The Bridge, February 19, 2015

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MONTPELIER This years annual meeting looks to be a lively one for can-didates seeking to serve city government. Two open seats on the school board have five candidates incumbents Jennifer Cahill Bean on the ballot and write-in candidate Charlie Phillips, and three chal-lengers, including educator Tina Muncy, vintage trailer supply company owner Steve Hingtgen and attorney Bridget Asay.

The stakes are high on the school board race because the outcome of who is on the school board affects property taxes, enrichment programs, student-to-teacher ratios and the attractiveness of Montpe-lier schools to incoming foreign students who administrators hope will put tens of thousands of tuition dollars into the school coffers. The school board is not organized by district, any resident of Montpelier regardless of what district they reside in may run for any open seat. On the other hand, the city council is divided into districts and those running for a particular district must reside in the district they hope to represent. This years council race

has contested races in District One and District Two, but Jessica Edgerly has Dis-trict Three all to herself. Not so the park commissioner opening. Three people have thrown their hats in the ring for that posi-tion, including Farmers Market organizer Carolyn Grodinsky, retired state govern-ment worker Bill Johnson and senior legis-lative analyst Nolan Langweil.

The Bridge asked the following candidates to describe who they are and why they are running. Responses have been edited for length and candidates are listed in alpha-betical order, in order of the seat they are seeking:

City Council District 1

Incumbent candidate Tom Golonka

The Bridge: What do you do for a living?

Golonka: I am a partner in a local inde-pendent investment firm with offices in Williston and Montpelier. I have lived in Montpelier since 1996 and have raised five children currently ranging in ages from 9 to 17.

The Bridge: How long have you been on

the council?

Golonka: After this term ends at the end of the month, I will have been on the city council for 10 years.

The Bridge: What are your priorities?

Golonka: (1) To continue the regional effort of Montpelier and local neighbor-ing communities through the Central Ver-mont Public Safety Authority, (2) increas-ing the grand list through more housing development, (3) completion of the rezon-ing efforts and the Taylor Street projects.

The Bridge: Would you support putting wind turbines on the hills of the city limits of Montpelier to achieve net zero as stated in council's initiative?

Golonka: I would not support putting wind turbines on the hills of the city lim-its of Montpelier. I support the net zero initiative and would instead focus on solar projects as well as conservation efforts as a first step in the project.

The Bridge: Anything you'd like to add?

Candidates Vie for Seats at Montpelier City Meetingby Carla Occaso

Continued on Page 4

February 19 March 4, 2015E x e r c i s e Y o u r R i g h t t o V o t e ? p a g e 1 2

P A R KCOMMISSIONER

S C H O O LCOMMISSIONER

C O U N C I L P E R S O ND I S T R I C T 1

C O U N C I L P E R S O ND I S T R I C T 2

T O W N M E E T I N G D A Y

Nolan Langweil Carolyn Grodinsky

Bill Johnson

Bridget Asay Tina Muncy

Steve Hingtgen Charlie Phillips

Anne Watson Ben Eastwood

Tom Golonka Bridget Houston

Thomas Gram

Jennifer Cahill Bean

FEBRUARY 19 MARCH 4 , 2015 THE BR IDGE

Political Advertisement

THE BR IDGE FEBRUARY 19 MARCH 4 , 2015 PAGE 3

Wavell Cowan, ChairColyn CasePhil DoddLarry FloerschNat FrothinghamBen HuffmanDonny Osman

A group of us recently responded to Nat Frothinghams request for help as he grappled with finding the money to continue publishing The Bridge. We quickly came to appreciate the dedication of Nat and an overworked staff. As the mayor of Montpelier, John Hollar, has stated, The Bridge has been an important institution in Montpelier for a long time. It is a true community newspaper.The Bridge is currently a for-profit, LLC corporation that has rarely made a profit in its 20-year publishing history. The past few years have required Nat to not only function as an unpaid editor-in-chief and publisher, but also to finance growing deficits with personally guaranteed bank loans.

Our initial gathering considered two questions that need to be addressed in order to move forward. Is The Bridge worth saving? Is there a realistic way to ac-complish this? By the end of the meeting we conceived an approach that will answer the first question and realistically test out the second.

We decided to prove that The Bridge is indeed the valued community newspaper many, many people believe it to be, and to devise a proper business plan to explain persuasively a way to transform The Bridge and guarantee a sustainable future for the paper. If we can do this, then we believe the community will sup-port this plan with the annual contributions needed.

Before we left the meeting we had taken the first steps to reorganize The Bridge as a Vermont nonprofit corporation, helping to mark it as a genuine community-owned institution.

Transforming The Bridge

Subsequent meetings reviewed and critiqued the business side of The Bridge operation, and brainstormed just what a genuine community newspaper could offer, above and beyond what The Bridge has successfully done in the past. It was fun. It was highly productive. And we think it will prove to be a successful strategy, certainly worth pursuing.

Here is the Essence of Our Plan

Annual ad revenues attainable by The Bridge in the current digital marketplace appear to be of the order of $165,000. Once The Bridge becomes a Vermont nonprofit, it will need to acquire 501(c)3 status from the IRS so that community contributions will become federal income tax deductible. We believe that in order to qualify for this status we will be required to receive 25 to 30 percent of The Bridge's revenues from community contributions. This means that now and into the future the community that The Bridge serves will need to contribute annually at least $55,000. Such an amount will, for the 2015 season, also keep The Bridge solvent.

Looking Ahead

In the next few issues we will unveil many new initiatives concerning content, a corp of volunteers, a business plan, etc. These are initiatives that will transform The Bridge into what we have come to see as its true role as a community resource, and establish a much-needed efficient business organization.

We believe that these initiatives will produce the convincing evidence needed to earn your ongoing financial support.

What We Need to Do Now

We are initiating The Bridges first Community Budget Support Re-quest, seen on the bottom corner of this page. We understand that this will be premature for some without yet being able to report on the changes and new initiatives that will provide the evidence that this request is truly deserved. But we've only been at this for less than a month.

Imagine what we can do as we move forward.

Wavell CowanChair, The Bridge Support Committee

A Sustainable Community Plan for the Future of The BridgeThe Bridge Support Committee Goes Public

I am extremely grateful to a small group of people that we are calling The Bridge Support Committee. This group has been meeting during January and February to take stock of the business, financial and organizational problems and opportunities facing The Bridge.Working together we have begun the task of proposing solutions to the problems the paper faces. In the statement that follows, Wavell Cowan, the chair of our support committee, outlines a few of the tangible steps we are taking to create a community newspaper that is sustainable.

A Note from Nat Frothingham, PublisherThe BridgeSupportCommittee

2015 Community Budget Support Request for The BridgeName______________________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________

City____________________________________ State_____Zip__________

Email_________________________________

All community contributions, whatever suits the budget, will be welcomed.

Members of this Community Support Club will be periodically acknowledged in future issues of The Bridge. I wish to remain anonymous

Send this form and your check to: The Bridge, P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601

Thank You!

$25 $50 $100 $150

$200 $250 Other $________

Community Budget Support Request


Golonka: I am excited to continue on the Montpelier City Council and have been honored to represent the residents of Dis-trict One.

Challenger Thomas Gram

I'm a 23-year-old, lifelong Montpelier resi-dent and I'm committed to this commu-nity. This town is safe, walkable and has a strong consciousness of important global issues here.

There are problems here, too. There's a great deal of inequality of wealth and power, and many young, working class residents and retirees on fixed incomes feel excluded from the discussions of our towns future. I'm running for city council because I want to offer a fresh perspective that gives voice to the people in this town who feel marginalized. I want to pursue renewable energy options like cogenera-tors. I also want to investigate electrifying unused dams in Montpelier. I also support cooperative housing.

Lastly, I want to see local, green manufac-turing established in our town. If we as a community can pull together and over-come the entrenchment of the status quo, we can make this a more vibrant commu-nity where young people will stay, everyone will have a voice.

Challenger Bridget Houston

Houston: I grew up in Montpelier and went through the Montpelier school sys-tem. Now I work full time at Capitol Copy on Main Street in addition to being a full- time student. I will bring a fresh perspec-tive to Montpelier City Council as a young person who has grown up in Montpelier and decided to stay here. My priorities if elected include creating more affordable housing, ensuring everyone has access to local food and goods, and making more non-commercial community open spaces.

While I certainly support the use of natural and sustainable energy sources, I feel the wind turbine proposal needs further inves-tigation regarding environmental impacts before I can support it.


Challenger Ben Eastwood


Eastwood: I'm a dad to five great kids, serve on the Montpelier Conservation Commission and am creating a community maker space on Barre Street.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be on the council, and what would your priorities be?

Eastwood: I have a lifetime commitment to serving my community; from Ground Zero cleanup in NYC, to becoming a vol-unteer EMT, to my role on the conserva-tion commission.


