Cabot and the other schools. Jessica said that she understands that fee is not in the school because it won’t fit into the budget. She said that to play soccer, the kids pay a fee. Jessica added that when she took over five years ago, it was only Cabot kids playing sports, but they didn’t have enough to make a team. So they reached out to Twinfield and merged to have enough kids for a team. She said that Twinfield allows use of their gym for free, and they can’t use the Cabot gym because of conflicts with other uses. Jenn Miner relayed that Cam North said Twinfield offers other types of support in place of financial support. The board and Jessica discussed the time she spends coordinating sports and Amy noted that last year her time sheet showed she spent 210 hours. Mike proposed talking to the school to see if it could be moved into the school budget. Jessica said the conversation may already be happening because the CCSU Athletic Director reached out to her to ask about the number of hours she works. Fred said that sports are important and he didn’t think $10,000 was too much. Jenn talked about the possibility of fund raising to offset some of the costs.

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Fire Department Radios

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

At the December 1 Budget Meeting, the Selectboard heard from Dean Deasy regarding new radios for the Fire Department. Mike Hogan started the discussion by reviewing a draft article he was proposing to borrow $60,000 from the bond bank for the radios. Dean said he had talked to Motorola about their lease to buy program, and went over the options he received in a quote for 3, 4, 5 and 7 year terms. Mike asked what other towns are doing and Dean said some are going with the lease program. Jenn Miner asked about batteries, and Dean responded that a minimum supply was included. Amy Monahan asked how many radios were needed. Dean, reading from the quote, listed a total of 6 mobiles, which have a life span of 18 years. Mike quickly asked about other aspects of the quote, before Dean finished listing all of the radio needs. After a somewhat lengthy discussion about radios, Dean turned to an equipment forecast the board asked him to develop. He said the plan was laid for 20 years, but noted that he also did an immediate 5 year plan. Dean told the board that the self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) will be expiring in 2027, and that in 2028 the rescue truck will be at its 20-year mark. He added that in 2029 the extraction tools will need to be replaced. Dean also said the 20 year plan included a percentage cost increase. Dean expressed concern that having the tank and the rescue truck replaced so close together in time, that it will create a hardship. Mike said that it “befuddles” him that Cabot keeps getting passed over for grants for the big ticket items. Dean said the granting authorities want to direct the grant money towards the biggest population centers. Mike asked how crucial the rescue truck is to the Fire Department. Dean said that it holds everything they need for a car accident and chimney fires. He added that it is 4x4 and can get down small roads and driveways, when the engine stays on the main road. Circling back, Peggy Miller noted that the budget shows the number of radios, reading off 6 mobile and 13 portable. Mike said they need to change it to 21 radios, with the two additional for Emergency Management. At the December 8 budget meeting, the board discussed the Fire Department radios again. Mike noted that they need to either borrow money from the Vermont Bond Bank or go with the Motorola leasing program.

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Fred mentioned that other towns with more money than Cabot are only getting a few of the expensive radios and getting cheaper radios for the rest. He speculated their theory was that when the cheaper radio breaks, they would just replace it. Peggy said they need to know how long the cheaper radios last. Skip Bothfeld said there were 15 towns sitting around the table and he asked how they were all getting radios. He relayed that some of the towns have their own radio program and are not participating in the Capital Fire radio program. He added that in Waterbury, the chief and assistant had the expensive radios and everyone else had the cheap radios. Peggy said that sometimes you don’t need the Cadillac. Skip said the guys inside the building need the radios, the guys running the pump or directing traffic don’t. He added that the chief and such are making the decision, the other guys don’t need to be involved. Dean joined the meeting and Fred told him that he had learned that other Fire Departments are only getting a few of the $7,000 radios and more of the $1,000 radios. He asked Dean how many high end radios does Cabot actually need? Dean said there are several different models, and some are not sealed. He added that he is only supplying radios to the people that need them. Dean said the cheaper radios have a shorter life span, and issues with drop tests and water seals. He said the model he selected should provide 14 to 16 years of service. He thought the cheaper radio was only 5 to 8 years of service. Fred speculated that the cost of the cheaper radios, even with a shorter life span, might be less overall. Dean said the lower priced ones are more susceptible to damage at a fire scene because they are not rated for the heat. He added that they picked the lowest cost ones of the field rated radios. Amy told the board that she did get a new quote for 21 radios, which includes the two for Emergency Management. She said that it brought it up from $1,0 to $126,000. She also got a quote from the Vermont Bond Bank for $125,000 for ten years, and said the highest payment amount was $14,000 a year. The quote contained a guesstimate of an interest rate of 2.9%. Peggy was worried about buying all the radios at the same time because they are all going to wear out at the same time. Mike proposed changing the budget to include the $14,000 bond payment for the radios.

