Welcome to "The Dish", the blog of Cavendish Connects, a community web site for the town of Cavendish, Vermont.
The Dish features a round-up of local happenings and events in Cavendish, Vermont.
Have something noteworthy to share? Contact us at cavendishconnects@gmail.com; we would love to hear from you.
Golden Stage Inn is seeking a part time housekeeper to thoroughly clean guest rooms, bathrooms and common areas for our 8 room bed and breakfast in Proctorsville. Honesty, reliability, and attention to details are critical. Schedule is negotiable but weekends are a must. Housekeeping experience preferred. References required. Please contact Julie at (802) 226 7744 or innkeeper@goldenstageinn.com
IF YOU COUNT ON CAVENDISH CONNECTS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COUNT ON YOU.
This edition of the Cavendish Update is made possible, along with the special report on the Act 46 Meeting, by a generous contribution from Kem and Svetlana Phillips. Thank you!
4/21/17 Cavendish Update
1. Act 46 Informational Meeting
2. Cavendish Related News
3. Job Opening
4. Cavendish Green Up Day Needs Your Help
5. Wine Tasking to Benefit the Cavendish Historical Society
6. Cavendish Community Fund Updates Its Image
7. Cavendish Spring Bird Walk Planned
8. Local Household Hazardous Waste Collections Coming Soon
9. Events
1. ACT 46 INFORMATIONAL MEETING: On Tuesday, representatives from the Act 46 committee and the Twin Rivers Supervisory Union, along with the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) board held an informational meeting to explain the special school vote to be held on May 2. While an in-depth report is available at The Dish, the “take home point” of the meeting is that the state has mandated unified school districts (Act 46). It will happen one way or the other. Towns that do not become part of a unified district on their own, will be assigned to a district by the State Board of Education and suffer penalties, such as no longer receiving small school grants. Those that form unified districts are being offered incentives-e.g. tax breaks for the first four years.
The proposed plan, which has been approved by the state, is very similar to the old Windsor South West Supervisory Union, which would include the towns of Chester, Andover, Cavendish and Baltimore. Cavendish students will still go to CTES for K-6 and GMUHS for 7-12. The state’s high school choice program remains in effect and is not impacted by Act 46. The new board of the proposed unified district will set policies about choice for the lower grades. Children that are already attending other schools, having opted for a choice agreement, can continue to attend that school.
As part of the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) there will be one board that serves all six schools (2 pre schools, 2 elementary and one high school). Cavendish would have 3 representatives to the board, Chester 6, Andover and Baltimore 1 each. This means that the CTES and GMUHS boards as they currently exist, would be dissolved.
Prior to the meeting, the CTES board voted in three resolutions: transfers the ground that the library sits on to the library board; transfers the land on which the municipal water tank sits to the town; removes the name "CTES" from the Building for Books banking account and replaces it with "Cavendish" and changes the tax identification number from the school's to the town's. As noted, these were “housekeeping issue” that were prudent to do before the proposed merger.
Many in attendance had questions and concerns, which were answered and are detailed in the report at The Dish. Those with further questions should contact Fred Marin fred.marin@trsu.org
Voting on May 2 (Tuesday) takes place from 9-7 at CTES. Voters will decide whether they wish to be part of the GMUSD. They will also select three board members to serve on the unified board. Those running for the unified district school board, all unopposed, are Fred Marin, Doug McBride, and Bruce Pollard
2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
Students from GMUHS, Cavendish Elementary Rally for Planet: On Wednesday, April 12, students from GMUHS and CTES went to Montpelier to participate in the 2nd annual Rally for the Planet, organized by the Vermont Youth Lobby. There they joined about 1,400 other students from more than 50 Vermont schools. The Chester Telegraph
Cavendish Canine Camp Business of the Week: The VT Journal has a special focus this week on Cavendish Canine Camp, which offers boarding, exercise yards, indoor-outdoor kennels, and day care.