Eastwood: Since our wind profile essen-tially precludes turbines, we need to look at every alternative.

The Bridge: Anything else to add?

Eastwood: We need to return to our core values by putting an end to this reckless austerity, so we can build a community that is accessible to all people, not just an entitled few.

Incumbent Anne Watson


Watson: I teach high school science and math at Montpelier High School.

The Bridge: How long have you been on the council?

Watson: I was appointed in August 2012.


Watson: One of the most important goals

is hammering out a long-term budget plan to both keep the tax rate reasonable and preserve city services. Im also excited to continue to make progress towards net-zero energy, the development of 1 Taylor Street, remediating our storm water, and extend-ing our bike path.


Watson: In general, yes, I would support wind turbines in Montpelier, particularly if they were co-operatively owned. However, the last time I checked, the average wind speed here was 4mph, not nearly enough for turbines to be viable.

The Bridge: Anything you'd like to add?

Im thankful for the many residents that work to make Montpelier thrive. Its al-ready a great place to live, and its getting even better!


Jessica Edgerly Walsh


Edgerly Walsh: I direct the community outreach program at SunCommon, the state's largest residential solar company.

The Bridge: How long have you been on the council?

Edgerly Walsh: Two years

The Bridge: What would your priorities be if you are elected?

Edgerly Walsh: I'll continue to push for new housing. Adding to our grand list would go a long way toward reducing our property taxes. (I will try to) meet Montpelier's goal of total clean energy. (In addition,) many of the neighborhoods on the other side of the river aren't far from downtown, but walking into town can be treacherous. I will continue to support ex-tending the bike path from the Co-op out to Gallison Hill Road to help residents get into town safely without relying on their cars and bring our city's roads and side-walks back into a state of regular repair.


Edgerly Walsh: Probably. We use power to run our homes and businesses.

School Commissioner

Challenger Bridget Asay

The Bridge: What is your profession?

Asay: Attorney.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be on the school board?

Asay: I want to make sure we maintain thriving schools that give our children the education they need to succeed and be-come engaged, productive adults.

The Bridge: What contribution can you best make to the Montpelier school dis-trict?

Asay: Communication skills, collabora-tion, and creative problem-solving.

The Bridge: Do you believe the district

is underfunded? If so, how do you plan to fix this?

Asay: We spend less per pupil than many similar districts, yet we're getting a great education. As a parent, I know we could use more resources to maintain aging buildings, offer more afterschool programs, and do more with technology. As a home-owner, I know that tax increases are hard on families.

Challenger Steve Hingtgen


Hingtgen: I own Vintage Trailer Supply, a small business in Montpelier with six full-time employees.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be on the school board?

In America today, we have very few insti-tutions that bring whole towns together to struggle and succeed as one. Montpelier schools do that.

The Bridge: What contribution can you best make to the Montpelier school dis-trict?

Hingtgen: I will advocate for changes to the state education funding system. As a parent of two daughters in our schools, I will bring the first-hand perspective of how important it is for our schools to meet the individual and unique needs of children and their families.

The Bridge: Do you believe the district is underfunded? If so, how do you plan to fix this?

Hingtgen: On the school board, I will defend reasonable budgets that fund our schools.

Challenger Tina Muncy


Muncy: Education. I work for the Upper Valley Educators Institute in a compe-tency-based program.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be on the school board? What contribution can you best make to the Montpelier school district?

Muncy: I believe that I have a great deal of knowledge and experience with all aspects of education that would be useful to a position on the school board. Now that I am not working full time, I have time to dedicate to the board.

The Bridge: Do you believe the district is underfunded? If so, how do you plan to fix this?

Muncy: The school board needs to work on finding an answer to how we will con-tinue to offer a quality education for our children with smaller numbers at the high school and less money from the state with-out raising taxes.

Incumbent Charlie Phillips, Write-In Candidate


Phillips: I was at Montpelier High School for 37 years as an English teacher, athletic director, and (then) I was principal.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be on the school board? (This year would be Phillips ninth) Political Advertisement

Jessica Edgerly Walsh Douglas HoytJohn Odum Linda Berger

City Council PersonDistrict 3 City Clerk

Green Mount Cemetery Commissioner

Central Vermont Public Safety Authority At-Large

Board Member

Candidates Vie for Seats at Montpelier City MeetingStory Continued from Page 1


Phillips: There is unfinished business. The Montpelier school system is very strong. We have a strong group of good leaders and I want to see that we sustain that momentum. The school system tries to meet kids where they are at in terms of what they need.

The Bridge: What about the budget?

Phillips: We need to keep the doors open with U-32 to collaborate and cooperate. Whether it saves money or not remains to be seen, but it would improve the quality of education for both schools. As a senior citizen on a fixed income I understand both sides of it: The need to provide a quality education and the need to keep it affordable.

Park Commissioner

Candidate Carolyn Grodinsky


Grodinsky: I manage the Capital City Farmers Market.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be park commissioner?

Grodinksy: I am passionate about the city parks and have been so since moving to Montpelier in 1992. The city has incred-ible green spaces. I'd like to improve the parks and make them enjoyable for all.

The Bridge: What about your background makes you qualified for this job?

Grodinsky: In addition for my passion for the city parks, I have served on other city committees, including five years on the Montpelier Planning Commission. This position and work on a zoning rewrite gave me a good understanding of city master planning goals of the citizens, the differing interests in the city, as well as working col-laboratively to find solutions. This is also the case as manager of the farmers market.


Grodinsky: I am interested in linking the city parks with the downtown and the neighboring parks. I want to understand all the interests in the park and help craft solutions that work for everyone.

Candidate Bill Johnson


Johnson: I retired from state government. I ended my state career serving for over 15 years as director of the property tax divi-sion within the Tax Department.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be park commissioner?

Johnson: I have lived in Montpelier for more than 25 years and during this time Ive spent hundreds of hours in Hubbard and North Branch parks.

The Bridge: What about your background makes you qualified?

Johnson: I was active in the purchase and conservation of over 80,000 acres of land in the Northeast Kingdom and I oversaw the administration of the states preferen-tial property tax program for farm and forest land.


Johnson: The parks must serve a diversity of users. We must respect and conserve the parks natural environment. We need to fiscally support the parks. The parks are supported through an ad hoc approach. This simply will become less tenable as the demands on the parks inevitably increase.

The Bridge: Anything else?

Johnson: I live next to the park at the top of Hubbard Park Drive. I have watched the use of the park system grow dramatically. I suspect the number of daily users has trebled. There have been some recent con-flicts. I have the experience and knowledge to help bridge some of the differences so all park users feel that their concerns have been addressed.

Candidate Nolan Langweil


Langweil: Senior analyst for the Vermont Legislative Joint Fiscal Office

The Bridge: What about your background makes you qualified?

Langweil: I help lawmakers find prag-matic solutions to complex issues. I also serve as the vice-chair of the Montpelier parking committee, where I helped to lift the winter parking ban in non-inclement weather.

The Bridge: Why do you want to be a park commissioner?

My motivation is to do things that im-prove peoples lives and benefit our com-munity. Given increasing demand for our parks, lets keep them welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.

The Bridge: What would your priorities be as a park commissioner?

Langweil: Increasing community involve-ment in our parks, building stronger con-nections between our parks and downtown businesses, creating more activities and events for kids and families in the parks and exploring ideas of integrating parks as part of One Taylor Street.

The Bridge: Anything else?

Langweil: Our people, downtown and parks help make Montpelier one of the best small towns in America. Keeping the parks vibrant and sustainable will only en-hance our sense of place and community.


Political AdvertisementPaid for by Bridget Asay, 12 Pearl Street, Montpelier, VT 05602


A Message From City HallThis page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.

The Annual City Election is right around the corner. The actual elec-tion day is Tuesday, March 3 with polls open at City Hall from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early ballots are already available. This years election includes the three city council seats, two school board seats, one City Clerk, one cemetery commissioner and one parks commissioner. City, School and Recreation budgets, Library funding, regional public safety authority funding and the downtown improvement district tax rate are all on the ballot.

Annual Report

As I noted last month, the annual report will not be delivered to every home this year. It is out this week and available in hard copy at City Hall, the Library, the Se-nior Center and the Schools. It is available on line in searchable PDF form at the citys website www.montpelier-vt.org.

Winter Parking Ban Reminder

The city is experimenting with using a parking ban only during storms and storm clean up. For up-to-date information on whether the ban is in place or not one can do any or all of the following: sign up for VT Alerts, check the citys website, check the citys Facebook page (search City of Montpelier, VT - City Government), check the citys Twitter account (@vtmontpelier), read Front Porch Forum or call the parking ban hot line 802-262-6200.

