Cavendish Select Board Meeting 5/14/18

Select board (SB) meetings are recorded by Okemo Valley TV and are available at their website and on Comcast Television.  Written minutes are available at the town’s website. The following was discussed/action taken at Monday night’s meeting:

Telecommunications: Scott Brooks of TDS was invited to the May SB meeting, to explain what TDS was planning to do in Cavendish. Brooks sent an e-mail to Brendan McNamara, town manager, which stated I did not respond right away to your request because I needed to find out what, if any, plans TDS has regarding broadband improvements for Cavendish. As you may or may not know, last year TDS invested about a half million dollars to upgrade the equipment in the Proctorsville Central Office to provide faster and more reliable speeds to the customers served out of that location.  We also increased our backhaul out of Cavendish to the New York City POP by increasing the capacity of that pipe ten-fold.  TDS was also the recipient of Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) funds that were given out by the FCC. ... TDS will receive federal dollars over the next 10 years to upgrade our networks to improve speeds and offer more reliable service to the most rural parts of America,  which are the communities we serve.... I don’t have an update to share with you specifically for Cavendish today.  We are still working through the thousands of sites we have around the country and prioritizing them, but as we continue to improve our network that priority lists continues to ebb and flow.... as we move towards the 3rd quarter of this year plans for 2019 will crystalize and I will then reach out to you to see if I could come to a Select Board meeting then once we have firmer plans.

 Various phone calls and e-mails to Comcast have gone unanswered. While Comcast received a grant in August 2017 from the state to wire the most unserved area of Cavendish-Tarbell Hill/Knapp Pond, they have not acted on the grant. This inactivity may be tied directly to Vermont having enacted legislation to maintain net neutrality in the state. Comcast deleted a "no paid prioritization" pledge from its net neutrality webpage on the very same day that the Federal Communications Commission announced its initial plan to repeal net neutrality rules.

The state’s Dept. of Public’s Service’s Telecommunications division is recommending that Cavendish look into becoming part of a Communications Union District (CUD). This is basically a group of towns that join together to install high speed Internet. To that end, Cavendish will be part of a meeting on May 23, with Ludlow and Weathersfield, to begin exploring the formation of a CUD. It should be noted that significant funding for CUDs is now available from the federal government via USDA Rural Development.

53 Depot Street

Derelict Building 53 Depot Street: Since 2003, condo owners and neighbors have come before the SB begging them to do something about a building that’s collapsing and has resulted in homeowners not being able to obtain fire insurance. After considerable discussion, the board voted to have McNamara speak to the home owner, who must respond by June 1, about what they plan to do with the building. Depending on the response, the SB will determine if they need to continue to move forward with the steps outlined in the town’s “Derelict Building” ordinance.

Approved the following:

• A promissory note with Mascoma Bank in the amount of $400,000 to fund the Town Highway Garage Project.

• Acting in capacity as Board of Sewer Commissioners, approved inactive status for wastewater for two properties on municipal water.

• The reissuing of a property tax refund check to Elizabeth Treitter for $356.43, which was originally dated 2/28/13. Treitter had misplaced the check and just recently found it.

• Begin a search for a used town utility truck replacement as the current one will most likely not pass inspection.

• Use of the Proctorsville Green for the Summer Wednesday Night Concert Series (begins July 11); CTES graduation (June 19); and the retirement party for George Thomson (June 22)

• A permit to Singleton’s Store to serve beer at a private pizza party, which will be held next to the store in Proctorsville on June 2 from 5-8 pm. This is a catered private party.

Cavendish Update 5/11/18: News/Events/Warning

Thank you to Carl Liener for the new sign in front of the Cavendish Historical Society Museum.

CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.

