Cavendish Update 10/7/22: $20 M Bond/SB Mtg/Job/News

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

10/7/22

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    $20 Million Bond Warning for GMUSD Schools

3.    Covid update

4.    Events

DEPOT ST WILL BE CLOSED MOST OF MONDAY (10/10) SO GREEN MOUNTAIN RAILROAD CAN WORK ON THE TRACKS.

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• 9/28 Select Board Meeting: At a special meeting regarding a dog situation in Proctorsville, the SB approved the following motion, …” approve an extension of the fencing directive deadline to October 3, 2022, to be inspected by the Town Manager who would report to the Select Board and then appropriate action could be taken if needed.”  All voted in favor. Unapproved minutes are available at the Municipal website.

• Job Opening Municipal Assistant Water and Wastewater Operator Town of Cavendish:  The Town of Cavendish is currently accepting applications for an Assistant Water and Wastewater Operator. This is a full-time position with a competitive wage and excellent benefits package.  A current Water and Wastewater Operator License in the State of Vermont is preferred but not required. Applications should be highly organized and motived, have a background in mechanical/construction work with a solid knowledge of computers. This is a permanent position with retirement plan. A comprehensive job description is available to serious applicants.  Applications, resumes and inquires to be directed to: Brendan McNamara, Town Manager
Town of Cavendish Municipal Building, 37 High Street, P.O. Box 126, Cavendish, Vermont, 05142 802-226-7291

• Ludlow Selectboard postpones rental registry decision VT Journal

• Hollowed Community? Residents ring alarm over growth of unhosted short-term rentals:  Short-term rentals didn’t create the housing problem, but some people believe that they have made it worse, and town select boards have begun to take notice. Marion Major of the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, which seeks to find homes for area residents, called it a “complex scenario because the housing crisis has been building for so long and Covid exacerbated it. Then the idea that people could buy homes and then put them on the market for short-term rentals full time (and) out of the financial reach” of local residents occurred. Just how big of a problem is this? It’s difficult to pinpoint because, as Major says, “There isn’t really centralized data … there has been conversation to bring it together through the state but that hasn’t been done. Neither has a statewide rental registry, which has been talked about for years.” Chester Telegraph

• ‘Every bit helps’: Lawmakers, advocates strategize on affordable housing in southeastern Vermont:The crisis is acute, and there’s no silver bullet. That was the message at the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition’s southeastern Vermont Virtual Town Hall on Tuesday night. Affordable housing experts and legislators from WIndham and Windsor counties met to discuss what’s working, what’s not, and how lawmakers can collaborate with housing professionals to produce more affordable housing. Vt Digger

• Claremont Police investigating shooting in Walmart parking WCAX

2. $20 MILLION BOND WARNING FOR GREEN MOUNTAIN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: At the Sept. 15 special meeting of the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD), of which Cavendish is a member, the board adopted and approved the warning of a bond for $20,474,354 to pay for building improvements as follows:

• Green Mountain Union High School efficiency upgrades and other building and ground improvements ($15,944,538)

• Cavendish Town Elementary Scholl efficiency upgrades and other building and grounds improvement ($1,694,700)

• Chester-Andover Elementary School efficiency upgrades and other building and grounds improvements ($2,632,400).

The bond warning also includes the warning for an informational meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6 pm at GMUHS in Chester.

The Warning notes, “State funds may not be available at the time this project is otherwise eligible to receive state school and construction aid. The district is responsible for all costs incurred in connection with any borrowing done in anticipation of the receipt of school construction aid.”

Cavendish voters will be asked to vote on this issue on Nov. 8. Voting will take place at the Proctorsville Fire Hall from 10-7. If you plan to vote by mail, you will need to get a bond vote ballot from the town office. Sample Ballots and Election Information are available at the town’s website.

At the August 25 GMUSD meeting,  tax implications were discussed. TRSU Business Manager Cheryl Hammond said that for a home assessed at $250,000, taxes would increase by a little less than $300 per year. For an average home assessed at $350,000, the tax would increase by a little less than $400 per year. 

To learn more about the process of the development of this bond, read the Chester Telegraph’s article GM board votes to put $20 million renovation bond before district voters

Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) currently has 75 students enrolled. GMUHS, which was built to house 600 students, currently has 350. Chester-Andover has 236 students.

3. COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807. Note that most at-home Covid tests had their expiration dates extended. Check to see if your tests had their expiration dates extended by visiting these sites: Most; Intrivo; iHealth; FlowFlex

Schools: One case of Covid was reported for GMUSD schools this past week-Ludlow Elementary.

