The Bridge, September 15, 2016

Senate Candidates Josh Fitzhugh and Bill Doyle Pg.
September 15 October 5, 2016
Items from Wilaiwan's Kitchen's

weekly rotating menu.
Photo by Crystal Peterson
Thai Food in the Capital Region:

Bold, Balanced & Beautiful
IN THIS ISSUE:
Pg. 7 VCIL Staff Member
Honored
Pg. 10 Ananda Gardens
Pg. 14 Home-cooked Eats
Along Route 14
by Marichel Vaught
he cuisine of Thailand is a celebration

of bold flavors sour, salty, bitter,
spicy. It has a reverence for local and
fresh ingredients, and is a skillful and artful
preparation of complex flavors that highlights
every component. It has become one of the
most popular cuisines in the world, and it
is making its presence known locally. Of
the 20-plus eateries in Montpelier, three are
Thai. Two other Thai restaurants are nearby
in Waterbury and Randolph. Although of
the same cuisine, each restaurant offers a
unique dining experience and a personalized
approach to each dish.
Royal Orchid
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Pg. 18 Dot's Beat:

Faves and Peeves
Sixteen years ago, Art Jilandharn opened a

Thai restaurant in Montpelier hoping to bring
something new and different to the area. He
succeeded. The reputation of the restaurant
grew. Rave reviews from diners touting it
as the best Thai food theyd had outside
of Thailand drew in more people to check
out this exotic cuisine. Jilandharns success
led him to open restaurants in Morrisville,
Waterbury, Middlebury and Burlington.
The Middlebury and Morrisville locations
have since closed. Currently, Jilandharn and
his wife, Claire Puntupatch, are proprietors
of three restaurants Ocha in Waterbury,
Thai Dishes in Burlington and Royal Orchid
in Montpelier Royal Orchid being the
most consistently successful. Today, people
are more familiar with Thai food because
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many of its most popular dishes have become

mainstream instant pad thai can be found
in grocery stores.
Jilandharn studied law in Thailand and came
to the United States 30 years ago to pursue a
career in that field, but instead found himself
working in the food industry, which he enjoyed
much more. He landed on the West Coast,
first in Los Angeles and then in Portland,
Oregon, where he became a server and, later,
manager at a Thai restaurant. Eventually, he
wanted to start his own business and become
his own boss. Jilandharn knew Thai food
Pad thai at Royal Orchid.
Photo by Laura Chrisman
well. Im an eater! he said as if the decision

was a no-brainer. But in Portland, more and
more Thai restaurants were popping up. He
remembers 10 just in his immediate area,
and there would be more. Friends who had
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a daughter studying in Vermont encouraged

Jilandharn to start a restaurant in the capital
city, where there were no Thai restaurants to
be found. So in 2000, Jilandharn opened the
doors to Royal Orchid on Elm Street. Now
Montpelier boasts three Thai restaurants and
there are many more in the state. But for many
people in the Montpelier area, Royal Orchid
was their introduction to Thai cuisine.
Jilandharn grew up in the Bangkok area, where
the more familiar Thai dishes originated. The
recipes he uses are those his family used. Said
Jilandharn, The most important part is the
sauce. Its the first thing done in the kitchen.
The sauce is the base for most of their menu
items, such as the stir fries and pad thai.
Royal Orchids most popular dishes are their
noodles, especially Pad Kee Mao (wide rice
noodles stir fried with chili, garlic, broccoli,
onion, bell peppers and basil leaves and the
diners choice of meat, seafood or tofu), the
familiar pad thai (rice noodles with chicken
and shrimp, egg, tofu, red onion, scallions,
ground peanuts, bean sprouts and sliced lime)
and Khao soi from northern Thailand (tofu,
chicken or pork with egg noodles, coconut
milk, and chili paste and garnished with
pickled mustard greens, red onions and fried
onions, then topped with crispy egg noodles).
Jilandharn would like to add more to Royal
Orchids menu but hesitates from steering
away from what his regulars know and love.
Continued on Page 12
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T H E B R I D G E
An Open Letter to Our Readers and Friends

Dear Friend of The Bridge:
On the cover of a recent issue of The Bridge is a map showing the Winooski River and its tributaries, a watershed that encompasses 1,080
square miles.
On the same cover is a photograph of two young people up to their waists in water, hauling a canoe full of trash and discarded tires out
of the river. That cover photograph makes an important point. We believe that our best shot in making a difference in the world is taking
action locally whether it be a river clean-up, buying local food from local farmers or shopping at a family-owned downtown business.
Thats where The Bridge comes in. As we plan each issue of the paper, we are constantly asking ourselves this question: What is the news?
Whats the most important local story we can publish? Is it the story about the Winooski River watershed? Or the real estate story about
home sales and home prices we ran last spring? Or a searching discussion of local poverty, hunger, homelessness, mental illness and drug
abuse?
During the past year we have intensified our work with young writers by publishing two issues of The Breeze, a supplement to The Bridge
by youth and for youth with writing and stories that were often of very high quality.
In a spirited democracy, we dont always agree, and The Bridge publishes the broadest possible range of letters and opinions. It doesnt
matter if youre a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent. We say: Write from your conviction. Write from your heart. Bring on your
ideas. Encourage public discussion.
In each issue of The Bridge, the paper opens up with an observation about nature by Nona Estrin. As July was becoming August, Nona
wrote that shes been watching a part of the woods near her house where a pair of broad-winged hawks come each year to mate, nest and
raise their young. Nonas Nature Watch is news we need to know.
Apart from July, The Bridge is published twice a month with 23 total issues a year. Its a free paper and the second issue of each month is
mailed to every household in the 05602 zip code which includes all of Montpelier and parts of Berlin, East Montpelier and Middlesex.
Newspapers are under stress. But a printed newspaper continues to be the glue that keeps community life together. At The Bridge, were
not quitting, were not selling out. What we are doing is transferring ownership of The Bridge to a community-owned and governed notfor-profit organization. I am thrilled at the prospect that The Bridge will continue as a paper that belongs to a community organization
that will honor the communitys best interests as its interests.
Please find a return envelope with this mailing and we encourage you to get back to us as soon as you can with a contribution large or
small. Our campaign goal is at least $25,000. If everyone who reads this letter contributes what they can, we can succeed. In past years,
community support for The Bridge has been indispensable. That support means a lot to me, to us and to the paper.
Thanks in advance.
Nat Frothingham, Editor & Publisher
SAVE THE DATE!

The Bridge Presents a Variety Show
Featuring Our Area's Young People!
Saturday, November 12 at Bethany Church
Stay tuned for more information.
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P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601

Phone: 802-223-5112
Fax: 802-223-7852
Editor & Publisher: Nat Frothingham
Managing Editor: Carla Occaso
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THE BRIDGE
HEARD ON THE STREET
Pedestrian Friendly Event Planned:

Cars Banned from Loomis and
Park Streets October 8
MONTPELIER Loomis and Park Streets

will be closed to vehicular traffic Saturday,
October 8 from noon to 2 p.m. to celebrate We
Walk Week.
During the event, all automobile traffic is
banned for two hours. Therefore, people can
enjoy other ways to use the streets.
Activities include a parade, toy car races,
biking and skateboarding, hopscotch and other
games, foot races, open playground at Union
Elementary School and a general celebration of
community and fall in Vermont. There will also
be ice cream.
At the same time, School Street (from Main to
St. Paul) will be temporarily reconfigured as a
demonstration of what it might look like as a
complete street. Complete streets are designed
to accommodate automobiles (at a slower speed
than normal) as well as pedestrians and bicycles.
Vermonts own Local Motion, highly skilled and
experienced in similar projects will be managing
this part of the event.
All are welcome to participate in both Open
Streets and Complete Streets at no cost.
We Walk Week is held October 8 to 16. For
the third year in a row, a number of walks will

take place around the city, giving pedestrians
a chance to experience our walking-friendly
town in new ways. Walks include downtown
architecture, industrial history, the Green
Mountain Cemetery, trees and exploration of
secrets hidden right in plain view.
New Restaurant To Go In
Old Salt Cafe Location
MONTPELIER Trevor Cole, co-owner of
207 Barre Street, appeared before the Design
Review Committee seeking approval to replace
the windows and repaint the exterior. A new
tenant picked out the color scheme. That building
formerly housed Salt Cafe run by Suzanne
Podhaizer, followed by Hels Kitchen run by
Helen Labun. They are fixing the windows and
repainting for a new restaurant in that space.
It appears as though he got the green light, the
minutes state, because the applicable criteria
were reviewed and determined to be acceptable
or non-applicable.
Committees Form Combined Committee,

Then Vote to Split Into Two Committees
MONTPELIER Those who travel by
wheels and those who travel by foot combined
committees to advocate for joint goals, but in
their recent hour-long meeting, they decided to
Nature Watch
by Nona Estrin
Ingredients from Nature's Bounty
omatoes! And all the wonderful

things one can do with them. Each
year we call a week or two Bacon
Festival. The required accompaniments are
fresh Manghi's white sliced bread and our
fall lettuce, and of course, mayo! Don't
forget baked tomato halves with Parmesan,
olive oil and bread crumbs, and a finishing
snippet of fresh basil. And time for last
summer picnics. While you're at it, this
long over-due rain will give us mushrooms,
so how about a late chantrelles, caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza? Wait!!!
This is supposed to be a short paragraph!
form two new committees to accomplish that.
December 3.
During their meeting August 17 at City Hall,

Jenn Gordon reported that the two committees
hope to create a more efficient and effective
structure as a result of overlap in the (bicycle
committee) and the (pedestrian committee),
according to meeting minutes. Other cities have
joint bike and pedestrian committees to discuss
shared interests, Gordon reported, according
to meeting minutes. They will primarily be
involved in event planning and education rather
than infrastructure and policy.
This class will explore methods for adapting

basic pantomime and circus techniques to help
people with Parkinson's cope with movement
limitations. Pantomime (mime) techniques
include visualization, body language, nonverbal
communication, articulation of gesture and
creative use of imagery and space. Pantomime
is a valuable method to enhance perception of
ones immediate movement problem, visualize
a better result and overcome the limitation
through focused action.
Those present suggested a separate committee

be formed to deal with infrastructure and
policy and to work with the Department
of Public Works as well as City Council. John
Snell made a formal motion to propose two
separate bicycle/pedestrian committees, one to
deal with infrastructure and one to deal with
events. The motion passed with all in favor.
Circus games involve manual dexterity (basic

juggling), balance, coordination, development
of reflexes and lots of fun! Mime and
circus techniques foster an awareness aimed at
bringing ease of movement to daily activities
for people with Parkinsons Disease and their
caregivers. No prior experience needed. Ten
sessions, 90 minutes long, Saturday mornings,
10:30 to noon, $20 for the course. Call 2232518 or email: msac@montpelier-vt.org for
further information.
Present were John Snell, Eve Jacobs-Carnahan,

Jenn Gordon, Heather Voisin, Erica Garfin,
Harris Webster, Jon Budreski, Jonathan Harries,
Cory Live, Mark Provost, Dona Bate, Anthony
Mennona, Suzanne Eikenberry, Rebecca Harris
(AmeriCorps VISTA).
Mermin Offers Mime for Seniors,