Ludlow Bridge 99 and Walker Bridge Construction: Walker Bridge will be the third bridge to be replaced this summer. There will be a pre-closure period of 14 days beginning Saturday, May 27. During this time traffic signs and message boards will be installed as well as a stone causeway in the river in order to remove the piers. One lane alternating traffic will be allowed during the pre-closure, estimate 10-minute wait periods. Full closure will be for 35 days beginning June 10. Vermont Journal
Country Creemee at Downers Four Corners Has Changed Hands: Renamed the Villagers Ice Cream Restaurant at Downers Four Corners, the popular summer eatery is now open for the season with new owners- Rob Westney and Jaime Wyman of Weathersfield Eagle Times
GMP Seeks to Raise Rates Nearly 5%: Green Mountain Power is asking Vermont regulators to approve a 4.98 percent rate increase for customers starting in January 2018. VPR
3. JOB OPENING: Brook Farm Vineyards of Proctorsville, that includes Circa 1810 in Ludlow, is looking for a friendly and experienced tasting room staff member. This is a full time position. Primary duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
• Greet guests at the door in a warm and friendly manner.
• Seats and presents menus to guests in a friendly, professional, and quick manner.
• Pours flights of wine and educates customers about the wines they are drinking.
• Have an understanding of cash & credit transactions- Makes, confirms, cancels and edits reservations.
• Answers phone and answers questions concerning the menu and the tasting room.
• Interacts with guests in and as they leave the restaurant to ensure positive tasting experience.
• Take and fill orders.
• Other duties as directed.
The ideal candidate must posses the following:
*Must be able to work evenings, weekends and holidays, as needed.
* Must have a Certificate of First Class Seminar Attendance from Vermont Department of Liquor Control or be willing to get one.
• Excellent communication skills
• Team oriented
• Organizational skills
• Able to multi-task
• Punctual and reliable
• Ability to stand during entire shift
For more information or to apply contact Jennifer McBride, Brook Farm Vineyards Jen@BrookFarmVineyards.com, or call 802-226-7152
4. CAVENDISH GREEN UP DAY NEEDS YOUR HELP: On May 6, Cavendish will join hundreds of communities throughout Vermont to support the 47-year-old tradition of picking up roadside trash accumulated over the previous winter. Green Up Day is a fun volunteer opportunity that unites communities, raises environmental consciousness and results in litter-free roads and town spaces for us all.
Come to the Proctorsville Green with a friend or family members on Saturday May 6 to pick up special green trash bags, protective gloves and your road assignment. The big sweep begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at noon with a free town-sponsored barbecue on the Proctorsville Green. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be on the grill and folks are invited to bring a side dish to share, though it's not required. In case of rain, Green Up Day will be held on Saturday May 13. FMI: Diane McNamara at the Town Office at 226-7292.
5. WINE TASTING TO BENEFIT THE CAVENDISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Brook Farm Vineyards of Proctorsville is sponsoring a wine tasting, including cheese, chocolate and charcuterie plates, to benefit the Cavendish Historical Society on Monday, May 15 from 6:30 to 8:30. The cost is $35 a person and will take place at their Ludlow tasting room, Circa 1810, 116 Main St. Tickets can be purchased by stopping by Circa 1810 during business hours or sending a check, payable to Brook Farm Vineyards, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. This would make a great Mother’s Day present. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com
6. CAVENDISH COMMUNITY FUND UPDATES ITS IMAGE: The Cavendish Community Fund has passed the ten-year mark and is now updating its image with a new logo. In 2007 the Fund began with donations from several supportive citizens to help build a closer and more cohesive Cavendish. Over ten years the Fund has distributed more than $31,000 in grants to enhance the quality of life in Cavendish. The projects, programs or events that the Fund considers are education in its broadest sense, cultural events, and promotion of the arts.
To celebrate its success and to better reflect its philosophy and goals the Fund has adopted the new logo as a representative of its beliefs. The Fund believes that the bonds of community are the source of dynamic and reciprocal social interaction. These interactions build a dense network of relationships that generates trust, which, in turn, provides the basis for collective problem solving in everyday life.
Community activities provide the opportunity to make new connections with others and, with each new opportunity for connection, to deepen the understanding of how to initiate and maintain new relationships with other local citizens who may be strangers. Activities and events that the Fund sponsors provide the venue for these opportunities to narrow the divide between groups with different interests and backgrounds.
FMI: Barbara Dickey at 802-226-7187 or Peter LaBelle at 802-226-7250.
7. CAVENDISH SPRING BIRD WALK PLANNED: On Saturday, May 13th at 8 a.m. the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association will sponsor a spring bird walk. Attendees should meet at the corner of Twenty Mile Stream Road and Chapman Road in Proctorsville. Ken Cox, a retired fisheries biologist, will lead this year’s walk.
