Cavendish Update 3/6/26: Town Mtg/Meters/Hearing/News
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LINKS TO CAVENDISH CONNECTS: Facebook Blue Sky or Website
SPRING AHEAD ON SUNDAY: Daylight Savings time starts on Sunday. Set clocks ahead one hour and be sure to check smoke and other type of detector devices.
TOWN WATER: As a follow up to last week’s water leak in Proctorsville, the town manager is encouraged all water users to sign up for the new water meters. See Item 2 below for more information.
CHANGES AT THE TOWN OFFICE: With 23 years as a dedicated town employee, Diane McNamara is retiring as town clerk/town treasurer. Thank you Diane for your dedication to the town and best wishes for a fun and enjoyable retirement. Michael Murphy will be replacing Diane, though she will be on hand initially to show him the ropes. Michael has 30 years business and IT experience and lives in Cavendish Village.
3/6/26
1. Town Meeting Results
2. New Meters for Water Users
3. Public Hearing Before the Planning Commission
4. Hannah Lovell & the Role of Women in the Revolutionary War
5. Cavendish Related News
6. Events Calendar
1. TOWN MEETING RESULTS: While all articles for the Town passed Tuesday’s vote, Michael Murphy, received 75 write-ins for both Town Clerk and Town Treasurer and Christopher Saylor received 13 write-in votes sufficient to be Library trustee. All positions ran unopposed, with insufficient write-ins for Town Agent, Trustees of Public Funds or Auditors. Michael Ripley continues as Town Moderator and will also serve a three year term on the GMUSD board. Donovan Nichols will serve two years as GMUSD Director. Select board membership will remain the same, with Shannon Devereux and David Norton serving one year terms and Robert Glidden the three year term. Theresa McNamara was elected as Town Grand Juror.
Information is not provided on how specific towns vote for the Green Mountain Unified School District budget. However, the school budget was voted down by a margin of 37 votes (488 Yes and 525 No).
By a vote of 110 to 89, the adoption of Subdivision Regulations was passed, along with the town budget, allocations for Red Cross, Okemo Valley Technical Rescue, Black River Senior Center and the Vermont Center for Independent Living. The results of the Australian Ballot are available at the town’s website.
2. NEW METERS FOR TOWN WATER USERS: Last Friday we posted that the leak had been found in Proctorsville. Town Manager, Rick Chambers posted that the Town has purchased new water meters and if these meters had been installed throughout, the leak issue could have been resolved within days not months. These new meters, which are free, sense vibrations of a leak, as well as warn when a line is freezing, in addition to identifying leaks by increased usage.
Meter installation needs to be scheduled when you are home and available. Below is an email for scheduling, please list Name, Address and a Phone Number to schedule the meter replacement. chris.hughes@cavendishvt.org
Note that one town users posted her experience on Facebook having the water meter installed. We had a very positive installation today. Sent our name, address and contact phone number as requested to Chris Hughes. A few days later we received a call and discussed and agreed to the installation to take place this morning. Ron arrived at 8:30 as promised. He replaced all 3 of the meters in our 3 condo building in 30 minutes. No cost to us. EZPZ. Please send in your information so we can get all the meters updated to improve the ability of the town to troubleshoot in the future. Thanks Ron for your hard work. We appreciate you very much.
3. PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION 4/1/26: A public hearing before the Planning Commission for the town of Cavendish will be held at the Cavendish Town Hall on April 1st 2026 at 6:00 PM. to consider a conditional use application regarding the proposed improvements at 67 Mill St, Cavendish.
Reason For Hearing: Proposed improvements are within the Floodway Fringe as defined in the Cavendish Flood Hazard Regulations which require a Conditional Use Hearing with the Cavendish Planning Commission.