Magic Classes for Youth
Mime class aimed at Parkinsons
patients and their caregivers
MONTPELIER Rob Mermin, founder
of Circus Smirkus, is offering mime classes at
the senior center and magic classes for middle
school students.
Ten classes called the Pantomime Parkinsons
Project will be held at the Montpelier Senior
Activities Center from October 1 through
Website: http://www.montpelier-vt.org/297/
Montpelier-Senior-Activity-Center
In addition, Mermin will teach The Young
Magicians Club after school classes for kids.
They will be held Mondays from 3 to 4:30
p.m. at the Main Street Middle School for 10
weeks starting October 3. The cost is $240
for residents and $250 for non-residents. For
information on this, contact robmermin@
gmail.com, www.montpelierrec.org or call 2232518.
Rob Mermin, instructor, has trained with
renowned mime Marcel Marceau before
embarking on a 40-year career in theater and
circus. Mermin lives in Montpelier.
The Center for Leadership Skills

BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Lindel James coaching & consulting

Taking You from Frustration to Enthusiasm
Tomatoes on the vine at
Ananda Gardens in Montpelier
Watercolor by Nona Estrin
802 778 0626

lindel@lindeljames.com
lindeljames.com
T H E B R I D G E
Josh Fitzhugh Seeks Election to the Vermont Senate

by Nat Frothingham
ohn Josh Fitzhugh a Berlin Republican

convinced that state government has gotten
too big, that its trying to do too much,
and that its growing faster than the Vermont
economy is seeking one of three Washington
County seats in the Vermont Senate on Election
Day, November 8.
Fitzhugh won his place as one of three
Republicans seeking election to the Vermont
Senate by getting 199 write-in votes in the
Vermont primary election on August 9.
The two other Republican candidates for
election to the Vermont Senate are incumbent
Senator Bill Doyle from Montpelier, as well
as Mike Doyle from Montpelier (no relation.)
Mike Doyle won his place on the ballot by
getting 182 write-in votes in the August primary
election.
Three Democrats from Washington County are
also vying for Vermont Senate seats: incumbents
Anne Cummings from Montpelier and Anthony
Pollina from Middlesex, also first-time Senate
candidate Francis Brooks from Montpelier.
In a prepared statement, Fitzhugh offered four
reasons why Vermonters should vote for him.
A Problem-Solver
First, I think I bring a breadth of experience and
accomplishment that could be useful in the State
House. There are many issues on which I have
no opinion but a willingness to learn, and at the
end of the day, I tend to be a practical problem
solver.
Believes in the Private Sector

Second, wrote Fitzhugh,I come with a strong
bias in favor of the private sector, having spent
all but three years of my life in private business.
In an interview with The Bridge, Fitzhugh
expanded on this strong belief. He emphasized
families, not-for-profit organizations and
businesses. Theyre the driving forces in our
lives. We should respect that. Government has
gotten too big.
Fitzhugh discussed the hotly-criticized Vermont
Health Connect website as one recent example
of how government has gotten too big.
The health care issue is an area where
government has got overextended and has not
done the job well, he said. In developing
the Health Connect website, Fitzhugh said,
the State of Vermont spent $200 million and
served 30,000 people.
Around the same time, Fitzhugh was chief
executive officer of the Union Mutual
Insurance Company in Montpelier during
which Union Mutual made a sweeping change
in its computer systems. 100,000 people got
served by Union Mutual at the time, said
Fitzhugh. But the cost of the new computer
systems was less than $10 million. Noting
the stark difference in cost between the two,
Fitzhugh said, We spent an inordinate amount
of money trying to develop the Health Connect
website.
Heres one of the reasons the Vermont Health
Bill Doyle Seeks Reelection
Connect website cost so much, he said.

We have developed a social service (safety)
net with subsidies and cross-subsidies I
dont know all the details. When it comes
to trying to figure out on the healthcare side
what kind of a subsidy the public should
get, it adds enormously to the complexity of
the government health care website. In my
opinion, Fitzhugh continued, the answer to
efficient government is to simplify programs
and benefits so it doesnt cost as much.
Wants to Strengthen the Middle Class
Middle class wage earners havent had much
of a raise for about 30 years, Fitzhugh said.
Theyve hardly kept pace with inflation.
The answer is not to give subsidies and tax
breaks. Its to improve our job climate and our
productivity. Some of it goes back to individual
work ethics how hard people work. The
initiative has to come from individuals and
families. Id call that the private sector. Thats
what I believe.
Promises Honesty
In conclusion, Fitzhugh wrote, "I promise to
be honest about the problems and my ideas for
fixing them.
He said that at 68 years old, "I don't envision
a lifetime in politics. So, if elected ... my first
thought won't be about winning in 2018. Now
that may be good or bad, depending upon your
point of view, but I think it's good. And so,
might I add, does my wife."
Career Highlights: Josh Fitzhugh

1970: Dartmouth College graduate, major in
Government
1970-1980: Career in Journalism: reporter/
editor, Connecticut Valley Reporter,
National Law Journal (NYC), business
writer, Associated Press
1980-1982: Hearing
Department of Labor
officer,
Vermont
1982-1990: Law partner, Sheehey Brue

Gray in Burlington
1991-1993: Counsel to Gov. Richard
Snelling, then Gov. Howard Dean
1993-2000:
Montpelier
Private
law
practice
in
2000-2014: General Counsel, VP Claims,

then CEO Union Mutual Insurance
Company, Montpelier
2014-present: Tether Loop Farm, West
Berlin (VT)
Josh Fitzhugh was President of the Board of
Trustees of Kellogg-Hubbard Library from
1996 to 2002. During that time, Fitzhugh
worked with people and community
organizations in Central Vermont to seek
support and raise money in order to construct
an addition to the Library building. That
addition
called the Leahy wing was
completed in 2001.
by Nat Frothingham
s part of a conversation with Washington

County Senator Bill Doyle, who is
seeking reelection to the Vermont Senate
Doyle discussed two or three achievements
that have given him personal pleasure.
The Bridge: What compels you to run for reelection to the Vermont Senate?
it totally unacceptable. We need greater penalties

for heroin dealers.
The Bridge: How in your view can we create

wealth in this state?
He talked about his town meeting questionnaire

which has given him the opportunity to find
out what his constituents are feeling on a range
of public issues. He also addressed his service on
the executive committee of the Council of State
Governments and the chance it has given him to
meet with state legislators across New England.
Bill Doyle: I enjoy the work I do on the Senate

Education and Finance Committees and feel Im
qualified for both.
The Bridge: What most clearly separates you
from the other candidates in the race? How are
you different?
The Bridge: What would you do as state senator

to deal with the economic problems in Vermont
where some Vermonters clearly are struggling to
make ends meet?
Doyle: I think the secret is job creation. In the

last few days the state of New York has created
a program to produce a large number of jobs.
The focus of our Economic Development
Committee is to create more jobs and some of
the rules and regulations can be impediments.
More jobs can be created if we reduce some of
the rules and regulations.
Then he drew my attention to his book, The

Vermont Political Tradition: And Those Who
Helped Make It specifically to its foreword
written by noted UVM Professor of History
Sam Hand.
After reading the paragraph that follows, both
Senator Doyle and I agreed that there was
something droll about what Sam Hand had
written.
When Professor Doyle first told me he was
to try writing a history of Vermont political
parties for a newspaper, I was frankly skeptical.
Newspaper editors are notoriously addicted to
the simplest prose and intolerant of footnotes
and enlightened digressions. I carried on in
the vein for some time. For a college professor
to venture into print unarmed with scholar
paraphernalia requires either blind courage or
foolhardiness. Bill, always the good politician,
listened quietly, shook his head as if in
agreement at all the right times, and then, I
am glad to say, ignored my advice and took up
his pen. Those who read the series agree it was
an outstanding job.
Senator Doyle is running for reelection to the
Vermont Senate. Running alongside of him are
two newcomers, Josh Fitzhugh of Berlin and
Mike Doyle of Montpelier (no relation). The
three Democratic candidates for the Vermont
Senate are incumbents Ann Cummings and
Anthony Pollina as well as Francis Brooks from
Montpelier, a newcomer to the Vermont Senate
race.
After this conversation, Senator Doyle answered
the range of questions.
Doyle: I am not clearly separated from any of

the candidates. There are no major differences.
We work out our differences as a delegation. We
probably work as well as any other delegation.
The Bridge: What career or life experiences do
you bring to your campaign for reelection to the
Vermont Senate?
Doyle: Ive had a career in teaching Government
at Johnson State College for many years. Ive
served for four years on the Montpelier School
Board. I found that to be valuable preparation
for serving in the legislature. For many years
Ive been on the Executive Committee on the
Council of State Governments. The issue we
were dealing with was the Canadian-American
border crossing, a major issue because it involves
the economies of two countries. I supported
the idea of picking a delegation from both
countries to go to Washington, D.C. and
meet with Senator Leahy and with the New
Hampshire U.S. Senator and the chair of the
appropriate committee from New Hampshire.
That did happen. For that initiative I received a
10-state regional award from the Council of State
Governments.
The Bridge: Of all thats facing the state, what
are the major issues?
Doyle: They are mostly economic issues. Its
been valuable for me to meet with other state
legislators and bring some of their best ideas back
to Vermont.
One that is so important is the heroin issue. there
are a lot of issues out there but the heroin issue has
been identified by recent governors as critically
important. Most governors identify a number of
issues but the heroin issue is a commanding issue
of our time in Vermont and other states. In one
week some 200 to 300 people in just four states
were reported for drug overdoses. That number
Doyle: What I would do in general and for the

people I represent is to make Vermont more
affordable. They cant afford to live here. They
love the state and its a terrible choice to have to
leave the state they love.
The Bridge: Why are you a Republican? What
is the principal difference in your mind between
Republicans and Democrats?
Doyle: Both parties are important. But the
Democrats generally support more government
services.
The Bridge: Can you say who you support for

President: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or
someone else?
Doyle: Im not there yet. Of all the presidential
elections Ive been through I cant remember
when two candidates were less popular. I may
have to end up voting for the least worst.
THE BRIDGE
A Message From City Hall

This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.
Activity Continues in the Fall

by William Fraser, City Manager
s we pass the 15th anniversary of September 11, 2001, it is appropriate to

acknowledge the Citys fine first responders and emergency services personnel.
Our Police officers, firefighter/EMTS and dispatchers perform very difficult
and stressful jobs on a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week basis in order to keep the rest of us
safe. They encounter situations that most of us cant imagine. We are fortunate to
have excellent Police and Fire Departments in Montpelier. I appreciate their service.
The glorious Vermont summer has rolled right into an equally pleasant early autumn.
Its wonderful to see people out and about in the community taking advantage of the
good weather. The weather has also been very conducive to completing work. A
great deal has happened this summer with paving projects, sidewalk replacements and
bridge repairs. We are likely to have some retaining wall work continuing into the
early winter.
2017 Construction Survey

