Maple Corner Net

Date: May 3rd 2008

The Maple Corner Net Newsletter is now being published 2 times a month, usually on the 2nd and 16th, depending on how much info I get, and how busy I am. You can easily contact me with news, comments, criticism, or compliments, by just replying to this email. This Newsletter now has 435 subcribers.
Please Note: If you change your email adress, you will need to re-subscribe. You can do this directly at www.maplecorner.net. I erase all undeliverable addresses after each issue. To help prevent spam filters from blocking delivery, it is a good idea to enter my sending address in your email whitelist, if you have such a thing.

To search & read archives of past newsletters, see:
http://www.songseek.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=list&l=maplecor or www.maplecorner.net

Address Change: I am eliminating some of my email addresses, including steveg@songseek.com , which Ihave used for 7 years, and some of you may have in your address books. To find out my new email, go to www.songseek.com and click on the "contact me by email" link. There will be a form there which you can use to email me. I will reply with a working email. - Steve Gallagher

As of right now the Newsletter is being sent from steve@maplecorner.net , which is working, but may be changed in the future.

Contents:

• Cozy Corner Gardens Opens for Season
• Dot Naylor’s Unadulterated Notes, Calais Selectboard Action, Monday April 14, 2008
• Looking for Housing in the Maple Corner Vicinity
• Calais Elementary School newsletter featured article
• apartment in Maple Corner for rent
• Dot Naylor’s Unadulterated Notes, Calais Selectboard Action, Monday April 28, 2008
• Babysitter wanted!
• my notes, Calais Selectboard meeting, Monday, April 28, 2008, by Peter Harvey
• Home Cooking Recipe Swap #2
• Bookstore for Sale
• Capitol Comment. April 2008
• Free kitchen stove

 

Reminders and Updates:

• Come to a Cinco de Mayo Party! (on the 4th of May)
• belly dance classes at the Community Center
• Sixth Annual Adamant Blackfly Festival Parade

 

• Important Calais Web Links
  
  
• Community Quote of the Week
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Calais Elementary School newsletter is published weekly, during the school year,  in paper in electronic format. If you're interested in receiving it, please contact kkorb@u32.org.  To pique your interest, here's an article from the April 17th edition:

Why Classroom Music?
Classroom music (sometimes called general music) is music instruction where an entire class or grade level receives music instruction at once.  It is the very heart and soul of our music program here in Calais.  By means of classroom instruction every single student is brought to a high level of musical understanding.  And through speech, movement, song, instruments and play, all things kids love to do, acquiring this understanding can be not merely fun but joyous.
Band, orchestra and chorus programs are more visible and can appear to be the epitome of musical achievement in school.  This, however, would be a misperception.  At the elementary level band and orchestra instruments can be an impediment to musicality because the great difficulty in mastering the rudiments of an instrument gets in the way of musical playing.  At the middle and high school levels the participants in instrumental and choral music represent only a small percentage of the student body and are therefore not representative of the curricular achievement of all students.  Classroom music is truly where the rubber meets the road in terms of what will ultimately be achieved musically by all students.
The great advantage of classroom music, and certainly the benefit of an Orff Schulwerk approach like we use in Calais, is that the musical learning experience can be designed to promote musicality at every level.  Through carefully designed instruments, the use of scales and modes that promote success, and a developmental understanding of the voice, students can make real musical music from the outset.  They are presented with materials that they can own themselves and use to create their own contributions to the class’s musical activity.
Music notation representing these materials can be introduced as developmentally appropriate; in this fashion all students become familiar with reading and writing music, not just those in instrumental music.  Classroom music promotes fairness and equity in the curriculum.
Writing music and composing are overlooked in instrumental programs because all of the instructional time and energy gets sucked up dealing with the challenges of instrumental technique – these are after all adult instruments.  Successful classroom music experiences can enhance instrumental instruction by teaching the rudiments of music and notation before a student ever touches an instrument.  This frees the instructor to deal with the necessary instrumental technique.
One of the wonderful aspects of the music program here in Calais is that every child from kindergarten to sixth grade receives classroom instruction twice a week.  This high level of support for music from teachers, parents and administrators is one of the things that make Calais School special and also outstanding in the WCSU.   - Steve Owens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Subject: Dot Naylor’s Unadulterated Notes, Calais Selectboard Action, Monday April 28, 2008

Dot Naylor’s Unadulterated Notes
Calais Selectboard Action
Monday April 28, 2008

 

 

MY NOTES & OCCASIONAL COMMENTS: Calais Selectboard meeting, Monday, April 28, 08, members present (clockwise Denise Wheeler (vice-chair), Cy Lamberton and John Brabant. Absent: Paul Hannan & Anne Winchester. Rose Pelchuck, the Board's paid meeting secretary, took the official minutes. There were 3 people in the audience tonight: Greg Pelchuck, Dot Naylor, and myself.

