The GAZETTE The official newsletter produced by the Town of Starksboro bv NOVEMBER 2014 COMMUNITY CALENDAR DON’T FORGET TO VOTE! TOWN OFFICE & LIBRARY CLOSED NOV. 27th FOR THANKSGIVING WORSHIP SERVICES p2 “SUNDAY’S COOL” p2 TOWN GARAGE ADVISORY COM p 3 FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM SCHOOL HOUSE p3 HUNTER’S BREAKFAST, Nov 15, 22, 29 CAROLING, Dec 14 HARVEST SUPPER, November 1st p 4 To benefit Four Winds Program at Robinson School MEMORY TREE CEREMONY, Dec 22 p 4 TWEEN SCENE, 2nd Fridays p4 LIBRARY NEWS p5 EMT CLASS p6 CONTACT PAGE p7 The General Election is Tuesday, November 4th. Voting at the Robinson Elementary School multipurpose room takes place from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Ballots to be voted are: To elect 7 Justices of the Peace, Mt. Abraham improvements bond in the amount of $32,625,000, and the General Election ballot to elect: Representative to Congress, Governor, Lt. Governor, State Treasurer, Secretary of State, Auditor of Accounts, Attorney General, State Senator, State Representatives, Probate Judge, Assistant Judge, State’s Attorney, Sheriff, and High Bailiff. You may vote anytime by absentee ballot up until Monday, November 3rd at 5:00 p.m. Happy Thanksgiving to all! 1 WORSHIP SERVICES The FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF STARKSBORO: The First Baptist Church of Starksboro, 2806 VT Route 116. Church phone 453.5577. Pastor Larry Detweiler, 802.434.6715 (home), [email protected]. In emergency situations, phone 802-989-2679. http://www.starksborobaptistchurch.org/ Sunday’s Schedule: 10:00 a.m. Chat, Chew & Renew, bible study and adult fellowship 11:00 – 1:00 Sunday’s Cool youth bible study and fellowship (grades K-7) 11:00 a.m. Worship service with communion every 1st Sunday Roberta McKinney, Associate for Youth Ministries [email protected]. Phone: 802.922.1766. JERUSALEM GATHERING: a congregation in the Episcopal tradition that has services on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month at 9:30 am. We meet in the Jerusalem Schoolhouse, 397 Jerusalem Rd, in South Starksboro. Everyone is welcome. Contact: Vickie Backus – 434-6488. SOUTH STARKSBORO FRIENDS MEETING: Singing every Sunday at 9 am, meeting for worship at 9:30 am at the Meeting House located at 430 Dan Sargent Rd. Call 453-4927 for details DON’T FORGET THAT TAXES ARE DUE NOVEMBER 3rd, by 5:00 p.m. “SUNDAY’S COOL”: If you are looking for an opportunity for your children to learn great stories from the Bible, then come join us at “Sunday’s Cool”. Our program starts at 11:00 a.m. with up-beat music, crafts and lively conversation. As we learn healthy and helpful principles that can be applied to our lives today, we do so by engaging in dramatic play, music, memorization, reading and interactive instruction. Lunch is served around noon, then it’s activity time, which may include cooperative games, outdoor recreation and relevant videos. Occasionally we venture out to enjoy a seasonal fieldtrip. Kids of all ages are invited and encouraged to be part of something “Cool” happening on Sunday’s at First Baptist Church of Starksboro. Contact Roberta: [email protected] 2 ToTOWN GARAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Those of you who attended town meeting last March heard members of the Selectboard talk about the condition of Starksboro’s town garage. Several problems were noted, including:  Bay size is inadequate for our present equipment and vehicles  As there is no proper drainage system, melt water from the trucks accumulates causing the back wall of the garage to rot  The wood heat system isn’t working because the ceiling has collapsed  The building is not well insulated and difficult to heat.  The water source isn’t drinkable, and the spring fills with silt regularly  Access to the garage is up a steep grade, which is dangerous during storms  Salted sand is stored outside, so salt washes out and the top layer of sand freezes An advisory committee has been formed to assess the requirements for a town garage and come up with a proposal to be voted at town meeting in March 2015. The committee first met September 9, and will spend the next few months gathering information and looking into options. While we are still early in the planning stages, some priorities were obvious – adequate space in the garage to store equipment, the ability for most repairs to be completed inside the garage, a reliable water source, energy efficient (and adequate) heat, and covered storage for salt and sand. The committee has a lot more work to do, and we’ll keep you informed as we proceed. Committee Members: Bill Coon, Marjorie Dickstein, Tom Estey, Dennis Hysko, Mark Lucas, Jan McCleery, Robert Turner Selectboard Members: Susan Jefferies, Peter Marsh, Mathew Norris FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM SCHOOLHOUSE: Mark your calendars…it’s almost time for the annual HUNTERS/EARLY BIRD BREAKFASTS at the Jerusalem Schoolhouse! We will be serving breakfast from 7:00-10:00 AM on November 15th, 22nd, and 29th. Come on up to South Starksboro for a delicious breakfast of eggs, homefries, bacon, ham, biscuits with sausage gravy, toast, coffee, juice and home baked goods. All proceeds will go into the renovation fund. For more info call 453-4573. HUGE THANKS to all that