TOWN MEETING DAY

Peacham Annual Town and School Report with meeting agenda featuring Fire Chief Jeff Berwick-30 year volunteer 

Dearest Readers,

 

Peacham VT Congregational Church

Two weeks ago on March 3^rd, Vermont held Town Meeting Day throughout the state. It’s called “Democracy in Action”, and once again I’m impressed by how many Peacham folks came out to the Congregational Church to approve town and school budgets for the year, hold floor nominations and paper ballot votes for various municipal officers right on the spot, and discuss issues of concern. These can be contentious, but not this year.

Town Meeting in session Moderator at the pulpit_Stan the Town Clerk counting ballots and Melissa Kohl taking minutes

Julianne Barney-Head of the Library Board of Trustees speaks about  her pride in being a new resident (1-1/2 years)

Adam Kane-Director of the Fairbanks Museum of Natural History in St. Johnsbury VT, used the occasion to plug a new Dinosaur Show coming  in July 

Participants stood up and spoke freely with lots of humor and poking fun at each other. 

David Jacobs -winner of the selectman position

After two men were nominated for Selectman, a woman rose to ask what they looked like, and if the men would speak about themselves and their qualifications. This caught the nominees by surprise I think. They bumbled a bit, and finally managed to speak clearly. There had been no campaigning beforehand. A paper ballot ensued and the majority winner, David Jacobs, was announced within a few minutes of counting the votes from a big wooden box. 

Lining up to cast ballots for selectman

Another notable vote was for Tom Galinat to assume the open position of Town Clerk.

Tom Gallant newly elected Town Clerk  holding his son

Bob Fuehrer Town Agent is re-approved for another term

 Everyone laughed when Bob Fuehrer rose to say that in twenty years of being the Town Agent, he had really never had an issue to tend to as the agent. Nevertheless he was voted in unopposed to another 1-year term.

 

Diana Senturia collects lunch money 

Volunteers prepare the Church Dining hall for Town Meeting lunch

The meeting broke for a $4.00 lunch downstairs in the church hall. The price covered rolls, beverages and dessert. Attendees with last names beginning with A-M were asked to bring a side dish or salad to share. N-Z people brought a main dish.  Children under five ate free. There was free day care provided as well.

Town Meeting, a throwback to revolutionary days, works best in its purest form when the town is small like Peacham. We are about 700 people, but probably 500-ish in the winter.  Big towns have a harder time of it.  Often there is an Australian ballot for pre-designated issues and elections, with the results being “advisory only” for the previously elected city government to consider when taking up the matter later. Some towns have moved the day to Saturday to get more people to attend.  

Town Meeting in Peacham is a vibrant affair, and another chance for me to meet my neighbors, who vote, speak out and volunteer in community.  My face also became more recognizable to other Peacham-ites.

Back Cover-Annual Town and School Report featuring some Peacham elementary school kids planting a tree, principal Judy Ross, and volunteers (total of 47 students in the entire school)

THE YIN AND YANG OF LANDSCAPE

My methodical tracks through two feet of snow-Peacham Vermont

Dearest Readers,

Before spring pulls apart the curtain of winter in Peacham Vermont, I want to share my observations of some striking dichotomies of landscape that I have witnessed along my walk-route on Hapenny and Mack’s Mountain Roads.  In general the winter white has blanketed my little world in a protective silence. Most birds are gone. The sense of smell–muted. Animals are still hunkered down somewhere to wait out the cold. Humans, like the plants and animals, need to be prepared to survive because winter is unforgiving. What draws me into the landscape, despite the days of cruel cold is a sensation of “pure perception" during this time. Nature is arresting in its singularity of purpose. I often feel sucked into the vastness of what I am a part of–not just an observer, but a participant.

As I sit writing, there is a cascade of snow-melt-droplets pounding from the roof onto the metal ledge outside my window. This feels like a momentous time on the cusp of seasonal change.

So with nine days left of official winter, here is a photo gallery of some of my favorite places in seasonal yin and yang.

My unfinished hut in the field in February

The hut in early November

The Hall of the Mountain Maples in January 

The Hall of the Mountain Maples in July

The wall and creek that runs under Hapenny Road in February

The wall and creek that runs under Hapenny Road in June

Tree and stone friend in February

Tree and friend in June (different angle)

Empty house with two attached barns in February

Empty house with two attached barns in July

Fallen tree pretending to be a couch in February

Me lying across that same fallen tree in the Fall

Painting of me on the tree_8.5in x14in_oil on canvas_December 2014

THE PEACHAM VT WINTER CARNIVAL, 2015

Mug and Donut winning sculpture by the Peacham Library staff and friends

Dearest Readers,

I love the community spirit of this village! Population 700-ish in the summer, maybe 500 now. This weekend many neighbors rolled up their sleeves, and put together a unique home-made Winter Carnival as an antidote to the cabin fever of deep winter in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.  It was great! There was a snow sculpture contest, an oxen team snow roller demo, a lumberjack exhibition with axes and chainsaws, chili and hot chocolate, sugar on snow, a contra dance, pancake breakfast, guided nature hike on snowshoes, crafts for sale, a singer in the local café, and snowmen throughout the town.

Put on your coats and hats...

Here’s my photo gallery of cool people and winter events:

Contra Dance Friday Night at the Town Hall

Saturday morning: VT  State Senator Jane Kitchel left, and her sister VT State Representative KittyKitchel at the Pancake breakfast, Saturday  at the Congregational Church. Real maple syrup!

Saturday morning: Charlie Browne, naturalist on left, Dina Danielson, Carnival organizer on right-Getting ready for the snowshoe nature hike.
Dina's teenage daughter is in the middle

The nature hike on snowshoes begins at the elementary school. Here Charlie vocalizes various owl calls

Saturday morning: Peacham School basketball court becomes an ice rink. No one here yet. 

Saturday: Kid made snowman on Church Street. Others throughout town.

Sunday afternoon: Boy eats the last sugar on snow at Kempton Village Farm on Church Street just before I arrived. It's made of heated maple syrup poured over snow. He told me his name, but I forget.

Saturday: Library team creating the winning mug and donut sculpture with shovels, pickax and chain saw
from a pile of municipal road removed snow

Saturday: Assistant Town Clerk sawing away at the coffee mug sculpture and sweating bullets

Sunday: Calvin Willard setting up logs, axes, and chain saws for the lumberjack demonstration

Sunday: Oxen team ready for the snow roller demo with Mike Low and Dick Hovey

Sunday: Before snow plows, oxen flattened the snow with heavy rollers

Sunday afternoon: kids climb up and tumble down the piles of municipal snow plow snow

Sunday afternoon: Last bowl of veggie chili and cornbread at the Vol. Fire Station-and I get it for free!