Cavendish Select Board Mtg 10/17/22-Bond & AirBnB
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At Monday night’s Select Board (SB) meeting, the hot topic for discussion, a late add on to the SB’s agenda, was the $20 million bond the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) wants to see passed on Nov. 8 (Tuesday), Election Day.
The Bond is broken down as follows:
Green Mountain Union High School $15,944,538 total cost, with total savings anticipated to be $50,100 with a rebate of $88,000.
Boilers + Kitchen Conversion (Oil to Propane + Tank Removal $1,208,466
Remove UVs, add ERV’s w/Perimeter Heat and LED Lighting 5,403,278
Replace Windows 2,653,350
Controls Upgrade 695,000
Kitchen Revocation 440,710
Electrical Transformers 151,858
Elevator 174,000
Fire doors and Railings (Code Issues) 1,167,600
Sprinkler System (Cafeteria and Auditorium 100,000
Ceiling, Painting, Asbestos and Flooring 2,022,867
Millwork Carpentry 483,720
Brick Repointing 192,850
Electrical Service Upgrade 1,050,840
Softball Field 200,000
Chester Andover Elementary School $2,632,400 with projected savings of $19,000 with rebates of $40,000
Replace Federal Pacific Sub Panels 216,000
Fire alarm improvements 136,250
LED Lighting 255,000
Convert from Oil to Propane 100,000
Controls Upgrade 198,950
Pavement & Bus Drop off modifications 529,200
Window Upgrades 1,197,000
Cavendish Town Elementary School: $1,694,700, Projected savings $17,900, rebates $17,500
LED Lighting 106,400
Condensing Boilers 448,500
Remove UVs and Add ERVs w/Perimeter Heat 825,000
Remove underground oil tank 48,500
Controls and Drives 71,300
Insulation and Weatherization 35,000
Fire Alarm 75,000
Playground Upgrade 85,000
TO VOTE ON THE BOND: Pick up a ballot at the town office before Nov. 8, or go to the Proctorsville Fire Dept on Nov.8 (Tuesday) from 10-7.
While the actual needs for upgrades was recognized, there were questions about what had or hadn’t been considered:
- Was solar considered? It was looked at for GM only and they decided not to move in that direction. CTES was not considered for solar.
- What will happen in 2030 as the state wants to eliminate and/or significantly reduce fossil fuels? Will another bond be required? No answers
- The cost of propane could be just as high in a few years, so what then? Propane is a better fossil fuel than oil.
The GMUSD representatives were clear that their task was limited to what was needed to bring buildings up to code. It appeared that no consideration was given to the fact that at least two of the three schools in the GMUSD were operating at half of their intended occupancy.
A dwindling school age population: The U.S. birth rate is well below what is referred to as “replacement-level fertility,” the birth rate a country must maintain to keep population levels stable without immigration. The U.S. birth rate has fallen precipitously (20%) since the 2007 Great Recession, with no signs of reversing. Successive generations of women are having fewer children at every age. The Mystery of the Declining US Birth Rate. Vermont has the lowest birth rate in the country. There were 7.9 births for every 1,000 people in the state between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021 compared to 10.8 per 1,000 nationwide. U.S. Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates Program.
School populations reflect the national/state trend
• CTES was expanded and underwent major renovations in 2004, in order to accommodate a projection of 140 students. Today the school has 75 students. Nineteen students are currently in the 6th grade. Since incoming grades have been closer to 8 or 9 students in the last three or four years, with the graduation of such a large class, it’s projected that in the fall of 2023 the enrollment will be closer to 65 students.
• GMUHS was built to accommodate 650 students and currently has 350 enrolled. While it was brought up that the school was sufficient in size to also house all of CAES school just a few years ago, SB member and GM faculty, Mike Ripley, stated that all of the space was needed to accommodate the special needs of students.
A big question, and the “elephant in the living room,” regardless of the upgrades needed, is there going to be a sufficient number of students in the future to justify expenses and even the schools themselves?One SB member asked if the committee had done any calculations on the cost of paying tuition to other schools. This hasn’t been considered.
