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1/13/23
1. Cavendish Select Board Meeting 1/9/23
2. Cavendish Info
3. Cavendish Immediate Job Openings
4. Covid/Flu update
5. Events
1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 1/9/23: Cavendish Select Board (SB) meetings are videoed by Okemo Valley TV and posted to their website. In addition, unapproved minutes from Monday’s meeting have been posted at the Cavendish Municipal website.
The following took place at Monday’s meeting:
Approved the following:
• The Town manager will send a letter to the Planning Commission, on behalf of the SB, instructing them to include the state’s 2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan in the Town Plan’s Energy section. Note that a substantial portion of the meeting was dedicated to this topic, which was the primary subject of the January Planning Commission meeting. Commission member Tim Calabrese noted that it couldn’t be adopted by the Planning Commission. Instead it would be added into the Town Plan and the Planning Commission would hold a hearing, changes could be made, then it would be sent to the Select Board for another hearing and then adopted by the Select Board.
• Appointment of ARPA Committee Members: George Timko, Wendy Regier, Betty McEnaney, Jen Leak, Julia Gignoux, Peter LaBelle and Stephen Plunkard. Brendan McNamara will be a non-voting member.
• A first class liquor license for ‘Smokin’ Bowls LLC, which is located in the former Neal’s Restaurant on route 103.
Windsor County Sheriff’s Contract: Ryan Palmer, the new sheriff who takes office Feb. 1, spoke to the board. He wants to change the current model from the Sheriff’s office being paid for hours of service (currently Cavendish pays for 4 hour blocks 3 times a week) to being a county wide police department so that calls can be responded to throughout the day. Currently there is a limited response from VT State Police to the Cavendish community. The Windsor Sheriff’s Department’s goal is” to be a community problem solver.” Palmer expects a significant increase in payment from Cavendish as there are a substantial number of calls from Cavendish they are responding to. “Don’t want to leave Cavendish hanging,” Palmer noted, but he does want to do more than 12 hours a week. They plan to have someone on staff that can respond to mental health issues, whether in house or through a contract with HCRS. When asked about dogs, Palmer said they “answer calls for service.” Bob Glidden, SB chair and chief of the Proctorsville Fire Dept., spoke to issues the fire dept is having in getting troopers to respond. Recently, they had to wait 45 minutes for a state police trooper to respond to a serious incident. Cavendish has always received a portion of tickets written. Palmer advised not to count on this source of revenue as it has drastically dropped due to Covid and other factors. Nine towns in Windsor County are already on board, with three or four more most likely joining the new program. The cost of the upgraded service would be $70,000-$90,000 a year. Currently the budget is about $18,000. Note-The Sheriff’s position was discussed at Wednesday’s Budget meeting. Unapproved minutes of that meeting are available at the Town Website.
Common Level of Appraisal: The town just received its “common level of appraisal” (CLA). CLA is a method of ensuring that each town is paying its fair share of education property tax to the state’s Education Fund. The CLA score is achieved by comparing the ratio of the grand list listed value to the sale price for all the arm’s length sales in the town over the prior three-year period. The study considers sales price as the best measurement of fair market value. If grand list values are generally less than sale prices for the recent sales, the town will end up with a CLA less than one hundred percent. If grand list values are generally more than sale prices for the recent sales, the town will end up with a CLA of more than one hundred percent. Once the CLA is determined, it is used to adjust the homestead and nonhomestead education tax rates. VT Dept. of Taxes Cavendish’s CLA was 82% Towns with scores below 85% or above 100% are required to do a reappraisal. Since Cavendish finished an appraisal in 2019, which took three years to complete, the question is whether another is required. Cavendish’s state representative, John Arrnison, spoke to the chair of Ways and Means, which is the legislative committee dealing with this issue. He was told that town’s like Cavendish need to sit tight as the session is just getting underway.
Town Manager’s Report Town Manager, Brendan McNamara, reminded the board that budget meetings begin on Wednesday (6 pm).
- Old Town Garage: Soil samples, borings, have been completed and McNamara will be meeting with Regional Planning to talk about the results and next steps. Indications are that in the spring activities can get underway including pole barn removal, gas tank relocation and landscaping
- Town Water: Received calls from users noticing a discoloration in the water ranging from a light yellow tinge to blood orange. Occurring town wide, from Mill St in Cavendish to Depot St. in Proctorsville, they’re not sure what’s going on but the water is testing fine. Busy weekends, with heavier usage, sometimes can cause discoloration.
- Hybrid town meeting: McNamara has spoken to Okemo Valley TV about using Zoom as well as in-person meeting. This means all voting will be done by Australian Ballot on Tuesday, March 7th at the Proctorsville Fire Dept. from 10-7. Town Meeting, March 6 (Monday), will be informational only.
2. CAVENDISH INFO
• Roger Fuller 1950-2022: Known to many for his building and remodeling skills, Roger Fuller died on Dec. 29. Our condolences to his wife Joyce, his sons and his many family and friends. Calling hours are 2-4 pm at the Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield on Jan. 14 (Saturday). In lieu of flowers donations are being requested for the Springfield Humane Society or Kurn Hattin Homes for Children in Westminster.
