Essex students wrap up

third Giving League seasonBY ANTHONY LABOR

The Essex Reporter

The Essex High School softball team has become accustomed to winning on the field over the years.

They also earned another title over the weekend, as they came away with a first-place finish in the Competitive Giving League spring competition.

The competition faces athletic teams from Essex schools against each other to see who can donate the most items for the Heavenly Food Pantry.

The competition takes the total number of items donated and divides that by number of members on a team to determine who wins.

After trailing on Day 5, the softball team rallied on the last day to take first-place overall with eight items donated per athlete.

“You could tell the softball team was really excited to win,” said CGL creator Kristin Kany. “Everyone involved did a really great job.”

Overall 1,334 items were donated for the spring competition with everything going to the Heavenly Food Pantry. With the first full year of the CGL

in the books, it has raised over 3,700 food items for the Heavenly Food Pantry.

According to the CGL website, the 3,700 items donated so far is enough to provide 1,000 meals for a family of four.

It was the third season overall for the CGL and the first including the two middle schools in Essex as well.

“Having the competition within the community of all Essex schools was great,” said Essex Middle School athletic director Chris Dumouchel. “The kids were all competitive for a good cause.”

The Essex Middle School softball team came away with second place overall and the first middle school championship. They ended with just over six items donated per member.

Essex Middle School girls’ track and boys’ track came in third and fourth in the competition.

“Some of our teams got really into this competition,” said Dumouchel. “It provided a source of pride for our school and peers. It’s a great way to provide a little incentive for raising goods.”

INSIDE

MAY 22, 2014

RepoRteRT H E E S S E X

Vol. 34, No. 21www.essexreporter.com Prsrt Std ECRWSSU.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 266

Essex Junction, VT 05452 Postal Patron-Residential

Restoring the right to voteCitizens urge Town Meeting Day change

By JASON STARRThe Essex Reporter

Hard to argue with Laurie Singer’s comments at Monday’s meeting of the Essex Selectboard.

She joined a citizen committee in urging the board to put the annual town budget proposal to a ballot vote instead of a voice vote in the Essex High School auditorium that seats only a fraction of the town’s

voters.Singer said her husband has been

deployed with the military during recent Town Meeting Days and currently works out of state. He is one of many residents who, for myriad reasons, are unable to gather on the first Tuesday evening in March, and who therefore don’t get a vote on the annual budget. Putting the budget on the ballot would not only increase the time window to vote (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at polling places), it would also allow for voting by absentee and early balloting.

“He was (deployed), risking his life for everyone in this room, but he couldn’t vote,” Singer said of her husband during

Monday’s meeting at the town offices. “You are taking away his right to vote. That’s what it comes down to. You’re taking away everyone who can’t make it to the meeting’s right to vote.”

According to Robert Bates, who has worked on a “Budget-to-Ballot” citizen group that has studied the potential change, Town Meeting Day attendance this March was 260 people. That’s about 1 percent of the town’s population. By contrast, town-wide ballot questions draw about 6 percent, he said.

While both town officials and the citizen group would like to see greater turnout, the group believes putting the budget on the

ballot would at least improve participation.“We value Town Meeting and the last

thing we want to do is undermine our annual gathering. We really believe in the Democratic process, but everyone’s voice should count, whether they are present or not,” said resident Deb McAdoo.

The group proposes to retain the significance of Town Meeting Day by having residents debate and potentially amend the budget proposal as they do now. The budget amount voters approve through a voice vote in March would then be put on the ballot in April, joining the annual Essex school district budget elections, and

‘Demoralized’ residents seek

avenue for change

Five Corners redevelopment

puts land development rules in focus

By JASON STARRThe Essex Reporter

The Five Corners redevelopment proposal at the site of a former bank branch on the corner of Pearl and Park streets has spurred a group of residents to peel back the layers of Essex Junction’s land development process. What they have found, they have described as: “frustrating,” “discouraging,” “confusing,” “demoralizing.”

The citizen group comprises residents of School Street and Park Terrace who are closest to the four-story apartment and retail building that received planning commission approval in December. Conceived by Milot Real Estate of Williston, the project is currently under Vermont Act 250 land use review.