I have previously written about the large amount of work scheduled for 2017. The start
of construction at 1 Taylor Street, the construction of the Shared Use Path extension
from Granite Street to the Civics Center, Water and Sewer work on Northfield Street,
the repaving of Route 12 from the Main Street bridge out Elm Street to the town
line, and the repaving of State Street (as well as associated sidewalk work on Main and
State.) The paving and sidewalk work on State Street and Main Street downtown will
take approximately 60 days with the contractors working in 12 hour shifts.
We are interested in your feedback about when this construction should take place
and how we can best support the business community during this time. A survey is
available here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017Construction and should only
take about 3 minutes to complete. Participate in our contest as well! Whoever comes
up with the best name for the 2017 construction efforts will get bragging rights and a
$25 gift certificate to the Montpelier business of their choice.
Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO)
and Stormwater
(written with DPW Director Thomas McArdle)
Considering the heightened awareness generated by our recent reporting of these
overflow discharges and public concern expressed about the release of pollutants to
our rivers, we recognize the importance of providing timely and accurate information.
Staff is in the process of developing a presentation which will be delivered at the City
Councils regularly scheduled meeting on September 21st.
The September 21st presentation will include an overview of how our wastewater
collection system operates today, where we started with wastewater disposal, and
why Montpelier and many other cities across the country, including 16 in Vermont,
rely on overflow devices to protect the health and wellbeing of our citizens. We will
explain the evolving regulatory landscape and where it stands today from the time
when our rivers were our sewers, the development of our treatment facility in 1962,
the regularity of permitted overflow events through the early 1990s to todays zero
tolerance standard of untreated discharges that we are committed to achieve in the
shortest amount of time possible.
The Public Works Department is very proud of the work that has been accomplished
over the last 25 years to reduce the number of overflow events, from a time when they
occurred when it rained hard enough to turn on the windshield wipers and we had 23
overflow devices in place, to where we are today when we can withstand storms up to
the more extreme events (1 or more of rain in about 4 hours) before surcharging the
combined storm sewers (CSS) and overflowing from one or more of our 6 remaining
overflow devices.
We will explain how our overflows are indicated which are routinely checked twice
a week and following rain storms of 1 or more and our inability to determine actual
volumes of overflows and how we intend to alter this system with new technology.
We will also talk about the strategies commonly used to address the CSO problem
and Montpeliers progress.
Typically, storm water is the greatest

contributing cause of CSO events.
In Montpelier, the 1992 estimate was
that 60% of the system surcharge and
resulting overflows came from storm
water, including spring snow melt
entering the combined sewer system
(CSS). By 2007, the number of catch
basins connected to the sewer was
reduced from 525 to 42. Since then,
a handful of catch basins have been
separated from the CSS, including
three more this year. Remaining contributing sources are roof drains, sump pumps
and groundwater infiltration.
With roof drains in the downtown amounting to about eight acres of impervious
surfaces and contributing to 30% of the original cause of overflows, we believe its
time to take the next step and remove this clean water from the sewers. There are
options available for consideration to achieve the removal of this remaining primary
cause of overflows which will need to explored. The other main cause is Montpeliers
very old sewer mains, which are incapable of preventing ground water infiltration.
The recently adopted sewer system master plan charts a course for replacing these
mains with new water-tight pipes.
A comment from the Senior Enforcement Council of the EPA about the States draft
CSO rule from November, 2015 does a nice job of summarizing the changes we can
expect to see in the immediate future. Overall, we believe the revised policy will be
a significant step toward reducing the impacts in the state over the next 20 years and
will go far in ensuring that communities take the action necessary to address and
ultimately eliminate CSOs as well as reducing loadings associated with storm water
another significant problem that EPA and other NE states are just starting to deal
with.
Ironically, the discharge of untreated storm water is partly a consequence of separation
work to reduce the rate of CSO incidences. As the EPA and the States new Clean
Water Act recognize, storm water is now a key issue. Separation to abate the CSO
problem was a good approach but removing all of the stormwater from the treatment
process has created a new problem. This issue will be also addressed at the September
21st meeting with the introduction of the Storm Water Master Plan. Storm water
from our streets and parking lots contain contaminants, and since we no longer treat
the majority of it at the Water Resource Recovery Facility, we now have to consider
how to manage and remove those contaminants. At this time, we believe further
separation efforts should be put on hold.
The city very much supports the goals of clean water and clean rivers. We have
invested millions of dollars to achieve major reductions in discharges. There is,
however, still much to do including alterations to non public infrastructure.
Community Services Planning

The City is working toward the long-term goal of providing integrated intergenerational
community services to the residents of Montpelier. Currently those services are
provided by separate departments - the Montpelier Senior Activity Center, the
Recreation Department, the Parks Department, and, to some extent, the Cemetery.
The City has convened a Stakeholder group, led by the City Managers Office, that
will recommend a long term plan and related organizational structure to the City
Council. This group includes staff from the above mentioned departments as well
as representatives from the City Council, the Montpelier Senior Activity Center
Advisory Council, the Recreation Advisory Board, the Parks Commission, and the
Cemetery Commission.
The groups goal is to recommend a long term plan and organizational structure.
We are committed to creative thinking to develop the best long-term service delivery
system for Montpelier residents. Additionally, we see this opportunity as a way to help
create community and draw people into Montpeliers vibrant downtown.
It is the expectation of the stakeholder group that recommendations be ready for the
City Council during the FY18 budget process that begins November 2016.
As always, thank you for reading this article and for your interest in Montpelier City
Government. Please feel free to contact me at wfraser@montpelier-vt.org or 802-2239502. City information can be found on our web site www.montpelier-vt.org our
Facebook page, City of Montpelier Official and on Twitter @vtmontpelier. For
emergency notifications, including winter parking ban notices, please sign up for
Vermont Alerts.
T H E B R I D G E
Federal USDA Grant Received
Honors for Staff Member Tyler Sweeten, Mary Alice Proffitt

by Nat Frothingham
MONTPELIER For the two dozen or
so people who gathered in the Skylight
Conference Room at the Vermont Center
for Independent Living on September 6
the press conference that followed had two
distinct moments. The first moment was
business and the second was pleasure.
USDA Grant Awarded
During the business side of the press
conference Ted Brady state director of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Vermont
& New Hampshire Rural Development
program announced an overall grant of
$314,084 to seven not-for-profit agencies
in the two states that will help some 58
homeowners to make life-safety and other
needed repairs on their homes.
As part of the overall two-state grant program,
two Vermont not-for-profit organizations
with offices in Montpelier will receive federal
funding.
Sweeten, who works for Vermont Center for

Independent Living Honors Staff Member
Tyler Sweeten as a peer counselor coordinator,
was being honored with a Gold Star Partner
Award. In presenting this award to Sweeten,
Brady praised her effectiveness in helping
senior and disabled Vermonters gain access
to USDA monies that makes it possible for
clients to make home repairs and upgrades
as part of Rural Developments 504 Home
Repair Program.
Sweeten, who lives in Barre and has first-hand
experience in living with a disability, was
described at the press conference as someone
who works tirelessly to make sure that seniors
and people with disabilities get the financial
help they need to repair their own homes so
they can continue to live independently.
When Brady said that Sweeten was to receive
the Gold Star Partner Award, all those
assembled broke into warm applause.
First, the Vermont Center for Independent

Living will receive $26,021 to support
accessibility modifications and home repairs
for Vermonters with physical disabilities.
In accepting the varnished wooden plaque,

Sweeten said this to the audience of family,
friends and work colleagues:
Second, the Vermont Housing and

Conservation Board will receive $70,000 to
provide assistance to developers undertaking
multi-family rehabilitation projects in the
Northeast Kingdom counties of Caledonia,
Essex and Orleans.
She went on to talk about leveraging

funding meaning finding a grant here,
then a small loan there, then another grant
over there and putting these bits and
pieces of money together to get a home
improvement project done.
VCIL Staff Member Tyler Sweeten Honored
I love leveraging funding, she said. Its

been awesome working with everyone. Youre
all rock stars! she concluded brightly to
another burst of applause.
On the pleasure side of the press conference

was Bradys announcement that Tyler
Ive never been nominated for anything.
VCIL Honors Montpelier Restaurant

Owner Mary Alice Proffitt
In other news, as this issue of The Bridge goes
to press, the Vermont Center for Independent
Living is to recognize Montpelier restaurateur
Mary Alice Proffitt of Down Home Kitchen
at on Main Street with the Rosemary J.
Miller Dining for All Award.
The award is named for Miller, who worked
for over 30 years as the Vermont Center for
Independent Living s receptionist. According
to a press release, Miller was born with
cerebral palsy but has never let her disability
slow her down.
In discussing the award, Executive Director
Sarah Lunderville said, With this award we
honor Rosemary Miller, who was on the front
lines of VCIL for over 30 years, and her love
of our community and good food.
After talking about the award, Launderville
shared an appreciation of Mary Alice Proffitt.
Said Lunderville, When Mary Alice came
to town, she put her heart and soul into
making sure this restaurant is accessible to
all. She could easily have decided to ask
for a variance or abatement from the state,
citing the difficulty of the space, but her
character and values shined through when
she made the (restaurant) modifications. She
Rosemary J. Miller
took a space that had never been accessible
to someone with a physical disability and
offered opportunity. We are honored to give
her this award.
Stefanie Monte, executive assistant at
Vermont Center for Independent Living,
offered this praise to Proffitt:
The entrance and bathroom at Down
Home Kitchen had been made accessible.
But beyond the physical modifications to the
space, Down Home has created a warm and
inviting atmosphere.
If youre blind you dont have to worry about
whats on the menu, the friendly staff will
read the menu aloud. Its not just the physical
improvements to the building. Its really the
whole warm and inviting atmosphere.
THE BRIDGE
Food for Thought:
The Bridge Dishes with Food

Enthusiast Tracey Medeiros
racey Medeiros knows food. And she knows good, healthy food. Aside from being a
food stylist, recipe developer and tester, she is the author of three cookbooks The
Connecticut Farm Table Cookbook, The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook and
Dishing Up Vermont. She also writes a column for Edible Green Mountains Magazine called
"The Farmhouse Kitchen: A Guide to Eating Local" and is currently working on a Vermont
Non-GMO/Organic cookbook, to be released October 2017.
Medeiros recently answered a few questions from The Bridge about the food movement and
culture in Vermont.
Why write about food and the food in Vermont in particular?
Photo by Oliver Parini
Tracey Medeiros (left) is the author of

three cookbooks including "The Vermont
Farm Table Cookbook" (above).
My inspiration for writing all of my cookbooks has always been the desire to promote community
wellness through the process of growing food in a healthy, responsible way. This has been the
message in each of my books and is the driving force and lifelong purpose behind each of them.
As a resident of Vermont, I love to frequent its farmers' markets, roadside farm stands, sprawling
farms and innovative restaurants they truly connect me to Vermont's food community.
What sets Vermont recipes apart from other regional recipes?
What sets Vermont's recipes apart from those of other regions is the enduring passion that their
creators have about supporting the local food community, who return this loyalty and trust by
using the best growing practices possible to produce products that are healthy and delicious.
Vermonters want to know who grows their food and how it is grown, prepared and cooked.
These dedicated chefs and farmers share a common bond and goal: showing respect for the land
through the use of sustainable practices, which help preserve biodiversity, pristine farmland and
our environment for future generations.
What is happening now in the Vermont food scene that wasn't happening a decade ago?
Vermont is leading the nation with the organic and Non-GMO movement. The Non-GMO
movement in Vermont has hit critical mass. The people in Vermont truly understand the value
of knowing what is in their food and flock to farmers markets, organic markets, farm stands,
CSAs and specialty food stores because they are invested in the sustainable, organic and NonGMO movements.
Is there a particular food trend in Vermont that you see happening in the local restaurants?
The number of restaurants in the state of Vermont that are serving locally farmed, organic and
Non-GMO fare on their menus is growing significantly. Their strong support for the organic
and Non-GMO movement's philosophy is displayed through the creatively healthy, delicious
offerings that they showcase on their menus and daily specials.
Do you see Vermont-inspired recipes in other regions? If so, where?
Yes, I am constantly seeing Vermont products featured in other regions, specifically on restaurant
menus, from New York City to Connecticut to Massachusetts, to name only a few. Of course,
my Connecticut Farm Table Cookbook has given me many opportunities to research local
eateries and their recipes during the extended time that I spent in that state.
Which restaurants in the Montpelier area exemplify Vermont eating?
Kismet, located on Main Street in Montpelier, exemplifies Vermont eating. Its owner and chef,
Crystal Maderia, is passionate about eating fresh, whole foods. The menu at Kismet features a
wide assortment of organic offerings. Kismet has been kind enough to contribute two recipes for
my latest Non-GMO/organic cookbook project.
Woodbelly Pizza exemplifies Vermont eating as well. Currently they can be found at the
Montpelier Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its owner and chef, David
Huck, partners with local farmers to bring his customers the best in fresh, nutrient-dense organic
food. Woodbelly Pizza has contributed three recipes for my latest Non-GMO/organic cookbook
project.
To learn more about the Medeiros and to order her books, go to: www.traceymedeiros.com.
T H E B R I D G E
Coffee With a Side of