participated in our Community Potluck Picnic on October 5 th…lots of good food, friends and music made for a nice afternoon. Thank you to the following fine musicians for providing great entertainment for us throughout the afternoon: Nate Gusakov, Brian Hanf, Jim Carroll, John Dickason and John Gearwar. You guys are the best! CAROLING PARTY IN DECEMBER…you are invited to our annual Caroling Party at the schoolhouse on Sunday, December 14th from 2-4 PM. Cookies, beverages, Santa and caroling…what could be more festive than that? Santa will arrive at 2:45…so bring your children or grandchildren by 2:30 so they will be there for Santa’s arrival! It is bound to be FUN…hope to see you there! MONTHLY MEETINGS: The Friends of Jerusalem Schoolhouse hold monthly meetings on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm at the home of Greg and Nancy Orvis…67 Jim Dwire Road in South Starksboro. All are invited to attend. 3 Annual Harvest Supper, Saturday, November 1st. Serving 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of Robinson School, 41 Parsonage Road, Starksboro Village. Tickets sold at the door; family $25, adults $10, 12 and younger $5. Adult supervised activities will be offered for children attending the supper with family from 5:30-6:30 only. Great Food, Great Cause, Showcasing Vermont and Addison County foods and products alongside the culinary talents of the Starksboro Conservation Commission. Fresh turkey, stuffing, gravy, roasted root vegetables, soup, fruit, berry and pumpkin pies homemade by 4 Winds volunteers will be served along with hot and cold beverages The dinner is hosted annually by the Starksboro Conservation Commission, an advisory body whose mission is to provide leadership in Starksboro’s efforts to protect its natural and agricultural resources through education, conservation advocacy, land stewardship, and the Town’s planning process. The members of the Conservation Commission and Four Winds Nature Institute share a common goal…striving to improve environmental literacy throughout our community by providing people of all ages with meaningful opportunities to explore the natural world while learning the creative problem-solving and citizenship skills needed to protect it. All proceeds from the Harvest Supper benefit the Four Winds natural science program at Robinson School. A Moth Hour, hosted by Bobby Stoddard featuring tales of nature will be held in the Town Hall immediately following the Harvest Supper also as a benefit for Four Winds. The Starksboro Memory Tree illumination ceremony will be held Monday, December 22nd at 7:00 p.m. A free soup meal with fresh bread and cheese will be served from 5:45 – 6:45 p.m. in the fellowship hall of the First Baptist Church prior to the lighting of the trees. The church is located in Starksboro village at 2806 VT Route 116; the Memory Trees are located at the front entrance to the church. In the December Gazette information a form will be provided that can be completed to honor or remember those you love by purchasing a light for the Memory Trees. All proceeds benefit the work of our volunteer firefighters. TWEEN SCENE: The school year is off to a great start with Tween Scenes’ turn out averaging around 27 kids! All Tweens-Teens from 5th grade and up are invited to join your friends every 2nd Friday of the school year months for an activity night out right here in Starksboro! Arcade games fill the room from 6 – 6:45 pm and then we make space for some of the wackiest, gooiest, laugh out loud cooperative games followed by tables full of fresh fruit, veggies and all you can eat pizza buffet. Tweens then relax as they watch a (p/pg) movie to close the evening down around 9 pm. Always fun and FREE. Hosted by SFBC. Contact Roberta: [email protected]. 4 Starksboro Public Library Hours: Mon. 10-6, Thurs. 10-5, Sat. 9-1 Lisa Daudon, Librarian -- 453-3732 -- [email protected] – starksborolibrary.wordpress.com The Library will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 2014 Automation Update: The process of entering book data into the catalog system is moving forward thanks to the help of our automation coordinator and volunteers. We are working hard behind the scenes to have the automation ready for our patrons with a projected “live” date in January. We can’t wait to share all the great features of our new system with you. Annual Artisan Craft Fair: This year’s craft fair will be held on Saturday, December 13th from 10:00 – 2:00. Once again, there will be a nice variety of artisans represented and lunch available for shoppers. This is a fundraiser for the library as well as an opportunity for local artisans to sell their wares. Preschool Story Time: Every child is welcome to join us for a rollicking story time geared towards our 3-5 year old patrons. We’ll be meeting on Mondays, Nov. 3rd, 17th, 24th and Thursday, November 13th at 10:45 at the library. We are looking for community members who would like to be occasional readers. Story Time for Infants & Toddlers : This story time is geared toward the under pre-preschool crowd. There is time to play and look for books after a short program of stories and songs. Dates this month are Thursdays on the 6th & 20th at 10:30. No baby is too small to enjoy libraries. Create life-long learners! Knit/Fiber