FY16 City Budget:

Much of the detail of the City budget is included in the Annual Report. Informa-tion about the School Budget can also be found in the annual report but will not be addressed here.

Property Tax Impact:

Requires a 2.4 cent increase in the prop-erty tax rate. The capital/equipment plan is increased by 1.8 cents while the re-mainder of the budget again requires just 0.6 cents. A 2.4 cent increase represents a 2.5% property tax rate increase after a 0.5 cent (0.25%) increase in FY14 and a 1.5 cent (1.6%) increase in FY15. For the average residential property, this tax rate represents an additional $53.65 on the tax bill. The three year combined in-crease of 4.25% compares to a three year combined inflation rate of 4.7% (1.7%, 1.5% and 1.5% respectively).

Independent ballot items for the Kel-logg-Hubbard Library and Central Ver-mont Public Safety Authority would add $42,750 in new tax dollars. This is equivalent to 0.5 cents on the tax rate or $10.77 for the average residence.

Budget Numbers:

FY16 General Fund Budget totals $12,622,056 which is an increase of $450,600 (3.7%) from the comparable FY15 spending plan. This number in-cludes the Recreation, Library and Pub-lic Safety Authority budgets.

FY16 General Fund non-tax revenues total $4,069,316 which is an increase of $188,550 (4.9%) from FY14 non-tax revenues.

Revenues from the State of Vermont such as Highway Aid, Grand List Main-tenance funding and the Justice Center basic grant have been assumed to remain at their present funding levels. Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) was adjusted downward to reflect actual collection in FY15.

Grand list value is calculated at 0.2% increase from the FY15 level. With the projected grand list, $85,146 represents one cent on the tax rate.

Infrastructure:

The Capital Projects, Equipment and Debt Service Program is fully funded at $2,071,304. Of this $875,978 is in annual funding, $680,326 is in existing debt service and $515,000 is for equip-ment. This matches the long term funding plan and represents an overall increase for these combined items of $166,300. This results in an additional $198,408 (29.3%) in annual funding for FY16 infrastructure improvements. Over a three year period (including this proposed budget) infrastructure funding has increased $498,900. The Capital/Equipment Plan anticipates additional increases of $166,300 in each of the next three budget years FY17 through FY19 in order to bring funding levels to the projected steady state of mainte-nance and improvements.

The budget includes $43,200 for the annual payment for the purchase of One Taylor Street. This expense is offset by lease revenue.

No bonds are proposed for FY16. Future infrastructure bonds are planned with subsequent bonds of $710,000 in FY17 and $705,000 in FY20. Future bonds may be needed for bike path match-ing funds, a potential f lood mitigation project and matching funds for the One Taylor Street project.

Personnel:

Total number of Full Time Equivalent Employees (FTE) is 107.58 which is 0.67 FTE less than FY15. Reductions were 1.0 FTE in DPW and 0.12 FTE in the Senior Center. Additions were 0.4 In Dispatch and 0.05 in Parks.

Cost of living allowances and step in-creases are built into all employee wage and salary accounts consistent with col-

lective bargaining agreements and per-sonnel policies. For this budget that represents a 1.5% to 2.5% contracted adjustment for Public Works union em-ployees. A 1.5% or lower adjustment for all other employees is budgeted. Neither Fire nor Police union contracts are in place for FY15 yet. Overall wage costs are up by 1.8% in this budget.

The budget continues the high deduct-ible health insurance plan which was implemented three years ago. Overall benefit costs are up by 6.6% in this budget.

Other Funds:

The Water and Wastewater budgets have both been balanced. The Wastewater fund is now in a small surplus position and the water fund is steadily reducing its deficit. The budget assumes no Water rate change, a 2.5% Sewer rate increase and no Sewer or CSO benefit charge changes. The rate structure for these funds is under review now. Funding from the CSO benefit charge is being used to address new stormwater require-ments.

The Parking fund is balanced while in-cluding a 5% set aside for alternate trans-portation funding.

The District Heat Fund budget will cover the second full year of complete operation. The General Fund is real-izing approximately $65,000 in benefit from District Heat, $20,000 to pay the 2009 bond and $45,000 for DPW costs to maintain and operate the system.

Community Services:

Funding for the Housing Trust Fund has been reduced from $41,000 to $21,000.

The Montpelier Community & Arts Fund is funded at $110,175 which is reduced by $8,000 from FY15 funding.

The Parks and Public Works budgets contain $4,563 for operation of dog waste stations. The budget assumes a $12 increase per dog license to fund these waste stations.

The budget includes $40,000 funding for the GMTA circulator bus route.

Direct Services:

Police: The Police budget includes a new contractual relationship with Capital Fire Mutual Aid System for dispatching services. This provides additional rev-enue and improved services for Montpe-

lier. A part time dispatcher position has been expanded to full time. Tax funding for the police canine program has been eliminated.

Planning, Zoning & Community/Eco-nomic Development: The department and public still struggle with the change to a half time zoning administrator made two years ago. A proposal to restore this position to full time was not included in the budget but would be appropriate to meet the need. One VISTA position is funded, down from two.

Public Works: The Street Supervisor and Water/Sewer Supervisor have been merged into one Supervisory position. This has allowed for more blended work among the two divisions. One full-time position was reduced from this depart-ment as a result of this efficiency change.

Unmet Needs:

Both city staff and Matrix had identified previously existing capacity shortcom-ings in the areas of human resources management, facilities management and communications. We have made some progress in the communications area but nothing in this budget specifically ad-dresses the other concerns.

No funding is included for Economic Development Strategic Plan, housing initiatives, community survey, review of ordinances, Net Zero initiatives or downtown wireless.

Ballot Items:

Articles 1-10 are the annual election and regular budget items. Note that Article 2 and Article 6 are for election and budget approval for the new Central Vermont Public Safety Authority.

Article 11 is for the continuation of the downtown improvement district approved two years ago where commercial proper-ties within the designated zone pay an additional tax increment with the funds raised going directly for promotions and improvements within that district. The ar-ticle establishes the tax rate for the district.

Article 12 is for $316,698 for the Kellogg Hubbard Library which is $8,025 higher than last year. Five years ago, the City Council chose to place the full amount of the Library request on the ballot rather than splitting the request between the bal-lot and the budget. This decision was made because the Library is not a municipal department under the Councils oversight and therefore the Council has no influence on the budget request.

Thank you for your interest in Montpelier City Government. Please vote on March 3. Feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 802-223-9502 with questions or concerns. Remember, Montpelier is on Facebook (search City of Montpelier, VT - City Government) and Twitter (@vtmont-pelier). All the above referenced docu-ments including the budget, the annual report, and the ballot items are available in their entirety at www.montpelier-vt.org.

Annual Voting on March 3by William Fraser, City Manager


Pellet Shortage Hits Townby Carla Occaso

MONTPELIER If you live in this area and own a wood pellet stove, you might be having trouble finding pellets, unless you already bought a years worth last fall. Accord-ing to several local dealers, pellets have sold out early and they cant re-supply. Suggested reasons for the dearth range from the small size of our market large dealers want to sell out of state (some out of the country) where they can make more money to an increased local demand due to more pellet stove purchases.

Raymond Plagge, owner Vermont Stove Works, sells pellet stoves and pellets. His pellet supply has been coming in and quickly depleting in recent weeks. Every year more and more pellet stoves are brought into the market place. Every time you add a pellet stove into the marketplace, you add six ton (of pellets) into the marketplace, Plagge said. He said there was a spike in pellet stove purchases when the price of oil went up to the $3.50 to $4.50 per gallon range, but now it might make just as much sense to burn oil, with the price of oil lower.

In addition, Plagge said his Canadian supplier sells a lot of pellets overseas rather than in the U.S. I read in a trade magazine the little country of Italy burns more pellets than the whole United States. It is not just Italy. They are going all over Europe. Europe doesnt have any trees. The Germans arent cutting down that beautiful forest to make wood pellets. They might be making cuckoo clocks, but they arent making pellets. ... Ive had a contract with one of my pellet suppliers and they cut me back by four to three truck loads, which is huge for me. They oversold in the summer, he said. Plagge said if a customer came to purchase a pellet stove today, in light of the pellet supply situation, he would attach a contract for them to buy a ton of pellets as well.

Tractor Supply sells the stoves and the pellets as well. Store manager Adam Lane said he just got a shipment and he is rationing the amount he sells. Lane said keeping warm is a full time job. In Vermont, we have the heating season and we have the getting-ready-for-heating season, he said. Lane said that when he sells a stove, he also warns customers to purchase a full season of pellets with it.

