Williston Observer

New England Runner Magazine names Rountree Male Runner of Year

By Tim Simard
Observer staff

Saying that Williston resident Rick Rountree likes to run is a bit of an understatement. In an average week, Rountree covers 70 to 75 miles running the rolling hills around Williston and Richmond.

"Running is so simple," he said. "All you need is clothes and sneakers, really."

Tall, thin and lanky, Rountree is ideally suited for his favorite sport. It's more than a "hobby" or a nice exercise side project, he said; Rountree routinely enters and wins running events all over Vermont and New England.

Just this past Saturday, Feb. 2, Rountree won a 10-mile race in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, setting the course record at 52 minutes, 3 seconds. The week before, he was the top finisher in the Boston Prep 16-Miler in Derry, N.H. He ran a 1:33:36 race, almost a minute better than the second-place finisher.

"I'd say Rick Rountree is one of our top three runners," said Charlie Windisch, president of the Green Mountain Athletic Association, of which Rountree is a member. "He cleans up on most of our races."

His achievements have not gone unnoticed. New England Runner Magazine recently named Rountree the 2007 Vermont Male Runner of the Year for the second year in a row.

"It's always nice to get recognition for your hard work," he said.

Overcoming obstacles

Last year wasn't an easy one for Rountree, who had to overcome two injuries in the early part of 2007. He strained his adductor muscle in his leg and could hardly walk without significant pain. By favoring his leg, he injured his Achilles tendon when he tried running again, something he said he started too early.

"It wasn't until June that I could feel good enough to race," he said.

He was nervous before his first post-injury race in Rutland, but overcame his nerves to win the event. And while 2007 wasn't a typical running year for Rountree, he did compete in 10 races, winning five of them.

His injuries came after he competed in a short race while vacationing in Geneva. Rountree was the top American finisher, placing fourth overall, but he felt he could have placed higher if had been feeling better.

"I was really jet lagged, really out of it," he said.

Beginnings

Rountree began running during his freshman year of high school. He joined the cross country team, but he wasn't sure running was for him.

"I wanted to quit when I first started, but my parents kept pushing me to keep with it," he said.

He went on to have success in college while attending Bentley College in Massachusetts, one of the top running schools in New England. After college, Rountree moved to the Washington, D.C. area, competing in local races in the region, some of which had some decent monetary prizes.

"I won enough money to cover entry fees, running shoes, travel expenses," he said. "I wasn't running for the money, but it helped to break even."

Rountree moved to Vermont two years ago and continued racing in local half marathons and other shorter distance races. His favorites include the Leaf Peeper's Half Marathon, which takes place in the fall in Waterbury, and a mile sprint in downtown Montpelier.

"Typically, he goes out fast from the start," Windisch said. "He'll stay in the lead pack for the most part and then try to break away at the end. It seems to do the trick."

Looking forward

While Rountree is a fast runner who competes well in shorter, faster races, his trouble spot is marathons. He hasn't completed one of the 26-mile races since 2003, but hopes to change that this year. Rountree said that the training for a half-marathon and a full marathon are completely different.

"It's been hard," he said. "I feel like I've underperformed at the marathon level. I have a lot of room to grow. To be honest, I don't like to run that far. I hate that last 10 (kilometers)."

Despite his dislike of the longer distances, Rountree keeps pushing himself, and he hopes to compete in this year's Vermont City Marathon, taking place in Burlington in May. Until then, he'll keep running along the roads and paths around Williston, training to continue his winning ways.

[Read more...]

By Tim Simard
Observer staff

Ann Sullivan, 65, of Panton lives in a large farmhouse set amongst the rural countryside. The property has been occupied, in one form or another, by family members since the 1800s. Sullivan recently realized that she might not be able to hold onto it.

Her ex-husband, whom she remained good friends with, recently passed away and her five grown children no longer live in the house. As a part-time teacher at Vergennes High School, she wanted to consider full-time retirement, but was unsure if it was a realistic possibility.

"I lacked the finances and realized I didn't have the funds to cover debts," Sullivan said.

Sullivan noticed advertisements about the possibility of getting a reverse mortgage.

"I liked how I could stay in my home and not have to pay for it," she said. "I don't want to have to worry about extra bills, either."

