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What's happening in Essex?

Heart & Soul: Town Meeting Edition

3/9/2018

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PictureEssex Town Meeting 2018. Photo by Colin Flanders, Essex Reporter
Hi everyone - its been a while since we have checked in with all of you.  This year’s Essex town meeting is a reminder that the core values and action ideas that emerged from the Heart & Soul process continue to impact town priorities and decision-making in significant ways.  Here are several tangible examples

  • During town meeting, the community voted to create a conservation fund.  This was one of the specific action ideas that was recommended by residents during the Heart & Soul of Essex process (Thoughtful Growth)
  • One of the town’s major new investments is to add two new police officers this year so the capacity of our police department is aligned with our population. (Safety)
  • During the meeting we learned that on March 24th, Village Trustees and the Essex Town Selectboard will discuss potential governance changes, including the possibility of transitioning to a hybrid town meeting.  This idea was recommended by the Essex Governance Group, a task force created following the Heart & Soul of Essex to make recommendations around potential changes to town meeting and governance.  (Community Connections)

Change in the public sector is slow, but thanks to the participation of almost 1,000 community members during the Heart & Soul process, public decisions continue to be guided by what matters most to the people of Essex.  


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Building Empathy & Addressing Racial Oppression

1/5/2017

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CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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Essex Public Engagement Workshop

11/23/2016

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Please join us!

On 
Friday, December 2 Matt Leighninger from Public Agenda will conduct a day- long workshop on Public Engagement in Essex.

Last spring, Heart and Soul of Essex received a grant from the Orton Family Foundation to help build capacity within the municipalities and school districts to incorporate public engagement skills and expectations into job descriptions, hiring expectations, and performance reviews. The first phase of that work took place in April when Matt visited Essex and conducted two days of interviews with school and community leaders to get a sense of the factors driving the need for engagement and  the strengths and limitations of current engagement practices in Essex.

The  upcoming workshop is designed to build on that work and will:
  • provide an overview of public engagement practices, benefits, and innovations;
  • explore the state of engagement in Essex;
  • describe and strengthen engagement skills;
  • inform the decisions Essex faces about how to improve and sustain engagement.

The workshop will be held at the Holy Family Parish Community Center from 8:30-4 on Friday, December 2.

For more information or to RSVP please contact
heartandsoulofessex@gmail.com





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Need A Meal?

11/6/2016

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Need a meal or some groceries? Know someone who does? An Essex group, all involved in addressing local food needs, has published a Food Resource Guide for Essex.The guide, provides information on our local food shelves, community meals for all, senior resources and free/reduced meals for school children.  This guide will be updated seasonally to ensure we are providing accurate information for resources that are available throughout the year.

Look for the guide at your local library, Town and Village offices, the Heart & Soul of Essex website, or through the various food resource organizations in our community. If you have something to add, please contact heartandsoulofessex@gmail.com.




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Summer Update!

7/15/2016

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Summer! Indian Brook is open, Maple Street Pool is full, and there are plenty of events to keep busy with! We're putting the spotlight on happenings around the community that are in line with our six key values. This month, we have a video featuring Hop on the Bandwagon Summer Series. Check out the video below, then keep reading to learn about all of the great things happening in Essex right now.

Thoughtful Growth

McGillicuddy's Comes to Five Corners
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The new four story building at Five Corners finally has a restaurant name attached to it. McGillicuddy's will be bringing burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads to the Junction. To accompany the restaurant, developers plan to add street trees, awnings, benches and outdoor seating for up to 50 people. McGillicuddy's fills the majority of the space on the first floor, but there is still 10,000 sq. ft. available for more businesses to join the building. Make sure to stop by and say "hi" when the space opens in September!

Read the Essex Reporter Article

Education

CCSU Names New CFO
Katherine Decarreau has been named the new Chief Financial Officer for the Chittenden Central Supervisory Union (CCSU). Decarreau will begin at CCSU starting on August 1, 2016. She joins CCSU after spending the last seven years as the City Manager for the City of Winooski.

“Katherine is exactly the kind of leader we were hoping to attract to this position. She listens deeply and values relationships and various perspectives. We look forward to her guidance and expertise as we continue moving forward with unifying our current systems.” said CCSU Superintendent Judith DeNova.
Decarreau brings a wealth of planning experience and will be able to provide valuable leadership during the transition period, as CCSU unifies with the Essex Town School District.