Legislation: John Arrison, Cavendish/Weathersfield state rep, and a member of the House Education Committee, commented that the Agency of Education’s Act 72 inventory is complete with a preliminary assessment of building conditions. Act 72 addresses the needs and conditions of public school facilities in the state. Arrison explained that the contractor still has to do a detailed assessment. Schools will be given scores to determine needs. Where the GMUSD schools will fit into that remains to be seen.
The hope is that with the new report, which should be available in January, the “State Aid For School Construction” will be reinstated. This funding was stopped in 2007 in order to permit the Secretary of Education and the Commissioner of Finance and Management to recommend a sustainable plan for State aid for school construction.
The monies, if approved by the legislature, may not be retroactive, according to Arrison. This means that if the bond passes on Nov. 8, the GMUSD may not be eligible for school construction funding voted on in the 2023 legislative session.
What will this do to taxes? While the GMUSD reps note that this is a “big ask,” there was no discussion of tax increases. However, at the August 25 meeting, where the board approved sending the bond to the voters, 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. Chester Telegraph
Because Cavendish, Baltimore and Andover, all of whom have few students at the Chester Schools, are part of the GMUSD, they would be taxed at the same rate as Chester property owners. As one person who watched Monday’s meeting noted, There has to be a better way, we already pay too much in school /property taxes with declining enrollment. Many of us who are seniors don't have the income too be able to afford more in property taxes… We simply can't afford this, I can't believe they think the residents are ok with another tax increase, mine went up last year by quite a bit and if this went through it will be close to unaffordable.
AirBnB/Short terms rentals: The SB began a discussion at their September meeting about the impact of short term rentals on town services. The popular belief is that the short term rental market has driven out long term rental options, making it harder for families to rent in our town.
However, many of the short term rentals in Cavendish are condos-110 with 101 of them being owned by non-residents-which are generally not leased as long term rentals. Long time Okemo Valley realtor Betty McEnaney pointed out there has probably been very little change in the short term Cavendish rental market over the last 10 years, At the September SB meeting McEnaney provided the board with Vermont data showing the significant decline in births starting in 1970. Her message was that the birth rate has more to do with the declining school census than rentals.
The lack of long term rentals has a lot to do with Vermont legislation that strongly favors the tenants’ rights over the landlord. As a result, many landlords have pulled their rental properties in Cavendish. When asked, Arrison said that he was unaware of any legislation for the 2023 session that would address this issue.
Without data on transfer station and water usage, it’s unclear what the impact of short term rentals has on town services. Even with five or more years of data to examine, the Covid effect is very real. With people staying home, and a lot of second home owners also in town, utilization of town services would have increased.
The issues that Cavendish and surrounding towns are facing, are not dissimilar to what’s happening nationwide and within Vermont. Some towns are discussing the best ways to attract new residents, with the GMUSD believing that if the schools are improved it will attract new families.
Vermont is frequently mentioned as a climate “haven” for those seeking to relocate to avoid precarious climate conditions. However, locations being considered are those that have the infrastructure to support a larger population. Burlington, VT is one of the potential havens frequently mentioned.
Could climate drive more people to our area? We had a bit of a dry run with Covid to see who would buy/relocate in our town as they fled the cities. Yes, a lot of real estate changed hands. Certain areas of the state experienced a significant increase in student enrollment, such as Woodstock and parts of Windham county. CTES did not increase its enrollment. It appears that families are seeking areas where school choice is an option, particularly for high school, and where schools are highly ranked.
Towns do not want to close schools because “as your school goes, so goes your town.”
While not discussed at the SB meeting, CAES, which has an enrollment of 235, wants more space. Their new addition request was taken out of the bond. To provide better utilization of space at both schools, as well as expand educational opportunities, CTES and CAES would do well to be working together at this juncture.
Ultimately, the bond vote and AirBnB discussions should be an impetus for the Cavendish SB to establish a group that can strategically plan and implement in order to meet both current and future town needs. This is an activity that is beyond the role of the Cavendish Planning Commission and requires as many stake holders at the table as possible.
