Town of Pawlet Annual Meeting and Elections, March 6-7, 2017: The Town of Pawlet Annual Information Meeting will be held on March 6, 2017, 7:30 PM, at the Mettawee Community School, with elections the following day, March 7, 9 AM to 7 PM at the Pawlet Town Hall, 122 School Street, Pawlet. To see the warning and sample ballots, visit http://pawlet.vt.gov/town-offices/town-clerk/ . The Town Report may be viewed at http://pawlet.vt.gov/town-offices/town-clerk/annual-report/

Upcoming Pawlet Town Government Meetings: All meetings are open to the public and are held at the Pawlet Town Hall on School Street.

• Select Board, Wednesday, March 8 and Tuesday, March 21, 7 PM. If you have a specific topic to discuss with the board and wish to be added to the agenda, please notify Tim at pawletselectbrd@vermontel.net by the Friday before the meeting you are planning to attend. The meeting agenda is posted at the Pawlet and West Pawlet Post Offices and on the town website.
• Energy Group, Monday, March 27, 12 PM.
• Pawlet Planning Commission, Monday, March 27, 7:30 PM.

Upcoming School Board Meetings:

• Pawlet School Board Organizational Meeting, March 15, 6:15 PM, Mettawee Library, Mettawee Community School
• Union District #47 Board Organizational Meeting, March 15, 7 PM, Mettawee Library, Mettawee Community School

West Pawlet Fire Department Pancake Breakfast, Sunday, March 12, 7:30 to 11 AM, West Pawlet fire house: The fire house is located on Route 153 (Main Street) in West Pawlet, and it’s a handicap-accessible site.  All are welcome. Pancake menu includes regular as well as chocolate chip, blueberry and cranberry. Sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, and home fries are also served, along with coffee, milk and orange juice. Prices are $10 for 12 years and up, $5 for 5-12 years and free to children under the age of 5.  A 501(c) (3) non-profit, all proceeds are for the benefit of the department’s equipment and training needs. Contact:  Antonio Landon at 802-345-4312 or email: wp5801@yahoo.com.

Third Annual Springtime Handmade & Homegrown Festival, Pawlet Library, Saturday, April 8, 10 AM – 3 PM: Live Demonstrations, Silent Auction, Children’s Activities, Handmade Arts & Crafts, Local Artisan Food, Seedlings, and much more! This event is a benefit for the Pawlet Public Library. See the Library’s “Pawlet Public Library” Facebook event page for updates or call the Library at 325-3123. The Library is located at 141 School Street in the Pawlet Village Center. It houses 10,000 items and provides access to Audio books, Videos, DVDs, CD’s and wireless high speed internet access. Hours are: Tue: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm; Wed: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Thu: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Fri: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm; Sat: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. The Library offers a weekly story time for children, monthly book groups and more. Space is available to rent for classes and other events of benefit to the community.

Pawlet Energy Fair, Saturday, April 22, 1-4 PM, Town Hall: The Pawlet Energy Group will host a spring energy fair on Earth Day, April 22, 2017, from 1-4 PM at the Pawlet Town Hall. This event will offer information on energy efficiency and technology options for area residents. Confirmed presenters include Green Mountain Power, Efficiency Vermont, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, and climate scientist and former Pawlet resident Alan Betts. The group is soliciting ideas and input for the energy fair and hopes to feature stories from local users of renewable energy technologies, as well as those who have made home energy efficiency improvements. If you are interested in presenting or participating in this event, contact the Energy Group at pawletenergygroup@gmail.com.

Pawlet Food Pantry Seeks donations: Monetary donations can be mailed to: The Pawlet Community Church, PO Box 116 Pawlet, 05761. Attention: Tim Bryant. The Pawlet Community Church is deeply grateful for your support.

Friends of Haystack Projects: The Friends of Haystack is a nonprofit, community supported group that owns the property that includes the summit of Haystack Mountain in Pawlet. We have permanently protected the summit of Haystack so it can be enjoyed by townspeople and visitors alike. We plan two projects this summer to improve recreational access, help our neighbors and protect water and soil resources along the trail. In partnership with the Town of Pawlet and some adjoining owners we plan to improve the parking area and trailhead to make it more user friendly and reduce overflow parking in places where it affects our neighbors. Please support Haystack and the beloved trail to the summit by contributing at our website http://www.friendsofhaystack.org/ or by mail to FRIENDS OF HAYSTACK, PO BOX 201, PAWLET, VT 05761. Questions and comments are welcome; contact me at alan@calfeewoodland.com. Thanks, Alan Calfee, Chair, Friends of Haystack Board of Directors.

Nursing Nook for New Moms Monthly Meetings will not take place in March: Meetings will resume in April. Nursing Nook is a comfortable place to ask breastfeeding questions, get advice, and hang out with other nursing moms. Free and open to the public. Presented by WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors. Monthly meetings at the Pawlet Library, 2nd Thursday of each month, 10 – 11:30 AM. Questions? Email Brooke at Brooke.Hughes-Muse@vermont.gov.

Emergency Fuel Assistance Fund in Pawlet needs donations: Heating season is still here, and our local fund meets emergency situations on the spot. Please make a donation to help replenish the fund. Donations should be made out to: “Pawlet Community Church Fuel Assistance Fund” and mailed to: Pawlet Fuel Assistance Fund, C/O Tim Bryant, 3449 Vt. Rt. 133, Pawlet, VT 05761. For more information contact Bob Schoenemann, Town Service Officer at 325-3146 or 325-3420. To get confidential help locally from the Pawlet Community Church Fuel Assistance Fund, call Pawlet Town Clerk Deb Hawkins, 325-3309. Please note: wood fuel is now also available, thanks to local donations.

Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District (PMNRCD) Annual Plant Sale: Native trees and shrubs are available at low cost to local landowners. Native plants are more likely to thrive in our regional climate, and they provide the resources our wildlife depend on. Consider these plants for backyard wildlife and pollinators, stabilizing stream banks or for use in rain gardens. Orders are due by March 30; prepayment is required! Please make checks out to PMNRCD and send to: PMNRCD, PO Box 209, Poultney, VT 05764. All orders must be picked up between 10:00am and noon on Sunday, May 7 at the Champlain Valley Native Plant Restoration Nursery on the Green Mountain College campus in Poultney. To access the brochure and order form, copy this link: http://www.pmnrcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017-PMNRCD-Plant-Sale-brochure.pdf.  See us also at the Annual Tinmouth Plant Sale on Saturday, May 13, 8 – 10 AM.

Rutland Area Visiting Nurse offers monthly community health clinics: The Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice sponsors a wide range of clinics for area residents and businesses, including health education, screening, testing, and adult immunizations. For more information visit http://vermontvisitingnurses.org/events/categories/rutland-area/ to learn about their flu and foot care clinics; cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure screenings; and many other important services.

Easy Ways to File Your Vermont Income Tax & Claims:

• Download fillable PDF forms from the web www.bit.ly/vttaxforms
• Order forms by email tax.formsrequest@vermont.gov
• Order forms by phone 802-828-2515 or 855-297-5600 (toll-free in U.S.)
• File online at www.myvtax.vermont.gov. File the Homestead Declaration, Property Tax Adjustment, Renter Rebate & Landlord Certificate. Find the status of your refund, too!