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Sept.25 to Oct.1 continues to report statewide community levels as low. However, Bennington county is now reporting as “high” with Rutland reporting “medium.”

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 45 new admissions (decrease from last week’s 52)

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 3.74% (increase from last week’s 3.46%)

• Outbreaks: As of Oct.3, there were 14 active outbreaks with 8 at Long term care facilities, 5 at schools/childcare and 1 at a non -LTC Healthcare facility.  There are 2 active outbreaks listed for Windsor County.

• Deaths: No additional deaths this week.

4. EVENTS

OCTOBER 9 (SUNDAY): Talk on the “Columbian Exchange,” which refers to the transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, disease and ideas between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum.  This is the last Sunday the Museum is open. This event is free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com

OCTOBER 10 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Town Office Closed

OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween

NOVEMBER 1 (TUESDAY): Informational Meeting on the GMUSD Bond for $20 million, 6 pm at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester.

NOVEMBER 9 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING

NOVEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed

DECEMBER 3-4 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): Okemo Valley INNdulgence Tour. Enjoy holiday decorations, warm drinks and tasty treats at nearly a dozen inns in the Okemo Valley. From noon-5 pm, tickets are $15 per person.

     IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 9/30/22: News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

9/30/22

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Donations Needed for Indoor Recess

3.    Covid update

4.    Events

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• CORRECTION: PLEASE NOTE THAT BLACK RIVER SENIOR CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MEALS ON WHEELS TO CAVENDISH RESIDENTS.

• The Loft in Ludlow has new owners: Tom Koch, the self-proclaimed grumpy owner of The Loft Tavern has sold his quintessential après ski bar and restaurant business to three entrepreneurial women. Becky Holland, Dorothy Josselyn and Marie O’Hare, are longtime employees who have been serving up pints of draft beer, massive platters of nachos, meaty chicken wings and the hearty tavern fare that has made The Loft a favorite with locals and visitors alike. The Loft reopened under new ownership on Friday, Sept. 9. Mountain Times

• GMP Installing Grid Scale Energy Storage: Vermont's largest electric utility has announced plans to double the amount of battery storage it has installed on the power grid. Green Mountain Power will install nearly 25 megawatts of grid-scale energy storage in six Vermont communities over the next two years. The utility says this will make power more reliable and cut costs for customers. People tend to consume the most electricity at times of day when renewable power sources like solar and wind are the least productive. At those times, utilities have to buy electricity from expensive and polluting fossil fuel sources. In theory, big batteries like these let utilities use more renewable power. They store electricity when the sun shines and the wind blows, and release it when people are consuming the most. The batteries will be installed in Georgia, Springfield, Bethel, Middlebury, Bristol and Barre.

• Canada Lifts Covid Border Requirements: Canada announced Monday that as of Oct. 1, it is lifting all Covid border requirements. Travelers will no longer have to provide proof of vaccination or test negative before being allowed into the country. VT Digger

2. DONATIONS FOR INDOOR RECESS NEEDED: The Cavendish Town Elementary School is in need of items for indoor recess. f you can either donate a gentle, but good condition item or donate a new one, the students would be thrilled.

• Chinese jump ropes

• Regular small jump ropes

• Nerf basketball and over the door hoop

• Pop and Catch Ball Games (foam balls)

• Foam Scoop ball sets

• Sit and Spin

• Bucket Stilts/ Romper Stompers

• Coloring Books for 8-12 year olds

• Just Add Water Paint books

• Decks of playing cards

• Decks of Uno cards

• Boxes of Dominoes

• K'Nex

• Fast puzzles ~ ones that take about 15 minutes to complete

• Lincoln Logs

• Games: Checkers, Operation, Connect Four, Perfection, Don't Spill the Beans, Ants in the Pants, Don't Break the Ice, Boggle, Twister, Stare! Junior, Pick Up Sticks, Jenga, Sorry, and Trouble

3. COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

Schools: No cases of Covid in TRSU schools (CTES, GMUHS, CAES, LEM and MHS) this past week

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Sept.18-Sept 24, continues to report statewide community levels as low, though five counties (Bennington, Rutland, Orleans, Lamoille and Caledonia) are reporting “medium” levels

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 52 new admissions (increase from last week’s 39)

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 3.46% (increase from last week’s 3.17%%)

• Outbreaks: As of 9/26, there were 14  active outbreaks with 12 at schools, 1 each in Long term care and  non-LTC Healthcare. There are 4 active outbreaks listed for Windsor County.