A reverse mortgage is a home equity loan that allows the homeowner to borrow against its value. It's a popular option for many people over the age of 62, the required age minimum, because it provides an immediate access to cash. The older a borrower is, the more money he or she will receive. Credit history and income levels aren't taken into account since the loan is based on the value of the home.

The loan does not need to be paid back until the owner sells the home, moves away or dies. The "home" eventually repays the loan, along with all interest fees, once the estate is sold.

Reverse mortgages have been around for 20 years, but recently have become very popular, with more financial firms advertising the option. Sullivan recently called Scott Funk of Mortgage Financial during her initial research stages. Funk, known as the "Reverse Mortgage Guy" in Vermont, specializes only in reverse mortgages. He works out of his home in Richmond, but travels all over the state for consultations.

"The whole point of (a reverse mortgage) is to keep people in their homes," Funk said. "It's better for everybody."

According to Funk, who serves on the Aging in Place Council, a reverse mortgage can be a good financial move for someone like Sullivan.

"People usually do it for two reasons," Funk said. "They're in some sort of financial crisis or they're looking towards the future."

In a crisis, individuals may choose the reverse mortgage option because it's a quick and safe fix.

"It bails them out," Funk said. "It helps them pay old bills and pay their taxes. In what I do, I try to get the wolf out of the kitchen and off down the street."

Sullivan was not in a crisis, but she was looking towards the future. She was in the correct age requirement, over 62 years old, and wanted to continue to live in her house without the stress of bills. She also liked the idea of passing the house along to her children in the future.

Regarding the fact that the loan ends once it's paid off, Sullivan said, "There are exits if one of my sons wants to buy the house."

Borrowers can take the loan as a lump sum, or put the money into a line of credit, where the potential for a growth rate exists, said Funk.

But there are downsides. Getting a reverse mortgage can be very expensive. One of the more popular reverse mortgages, the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), which is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), charges a 2 percent insurance premium and a 2 percent origination fee on top of closing costs. Total fees and costs on a $200,000 home can sometimes exceed $11,000.

"A lot of reasons some people don't like a reverse mortgage is because costs are high and people are averse to being in debt," Funk said, adding that reverse mortgages are the only loans where all expenses must be shown to the applicant before borrowing.

Reverse mortgages and annuities

In December 2007, the Senate Committee on Aging held hearings about reverse mortgages and how they could be improved to better serve the nation's senior community. One point the committee spoke about was related to using reverse mortgages to purchase annuities. An annuity is a monthly cash advance for life from an insurance company.

"When used properly, reverse mortgages can be an effective way for seniors to tap into the equity of their house as a means to bolster their retirement security," Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., chairman of the committee, said at a meeting on Dec. 12, adding "long-term annuities are almost always inappropriate for seniors, as they can tie up retirement savings far beyond one's life expectancy."

John Olmstead, an FHA representative based in Burlington, agrees that reverse mortgages and annuities don't always work well together.

"If you were to get a reverse mortgage and take the proceeds and put it into an annuity, then you'd have to pay the annuity fee," he said. "You're essentially paying a fee twice."

Olmstead is an FHA-certified financial counselor. By law, a potential borrower has to speak to a third party, like Olmstead, if he or she is looking to get a reverse mortgage. This was put into place as a safeguard.

"As a counselor, I try to present the information as clean as I can," he said.

Olmstead said people feel they need to get an annuity as well as a reverse mortgage because they believe they'll get a better investment with an annuity than what a reverse mortgage line of credit might give. It also has to do with assets.

"Once you have an annuity, it's an asset in your name," Olmstead said. "A reverse mortgage is your money, but not an asset in your name."

Being aware

Many of the recent congressional hearings focused on questionable practices by lenders to attract new customers to reverse mortgages, especially the new baby boomer generation that is entering the required age bracket.

According to Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., a ranking member of the Senate Committee on Aging, reverse mortgages have seen rapid growth due to the growing numbers of Americans getting older. Speaking at the Dec. 12 meeting, Sen. Smith said that in 1990, the FHA only issued 157 reverse mortgages. In 2007, 107,000 were issued – an increase of 68,000 percent in the last 17 years.

