Williston Observer

The Williston Observer is celebrating its 25th year providing news to the community. Here are some stories from past Aprils:

• In April 2000, Williston began recruiting members for its own rescue squad after Iroquois First Response, which served Williston, Hinesburg and St. George, announced it was disbanding. More recently, the town decided to take public safety a step further by including a town-owned ambulance service in the municipal budget.

• An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale caused minor damage in the area, including broken windows and cracked foundations, in April 2002.

“We are fortunate to live in a country where building techniques prevent much damage from happening,” Vermont Emergency Management Director Ed von Turkovich said at the time.

• Sean McMannon was named the new principal of Champlain Valley Union High School in April 2005, beating out 14 other candidates for the position. The former CVU teacher and Fairbanks House director replaced 18-year veteran principal Val Gardner.

• Herb Goodrich was honored in April 2007 by the Selectboard for 50 years of service to the Williston Fire Department. Goodrich has served as a town lister, justice of the peace, fire warden, cemetery commissioner and Selectboard chairman.

• The CVU Scholars Bowl Team won its first state championship in April 2007 after defeating Hanover (N.H.) High School.

• More than 100 residents gathered at Williston Central School in April 2008 for the first event of Williston Into the Next Generation, commonly known as WING. The meeting kicked off with a community potluck supper and continued with a “free flow of thought” throughout the weekend, according to Judy Sassorossi, WING co-chairwoman. The group has since divided into subgroups to work on five areas identified as most important to the community.

• In April 2009, legislators overrode Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto and passed the landmark bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Williston Reps. Jim McCullough and Terry Macaig, along with Sen. Ginny Lyons of Williston, all voted for the legislation and to override the veto. Seeing same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue, Lyons said, “You can believe this is a sin, but really it isn’t.”

• Opponents of a proposed roundabout meant to ease traffic at a busy Williston Village intersection launched a petition drive in April 2009 stating there was no need for the roundabout.

“It would just make our little town look tacky,” resident Jill Mellion said.

Residents voted against the roundabout in an advisory measure included on the ballot in March 2010, so it is currently on hold.

• The death of longtime Williston Central School teacher and drama coach Al Myers on April 25, 2009 stunned the community. Myers died after falling from a ladder in the auditorium while working on the school’s spring play, “The Wizard of Oz.” Four Facebook tribute pages were quickly created, with hundreds of messages posted, and a May 16 celebration of his life was held at the school. In April of 2010, the school held a weeklong remembrance of Myers, which included Mustache Day.

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April 29, 2010

By Greg Duggan

Observer staff

After years operating out of a woodshop in Williston, Vermont Butcher Block and Board Company owner David Glickman is expanding his business with a retail store in Burlington.

Glickman founded the company in 2004, and builds cutting boards, salad bowls, utensils and more. Though Glickman said he opens his Williston woodshop to customers if they set up an appointment, he makes most of his sales online at www.vermontbutcherblock.com. So far, the strategy has worked well; Vermont Butcher Block and Board Company has been mentioned in publications including Cook’s Illustrated and Design New England, and has picked up customers from throughout the country.

Still, Glickman sees room to expand.

“I enjoy the craft shows that I do. And I want to grow my business, be the next Danforth (Pewterers) or the next big Vermont company,” Glickman said. “There’s no way to do that without a factory store, so all the sudden it was just time.”

Glickman expects to obtain his certificate of occupation on Thursday and open to the public on Friday.

The new company store at 173 College St. in Burlington will sell Vermont Butcher Block products including knife blocks, cutting boards, cheese boards, utensils and wood care products. Glickman also plans to offer a variety of other products made in Vermont. Having met other Vermont crafters and artisans in his years running Vermont Butcher Block, Glickman wants to sell their products in his store.

“The majority of our stuff will be Vermont made,” Glickman said.

Two employees work at the Williston woodshop, and Glickman plans to hire two more workers for the retail store.

Glickman and his employees have spent the past several weeks preparing the retail store for the May 1 opening. They’ve been painting, patching the floor and stocking shelves. And with the nice weather, Glickman said he often leaves the door open during the day. That alone has started to generate interest.

“It’s amazing how many people walk in when the door is open,” Glickman said.

Because the store is located next to City Hall Park, Glickman also hopes to capitalize on shoppers visiting the Burlington Farmers Market on Saturdays.

The Vermont Butcher Block company store is located at 173 College St. in Burlington. Owner David Glickman plans to open the store on May 1, and it will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

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April 29, 2010

By Greg Duggan

Observer staff

The Williston Planning Department will have a new plaque to hang on the wall next week.