Every year at this time there is almost always a shortage, said David Ide, owner of Agway which has sold out of pellets months ago. Weve been telling people that it is going to be difficult. Suppliers have been telling me they cant keep up with it. They dont store well, so the vendors cant make extra. Ide said many factors contribute to the shortage in central Vermont, including a lack of incentive for truckers to haul pellets from Maine, Canada or New Hampshire if there is nothing to return with. In summer, truckers can go up to Derby hauling cedar mulch, for example. But in winter, Vermont doesnt have much for truckers to haul on the return trip. In addition, there are simply fewer truckers around.

Forest Neill, manager at Guy's Farm and Yard, is out of pellets. Everyone was so nervous about last years shortage that they pre-bought, Neill said. Even Wal-Mart cant keep them in stock. It has been cold and demand is high, said assistant manager Ferdinand Royer. The last supply he got has sold out.

Cliff Dodge, owner of the Dairy Creme, got into the pellet selling business due to a shortage just like this one years ago. He could only find dealers who would sell him hundreds of tons, not just a few tons, so he bought them in bulk and sold the rest. This year the shortage has hit early. I ran out last November, he said. In addition, There are just not enough manufacturing plants to supply us. A lot of us have to tell the sup-plier how much we want in advance. I ordered 300 ton. I got 300 ton and couldnt get more, Dodge said. I used to burn cord wood, but it is so much work. Im an old geezer now and pellets are easier."


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Hospital Emphasizes Safer Patient Handling by Nat Frothingham

Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC) now formally a part of the Univer-sity of Vermont Health Network has made and is making a significant invest-ment in safe patient handling and mobility. CVMCs heightened commitment to these issues called MAPS (Moving All Patients Safely) got its start in October 2014 with the acquisition of new patient handling and moving equipment and staff training throughout the hospital involving more than 400 staff members in such departments as transport, radiology, rehab therapy and nursing. The heightened commitment to safe patient handling will benefit both patients and health care staff and addresses a number of current concerns.

According to a CVMC news release, Out-patient services have expanded and patients in hospitals are those who are too sick to go through an out-patient department. Another issue facing hospitals today is sicker patients and larger patients. In the words of the CVMC press release, Obesity is a problem throughout the United States and is ref lected in larger people in our patient population.

Because hospital patients today are sicker and larger this is having impacts on the health care professionals who lift, turn, boost and move patients. Similar programs such as MAPS in some 800 hospital facilities have led to an average 84 percent reduction in the number of patient handling injuries to health care staff.

According to Robert Patterson, CVMCs vice president of rehabilitation therapy and human resources, the already-started MAPS program will be rolled out over three years and will pay for new equipment and clinical support at an approximate cost of $500,000. CVMC estimates a return on that investment in approximately 18 months with better mobility outcomes for patients and sharp reductions in the number of patient handling related injuries to health care staff.

According to the CVMC release the average nurse lifts about 1 and tons during a working shift. Thats about the weight of a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle



U-32 Budget Up Slightly, Staff Reductions Planned

by Kari Bradley, vice-chair of the board

The challenge of operating schools these days is encapsulated in the budgeting process. In these times of declining enrollment, rising property taxes and an ever-expanding list of expectations for our schools, achieving the proper balance between our educational responsibility to our students and our fiscal responsibility to our tax-paying community is complex work. The U-32 school boards recommended budget for the 2015-16 school year reflects our work to achieve that balance.

The budget calls for a 0.55 percent expense increase over the current year. This will require reductions in several administrative, instructional and non-instructional sup-port positions; however, we expect no reductions in course offerings or programming for our students. The budget includes an additional $98,000 for capital expenses, bringing us closer to a fully-funded capital fund consistent with our multi-year plan to sustain our facility and avoid deferred maintenance expenses in the future. Unfortunately, as a school we face two significant decreases in revenues next year: no support from our fund balance and a projected decline of 19 tuition students from neighboring towns. As a result, the total increase in tax rates from the proposed U-32 budget is 4.2 percent

To calculate the final tax rates, the U-32 budget is combined with each towns elemen-tary school budget, its common level of appraisal and the statewide education tax rate. As of this writing, the estimated local tax impact for each town is: Berlin- 9.2 cent increase (or $92 per $100,000 assessed property value) Calais- 16.3 cent increase ($163/$100,000) East Montpelier- 19.8 cent increase ($198/$100,000) Middlesex- 14.2 cent increase ($142/$100,000) Worcester- 1.7 cent decrease (-$17/$100,000)

You can find more detail in your town report or by visiting www.wcsuonline.org.

It is critical to recognize that for most of our towns the majority of the increase is due to the CLA and state tax rate, which are beyond our control. For this reason, the board does not feel that further reductions to school expenses are in the communitys best interest. In fact, to reduce the tax rate by a single penny (or $10 per $100,000) requires an expense reduction of approximately $144,000, an amount that would undoubtedly negatively impact school programming and what we can offer our students. To address this disconnect between school expenses and local tax rates will require action by our state government with respect to the current education financing system.

The board believes we have struck an appropriate balance between school quality and fiscal responsibility this year. We are asking for your support this March and ask that you urge others to approve the budget. We are, as always, grateful for our communitys ongoing commitment to maintain quality education for all of our students current and future.

Opinion

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Elks Club Struggles to Sustain Itself by Carla OccasoMONTPELIER The Montpelier Elks Country Club, a local recreation staple since 1902, has been in the hands of the Elks Club since the 1950s. Lately, though, with a huge decline in interest in golf and with higher operating costs, the Elks can no longer afford to run the golf course and facilities up on the hill across from Agway out on Route 2.

Scott Cameron, chairman of the Elks Club Golf Committee, and Tim Hutchins, exalted ruler of the Elks Club, came to The Bridges office recently to explain their situation. The heyday of social clubs where people went outside and did things together in groups has long passed, according to Cameron. Membership in the Elks was at its highest around 1,600 members at a time before the Internet, and social clubs and service clubs were popular. Membership in the Elks Club has dwindled to 458 members today, Cameron said, adding, It is a trend that people are not as eager to join organizations. In addition to golf, the Elks organize youth programs, including a dictionary program for younger students where they distribute diction-aries to local schools. And the Elks Club offers scholarships to seniors in high school. They also offer a drug awareness program, a basketball hoop shoot, a soccer shoot, a golf clinic, and they help for local churches.

Cameron and Hutchins went on to discuss the history, function, and future of the Montpelier Elks Country Club:

Hutchins: We offer a lot for local families who are in stress. We donate a lot. We have two great dining facilities, and we have a large room at the club that can fit 300 people.

Cameron: It is a 15,000-square-foot facility on 120 acres. That is part of our problem. It is difficult to financially sustain that. When we had 1,600 members, it fit us better.

Hutchins: So a lot of times we donate that room. We set up food and help families out that are in need.

Cameron: Some have been Elks and their families, other are not. A year or two ago there was a family from a nearby community, the kid had cancer. His mother had no automobile very distressed. We did a fundraiser. People donated all kinds of things. We did a silent auction. We raised over $15,000 for the family. The Humane Society also has been using our facilities once a year for their big fundraiser.

Occaso: Does the country club have anything like ski trails or hiking trails, or is it all golf?

Cameron: In the winter we have activities that are non-golf up on the golf course. Maybe youve seen those bikes with the fat tires? We put snowmobile trails up for them and, they would have some competitions. I am sure people go cross country skiing up there as well.

Occaso: Is it open to the public, or do just Elks go there?

Cameron: It is a private club, but it is open to the public. The public can lease the facilities for parties, weddings, and fundraising activities. We run the golf course, which is one of the nicest 9-hole golf courses in Vermont. You dont have to be an Elk to use the golf course. Anyone, whether they are an Elk or not, is free to use the golf course, including the bar and the dining room.

Occaso: So it is like a clubhouse where you can play golf and have lunch?

Cameron: Yes. The Elks Club is nondiscriminatory. Men and women are equally involved.

Hutchins: Women do a ton for us up at the lodge. They are very important to our member-ship.

Cameron: At our golf course we have statewide and internal tournaments, we have a mens golf league on Tuesdays, and a womens golf league on Wednesdays. It is very popular with the women who golf up there. Golf has the reputation of being an exclusive sport, but I would say ours is a working-mans golf course. Weve got a blue collar tinge to it. The country club is very well taken care of, but it is a very relaxed and friendly place, and a great place to come and learn golf.

We hosted the Montpelier High School boys and girls teams until last year, when their coach made a decision to take them to Barre. We were disappointed. U-32 didnt have a golf team last year, so U-32 players folded into Montpelier. They play matches there. We open our courses to them.

Interest in golf in this country has dwindled quite a bit since 2008, and Vermont is no excep-tion. Since the recession, people have to make decisions about how they are going to spend limited funds. So, golf is a tough thing for two reasons: Money and time. Nationally, in recent

years, over 1,000 golf courses have closed. There are 4 million fewer people playing golf. We are kind of fanatics about it. We are trying our best to build it back up.