Ken is an expert birder, and a member of the Vermont Bird Records Committee (VBRC). Founded in 1980, the VBRC is composed of expert birders and ornithologists from Vermont and the New England seasonal editors of North American Birds. VBRC keeps the official Vermont Birds Checklist, which currently consists of 388 species representing 21 orders and 61 families of birds.
If you are interested in a fun spring walk and have an interest in the various birds that inhabit this part of New England, please join Mr. Cox and like-minded neighbors. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and be prepared to walk in woods and meadows. Anyone may attend, no reservation is required, and the event is free of charge.
This is the latest in the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association’s Walk and Talk Series of events. The series is designed to present topics of general ecological interest to the public in the Cavendish area. For more information please contact Robin Timko at 226-7736.
8. LOCAL HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS COMING SOON: The Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District is sponsoring free events for the collection and safe disposal of household hazardous wastes on Saturday, May 13 and Saturday, May 20. Only residents and small businesses from Andover, Athens, Baltimore, Cavendish, Chester, Grafton, Ludlow, Plymouth, Reading, Rockingham, Springfield, Weathersfield, West Windsor, and Windsor may participate. Businesses must pre-register and will be charged for disposal costs. The collections will be held at the Springfield Transfer Station from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on May 13 and at the Ludlow Transfer Station from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on May 20. Bring in a mercury fever thermometer and receive a new digital fever thermometer. For more information, call 674-9235 or visit www.vtsolidwastedistrict.org for a list of what to bring.
9. EVENTS
APRIL 29 (Saturday): Got Drugs? Turn in unused or expired medication for safe disposal.
• Opening Day for Baseball at Greven Field.
APRIL 30 (Sunday): Raise the Roof Concert-Maple Jam, 4 pm Gethsemane Church, Proctorsville, Cost $10.
MAY 2 (Tuesday): VOTING DAY. Polls are at CTES and are open from 9-7.
• Community Luncheon at Gethsemane Church Parish Hall, off Depot St. Proctorsville, noon. Luncheon will be lasagna, garlic rolls, salad and dessert.
For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.
In order to understand the special school vote on May 2 regarding Act 46, an informational meeting was held on Tuesday, April 25. Please note that LPCTV filmed this meeting and it can be viewed on Comcast TV or at the LPCTV website.
This is a complex issue and much has been written about it. At the end of this post are links for additional resources where you can learn more. You can also e-mail Fred Marin, who is Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) Board member and served on the Act 46 committee.
Prior to the start of the meeting, the Cavendish School Board passed three resolutions, in preparation for the Act 46 merger, as follows:
• Transfer the majority of the deeded former Koti Lot to the Town of Cavendish for the Town’s continued use of the land for Water System and other purposes-a 300,000 gallon Town of Cavendish municipal water storage is located on this property. CTES will still be able to use the land for supervised recreational and science trails and nature walks.
• To lease the land underlying the Community Library building to the Cavendish Board of Library Trustees for a period of 99 years with renewal option and provision for continuous right of way for access to the library over School District Property for the sum of one dollar per year.
ª To change the name of the Building for Books account to Town of Cavendish Building for Books Fund. This fund will now use the Town’s tax number. The special fund will continue to support library activities as well as educational opportunities for students.
All of these resolutions are permanent regardless of the town vote on May 2.
State’s Mandate: Vermont’s student population has declined 20% in the last 15 years, resulting in the per student cost increasing education property tax rates. Voters are not only concerned about costs but also the educational opportunities for smaller schools. To address these concerns, Act 46 was passed and became law in 2015.
The essence of the law is that by having larger school districts, operational efficiencies can be maximized (increased flexibility to manage, share and transfer resources, with the goal of increasing the district-level ratio of students to full time equivalent staff), costs can be reduced or at least held in place, promote transparency and accountability, and there will be equality in the quality and variety of educational opportunity for all students.
The law comes with both carrots and sticks. If the towns merge as mandated, they can continue to benefit from small school grants and receive a tax break the first four years of operations-8%, 6%, 4% and 2%. In addition, by setting up a unified district that is agreed to, the state cannot add or subtract towns to that district.
If towns vote not to merge, on July 1, 2018 the state will assign them to a district without any of the benefits.
Bottom line- The state has mandated the formation of unified school districts and this will happen one way or another.