On Monday, Planning Director Ken Belliveau will head to Montpelier to receive a Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence and Pollution Prevention. Williston has won an award for Land Use & Land Planning.

“It’s a nice feather in our cap,” Belliveau said. “It’s always nice to be noticed for good things.”

The state Department of Environmental Conservation Web site says the Land Use & Land Planning awards recognize “projects that preserve or conserve land to create ecological and environmental benefits or that advance smart growth alternatives.”

Williston was nominated for the award by Faith Ingulsrud, the planning coordinator for the Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development. Williston’s overall development plan has many facets. In short, the town has policies and practices that foster development in the growth center area generally located around Taft Corners.

That goal stood out for Ingulsrud, who in her nomination application wrote, “Williston’s current planning program exemplifies Vermont’s statewide planning goal to implement a strategy that will effectively focus compact development within the designated growth center and protect the majority of land in the town as rural.”

Ingulsrud went on to praise Williston for its “active community participation, strong leadership and … committed volunteer planners and professional staff members.”

“Williston now has one of the most sophisticated smart growth planning programs of any town in Vermont,” she wrote.

Belliveau said Williston is recognized around the state as a leader for town planning practices, a claim backed up by Gary Gulka, the assistance and prevention program chief for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.

“Williston has served as a model for others in terms of actually taking smart growth planning to the next step, which is the implementation of policies and regulations,” Gulka said.

Gulka serves on the Planning Commission in Cabot, and said the town plans to look at the steps Williston has taken to implement smart growth strategies.

Williston was the only municipality to win a Governor’s Award in 2010, Gulka said.

Vermont Coverts, a company that works with private landowners to maintain and enhance forest habitats, will also receive a Governor’s Award for Land Use & Land Planning. Nearly 20 other organizations and businesses will take home awards in areas that include Resource Conservation, Earth Stewardship & Resource Protection and Education & Outreach.

Belliveau noted that decisions made by Williston’s Development Review Board and Selectboard help guide the town’s planning goals.

“Whether we won this award or not, as a planner, it’s nice to be able to work in a community that really values what happens with planning,” Belliveau said.

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April 29, 2010

By Stephanie Choate

Observer staff

This weekend, Champlain Valley Union High School students will join hundreds of other Vermonters in the annual COTS Walk in Burlington.

Approximately 30 CVU teachers and students — many of them in the school’s Key Club, a community service group — will take part in the May 2 event that benefits Burlington’s Committee on Temporary Shelter.

“I am pretty happy with how much interest the CVU community has shown toward this event,” CVU sophomore Claire Colwell, who is organizing the school’s team, wrote in an e-mail.

Colwell said the CVU group hopes to raise $1,000.

“COTS serves people with whom we can all relate,” Colwell wrote. “In these hard times, everyone can connect to (the) COTS mission …. This walk is also a great way to spend time with friends and get involved in the community.”

CVU is one of nearly 20 high schools and colleges in the state with teams registered for the walk.

“It’s just heartwarming and amazing to see so many teens participate,” said Lesli Blount, COTS Board chairwoman. “Every year they participate in great numbers.”

The three-mile route follows the course a homeless person might take to get shelter and services.

“This is the one day of the year when we open up our shelters to the public,” said Mary Beth Jensen, COTS special events coordinator. “Otherwise, people would never get to see the inside of a shelter and what it really is like.”

Walkers set individual fund-raising goals for themselves and collect pledges from friends, family, coworkers or whomever they can find.

Organizers hope to raise $175,000 during the walk. Since event sponsors cover the costs, all of the money raised goes directly to shelters and services, Jensen said. She said the event is “huge,” one of the organization’s two biggest events of the year.

“It brings in enough money to run the shelters for quite some time,” she said. “It’s really vital.”

Blount said COTS has seen an “all-time high demand for services” in the past year or so. The group had to open an overflow center, which Blount said is “already kind of bursting at the seams.”

Some people have lost their jobs and others have had their hours cut as businesses try to weather the tough economic climate.

Taking part in the walk is a fun and easy way to lend a hand, Jensen said.

“It’s a great way for people of all ages to get involved in their community and learn about homelessness in Burlington and see for themselves what is being done and how … they can help and get involved,” Jensen said.

Jensen said people take part in the COTS Walk because it’s a good time, but it also raises awareness about homelessness.

“People get to see things they don’t typically get to see,” Jensen said. “It’s a great way to have a conversation about homelessness and poverty and social justice in general.”

The COTS Walk is scheduled for May 2 and starts at Battery Park in Burlington. Check-in is at 1:30 p.m. Visit cotsonline.org for more information.

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