An easy meeting tonight, nothing too heavy and a few items (Review of Town Highway Expenditures to Date, Capital Budget Discussion, and CVRPC High Risk Road locations) were deferred to next meeting. There were no curb cuts, executive session, or appointments made tonight.

MINUTES: The Board approved the minutes of April 14, 08 with minor corrections. Cy handed Denise an omission from next years highway spending that Don Singleton Jr. had presented the Board at the last meeting. Since the details of those numbers had not been included in the minutes, there was nothing to correct in the minutes. Those budget numbers, from the April 14th meeting, with tonight's correction are:

Proposed highway spending for 2008-09 to the VTrans Annual Financial Plan - Town Highways - State Funds: Class 1 roads 18.45 miles $74,658.60; Class 2 roads $80,497.20; total $155,182.80 and Town Tax Funds $473,045.20; grand total $628.228.00.

Don's budget: Winter Maintenance $265,864; General Maintenance $265,864; Bridges $5,000; Retreatment $84,000, Miscellaneous Construction $7,500; grand total $628.228.00.

EMFD INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT: Denise reported that Attorney Paul Gillies, representing the Town, had reviewed the Interlocal agreement and not found any problems with it. He did ask for clarification about the distribution of assets between the two towns in the event that the East Montpelier Fire Department (a 501C non-profit corporation) was dissolved. Greg Pelchuck (Fire Department President) explained that the Town would get back, proportionally, what it had put into it. Over the years, Calais has traditionally contributed to 25% of the operating budget and 33% of the capital budget (trucks, building, equipment, etc.). Greg told the Board that the East Montpelier Selectboard has yet to review the agreement. When both towns and the fire department have agreed on a draft, all will meet together for a signing. The Board voted to approve tonight's draft, 3-0.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION: David Schutz appeared before the Board to explain their next project. The current project, the rewrite of the Design Review Guidelines, is almost finished. He expects the Planning Commission to vote to send it to the Selectboard within the next month. David compared "the Historic Preservation Commission to the Conservation Commission, as protecting Calais' historic resources." David told the Board that the Commission next wants to update the 1979 Vermont  State Historic Sites & Structures Survey which set out five State Historic Districts in Calais: Maple Corner, Adamant, Kents' Corner - Old West Church, North Calais, and East Calais. David told the Board that the Commission wants to resurvey and update the villages of North Calais & East Calais in the same way it updated the Old West Church/Kents' Corner Historic District. Where the State Division of Historic Preservation used its own system in 1979, it has recently adopted the more modern National Register Standards system. He explained to the Board that the updates would not impose any restrictions themselves on North Calais or East Calais. It was the Town that voted to establish "Guidelines" and review for the Kents' Corner - Old West Church Historic District in 1976.

Before leaving, David told the Board that the Kent Museum will be open all four Sunday afternoons in June. Glen Suokko, of Woodstock, is touring the state, exhibiting artists and craftsmen using historic buildings in reconstruction phase to display their works. The museum now has working, handicap accessible bathrooms. He invited anyone to help Historic Kents' Corner clean the building on May 14 & 15 in preparation for the exhibits.


VARIOUS BRIEF UPDATES:
CURTIS POND DAM: John reported that Calais did not make this year's final cut for the federal grant he was hoping for. He is preparing to apply for the same grant for funding in 2010.

METAL RECYLING: John had talked with Joe from Gates Salvage and asked him to contact the CVSWMD which has contracted to run the Town recycling yard at the old dump site. Discussions are still underway.

BATTEN RD: John showed the Board copies of the bill from Knight Engineering, which were $1,014.38 last fall, but have accrued interest since then of some $45 or more. He said he had left a phone message for Steve Duke and has not yet heard from him. It is still unclear if Steve Duke has yet seen the bills. John told the Board that this engineering study proposed a "significantly less costly" approach dealing with the hill on Batten Hill Rd. that would make it safer and cheaper than the approach of the first engineering study. One of the suggestions for widening the road was to cut into the hill above the road rather than shore up the down hill side of the roadway.

John suggested that in the future they devise better methods for clarifying obligations involving who pays and how bills are sent.

TOWN FUEL: Denise volunteered to look into pre-buying LP gas, fuel oil, and diesel fuel for the Town.

The Board adjourned at 8:30. Beginning May 12, Summer schedule: the Board will be meeting at the Calais Elementary School for the summer. The next scheduled meeting of the Board will be 7:00 PM, Monday, May 12, 2008. Agendas are posted at the Calais Town Clerk's Office, the 3 stores in town, and the East Calais Post Office. Only items posted on the agenda are voted on at any meeting. Those wishing to bring items before the Board should contact Chairman Paul Hannan at 223-5528. Agenda items for the next meeting need to be received by 6 PM, the Wednesday before that meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

PAN DOWDY

As promised, here is Mrs. Doris Fowler's Pan Dowdy recipe reprinted from the Fall 1994 issue of Calais Back Roads. It was originally published with an apple filling, but any seasonal fruit works great. This time of year we make it with rhubarb. Just cut enough rhubarb in ½ inch pieces to fill the bottom of a baking dish or pan (about 8 X 8 inches) an inch or two thick, mix in some sugar, flour (to absorb some of the juice and thicken it up), and a little cardamom & nutmeg.