"However, as this rapid growth continues, so grows our responsibility to properly inform and prepare senior homeowners for what could potentially be a marketplace ripe for inappropriate products and downright fraudulent brokers," Sen. Smith said.

Funk agreed that people should make sure to be comfortable about whom they are dealing with before getting a reverse mortgage. He said that getting the loan should not be done over the phone or by mail, but face-to-face. Individuals shouldn't be rushed, either.

"It should be that there's lots of time to make decisions," Funk said.

Funk also suggested that people check references to make sure the broker is legitimate.

Sullivan said her experience getting the reverse mortgage was incredibly easy and that she was happy her children could be involved. It was an easier process than she thought it would be, and recommends people explore it as an option.

"For me, I think it's going to be ideal," Sullivan said. "It was the answer I needed at the time I needed it."

[Read more...]

Plungers get wet for Special Olympics

By Greg Duggan
Observer staff

Williston Police Chief Jim Dimmick, dressed in a white t-shirt, shorts and his police cap and blowing on a whistle clamped between his teeth, dashed into the frigid water of Lake Champlain on Saturday.

No, it was not some type of training exercise, or a wacky chase after a criminal. When Dimmick immersed himself in the Burlington waterfront near the Coast Guard Station, he did so to benefit Special Olympics Vermont at the 13th annual Penguin Plunge.

“It was cold. It was very cold. Sort of take your breath away cold,” Dimmick said a couple of days after the event, after he’d had a chance to warm up. “But it was a great event. We had great turnout, the participant level was much higher than last year.”

More than 1,040 plungers on 58 teams took part in the chilly fundraiser, according to Robyn Comstock, fundraising events manager for Special Olympics Vermont.
Dimmick, who also serves as chairman of the Board of Directors for Special Olympics Vermont, participated with a team of police chiefs and sheriffs, as well as Chittenden County State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan and Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell.

“Law enforcement has always enjoyed a special relationship with the athletes that get involved with Special Olympics,” Dimmick said.

The Williston Police Chief said his team raised more than $4,000 for Special Olympics.

Figures for the entire Plunge had yet to be released by press deadline, and Comstock would not offer an estimate.

But she did say the Plunge is the biggest fundraiser for Special Olympics Vermont, with money helping children and adults with intellectual disabilities to play sports.
The Special Olympics Winter Games are coming up, scheduled to take place from March 14 to 16 at Suicide Six in Woodstock. Games will include alpine skiing, snowshoeing and snowboarding, Comstock said.

With sunny skies and little wind at the Plunge, Comstock said the event “was fantastic. There were no problems at all. It was really smooth.”

[Read more...]

Prosecutor offers community service

By Greg Elias
Observer staff

Protesters arrested during an anti-war, anti-recruiting demonstration in Williston have accepted a deal under which charges will be dropped when they complete 15 hours of community service.

Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan said Monday that he offered the arrangement to 13 protesters arrested on trespassing charges. Donovan said he is still waiting to hear from one or two protesters, but most have accepted the offer.

They are allowed to choose the type of community service. It could involve work on behalf of the anti-war movement, perhaps even a peaceful protest.

"The only limitation was that I said it had to be legal," Donovan said, adding that he wanted to ensure it didn't involve another protest that includes civil disobedience.

On Nov. 30, dozens of protesters marched on a pair of military recruiting offices in Maple Tree Place. They at first massed in front of the recruiting office for the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines on the east side of the shopping center's central green. But when they found that office deserted, protesters drifted over to the nearby Vermont Army National Guard office.

Some harangued recruiters while others sat in a circle on the floor. Police eventually ordered protesters to leave or be arrested. Thirteen refused and were cited for trespassing.

The protest was organized by a group of students at Mount Mansfield Union High School. They are unhappy with recruiting practices, specifically a provision of the No Child Left Behind Act that requires high schools to give students' names and phone numbers to the military.

The deal offered by Donovan averted a trial. Jury selection was slated to begin Monday. Under state law, trespassing is punishable by three months in jail and/or a $500 fine.

About half of those arrested have already completed the community service, which must be verified in writing by another person, Donovan said.

Donovan, a Democrat elected in 2006, told the Observer last month that he was trying to balance defendants' First Amendment rights with his duty to enforce the law.