Occaso: You guys love golf. What is so great about golf?

Cameron: Well, the best thing is that you are outside. Unlike other sports, at the end of the day it is not whether the other guy is bigger or stronger or faster than you, it is a matter of whether you can control your own emotions and everything else and play the golf course. It is your swing. Your putt.

Hutchins: It is you against your own mind.

Cameron: It is more of a psychological game, in many ways, than a physical game. Once youve gotten down the physical components, you have to conquer the mental. It is a wonder-ful social game, too. You play with your friends. When you are out on the golf course, you dont think of the little worries that bother you. You see fox, deer, pileated woodpeckers. It is a calming place to be.

We make enough money to cover our operational costs the superintendent, grounds crew, pro shop and such, but we are unable to meet all our expenses, such as the property taxes. Weve been trying to sell the whole facility. We are hoping we will be able to retain some space there for the Elks Club and keep running the golf course, or build a smaller facility for the Elks Club up there, but there is a lot of uncertainty right now.

We are hoping people join us as members and come up and play the greens because that is the only way that well be able to keep the course there. Weve been stewards of that golf course for the last 50 or 60 years. Weve kept it alive for the people in the city of Montpelier and central Vermont. The message wed like to get out to the folks who read The Bridge is that if this is something that is important to you, we need your support. We need you to join. We need you to come up and play golf.


Tim Hutchins, left, exalted ruler of the Montpelier Elks Club and Scott Cameron, chairman of the Elks Club Golf Com-mittee, visited the office of The Bridge to discuss the future. Photo by Carla Occaso.


New Chinese Students at Montpelier High School Could be Start of Trendby Phil Dodd

Starting in January, Montpelier High School welcomed five ninth-graders from China into the student body as part of a pilot program being run with a Burlington group called Spiral International. The program is designed to help foreign students learn English and provide cross-cultural experiences for both the Chinese and Montpelier students.

The program is also adding more money to the coffers of the Montpelier school system. Each student is paying about $7,000 per semester to attend the school.

Of the extra money, Superintendent Brian Ricca said, We have no specific plans for the revenue that is a result of the students for this semester. He also has not budgeted any revenue for next year because the continuation of the program is not definite. Spiral Inter-national is working with other schools in Vermont, but Montpelier has the most students so far. Burlington High School has one Chinese student.

If the pilot program is deemed successful and Spiral International continues to partner with Montpelier High School, as many as 10 foreign students could be attending Mont-pelier High School next year and living with host families. But an even greater expansion is being talked about.

Montpelier High School science and math teacher Anne Watson recently received a $100,000 Rowland Foundation Fellowship that will allow her to work part time next academic year while she explores the legal and logistic issues that would be needed to recruit 20 or more foreign students to the high school and house them in dorms at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, beginning in the 2016-2017 school year. The fellowship money will allow Montpelier High School to hire substitutes to cover the courses Watson will not be teaching next year.

Watson noted that Vermont private schools bring in international students, including many students from China. If Lyndon Institute and St. Johnsbury Academy can have tuition-paying foreign students, why not Montpelier High School? Watson said.

By the year after next, Montpelier High School could have many as 20 foreign students the minimum needed to run a boarding program at Vermont College with dorm parents, Watson said, with perhaps others staying with host families.

She estimated students would pay about $15,000 for tuition, and another $15,000 for room and board in the dorms, including three meals a day at the New England Culinary

Institute cafeteria. Additional funds would be needed for covering dorm parents and other costs, so students could end up paying $40,000 a year to stay in the dorms. That price is still below what boarding students pay to attend St. Johnsbury Academy and Lyndon Institute, she said.

If everything goes well, a boarding program at the college could potentially be ramped up to bring in 40 to 60 students, Watson said, which could net the school district as much as half a million dollars and take pressure off property taxpayers in the city. Currently, there is room for more students at the high school, she noted. Watson, also a member of the city council, is in her 11th year teaching at Montpelier High School.

Watson has heard that some Chinese parents prefer that their children stay in dorms with other Chinese students, although Spiral International President Dr. Emily Guo thinks parents prefer that their sons and daughters stay in homes where they can learn more Eng-lish and be immersed in American culture. She also said that living with and sharing with other children in a home can be a good learning experience, since most Chinese students come from one-child families. She said Spiral International believes that the number of students at a high school should be limited to 10 or so, because a larger number might create a sort of Chinese school within the school.

MHS principal Adam Bunting said the school will wait until after this semester ends in June to decide the future of the current program. He added that he could imagine stu-dents from other parts of this country or in-state might also want to come to Montpelier to attend the high school, creating a sort of Montpelier Academy. Bunting said he was somewhat surprised that the first students to come live in town to attend high school were from China.

Both Guo and Watson agree that there is a strong demand in China among parents to have their children learn in an English-speaking environment. Guo noted that Vermont students get the advantage of learning about another culture and perhaps considering going abroad themselves.

Students can only come for one year in total because of federal restrictions on foreign students in public schools (there are no restrictions for private schools). Guo said the students currently in Montpelier are gradually adjusting to life in Vermont, including the new foods, speaking English all the time, and experiencing colder temperatures than they are used to. She said most of the ninth-graders are expected to return here for another semester later in their high school careers.

By then, Montpelier educators and residents will have had a chance to consider if such programs make sense, and if they do, how many foreign students are desirable and whether it is better to house them in dorms or with parents, or to offer both options.

MSAC Writer's CornerA venue for the Montpelier Senior Activity Center writers

Its a mystery to me, and I really dont seeHow the Maker could make such a gaffe!

What went on in His mind, when he dreamed and designedThat preposterous joke, the giraffe?

For it gallops on stilts, and it teeters and tiltsTo the treetops in order to feed.

And just think of the strain, pumping blood to that brain!A flaw in the blueprint, indeed!

I can only surmise that He thought it was wiseTo foment and to foster a rumor.

That though fiery and fearful, He has moods that are cheerful,And whats more, a great sense of humor!

The Giraffe by Ruth Mary Youngblood


U-32 Update, Collaboration with MHS DiscussedEAST MONTPELIER The U-32 school board adopted learning outcomes at its meet-ing Feb. 4. The administration will use these to develop assessments and learning oppor-tunities for students. Once this is done, the board will work to align all learning outcomes in the supervisory union.

There was also a short discussion about the Montpelier school boards discussion of further collaboration or merger with U-32. The U-32 board and the Washington Central Super-visory Union full board would like to hold off on discussions with Montpelier until later this year after the boards have had time to analyze the recommendations from an efficiency study done in late fall.

The board also discussed community use of the U-32 facility. There is a fee schedule used to determine the cost for organizations depending on whether they are educational or civic, local or non-local, non-profit, or for-profit organizations. These fees are used so that U-32 breaks even when the building is used for non-school functions. Groups that wish to use U-32 need to fill in a building use form from the office.

Posted by Kari Bradley, U-32 school board member, to East Montpeliers Front Porch Forum. Reprinted here, edited for length, with permission.

New Restaurant Opens On Elm StreetMONTPELIER Philamenas Restaurant is now operating in the space formerly occu-pied by Thats Life Soup at 41 Elm St. Philamenas, open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., serves breakfast (available all day) and lunch. The cooks also make pasta, sauces and meatballs from scratch that customers can take home for dinner.

The restaurant is named after owner Todd Whiteheads grandmother, whose family oper-ated a deli on Long Island where Whitehead worked as a youth. Whitehead, of East Mont-pelier, has worked previously at Kismet in Montpelier and Park Row Caf in Waterbury.

Philamenas serves local products as much as possible, including local meats and cage-free eggs for breakfast dishes, Whitehead said. Lunch fare includes paninis, baked subs, salads, and sometimes risotto. All items are available as take-out. The menu can be seen at phila-menas.com.

The restaurant had a soft opening in the third week of January and has experienced good lunch traffic, Whitehead reported. The breakfast business is picking up, helped by the fact the 6 a.m. opening is the earliest in the city, he said. When the outdoor farmers market starts up this spring, Whitehead said he would be open on Saturdays as well.

HEARD ON THE STREET


Got a news tip? We want to know! Send it to us at: [email protected]


The Bridge: Can you tell me about yourself?

Ian Weinstein: I was a resident of Montpelier from 199197, Cabot was from 2000 to 2008 then I moved back to Montpelier for a couple of years. Now Im starting a jewelry busi-ness and traveling with the Renaissance fair my job takes me on a circuit throughout the nation. I have left Vermont a handful of times and come back.

The Bridge: Do you vote?

Weinstein: I voted for Barack Obama that was the first time I voted. I had not been 18 for very long. I think it was the first opportunity I had to vote, and I only knew about the presidential election when I made that vote. That was seven years ago. I did not vote for most of the elections after that. I was also relatively disillusioned with the whole process. I didnt have a lot of faith in the power of a vote.

