In this Newsletter (Scroll down for details).

Annual Town Report
Youth Vote Results
Habitat for Humanity accessibility services
The Pawlet Community Food Pantry
No-Mow May
Alzheimer’s Support Group Meets at New Location
Medical Waste – Sharps & Syringes disposal information
Tick Season is Back – Learn the Symptoms of Tickborne Diseases
Pawlet Public Library Storytime for May
Lisa May’s Chair Yoga at the Pawlet Public Library
Pawlet Emergency Management
Property tax and waste water user fees online payments info
Town clerk office hours
Links for information when the town clerk is not available
Library Hours
Did you know?
Highway Department — contact information

Upcoming Events & Important Dates
(scroll down toward the end of the newsletter for details)

April 25: Pawlet Public Library Death Cafe
April 26: Pawlet Public Library Sacred Vibes
April 29: Pawlet Select Board Meeting
May 6: Pawlet Public Library Monthly Meeting
May 10: Pawlet Public Library Medicine Garden
May 13: Pawlet Select Board Meeting
May 14: Pawlett Historical Society Monthly Meeting
May 27: Pawlet Select Board Meeting

Annual Town Report
The Annual Town Report is posted on the website and available HERE.

Youth Vote Results
While the Town Meeting Day results were posted to the website and reported by our area news, the Youth Vote didn’t get the same attention. Let’s fix that! This year’s question: What kind of activity do you do in your spare time at home? See the results HERE.

Habitat for Humanity accessibility services
If you or someone you know has physical difficulty getting in and out of your house, Rutland County Habitat for Humanity can help with building a ramp.  Habitat for Humanity will provide leadership and expertise, labor is provided by volunteers – friends, family, neighbors, other town residents.  Your cost is for the materials.  Email rutlandhabitat@gmail.com for more information and/or to apply.

The Pawlet Community Food Pantry
The Volunteer Team of the Pawlet Community Food Pantry would like to thank the community for the recent vote of financial support for the Food Pantry. The work currently being done to feed our neighbors could not happen without the donations of food, time, and finances that we continue to receive.

We have expanded to partner with the Vermont Food Bank which allows us to purchase more supplies at less cost. We’ve also recently been awarded two grants, both intended to strengthen our fresh produce offerings. We are excited that one of the grants is focused on the purchase of local foods from community farms.

Donations for food and other items can be left in drop-boxes at the Library, the Town Hall, or the Pawlet or West Pawlet Post Office. There is also the Little Free Food Cupboard-the red cupboard on the Pawlet Fire Department property. Food can be dropped off or accessed here 24/7.

Financial donations are also welcomed. Checks may be written to the Pawlet Community Food Pantry and mailed to:
The Pawlet Community Food Pantry
c/o Nancy Bryant
337 Milaura Road
Pawlet, VT 05761

The Pawlet Community Food Pantry is located in the community room of the Pawlet Community Church. Offering a shopping-style distribution, it is open from 3:30 to 5:30 on the second and fourth Thursday of every month. Please come if you have a need. New Volunteers are always welcomed.

No-Mow May
For the last few years, Vermont and surrounding states have promoted the idea of “no-mow May” to help pollinators survive and thrive. For more information, view the statement on the State of Vermont website HERE. 

Alzheimer’s Support Group Meets at New Location

 Community Health’s Alzheimer’s support group has moved to a new location.

The group, meeting the second Tuesday of each month at 4p, has moved to 

Community Health North Main St. 231 North Main St, Rutland

Caregivers and family members of Alzheimer’s patients are welcome to share feelings, thoughts, and experiences with other caregivers. Join out support group.

For more information message kbathalon@chcrr.org or call 802-465 2255.

Medical Waste – Sharps & Syringes – BANNED FROM LANDFILL

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently launched a website on the safe disposal of medical sharps after home use intended for patients and caregivers. For more information including information about approved disposal sites, click HERE. 

Tick Season is Back – Learn the Symptoms of Tickborne Diseases

Community Health providers say it’s important to know the symptoms of tickborne diseases. They include: 

• Lyme disease – fever, headache, fatigue, and skin rash that looks like a bullseye. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. 

• Anaplasmosis – fever, severe headache, muscle aches, chills and shaking. Anaplasmosis doesn’t cause a rash. Illness occurs 5 to 21 days after exposure to an infected tick.

• Babesiosis – when symptoms occur, they typically begin one to four weeks after a tick bite and can include fever, chills, sweats, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, nausea, or fatigue.

The best way to prevent tickborne diseases is to avoid places where ticks thrive, use a safe recommended repellent, dress protectively and check your clothes and body for ticks. Get a good pair of tweezers for your first aid kit for removing ticks from your skin.

See your Community Health provider if you feel any of these symptoms as early diagnosis and treatment are important. Learn more on our website https://www.chcrr.org/patient-education/tickborne-diseases/ or call us at (802) 779-9169 for more information.