He said he weighs several factors, including whether a protest involves violence, property damage or business disruptions, to decide the appropriate punishment. Donovan said the Williston protest clearly interfered with recruitment and obstructed traffic at Maple Tree Place.

He said on Monday that the deal he offered to Williston protesters would not set a precedent for future demonstrations.

"I think what you do is look at these on a case-by-case basis," Donovan said. "I'm not going to prepare a set of guidelines saying this is what is going to happen if you protest."

[Read more...]

Renovations coincide with pastor's installment

By Tim Simard
Observer staff

Last Thursday afternoon, Rev. Nate Patnode of the Church of the Nazarene in Williston walked through his new parish, surveying the renovations that are being completed to coincide with his arrival.

"Everything's new around here," said Patnode, 31. "New paint job, new windows, soon to be new carpet."

But the biggest change for the church, located right off Route 2A, is the pastor. On Sunday, Feb. 3, Patnode was officially installed as the church's head pastor. About 100 people from Williston and other Nazarene church communities turned up for the occasion.

Young and enthusiastic, Patnode looks forward to his time in Vermont.

"It's a beautiful area. You've got the lakes and the mountains," he said with a big smile. "I'm just happy to be here."

Renovations

Formed around the turn of the 20th century, the Church of the Nazarene grew out of British evangelist John Wesley's holiness movement. The denomination emphasizes that individuals need the Holy Spirit to embody them with its power in order to live a Christian life.

The Church of the Nazarene has been located in Williston for more than 30 years, but was officially organized in Burlington in 1928. The church had not been renovated since it was built in the 1960s, according to church member Wendy Elmer. With décor reminiscent of 40 years ago, church members knew it was time for an update. Wood paneling was removed behind the stage in favor of a new paint job. The worn carpets have been replaced as well.

Elmer said sermons now would be aided by the use of computers.

"We've installed new speakers, new amplifiers and a new computer," she said. "There was a trench dug in the floor so we could put in new wiring."

Elmer also said a new projector has been installed to give more opportunities to incorporate multimedia into sermons. Total costs of the renovation were estimated at $25,000, she said.

Renovations were completed Saturday night before Sunday's special event. All except the carpets, which would not get installed until Tuesday.

The new pastor

The Burlington-Williston Church of the Nazarene has been without a pastor for more than two years, during which time a pastor split time between Williston and Concord, N.H. Before that, the church only had a part-time pastor, according to Elmer.

"He'll bring more stability," Elmer said of Padnode. "Having someone full time makes it easier to get things done rather than having someone part-time."

Pearl Wells, the church board's secretary, said the board reviewed many resumes before deciding on Patnode's.

"He seemed to be right on track with what the church believed," Wells said. "He's enthusiastic and ready to go forward."

Patnode came to Vermont from a Nazarene church in Malden, Mass. He was the associate pastor there and jumped at the chance to become a head pastor. A native of Plattsburgh, N.Y., Patnode also liked the fact that he was moving home, so to speak, to the Champlain Valley.

Patnode grew up as a member of the Church of the Nazarene but wasn't sure he wanted to be a pastor until later in his teen years.

"I think I heard the call around the time I was 18, but I kept thinking it wasn't for me," he said. "I kept saying, 'I can't get up in front of people and speak.' But friends and family kept confirming that I should do this."

Patnode attended Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Mass. where he earned his degree. Around that time, he also became a youth minister and did several missionary trips to Brazil and Belize. He then moved on to the Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., where he earned his masters degree in divinity.

He started the job three weeks ago, just after moving from Massachusetts with his wife, Miranda, and newborn daughter, Olivia. Patnode knows that the new job will be a lot of work and be a huge change for his family, but he's excited. He's looking to improve the Williston church and bring more community members in.

"(Change) doesn't happen overnight," he said. "It takes a long period of time. Nothing will grow if you just sit there."

Patnode talked about how he wants to bring more awareness to the church through community activities. Once the weather gets warmer, he wants to throw a big block party. Through more activities, such as a basketball night at the church's gym, he hopes to expand the Williston congregation's numbers, which currently are around 40 to 45 members, he said.

"We've been focusing on the younger generations and how to reach them," Wells said. "I think we got a nice young couple to help do that."

[Read more...]