Arts: We meet on Saturdays, November 8th & 22nd, at 10:00 a.m. Enjoy visiting with others as you work on your portable projects. The skill of our group is considerable and help is available if you have questions. Bring any ideas for fiber arts programs you’d like us consider for the winter months. Book Group: Join us on Monday, November 17th at 7:00 p.m. November’s book choice is The Language of Flowers: A novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This debut novel weaves past and present to create a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past. All are welcome. Please call or email the library if you’d like a copy. Bone Builders: at the library Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-6:30. Enjoy the company of others while you keep your bones strong and healthy at any age. We have all the equipment you need and trained leaders. You will be glad you did! Passes still available during the fall and winter months:  ECHO: This pass provides reduced admission of $4 per person for up to 4 people at the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington. Some special exhibits require an additional admission fee. ECHO is open daily, yearround.  Vermont Historical Society: Free admission to the VT History Museum and heritage galleries. Any member of the Starksboro Public Library who is 18 or older and is in good standing can check out these passes. Just ask at the circulation desk! 5 Bringing EMS Education into the 20th Century Help your community in the role of a volunteer EMT. EMT’s provide lifesaving prehospital care through their local First Response and Ambulance Squads. We are offering a blended classroom educational experience from January to May of 2015 in Bristol, Vermont. Class meets Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00. There will be a mandatory classroom session on December 15 at 6:00 p.m. Students will require a computer capable of running Windows 7 or 8 with Chrome, Safari or Firefox browser. Laptops, tablets and browser capable smartphones are encouraged in the classroom. A blended classroom is not an online class. It combines teaching methods from both face to face and online learning in an instructional model that is proving highly effective for all types of learners. Contact your local Rescue or First Response Service for details or email [email protected] or [email protected]. 6 The GAZETTE is published monthly and mailed to all Starksboro residents. Articles and advertisements must be th th submitted by the 15 of each month to the Town Clerk. If the 15 falls on Fri, Sat, or Sun, than it is due the following Monday by noon. COMMUNITY EMAIL GROUP: WWW.FRONTPORCHFORUM.COM TOWN WEBSITE: www.starksborovt.org TOWN OFFICE: 453-2639 Open Mon – Thu 8:30 – 4:30 Town Clerk: Cheryl Estey [email protected] Treasurer: Celine Coon [email protected] Zoning Administrator: Dave Wetmore [email protected] (office hours - Mon & Wed 9-4; Thu 1:00 – 4:30) Del. Tax Collector: Amy McCormick-Tues & Wed @ 453-2639 [email protected] ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER: Wayne Marcelle – 233-9534 SELECT BOARD Meetings 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 5:30 at Town Office. Please call at least one week in advance to get on the agenda. Susan Jefferies – 453-3611 Peter Marsh – 453-3478 Mathew Norris – 453-3273 FIRE WARDENS: Please call ahead for burn permits Tom Estey – 453-4511 or Tony Porter – 989-5096 CONSTABLES: Eric Cota – 453-5239 2nd Constable – George Wyckoff – 989-4538 PLANNING COMMISSION: 453-4054 Meetings 1st and 3rd Thursdays at the Town Office Development Review Board meetings 2nd & 4th Thursdays CONSERVATION COMMISSION: Matt Witten (434-3236 or [email protected]) or Jan McCleery (453-3755 or [email protected]). Meetings: 4th Monday @ 7 pm at the Starksboro Public Library SCHOOL BOARD 1st Wednesday at 5:30 pm at Robinson Library. Bonita Bedard – 453-4305 Louis duPont – 453-5538 Dennis Hysko – 453-5960 HEALTH OFFICER: Peter Ryersbach – 453-3597 Mt. Abe: Meetings 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 6:30 at Mt. Abe Library. Bonita Bedard – 453-4305 Jodi Bachand – 434-5336 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR: Charlene Phelps 453-3461 LIBRARY: 453-3732 Open Mon 10-6; Thurs 10-5, Sat 9-1 Library Board meetings 2nd Monday @ 7 pm at Library RECYCLING: 1ST & 3RD Saturdays from 8-11 am at Town Garage, 1686 VT Route 116. Trash fees: $4.50/bag. Recycling fees by quantity. STARKSBORO VILLAGE WATER COOPERATIVE: 453-5200 Meetings 3rd Wed. of March, June, Sept, and Dec at 7:30 pm at the Starksboro Public Library HUB TEEN CENTER & SKATEPARK: www.bristolskatepark.com Ryan Krushenick– 453-3678 / [email protected] REPRESENTATIVES Michael Fisher – 989-9806 / [email protected] David Sharpe – 453-2754 / [email protected] SENATORS Claire Ayer – 545-2142 / [email protected] Chris Bray – 453-3444 / [email protected] NEW POST OFFICE HOURS: Mon – Fri 7:30 – 4:30 Closed each day 11:30 – 2:30 Saturday – 7:30 – 11: Note New Food Shelf Hours: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm every Wednesday (except the first Wed of each month). 7 TOWN OF STARKSBORO P.O. BOX 91 STARKSBORO, VERMONT 05487 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Starksboro, VT Permit No. 3 Carrier Route Presort Postal Customer 8 9