• Budget Meeting: Unapproved minutes of the 1/11/23 Cavendish Budget Meeting are available at the Town’s Website. Among the items discussed was town manager, Brendan McNamara, stating that it looks like there will be a $40,000 deficit from the FY22 budget. Contributing factors were excess in gravel expenditures due to a horrendous mud season. As permits for a town pit are being finalized, McNamara hopes that crushing, which will be done by Bazin Brothers, will start soon. McNamara, also noted that there were large expenses in the Highway Dept. for equipment repairs. Finally, legal fees are over budget since the Town spent $15,000 in FY 22 but had only budgeted $7,200.
• Green Mountain school officials, police address student threat: Chester Police were called to Green Mountain High School on Tuesday, Jan. 3 after school officials received word of a threat made during a social media conversation (Snap Chat) among five high-school students, apparently while they were away from the school. Chester Police Chief Tom Williams said that the school did not need to be locked down and that the threats were neither racial nor anti-LGBTQ in nature but were a general threat “against students” by someone who felt slighted and felt the threats of physical harm — to kill people in general — were a solution to their problem. Three of the students have not been allowed to return to school — two specifically because of the incident and one because contraband — in this case apparently a vape pen — was found when police interceded. No weapons were found, Williams said. Chester Telegraph
• 200-year-old inn’s romantic history repeats itself with new owners: The former Okemo Lantern Lodge, on Main St. in Proctorsville, is now called the Black Bear Den, after being purchased in Sept. 2022. VT Journal
• Staff and incarcerated people at the state prison in Springfield are struggling with high levels of anxiety, stress and suicidal thoughts, according to a new survey that looks at health and well-being inside the prison. It's the second year of the survey at Southern State Correctional Facility. One of the most concerning points in the new survey was the high number of staff and incarcerated individuals who considered suicide in the last 12 months. "For staff, that rate was 30%. And for the incarcerated it was 37% -- and those are really high," said Abby Crocker, a professor at the University of Vermont and one of the project researchers. Department of Corrections officials say they plan to make more mental health supports available for staff. DOC says it'll also increase mental health services for incarcerated people through a new medical services contract, which is expected this summer. The Frequency/Vermont Public
3. IMMEDIATE JOB OPENINGS IN CAVENDISH: Experienced office manager, 12 hours a week estimated, flexible times you can choose. Requirements include; knowledge of office equipment; minor accounting; bill payment; inventory control using an inventory program; E Bay-list items. If interested call 239-340-5154 ASAP!
Singleton’s is looking for someone to join their register crew-full time or part time. Call 802-226-7666.
4. COVID/FLU: For local information on Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.
Prevent Flu & Covid:
- Vaccinate. Vaccination clinics nearby for Covid and Flu- Fridays, through January, at Riverside Middle School in Springfield; 3-6pm, no appointment needed. Shots are free. Note The Walk In clinics cease after Jan. 31. Vaccinations will be available from your doctor and pharmacies.
- Wear a mask in crowded places, particularly in doors;
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, throw the tissue away, and wash your hands immediately;
- Avoid close contact with those confirmed or suspected of having the flu, COVID-19. Stay at home and away from others when you are sick
- Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, especially after sneezing, coughing or using the bathroom and before eating
Free Covid Test kits/masks & hand sanitizer: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807. Also pick up free masks and sanitizer when picking up a test kit. Masks and hand sanitizer are available 24/7, 365 at the CHS Cares Closet, next to the steps of the Museum. Items are on the top upper left hand shelf.
Schools: 2 Covid cases were reported on Jan. 5 at GMUHS; 2 cases at Ludlow Elementary and 1 at Chester Andover Elementary
Gill Home: A first case of Covid was reported on Jan. 6, with more patients testing positive on Jan. 9
Vermont Covid Surveillance Report: The 1/1-1/7 report indicates low community levels state wide, Bennington County is reporting high levels and Windham County medium. While there were 21 Covid deaths in December and 4 so far in January, On January 6, the VT Dept of Health issued a report that stated, “Following an analysis of COVID-19 data, the Department of Health is reporting a cumulative 86 additional COVID-associated deaths that occurred over the course of the pandemic but had not been previously reported. Most of these deaths occurred in 2022. This brings the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Vermont to 877, as of January 6. The additional deaths were identified through a Health Department review of COVID-19 data that took place shortly before the holidays. While Vermont’s COVID-19 death rate will now increase from 126 per 100,000 to 140 per 100,000, it is still the lowest in the continental U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vermont Flu Surveillance Report. The 12/25-12/31 reports VT as having high levels of flu statewide.
5. EVENTS
JANUARY 16 (MONDAY): Martin Luther King Day. Legal Holiday Town Office and schools closed
JANUARY 17 (TUESDAY) ARPA Committee Meeting, 5:15 Cavendish town Office
JANUARY 22 (SUNDAY): Chinese New Year, year of the Rabbit
JANUARY 27 (FRIDAY): International Holocaust Remembrance Day
FEBRUARY 15 (WEDNESDAY): 3rd Quarter Property Taxes Due
FEBRUARY 20 (MONDAY): President’s Day, Legal Holiday, Town Office Closed
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