Then, in a bowl, mix the cake to pour on top of the fruit. Mrs. Fowler didn't write down recipes. Each time you make it, adjust it to better suit your own tastes.

"This is an old recipe handed down to Doris and was made by both her family and her husband Kenneth's family."

"To make the cake part, mix together: 1 ¼ cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder (a large one), ½ cup sugar, 1 egg, and ½ cup to ¾ cup cream (In my cakes, biscuits and such, I prefer cream to shortening.)"

"Pour right over the top of the fruit. Bake @ 350°, probably close to an hour. Test it with a toothpick. I serve it right side up. It's a whole lot like pineapple upside down cake, but right side up."

PARSNIP HASH

I dug our parsnips just last week. Most of the time we just sauté slices in butter in a fry pan on the top of the stove. But last week I made a hash by sautéing a couple of onions with them while I fried loose sausage in another pan until it was browned, then put the two together. I added extra salt & pepper to taste. I made a large, deep pan full, enough for several meals for the two of us.

Any sausage recipe will do. Several of us got together last year to raise two pigs and made our own sausage. My recipe is: 1 pound ground sausage meat, 1 ¼ teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, 1 ¾ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 ¼ teaspoon sage.

- Peter Harvey

 

 

Classic, cozy, growing bookstore for sale in Northfield, Vermont. New, used, and online sales has lead to steady sales growth. Great lease, landlords, and loyal customer base. Seller financing and training available. Amounts to one full-time job, but works well for two part-timers. If interested, please contact Dillon or Katy at northfieldbookstore@trans-video.net or 223-7390.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Subject: Capitol Comment. April 2008

Capitol Comment. April 2008

-- Rep. Janet Ancel

This is a quick update, since things are changing almost by the hour.

End of Session. Adjournment is planned for May 2. This means that once the budget is passed, it’s likely that we will be done. There will be some disappointments with an early adjournment but I hope we will see positive action on a number of bills. A bill on groundwater protection seems likely to pass, as do bills on current use and energy planning. Several election bills have advanced but seem likely to be vetoed or have already been vetoed. These include IRV, campaign finance and a bill adding Vermont to the compact on a national popular election.

There are many positive accomplishments this session, and while it’s easy to focus on the challenges caused by declining revenues, I don’t want to lose sight of what we’ve been able to do.

The Budget. The newest revenue estimate showed that revenues are below estimates resulting in a gap of about $25 million from the figure used by the governor and by the House budget committee. This has resulted in a very difficult discussion about how best to close the gap: reductions in programs, across the board reductions to be figured out by agencies and departments, or new revenue.

The suggestions have been a combination of all three, although the new revenue is limited to increasing a handful of fees earlier than anticipated.

For me, the important test is whether the final budget reflects a commitment to those who are most vulnerable, and a commitment to other values that are important to Vermonters, such as health care, education, conservation and our energy future.

The jury is still out. But I believe we will have a budget we can live with. It won’t do as much to advance health care reform as I want. It won’t raise taxes nor will it add to the property tax burden. It will protect those who need it most.

Education issues. It has been a frustrating year in many respects for the Education Committee, which I chair. We have seen very little action from our counterpart in the Senate so there is little likelihood that legislation of any significance will pass. However, I am still hopeful that we will see action on a bill that would establish standards for Teen Parent Education programs and a predictable source of funding.

Another significant bill that came to us late in the session is the bill that would restructure the state Department of Education. We have taken a lot of testimony on the bill and continue to consider whether a change is desirable and, if so, what should it be. Since it’s late in the session, it seems unlikely that something will pass this year.

Roads and bridges. Our roads and bridges continue to be neglected and it is a real disappointment that there is no plan in place to address these needs. A proposal for bonding is getting some interest. I fully support use of bonds in this situation. We simply cannot let our roads and bridges continue to deteriorate. The cost of future repairs is significantly higher than the cost of bonding.

I enjoy hearing from you. You can email me at janetancel@earthlink.net, call me at 223-5350 or write to PO Box 123, Calais VT 05648. I am so happy it’s spring!

 

 

 

 

Free kitchen stove; white Whirlpool super capcity 465. needs two new stove top burners. Peter Harvey 229-4026

 

 

 

 

Community Quote of the Week:

"Until you make the unconcious consious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." - Carl Jung

 

This e-mail newsletter is open to submissions from the public, as long as they are noncommercial, and appropriate to the community. Please remember that it depends on you, the subscribers, to let people know what is going on in town. Have you written something you want to share with the community? Do you know of an upcoming event in our area? Contact me by just replying to this email, or call me, Steve Gallagher, at 802-223-0505, though the actual notice has to be emailed to me. You can get an idea of what has been posted in the past by reading the archives at: http://www.songseek.com/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=list&l=maplecor

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-----Steve Gallagher ------

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