• Deaths: No additional deaths this week, 4 deaths only have now been reported for September, with 719 Vermonters having died since the start of the pandemic.

Vaccine Bivalent Boosters: The Moderna Bivalent Vaccine is now available at the state’s Walk In Clinics. Unfortunately, Rite Aid in Ludlow is only offering the Pfizer’s Bivalent vaccine at this time. They are running out of Moderna bivalent at the Walk In Clinics so arrive early.

4. EVENTS

OCTOBER 4-5 (TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY): Yom Kippur

OCTOBER 6 (THURSDAY): Free Community Lunch Noon at the Ludlow Community Center Cafeteria, 37 Main St. Ludlow. A homestyle Harvest Meal menu will include baked ham, scalloped potatoes, baked beans, brown bread, Mac & Cheese, candied Yams, coleslaw, apple crips and ice cream. The chief will be Cavendish resident Vicki Mastroianni. This meal is provided by Black River Good Neighbor Services.

OCTOBER 9 (SUNDAY): Talk on the “Columbian Exchange,” which refers to the transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, disease and ideas between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum.  This is the last Sunday the Museum is open. This event is free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com

OCTOBER 10 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Town Office Closed

OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween

NOVEMBER 9 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING

NOVEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed

DECEMBER 3-4 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): Okemo Valley INNdulgence Tour. Enjoy holiday decorations, warm drinks and tasty treats at nearly a dozen inns in the Okemo Valley. From noon-5 pm, tickets are $15 per person.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 9/23/22: Regional Plan Data/Meals on Wheels/News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

9/23/22

1.    Regional (includes Cavendish) Plan Data/Public Hearing

2.    Talk on the Columbian Exchange

3.    Cavendish Info

4.    Covid update

5.    Events

1. REGIONAL (includes Cavendish) PLAN DATA/PUBLIC HEARING : The Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC), of which Cavendish and surrounding towns are members, has prepared updates to their Regional Plan, including Volumes 1 and 2 (Regional Transportation Plan). They are not proposing changes to Volume 3 (Enhanced Energy Plan) at this time.

The Regional Profile   provides an important overview of trends in Cavendish as well as the region. Among the findings

-       The Region’s population is aging, with 24.1% (5,677) of residents falling within the 65+ age bracket according to 2020 Census data, while the Region’s proportion of school age children (ages 18 and under) continues to decline in the same way it has since 1970, declining from 19.3% to 17.2% of the Region from 2010 to 2020. Note: CTES is very much in line with this trend, with only 75 students this year.

-       Cavendish’s Median Income (2010) of $57,792 increased to $70,938 by 2020

-       Cavendish’s annual income of $41,304 is below the state’s average of $54,075

-       Cavendish’s Housing Unit Growth decreased by 44.5% from 852 in 2000 to 473 in 2020. The only town with a greater decline was Ludlow, who went from 3,001 in 2000 to 839 in 2020, a 72% decrease.

-       Cavendish’s Seasonal Housing Unit Growth went from 195 in 2000 to 417 in 2020, a 113.8% increase.

-       In 2020, seasonal housing units made up roughly 38% of the Region’s housing stock, with 3,961 total units. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many second home owners stayed in their vacation homes more permanently and many out-of-staters bought properties in the Region. It is not clear at this point, the proportion of these individuals that will become year-round residents or move back to their primary homes elsewhere.

The Housing Chapter was revised substantially to address the dire housing situation.  The Land Use Chapter was comprehensively rewritten based on feedback from an ad hoc committee. The proposed Regional Plan documents are available for review online. Please submit comments to Jason Rasmussen A public hearing is scheduled on Oct. 14 at 12:00 pm

2. TALK ON THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE: In 1491, the world was in many of its aspects and characteristics a minimum of two worlds—the New World, of the Americas, and the Old World, consisting of Eurasia and Africa. Columbus brought them together, and almost immediately and continually ever since, we have had an exchange of native plants, animals and diseases moving back and forth across the oceans between the two worlds. A great deal of the economic, social, political history of the world is involved in the exchange of living organisms between the two worlds. Alfred W. Crosby, author of The Columbian Exchange.