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

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School Behavioral

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Jeanne Segretto, Vice Principal, addressed the School Board at the November regular meeting regarding the Behavior Matrix. She started by saying she renamed it the Behavior Tool, and said that she felt it needed to be rebranded. Jeanne said that the current iteration is a draft, and that she added that it is a departure from what existed before. She went on to explain that she wanted the teacher to begin with managing issues in the classroom before pulling in administration. Jeanne also mentioned a consequence tool, which has set consequences for specific incidents. Her description of the biggest change from the past consisted of moving the behavioral incidents toward legal definitions. Jeanne added that they haven’t done a great job tracking behavioral issues in the classroom, and that things are difficult right now without an elementary counselor. Chris Tormey asked for an example of how the new matrix looked different than last year. Jeanne stated that the truancy policy is pretty clear now, and teachers know exactly what they need to do. Chris said that the board has heard from parents over the past several years about how the system wasn’t clear. He asked if this document would change how things are handled. Jeanne responded that their job is to educate, and that a lot of the behaviors require education. She added that there may be a process they are following which is hard to understand from the outside. Jeanne mentioned that a lot of people want a checkbox marked off, like a kid suspended. But she said that if she has to suspend a kid, then that means they failed to bring the kid along. Chris asked about how the new tool would be made available to parents, and recalled that two or three years ago the

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Matrix

response of a survey was that the system seemed like a black box. He added that he understood there are confidentiality concerns, and obviously the school can’t say what happened to a kid, but they could point to the options of consequences. Jeanne said that often she hears “what happened to the other kid?,” and said that she cannot answer that question due to confidentiality. Chris noted that people want to know there is a system that is operative. Melissa Pratt suggested that once the tool is complete, it would be good to have in the handbook so people know what are the actual consequences. Jeanne said that the past matrix was abstract, and the new tool will be clear about where the boundaries are. Alicia Heber said that the matrix was a huge step forward last year, and asked what are the major changes. Jeanne responded again that it is the move toward legal definitions. Matt Foster added that the definitions for a particular behavior are being made clearer. Alicia Heber recalled that restorative conversations were an issue a few years ago. She said that one of her concerns, as she has seen, is when both parties are not willing and it becomes nonproductive. Alicia added that if a student is pulled out of a learning environment, then a parent should be informed. Jeanne added one last bit of information before the conversation moved onto the next agenda item. She said that she wanted to make the response to an elopement administrative. Jeanne said that taking off into a hallway is one thing, but when a six year old takes off into the woods it becomes a much bigger issue. She added that this is different than how other schools would handle it because of the structure of the Cabot School campus.

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Consulting and Gardening

The winter garden is an underrated joy. Even in the deepest part of winter, a garden can be full of interest and beauty, full of different heights and textures and colors. If you would like to enjoy your garden year-round, the key is to incorporate trees, shrubs, and stemmy perennials. These plants will stand tall above the snow, provAiding birds with seeds and fruit and perching places, and giving you something to look at while the rest of the world is blanketed in white. However, it does take some advance planning. Annuals like marigold and petunias turn to mush by October, as do perennials with tender leaves, such as hosta, daylily, iris, and peony. And if you cut back all your tall, stemmy plants in fall, it will be late spring before you see them again. To have a garden with winter interest, think about a combination of the following plants, and leave your stemmy perennials standing.

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Trees

There are a number of trees small enough to be used in a garden. When browsing the nursery catalog, look for “dwarf” or “weeping” as an indicator that it’s a small form tree. And always check mature height and spread before choosing a tree, to make sure it won’t overwhelm and outgrow the space. There are weeping cherry, crabapple, and birch varieties that stay very petite, and have a lovely form when the leaves drop. There are even dwarf and weeping Norway spruce, which will have really interesting shapes and stay green year-round.

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Proposed Boat Wash & Watercraft

The Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife (DF&W) has refused to allow the Joe’s Pond Association (JPA) to construct and operate a boat wash and watercraft decontamination station (BWS) at the Joe’s Pond DF&W access area. Over the past year, and as a result of an infestation of Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM), the JPA has been confronted with the tremendous social, financial and ecological costs associated with containment and control of this aggressive, resilient, and dominant non-native aquatic invasive species (AIS). A fully equipped and staffed BWS is considered by the JPA to be a necessary and effective facility enhancing its ability to prevent introduction of additional aquatic invasive species (AIS) and, seemingly what should be most important to the DF&W, would help avoid export of EWM and other AIS to other currently AIS-free Vermont waterbodies. The JPA intends to secure 100% funding for construction, operation and maintenance of this proposed facility from private sources. After engaging a consultant to conduct a wetlands delineation and development of a preliminary project design, the JPA trees, check the mature height and spread before planting any shrub. Red twig dogwood is a native shrub that rarely exceeds four feet and has brilliant red stems throughout winter. Winterberry, another native, holds onto bright red berries till the birds finally decide they are worth eating in late winter. Hydrangeas hold their spent dried flower heads, sometimes right up till their next blooming in late summer. There are many junipers and cedars that stay small and can provide a splash of green or gold. If you are looking for a true oddity, try the corkscrew hazel, also called Henry Lauder’s Walking Stick, with wildly corkscrewing branches that really stand out when the leaves drop.