Good Vibes
by Marichel Vaught
Caroline Williamson and

Chris Gleason of Tremolo
Coffee.
Enjoy art at The Front while
experiencing Tremolo.
Gleason demonstrates
the pour over method
MONTPELIER Coffee enthusiasts

Caroline Williamson and Chris Gleason
have brought their passion for the bean
to town at the beginning of July with
Tremolo, a pop-up coffee shop inside The
Front art gallery on Barre Street.
I have an obsession with coffee, said
Gleason. And why name the pop-up
Tremolo? Tremolo is a musical vibration,
similar to the shake you get from being
over-caffeinated!
Unlike your typical already-prepared-inurns coffee shops, Tremolo individually
brews each cup to order using the slowpour method. As with craft beers, the style
of pour can affect the coffee's flavor. The
whole process takes approximately three
minutes, from weighing and grinding the
beans to pouring hot water over the grounds
in timed increments. The initial pour,
called the bloom, releases the aromatics in
the grounds. Hot water is slowly poured
by hand in spiral movements. The result
is a flavor profile that is both intense and
one to be savored. Gleason said that he has
customers who regularly add sugar or milk
to their coffee, but when getting a cup from
Tremolo, they prefer to have it black.
Tremolo also pours cold coffee brews that
come out of taps akin to brews at your local
pub. Included on tap is a nitro cold brew
which, when poured, has a dark caramellike consistency and settles similarly to a
stout beer. The nitrogen in the brew cuts
the acidity, giving the cold coffee a creamy,
smooth flavor.
Flavors instensify
Tremolo procures their beans from Brio

in Burlington and Carrier Roasting in
Northfield.
Tremolo is open MondaySaturday, 8 a.m.
to noon and is located at The Front Gallery,
6 Barre St., Montpelier. Prices are $3 for 12
oz pour-overs, $4 for 12oz Nitro and $3/3.5
for Cold Brew 12/16oz.
Enjoy a creamy cold brew of Nitro
THE BRIDGE
Ananda Gardens Delivers Bliss

by Marichel Vaught
A variety of tomatoes
grow happily in Ananda
Gardens' greenhouse.
MONTPELIER Weve all heard that its important to get to
know your farmer, and we have opportunities to do just that at
local farmers markets or at farm stands if the proprietors happen
to be there. But just as important is your farmer getting to know
you. This is what Patrick and Melisa Sullivan, owners of Ananda
Gardens, want to do. The Sullivans started harvesting in April
from their one-acre plot on the outskirts of Montpelier.
Rather than setting up a space at a farmers market, which was
not very cost-effective for them, they provide a list of available
vegetables on their website or through their newsletter, which
is currently emailed to about 100 recipients each week. The
customers pick which vegetables they want and how many. The
Sullivans then gather them from the garden and deliver the order
directly to the customer, or the customer can pick up the order
at the farm. There is no refrigeration involved, so its at most a
few hours between the veggies being in the ground and in the
customers hands, said Patrick.
Ananda Gardens will deliver your order to you in Montpelier,
provided the order totals $15 or more. This direct delivery allows
them to make a connection and create a relationship with their
customers. In fulfilling individual orders, they know exactly
what each person wants. They know their regular customers
preferences. As food lovers themselves, who are always looking
More Photos at montpelierbridge.com
to discover new and delicious ways to cook with vegetables, they

like to start conversations with their customers to learn how they
prepare vegetables.
up through the soil. The earthy scent guarantees that what

grows from it will be remarkable. In Sanskrit, Ananda means
abundant bliss, which is how it feels to stand in their garden.
Patrick, 32, originally from Pennsylvania, has always had a

passion for organic farming. Hes lived on a fruit orchard,
helped operate a CSA (community supported agriculture) and
studied horticulture at the University of California at Santa
Cruz. Patrick then participated in a farmer-to-farmer exchange
program through the Northeast Organic Farming Association
(NOFA), which led him to El Salvador and then to Peru, where
he met his wife Melisa. Melisa, 37, was taking classes in urban
gardening and shared Patrick's passion for good, fresh and
healthy food. Together, they knew they wanted to start a farm.
Vermont seemed like the perfect place with its appreciation for
organic gardening and farming communities.
Ananda Gardens doesnt stop at vegetables. They also grow

and sell perennials, and are working on growing fruit trees as
well. Patrick keeps bees and Melisa uses the beeswax along
with aromatic flowers and herbs from their gardens to create
soothing salves. These will be available for sale at the Montpelier
Welcome Center beginning in November. Theyd also like
to offer gardening and fruit pruning workshops and cooking
classes. Eventually, they would like to own their own land. Still,
they always want to keep it manageable, staying around the oneacre scale.
Montpelier is a community that has a huge interest in local

eating, said Patrick. It was also where they wanted to raise their
now two-year old daughter, Ananda, after whom the business is
named.
Earlier this year, the Sullivans searched for the perfect location
to set up shop. They finally found the ideal site through Geoff
and Kim Beyers, who now rent living space to them that is
conveniently adjacent to one acre of land suitable for growing
organic crops. Since April, Ananda Gardens has been fulfilling
about 15 orders of various sizes per week. They receive orders
from area eateries such as Philamenas, NECI and Magical
Falafel (a falafel pop-up that can be found every Monday at Tulsi
Tea Room on Elm Street).
We are so lucky to have farmers like Patrick and Melisa who
grow local, nutritious food that feeds our community, said
Mollie Wills, who owns and operates Magical Falafel with her
partner Adam. Wills says they specifically sought out a service
like Ananda Gardens because they wanted to source locally.
Produce from Ananda Gardens can also be found at Northfield
Falls General Store, which is currently their only reseller.
A tour of the gardens is almost meditative. There are splashes of
vibrant colors in the greenhouse from the deep reds, golden
oranges and crisp greens of the tomatoes to the lush and velvety
dark purples of the eggplants. You cant help but smile upon
seeing the rows of bright sunflowers and bulbous onions peeking
Their mission is to grow food that has versatility and incredible

taste and is as fresh as possible. The Sullivans rave about the
flavor of the potatoes, peppers and tomatoes found in Peru, and
are experimenting with growing comparable varieties here. We
see our customers as partners, said Melisa. We love sharing
what we grow. The Sullivans clearly love what they grow the
community is abundantly blessed for that.
Ananda Gardens is located at 200 Dillon Road in Montpelier.
For more information, to subscribe to their newsletter or to place
an order, visit anandagardens.com.
Melisa and Patrick
with their daughter
Ananda.
T H E B R I D G E
Morse Block Deli Has New

Owner
by Joshua Jerome
Granite City Groove
tefano Coppola is the new owner of

Morse Block Deli and is no stranger
around the kitchen. Originally
developing his passion for cooking with
his mother and uncle preparing at home,
Coppola snagged his first cooking job at
the age of 16, working at a BBQ shack
down south. However, cooking was not
always a full-time. His love for animals
persuaded him to work in animal medicine. After several years of helping pet owners,
Coppola realized he wanted more joy and happiness in his professional day-to-day life. He
decided to go to the New England Culinary Institute to further develop his cooking skills
and become a culinary professional.
Coppolas experience at New England Culinary Institute was very rewarding, as the
connections and skills he forged during his residency helped foster new experiences. This
training helped to develop who he is today as a culinary professional and as a steward of
local agriculture. Coppola took the plunge into the restaurant industry working for a broad
array of establishments from hotel to fine dining. After graduating, he realized he had fallen
in love with the natural beauty and social climate of our great state, and decided to put
down roots in Vermont.
He helped open up Menton in Boston, Crop in Stowe and South End Kitchen in Burlington
before landing at Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier where he worked the last two years.
The opportunity to purchase Morse Block Deli was presented to Coppola by a friend,
with the allure of being able to control sourcing all of the ingredients and creating menu
offerings of his own that would be too great to pass up. He dove head first into creating
a business plan lining up the resources necessary to complete the purchase. Although
the acquisition took a little longer
than originally anticipated, Coppola
has finally settled nicely into his new
space.
One of the changes Coppola
implemented right away at Morse
Block Deli was to develop his own
products like deli turkey, roast beef,
mayo, mustards, dressings, pickles
and some house-made bread to ensure
the highest quality and affordability.
Coppola says that he wants to rid the
pretentiousness and high price of local
foods, making it more approachable
and feasible for all customers to be able
to eat well on a daily basis. In addition,
Coppola plans on holding artisan
dinners to bring local producers and
artisans together, offering a unique
and intimate experience, as well as
more spontaneous pop-ups (like last
Fridays Taco Night featuring
house made corn tortillas).
Coppola has increased the daily
offerings in the deli case to include an assortment of meats, local cheeses, grain and
vegetable salads and has also started taking special orders on specialty items like oysters.
Local craft beverages abound and are taken very seriously at the Deli, with four taps
housing Morse Blocks own house kombucha, a local cider and two beer options (one
hoppy and one malty) for those looking to purchase growlers. Coppola is also excited about
catering and is looking to grow that portion of the business as soon as the final adjustments
in the deli have been made.
Its not just Coppola that makes Morse Block Deli great. His former sous chef at the Three
Penny, Kenneth Frank (who he first met while New England Culinary Institute) and Elmer
Powers, who has been running the Deli since 2014 with the previous owner, complete the
Morse Block Deli team.
For Coppola, being in the kitchen offers calmness and focus for his admittedly short
attention span. Cooking requires a lot of multitasking, and running a restaurant even more
so. The kitchen is my second home and being able to feed and nourish the public makes
every day a joy, said Coppola. Even in the organized chaos of a busy day, at the end
my team and I feel joy and accomplishment knowing we fed good, wholesome food to the
masses. You too can have Coppola feed you Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Morse Block Deli & Craft Beer Emporium.
The author is executive director of The Barre Partnership.
THE BRIDGE
Thai Food in the Capital Region: Bold, B
Pad thai at Royal Orchid.

Photo by Laura Chrisman
wall, said Azarian. The Azarians continue to

cater only to the weekday lunch crowd
and there are still growing lines, but
the lines move somewhat more quickly,
and patience is ultimately rewarded with
one of Wilaiwans scrumptious offerings.
Wilaiwans Kitchen has a rotating menu
and diners can choose from three items
each week. They rotate the same 26 or
27 dishes theyve been making since their
cart days, all of which they enjoy eating
themselves.
Duck Noodle Soup from Pho Thai.