The Bridge: Can you tell me more about that disillusionment?

Weinstein: Absolutely, I remember George Bush and the scandal of him and his family you know essentially stealing an election from the American people. His brother was the governor of Florida and after using a bunch of shady tactics to try to sway votes in their favor, after that, the big horrible cherry on top of that cake of evil, was to then have a recount in the state where his brother was the governor. They said Well, George W. Bush is president now. It just kind of got strong-armed through. That was disillusioning for me. I understood that there was corruption at that level, but I didnt understand how much the American people were willing to be pushed over to let that kind of thing happen. It was a very extreme thing somebody taking office by force and the American people just letting it happen.

The Bridge: Will you vote again?

Weinstein: In future voting Ill definitely be voting and trying to get other people who are disillusioned with the process to vote also. ... I think it is an important thing to do. Anyone who is made a policy maker or a decision maker affects many peoples' lives, and the capacity to do good or evil in that position is huge. If I dont vote at all, Im letting whoever might be wrong have an equal chance. Its about living a life with honor and even if the odds are impossible they still have to be approached with honor and courage. If the vote has no impact on the outcome it is still the honorable thing to do to cast that vote. If I didnt vote, I would feel worse about what is going on a symbolic gesture can hold a lot of power. That vote may not determine the outcome, necessarily, but it is still the right thing to do and its the right statement to make before God.

Ian Weinstein, 25

Zachary Rossi, 26The Bridge: Do you vote?

Zachary Rossi: No. I have never voted in my life.

The Bridge: Are you registered?

Rossi: No.

The Bridge: Why dont you vote?

Rossi: Simply put because I dont think the system works for most people. Its become so glaringly apparent that our government es-sentially caters to the 1 percent and the model of making a ton of money and hoarding it which doesnt really help out any but a select few. ... I know a lot of people who dont vote and say its because yeah, local government makes a difference but Im never going to vote

for president because it doesnt matter. I essentially take that even more thoroughly than most people. I dont think voting even for my city council, even for my state representative is really going to improve the quality of life for most of the people in Vermont. ... I find it really gross. Theres a bunch of people who are doing just fine in Montpelier that see none of the problems here, including people in almost all facets of government where theyre completely separated from the problems. People in suits. Very rich and wealthy. Talking about stuff they really have no idea about. ... I dont think the person from the bottom can ever, or at least at this point can not, actively effect a large change. Were kind of stuck under the thumb of the rich. We live under a government that is essentially run by businessmen and their politicians. They come from money, have money. They dont come from a place of non-influence. They are always the influencer. I refuse to take part in something that as a whole I see as evil, cor-rupt and power hungry. Instead Ill just choose not to, and therefore its not it becomes a part of my world that Im not actively involved in which you could call either a stand or willful ignorance.

The Bridge: Do you vote?

Gaelan Brown: I never vote for party politi-cians or incumbents, who are always impos-sibly corrupt by their power. I sometimes vote for people who have a chance at beating an incumbent. But really, voting is worse than pointless because government is never the best solution to any problem; the only real solutions are people taking responsi-bility to do something positive personally, collaborating and exchanging with others for mutual benefit without being blocked by cronyism inherent in all government struc-tures (a.k.a. truly free markets). Innovation and environmental sustainability will only come from freedom, so governments only valid role is to protect freedom. Therefore, the only government Ill gladly vote for is none.

Ruth Pope, 65

The Bridge: Do you think that voting works?

Ruth Pope: Ive always thought that but Im beginning to wonder. I feel like the people in office are being bought by companies. The Koch brothers and the Walton family and all the people that are in the corporate world are just buying the politicians. ... Well, they won't buy Bernie Sanders or Leahy, I know that.

The Bridge: You have doubts, but you still vote?

Pope: I guess its my only hope here in little Vermont. What else am I going to do? Thats the only way I can have any sense of power I do feel pretty powerless. But I dont feel like theres any other alternative. Maybe I just dont completely understand it. It feels like were being rendered powerless by the big corporations. Ill keep voting, what else? What else can we do?

Gaelan Brown, 38

Gaelan Brown of Waitsfield is a com-post heat recovery entrepreneur and author.

Ruth Pope of Middlesex is an artist.

Ian Weinstein of Montpelier and Cabot is an artist and Renaissance fair worker

Zachary Rossi of Montpelier

Voting Not Voting Voting Occasionallyintroduction by Nat Frothingham

Several days ago, I had an absorbing conversation with Catherine Rader and Sue Rachenelli from the Vermont League of Womens Voters.We talked principally about voting why some people vote almost as a matter of personal conviction, why some people dont vote at all and why others vote intermittently or once in a great while.As part of our conversation, I asked Rader and Rachenelli if the League of Womens Voters would make a financial contribution to The Bridge so that one of our reporters, Ivan Shadis, could explore with voters why they vote, why they dont vote or why they seldom vote. In a recent phone conversation with Montpeliers City Clerk John Odum, he reported that about three out of 10 registered voters in Montpelier vote in local elections. That means, of course, that seven out of 10 people dont participate.I am troubled by these voting statistics. Odum, I think, was less troubled. I would describe our democracy as vigorous, vital. There are a lot of reasons peo-ple stay home: Sometimes its apathy, sometimes (not voting) is their vote not to participate. My sense is that we certainly have a stable democracy. Whether its functional enough to keep running, or whether its vibrant people will have different opinions on this.Thanks to the support of the League and thanks to the reporting of Ivan Shadis, here is what half a dozen of our fellow citizens said about voting, not voting or voting occasionally.


Womens Right to Vote a Hard Fought Experimentby Catherine Rader

Brett Campbell, 55Elizabeth Parker, 58

Elizabeth Parker moved to Vermont in 1979 and resided in Marshfield where she raised her chil-dren and worked for the town as the zoning administrator. In 1992 she left Vermont for Arizona and other places for 20 years. Since returning a few years ago, she lives in Montpelier with her youngest daughter.

The Bridge: You do vote now, and you werent voting at other times in your life can you tell me what that has been like?

Elizabeth Parker: I started out voting in 1980. It was Reagans first term I voted in that election for Angela Davis of the Communist Party. I voted for a number of years, but then I began to really ponder how effective voting was. I didnt vote in the election in which Clin-ton won and then we had the whole brouhaha with the Bush years. I promised myself that if George Bush won a second term that I would leave the country become an expatriate but my mom had died and my father was still alive. It wasnt practical for my family to do that. Those experiences really disenchanted me. After [Bush was re-elected] I stopped voting for an extensive period of time. It also had to do with where I was living I had moved out of Vermont. I lived in Arizona for awhile. I think part of what has brought me back to voting is the importance of voting in local elections. I really took my vote very seriously this past election day. I voted only for Anthony Pollina. A postcard had been sent out by a PAC that was misleading about Pollina, I needed to only put him as a protest vote over that happen-ing. I feel that voting is tremendously important at the local level. Im still not sure of what happens on the federal level.

The Bridge: Enchanted on the local level, disenchanted on the federal level?

Parker: I dont believe federal government is effective. Theyre spinning and presenting an image. But in the end the wheels of politics are such that theres entrenchment and there are relationships that maintain throughout different tenures and they, not we, have great control over policy. Even if youre voting for someone you think is a good person, their power becomes limited. American intervention in the domestic policies of other countries has given me a deep sense of shame. All this has effected my integrity and my sense of what is truly democratic. When I go through various phases where I am not voting that is more of a prevalent sentiment. And because I moved around and I was not connected to the local vote that was the time I felt this most and voted least. Now that Ive come back to Vermont, and a scene that I care deeply about, it is imperative that I vote.

The Bridge: Can you tell me about yourself?

Brett Campbell: Im living in East Montpelier with the help of a friend. I lost my apartment last year. Im broke and trying to rebuild my life after taking care of my mother for a year and a half with her Alzheimer's. I was trying to be in the position of being both primary caregiver and sole bread winner. Now shes gone and Im financially destitute for what I owe on my student loan for my doctorate, the bills from taking care of Mom and from not being able to work enough.

The Bridge: Given your recent struggles, where does voting fit in to your life right now? Do you vote?

Campbell: I do vote.

The Bridge: Why do you vote?

Campbell: Its our only opportunity to say how we want to be governed. Whats getting dis-couraging about voting is the feeling that America has become the land of liberty and justice for sale. I look at three areas in particular where the costs are skyrocketing while the quality is plummeting: health care, higher education and the judicial law system. One of the things I get the most infuriated about is that people profit off of other peoples illness and injury. I believe the practice we have here, of putting pricetags on health care, is essentially barbaric. I believe its barbaric. If youre in the upper echelons you can buy justice in this country. If youre among the have-nots youre basically screwed by the whims of a system that tend to make the worlds in Kafkas novels look a bit like Candyland. He called it, nearly a century ago, the lack of humanity in the bureaucracies. I just dont think he realized how widespread it would become.

