Cavendish Update 1/17/20: SB/Education/Warning/Events
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1/17/20 Cavendish Update
1. Australia Relief Dinner
2. Preparation for Town Meeting Day
3. Select Board Action
4. Education News: Powden Resigns
5. Fire District 2 (Cavendish) Warning of Annual Meeting
6. Events
1. AUSTRALIA RELIEF DINNER: To help raise money to aid those most affected by the Australia bush fires, CTES students -part of the Carmine Guica Young Historians’ Preserve & Serve program- are partnering with the Ludlow Rotary and Murdock’s Restaurant. On February 6, from 4-9, Murdock’s Restaurant on the Proctorsville Green, will donate a percentage of the night’s profits to assist the Ludlow Rotary’s Australian Fire Disaster Relief. Funds will support both the people and wildlife devastated by the fires. You can call ahead for reservations at 802-554-0126.
In addition, throughout the area you will find Rotary donation boxes, some of which offer bracelets made by the students. Please consider supporting this effort. All donations are tax deductible. 100% of the funds go to Australia. Checks should be written to Ludlow Area Rotary Charitable Foundation (LARCF).
2. TOWN MEETING DAY: Town meeting is March 2 (Monday), 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School’s multipurpose room. The town budget is voted on at this meeting. There is a separate school informational meeting in February. Voting for elected positions and school budgets takes place by Australian Ballot on March 3 (Tuesday), 10-7 at the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Dept.
Register for Cavendish Elected Positions-File Petitions Now: Anyone interested in applying for a Cavendish Elected position, see list below, stop by the Town Office and pick up a petition from the Town Clerk, Diane McNamara. All petitions require 12 signatures from registered Cavendish voters and are due at the Town Office by Monday, Jan. 27., 2020. Note: all positions are for one official, with the exception of Select Board, where there are two vacancies for one year terms: Town Moderator 1 year term; Town Agent 1 year term; Auditor 1 year; Auditor 1 year (remaining balance of 2 year term; Auditor 3 years; Select Board 1 year (2 positions available); Select Board 2 year (remaining balance of a 3 year term; Select Board 3 years; Town Clerk 3 Years; Town Treasurer 3 Years; Town Grand Juror 1 Year; Library Trustee 5 years; Trustee of Public Funds 3 years;; GMUSD Director 1 year and GMUSD Director 3 years.
While petitions have been filed for all of the Select Board positions, none have been submitted for the GMUSD board positions. FMI: Town Office 802-226-7291.
3. SELECT BOARD ACTION: The Cavendish Select Board is now working on the budget, to be voted on at the Cavendish Town Meeting, March 2 pm. Minutes are available at the Municipal Website for January 7 and January 9.
At the monthly SB meeting on January 13, the board took the following action and/or discussed:
• Approved the submission of the “Communities Caring for Canopy’ grant application, which will be used to prune trees on the Proctorsville Green.
• Tim Calabrese (Tree Warden) advised the board that the Emerald ash borer has been spotted in Londonerry. He recommended that additional funds be put in the budget as ash trees will need to come down.
• Agreed to a “Memo of Understanding” between the town, the Cavendish Historical Society and the Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Center (ASC) regarding the completion of the restoration of the Cavendish Stone Church and its ultimate use as the permanent home of the Solzhenitsyn exhibit as well as a small venue space.
• Approved a Special Event Permit for Groennfel Meadery LLC.
• Granted two requests from municipal utility users who wanted inactive status for sewer
• Discussed re-financing of the current ‘Delinquent Tax Anticipation Note, as it relates to FY 20-21 Budget.
For more information on this meeting, go to Cavendish Select Board Stifles Quarry Discussion (VT Journal); Okemo Valley TV website for the video of the meeting; or check the minutes of this meeting at the Municipal website.
4. EDUCATION NEWS: The biggest news item this month has been the resignation of Meg Powden, Superintendent of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) at the January 13 TRSU monthly meeting. Effective June 30, 2020, Powden did not give a specific reason for leaving. The Chester Telegraph’s article Powden resigns as TRSU superintendent effective June 30 provides a good overview of her four year tenure as head of the SU, noting that Powden’s tenure with the school system, which began in the middle of the Act 46 merger process, has been marked by a number of issues revolving around transparency and trust. You can read. Powden’s letter of resignation by clicking here.
Other education news pertains to the developing school budget, which is voted on by Australian ballot on March 3, from 10-7 at the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Dept., in Proctorsville.
• TRSU Postpones Budget While Districts Continue Work on Theirs (Chester Telegraph)
• TRSU Board Rejects Budget with a 9’5% increase (VT Journal)
• GMUSD Finance Committee reverses strict cost per pupil mandate (VT Journal)
• TRSU board mulls budget increases, LMH may lose transportation (Chester Telegraph)
• GM board restores priorities, bets on programs to attract more students: At least two board members will not seek re-election (Chester Telegraph)
5. CAVENDISH FIRE DISTRICT 2 ANNUAL MEETING: Fire District #2 (Cavendish) will hold its annual meeting on February 3 (Monday), 7:30 at the Cavendish Town Office. The official warning is available on-line and at the Town Office. In addition to electing officers, and voting on the budget, Article 5 states, “To see if the legal voters of District #2. Will authorize the closing of the Truck Fund and allow the District to apply said funds toward the hiring of two part time (2) EMTs or one full time EMT for daytime coverage.” This measure is being sought to help with the increasing demand for medical coverage. Further, CVFD is working on a methodical transition from fire department to medical Rescue Squad. The intent is to keep just one engine at the department for enough fire-fighting capacity to keep homeowner insurance rates lower on this side of town.
6. EVENTS
JANUARY 20 (MONDAY): Martin Luther King Day. Cavendish Town Office Closed
JANUARY 26 (SUNDAY): English Tea and the screening of Downton Abbey (the movie) at Cavendish Fletcher Community Library at 1 pm. Make it more fun and come in High Tea attire!
FEBRUARY 3 (MONDAY): Fire District #2 (Cavendish) Annual Meeting, 7:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office. The official warning is available by clicking here.
FEBRUARY 6 (THURSDAY) : Australian Relief Dinner 4-9 pm at Murdock’s on the Proctorsville Green. See article 1 above.
FEBRUARY 10 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Meeting
FEBRUARY 17 (MONDAY): President’s Day Town Office Closed
FEBRUARY 18 (TUESDAY): 3rd Quarter Town Taxes Due
MARCH 2 (MONDAY): Cavendish Town Meeting, 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School. Note: The town budget is voted on at this meeting. There is a separate informational meeting about the school that takes place in February.
MARCH 3 (TUESDAY): VOTING DAY-Elected town positions and school budgets are done by Australian Ballot. The polls are open from 10-7 at the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department in Proctorsville. Handicap accessible entrance is available. Town office will be closed.
MARCH 28 (SATURDAY): A joint project of Cavendish Connects and the Cavendish Library, learn to make totes from feed bags. The workshop is free from 1-4 pm at the Cavendish Library in Proctorsville.
APRIL 10 (FRIDAY): Town office closed for Good Friday
APRIL 12 (SUNDAY): Happy Easter
SEPETEMBER 12 (SATURDAY): 8th Annual Vermont Golden Stage Honey Festival. 10-4 pm at the Golden Stage Inn, Proctorsville, corner of Depot Street and Route 103. Free Admission. FMI: 802-226-7744 or vtgoldenhoneyfestival@gmail.com
For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.
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