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Stemmy perennials

There is a long list of perennials that have tall, cellulose-rich stems: coneflower, bee balm, aster, goldenrod, black-eyed Susan, goatsbeard, and phlox, to name some of the more common native plants. If not cut back in fall, these stems can stand right through to spring. These plants can be a winter seed source for birds and small mammals, and the stems can house stem-nesting bees. There are also non-native plants that, while having less wildlife value, still have great visual appeal, such as Autumn Joy sedum and astilbe. Have a beautiful winter, and if you don’t have a winter garden now, start thinking about one for next year! 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, and more. For gardening help, email gardengoddess802@

www.SocksFamilyFarm.wee bly.com.

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Decontamination Station

submitted a proposal to the DF&W asking for its endorsement. Citing the loss of parking spaces (two) and the encroachment into adjacent wetlands (3000 square feet in a wetland buffer area), Mike Wichrowski, Lands & Facilities Administrator for the DF&W stated in an email message to the JPA that its proposal “is not something the ANR (VT Agency of Natural Resources) is willing to support”. The JPA has argued that this decision by VT DF&W and the Department of Environmental Conservation (wetlands regulatory authority) has demonstrated misplaced priorities and rejects an opportunity to meaningfully and effectively collaborate with the local entity (JPA) most responsible for protection and stewardship of Joe’s Pond. That concern for two parking spaces (for which a mitigation proposal has been offered by the JPA) and a minor wetland buffer encroachment would outweigh the potential degradation of all Joe’s Pond-associated wetlands and aquatic resources due to AIS introduction seems, in the opinion of the JPA, to be ill-conceived. At this time, the JPA is considering its options for next steps. Barry Cahoon, JPA Water Quality Director Eurasian Watermilfoil Management Coordinator

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Community Budget Forum Discus-

sion The Cabot Selectboard is proposing a draft budget for Fiscal Year 27 (July 1, 2026-June 30,2027) The Town or Municipal Budget is comprised of the General Fund and Highway Fund appropriations, which fund all the services for the town for a full fiscal year.

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FY27 Budget

At the recent public forum regarding the draft budget numbers for the FY27 budget I made the following comments to frame the direction for the upcoming fiscal year that starts on July 1, 2026, and ends June 30, 2027. One of the most important responsibilities of the Selectboard is to produce a fiscal budget for the Town to vote on at Town Meeting. Those duties are outlined in VSA 24 and are mandated by all municipalities. The Budget is comprised of two different funds that cover all the municipal needs of a town such as Cabot. The General Fund encompasses many town functions. Those included would be the employees who work in the Town Clerks Office, Treasurer, Listers, Library, and other miscellaneous positions.

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of Proposed

In addition, Special Service Appropriations, Fire Department Operations, Emergency Transport Services, Village Expenses (see the list of all expenses covered in this edition of the Chronicle). One item to note is the need to replace the radios in the Fire Department that have become obsolete with no hardware or software support. We are asking the town to approve an article that will allow the Selectboard to borrow $125,000 from the Vermont Bond Bank and extend the loan for over 10 years, thereby reducing the one-time cost of this purchase. These radios are critical to the mission of the Fire Department in its role of public safety and firefighting. The overall General Fund Budget will increase 2.2% over the previous year. (see, ‘FY27 Budget’, page 9)

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FY27 Budget

(continued from page 8) The Highways Fund is 15% higher than the previous year's budget. The Town is mandated by statute to maintain our roads and highways. Depending on the severity of a winter, a budget can be higher than approved. Cabot has done a very good job in maintaining its roads, and that was very evident how we responded in two consecutive floods in 23-24. Two items are worth mentioning in the highway budget. The Town wants to set up a Reserve Equipment Fund for purchasing future highway equipment such as a new grader and loader. They are usually large dollar purchases with the financial impact lessened with a reserve fund to lower the overall cost to the town. It's a recommended practice that most towns are doing in the aftermath of the recent floods. That amount will be $25,000 in this budget.