Pawlet Public Library Storytime May
Storytime with Gretchen starts at 11 a.m. Upcoming dates and themes:
Friday, May 2: Compost
Saturday, May 10: Seeds
Friday, May 16: Bugs 

Lisa May’s Chair Yoga at the Pawlet Public Library
Tuesdays at 11:45. $10 per class payable by cash or check. 

Pawlet Emergency Management
Stay informed and prepared with the latest updates from Pawlet Emergency Management by liking our Facebook page! Our page serves as a crucial hub for disseminating important announcements, including town-wide emergencies such as road closures, shelter openings, and other critical information. By following us, you ensure that you have instant access to all essential updates, keeping you and your family safe. Like our page today and stay connected with the most current emergency information!

– Bob Morlino
Emergency Management Director

Town of Pawlet now accepts online payments for property tax and waste water user fees
The Town of Pawlet is happy to announce that we are now able to accept credit card and Electronic Checks for Property Tax and Waste Water User Fee Payments. Click HERE to get started with a payment or call Julie at 802-325-3309 ext. 2.

Town Clerk Office hours**
Monday:  9:30-3:30
Tuesday: 9:00-3:00
Wednesday:  9:30-3:30
Thursday:  Closed
Friday:  Closed

** Please note: Appointments need to be made ahead of time for land record and genealogical research.

Links for information when Town Clerk is not available:
**All land record recordings from 10/2013 to present are entered into the COTT Online System:
https://cotthosting.com/vtportal/user/login.aspx

Online maps & Assessor’s cards:
http://www.caigisonline.com/pawletvt/

Certified copies of Birth & Death can be procured from any town clerk in the state or online at
https://www.healthvermont.gov/stats/vital-records

Pawlet Public Library hours of operation
Sunday – Closed
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 11:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday – 11:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday – 11:00am – 5:00pm
Friday – 10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday – 10:00am – 2:00pm

Curbside service is available by appointment on the days the Library is open. Contact the Library staff at 802-325-3123 or pawletpub@gmail.com.

Did you know?
There are around 300 species of wild bees in Vermont. Vermont Public Radio did a podcast about the bee population in 2019. You can listen to the podcast HERE. 

Highway Department
The Town of Pawlet Highway Department requests that citizens do not come to the town garage to contact them. Please phone and leave a message: 802-325-3467

— April 25,  3-5 p.m. — Death Cafe
Join us for an open, respectful, and thoughtful conversation about death and dying – topics we often shy away from but deeply connect us all.

At a Death Cafe, there’s no agenda, no judgement, and no intention of leading anyone to conclusions. Just tea, cake, and meaningful conversation in a warm, welcoming space.

Come as you are. Bring your thoughts, your questions, your curiosity.

Let’s talk about death so we can live more fully! More information available HERE. 

Note: It is worth mentioning that Death Cafe is not a bereavement support or grief counseling setting. Death Cafe doesn’t work for folks who, for whatever reason, aren’t able to discuss death comfortably and openly. There are many other resources better set up for this. Thank you.

— April 26,  2-4 p.m. — Sacred Vibes
Step into a soothing sanctuary of calm and connection. Join us for a gentle group experience designed to help you relax, restore and realign. A guided meditation, sound healing and reiki will be offered by Jana and Tim of Heron Brook Haven.

Come as you are – no experience needed. Just bring an open heart and anything that helps you feel comfortable (a mat, blanket, pillow). For more information, click HERE. 

— April 29, 7:00 p.m. — Pawlet Select Board Meeting
The agenda for the next meeting will be available HERE. The Board meets every other Tuesday at 7:00 PM. Meetings are held according to the rules of procedure established by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

— May 6,  starting at 6:00 p.m. — Pawlet Public Library Monthly Board Meeting
The Library Board generally meets the first Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public; please contact the library for more information on how to join the meeting at 325-3123.

— May 10,  10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Medicine Garden
Join local plant ally Jana Mason for a hands-on introduction to cultivating healing herbs for your body, mind and spirit.

— May 13, 7:00 p.m. — Pawlet Select Board Meeting
The agenda for the next meeting will be available HERE. The Board meets every other Tuesday at 7:00 PM. Meetings are held according to the rules of procedure established by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

— May 14, 7:00 p.m. — Pawlett Historical Society’s Monthly Meeting
Held at Pawlet Public Library. Contact Rose Smith 24 hours in advance if you need to attend via Zoom at 802-645-0306

— May 27, 7:00 p.m. — Pawlet Select Board Meeting
The agenda for the next meeting will be available HERE. The Board meets every other Tuesday at 7:00 PM. Meetings are held according to the rules of procedure established by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

More News and Updates

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The Pawlet eNews is published about every four weeks. Please forward any information for the eNews to Sean Ruck, updates@pawlet.vt.gov Thank you.