5/11/18 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Warning from the Cavendish Tree Warden

3. 8th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale

4. Soles for Souls

5. Prom/Graduation/End of School

6. Events

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Edward Fitzgibbons: Having recently celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary with his wife Mildred, Eddie died on May 7 at the age of 97. His was a great source of Cavendish history, including memories of the 1927 flood and where the spotter towers were during WWII. He always carried dog treats with him, long after his own dog was gone. Whether you had your dog with you or not, he’d hand you a treat and mention your pet by name. Our sympathies to his wife and family. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. today Friday, May 11, 2018, in the Cavendish Village Cemetery in Cavendish. Reverend Abraham Gross will officiate. A time of fellowship will follow at the Cavendish Baptist Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the Cavendish Baptist Church, P.O. Box 425, Cavendish, VT 05142. Obituary

Cavendish/Solzhenitsyn to be Featured on Vermont Edition: On Monday, May 12, Margo Caulfield of the Cavendish Historical Society will be interviewed about Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s life in Cavendish. This broadcast is part of a series of activities pertaining to the 100th anniversary of Solzhenitsyn’s birth. The live broadcast will be at noon and will be rebroadcast at 7 pm on Vermont Public Radio. You will also be able to listen to a podcast after the initial airing at the VPR website.

89 Percent of School Districts, including CTES, Fall Below Scott’s Ratio Target: The governor’s target for teaching staff to students is a ratio of 1 to 5.75. The plan, which would go into effect in 2020 and lead to the elimination of about 1,000 positions for teachers and Para educators over a period of five years, is estimated to save $74 million over a five year period. The positions would be eliminated through attrition. A VT Digger analysis of Agency of Education data shows that only 11% of school districts in the state would meet the 1 to 5.75 threshold in the current fiscal year. The current average ratio is 1 to 5.15. This ratio only applies to teaching staff and Para educators. Vermont has more teachers instructing fewer students than any other state, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. CTES is well below both state and national averages with a ratio of 1 staff to 3.89 students. VT Digger

TRSU Board Votes to Make Superintendent Evaluation Open to Public Input: At last week’s Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) board meeting, the board voted to allow the public to comment on the job performance of Superintendent Meg Powden.. You can download the Evaluation Form in PDF format and mail it to the address on the form, or drop it off at the TRSU. This must be done by May 18. Chester Telegraph

TV Sale at the Pointe Hotel (103 & 131): 32" Philips Televisions - Model number 32HFL5561L/27 will be available for sale in the lobby of the Pointe Hotel Saturday May 12th from 10a.m. - 2:00p.m. We are updating TVs in rooms and just took all of these out 2 weeks ago, all TVs had no issues. About 50 are available and will be sold individually for $25 each FIRM-CASH ONLY, sold as is. (There is NO ATM on the property). Must purchase remote control to program channels. Link for remote .

Black River Area Community Coalition Sponsors Wellness Fair: The Black River Area Community Coalition is sponsoring the first Wellness Fair Friday, May 11 from 2-6 p.m. at the Ludlow Community Center. There is no cost and everyone is invited. Several Windsor and Rutland County agencies are participating in the event including Vermont Department of Health, Springfield Hospital Community Health, Ludlow Ambulance, Recovery Centers and more. The Wellness Fair is being held in conjunction with a Wellness Day at Black River High School. Students will be participating in a variety of workshops including yoga and martial arts. VT Journal

Harbor Freight Tools to Open in Claremont: A discount retailer of tools and equipment headquartered in California has submitted plans with the city’s building department for modifications to the former Staples office supply store at 286 Washington St. The store plans to open in July. Valley News

Scam Alert! New Medicare Cards in the Mail: The federal government has a plan to cut down on scams. It's issuing new Medicare cards. The cards will mostly look the same except a computer-generated Medicare beneficiary number will replace the Social Security-based health insurance claim number. Some scammers are calling seniors telling them they can get their card early if they pay now. If somebody calls you and says they're from Medicare, hang up. WCAX

VT Life Magazine is Closing: It's the end of the line for Vermont Life. The iconic, state-owned magazine has been in print for 72 years but the state says it can no longer support a publication that is over $3 million in debt. Cavendish was featured in this magazine at various times including Solzhenitsyn's life here and the flood of 1927. WCAX