The group began to organize ahead of the planning commission hearings last year, bringing strong opinions that the building proposed is too large for its surroundings and would create pedestrian and motorist conflicts. After two hearings, it became clear that while their testimony was acknowledged, it was not going to sway planning commission action on the project. Planning commission members explained that, in fairness to the developer’s right to a predictable process, they could only judge the proposal against the village’s land use regulations.

Those regulations are written in the village Land Development Code and are governed by the village's Comprehensive Plan, which sets an over-arching vision for Essex Junction. In a coincidence of timing, the planning commission embarked on an update to the Comprehensive Plan this year, just as the citizen group was raising questions about a downtown vision that encourages the type of building Milot proposed.

Planning Commission chairwoman Diane Clemens urged residents to participate in the update, specifically the section about the aesthetics of the village’s downtown core. When School Street residents delved into the Comprehensive Plan and what it says about Five Corners, they found a vague and ambiguous document whose connection to actual Land Development Code regulations was difficult to grasp.

Last week, they discussed the

Essex senior captain Brendan Leonard drives toward the net during a game against Colchester at Essex High School on Friday afternoon. More boys' and girls' lacrosse coverage in sports section. OLIVER PARINI

Blodgett moves new assembly operation to

Saxon HillBy JASON STARRThe Essex Reporter

Blodgett ovens of Burlington is taking over 100,000 square feet of industrial space in Essex’s Saxon Hill industrial park that is being vacated by Swiss cable manufacturer Huber and Suhner.

Huber and Suhner announced last fall that it would close its operations in Essex, relocating or letting go the roughly 70 employees that work there. The company opened the Essex facility in 1990. It is relocating functions performed in Essex to North Carolina and New Jersey by the end of June.

Nedde Real Estate of South Burlington purchased the building on Thompson Drive and its surrounding 20 acres from Huber and Suhner last August, then leased it back to the company for the year. When the company announced it was closing the facility, Nedde began looking for another tenant.

He had discussions with smaller companies looking to rent portions of the building. Then Blodgett made an offer on the whole thing.

“It’s a large transaction, and it didn’t happen overnight,” said Nedde Real Estate owner Doug Nedde.

Blodgett, which makes commercial ovens from its Burlington headquarters, was purchased in 2001 by Middleby Corporation of Elgin, Ill. Middleby acquired a steam-cooking equipment manufacturer in January, and awarded its operation to Blodgett. That is the division that will be locating in Essex.

Blodgett Vice President of Operations Dan Coolbeth declined to name the company. He said the Essex facility will be responsible for assembly of steam cooking and medical sterilization equipment as well as shipping and receiving. The facility will initially house 15 employees, but he expects it to grow. Some Blodgett employees are already working on site.

“We are going to be growing the business here in Vermont,” said Coolbeth.

Saxon Hill has seen commercial growth recently with the construction of a new manufacturing facility on Allen Martin Drive and the relocation of Reinhart Foods from Colchester. Nedde said it’s become a focus of industrial growth in the area.

“The market is becoming very tight in Chittenden County for industrial space, so there has been more and more interest in that area as a result,” he said. – See REDEVELOPMENT page 3a– See GIVING page 2a

– See VOTE page 3a

Hornets hold Lakers

2a The Essex Reporter • May 22, 2014

It may seem obvious, but the most important thing audiologist Julie Bier knows about hearing health is to “listen to the patient.”

Dr. Bier is F-AAA board certified in audiology and has just opened her own practice, Better Living Audiology, in South Burlington. She will be hosting an open house on May 29-30.

Originally from a rural area just outside of Indiana, Pa. — the home of Jimmy Stewart, Dr. Bier says — she moved to Colchester about three years ago. After earning her masters and doctorate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, she completed residency at the University of California, San Francisco in 2007. She practiced at UCSF and in New York City before moving to Vermont.

What drew her to Vermont — aside from the job she took as an audiologist at Fanny Allen for just over 2 years — was the “immediate feeling” she had that this was home.

Recently Dr. Bier elaborated on her new practice.

Q: When did you open Better Living Audiology in South Burlington?

A: We started seeing patients at Better Living in March. We’re hosting a grand opening event May 29-30, and offering complimentary hearing screenings to celebrate Better Hearing Month.

Q: Why did you choose the name Better Living Audiology?

A: The clinic is named “Better Living” because I believe optimal hearing health is fundamental to a happy and healthy life.