Read more: ccsuvt.org/26689/katherine-decarreau-named-new-ccsu-cfo

Safety

Junction Bike Path Begins Construction
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We're seeing the first signs of development on a Bike Path that runs along the railroad tracks from Essex High School to the Junction Amtrak station. The Village Trustees have had this project in development for a long time, but are finally able to begin construction. This path will hopefully provide High Schoolers and other residents a safer alternative to walking on the railroad tracks. 

Contact the Village Trustees

Local Economy

Fresh Tracks Road Pitch
Fresh Tracks Road Pitch is a multi-day motorcycle trip around Vermont where a pack of motorcycle riders with investing, entrepreneurial/business and business advisory experience ride together and stop in small towns where “Local Hosts” have organized a pitch session for entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to the group.

On August 1st, the bikers will be in Essex Junction's own Green Mountain Harley Davidson dealership, hearing short pitches from 9am-11:30am. This event is open to the public, so come out, hear some new ideas, and get involved with our local economy!

More info: http://www.roadpitch.co/

Health & Recreation

Rec Gov Study Committee Recommends Union Municipal District
The Rec Governance Study Committee recently unanimously voted to form a union municipal district - a recreation district for the Village and Town together. They are in the process of drafting that Agreement that will outline all of the details about the district. Voters will get to weigh in onDecember 13 as to whether or not to enter into this district. If both the Village and Town vote yes, the district will start on July 1, 2017. 

Watch the Rec Gov Study Committee Video

Community Connections

Hop on the BandwagonSummer Series
The Barns at Lang Farm have put together a brand new food & music series for thisSummer. Every Wednesday in July, there will be an event at Lang Farm that brings food trucks, an art market, a beautiful picnic area, and live music to Essex. The Hop on the Bandwagon Summer Series is a great way to connect with friends, neighbors, food vendors, and have a ton of fun while doing it. Check out our video feature above, visit them on Facebook, and make sure to get to one!
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Community Connections: Hop On the Bandwagon Summer Series

6/30/2016

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The Lang Farm Hop On the Bandwagon Summer Series represents exactly what our Community Connections Value is all about. It's neighbors joining together, interacting with each other, building relationships, and helping our community. Check out the video below. 
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Spring Update

4/12/2016

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Local Economy
New Local Homebrew Shop & Taproom Opening Soon!

We reported last Newsletter on a new brewery opening up in Essex Junction. We are happy to update that 1st Republic Brewing has now opened the "Homebrew Shop" portion of their store. They carry many homebrew supplies in store and online. They hope to open their brewery and taproom around May 2016. Keep updated with this new business on Facebook and via their website. Stop in to the shop at 39 River Road and welcome them to Essex!

Community Connections
Essex Eats Out Celebrates 2 Year Anniversary

In April 2016, Essex Eats Out will be celebrating their two-year anniversary. In the last 2 years, they've served over 10,000 meals to our friends and neighbors. EEO says, "It all started when Essex clergy and community leaders got together to discuss how best to feed our neighbors who hunger for food, relationship, and connection. The goal of EEO is to continue to provide healthy, free meals in a warm, safe, and inclusive atmosphere for years to come." This is Community Connections at it's finest. 

the first ever “EEO: Where Do We Go From Here?” meeting will take place on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at 5:30 PM at St. James Episcopal Church. St. James is located at 4 St. James Place in Essex Junction. They ask that you bring a dish to share as the event will be a potluck supper.

RSVP: essexeatsout@gmail.com
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Safety
EMS Peer Leaders - Value Spotlight

EMS has an amazing team of Peer Leaders. Those leaders conduct a series of workshops with all grades in the school to create a culture of kindness and respect. They target issues that feel relevant to the students, and create a lesson around them. Along with classroom work, the Peer Leaders recently hosted a workshop at a regional conference in Burlington, and attended a conference in Boston, where they led a discussion on racism. This group does an excellent job of promoting and maintaining safety in their schools, which is why they were chosen for this month's Value Spotlight.

Check out the video!

Health & Recreation
Essex Parks & Rec Opens New Studio

Essex Parks & Rec has a new program space opening up! "Sunset Studio" will have it's grand opening on April 30th. The new space will be offering many classes, from Zumba to Kids Dance. Located at 71 Center Road, the new space will list it's classes in the Essex Parks & Rec Summer/Spring Brochure. See you at the grand opening!