2. WARNING FROM CAVENDISH TREE WARDEN: Cavendish’s Tree Warden, Tim Calabrese, has issued the following notice: The Emerald Ash Borer has been confirmed in Vermont!  This beetle can have devastating effects on hour Ash Trees.  The beetle is about one half an inch and metallic green. Its larvae tunnel through the wood just under the bark of ash trees; killing the tree by cutting off the flow of nutrients. Healthy ash trees can die within 1-4 years of showing their first sign or symptom. All species of ash trees are susceptible.  Adult beetles start emerging late may/early June.  To report a possible infestation and for more information go to https://www.vtinvasives.org/ 

3. 8TH ANNUAL TOWN WIDE TAG SALE: Now that the trees are getting their leaves and yard work and spring cleaning have begun in earnest, it's time to put aside items for the 8th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale. The webpage is now up. If you would like to have your location listed, please e-mail cavendishconnects@gmail.com Remember the more information you can provide, the more likely people will stop by your home or booth.

If you would like space on either of the town greens, please register. This is free for Cavendish residents and businesses. If you are a non Cavendish resident or business owner, but would like space on the Cavendish Green, this is available for a fee of $15.

As your sorting what you’ll put out for the Town Wide Tag Sale, you’ll probably find items you aren’t sure what to do with. To help you out, during the month of May, the Cavendish VT Facebook page will be posting various ways to repurpose, recycle or appropriately dispose of unwanted items. If you have questions or suggestions please e-mail them to cavendishconnects@gmail.com

4. SOLES 4 SOULS: Cavendish Town Elementary School is collecting old or gently used shoes for Soles 4 Souls. To donate shoes, bring them to school and deposit in the drop box, which is by the benches on the left hand side when you enter the building. The drive ends May 31. Please no shoe boxes. This shoe drive is sponsored by Engel & Volkers. FMI 802-975-0338

 5. PROM/GRADUATION/END OF SCHOOL: As we near the end of another school year, there are many things we can do to ensure that our kids’ parties, prom, graduation and other end of the year festivities are memorable and safe.

Young people drinking alcohol or abusing prescription, over the counter medication, or illicit drugs risk health related, and potentially fatal, consequences. They also face legal consequences that can be devastating. It is important to remember that it is against the law to host a gathering where alcohol is consumed by minors.

In order to provide a safe environment for kids during year-end events, but also year-round, consider the following strategies:

1. Talk about expectations around alcohol and other drugs

2. Monitor behavior

3. Spread the word and make connections with other parents / community members

4. Know the warning signs of a problem

Learn more about these strategies and how to take action from ParentUp ().

6. EVENTS

MAY 12 (SATURDAY): Hazardous Waste Collection

• TV Sale at the Pointe Hotel (103 & 131), 10-2; 32” Philip VTs Model # 32 HFL5561L/27; $25 a piece-cash only

MAY 13 (SUNDAY): HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

MAY 14 (MONDAY): Solzhenitsyn in Vermont will be aired at noon and 7pm on VT Edition and will be focusing on his life in Cavendish.

• Select Board Meeting. 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office.

MAY 18-20 (FRIDAY-SUNDAY): Annual Black River Good Neighbor Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farms off Route 103.

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

8th Annual Town-Wide Tag Sale

UPDATED 7-27-18

The 8th Annual Town-Wide Tag Sale will be held on Saturday July 28, 2018 from 9-2.

The Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale began in 2011 as part of the town’s 250th anniversary’s yearlong celebration. Because it was such a hit, Cavendish Connects has continued to sponsor it. It takes quite a bit of time to coordinate this event, therefore we are asking the Cavendish community to help support Cavendish Connects by making a donation now, the day of the sale or shortly thereafter, which can be done from the CC’s donation page. . 

VENDOR INFORMATION:

• The sale will be concentrated along Main Street (Route 131), with both village greens available.