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EVENTS:

Thursday, February 12 6:30 p.m. CCA./Cabot Meeting Articles discussion and Meet ing—light refreshments available. We Clerk, Selectboard and School Board. Monday, February 17 Legislatively-mandated Hearing on Town Meeting Articles as lectboard – for informational purposes no changes may be made. Tuesday, March 3 10:00 am Town voting, and last day to register to vote Tuesday, March 24 6:00 pm Selectboard ments will be made

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for Bridge Replacement

by Gary Gulka We received good news in December that we have been awarded a Community Development Block grant for our north tributary bridge project by the rec field. We've been awarded $1.25 million through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (the funding source is federal HUD monies that the State administers). Cabot voters approved ten percent matching funds in November that will be applied to this project. There are a lot of details to be worked out before we get started on this project, including some necessary historic preservation and environmental impact reviews before we are officially awarded grant funds. The next step will then be final engineering design, working with landowners whose property is The other item is very important as it pertains to the Highway Trucks that plow our roads and sand them on days like we are currently experiencing. Most trucks cost over $300,000 and take oneto-two years after they are ordered to be put into service. Our foreman found an outfit that will refurbish one of our trucks for basically half the cost. This will lengthen the life of our truck without asking the town for a large purchase in difficult economic times. With the resale of a replacement truck and the refurbishment costs, the town is budgeting $60,000 to take care of this important piece of equipment for its mission of maintaining the roads. We appreciate the Towns support in our budget discussions and ask that they approve both the General Fund and Highway Fund Articles on Town Meeting 2026. Michael J. Hogan-Chair Selectboard

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2026 DECISIONS

to file petition for Town Meeting Arti(minimum 60) to file petition for election to Town Of(minimum 12)

Chronicle-Sponsored Town the Candidates Night, Willey Buildhope to have candidates for Town

Formal Public Information printed on ballot – presentation by seto understand what we are voting on,

meeting, 7 am – 7 pm Australian Ballot on Town Meeting Articles Meeting where town appoint-

day a voter may contest Town Meeting

a losing candidate or voter may request

voters may file petition for reconsideraDay

Warning Available on Town Website Ballots printed and available for

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Million

impacted (easements), and permitting. If this can all be accomplished in 2026, the earliest that construction would start is 2027. We do have six years to complete the work under the grant, but we want to move much more quickly. The south tributary project in the center of the village is much more complicated, requiring relocation of Cabot Garage and acquiring funding to construct a bridge with much greater headspace to allow for water and debris movement. We have applied for FEMA funding, but our project was ranked as an “alternate” for funding – meaning, unless a highly ranked project drops out or more FEMA federal funding becomes available, we will not be funded. The Flood Resiliency Task Force will continue to look for a solution. As of Town on registered

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The

reported in the December 2025 Cabot Chronicle , Town Clerk Betty Ritter is retiring at the end her term after Town Meeting 2026. She has committed to closing out the responsibilities of Meeting 2026 and has agreed to train a new Town Clerk. Deadline to file a petition to be the Town Meeting ballot is January 26 with a minimum of twelve certifiable signatures of Cabot voters submitted to the Town Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m.

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JOB DESCRIPTION: TOWN CLERK

and Scope of Position is a comprehensive, administrative position that serves as an independent Town Clerk for Cabot with all the applicable Vermont State Statutes (24 ApV.S.A. Chapter 114E). town clerk performs technical, administrative, and management work and is for overseeing town functions in the following areas: municipal record issuance of licenses and official documents; and conduct of local, state, and elections. position includes a variety of highly responsible duties that require considerable discretion, and initiative in the interpretation and application of laws, and procedures. This is a full-time, exempt position and subject to the Personnel Policy. clerk is responsible for the discharge of all duties assigned to the town clerk’s by state and federal law. and Responsibilities  Serve as chief election officer of the town. Conduct all elections in accordance with state and federal laws; manage registration of voters and direct activities of election volunteers.  Serve as clerk to Boards of Civil Authority and Tax Abatement.  Ensuring recording of all deeds and official documents.  Manage issuance of necessary documents for, and recording of, all vital statistics (births, deaths, marriages, etc.); serve as registrar of all vital records.  Provide public with accurate municipal information.  Serve as custodian of town records; ensure safety and preservation of all records.  Ensure accuracy and attention to detail in the issuance of licenses, and legal documents; maintain associated records of documentation.  Manage the collection of fees and the proper recording of business and financial instruments, working with the town treasurer.  Ensure good customer service for all professionals and members of the public accessing the services provided in the Cabot municipal office.  Prepare town report and website.  Process Property Transfer Tax Returns and associated revenues for the state tax department.  Perform other duties as necessary or requested to ensure the proper functioning of the town government.  Oversee functions of the Willey Building (including scheduling and accepting contracts for renting space for various functions), and making sure the proper fees are collected.  Ensuring the Willey Building is properly maintained.  Maintaining the public calendar.  Posting all Select Board meetings as required by statute.  Record and take minutes of all Selectboard Meetings and post on Cabot website.  Work with E911 to provide current addresses for any new building site as needed.  Maintain Town Website  Maintain functions to enable the Town of Cabot offices to run as efficiently as possible.