The above application is available for inspection at the Cavendish Municipal Offices. Persons wishing to participate may do so in person, be represented by an agent or an attorney, by Zoom, or by writing to the Planning Commission. Written communications about the application should be filed with the Cavendish Planning Commission PO Box 126 Cavendish VT 05412 either prior to, or during, the hearing. Hybrid meeting information will be available on the agenda. Tim Calabrese Chair, Cavendish Planning Commission
4. HANNAH LOVELL & THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR: Without women, the Revolutionary War would not have been won. Often overlooked in history books, which tend to focus on battles and men, women were responsible for running the boycotts, serving the quarter master function in camps, nursing, manning cannons, spying and much more. Not only did women influence the outcome of the war, it set the stage for women to begin liberating themselves over the coming centuries legally, economically and from patriarchal control.
On Saturday March 14, at 1 pm at the Cavendish Library in Proctorsville, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) will hold a talk on Hannah Lovell and the role of women in the Revolutionary War. Lovell, who carried messages during the war, is the only woman in the Cavendish cemeteries with acknowledgment as a “patriot” on her grave stone and a Revolutionary War flag holder. However, she was far from the only female patriot. This event will include showing excerpts from Ken Burns American Revolution series, as well a “Liberty Tea” party featuring the drinks of the era-special tea, coffee and hot chocolate.
This event is free, open to the public and recommended for those 12 and up. In the event of inclement weather, changes will be posted to the Cavendish Facebook page by 10 am. For more information call 802-226-7807 or email margocaulfield@icloud.com
5. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
• Respiratory Weekly Report: The health department’s Respiratory Illness Activity in Vermont reports Covid has significantly dropped from “Very High” to “low” while flu has remained “very low” concentrations in Ludlow waste water, for the week of /22/26-2/28/26. Statewide Covid is rated as “moderate” and flu A “low.” Masks and hand sanitizer are available at the Cavendish Cares closet next to the Museum steps.
• CHS March Briefs: The Cavendish Historical Society’s Briefs for March are now on-line and include a schedule of upcoming events.
• Weathersfield voters reject town and school budgets: How this will impact Weathersfield plan to form a regional police departments isn’t known. Valley News
• Voters approve new school in Woodstock: A growing number of Cavendish students attend Woodstock High School. Valley News
• Ludlow/Mt Holly Pass School Budget: The town of Ludlow had sufficient votes to override Mt. Holly’s No votes to pass their school budget 351 to 325.
• Sen. Alison Clarkson to retire after more than two decades in Vermont’s Legislature: Clarkson has been Cavendish’s Senate rep since 2016. VT Digger
• Free Easter Dinners: Curbside pickup at Ludlow Community Center, 37 Main St., Ludlow from 12-2. Ham, potatoes, Gravy, Corn, Roll and Dessert. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 by April 1 to reserve your free dinner(s). Ludlow and Proctorsville Fire Departments with Black River Good Neighbor Services (BRGNS) are once again providing and preparing these meals.
6. EVENTS
MARCH 8 (SUNDAY): Day light savings return. Move clocks forward one hour and check smoke detectors and other devices.
MARCH 9 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Meeting, 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office/
MARCH 13 (FRIDAY): CCCA Wild Hope: Building for Birds and Puffing Patrol at the Cavendish Library, 6 pm.
MARCH 14 (SATURDAY): CHS Workshop- Celebrating Women’s History month, this workshop will discuss the role of women in the American Revolution and will include screening segments of the American Revolution series. This workshop will include a “taste of history,” where “Liberty Tea” will be served. The program begins at 1:30 pm at the Cavendish Library in Proctorsville.
APRIL 1 (WEDNESDAY): Dog License Renewals Due
- Planning Commission Hearing, 6 pm Cavendish Town Office to consider a conditional use application regarding the proposed improvements at 67 Mill St, Cavendish.
APRIL 3 (FRIDAY): Town office Closed for Good Friday
APRIL 4 (SATURDAY): Great Ludlow Egg Hunt, Ages 2-12, Hunt starts at 10 am at the Ludlow Community Center, sponsored by Ludlow Parks and Recreation.
- Easter Dinner Curbside pickup at Ludlow Community Center, 37 Main St., Ludlow from 12-2. Ham, potatoes, Gravy, Corn, Roll and Dessert. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 by April 1 to reserve your free dinner(s). Ludlow and Proctorsville Fire Departments with Black River Good Neighbor Services (BRGNS) are once again providing and preparing these meals.
APRIL 5 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER