Carla OccasoPolice Arrest Man for Alleged Embezzlement
Montpelier Police received a report on Jan. 8 of several alleged thefts from the Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools between Dec. 19 and Dec. 31, 2025, according to a press release. The school district had reported an employee, Matthew Carten, 42, of Barre Town, had taken items from school property, used school accounts for personal benefit, and vandalized tools to make them look like they were his.
Following investigation, Carten was allegedly found to have taken about $10,000 worth of items from three school properties, and to have charged items to school accounts totaling $2,072.93 for himself while working as a custodian. Police announced the arrest of Carten on Feb. 10 on charges of felony embezzlement and felony false pretenses. He was cited to appear in Washington County Superior Court on March 5 at 8:30 a.m.
Land Trust Award Closes March 1
Applications for the 2026 $5,000 Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award are open until March 1, the Vermont Land Trust announced recently. Farmers can learn more and apply online at vlt.org/eric. The award recognizes land stewardship, innovation, and service to the community, the press release states. Those who may apply include farmers who manage a commercial farm and are residents of Vermont and have not received this award in the past. Applicants do not have to own a farm. The award will be announced at the Vermont Land Trust’s annual meeting in the fall.
Last Week for Montpelier Acting City Manager and Assistant City Manager
Montpelier’s acting city manager and acting assistant city manager announced the week ending Feb. 14 would be their last week serving in those roles, per the Feb. 14 City Manager’s Report. They extended thanks to Planning Director Mike Miller, Department of Public Works Director Kurt Motyka, and the rest of the staff. They also acknowledged the Department of Public Works employees who had to go out in the cold to fix the water main breaks.
Funny Farm LLC Coming to Barre-Montpelier Road
A sign announcing the arrival of Funny Farm LLC is up over the old sign for the Thomas Farm and Garden Center on the Barre-Montpelier Road. The Thomas Farm and Garden Center announced it was closing for the winter in September on its Facebook page, and then advertised to rent out the property in January. The address is 535 U.S. Route 302. The Barre Winter Farmers Market has a Funny Farm LLC on their vendor list.