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Requirements

 Outstanding people skills and genuine enjoyment in serving the public.  Ability to work in typical office setting and use equipment such as computers, copiers, fax machines, etc.  Knowledge and training in best practices and procedures for recording documents and preserving records.  Thorough knowledge of state statutory provisions relating to the duties and responsibilities of town clerks.  Ability to maintain accurate and detailed records.  Knowledge of basic computer applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as NEMRC modules.  Must be able to accept constructive criticism and the ability to communicate and work well with others. This is an office-based job in a dynamic municipal office. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to communicate frequently with the public and other staff members, operate office equipment, and move throughout the municipal offices. above information is intended to describe the general nature of the Town position and should not be considered a comprehensive statement of activities, responsibilities, and requirements; the position expectaare subject to change, with or without notice, at any time. This job deis neither an employment contract nor a promise of work for any length of time. Town of Cabot is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

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THE TOWN

We can’t expect people to go into these Dear Editor: fires without dependable equipment . I hope people understand the value of This isn’t 1965, we need these radios for the radios the fire chief is asking for in our volunteer firefighters. the FY 2027 Budget. I believe the re- I may not always support the fire dequest is reasonable because what they partment’s requests, it depends on what have are dinosaurs, and it is important issues we’re talking about, but when it they have this equipment so they can comes to the radios, I am convinced this communicate onsite and be safe. is the right thing to do. I asked Dean twice to justify this pur- Fred Ducharme chase. If I feel I have the information I Cabot Selectboard Member

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Cabot Emergency Ambulance Service

by Ruth Goodrich

Quick response can be vital for emergencies. Having your 911 location number on your mailbox or a reflective sign at the end of the driveway can save precious time when we are responding to emergencies. Unmarked houses or drives can cost precious time for everyone. Please mark your house number in visible letters so we can avoid delays!

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WISHES YOU’D MAKE

 Vote at Town Meeting, Tuesday, March  Register your dog before April 1  File your Homestead Declaration file for an extension  Secure a Zoning Permit before making

 Vote in the Primary Election, Tuesday,  Mark August 20 and November 19  Vote in the General Election Tuesday,

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Connection to Cabot

On the Burtt farm, Winton Walbridge helps 1954 Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Trouble With Walbridge, Winton's daughter, Gail, Greg Burtt,

by Gary Gulka After the Trails Committee worked with the Burtt family to establish a trail at the orchard, we became aware that part of Alfred Hitchcock’s film, The Trouble with Harry (1955), was filmed in Cabot on the Burtt property, which at the time was the Walbridge farm known as Maple Glen Farm. In actuality, the majority of the movie was filmed in Craftsbury in 1954, but one very important and funny scene involving digging the grave for Harry’s body was filmed here. The person with the best recollection of the filming is 95-year-old Winton Walbridge, who had lived on the farm. He now lives in Barre but often visits the farm, and the Burtt’s have heard the stories about Alfred Hitchcock and the filming crew being at the farm. Winton has a pretty good idea where the filming took place, and it is in close proximity to the Burtt’s Orchard Trail. Hoping to preserve a little history, the Trails Committee has been curious to locate the filming spot and marking it with a commemorative plaque. (HS-122) before April 15, even if you

changes to your property

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November 3

to locate the filming scene location for the Harry. From back to front: Winton and Gary Gulka. Greg Burtt invited Winton over to the farm recently to scope out the area, and drove him and his daughter, Gail, along the trail to see if the actual spot could be pinpointed. We haven’t yet nailed down the location, but we know the general vicinity and we are looking for landmarks. The vegetation has changed a lot, many large maples have died, some of the cleared land has grown over and the scenic vistas have changed. Winton recalls the film crew being in Cabot for about a week. They excavated the grave, then neatly filled in the hole and replaced the sod when they were done. He recalls Alfred Hitchcock visiting the Burtt farmhouse to make phone calls. Why they came to Cabot to film one scene is unknown. In 1955, Winton recalls going to see The Trouble with Harry in Barre, and he enjoyed it. The Craftsbury Historical Society, which has documented the filming activity, showed the film at a presentation last year. The film is available on Amazon Prime and is worth watching, as are many of Hitchcock’s great classics. Christmas Diner Thanks

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January

Thank you everybody for coming together to create a really friendly community event. So many people contribute to the effort that makes it happen – making delicious food, donating money and produce, joining us for good company, and my Shirley, who does the squash, the calling back, keeps me on track. Couldn’t do it without you!