Q: Why did you open this office?A: It was exciting and challenging working at

larger practices, but my goal was always to practice on my own terms. I opened Better Living Audiology to allow me the freedom to spend quality time with patients, and provide a higher standard of personal

care and attention. Also, here in Vermont, there really weren’t enough audiologists to meet patient need, compared to other regions where I’d lived.

Q: Why did you choose Vermont to open your practice?

A: Vermont is an exceptional place for me. From my first visit I’ve felt at home here. I love the outdoors, and the landscape is beautiful. I grew up on a small farm and apple orchard, raising sheep and chickens, so that liveliness is very familiar. I enjoy biking, hiking and skiing in the mountains, and boating on Lake Champlain. I appreciate the metropolitan aspects of the area as well, the arts scene and great restaurants to name a few.

Q: What services do you offer your clients?A: At Better Living Audiology, we provide a

full range of hearing healthcare services to all ages, including diagnostic evaluation, hearing aid consultation and fitting, and custom hearing protection and earpieces. We work with many different hearing aid manufacturers, so patients can be assured that they are getting something that will address their specific needs and work within their budget.

We also offer tinnitus evaluation and management. A common misconception is that nothing can be done to treat tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Although there is no cure, there are many options for management. Tinnitus is almost always a symptom of an underlying hearing loss and can frequently be managed very

effectively with the use of hearing aids.

Q: What makes your practice unique? A: I’ve been lucky to learn from some of the best

audiologists in the field. I had the opportunity to teach audiology students at the University of Hong Kong alongside one of my mentors, Dr. Catherine Palmer. With Dr. Robert Sweetow at UCSF, we worked to develop the “invisible” hearing aid, known as the Lyric. Those experiences had a profound impact on my professional development, and I value being able to offer that expertise to my patients.

I continue to devote considerable time to educating myself about advances in the field, especially when it comes to hearing aids. Technology changes very quickly, so it’s important to stay on top of what’s out there to be able to offer the best possible treatment for the patient.

With Better Living Audiology, I’m able to tailor a personalized treatment for each individual, and realize optimal results for them and their families, which is a win/win situation for me.

— Elsie Lynn

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Town water/sewer bills due MondayTown of Essex water and sewer bills are due Monday, June 16. Payments may be

mailed to or paid at the Town Office, 81 Main Street. The bills were sent to property owners on May 14. Water customers who did not receive a bill should call 878-1359. Payments may also be placed in the drop box next to the main door of the Town Clerk’s Office until midnight of the due date (no cash please). Payments postmarked by the Post Office with a date of June 16 will be considered on time. Payments received after June 16 will be charged an 8 percent penalty.

NOTE: Do not block off access to water meters. Meters must be accessible at all times.

Mark your calendars: Citizen’s Q&A with VT State Senators

There will be a question-and-answer session with Chittenden County’s state senators, Tuesday, June 3, from 7:30–9:30 a.m. at the City of South Burlington municipal offices, first floor conference room, at 575 Dorset Street near the intersection of Dorset Street and, Kennedy Drive, across from South Burlington high school.

All six Chittenden County Vermont

State Senators are invited and expected to attend.

All Chittenden County residents are invited. Come with your questions and comments.

This is an opportunity to interact with State Senators about important issues over bagels and coffee. A hat will be passed to cover the costs of the food and drink.

Kany was impressed with the competitiveness she saw out of the middle school athletes.

“The middle schools

were enthusiastic about this from the beginning to the end,” she said. “They really want to beat the older kids and they worked well to compete. It kind of had a tournament game feel to it because all the teams were competing so hard to win all

week.”Kany knew after this

year she would want the competition to grow outside of the Essex area.

After talking with the Athletic Leadership Council, they unanimously voted to include CVU in next year’s

competition. “Essex and CVU has

this rivalry between the schools already,” said Kany. “I think that rivalry and competitiveness among the schools will play off well and have a big season for us in the fall.”

Kany is happy with the growth of the CGL since she created it in the fall and is hoping to see it continue to grow in the near future.

“It would be great to see it grow into a Chittenden County type of thing and maybe even bigger,” she

said. “We could spread the goodwill we are seeing in Essex to a statewide thing in the future hopefully.”

Anyone who would like to be involved with the CGL can contact Kany at competitivegivingleague@ccsuvt.org.

GIVING from page 1a