Background: In the 1960s, Cavendish merged with Chester/Andover to create the Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS) for students in grades 7-12. The school was built in 1970. Prior to that students were going to Chester or Ludlow for high school, but the town had no say in how their students were being educated.
In 2013, as a result of Act 153, the Windsor South West Supervisory Union, which included Cavendish, Chester/Andover and Flood Brook, merged with the Rutland/Windsor District (Ludlow/Mt. Holly/Plymouth) to form Twin Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU). Note that Flood Brook opted not to merge instead joining Rutland/Bennington. With the passage of Act 46, the TRSU members, plus the town of Baltimore, started meeting 18 months ago to see how to meet the newest state mandate.
By the fall of 2016, it became clear that the issue of Black River High School (BRHS) was a sticking point. With only 151 students, 25 per grade, and a declining enrollment plus a facility in major need of repairs, various options explored called for the closure of the school. In fact, keeping the school open would have dramatically increased taxes for the other participating towns. Note that Cavendish, Andover, Chester and Baltimore’s per pupil cost are well below that of Ludlow, Mt. Holly and Plymouth.
Mt Holly wanted to be part of the Mill River School District, as it’s much closer for them then GMUHS. However, in order for Mt. Holly to enter into such an agreement, their partnership with Ludlow needs to be dissolved.
Plymouth decided to seek unification with districts in the Windsor Central Supervisory Union, while Ludlow and Mt. Holly are asking their respective town voters to dissolve the educational agreement between the two towns, close BRHS and join Mill River Supervisory Union.
Consequently, the towns of Cavendish, Andover, Baltimore and Chester have moved forward and formed a regional education district (RED) to be called Green Mountain Unified Supervisory District (GMUSD). This is essentially the same structure as the old Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union minus Flood Brook and with the addition of Baltimore.
The State Board of Education approved the proposed GMUSD plan on March 21, 2017 and it is now up to the towns to vote on the formation of the unified district.
What Happens Under the Merger? The six schools (pre K schools in Andover and Chester; Chester-Andover grade school; GMUHS; and CTES) will be supervised by one board and will have one budget. The board would be comprised of six members from Chester, three from Cavendish and one each from Andover and Baltimore. The schools will now be “owned” by the District, with the responsibility of maintaining the schools born by the taxpayers of all the participating towns. In the event a school should be closed, the school, its contents and property revert back to the town.
Does the Town Lose Its School? School assets are not being turned over to the state. When the RED forms, the new Unified District board (on which Cavendish will have 3 of the 11 positions) becomes the legal entity with responsibility for the assets. The current Cavendish Board of Directors ceases to exist. The school, itself, cannot be closed without the consent of the voters of the Town of Cavendish, for a period of at least 4 years after formation of the RED (July, 2022).
Is School Choice Still an Option for Grades 9-12? The state law provides 9-12th grade students an opportunity to go out of district for high school. The law remains unchanged and students still have to apply and be accepted to the high school if they wish to exercise this option.
What About choice for K-8? Currently TRSU allows students to go to other schools within the Supervisory Union. Under the new law, students that are attending another district school e.g. Cavendish students attending BRHS can continue to do so. It will be up to the new GMUSD board to determine in district and/or out of district choice for grades K-8.
If a Town Votes “No:” If Baltimore votes “no,” because it is an advisable town, the other towns can move forward with the GMUSD. If Andover, Cavendish or Chester votes “no,” then the merger is off. Towns who vote “no” can revote based on a petition of 5% of the voters of that town.
If the “no” vote remains, the state will then determine how the redistricting will take place minus any benefits.
Concerns Raised at the Meeting
• Dislike State Interference: More than one person voiced that they did not like the state mandating how we run our schools and forcing us into a district.
• Busing/Forcing Students to Go to Different School: Because one of the objectives of Act 46 is to increase the district level ratio of students to full time equivalent staff, what prohibits students from being bused from Cavendish to Chester to fill a grade? The board responded that Chester/Andover has exceeded max capacity by about 20 students and it was very unlikely this would happen. Further, the board was very concerned about busing and don’t want to see children traveling for long durations, particularly younger children. Joe Fromberger, the representative from Andover noted, in all his years of serving on the GMUHS board, the first and foremost concern was what was best for students.
• Why Wasn’t Black River High School Considered for CTES Students Since it’s Closer: A combination of factors including low enrollment, fewer educational opportunities and outdated facility resulted in the focus being on students going to GMUHS, which has a considerably newer facility, room for expansion, more than double the school population and more opportunities for students.