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CHRISTMAS DINNER

performers for our May 7-10 performance of Quest! We need adults, teens, and kids for parts of all sizes--this play has lots of lead roles, including wizards, elves, demigods, and assorted unlikely heroes, as well as smaller parts, and ensemble roles with no solo lines. We will (as always) be flexible in our casting in terms of age and gender, to offer performing opportunities to as many participants as possible. Everyone is welcome to audition, whether you’re from Cabot or a nearby town, and everyone who auditions will be included in the cast. Auditions will be held in the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, 25 Common Road, Cabot (just behind the main school building) on:  Sunday, January 18: 1-4 pm  Tuesday, January 20: 7-8:30 pm  Saturday, January 24: 1-4 pm Sign up for ONE 45-minute slot (please give the name of the person auditioning, not the parent!) at: tinyurl .com/ Questauditions. Everyone in the same group will do a warm-up activity, and then we'll read various scenes from the play, with auditioners trying out a variety of roles. Younger children who are only interested in a very small or non-speaking role should sign up for one of the desig-

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Community Contra Dance

by Karen Mueller-Harder

On Friday, January 9, come celebrate the new year at the Cabot Community Contra Dance, featuring the friendly calling of Erin Smith! The dance takes place in the lovely third floor space in the Willey Building (Cabot Town Hall, 3084 Main Street), from 7-9:30 pm. Live music is provided by Franklin Heyburn, Susan Reid, Kenric Kite, Pam Bockes, and David Van Houten, on fiddles and guitars--feel free to just come and listen if you prefer! nated slots at 1:00-1:45, where we will play some theater games to get to know the kids' personalities and skills, but they will not be asked to read from a script. Make sure kids have all parental contact information with them if auditioning without a parent there to provide the info! We will send a list of roles and a link to the script to everyone who signs up to audition. Rehearsals will take place February through April, and be largely in the daytime on weekends plus Tuesday evenings (though no evenings for younger kids until show week). Larger roles will generally have one or two rehearsals a week, while small roles might rehearse once a week or less; the rehearsal schedule will be determined after casting. Be sure to bring to auditions a complete list of your commitments and conflicts through early May--we can probably work around your availability, but only if we have all the information at the outset! If you have questions, or are unable to make any of the available slots, or are interested in helping out with sets, costumes, or props, email us at: info@cct.aroundvt.org P.S. Be sure to catch the 2025 CCT Mummers’ Play in the Willey Building at the Cabot Twelfth Night Celebration, on Saturday, January 3, after the twilight lantern parade! The full schedule of family-friendly, free activities can be found at: cabotarts.org.

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on January 9

If you can walk, you can contra dance! This is a traditional New England dance form that welcomes people of all ages and abilities, and everyone dances together. We use gender-neutral terminology, and generally change partners throughout the evening. The dances are easy to learn and Erin will teach you everything you need to know. Admission 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. We ask that you bring clean, dry shoes to change into during the winter months!

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The Jaquith is holding a series of

events about the Vermont Reads 2026 book, The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton . The Light Pirate considers climate change and the dissolution of the human-made world, and helps us see how human connection, adaptability, and a little bit of magic might guide us to a new future.

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Poets Scudder Parker and Judith

Janoo will each read for 30 to 45 minutes. There will be an opportunity for participants to share one of their favorite poems. The Poetry Society of Vermont and the Jaquith Public Library are excited to announce Sunday Afternoon Poetry at the Jaquith . This monthly poetry reading series will feature two poets starting on January 25th, 2pm-4pm with featured poets, Scudder Parker and Judith Janoo. In addition to the Jaquith Library Staff, hosts for the Sunday afternoon poetry readings will be PSOV board members, David Hartnett and Elizabeth McCarthy. Scudder Parker grew up on a family farm in Danville Vt. He has been a Protestant minister, a state senator, a utility regulator, a candidate for Governor, a consultant on energy efficiency and renewable energy and as he enters retirement, a poet. “ Throughout my life I have found in poetry a place of reflection, investigation, and sometimes, healing…

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SELECTBOARD MEETING

Our intrepid reporter, Frank Kampf, is looking for a break. Even for just a few meetings. Stipend available. The selectboard meets twice a month on Tuesday evenings, more frequently during budget season, October-December. Would you be willing to cover a few meetings a year to give Frank a break?

willing to take on this flexible, occasional

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at the

Now it feels that poetry is the lens through which I see and experience the world.” Scudder’s collection, The Poem of the World, 2025 and his first volume of poetry Safe as Lightning, 2020 are autobiographical. Judith Janoo is a long time member and contributing editor for the Poetry Society of Vermont. Judith is an awardwinning poet, and Pushcart Prize nominee. Her poetry has appeared in journals including Pedestal Magazine, Fish Anthology, The Pierian, Euphony, Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, and The Bangalore Review, as well as her poetry collections ; After Effects, (Finishing Line Press, 2019) and Just This , Kelsay Books, 2023.) Judith’s work is deeply informed by her life in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