•  Anyone setting up on a village green is responsible for bringing all supplies and removing all trash and items that did not sell by the end of the day.

• Secondary areas will be off High Street in Cavendish Village and Route 103, Twenty Mile Stream and Depot Street in Proctorsville. Those along High Street, Route 103, Twenty Mile or other areas should think about signage.

• Signage will go up two weeks before the event.

• Vendors from other towns can participate in the sale but they must pre register and pay a fee of $15.

Those who wish to register for space at the Greens, or have their site listed on the vendor list (on-line only) should send an e-mail to cavendishconnects@gmail.com or call 802-226-7807.

Please note that the more information you can provide about what you have for sale, the more shoppers you will attract. As we get closer to the date, the Cavendish Vt Facebook site will include items for sale. We encourage people with Facebook pages, Instagram or other social media outlets to promote the sale. 

WHERE TO STOP, SHOP & EAT: A copy of the vendor list will be made available by Friday, July 27 in PDF format.

Cavendish Baptist Church: Main St. Cavendish Village Lots of stuff.

• 379 High St: A pottery wheel and kiln and car wheels tires. Some older wood working tools. Mitersaw , lathe,jointer planer Facebook Album

• 864 High St (Woodells): Vintage/retro items, chairs, household items.

Cavendish Green: Free items and area vendors. Will have baked goods.

Cavendish Commons (1900 Main St, Rt 131): Multi family sale.

157 S. Reading Rd: Lots of stuff, too much to bring into town

Off Twenty Mile Stream Rd: 121 Davis Rd: Snow Blower; mixed household items, tools, women’s

clothing

Cavendish Town Elementary School: Car Wash to benefit the 6th grader's Keewaydin Trip fund-9:30-noon. Cars $8 and Trucks $10

Proctorsville Green: Cavendish Connects booth will in the Gazebo.

• The Cavendish Historical Society will be signing copies of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: The Writer Who Changed History at the Gazebo.

• Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Dept. will host a BBQ with hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages and all the fixings.

• Lily Calabrese Pottery

• Various private vendors including someone with lots of fishing supplies

• The Happy Hound Pet Groomer will be on hand doing nail clippings

• Blow out sale for Amy’s signs. Get them while they last.

• Cavendish Streetscape: You can donate to help "Raise Our Flags" for Cavendish Village

• Cavendish Energy Committee

417 Bailey Hill Rd (This is off of Route 103 near Hillcrest Cemetery): 2 full sets of bunk beds with mattresses, end table, kitchen items. Facebook Album of items being sold

Cavendish Update: 5/4/18 School/News/Events

A wind advisory has been issued for our area this evening starting at 8pm.

CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.

5/4/18 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. CTES/GMUSD

3. The Happy Hound Salon, Proctorsville, VT

4. Local Household Hazardous Waste Collections Coming Soon

 5. Events

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

CHS May Briefs: The Cavendish Historical Society’s May Briefs are now available at their blog. This is a good way to catch up on what CHS is doing this month and the summer ahead.

 Annual Spring Rummage Sale: Black River Good Neighbor Services will hold its annual Spring Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm, 611 Route 103 South in Ludlow on Friday and Saturday, May 18th and 19th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday May 20th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and they are looking for volunteers to help. The sale will feature clothing, housewares, books, linens, furniture and all manner of goods. FMI: 802-228-3663

The Message of the Week Has Closed: Robert Miller of KMA Publications Inc., owner and publisher of The Vermont Journal and The Shopper, announced Friday, April 27, 2018 that he has purchased The Message of the Week. The sale will merge the newspapers but continue to be published only under The Vermont Journal and The Shopper banners. The merger will also expand coverage, helping to strengthen local news and readership. The Message, as a separate entity, will cease publication immediately. VT Journal

2. CTES/GMUSD:: On Monday night’s Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD), with over 400 signatures on a petition to make the principal position at Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) permanent and full time, and an audience of over 40, including most of the CTES teachers, watching, the board voted to make the position permanent and full time. However, this would be a one-year contract.