The Bridge: How does a vote have meaning in a system like that?

Campbell: Its your only voice its your only voice. There are too many that feel like What does it matter if I do or dont? because nothing is going to change. People are getting incredibly discouraged. I vote, so that I can at least try to cast my voice against what I feel is becoming an increasingly unjust country. Thats why I vote.

Elizabeth Parker of Montpelier.

Brett Campbell of East Montpelier teaches college when he can and is the pool director at First in Fitness in Berlin.

All interviews by Ivan Shadis

The League of Women Voters was founded by suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt on Valentines Day in 1920. Six months later, the league celebrated victory of the historic 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote for the first time.

The League of Women Voters began as a mighty political experiment designed to help 20 million newly enfranchised women carry out their voting responsibilities and participate in shaping public policy. From its inception, the league has been a powerful force on the national, state, and local scene. With its first success passage of the 1921 ground-breaking Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Act providing fed-eral aid for maternal and child care programs to informational forums countering Sen. Joseph McCarthys attack on civil liberties, and more recently, working toward equitable and affordable health care for all Americans and advocating for campaign finance regulations, the league represents the best of activist, nonpartisan grassroots organizing. In 1974, the league amended its charter offering full membership to men.

The process by which the LWV takes a stand is its hallmark: Leagues choose issues to study, present the findings of the study committee, arrive at a consensus opinion, and then take action on the new position ranging from informal conversations to lobbying at all levels of government.

After three years of effort, the LWV was instrumental in the passage of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which brought us Motor Voter. The LWV of the Champlain Valley advocated effectively for improving sewer treatment in Burlington, resulting in cleaner efflu-ent going into Lake Champlain. The LWV of Vermont continues to advocate for same-day voter registration, universal publicly funded health care for all Vermonters (concurrent with the national league's advocacy for a national health care system), and mitigation of climate change.

The league is best known for its voter service activities. The LWVUS sponsored presidential debates until 1984. In 1987, the national Republican and Democratic parties announced the

creation of the Commission on Presidential Debates. The commission chose the LWV Education Fund to sponsor the last presidential debate of 1988, but placed so many rules and restrictions on the possible format of the debate that the league voted unanimously to withdraw, stating it had no intention of becoming an accessory to the hood-winking of the American public. Nevertheless, state and local leagues have continued the tradition of sponsoring nonpartisan state and local candidate debates and forums.

This past October, the LWV of Central Vermont (LWVCEN) spon-sored a forum for the Washington County Senate candidates, and co-sponsored with the LWVVT a lieutenant governor candidate forum. Both events were held at the Old Labor Hall in Barre and aired by Onion River Public Access (ORCA) television. LWVCEN also hosted a debate in the ORCA studio between the candidates for Washington

County state's attorney. The league will sponsor more such debates for offices whose function and candidates are less well known.

In September 2014, leagues across the nation joined other organizations in National Voter Registration Day. LWVCEN members registered voters at U-32 High School and the Berlin Mall.

Our efforts at the mall were disappointing, even shocking. Many people stated outright that they had no interest in voting and would not register. Later conversations with The Bridge led to speculation as to why there is resistance to civic engagement. Why do people not vote? Why do people vote? The right to vote is one that many of us take for granted. How can the league best fulfill its mission to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government? Perhaps this issue of The Bridge will give us some answers.

The League of Women Voters of Central Vermont can be reached at 229-4737 or www.lwvofvt.org. Annual dues: $40 for individuals, $60 per family.


THURSDAY, FEB. 19Lost Shul Mural. Jeff Potash and Aaron Goldberg bring you the story of this priceless and unique piece of art. Part of Third Thursday lunch pro-gram. Bring a brown bag lunch. Noon. Vermont History Museum, 109 State St., Montpelier. Free. 828-2180. [email protected].

Green Mountain Care Board Public Meeting. 14 p.m. GMCB Board Room, City Center Building, 89 Main St., 2F, Montpelier. gmcboard.vermont.gov.

Brain Injury Support Group. Open to all survi-vors, caregivers and adult family members. Third Thurs., 1:302:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier. 244-6850.

Diabetes Discussion Group. Focus on self-management. Open to anyone with diabetes and their families. Third Thurs., 1:30 p.m. The Health Center, Plainfield. Free. Don 322-6600 or [email protected].

Low to No Cost Marketing Techniques for Small Businesses. Learn proven methods of marketing

to attract new customers and sell more to your existing customers using techniques and systems that have been developed over years of trial and er-ror and real world use. These marketing techniques work for wholesale, retail, service businesses and non-profits. 56:30 p.m. Food Venture Center, 141 Junction Rd. (Rte. 15), Hardwick. Free. vtsbdc.org.

Survivors of Suicide Loss Support. Monthly group for people affected by a suicide death. Third Thurs., 67:30 p.m. Central Vermont Medical Center, conference rm. 1, Fisher Rd., Berlin. 223-0924. [email protected].

Grandparents Raising Their Childrens Chil-dren. Third Thurs., 68 p.m. Child care provided. Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main St., Montpelier. 476-1480.

A New Beginning: The Holistic Concept of Throughput. What in the world is throughput anyway? Come and find out. A Transition Town program. 6 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St., Montpelier. Free. 223-3338. kellogghub-bard.org.

Songwriters Meeting. Meeting of the Northern VT/NH chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Bring copies of your work. Third Thurs., 6:45 p.m. Catamount Arts, St. Johnsbury. John, 633-2204.

FRIDAY, FEB. 20Federal and State Tax Preparation. AARP tax certified volunteers can help you file your returns. Appointment required. Free for seniors and low income. Twin Valley Senior Center, Rte. 2, E. Montpelier. Call for appointment: 223-3322. Preparer will tell you what to bring with you.

CVCOA Chats. Have questions about health insur-ance/senior services? Sarah Willhoit, information and assistance specialist with Central Vermont Council on Aging, is available by appointment. 9 a.m.noon. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier. Free; open to all seniors. Call to set up appointment: 479-4400.

Computer Help. A local student from Main Street Middle School will be available to provide technol-ogy assistance. Call to confirm times. 10:4511:45 a.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier. Free; open to all seniors. 223-2518.

SATURDAY, FEB. 21Cross-country Ski Greensboro with Green Mountain Club. Moderate to difficult terrain. 10 miles. Highland Lodge to Craftsbury Outdoor Center. The groomed trail traverses beautiful (chal-lenging) hills and woods. We will shuttle from Craftsbury Outdoor Center to Highland Lodge. Bring snacks, lunch and water. Wear layered cloth-ing. Participants must have appropriate gear and cross-country ski experience. Limited to six people. For more information contact Phyllis: 223-0020. [email protected].

Additional Recyclables Collection Center. Ac-cepting scores of hard-to-recycle items. Third Sat., 9 a.m.1 p.m. 540 N. Main St. (old Times-Argus building), Barre. $1 per carload. 229-9383 x106. For list of accepted items, go to cvswmd.org/arcc-additional-recyclables-collection-center.html.

Annual Brian R. Bill Memorial Challenge. Winter military-style obstacle course race on Norwich University campus and Paine Mountain. Fund-raiser benefitting the sons and daughters of U.S. Navy SEALs and those who have served in U.S. Special Forces. Participants must be 18+. 9 a.m.4 p.m. Norwich University, 158 Harmon Dr., Northfield. Registration: $50 individual; $45 per person on team. active.com/northfield-vt/running/distance-running-races/brian-r-bill-memorial-challenge-2015. Event details: facebook.com/Bri-anBillMemorialChallenge.

Calligraphy Workshop. To celebrate the Chinese New Year, instructor Ellie Hayes will show you some basic strokes and a few simple characters. 1011:30 a.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre St., Montpelier. $5 fee for materials (brushes, ink and paper provided). Limited space. Register in MSAC office by Feb. 17. MSAC: 223-2518. Ellie: 479-4248.

Magic: The Gathering Tournament. An informal tournament every first and third Sat., 10 a.m.1 p.m. Aldrich Library, Teen Room, 6 Washington St., Barre. Free. 476-7550. [email protected]. aldrichpubliclibrary.org.

Capital City Indoor Farmers Market. Featuring over 30 farmers, food producers and craftspeople. 10 a.m.2 p.m. Montpelier High School cafete-ria, 5 High School Dr., Montpelier. [email protected]. capitalcityfarmer-smarket.com.

CVHS Adoption Center Birthday Party. Bring a birthday present from the birthday wish list for the animals and join our adoptable pets for a family-friendly 5th birthday party. Bruce and Hobbes, authors of "Hobbes Goes Home," will join us. 10 a.m.2 p.m.; Bruce and Hobbes 10:30 a.m.noon. Central Vermont Humane Society, 1589 Rte. 14 S., E. Montpelier. 476-3811. centralvermonthu-mane.org.