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Show Opening Reception

Sunday, January 18 from 2 to 4 pm Join us in a celebration of Marshfield’s local art scene with local artists. All these artists have previously exhibited at Jaquith Library. This eclectic exhibit is representative of each individual’s personal subject matter and choice of medium. You can view the exhibition at the library during regular hours from mid-January to mid-

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Public Library unless otherwise

noted - all are welcome! Visit our website - cabotlibrary.com or check FPF for added programs. If you have a program suggestion or question, please email amandaotto.cabotlibrary@gmail.com Intro to Drawing- (adults & youth ages 12+) - 2nd and 4th Tuesdays - January - March, 2:30 - 4:00 pm - In this 6 session course, participants will learn the basics of drawing. Topics include: gesture line, contour line, positive and negative space, sight measurement techniques, value and shading, and composition. All materials for the class will be provided. Come learn to draw in a safe and inclusive space!

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Mah Jongg Meetup - Ongoing, first

Wednesday of the month, 10 - Noon Play the ancient tile game with friends and neighbors. Game sets will be available for use, no equipment is needed. Both fun and challenging, the game of Mah Jongg is said to improve memory, decision-making skills and patience.

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Annual Holiday Workshop

On December 13th, the library held its annual pants of all ages enjoyed decorating cookies, ments – many thanks Sandy Atkins, Taeryn making this a wonderful event and to Beth ing and cookies and to Payne's Christmas ditional thanks to Cabot School students, hot cocoa and tea.

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Monday, January 26,

following lunch at noon: Join Jean McDermott from the nonprofit Senior Medicare Patrol Program for an January 21 - 2:30 - 4:00 pm - This club ment offers where a kids fun, can hands-on develop environ- their

problem-solving skills, foster their creativity, and collaborate with their peers through engaging Lego-based activities. Snacks provided

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Cabot Book Group – Thursday,

January 22 - 2- 3 pm - January’s book selection is Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin. Violette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne. Her life is lived to the predictable rhythms of the often funny, always moving confidences that casual mourners, regular visitors, and sundry colleagues share with her. Violette’s routine is disrupted one day by the arrival of Julien Sole—local police chief—who has come to scatter the ashes of his recently deceased mother on the gravesite of a complete stranger. It soon becomes clear that Julien’s inexplicable gesture is intertwined with Violette’s own complicated past. Copies of this book will be available in the library for you to borrow. Email cabotlibrary@yahoo.com for more info and to be added to the book group email list. All are welcome! Many thanks to Losada Stoddard for running our D&D program on Tuesday afternoons and to student volunteers, Katy Kowalk and Molly Paire! Additional thanks to Burtt’s Apple Orchard for donating apples for our programs. We are so grateful to our Library Trustees who provide support and direction: Angela Ogle, Leah Sare, Kurt Steinert, Erin Ruddell, and Taeryn Robbins. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne - Library Co-Director Amanda Otto - Library Co-Director Christina Sacalis - Assistant Librarian

Holiday Workshop in which particimaking wreaths, and crafting star ornaSzepi and Luke Robbins for their help Wade and Erin Ruddell for donating icTrees for donating evergreen boughs. AdKaty Kowalk and Molly Paire for serving

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What You Need to Know

Did you know that Medicare covers genetic testing only when it is deemed medically necessary? Unfortunately, scammers and disreputable companies are taking advantage of this benefit— billing for testing that is not needed or sometimes not even conducted. important and informative discussion  covering: How genetic testing scams work

 How to detect red flags  Who to contact if you are concerned  How to know if you may be a legitimate candidate for genetic testing This is a must-attend presentation to help protect yourself and others from fraud.

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Cabot Village once

k n o w n a s (1801- 1 st congo church) “Shepherd’s Hill,” by This sign marking the turn of the cen- first meeting house tury the Center was appeared several barren and exposed sign is now in place to the elements. The boulder that has remains of a once- since 1901. thriving community were few: A stone wall defined the old pound where stray animals were kept until claimed by their owners, usually for a fee; and across the road, Cabot’s first cemetery remained with its rows of roughly engraved stones mined from local ledges. The eight-acre parcel deeded to the town for public use in 1790 includes a level area at its point which is known to be the site of the first Congregational Church and meeting house. Records show that the stocks and whipping post brought from the Plain in 1796 were placed in this “public space” below the meeting house. During that first (Cen. Of Town Old Home Week cele- 2024) bration in 1901, a The stone walls large boulder was put Pound are still visible in place to mark where of Town in this the Congregational fall of 2024. Photo Church meeting house had stood. A time capsule containing notes and significant items of the period was placed in a cavity under the boulder, to be opened in 50 years. There were speeches, a band concert, and the day concluded with a picnic spread out in the grove of maple trees near the cemetery. The time capsule was opened in 1951 with great ceremony. The items were examined and new ones added before it was returned to the vault beneath the boulder would where remain it for ((Congl. Church marker, another 50 years. The big boulder marking This area was church and meeting carefully maintained by vandals spraying as a park for many removed, cleaned, years. Fourth of July volunteers to it’s proper celebrations, Old tober, 2024. Photo by