Photo by Marichel Vaught
The recipes are Dangs and are mostly from

the northeastern, or Isan, region of Thailand.
Azarian is Vermont born and raised, and after
getting the traveling bug, he lived in Thailand
for about 12 years, where he met Dang. The
plan was to have Dang just visit Vermont, but
the visit turned into a permanent move when
the couple married and started raising a family.
Being in Montpelier for 16 years, the restaurant has become a regular stop for
people who work and live in the city. Jilandharn estimates about 80 percent
of his customers are people who have been dining there or ordering take-out
since it opened. Hes watched kids grow into young adults and has seen new
businesses open and close around him.
But dont be surprised if you see some new
appetizers. Thai cuisine is evolving
and there is much more to offer
than noodles and pad thai.
And if Jilandharn has
been doing things right
the past decade and a
half, whatever comes
out of his kitchen
will not disappoint.
Royal Orchid is
located at 38 Elm St.
and is open Monday
through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to
2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 9 p.m.
for dinner; Saturdays 12:30 to 9 Kana Nua from Wilaiwan's Kitchen.
p.m.; Sundays 2 to 9 p.m. See their Photo by Crystal Peterson
menu at royalorchidthaivt.com
Wilaiwans
In 2009, a food cart appeared in downtown Montpelier and with it, that
unmistakable tangy aroma of Southeast Asian cooking. This was Wilaiwans,
owned and operated by Wilaiwan Dang and Tim Azarian. They wanted
to replicate the Thai
Walaiwan "Dang" Azarian.
street food scene for
Photo by Crystal Peterson
Montpelierites,
but
eventually it became
a challenge to cook
meals in a small space
and quickly serve
customers
in
the
growing lunch line,
not to mention having
to close the cart during
the unpredictable winter
months. So in 2012,
the couple upgraded
to an indoor space on
State Street, which
became
Wilaiwans
Kitchen. We still
wanted
something
small, a hole in the
Their enthusiasm for making this food is

evident. I put my heart into this, when I make
something, said Dang. I do my best and I
want people to enjoy the food. Dang, who
wants to share the food she loves and what she grew up eating, describes their
menu as versions of what she and her husband like. There are even different taste
preferences between the two. If Dang is at the helm,
the dishes are less spicy to suit her palate.
When Azarian is the cook, the dishes
have more kick. They certainly
do not shy away from bold
flavors. After all, bold
flavors are what Thai
food is all about.
The day The Bridge
visited
Wilaiwans
Kitchen, the choices
of the week were Kana
Nua (stir-fried beef with
Asian broccoli greens,
peppers, chili and garlic), Yam
Moo Goong Krob (crispy pork and
shrimp with onions, peppers, and cilantro
in a lime and chili dressing) and Tom Kha Gai
(chicken soup in a base of coconut milk and tamarind with mushrooms,
chili and kaffir lime). There was already a line at the counter
just shy of 11 am. An hour later that line would begin to snake
out the door and onto the sidewalk. As a passerby, you just
knew something good was going on in there. You dont need
a plane ticket to visit Thailand! said Dang smiling brightly.
Lines of people are indicative of a want or need for whats at the
end. The Azarians are making sure that when you get inside,
its as authentic and fresh as can be. But this takes some extra
time and they ask their customers to continue being patient.
For the most part, customers are enthusiastic and not irritable,
chatting with one another or just entranced by the Azarians
choreography in the kitchen.
menu as Thai fusion. As th

Vietnamese noodle soup of aromatic b
seafood. They also have soups with Jap
dumplings, traditional Thai dishes such
are the only eatery in Montpelier with b
Encouraged by friends, Sam Thongjunt

Los Angeles in 2008. He worked in the
a location for the restaurant, and in M
Nok, opened the doors to Pho Thai.
descent, cooks all the dishes according
Thongjunthoug mostly greets the custom
One of the first things you notice whe

enthusiastic Thongjunthoug is. Hes ha
delicious menu items available. There a
decision even more challenging if youve
Unlike the dishes at many of the other

is not made to be spicy, unless the custo
from the counter, you can choose to din
Everything is made fresh every day. N

They use local ingredients when they
cucumbers typically come from nearb
Wilaiwans Kitchen only uses beef from Black River Farm.

They use ingredients that come as close as possible to what is
used in Thailand. And for that, the couple travels to Boston
regularly. Their restaurant hours are limited, but the Azarians
have already worked tirelessly before the first customer comes
through the door. They prep for 5 to 6 hours before opening.
Weekends are dedicated to shopping and prepping. Everything
is made fresh when the customers place their order, so all the
components have to be ready. This is fast food at a superior
level. We want to keep the foods integrity while trying to
make it quick, said Azarian.
Sam Thongju
through the m
Thai. Despite
menu, they ha
choose from a
Theyve hired a cashier so they can continue to work non-
Photo by Mar
T H E B R I D G E
Balanced & Beautiful

stop at the stoves. Theyve hired
clean-up help once the doors
close at 2 pmso they can have
family time before starting the
process all over again. Family
time is the reason why they
never want to grow bigger
and incur longer hours or the
need for wait staff. Well
keep doing this until we stop
caring, said Azarian. Lucky
for us, they care a lot.
Wilaiwans Kitchen is open
Monday through Friday, 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. They are
located at 34 State St. and
accept cash or checks only.
Pho Thai
Montpeliers
youngest
Thai restaurant is Pho
Thai, located on Main
Steet. They like to describe their
heir name implies, they have pho a
broth, herbs, rice noodles and meat or
panese udon noodles, curries, stir-fries,
h as Tom Kha, larb and more. And they
boba, or bubble tea, on the menu.
thoug made the move to Vermont from

e tech field while planning and finding
May 2015, Thongjunthoug and his wife,
. Nok, of both Thai and Vietnamese
g to the ways her mother made them.
omers and assists in the kitchen.
en you walk in is how welcoming and

appy youre there and points to all the
are also pictures displayed to make your
e walked in with a rumbling tummy.
Thai restaurants, the food at Pho Thai

omer asks for it to be so. Upon ordering
ne in or take-out.
Nothing is frozen, said Thongjunthoug.

y can. The cilantro, green onions and
by farms. For specialty or hard-to-find
unthoug is ready to guide you

menu of dishes available at Pho
'pho' in their name and on the
ave a variety of Thai choices to
as well.
richel Vaught
Continued from Page 1
ingredients, he goes to Boston or New York.

The bold sign exclaiming noodle shop on Pho Thais
window is what drew Sherry Fortner in on a Wednesday
afternoon. Fortner, from Washington State, was passing
through town on her way to a retreat in Greensboro. After
savoring a noodle dish and a Thai iced tea she said, I
would definitely come back. Everything was so good!
Then Terry Moore, another first-time customer, came
in because the restaurant was highly recommended by
co-workers. Moore, a traveling nurse, said shes not an
adventurous eater and confessed, Im a meat-and-potatoes
girl who grew up in Boston. Moore who had never had
Thai or Vietnamese food before went with the BBQ roast
pork pho. It was a hit with her. She said she is definitely
coming back again and cant wait to try the other items on
the menu board.
Governor Peter Shumlin and wife Katie have become
regular customers. First Katie came in frequently. After the
governor tried it, hes come back several times. Photos of
Thongjunthoug with the governor adorn some of the walls
in the restaurant. He likes the #2 with beef (pho with a
darker broth), said Thongjunthoug proudly.
Just as Thongjunthoug is enthusiastic about
welcoming customers, he is equally fervent
about making sure to say Thank You and
showing his gratitude to every customer as
they head out the door.
You know, I do my best. We do our
best. People in Montpelier can be hard to
please. And everyone in Montpelier makes
good food. You have to do it right, said
Thongjunthoug. And clearly, they do.
Pho Thai is located at 54 Main St. and
is open Monday through Friday, 11:30
a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays, noon to
Local brews
4 p.m.
found at Saap.
Saap
Photo by Crystal
You might expect the cuisine in Peterson
a restaurant inside the historic
Victorian Kimball House in
Randolph to be classic American or
French fine dining. But what you
will find is Saap, a casual Thai restaurant that wants
to expand on what you think you already know about Thai food. Steve and
Rung Morgan opened Saap in April 2015, a business that was a fusion of
their backgrounds. Steve worked in the food service industry at Sugarbush,
National Life, NECI and, most recently, Gifford Medical Center. He
knows the preferences of Vermont diners and what works culinarily in the
region. Youll see him mostly working
the front of the house, greeting and An array of flavors, colors and textures at Saap.
serving guests, and guiding diners Photo by Crystal Peterson
through the menu. His wife, Rung,
grew up in the Phu Wiang district
of Thailand, three and a half hours
from the Laotian border. She grew
up eating and cooking food from the
northeastern region and has a clear
understanding of its flavor profile.
Together, they are pushing the flavor
boundaries and introducing even
repeat customers to new Thai dishes.
Morgan wanted people to know that
there is more to Thai cuisine than pad
thai and spring rolls. In fact, Rung
had never cooked some of the more
popular Thai meals until coming
to the United States two years ago.
Thai food is a delicate balance of
Rung
and Steve
Morgan
of Saap in
Randolph
sweet, salty, sour, bitter and spicy

and theres also careful attention to
texture, said Morgan. He stresses
the abundance of Thai cuisines
signature fermented essence.
The flavors in every dish are

intentional. So when an ingredient
is swapped for purposes of food
allergies or personal preferences,
it changes how the dish should
taste. Thats not to say that Saap
doesnt do that. They are, of
course, accommodating. It just
shows how meticulous they are
about perfecting the flavors so
that it is as close as possible to
how it is prepared in Thailand.
Their passion is for the diner
to have a new experience. We
want to see people come into the
restaurant with a curious mind
and open palate, said Steve. Saap
Photo by Crystal Peterson does carry the familiar curries and
noodle dishes, but they encourage
customers to try something they
havent had before.
Sticky rice is a common component in
Thai cuisine. This is exemplified in their
Muu Dad Deaw. The sticky rice is used as a
vehicle for eating the strips of marinated then
deep-fried pork shoulder. The customers play
with their food as they take a portion of the
rice and flatten it to create a mini rice wrap to
hold the meat. The dish is served with a sweet
and sour tamarind dipping sauce. The marriage
and balance of flavors shines in their Khao Pad
Nahm Liap with the unlikely pairing of cashews
and olives among red onion, chili and jasmine
rice. These are just two examples of the ways Saap
is presenting bolder Thai flavors.
Saap means delicious in Isan, Thailand's largest
region. Dining there is an adventure for the
taste buds that excites and delights and makes the
customer want to try even more.
Saap is located at 50 Randolph Ave. in Randolph.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9
p.m. More information can be found on their website:
saaprestaurant.com.
THE BRIDGE
Convenience, Comfort and Community

at the East Calais General Store
by Marichel Vaught
More Photos at montpelierbridge.com
EAST CALAIS If you drive toward Hardwick from