Conversations from the Working Landscape in Cabot. Jackie Folsom, former president of the Vermont Farm Bureau, and local dairy farmer, will focus on Selling Vermont Farm Products: How the Market Landscape Has Changed and How to Adapt for Success. Leslie and Jeremy Michaud of the Kingdom Creamery will tell how their business got started and the marketing choices they made introducing their ice cream and yogurt. Part of a series of exciting, free workshops for local busi-nesses and entrepreneurs presented by the Cabot Agricultural Network and the Cabot Community Association. 10:30noon. Cabot Town Hall (Willey Building), 3084 Main St., Cabot. Free. 563-3338. [email protected].

Nested Spheres. Led by Margaret Blanchard. Us-ing the Celtic symbol of the double spiral as a tem-plate for shared zones of development, participants will explore their own unique stages, through dialogues between past, present and future selves within the nested spheres of larger contexts of family, community and world. 35 p.m. Unitar-ian Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier. Donations optional. [email protected].

Neighbors for Healthy Communities of Barre Town. Local musicians will be playing music. Si-lent auction, family-friendly. 58 p.m. Old Labor Hall, Granite St., Barre. Adults $10; children $6. Reservations: 476-3710

2015 Clarke Lecture Series: Bhutan the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Slide show presentation. Learn about the people, geography and architec-ture. Hot cider and vegetarian dinner 6 p.m.; pre-sentation 7:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main St., Montpelier. $15. Reservations: 229-1246.

Chinese New Year Dinner. All proceeds of the event will go toward expanding the acupuncture services offered for cancer patients at National Life Cancer Treatment Center. Traditional menu. Hear tales of Chinese New Year's traditions and educat-ing about how Chinese medicine approaches nutri-tion. 68 p.m. Central Vermont Medical Center, Conference Rooms 1 and 2, 130 Fisher Rd., Berlin. $50. Menu and tickets: integrativeaom.com. 223-0954.

SUNDAY, FEB. 22Take-out or Eat-in Dinner. Menu is chicken, mostaccioli garlic bread and dessert. Make your reservations on Feb. 18 and 19. Benefits Meals on Wheels program at TVSC. 46 p.m. Twin Valley Senior Center, Rte.2, E. Montpelier. Susan: 223-6954.

MONDAY, FEB. 23Bereavement/Grief Support Group. Open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. 6-7:30 p.m. Conference Center. 600 Granger Road, Berlin. Free. 223-1878.

Monthly Book Group for Adults. Join us for the Jaquith book group. For copies of the book, please stop by the library. New members are always wel-come. Fourth Mon., 7 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School St., Marshfield. 426-3581. [email protected]. jaquithpubliclibrary.org.

NAMI Vermont Family Support Group. Support group for families and friends of individuals living with mental illness. Fourth Mon., 7 p.m. Central

THEATER, STORYTELLING & COMEDYFeb. 19: Kathleen Kanz Comedy Hour. Adult content. Every third Thurs., 7 p.m. Capitol Grounds. 27 State St., Montpelier. $5. 223-7800. capitolgrounds.com.

Mar. 4: Extempo. Locals tell short-format, first-person, true stories live on stage without any notes or reading. 8 p.m. Sweet Melissas, 4 Lang-

don St., Montpelier. $5. 225-6012. [email protected]. extempovt.com.

AUDITIONSFeb. 2122: Auditions for The Plays the Thing. By Ferenc Molnar, adapted by P.G. Wodehouse. Performance dates in May. 1 p.m. Hyde Park Opera House, 85 Main St., Hyde Park. For more details: lcplayers.com.

Performing Arts


Visual Arts EXHIBITSThrough Feb. 21: 3 New Shows at SPA. Studio Place Arts, 201 N. Main St., Barre. 479-7069. studioplacearts.com. facebook.com/studiopla-cearts.

Main floor: Amore. More than 20 local artists explore love and passion through their paint-ings, sculptures, prints and assemblages.Second floor: Cecilia Kane, How Am I Feeling Today? Portraits on vintage hankies.Third floor: Ann Young, Autumn Pond Ab-stract. Paintings.

Through Feb. 22: David Powell and Peter Thomashow Exhibition. Two-person exhibition of sculpture (Peter Thomashow) and collage (W. David Powell). The work is playful, scientific, historical and a mix of imagined and real. Gallery hours: Wed.Sun., noon5 p.m. Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond St., Stowe. Donations. 253-8358. [email protected]. helenday.com/exhibitions/east-gallery-upcoming

Through Feb. 22: Arthur Zorn, Line Dance Exhibit. Abstract impressionist paintings. Gal-lery hours: Tues.Fri., 8:30 a.m.4 p.m. White Meeting House, 8 N. Main St., Waterbury. Free. 244-8581. [email protected]. artzorn.com.

Through Feb. 24: Paul Rau. Oil and watercolor paintings. Gifford Medical Center Gallery, 44 S. Main St., Randolph. Free. 728-7000.

Through Feb. 28: Jackie Smith, Heart-Shaped World. Viewing the world through a heart-shaped lens, both literally and figuratively; Jackie Smith finds love in unexpected places in her fanciful photographs. Cheshire Cat, 28 Elm St., Montpelier. 223-1981. cheshirecatclothing.com.

Through Feb. 28: Art Resource Association Group Show. First group show of 2015 to cel-ebrate the ARA 40th anniversary. City Center, 89 Main St., Montpelier. artresourceassociation.com.

Through Mar. 1: Jen Lashua. Paintings. Lashuas work is influenced by Intuitive Painting and Color Energetics, and she is currently studying to become a certified color aroma therapist. The Shoe Horn Boutique, 8 Langdon St., Montpelier. 223-5454.

Through Mar. 2: Through Our Lens. Photogra-phy exhibit created by teens and young adults participating in the The Big Picture Project. Gal-lery hours: Mon.Thurs., 9 a.m.4 p.m.; Fri., 9 a.m.2 p.m. The Copley Common Space Gallery at River Arts Center, 74 Pleasant St., Morrisville. 888-1261. riverartsvt.org.

Through Mar. 2: John Snell, This is Why I Live Here. Photographs focusing on images made in central Vermont throughout the four seasons that highlight why Snell loves living here. Fri, 35 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., noon2 p.m. Chandler Lower Gallery, 71-73 Main St., Randolph. 728-6464.

Through Mar. 7: Paintings and drawings by Katie Runde. Graphite, colored pencils and oils. Reception: Mar. 5, 57 p.m. Library hours: Tues.Fri., noon6 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.1 p.m. Royalton Memorial Library, 23 Alexander Pl., S. Royalton. katierunde.com.

Through Mar. 8: The Art of Place. Showcasing work from both well-established and emerging artists from around the Northeast. The question placed to these artists How do your surround-ings inform your work drew responses from 28 photographers, fiber artists, printmakers, installation artists, clay artists and painters. Fri., 36 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., noon3 p.m. Chandler Center for the Arts, 71-73 Main St., Randolph. 728-6464.

Through Mar. 21: W. Ward, Tiny Mighty. Ink, watercolor, mixed media with a focus on folklore with futurism. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School St., Marshfield. Free. 426-3581. jaquith-publiclibrary.org.

Through Mar. 27: Ray Brown. Abstract oil paintings inspired by travel to Florida and Italy. gallery SIX, 6 Barre St., Montpelier. 552-8620. [email protected]. gallerysixvt.weebly.com.

Through Mar. 28: HOOKED in the Valley. 36 hooked rug pieces by the Mad River Rug Hook-ers with a wide range of subject matter, color and design. Mon.Fri, 10 a.m.3 p.m.; Sat. by appointment. The Festival Gallery, #2 Village Square, Waitsfield. 496-6682. valleyartsfounda-tion.org.

Through Mar. 29: Romancing the Garden. Group show: flowers, fauna, farms, gardens, buds and blossoms. Thur.Sun., 11 a.m.4 p.m. Bryan Memorial Gallery, 180 Main St., Jef-fersonville.

Through Mar. 31: The Eyes Have It: Portraits and Figures by August Burns. A collection of paintings and drawings of men and women by one of the areas most accomplished portrait-ists. Gallery hours: MonFri., 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. The Supreme Court Gallery, Montpelier. Free. 828-5657.

Through Mar. 31: Glen Coburn Hutcheson, Sketches in Oil. A loose array of work from observation, imagination, and memory, with varying degrees of finish The Skinny Pancake, 89 Main St., Montpelier. [email protected]. glencoburnhutcheson.com.

Through Apr. 10: Green Mountain Graveyards: Photo Exhibit. Fascinating look into

Documents

The Bridge, February 19, 2015