Essex Parks & Rec Summer/Spring Brochure

Thoughtful Growth
Essex Wins 2016 Town Plan of the Year Award

This year, the Town of Essex won the Vermont Planners Association (VPA) 2016 Town Plan of the Year.  This year's Plan was different in scope, length, participation, design, and creativity than any Plan in Essex’s planning history. The Community Development Team worked extremely hard to include community voice in the plan and to focus on what matters most to the people that live and work in Essex. Because of this intentional outreach and communication, the Essex Plan won by a “landslide”. It is exactly this type of thoughtful growth that Heart & Soul is proud to see happening in our community. ​

Education
Robert Travers of CTE Wins Principal of the Year Award

Robert Travers, Director of the Center for Technology Essex, has been named as a recipient of the Vermont Principals Association 2016-17 Principals of the Year Award. The award recognizes Mr. Travers for outstanding educational leadership. Winners of the award are those who "shaped a vision of academic success for all students, created a climate hospitable for education, cultivated leadership in others, improved instruction and managed people, data and processes to foster school improvement." Congratulations, Robert. 

More info about the award and the event via the press release
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Heart & Soul and the 2016 Essex Town Plan

2/29/2016

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Have you checked out the 2016 Essex Town Plan? The Heart & Soul process helped to create a vision for our community. 

“We learned that despite a wide variety of opinions and ideas, there are a few key things that matter most. We value our connections with each other. Our neighborly traditions keep us safe, sustain us during challenging times and bring us together for celebration and fun. We see ourselves as a community that values education and learning. We want to be a welcoming place and aspire to become more culturally aware as our community becomes more diverse. We take pride in many community assets, including our highly regarded schools, libraries and recreation departments. We want to see these institutions continue to improve. “We value the urban and rural mix that make up Essex. We want to see balanced future growth, which includes a diverse mix of housing options, economic development, and conservation of open space. We hope for improved infrastructure that will ease traffic, increase our safety and connect all parts of the community together. We are especially passionate about the prospect of a well connected system of sidewalks and bike paths throughout all of Essex.”
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​ ~Heart & Soul of Essex

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February Update

2/9/2016

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THOUGHTFUL GROWTH: TGIA Working Group
The Thoughtful Growth in Action (TGIA) project is nearing its completion. The TGIA Working Group is recommending that the Town of Essex and Village of Essex Junction use a Joint Planning Commission, with separate Development Review Boards for the Town and the Village. Currently, the Town and Village have separate Planning Commissions and Zoning Boards of Adjustment. TGIA also recommended ways the Town and Village can improve communications around planning and development issues. A final report is expected in early March, and the Essex Selectboard and Village Trustees are scheduled to have a joint meeting with the TGIA consultants on March 14.
 
TGIA came about as a way to explore new approaches to planning governance in the Town and Village. The project stemmed from the belief, highlighted by Heart & Soul of Essex, that the community wants a shared vision that honors and builds on the unique characteristics of the Village and the Town outside the Village.
 
A 24-member working group began meeting in September 2015. The Working Group, comprised of Essex residents, planning and zoning staff, and developers, studied existing planning structures and new alternatives before making its recommendation. More information about the project is online at www.essextgia.com
 
EDUCATION: Stream of Lights Lantern Parade
On February 12, students from 10 schools, along with community members and artists are putting on a paper lantern parade through Essex Junction. As a celebration of the school district unification, these students worked together with artist Gowri Savoor to create the lanterns. This is an opportunity to see the school districts unified physically as a whole, and will hopefully encourage future collaborations between the school and the students. Go to Essex High School on February 12 at 5:30pm to see this wonderful celebration of community, creativity, and light. More info: http://www.ccsuvt.org/across-the-universe-stream-of-lights

LOCAL ECONOMY: 1st Republic Brewing Company
A new business is moving into the Essex area. 1st Republic Brewing Company is hoping to open it's storefront at 39 River Road at some point in the next month. Kevin Jarvis and Shawn Trout started this business in a garage, and are now hoping to grow while staying true to their hometown Vermont roots. Stay up to date with the store opening on their website: 1strepublicbrewingco.com

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: The Living Room - Center of Positivity
The Living Room and Excelerate Essex have become housemates! This partnership blends philosophies of collaborative space and community engagement in order to create a well rounded space to work, recover and create. Co working and collaborative environments give the community an opportunity to develop all kinds of great relationships! Come visit the space and meet some of the people that are working there. 15 Pearl St. (next to the Fire Station in Five Corners.

​SAFETY: Service Above Self Dinner

The Essex Rotary Club will be hosting it’s annual “service above self” dinner on February 17th at the Essex. Zachariah Fike will be honored for  his efforts to return stolen medals of valor to their owners through his organization, Purple Hearts Reunited. The rotary also honors Stephen Dunning from Essex Rescue for his heroic efforts saving the life of someone trapped inside their home in a fire. Raymond Weed from the EJ Fire Department will be recognized for his dedicated 40 years of service. Michelle Hodgson is honored from Essex PD for her ability to step in as a new staff member, and quickly fill an important role in the department. Cpt. George Henry will be honored from the Essex Fire Department for his work with the Fire Department, EMS, and hurricane relief in Haiti. 

HEALTH & RECREATION: 15th Annual Winter Carnival
On Saturday, February 27, Essex Junction Recreation and Parks is teaming up with Essex Parks and Rec to host the 15thannual Winter Carnival. This is a great event to see friends and neighbors, eat some great food, watch musical performances, and enjoy activities both indoors and out. 
ejrp.org/winter-carnival



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December Update

12/1/2015

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It's December, the snow is coming and it's time for another newsletter!  Each segment below represents one of Heart and Soul's six key values. Keep reading to learn about all of the great things happening in Essex right now. Wishing you all a happy and peaceful holiday season!

THOUGHTFUL GROWTH
Thoughtful Growth in Action (TGIA) is exploring new approaches to planning and zoning processes in the community. A 24-person working group, which will develop recommendations for the Town Selectboard and Village Trustees, has spent the past few months learning how planning works in Essex today, looking at different options for board structures, and considering ideas that could improve community participation in planning. At its final session, the working group intends to come to agreement on its recommendation for the Selectboard and Trustees – no small feat for a diverse group with a wide range of experience and ideas. The final working group session will be held on December 9th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Essex Junction Parks and Recreation, 75 Maple Street.
 For more information about TGIA, you can check out the project website at www.essextgia.com or contact Town Planner/Assistant Town Manager Greg Duggan at 878-1343 or gduggan@essex.org.

TOWN PLAN

The Selectboard is holding its second public hearing on the Town Plan on Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Essex Police Department, 145 Maple Street, Essex Junction, Vermont. 

The Town Plan contains the vision for growth (and conservation) in Essex over the next 5+ years, and the public hearing will be the last chance for residents to comment before the Town Plan goes to vote on Town Meeting Day. Click HERE for the latest version of the plan and the public hearing notice We also expect to have the graphically designed version ready within a couple of weeks; that will be posted online as well.

EDUCATION
On November 3rd, residents in Essex and Westford voted in favor of a school district unification. This new district will be known as the Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School District, and will begin operations on July 1st of 2017. More info about what this means to education in the community is available on the RED Study Committee Website:
https://redstudy.wordpress.com/

LOCAL ECONOMY
The Essex Junction Train Hop and Tree Lighting will be on December 11th from 6-8pm. Businesses and community partners from around Essex Junction will host model train displays and holiday activities for everyone to enjoy. Five Corners Farmers Market vendors will also be selling stocking stuffers, food and more. Come with friends and family to have some fun and support our local businesses! More info here.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
The 5 Corners Farmers Market is in its first year of hosting a winter market, and it’s just as wonderful and diverse as the summer market. On December 5th, they will be hosting a holiday market, with plenty of gifts and goods to choose from. Between 10am and 2pm at Maple Street Park, you can find vendors selling cupcakes, maple products, jewelry, clothing, and more. So if you’d like to get some shopping done locally, and see some friends and neighbors, this is the place to be! More info here.

​SAFETY

The Essex Community Justice Center focuses on crime prevention, conflict resolution, and meeting the needs of those affected by crime in our community. Funded through grants and comprised of staff and volunteers, the CJC works to repair the harm caused by crime and rebuild damaged relationships. Through mutiple programs, the Community Justice Center staff and local volunteers support victims, address local crime, and work with offenders to enhance community safety. Find out more on their website.

HEALTH & RECREATION
The recent decision to form a unified school district causes us to look at departments governed by the school districts. Essex Junction Recreation and Parks is currently regulated by the Prudential Committee, which will cease to exist under a unified district. So what will happen to EJRP? Village Trustee President, George Tyler states, "Given the huge popularity of both departments throughout the community right now, I think it would be madness to think we’re going to just be radically altering something here. From a user perspective, the transition should be 'seamless'. It’s just you’re moving how this is going to work at the top.”
You can read more on this in an article from The Essex Reporter.

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  • Home
  • Across the Dotted Line
    • Project Overview
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  • The Project
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  • Outcomes
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  • Who We Are
  • Media
  • Essex Calendar