Montpelier on Route 14, youll pass by the East Calais
General Store in the heart of the village of East Calais. They
carry the typical general store fare milk, bread, pantry
staples, newspapers, cold beverages, ice, candy and even gas,
which is handy for the local folks who need to fill up gas
cans for lawn mowers or for those who realize their tank is
about to hit empty before heading onto back roads. They
have their regular customers who come in for their morning
coffee and snacks to get them through the day. They have
visitors just passing through on their way to the nearby lakes
and campsites. They have the folks who stop in on their way
home from work to pick up chicken or steak to cook for
that nights dinner. Even the neighborhood dog, Milkshake,
comes by during her daily excursions around the village. Its
a meeting place for locals, a school bus stop and where to go
to find out whats happening in town. The environment is
relaxed and the staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming.
If its your first time there, you are greeted like youve always
been coming in. And if they do know your name, theyll be
sure to use it.
Pulled chicken
on naan bread
According to Eddie Walbridge, owner of the building that

houses the general store, the space has always been some
kind of retail spot and has changed ownership several times
according to records dating back to the early 1900s. The
store itself is currently owned by Lesly LaPan, who bought
the business from Walbridge in 2008. LaPan wanted to keep
the services to which longtime customers were accustomed,
such as stocking canned goods and basic household needs.
Listening to her customers, LaPan also added more in the
way of prepared foods and specialty items. Alongside national

brands, you can find locally grown and produced products.
Step back in time to penny candy days with their pay-by-thepound candy counter. A gift shelf is stocked with fun and
unique baubles and trinkets, because you never know when
you will need a build-your-own wooden airplane or slingshot.
Aside from their deli counter, where you can order almost any
kind of sandwich with your choice of toppings and bread, the
store offers pre-made cold meals, take-and-heat meals and
a hot bar. From time to time, homemade baked goods are
available, but they go fast. Who can resist decadent brownies
made with three different types of chocolate?
LaPans daughter, Darci Herdling, helps manage the store and
does most of the cooking. With experience as a line cook and
armed with a cache of family recipes, Herdling has created
prepared meals that keep customers coming back for more.
In the grab-and-go section, you will find potato salad (made
according to a recipe from Herdlings grandmother Rosalie)
and Aunt Carries Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad, as well
as a variety of other salads, and specialty sandwiches such as
the chicken/bacon/cheddar/avocado with ranch dressing on
naan bread. The take-and-heat section is where youll find
American Chop Suey which was Grandmother Rosalie's
goulash recipe and a crowd favorite a comfort dish with
macaroni noodles, ground beef, peppers, onions, tomatoes,
garlic and a tomato sauce thats a family secret. Herdling also
makes a hamburger soup that she remembers always eating
with her grandfather Don Don. Theres meatloaf (that was
how grandma used to make), quiches and Chicken Alfredo.
Their hot bar offers breakfast sandwiches, burgers, Italian
sandwiches and more, all ready to eat. This is just a snippet
of what you can find in their fridges and hot case.
LaPan and Herdling are enthusiastic about adding more
prepared foods with more options. Theyd like to dish up
ice cream, brownie sundaes and root beer floats. They hope
to offer more home-baked goods. Herdling is even testing
gluten-free recipes.
They love the surrounding community, and the community
loves them right back. In July, the store said Thank You
to their customers by hosting a Customer Appreciation
Day, during which Herdling grilled over 300 hot dogs
and hamburgers. And about 500 homemade cookies and
cupcakes were devoured.
They are always looking for suggestions to bring convenience
and satisfaction to their customers and want to continue
making quality food that is delicious and affordable. Said
Herdling's popular triple chocolate brownies. Be warned!

They are highly addictive and go fast.
Herdling, We want to make our customers happy and keep
their bellies full.
The East Calais General Store is located on Route 14 in
the center of East Calais village. They open daily at 6 a.m.
During the summer, the store closes at 8 p.m. on weekdays
and 9 p.m. on weekends. During the winter, the store closes at
8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at 7 p.m. on Sundays.
All photos for this story courtesy of Darci Herdling.
Representing four generations of love and recipes (left
to right) Rosalie Fultz, Darci Herdling, Carrie Dumas,
Lesly LaPan and (in front) Herdling's daughter,
Cheyenne.
T H E B R I D G E
Woodburys Community Store Comes Together,

Piece by Pizza
by Vicky Tebbetts
WOODBURY Its hard to miss the purple flag waving vigorously

above Route 14 in Woodbury, proclaiming food in golden letters.
Late summers flowers tumble from planters attached to several
wooden benches, framed against an impeccably redone building with
a hand-lettered sign. Its well pretty.
But dont let its high-end charm fool you. This is a store for
everybody: Its enchanted, and its rural Woodbury. Inside the
Woodbury Village Store, Jasper Hills Bayley Hazen Blue and
Vermont Brie from Blythedale Farm could be matched with Ricea-Roni and Pringles. Bud Light and Michelob are offered alongside
Boyden Valley Honey Hopper, with 14th Stars Golden Wheat from
Saint Albans, and Sunshine and Happiness from Middleburys
Drop-In Brewing among those on tap.
Proprietor Jessica Waters and her husband Zach Kirkpatrick opened
the store five months ago. Their mission is clear: We are here for the
community and we carry what people want not what we want. So
its okay if worlds collide at the Woodbury Village Store. It appears to
be working with an inventory that is a mix for everyone. If you need
a notary, live bait, ice, an ATM or to weigh your deer this coming November, look no
further undeniably, the Woodbury Village Store has a strong local following.
Conveniences aside, at the Woodbury Village Store, pizza is the center of the universe.
Were talking homemade, handcrafted, make-your-dreams-come true pizza pies created
by Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick started cooking when he was six, barbecuing when he was 12
and smoking meat at age 16.
Meet homemade sauce, hand-tossed crust, and the Psychedelic Woodchuck. With ham,
pepperoni, bacon, and sausage on a magically concocted, mouth-watering barbecue base,
Kirkpatrick says that this combo draws people from all over. Veggie lovers, dont fret
theres a Psychedelic Vegetarian, too. Our main focus is food, noted Waters. An hour
after picking up a pizza, people have called to say, that was the best pizza of my life.
The word has spread that the new store owners make great pizza. Central Vermont Realtor
Martha Lange, who has a summer camp on Woodbury Lake, decided to give it a try.
When I asked for the pizza menu, said Lange, they responded, We will help you live
your dreams when it comes to pizza! From the choice of any topping they wanted, they
Homemade cinnamon rolls
decided upon three pies: the Specialty, the Hawaiian and the Brisket with cheddar and
onions. They all had incredible, home-cooked flavor, said Lange, who appreciates the
service, as well. Its always nice to chat with the owner and chef of the food you're eating,
and hear about the local food providers they support.
Beyond pizza, Kirkpatrick smokes brisket, pork shoulder, ribs and wings out back, much
of which originates at Greensboros Sawmill Brook Farm. The savory, smoky finished
products are featured in recipes such as the signature steak bomb, or offered for sale
by the pound. Potato, macaroni and other classic salads made from scratch are popular,
and homemade spreads such
as pesto mayo dress the deli
meat sandwiches. Things will
shift a bit for the coming
winter, when Waters ushers
in center-stage crock pots of
soup and chili.
If youre still not sure, Waters
and Kirkpatrick encourage
you to give it a taste:
Anything. Go ahead. Have
a nibble. We want people
to come out of their comfort
zones and try new things,
said Waters. Even if you buy
something and dont like it,
Jessica Waters and Zach Kirkpatrick of the
you may return it. The entire
store is covered by a 100% Woodbury Village Store
guarantee (with the exception
of beer on tap).
The Woodbury Village Store somehow manages to make the most of the food as well
as the convenience needs of rural Vermont. It all becomes obvious, once you hear more
about Waterss background as a professional organizer, Kirkpatrick talks about his love for
spectacular eats, and the former innkeepers (who now live above the store) detail their
80-hour work week. They know how to make it beautiful while welcoming everyone.
Its pretty, its eclectic, its convenience-store basic and it works together in harmony: one
pizza at a time.
Woodbury Village Store Grand Opening Party
Saturday, September 17, 2 6 p.m.
What do you get when you cook up some music, meat on the smoker, giveaways,
and a corn-hole competition? A grand opening! The Woodbury Village Store
will host its Grand Opening on September 17 with special guest Chad Hollister
rocking the crowd. If you havent visited the Woodbury Village Store yet, heres a
great opportunity. Located on Rt. 14 and Valley Lake Rd., Woodbury.
THE BRIDGE
National Life Group Sending Classic Mural To Vermont

History Museum
by Nat Frothingham
MONTPELIER A large Tribute to Vermont

mural by noted artist Paul Sample which measures 50
feet across and 8 feet high and was first installed in
the lobby of the then-new National Life headquarters
in Montpelier in 1961 will be taken down over the
next few days in two sections, then rolled up, and
subsequently removed from the building for long-term
conservation.
As to what will happen to the painting after the
conservation work according to a National Life
press release, the National Life Group has donated the
mural to the Vermont Historical Society and plans call
for the Historical Society to reinstall it in a redesigned
permanent exhibit at its Vermont History Museum in
the Pavilion building in downtown Montpelier,
As explained during a September 13 press conference
in the National Life lobby, since the mural was installed 55 years ago, time has taken its toll
and art conservation experts have discovered dirt and grime on the surface of the paint, as well
as small areas of paint loss and some damage where the mural may have been bumped into.
In addition to donating the painting to the Vermont Historical Society, the National Life
Group will also provide financial support for its reinstallation at the Pavilion.
The Historical Society is currently studying exploratory concepts for redesigning the Vermont
History Museum around the Tribute to Vermont mural. In the words of the National Life
press release, The mural will be the first display that visitors see upon entering the museum.
Thousands of people visit the museum each year, including most Vermont schoolchildren.
In 1961, then National Life chief executive officer and later governor Deane C. Davis wanted
the mural to be symbolic both of Vermont and the nation.
As conceived by artist Paul Sample, the mural depicts more than 50 individual scenes,
beginning with French explorer Samuel de Champlain who, in July 1609, became the first
European to visit the lake that now bears his name
The march of history depicted in the mural includes explorers, an Indian, a woman plowing
with a horse, men swinging axes, pounding anvils, scything fields. Theres a vital, colorful
likeness of Vermont revolutionary hero Ethan Allen in a red tunic and tri-colored hat with
a hard, determined look in his eye. One hand is a fist. The other hand holds a tankard.
Animals are depicted throughout the canvas: cows,

sheep, oxen. As time passes, we see the more familiar
Vermont iconic images: a farmer milking, or hanging
out taps for maple sugaring, a country schoolhouse
and a white country church. Then on to activities of
more modern times: a railroad train, machine tool
making, a country fair. The mural comes to an end in
the 1950s with the beginning of skiing and a college
graduation scene.
Theres even a Morgan horse whose depiction drew
a slight criticism from Deane Davis, a Morgan horse
lover who commented on the set of its tail.
Then theres a likeness of Dr. Julius Dewey, National
Lifes first president, astride a horse in front of the
company's first office in the Ellis Block on State Street
in downtown Montpelier.
In accepting the mural from National Life, Vermont Historical Societys executive director
Stephen Perkins called the National Life gift just incredible. He said the Society would
conserve it, preserve it and make it accessible.
He characterized the mural as a conversation starter that could cause schoolchildren and
other visitors to ask such questions as: Am I here? That is, can I find myself in the mural?
Whos in the mural? and How can we add to the story?
About Paul Sample (From online sources)
Paul Sample (18961974) was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Dartmouth
College and graduated in 1921. At Dartmouth College he studied architecture. He was also a
saxophonist and boxer. Eventually, he embrace
painting and arts as his vocation.
At a time when his artistic career was on the rise
he was invited to become artist-in-residence at
Dartmouth College, a newly-created position.
Sample was artist-in-residence when he painted
the mural that was installed in the lobby of
the new National Life building in 1961. He
is often referred to as a regional painter or
a social realist regional because his
painting often celebrated rural New England;
social realist because his paintings in the
1930s show an awareness of the hardships and
struggles that people experienced during the
Great Depression.
T H E B R I D G E
Food Allergies and