 It is estimated that 60% of the current world food supply originated in the Americas. Thanks to the excellent farming skills of Americas first people, crops like corn, potatoes and sweet potatoes offset famine in China, Europe and Africa. Just one aspect of the Columbian Exchange, the Cavendish Historical Society will be discussing at a talk on the Exchange Oct. 8 (Sunday), 2 pm at the CHS Museum.

This is the last day the Museum will be open for the season. The event is free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com

3. CAVENDISH INFO

SCAM ALERT GMP:  Green Mountain Power (BMP) is alerting customers about a scam. The scammers claim to be from GMP, demand immediate payment and threaten to cut off power if not paid right away. GMP would never do that, and you should hang up - it is a scam.

Customers are urged that if you get a call like this you should hang up, and:

- Do not provide payment or personal information

- Do not engage with the caller

- Do not call back that number

- Call GMP Customer Service at 888-835-4672 to report the call, and any details about it, like the number it came from, the caller’s name, and what the caller said

Customers are also encouraged to report this scam to the Vermont Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program at 800-649-2424 (in state) or 802-656-3183 or online..

• Pasta Supper to Help Bob Williams: CTES is holding a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for bus driver Bob Williams on Thursday, Sept. 29 from 5-7 PM at the  George Thomson Multi Purpose Room at CTES. Tickets are $5 per person/$20 for family of 5 or more. Children 4 and under free. Gluten free pasta is available. The menu includes: pasta with butter, meat or tomato sauce, garlic bread, dessert, ice tea or lemonade. The dinner/fundraiser is being sponsored by the CTES Faculty/Staff and Parent Teacher Group. Donations can also be made to the Williams Go Fund Me page.

• Household Hazardous Waste Collection: The household hazardous waste (HHW) depot, was opened in June. The new facility in is Springfield. Make an appointment, come in with your HHW, pay $10, have your vehicle unloaded, and be on your way. No more waiting in long lines at the 4-hour collections. The Depot is open two mornings a week through September; and will be open on Sept. 25. After that the HHW depot will be closed until May 2023. Call Mary O’Brien at 802-674-9235 to schedule an appointment. Click here for a list of what we accept.

• Meals on Wheels (MOW), other Providers told to cut back in Windsor County: Home-delivered meal providers in Windsor and Windham counties are being asked to reduce the number of recipients by 25% due to a budget shortfall at Senior Solutions, the agency that distributes the funding. Food providers are scrambling to adjust their budgets and get more funding before the start of the October 1 fiscal year to avoid cutting vulnerable seniors out of their programs. There are 20 food providers in two counties that receive funding from Senior Solutions. Some are cutting down on the number of days they deliver meals, eliminating takeout meals, cutting back on mass meals or enforcing waiting lists, which providers have long feared it will. will be necessary. But Mark Bothwell, executive director of Senior Solutions, noted a significant difference in the one-quarter cut. “We are working with food sites to reduce their participant roster by approximately 25%, which is not the same as reducing their budget by 25%,” Boutwell wrote in an email. “There is a defined process of food recipient eligibility assessment and need prioritization in the state which we are using in association with food sites to identify individuals who are now at home following the self-isolation protocol of the COVID-19 pandemic. Food may not be required.”

In Cavendish, the Black River Senior Center will stop delivering MOW on Oct. 1.

On Oct. 6 (Thursday), a free Community Lunch will be held at Noon at the Ludlow Community Center Cafeteria, 37 Main St. Ludlow. A homestyle Harvest Meal menu will include baked ham, scalloped potatoes, baked beans, brown bread, Mac & Cheese, candied Yams, coleslaw, apple crips and ice cream. The chief will be Cavendish resident Vicki Mastroianni. This meal is provided by Black River Good Neighbor Services. Valley News

• Expanded Chester Dental Center hosts Open House on Sept. 30: North Star Health will host an open house on Friday, Sept. 30 at the recently expanded Chester Dental Center, 55 VT Route 11. Guided tours of the state-of-the-art facilities, including four new dental treatment rooms where routine to complex oral health care takes place, will be offered from 5 to 7 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and short program, followed by light refreshments, will begin at 5:30 p.m.

4. COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

Schools: From 9/18-9/22 Covid cases were reported as follows:

CTES: No new case, 10 since the start of school

GMUHS: No new cases, 4 cases since the start of school

Ludlow Elementary:  2 new case for a total of 3 cases since the start of school

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Sept.11-Sept 17, continues to report statewide community levels as low, with two counties reporting “medium” levels-Rutland and Bennington.  

