Williston Observer

July 28, 2011

Williston resident Shawn Luke. (Observer photos by Adam White)

‘Wahter Man’ by Shawn Luke.

Shawn Luke has a fascination with water equal to his passion for creating art. Both are currently on display in the Community Room at the Williston Police Station, in an exhibit called the Wahter Man Project.

A Minnesota native who currently lives in Williston and works as a development engineer for IBM, Luke recently sat down with the Observer to talk about his artistic roots, his social mission and what the exhibit has meant to his efforts.

Williston Observer: What was the basis of your inspiration for painting?

Shawn Luke: I started working with acrylics back in high school, and did an entire portfolio in preparation for going to art school. But my father had pushed me to do something that had more potential for a career, so I ended up going to engineering school … and coming to Vermont to work for IBM. But I needed a creative outlet; I had a need, a desire, to get out and create. The art is a continuation of what I like to do in my engineering work, which is to create different things. And there is a social mission in my work as well, which makes me feel like I have a larger connection.

WO: Was that mission — raising social awareness about water and issues relating to it — something that was there from the beginning?

Luke: In a way, yes. I’ve always liked working with shapes, so part of it is tying into the shape of the water drop. But more so is the sense of interconnectedness, and water seems to have that. It’s the one thing that really connects all life forms. It’s the bond that ties us together.

WO: How does your engineering background influence your art?

Luke: In some ways, (painting) is a large departure from what I usually do — which is very analytical and rigid. The art form is very different; it allows me to be much more free with my thinking. But there is a lot of crossover as well. I use technology as a tool, sketching things out on a computer before I put them on canvas.

WO: You were also involved in scouting. How has that played into who you’ve become as an artist?

Luke: Scouting was a great outlet for me, because it allowed me to get out into nature and experience it firsthand … and that ties you into that bond: the lake you’re canoeing on is water, and that’s what the bear and moose are drinking; it’s part of the ecosystem. And I didn’t just go through Boy Scouts; I’m an Eagle Scout, and you’re an Eagle Scout for life once you attain that rank. Part of that is to continually give back, to find ways to do service. For me, raising awareness about water is a great social mission. We are able to collect money through the Wahter Man Project that we can donate to really empower the organizations that are on the ground, providing clean water to the people that need it the most.

WO: How do you determine where the money that you raise goes?

Luke: I research the organizations, and one that I’m really passionate about right now is water.org. They have this infrastructure that they’re able to leverage to quickly and efficiently get water to people that need it. And you don’t only give them money; you can tell them exactly where you want that money to go. Right now, we’re helping out the relief effort in Haiti.

WO: How did you get your art into the police station? Did you get arrested, and mention to them that you’re an artist?

Luke: Fortunately, it was nothing that wild. They had a posting in the newspaper, and since I live here in Williston, it’s a nice fit. It’s close and convenient, and it’s a beautiful place. I am very humbled to have my artwork there.

WO: How has the exhibit been received?

Luke: Very well. Really, I was just trying to get exposure, and get people thinking and talking about water. I didn’t expect to sell anything — but I ended up selling my most expensive painting on the first day.

WO: Overall, how would you sum up your experience of having your artwork on display at the police station?

Luke: I think it’s been, by far, the best opportunity for me to showcase my work. It has given me a lot of confidence, and helped to get me really focused. (The police department has) been very supportive, and having that support behind me has really meant a lot.

Shawn Luke’s Wahter Man project will be on display in the Community Room at the Williston Police Station through mid-August. For more information, contact the WPD at 764-1152 or visit Luke’s website, www.wahterman.com.

July 28, 2011

Cathy Michaels, president of the Williston Community Food Shelf, is working through a difficult period of increasing demand and decreasing supply. (File photo)

Faced with a still fragile economy and a time of year when donations are typically at their lowest, the Williston Community Food Shelf is dealing with high demand and low supply.

A total of 176 families came to the food shelf in June; 15 of which were new clients and 47 of which visited twice.

“Since we opened (almost three years ago) we have always seen a spike in the summer,” said Cathy Michaels, president of the Williston Community Food Shelf, which serves Williston, St. George, Essex and Richmond. “I think a lot of it are those who qualify for free or reduced lunch who are now home. That adds up to about 10 extra meals per child. Then, if you have two or three kids — think about it — it’s a lot.”

Michaels added that summer has also been the season that’s yielded the fewest donations every year since the food shelf’s inception.

However, Michaels is hopeful that a few innovative approaches will help bridge the gap to the “season of giving” around the holidays. A booth at the Williston Independence Day parade raised $920 and approximately 100 pounds of food. A table at the “Groovin’ on the Green” summer-long concert at Maple Tree Place is also producing supplies. In addition, clients are also starting to reap the benefits of this year’s stock from Williston’s Plant a Row for the Hungry, which is part of a national grassroots program that the Observer started locally four years ago.

“We’re seeing lettuce, squash and green beans. It’s nice to be able to offer that. You don’t see that in a lot of food shelves,” Michaels said.

Another unique element to the Williston Community Food Shelf is that clients get an experience similar to one they would find in a grocery store. They receive carts upon entering and can shop with volunteers.