Dining Out
by Claire Crowley
or most people, a visit to a restaurant is a simple, enjoyable experience. But for people
with food allergies and the restaurants that serve them, a simple meal has the potential
to result in life-threatening allergic reactions, lawsuits and changes in legislation that
impact the ways in which we all enjoy our meals.
According to Food Allergy and Research Education (FARE), a nonprofit organization that
seeks to improve the quality of life and health for persons with food allergies, researchers
estimate that 15 million Americans have food allergies, and that every three minutes a
food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room. These numbers are especially
alarming when you consider that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates
that one-third of our calories are consumed away from the home.
According to the FDA, the most common food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts like
almonds and walnuts, fish, shellfish such as crab and lobster, wheat, milk, eggs and soy.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can occur when an individual with a food allergy
ingests or comes into contact with an allergy-triggering food. Anaphylaxis results in 2,000
hospitalizations and over one hundred deaths each year.
Restaurants and even restaurant staff can face severe legal repercussions for failing to properly
accommodate customers with food allergies. Recently, a Massachusetts family filed a lawsuit
against Panera Bread for serving their six-year-old daughter a grilled cheese sandwich that
contained peanut butter. The family claims that, when placing the food order online, they
made a note about the girls peanut allergy but somehow a scoop of peanut butter made
its way into the girls sandwich and resulted in her hospitalization. In another recent case,
according to Radio-Canada, a restaurant patron in Quebec notified his server of his severe
seafood allergy, only to be served salmon tartare instead of the steak tartare that he ordered.
After unassumingly consuming the seafood in the dimly lit restaurant, the customer suffered
anaphylactic shock and slipped into a coma. The server was later arrested and may face
criminal negligence charges. The restaurant customer is seeking compensation from the
restaurant for damages resulting from the mix-up.
Restaurant customers who are served a food to which they are allergic will commonly sue the
restaurant for negligence. In a typical negligence lawsuit, a customer must prove that they
notified the server of their allergy, that the server failed to exercise reasonable care after being
notified of the allergy, and that the failure to accommodate the allergy led to the customer
suffering damages, typically consisting of medical bills for the treatment of the allergic
reaction. A restaurant will commonly defend itself against a negligence lawsuit by arguing
that the customer did not properly warn their server of the allergy, that the customer failed
to inquire into the methods by which the meal was prepared, or that the possibility of a
customer suffering an allergic reaction as result of consuming the food was not foreseeable by
the restaurant. Many of these cases are settled out of court, as litigation is time-consuming
and expensive.
As the awareness of food allergies becomes more heightened, states are beginning to adopt
legislation that aims to protect restaurant customers with food allergies. According to FARE,
some states and metropolitan areas have passed restaurant awareness laws and ordinances,
including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and Michigan. Also such
metropolitan areas as New York City and Saint Paul. Restaurant awareness laws include
requirements that restaurants post multilingual food allergy awareness posters in staff areas,
employ certified food safety managers, conduct special allergy awareness trainings for staff
and place notices on menus that remind customers to notify their server if anyone in their
party has a food allergy. These laws can be beneficial to restaurants as well, resulting in fewer
lawsuits and more customer confidence.
The Vermont Legislature has yet to adopt restaurant food-allergy awareness laws, but some
restaurants in the Montpelier area make special efforts to accommodate customers with food
allergies. For example, Sarduccis offers a gluten-free menu separate from its traditional menu,
while other restaurants, like La Puerta Negra, display icons next to menu items to indicate
dishes that are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian or vegan. The New England Culinary
Institute in Montpelier is also taking steps to educate budding chefs about food allergies by
offering courses on preparing menus for customers with varying dietary needs.
There will always be risks in dining out for customers with food allergies, but there are steps
that customers can take to lessen the possibility of a bad experience. FARE recommends
that customers with food allergies call restaurants beforehand, order simple meals and
communicate needs clearly with restaurant staff. Hopefully these tips, along with changes in
laws and an increase in food allergy awareness, will result in enjoyable dining experiences for
both customers and restaurants alike.
Claire Crowley is an attorney and travel enthusiast. She combined her love of travel and the law
by starting Legal Travels, a blog that analyzes the legal issues that impact the travel, tourism and
hospitality industries. If you have a question for Claire, email editorial@montpelierbridge.com.
THE BRIDGE
Montpelier: Faves and Peeves
or those who like to hear me rant, this is for you pet peeves
balanced with some favorite things about Montpelier. After
all, Montpelier is a contrast in many respects. Just compare
the government bureaucrats to the aging hippies or the historic
downtown buildings to the Crowley Center.
While Montpelier's attractions include a small downtown
atmosphere, walkability, minimal traffic and only a few
downtown traffic lights, we have our complaints. The highdecibel beeping of the crosswalk directionals at State and Main
no longer seem to keep nearby residents awake, but this crossing
is not pedestrian friendly. It often skips us. When it does you
can wait through two or three cycles of the traffic lights, jaywalk
or take another route, or use this as an opportunity for a corner
visit. We are generally pedestrian friendly. Numerous crosswalks
and signs give pedestrians the right of way. But pedestrians take
advantage, using this right as an invitation to cross without
looking or, at night, cross the streets in dark clothes in a city with
limited lighting. No light at the end of Barre Street and Main is
an accident waiting to happen. This crosswalk seems misplaced
while other parts of town have too many.
We are a pet-friendly city. Notice the water bowls and the number
of dogs on our sidewalks and welcomed into our shops. Biscuits
are readily handed out by retailers and banks. My dog habitually
drags me into the establishments that have handouts. I appreciate
those who have honored my requests to keep the treats to a
minimum, lest Sophie's waistline expand.
But pets don't come without negative consequences, all of which
I blame on their owners. Owners, pick up your dog's poop
wherever it lands. And when you do, dispose of the poop bag
in an appropriate container; don't forget it on the side of the
trail in Hubbard Park. Montpelier provides bags and receptacles
around town although regrettably, you won't find garbage
cans on the streets during winter months.
their front yards and sidewalks? I observed this over time by

watching and not picking up significant pieces of litter, such
as crushed coffee cups, in front of resident doors. Items sat for
days while the resident walked over and past, ignoring or simply
not noticing the item. Don't be a litter walkby. If each of us
picked up one piece of litter a day, imagine the results. If cigarette
smokers picked up their butts and used the Sidewalk Buttler, and
folks would not mow their lawns onto the roads and sidewalks
without sweeping them afterward, imagine the results. If the city
would not plow a wall of ice onto the end of our driveways, often
within minutes of the driveway being cleared, imagine the relief
to our backs.
by Dot Helling
for frilly things.
The arts in this city amaze. We have endless quality venues for
music, painting, acting, photography, storytelling and more.
Beautiful banners line our streets. We deck out for the holidays
and create city space, indoors and out, for the full enjoyment of
these activities. We do have limited space, and some projects get
overdone. We currently have a proliferation of graffiti, and we
need to determine what is art and what is not acceptable to our
residents, cover the rest, and somehow dissuade those who are
denigrating our walls and buildings to stop doing this. We have
beautiful outdoor spaces, including parks, trails, historic bridges
and a bike path. We have the state house, most impressive when
We are working on becoming bike-friendly, e.g., the downtown its golden dome is lit up at night or in the early dawn mist.
sharrows. Sharrows are those recently painted images of bicycles We have one-of-a-kind events, such as our Third of July
on the street with arrows that are intended to alert drivers to share celebration, the annual Vintage Trailer show and our weekly
the road with bicyclists. The responsibility for keeping our city summer farmers market. I love the incorporation of such events
bike safe rests with motorists, cyclists AND pedestrians. The downtown. However, the Farmers Market needs more room
roads are ours to share. It's important to remember that we and exposure. Placing it on State Street in front of the state
have differing perspectives. Motorists, don't just throw open house with the street closed off between Gov. Davis and Bailey
your car door into a bike travel lane. Pedestrians, don't strut avenues would maximize access, exposure and vendor space. Our
into the crosswalks without looking. Cyclists, act like motorists permitted downtown vendors would continue to set up on our
and follow the rules of the road. We can all take the high road downtown sidewalks seasonally, offering yummy Asian dishes,
and let others pass safely, even if technically it's your turn. And Gaylord burgers and mouth-watering sweets. We are a city of
while I'm on cars, please don't idle. It's against the law, bad for first-class food options, watering holes and sumptuous gelato. We
the environment and costs you gas. And, if you're not truly are a unique city of mom and pop stores, as Steve Everett puts
handicapped or do not have an electric car needing to power up, it, with only one nationwide chain. We are a city that celebrates
don't take the spaces designated for such.
the new and the old. One of my favorite vestiges of the past is
What about parking? you may ask. Its our continuing

downtown complaint and a pet peeve, along with the condition
of our street, that's what a majority of the residents I spoke to said.
It's a problem exacerbated by the use of spaces for other things
such as bike parking, parklets and the bus. It's an access problem
for the elderly and disabled, and a disincentive to out-of-towners
and tourists who come here to shop and eat. There are ways
We are a clean city, relatively litter free. Our Tree Board and to minimize this problem, such as making the circulator bus a
Montpelier Alive keep up with weeding and beautifying the real circulator so that it is on a more user-friendly schedule, or
downtown. So why is it some residents don't pick up debris in finally building a parking garage, or not taking up parking spaces
our singing ice cream truck, which still makes the neighborhood
rounds. My current new favorite is the summer's end outdoor
film on the state house lawn, this year Raiders of the Lost Ark,
last year ET, complete with free popcorn and Ben & Jerry's in
five flavors.
Montpelier residents pay high taxes and water/sewer rates, which
drive some residents away. But perhaps we can credit the balance
between faves and peeves for keeping those of us who stay
here happy that we live in this special place. After all, no pain,
no gain.
Tell them
you saw it in
The Bridge!
Classifieds
CLASSES
LEARN ITALIAN in a fun and stress-free

beginner class with native teacher from
Rome. 10 classes of 60 minutes each for
a total of $ 250, all material included.
Starting Thursday 10/06/2016 at 5:00
in Montpelier. For more info, email
maddalena.devitovt@gmail.com .
CLASSES
Recycle
This Paper!
SUZUKI PIANO LESSONS,

ages 4 and up, Berlin/Montpelier
Your child can learn to play the piano in
a very organic way, just as they learned to
speak their native language. Debra Smoller
has 20 years teaching experience.
802-225-6417, dmsmoller93@gmail.com,
www.facebook.com/smollersuzukipiano
New Construction
Renovations
Woodworking
General Contracting
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY
Design & Build
Custom Energy-Efficient Homes
Additions Timber Frames
Weatherization Remodeling
Kitchens Bathrooms Flooring
Tiling Cabinetry Fine Woodwork
223-3447
clarconstruction.com
THE HEALTH CENTER: DENTAL