• The state is continually making changes. In 2013 the TRSU was formed and yet the savings of $300,000 from the merger never seemed to materialize to the taxpayers benefit. It was explained that the reason the supervisory budget did not decrease was because certain costs were shifted from the individual schools (e.g. special education) to the district level.
• GMUSD Would Still be Small: There are only 700 students in the proposed GMUSD. With the area continuing to see a decline in young families moving here, what will happen if that number shrinks to 500 students? Could we be forced to close our school and send students elsewhere? While the GMUSD locks in the towns merged, it is still open to surrounding towns that may wish to join. Grafton, Rockingham and even Ludlow could consider joining.
Vermont has a significant issue with many people, particularly young families, leaving the state. Cavendish in particular has a problem because of its inferior telecommunications. Families and businesses are opting for other towns as a result. The Vermont “exodus” is a statewide problem and it’s going to take more than unified school districts to correct it.
• GMUHS’s Capacity for Absorbing More Students GMUHS was built for 700 students and currently has 320. There is sufficient capacity to expand enrollment and it’s unlikely that there would be a mass influx anytime soon.
• Tax Rate: Tax rates for the unified district were presented to show that Cavendish would experience an initial drop from 1.5153 in FY 2017 to 1.4699 in FY 2019. This would then increase slightly each year so that by FY 2022, the per pupil cost for all schools in the district would be 1.6751
• Senate Bill 122-Act 46 Flexibility Legislation: Currently there is a bill moving through the VT legislature which would provide more ways for districts to combine, some with incentives such as tax breaks and grants; extends some deadlines; and tries to address concerns lawmakers heard at a public hearing this month. The bill would create three new regional education district merger options. It applies to areas where geographic isolation is a problem; where districts don’t align in the grades they operate or tuition; or where there are significantly differing levels of indebtedness between districts. The legislation also extends timelines if voters have turned down a merger proposal or if another district wants to join. The legislation provides schools with transition grants and frees up grant requirements so money can be used for community engagement. Learn more about the legislation as it currently stands as of April 20 at House Committee Puts Own Spin on Act 46 Flexibility
It’s unclear if Cavendish would qualify under the proposed bill. The legislative session is rapidly drawing to a close and there is considerable work that’s needed before the bill can pass.
Take Home Point: Ultimately the “take home point” of the school board and Act 46 committee was pretty straightforward. The state is mandating unification and it’s going to happen regardless of how the voting turns out. If you vote for the GMUSD, things pretty much stay the same for Cavendish students and the town gets some carrots (continue to receive small school grants, have a tax break the first four years of the unified district, lock in partners in the merger and therefore not subjected to changes by the state). If the merger is voted down, the state will assign which district Cavendish will be part of and will not receive the tax benefit.
Voting: The polls-CTES- in Cavendish will be open from 9-7 on May 2. Voters will decide whether they wish to be part of the GMUSD. They will also select three board members to serve on the unified board in the event the GMUSD is voted in. Those running for the unified district school board, all unopposed, are Fred Marin, Doug McBride, and Bruce Pollard
Resources
• Two Rivers Supervisory Union Act 46 Study Committee Report: Obtain a copy from the Cavendish Town Office.
Tasting room Staff Brook Farm Vineyards and Circa 1810: Brook Farm Vineyard is looking for a friendly and experienced tasting room staff member to join our team. This is a full time position. Primary duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
• Greet guests at the door in a warm and friendly manner.
• Seats and presents menus to guests in a friendly, professional, and quick manner.
• Pours flights of wine and educates customers about the wines they are drinking.
• Have an understanding of cash & credit transactions- Makes, confirms, cancels and edits reservations.
• Answers phone and answers questions concerning the menu and the tasting room.
• Interacts with guests in and as they leave the restaurant to ensure positive tasting experience.
• Take and fill orders.
• Other duties as directed.
The ideal candidate must posses the following:
*Must be able to work evenings, weekends and holidays, as needed.
* Must have a Certificate of First Class Seminar Attendance from Vermont Department of Liquor Control or be willing to get one.
• Excellent communication skills
• Team oriented
• Organizational skills
• Able to multi-task
• Punctual and reliable
• Ability to stand during entire shift
For more information or to apply contact Jennifer McBride, Brook Farm Vineyards Jen@BrookFarmVineyards.com, or call 802-226-7152