The position was to be posted immediately. On the Two Rivers Supervisory Union website and SchooSpring,  the position is “re posted” but it was done in such a way that it implies full time but not permanent. Consequently various members of the community wonder if this is just a back door approach for an interim principal. By way of explanation of the job posting,  Meg Powden e-mailed Donna McNeil-Hudkins our Human Resources Coordinator --- told me that when we post positions on SchoolSpring there are fields that have to be selected.  One of the fields is the year of hire for that posting.

While the job has been posted, the TRSU is organizing a new search committee. CTES is looking for two community members to serve on the search committee for the Principal position. If you are interested or need more information please email Meg Powden at meg.powden@trsu.org. Please contact Meg by May 11th if you would like to be part of the committee.

Also part of this special meeting was to elect three GMUSD board members to the Two Rivers Supervisory Union board. While four people offered to serve on the board, three were voted to represent the GMUSD-Marilyn Mahusky (Chair of the GMUSD); Joe Fromberger (Andover representative) and Fred Marin (Cavendish representative). None of these members have children in a GMUSD school. Doug McBride, Cavendish representative, was voted in as an alternate.

• Thank you To Residents for Signing CTES Principal Petition: To the communities of Cavendish, Chester, Andover, Baltimore, Ludlow, and Mount Holly, we want to express our sincere gratitude to all of you for supporting our petition to reinstate the position of CTES principal as full-time and permanent. We had received 401 signatures including residents of all the towns that make up the GMUSD and TRSU before we closed it down after last night’s GMUSD board meeting. We are grateful for your support. In this time of unsettling change across our state, it’s humbling for us all to see so many people stand together in support of a community school. VT Journal

• GMUSD Votes to Make CTES Principal Permanent But New Adverts lists Position only as “full time” Chester Telegraph

• Scott Pitches Plan to Patch School Funding Gap: The Scott Administration proposed a plan on Tuesday to plug a $58 million hole in the education fund with one-time money. The sources of the funding include $19 million from a tobacco settlement, $20 million from state surplus revenues, $7 million in reserves and $12 million from other sources. The money will be paid back over time, mainly by asking schools to reduce the size of educational staff over the next five years. If the lawmakers and the Scott administration don’t fill the funding gap — which was created by the use of one-time money last year — taxpayers will be on the hook for a 5-cent to 7-cent increase in property taxes this coming fiscal year. VT has the lowest student to staff ratio in the country and per pupil spending is one of the highest. The one-time funding proposal not only reins in rates at 2017 levels for the coming fiscal year; it is also part of a plan that keeps rates level over a five-year period by reducing school teaching and paraprofessional staff statewide by about 1,000 jobs over five years, through retirements and other job vacancies. There are currently 76,000 students in Vermont, down from a high of 104,000. The Agency of Education estimates that number will drop to 69,000 students over the next five years. VT Digger

3. NEW BUSINESS-HAPPY HOUND SALON: Coming in June, a full service dog salon specializing in puppies, senior dogs and dogs with special needs. This new Proctorsville business will offer walk-in nail trims, full grooms, splash-n-dash, and cater to all breeds of dogs. From 'just nails and a bath' to blueberry facials and pawdicures they’ll help keep your pet feeling their best! Now  taking June appointments. The first 20 people to book an appointment will get 20% off their first groom! FMI: Facebook, website or e-mail thehappyhoundsalon@gmail.com

4. HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS: 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 12 and Saturday, May 19. 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 12 and at the Weathersfield Transfer Station from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on May 19. 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.

 5. EVENTS

MAY 5 (SATURDAY): Happy Cinco de Mayo

• Green Up Day Begins at 9 pm on the Cavendish Green. Note that you can Green Up at other times and bring the trash to the transfer station.

• Okemo Valley TV Derby Gala

For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.