“Most food shelves give you a pre-packed box of food, which can have some items that won’t be used and go to waste,” Michaels said.

Michaels added that her clients are “very grateful” and that the majority of them are employed. Much of that is a reflection of the economy, which has resulted in wages not keeping up with cost of living increases.

“Forty-seven second visits doesn’t indicate an improvement in the economy,” Michaels said.

In places in and around Williston, the amount of need is surprising to others, according to Michaels.

“I don’t think there is awareness,” she said. “People think of Williston as an affluent town … But there are people in need here, just like everywhere else.”

In addition to donations, Michaels is looking for more volunteers and fundraising ideas. She also wants prospective clients to understand that it’s OK to ask for help and that’s why the food shelf is there.

“It’s hard for people to swallow their pride,” Michaels said. “Some people can feel shame but you know what? This can be any of us at any time.”

The Williston Community Food Shelf is located at 300 Cornerstone Drive, Suite 115, in Williston. Its open Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Williston homeowner contests inflated water bill

July 28, 2011

The owners of this home at 424 Metcalf Dr. in Williston were billed for 90,000 gallons of water during the fourth quarter of this past fiscal year, more than five times their average water use during the first three quarters. Homeowner Brian Ricca appealed to the town’s Selectboard on Monday night, calling the bill “exorbitant.” (Observer photo by Adam White)

No matter how Brian Ricca crunches them, the numbers just don’t add up: four family members plus four toilets does not equal 90,000 gallons of water.

But that is the amount listed on the Metcalf Dr. homeowner’s fourth quarter water bill, which totals $613.65 — more than five times the family’s average bill for the first three quarters of the fiscal year. Ricca appealed the bill to the Williston Selectboard on Monday, saying there is no way his family could have used that much water.

“There seems to be something amiss,” Ricca said. “I’m not looking for a handout here, just some reason and logic.”

The family’s average water bill over the previous three quarters was $122.23. The third-quarter amount ($91.46) was estimated, due to weather conditions in February that made it difficult to “even find the meter,” according to town manager Rick McGuire.

“Because that bill was estimated, this (problem) could have started at the beginning of a six-month period, and it wouldn’t have been caught until the end,” McGuire said.

Public Works director Bruce Hoar told the Selectboard that several steps were taken to identify the problem once Ricca appealed his bill, starting with a test to determine whether one of the four toilets in Ricca’s home was leaking.

John Marchant, branch manager of the plumbing department at Blodgett Supply Co. in Williston, said on Tuesday that a faulty seal between a toilet’s tank and bowl is typically to blame in such scenarios.

“If the flapper that seals off between the tank and bowl is running, you could run your water bill to enormous proportions,” Marchant said.

Ricca said tests did not reveal problems with any of his toilets, and that the volume of water used makes that explanation unlikely. He provided the Selectboard with data from a University of Pennsylvania study estimating that “a silent leak in a toilet can waste up to 7,000 gallons of water per month.”

“Even if all four had leaked for the entire time, it still would not equal the amount showing up on the bill,” Ricca said.

Hoar said that the only other explanation was a faulty reading; his department had the meter in question tested — at further expense to the homeowner — and found it to be functioning properly.

“There is nothing wrong with the meter,” Hoar said. “The water went through the meter; that’s all I can say. Where it went after that, I don’t have a clue. Once the water goes through that meter, we have no control over it … (but the town is) paying for it.”

Selectboard member Debbie Ingram raised the possibility of someone in the house — or even a family pet — being the culprit. Ingram said that she has seen YouTube videos of cats that learn to flush toilets, and have been captured doing so repeatedly.

“We’ve had our dog for seven years, and she is unable to flush the toilet,” Ricca said. He added that his wife has a stay-at-home job, and would likely detect such a problem before it led to large-scale water waste.

Hoar said that similar situations have been brought to his department’s attention in the past, and that circumstances have always been found to warrant collecting the due amount in full from the homeowner. Hoar mentioned one instance in which an elderly couple — struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and hearing loss — allowed a faulty toilet to run unchecked for an extended period of time.

The three Board members present at Monday’s meeting voted unanimously to appoint a yet-unnamed individual as a fact-finder to conduct further investigation and advise them on the situation.

“We’re all homeowners here, and we all sympathize with your situation,” Ingram told Ricca. “(The bill) doesn’t sound reasonable.”

July 28, 2011

Contractors from S.D. Ireland work on a section of multi-use path between River Cove Rd. and James Brown Dr. in Williston. Final funding is now in place to link existing sections of the path, creating a continuous route from Industrial Ave. to Overlook Park near the Essex Junction village line. (Observer photo by Adam White)

The final piece of funding is in place to connect a series of multi-use path segments along Vermont 2A in Williston.

The town has accepted a bid of $163,621 from S.D. Ireland to construct the middle section of the path, between Tire Kingdom and James Brown Dr., which will link segments to its north and south and complete a continuous stretch between Industrial Ave. and Overlook Park.

A final construction stage will consist of paving all of the new sections contiguously, which will increase the efficiency of the project and help builders complete it on time.