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the Center of Town

Home Week gatherings, and other community events were held there. However, interests changed with time, the introduction of automobiles, and the demands of World War II. Gradually, the remnants of the former vibrant Center community became blurred by vegetation. Aging memories dimmed, the park was seldom visited, and its historic significance faded. At some point, markers were placed at the site of the old pound, whipping post, stocks, meeting house, school, and cemetery – possibly in the 1930s by the caring ladies of the Judith Lyford Women’s Club. The last community gaththe spot of the ering held at the Cenat the Center dis- ter was when the years ago. A new capsule was opened near the large again in 2001. By marked the site then, Old Home Week had been reduced to Old Home Day, and massive pines flourished in the once-open spaces at the Center. Moss and grass overtook the ledges, underbrush and dead wood cluttered the old pound and eroded its stone wall. The south end of the road from the Center to Whittier Hill had long since been thrown up by the town, mostly lost in the underbrush. The remaining section, known as Old Center Road that leads from Danville Hill Road to the Center, was just path through a farmer’s field. The road west, that once connected the Center with the Village in the valley below, was mostly gone, overtaken by the forest. Hardly anyone ever visited, Pound remains, and few knew or cared about the once of the old Town thriving community at the Center at the geographic cenphoto taken in the ter of Cabot. by Jane Brown Over time the old field stone markers in the little cemetery tipped and fell, dislodged by bushes and young trees. In the late fall of 1992, Ruth and Glenn Goodrich spearheaded a group that began clearing brush and opening up the cemetery space. The following spring Velma Urban Smith became town sexton and rallied the community to join the cemetery commission in reclaiming the little cemetery. Volunteers, including some eager high school students, worked clearing diligently, debris and righting markers. Every stone was care2024) fully cleaned and reset the first in its proper place, folhouse, damaged lowing an old cemetery graffiti, was map found at the town and returned by office. The little graveplace in Ocyard is now well mainJane Brown tained, a peaceful resting place for those early settlers who were instrumental in laying the foundation of our town, and a serene spot to visit. Velma also cleaned up the park area, exposing the old pound and (first graveyard sign) straightened signs. This photo, taken in 1975 by Wayne Old Center Road Alexander, shows an early sign in has been improved place at the Center Cemetery. There is and is now well de- no record of who placed it there or fined. Sadly, a few what happened to it. Photo courtesy of years ago vandals Cedric Alexander. stole or destroyed the green and white signs marking historic sites there. They also pried the big meeting house boulder off its foundation to find the hidden capsule. However, they were disappointed because when the capsule was opened in 2001, it contained only a few newspaper clippings—nothing of value—so it was decided then not to continue the custom. The empty capsule was consigned to the historical society for and vandalized Palladio-type sign the area was added.

safe keeping and the (Former Sign, Ctr. Cem. 2024) boulder was replaced This photo was taken in October of over an empty vault. 2024. It was the only remaining sign Apparently, in frus- at the Center, badly damaged by what tration, the vandals appear to be bullet holes. Photo by spray-painted graffiti Jane Brown over the ancient granite marker. The boulder remained dislodged and disfigured for several years, but it has now been cleaned of graffiti by Ruth Goodrich, and was re-set in its proper place. Once again, the Center of Town is reemerging as a beautiful, quiet space for public use. The Cabot Trails Committee place for quiet honor many of our ing a dozen or soldiers buried wives, children, and The Center deserves respected, and town’s early history.

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40th Anniversary of the Space

January 28, 2026, is the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challeger disaster. I watched it live from my Florida Tech. college campus...a friend of mine took these photos.

Rollin Tebbetts photo contribution maintains a walking/ biking trail that follows the old road west from the Center to the Village, and an attractive kiosk is set in the park area near the cemetery. Volunteers are working to reclaim the park area, cutting brush and repairing the walls of the old pound. The Cabot Oral History Committee recently collaborated with the Cabot Cemetery Commission to replace the missing signs, and a large new with a brief history of

There is a remarkable calm at the Center. Tall evergreens whisper in the wind, and dappled sunshine filters through the canopy overhead. History was made here. Our ancestors toiled here, carving a space in the wilderness for those who came later. In the quiet of the park, one imagines the sounds of sermons and hymns from the unfinished church on the hill, voices of children reciting in the school, or solemn processions to the quiet cemetery below. It is a reflection, a place to first citizens, includso Revolutionary War here along with their neighbors. to be recognized, enjoyed as part of our

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← From the Cabot Chronicle