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 39 new admissions (increase by 2 from last week’s 37)

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 3.17% (increase from last week’s 3.05%%)

• Outbreaks: As of Saturday, there were 14  active outbreaks- 11 at schools, 2 in Long term care and 1 in a non-LTC Healthcare. There are 2 active outbreaks listed for Windsor County.

• Deaths: 4 deaths have now been reported for September, with 719 Vermonters having died since the start of the pandemic.

Vaccine Bivalent Boosters: Rite Aid in Ludlow is offering the Pfizer’s Bivalent vaccine It’s also available at the state’s walk-in clinics. Unfortunately there is a shortage of the Moderna Bivalent Booster as one factory used in producing the vaccine remains offline following a safety inspection.

5. EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 25-27 (SUNDAY-TUESDAY): Rosh Hashanah

SEPTEMBER 29 (THURSDAY): Benefit pasta supper for Bob Williams

OCTOBER 4-5 (TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY): Yom Kippur

OCTOBER 6 (THURSDAY): Free Community Lunch Noon at the Ludlow Community Center Cafeteria, 37 Main St. Ludlow. A homestyle Harvest Meal menu will include baked ham, scalloped potatoes, baked beans, brown bread, Mac & Cheese, candied Yams, coleslaw, apple crips and ice cream. The chief will be Cavendish resident Vicki Mastroianni. This meal is provided by Black River Good Neighbor Services.

OCTOBER 9 (SUNDAY): Talk on the “Columbian Exchange,” which refers to the transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, disease and ideas between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum.  This is the last Sunday the Museum is open. This event is free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com

OCTOBER 10 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Town Office Closed

OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween

NOVEMBER 9 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING

NOVEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed

DECEMBER 3-4 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): Okemo Valley INNdulgence Tour. Enjoy holiday decorations, warm drinks and tasty treats at nearly a dozen inns in the Okemo Valley. From noon-5 pm, tickets are $15 per person.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 9/16/22: Sept. SB Mtg/News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

9/16/22

1.    Cavendish Select Board meeting 9/12/22

2. Cavendish Info

3.    Covid update

4.    Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 9/12: The Select Board (SB) meeting can be watched at the Okemo Valley TV Website.

John Arrison Updates: Cavendish’s state rep updated the SB as follows:

-       Act 172 This act also establishes a grant program in FY 2023 for municipalities to receive recommendations on the use of more efficient heating systems and to make necessary improvements to reduce fossil fuel usage and increase efficiency in municipally owned buildings. The grant program is administered by BGS [Buildings and General Services], which shall award grants of not more than $500,000.00 for approved projects and not more than $4,000.00 for facilitation of community meetings and communication about municipal energy resilience. $45 million has been set aside in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The town can apply for grants to upgrade the town garage as well as for the fire departments.

-       A second grant is available for town related generators.

-       Of the four schools recently tested for PCBs, Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) was the only one found safe.

AirBNB and Short Term Rentals: Town manager, Brendan McNamara, said there is an impact on town water and the transfer station by increasing utilization of AirBnBs/short term rentals. Note: Town water is only available in the villages and a quick review of the websites VRBO and AirBnB found a number of condos at The Castle, The Pointe and on Depot St. One condo alone said they could sleep 14. All of these properties are on town water, which may explain the increased usage.

Concerns have also been raised that by owners shifting to the short term and seasonal rental market, a significant decrease in long term rental housing has occurred. This in turns impacts the number of students at CTES, which is declining. The CTES population has decreased to 75 students, significantly less than the 104 students from 2008 and higher rates in the 1990s. Betty McEnaney indicated that in spite of the lack of rental housing, there was another reason for the declining enrollment.

McEnaney provided the board with Vermont birth rates, which show a steady decline. In 1990, the birth rate was 14.7 per 1,000 population and by 2020, it had dropped to 8.2. Since 1955, the “baby boom” era, Vermont’s birth rate has been in steady decline. Note that this is a national trend and in fact, the US is far below the 2,100 births per 1,000 women that each generation needs to exactly replace itself.

The role of rentals, birth rates, and declining student population has direct bearing on the Green Mountain Unified School District’s (GMUSD) recent request for voters, in November, to pass a $20 million bond. This would provide upgrades (converting  heating systems to propane from oil and weatherization) for CTES, Chester Andover Elementary and Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS) Approximately $16 million alone is for GMUHS, which currently has 350 students in a building that was designed for 600.

