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Your nonprofit community news source since 1958 TheCharlotte News Thursday, May 20, 2021 | Volume LXIII Number 23 PRESORTED U.S. POSTAGE PAID ZIP CODE 05482 MAILED FROM PERMIT NO. 9 STANDARD Photo by Lee Krohn The CharlotteNewsVT.org Vol. 63, no.23 May 20, 2021 Charlotte News Your nonprofit community news source since 1958 Flags for those who have served Meet our News Editor John Quinney “Community INTERIM PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER journalism is my first love,” Mara said. We are pleased to announce that Mara Brooks “I am so excited to is joining the paper as our Editor, effective join The Charlotte immediately. News team and learn We first heard about Mara from emails everything there is that we sent to a number of community to know about this newspapers, including the Montpelier Bridge, incredible town.” a nonprofit paper like The Charlotte News, Mara will visit where Mara was formerly the editor-in-chief Charlotte on a regular and business manager. At the Bridge, Mara basis and is looking managed the newsroom, assigned stories Mara Brooks forward to meeting to reporters and freelancers, made all the and getting to know our readers, community editorial decisions for print and digital, and volunteers, and those working at Town Hall, boosted the organization’s online presence. the Charlotte Senior Center, Fire and Rescue In her more than two decades in print and and the Charlotte Library. online journalism, Mara has covered topics ranging from environmental issues to crime, Mara currently lives in Barre, and, surprise fun science, art, entertainment and culture. Since fact, is fascinated by theoretical physics. 2019, Mara has been the editor for community “Reading about physics is how I de- newspaper The Hardwick Gazette and she stress,” she said. “I know that sounds is the communications coordinator for the weird but contemplating the second law of Community of Vermont Elders, a nonprofit thermodynamics is very relaxing.” advocacy group. Welcome aboard, Mara. Selectboard considers Town Beach improvements Stuart Robinson placing Memorial Day Flags in 2020. Photo contributed Nancy Richardson This coming weekend in preparation for Memorial Day observances, Grange members will be CONTRIBUTOR visiting cemeteries across the town and placing flags on the graves of those who have served our country, a tradition they are proud to continue. The Selectboard’s May 10 meeting made its way through topics relating to improvements in the Town Beach park. A site visit, led by Bill Fraser-Harris, included members of the Planning Commission focuses on Selectboard and several interested residents. Topics of discussion centered on how to reprogram certain areas for different uses, planning for community outreach plans for additional parking, and how to At its May 6 meeting, would look in different districts if changes are ensure safety on Lake Road in front of the Planning Commission made in zoning regulations. park. members were treated In addition to notices in newspapers and on A later discussion at the Selectboard meeting to a seminar on A site visit to the Town Beach park was led Front Porch Forum, key people have been recognized the three issues that will go to by Bill Fraser-Harris and included members community outreach contacted in different districts to ensure the top of the list for work next summer: (1) by Ravi Venkataraman, of the Selectboard and several interested participation. Detailed information was additional parking; (2) more tennis courts; residents. Photo by Peter Richardson Richmond Town disseminated prior to the sessions. Deliberate and (3) modification of some courts for Nancy Richardson Planner. Richmond efforts during these meetings were made to pickleball. CONTRIBUTOR and Charlotte share to the Thompson’s Point Design Review keep discussions tightly focused and anchored The Selectboard underscored the importance similarities and in specific information. Committee, and several other volunteers differences. With populations of about 4,000, of a process to engage the public in a were appointed to other town positions. they are nearly the same size. Both towns Richmond planners are taking information discussion about improvements, but that On May 22 there will be a walk on the have also struggled with achieving consensus from the public sessions and surveys to process is not yet defined. It was noted that proposed new leg of the Town Trail from on land use regulations. formulate zoning amendments that align with there is space in the upper fields for overflow state regulations and Smart Growth guidelines. parking that can be used this summer, and Cohousing to the Mack property. The In 2011 a unified development ordinance These drafts will be presented to the public in the three tennis courts will have new lines purpose is to study the topography and was defeated in Richmond. The Town Plan June for further feedback. and nets. Additional improvements would be determine obstacles that might make the trail was revised and accepted in 2018. However, slated for 2022. construction difficult. the land use regulations do not reflect state Comments from Charlotte planning The Recreation Committee’s proposal requirements or the revised Town Plan. commissioners focused on technical details Lewis Mudge expressed concern about for music at the beach on the weekend of Richmond has since been working to involve concerning the staffing of Richmond’s the safety along the road that separates the June 16 was approved. Bill Fraser-Harris the community in the design of new land planning department, the presence of parking and picnic area from the lakefront. stated he was not comfortable in proposing use regulations. Residents have been asked, water and sewer services, and the nature of Children cross the road with no public safety a traditional town party this year, given “How would you envision a community incremental planning. Mike Russell then measures. He will contact Jr Lewis about COVID restrictions, but that music and that maintains its current characteristics, but commented that Richmond residents appear possible remedies, both temporary and social distancing would be an appropriate responds to future needs?” to agree that sustaining the town requires that permanent. combination. Participants will be able to growth and development occur. Russell is The agenda then moved on to appointment of Richmond’s process of planning and design not sure that this sentiment is held by most bring their own food. began in earnest just as the pandemic hit. new members of the Planning Commission. Charlotters. Venkataraman responded that Finally, the Chittenden Solid Waste budget It was soon slowed by the need for Zoom Among the questions posed to candidates support varies across districts in housing and was approved. Because of the length of meetings to disseminate information. were whether they would recuse themselves other development activities. Some favor the meeting and two preceding site visits, Outreach gained momentum in October from matters that contained actual or even multi-housing projects; others like smaller multiple appointments and the other issues, 2020. Venkataraman outlined ongoing efforts the appearance of conflict of interest. They duplex structures. Moving deliberately and the matters having to do with Selectboard to engage the public that include focused each concurred. Kyra Wegman and Linda rules and new COVID guidelines were meetings on town goals and needs. There have Radimer were eventually approved to fill the open slots. Robert Bloch was appointed postponed. been envisioning discussions of how the town SEE PLANNING PAGE 7 The Charlotte News • May 20, 2021 • 3 Letter from The Editor Can you trust us? Mara Brooks transparency. watchdogs for the community with the power EDITOR Conflicts of interest are all but built into to expose corruption that might otherwise As many of our readers know, in March small-town politics, and citizens holding go unchecked. For that reason, reporters former Charlotte News editor Chea Waters seats on more than one board at the same must diligently check our own biases before Evans and this paper parted ways following time is a fairly common (and legal) practice sending a story to print. If we’re too eager to months of Evans’ controversial reporting in Vermont. Conflicts can also exist between be the town crusader, we risk distorting the on alleged conflicts of interest at the Zoning a local newspaper and the town officials it facts. If we’re intent on finding scandal, we Board of Adjustment. Soon after, several The covers, or in cases where a reporter is friends can lose perspective and unfairly damage The Charlotte News reputations. The simple act of emphasizing Mission Statement Charlotte News board members, including with one of their sources. Ideally, a reporter The mission of The Charlotte News is: the paper’s then-publisher Claudia Marshall, with conflicts can pass the story off to another some facts while minimizing others can result • to publish rigorous, in-depth, fair reporting on town also jumped ship. In the weeks that followed, writer, but what if there are no other writers? in biased reporting or conjecture disguised affairs, and, as hard news. And bias, which is often • to source stories of interest from our neighbors and Evans gave statements to several Vermont What if the sole investigative reporter at a friends. news outlets suggesting TCN’s own conflicts paper doubles as its editor? unconscious, can be difficult to self-detect. The News is a forum for the free exchange of the

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