“This has been in the works for quite some time, but now they’re moving right along on it,” said Lisa Sheltra, engineering technician for the town of Williston and municipal project manager for the bike path. “It has to be completed by Oct. 14, and I’m pretty sure they’re going to finish before that, at the pace they’re going.”

Public Works director Bruce Hoar echoed Sheltra’s optimism in statements to the Selectboard on Monday.

“They’ve had no major (problems),” Hoar said. “They’ve had a few minor issues, but nothing major.”

The first and third sections of the path were bid together, also by S.D. Ireland, after the town received a combined $445,550 in federal and state funding. The overall project will be completed using a combination of funding from the transportation, community and systems preservation program and an enhancement grant, according to Sheltra.

The 10-foot-wide, asphalt path was previously completed from Industrial Ave. to River Cove Rd. S.D. Ireland’s crew is nearing completion of pre-paving work on the portion from River Cove Rd. to James Brown Dr., and has already finished similar work on the final section from Tire Kingdom to Overlook Park.

Selectboard chairman Terry Macaig said that the completed path will address safety concerns from area residents about that stretch of 2A.

“There is pretty much heavy traffic all day long on that stretch of Route 2A,” Macaig said. “For people biking to Essex in particular, there is not a lot of (shoulder) on that side of the road to protect them from car traffic. This will hopefully alleviate that problem, and make it a lot safer.”

Sheltra said the project will also entail some additional drainage work and a retaining wall, as well as some handrails. She said that Staff Sterling Management of Morrisville is providing state-required, on-site inspection of the process.

“They are there 24/7, making sure that (contractors) are doing everything according to design and state standards.”

The protection of pedestrians and bicyclists is a priority expressly identified within Williston’s proposed 2011 Comprehensive Plan. Section 6.2.7 of the plan states, “Access for pedestrians and bicyclists will be separated from access for vehicles where possible.”

Macaig said that the availability of outside funding for the project has been a significant contributing factor to its success.

“This is a good piece of work, in that we’ve received a lot of grant money that didn’t have to come out of the town coffers,” Macaig said.

Macaig also said that more multi-use path improvements are on the town’s radar for the future, including a portion between Industrial Ave. and Taft Corners, to the south of the current project.

“There is a large section missing in the middle, that will require a large, expensive bridge over the Allen Brook,” Macaig said. “We’ve made it a priority to complete these paths, so people can travel safely on them.”

July 28, 2011

The Williston Selectboard agreed to push back its approval vote on the 2011 Comprehensive Plan on Monday, due to low attendance at its regular meeting and insufficient time to review some final revisions.

Ten townspeople were present to voice their opinions at what was slated to be the final public hearing on the Plan, but Board chairman Terry Macaig said that required warning time under state regulations was not given in regard to changes made by the Planning Commission.

Macaig said that additional language within the Plan — particularly pertaining to the Circumferential Highway Project, Chittenden Solid Waste District landfill project and connection between the two — would require discussion in another public forum prior to the Board’s approval of the document.

That could occur at the Board’s next regularly scheduled meeting on Aug. 15.

“There are major changes … that needed to come back to us for a look, and for the townspeople to look at and consider as well,” Macaig said.

The fact that there were only three Board members present at Monday’s meeting also played into the decision, according to Macaig.

“You’d like to have as many Selectboard members there as possible, for their diverse opinions, to review the final document and take action on it,” Macaig said.

Diverse opinions were in no short supply at the meeting, as Williston residents took the floor to address a wide range of topics — several of which are not included in the proposed Town Plan. Joseph Myers asked the Board about a study being conducted on traffic patterns near the intersection of North Williston and Mountain View roads, and whether a roundabout was still being considered there.

“It is only being studied to the extent of determining whether it needs to be changed,” Town Manager Rick McGuire said. “There will be a series of public meetings on this issue later.”

Carol Burbank of Pamela Ct. asked the Board to consider supporting an assisted living facility in town, saying that a number of Williston’s senior citizens “have had to move away” during the latter part of their lives.

“I think this is something we seriously need to consider,” Burbank said. “I hope it is something you will … think about.”

Local developer Jeff Atwood spoke next, saying he was “discouraged and disappointed” that a master plan for Williston’s village center was called for in the previous Town Plan in 2006 but has yet to be completed. Atwood also said that affordable housing was prioritized in the last Town Plan, but hadn’t been sufficiently addressed, in his mind, in the five years since.

“I guess we’re just going to stay status quo,” Atwood said.

Tim Beauvais of Old Stage Rd. questioned setback discrepancies in different zoning districts in town, saying that a 15-foot setback hindered a renovation project at his family’s home. Beauvais asked why the setback — originally 10 feet — was changed, requesting “a realignment to something that made sense before.” Fellow resident Sue Powers also questioned why some areas of town are held to different zoning standards than others.

Town planner Ken Belliveau responded by saying that the bylaw changes could have been “an oversight, an error or something deliberate.”

McGuire then brought focus back to the Town Plan. “This document really does need to get adopted before we can address changes in the bylaws,” he said.