Like Ludlow and Chester,  the Cavendish Planning Commission is beginning to discuss rentals and housing in general.

Screening Plant: The town has a screen-used for gravel and sand-which isn’t being used. It’s in good condition and the recommendation is to sell it, with the purchaser being responsible for removing it from its current location.

131 Dog issue: At a special July 25th SB meeting , to discuss the issue of Susan Ladmer’s dogs that have bitten the neighbor and were straying from the owner’s property, the SB voted unanimously for the following motion,  The Select Board recommends Susan Ladmer’s dogs are kept tethered, and a kennel will be constructed by August 1st, 2022, and it will be inspected by the Town Manager, and if other instances occur the dogs will be removed. Since that meeting, the Humane Society removed the dogs based on poor home conditions. However, due to lack of facilities, the dogs were returned to Ladmer, who has failed to comply with the SB’s motion. A special SB meeting has been scheduled for Thursday Sept. 22 on this issue.

Resignation of Rec. Director: The SB accepted Terry O’Brien’s resignation, effective Sept. 17, as Cavendish Recreation Director with regret. McNamara said he has a good possibility for an interim director.

ARPA Committee: The Committee will be convening shortly to make recommendations on the town’s use of ARPA funds. If interested in serving on this committee, please contact the town office 802-226-7291.

Energy: The Town’s Energy Plan will be on the Oct. SB agenda.

-       Want to replace lightbulbs in Ludlow Electric’s street lamps (Proctorsville Main St.) with LEDs.

Town Mineral Rights: The town currently holds mineral rights on a route 131 property. Recently McNamara has received a number of calls from people who wish to purchase the property and are requesting that the town cede their mineral rights. Since these rights were assigned in the 1950s, it was suggested that testing be done to determine what exactly the minerals are on this property.

Junk Ordinance: There are currently over 30 properties that are not in compliance with the town’s junkyard ordinance. McNamara is working with these property owners, a number of whom are trying to comply.

Water: The water tank in Whitesville is being painted and a leak repaired.

Change of Date for Oct. Meeting: Due to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the SB meeting will be moved to Oct. 17.

2. CAVENDISH INFO

• Bob Williams Go Fund Me: Well known in Cavendish-bus driver for CTES, pond specialist (William Lake Dredging), plow man, store owner etc.- Bob Williams has been diagnosed with brain cancer. He’s at the beginning of a long road to recovery. A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help with expenses.

• M&T Bank Merger: With assurances that People’s United debit cards would work until Sept. 20, many have learned the hard way that their cards were cancelled well before that date and before they received their M&T card. While some customers have found the transmission to be smooth, others have found it very problematic and have posted a variety of complaints at the Cavendish Facebook Page.

3. COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

Schools: From 9/6-9/15 Covid cases were reported as follows:

• CTES 1 new case for a total of 10 since the start of school

• GMUHS 4 new cases

• Ludlow Elementary 1 new case

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Sept.4-Sept 10, continues to report statewide community levels as low, with only two counties reporting “medium” levels-Rutland and Bennington.  

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 337 new admissions (decrease by 1 from last week’s 38)

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 3.05% (decrease from last week’s 3.18%%)

• Wastewater Monitoring: Increasing Bennington, Brighton, Essex Junction, Johnson, St. Albans City, Winooski. Decreasing Morrsville St. Johnsbury, and Troy/Jay.  No report for Barrel, Newport City and Jay/Troy.

• Outbreaks: As of Tuesday, there were 25 active outbreaks, substantially up from last week’s 9 active outbreaks of Covid. This is being driven by 17 outbreaks at schools. Other sites include  5 in long-term care facilities, 2 in Non-LTC Healthcare and 1 in a correctional facility.  There are 2 active outbreaks listed for Windsor County.

• Deaths: No deaths have been reported so far for September.

4. EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 23-24 (FRIDAY-SATURDAY): Black River Good Neighbor (BRGN) Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm.

SEPTEMBER 25-27 (SUNDAY-TUESDAY): Rosh Hashanah

OCTOBER 4-5 (TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY): Yom Kippur

OCTOBER 10 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Town Office Closed

OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween

NOVEMBER 9 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING

NOVEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed

DECEMBER 3-4 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): Okemo Valley INNdulgence Tour. Enjoy holiday decorations, warm drinks and tasty treats at nearly a dozen inns in the Okemo Valley. From noon-5 pm, tickets are $15 per person.

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