ASSISTANT
Join our busy dental office in Plainfield,
Vermont!
Experience in chair side assisting and
basic lab functions preferred
Current license and radiology
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This is a full time position with
benefits
Part- time hours considered
Email jwaterman@the-health-center.org
or call 454-8336, ask for Janice
Text-only class listings and

classifieds are 50 words for $25.
Call 223-5112 ext. 11
T H E B R I D G E
PAG E 2 0 S E P T E M B E R 15 O C TO B E R 5 , 2 016
THE BRIDGE
Email mzmf2014@gmail.com
for more information or questions.
See full ad at montpelierbridge.com
T H E B R I D G E
Editorial
Twenty-Seven Design Ideas for a

Net Zero Montpelier
ecause of efforts by the Montpelier Energy Advisory

Committee with full support from the Montpelier
City Council, Montpelier has set a goal of Net Zero
Energy in less than 15 years by 2030.
At The Bridge we support this difficult, but achievable,

objective.
To be more specific about Net Zero Energy what the city
aims to achieve is producing or offsetting all of the citys
energy needs from renewable sources by 2030, to use the
language of the Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee.
As the city works toward the Net Zero goal, one critical
question is this: What could Montpelier look like in 2030
if the 65 percent of downtown space currently devoted to
parking cars was available for other uses?
Thats the question that some design professionals and urban
thinkers are grappling with as part of the first round of
submissions in a design competition sponsored by Net Zero
Montpelier, an initiative of the Montpelier Energy Advisory
by Nat Frothingham
Committee.
submissions, then vote for their pick for the best design.
It is the hope of Advisory Committee members and others

who support the Net Zero project that Montpelier could
be the first state capital in the nation to produce or offset
all of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2030.
Based on the voting, the top five submissions will be

asked to develop a fuller, more comprehensive, design
presentation. After two months, those designs will return
to Montpelier for the second round competition.
According to Dan Jones, a current member and former

chair of the Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee, 27
(first-round) design submissions have already been received
by Net Zero Montpelier from design professionals in the
United States and as far away as Sweden, Japan and Iran.
Theyll be coming back at the beginning of December

with large-scale presentations, said Jones.
First-round design submissions will be exhibited to the

general public on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (October
1, 2 and 3) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the former One
More Time storefront space at 62 Main St. in downtown
Montpelier.
Organizers of the competition are offering a $10,000
prize for the winning design. Members of the public
who visit the exhibition are invited to see the first-round
The competition is being supported financially by Ben &

Jerrys and the National Life Group.
Said Jones, Its going to be a pretty neat thing. What
could a Net Zero downtown look like in 2030? Everyone
talks about what you cant do. Our competition is about
what you can do. This is exciting.
Bravo to the Montpelier Energy Committee, to Net Zero
Montpelier, to the City Council for backing the Net
Zero goal, and to the 27 design professionals who are
participating in round one of the competition.
Junk And Stacks Of Tires Removed From Winooski River

T&T Trucking Volunteered His Services
MONTPELIER If you were anywhere near the Winooski River in Montpelier or
Middlesex on September 10, you probably saw dozens of people wading through the
water carrying buckets and pushing canoes full of tires. There were kids as young as six,
employees from local businesses and even an entire AmeriCorps crew from the NCCC
Atlantic Region out of Baltimore. It may have looked like an odd scene, but the facts of the
matter and the numbers are common for Friends of the Winooski River volunteers.
This year, 60 citizens risked soggy boots and gloves to remove over 100 tires and several
truckloads of junk metal and trash (the final weight is still pending) in a three-hour period
and, shockingly, from mostly the same stretches of river that are cleaned up every year.
These numbers are up from last year, when volunteers picked up trash from four sites and
pulled 52 tires out of the river.
We had an amazing turn-out of volunteers, and were able to add three new sites weve
never done before, says Shawn White, friends' project manager and clean-up organizer.
Im hoping next year well have even more people participate. Theres still more trash out
there we werent able to retrieve and, unfortunately, theres always more added every year."
In 1998, the Friends began coordinating annual river clean-ups focused where the four
rivers of the Winooski River, the North Branch, the Stevens Branch and the Dog River
converge in the Barre-Montpelier area. This effort had been ongoing thanks to Bill Haines,
retired science teacher from Montpelier High School. The high school will continue their
long tradition of Winooski River clean-ups this Friday.
Much of the junk metal gathered by volunteers was transported to Montpelier High School
where students will turn it into sculptures that show off their creativity. These works of
art will be on public display in front of the high school until September 22. Also on the
high school grounds, the Friends will hold a Volunteer Appreciation event for all of their
volunteers on Monday, September 19 at 5 p.m.
PAG E 2 2 S E P T E M B E R 15 O C TO B E R 5 , 2 016
THE BRIDGE
Letters
Thank You For Participating
In Movie Event
Editor:
A big thank you to everyone who attended the Movie
on the State House Lawn: Raiders of the Lost Ark.
We were so pleased with the turn out and hope everyone
had a wonderful night! Thanks to Ben and Jerrys for
the ice cream, and to Montpelier Alive for co-presenting
the event with us. Cant wait to see everyone at the 20th
Green Mountain Film Festival in March 2017!
Rachelle Murphy, Executive Director, Green Mountain
Film Festival, Montpelier
What Do You Think?

Read something that you would
like to respond to? We welcome
your letters and opinion pieces.
Letters must be fewer than 300
words. Opinion pieces should
not exceed 600 words.
The Bridge reserves the right to
edit and cut pieces. Send your
piece to:
editorial@montpelierbridge.
com.
Deadline for the next
issue is September 30
Show Off Your Skillz!!

The Bridge is hosting a variety show on November 12
to feature area youth.
If you are between the ages of 5 and 25

! want to show Montpelier that ACT!
gand
n
i
S you've got talent, call 223-5112 ext 12
or email marichel@montpelierbridge.com
for more information.
Play an
instrument!
DISPLAY
YOUR ART!
DANCE!
READ YOUR
POEM OR TELL
A STORY!
TELL SOME
JOKES!
Right Back Atcha

Dave Keller Band Celebrates
New CD With Two Live Shows
MONTPELIER Popular local performer, Dave Keller, is celebrating the release of his new CD
with two live performances.
The first release show for his CD Right Back Atcha will be held at Sweet Melissas in Montpelier
on September 23 while the second is scheduled to be held at The FlynnSpace on September 24.
Backing Keller will be his longtime band, augmented by a horn section and a pair of vocalists. The
musicians will be performing the entirety of the new CD for the first time.
According to a Keller press release, Right Back Atcha brings together all the elements that have
caused critics to call him, One of the finest soul and blues men of his generation. A voice that
Blues Revue said was stunning.
Keller recorded his last CD, Soul Changes in Memphis with Al Greens original band, earning
a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Soul/Blues CD of the year. This time in bringing it all
home Keller will be recording at Lane Gibsons studio in Charlotte (VT) with his longtime band.
Hell also be producing the CD himself. The new album contains 11 new, original songs, plus a
song that Keller says is an obscure, soul cover.
Keller spoke warmly about his longtime band, saying, For a long time Ive wanted to make a
record with my guys. Weve played together for over 10 years and know each other inside out. His
longtime band consists of Brett Hoffman on drums, Gary Lotspeich on bass and Ira Friedman on
organ and piano. Keller said that having his own band provides him with grooves that are tight
and dynamic and more importantly, he said, rich with feeling.
In putting together the new CD, Keller said, I want to take the songs to an even higher level.
To achieve that, hes brought in a three-saxophone horn section Joe Moore, Jessica Friedman
and Terry Youk along with a pair of back-up singers, Morgan Karich and April Caspari. Keller
said that three songs even sport a string section comprised of Michael Close and Paul Reynolds.
Talking about his songs, he said, The songs are drawn from my own life and like the best old
school soul songs, they speak the truth. His aim, he said, was to write choruses that stay with
you long after the night is over, singing to you in bed the next morning, following you around
through your day.
Keller quoted Mississippi soul/blues master Johnny Rawls who said, Put it to you like this. Some
people got it and some people dont. Dave Keller got it.
To pre-order the CD or watch the video trailer, visit www.davekeller.com
Show info:
Friday Sept. 23, Sweet Melissa's, Langdon St., Montpelier, separate shows at 8:30 p.m. and 10
p.m., $10 cover for each show, no advance tickets, tickets only available at the door day of show.
For more info, contact Sweet Melissa's at 802-225-6012 or visit facebook.com/sweetmelissasvt/
Saturday Sept. 24, FlynnSpace, Main St., Burlington, 8 p.m., $15 in advance, $20 day of show.
For more info, contact The Flynnspace at 802-863-5966 or visitwww.flynncenter.org.
S E P T E M B E R 15 O C TO B E R 5 , 2 016 PAG E 2 3
T H E B R I D G E
Since 1972
Repairs New floors and walls
Crane work Decorative concrete
Consulting ICF foundations
114 Three Mile Bridge Rd., Middlesex, VT (802) 229-0480
gendronbuilding@aol.com gendronconcrete.com
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Senate Candidates Josh Fitzhugh and Bill Doyle Pg.

September 15 October 5, 2016

Items from Wilaiwan's Kitchen's

Thai Food in the Capital Region:

he cuisine of Thailand is a celebration

Pg. 18 Dot's Beat:

Sixteen years ago, Art Jilandharn opened a

Do What You Do Best.

Bookkeeping Payroll Consulting

many of its most popular dishes have become

well. Im an eater! he said as if the decision

a daughter studying in Vermont encouraged

Metal Roof Painting

FREE ESTIMATES INSURED SINCE 1990

We're online! montpelierbridge.com or vtbridge.com

An Open Letter to Our Readers and Friends

SAVE THE DATE!

ALL AD MATERIALS AND

The Bridge publishes every 1st and 3rd

Rick McMahan: 249-8666

P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601

Like The Bridge on

Support The Bridge

All community contributions, whatever

*Contributions of $50 or more are eligible to receive a one-year subscription.

Friends of The Bridge will be periodically acknowledged in future issues of

Send this form and your check to:

HEARD ON THE STREET

Pedestrian Friendly Event Planned:

MONTPELIER Loomis and Park Streets

the third year in a row, a number of walks will

Committees Form Combined Committee,

Ingredients from Nature's Bounty

omatoes! And all the wonderful

form two new committees to accomplish that.

During their meeting August 17 at City Hall,

This class will explore methods for adapting

Those present suggested a separate committee

Circus games involve manual dexterity (basic

Present were John Snell, Eve Jacobs-Carnahan,

Mermin Offers Mime for Seniors,

The Center for Leadership Skills

Lindel James coaching & consulting

Watercolor by Nona Estrin

802 778 0626

Josh Fitzhugh Seeks Election to the Vermont Senate

ohn Josh Fitzhugh a Berlin Republican

Believes in the Private Sector

Bill Doyle Seeks Reelection

Connect website cost so much, he said.

Career Highlights: Josh Fitzhugh

1982-1990: Law partner, Sheehey Brue

2000-2014: General Counsel, VP Claims,

s part of a conversation with Washington

it totally unacceptable. We need greater penalties

The Bridge: How in your view can we create

He talked about his town meeting questionnaire

Bill Doyle: I enjoy the work I do on the Senate

The Bridge: What would you do as state senator

Doyle: I think the secret is job creation. In the

Then he drew my attention to his book, The

Doyle: I am not clearly separated from any of

Doyle: What I would do in general and for the

The Bridge: Can you say who you support for