Cavendish Update 6/9/23: Hydrant flush/PCBs @GM/Ghost Walk

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The recent air quality, due to the Canadian wild fires, has been challenging for various members of the community. N 95 masks are available for free, at the Cavendish Cares Closet, located next to the Museum steps and from the Cavendish Fire Dept, Mon-Fri from 9-4.

6/9/23

1.    Spring Hydrant Flushing Notice

2.    PCBs found at GMUHS

3.    Free weekly Cavendish BP Clinic/Free CPR Course

4.    CHS’s Annual Ghost Walk-Cavendish Village

5.    Cavendish Info

6.    Events

1. SPRING HYDRANT FLUSHING NOTICE

Cavendish Municipal Water System

Monday, June 12th, through Wednesday, June 14th, 2023

During the hours of 9 am to 5 pm

System users are reminded that: Flushing hydrants may cause temporary discoloration and turbidity of the water.  We apologize for any inconvenience to our users, however this very important system maintenance procedure must be conducted each spring and fall.  The flushing program allows the pipes to be purged and the hydrants checked for proper operation.

Users are advised to avoid drinking the water or washing clothes (especially whites) while discoloration is in evidence.  Following hydrant flushing in your area, users should run cold water until it clears before resuming normal use.  It is also a good idea to flush residential water heaters after the water clears following a hydrant flush in your area.

Thank you for your cooperation, Cavendish Municipal Water System For additional information call 802-226-7291

2. PCBS FOUND AT GMUHS: Below is a brief summary of the report that is available at The Dish. The Community Forum on PCBs at GMUHS, held Wednesday night,  is now available at the Okemo Valley TV Website. Note that this is an evolving story and expect changes and new information in the days and months ahead.

As the result of testing, held on April 10, 2023, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found at Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS). According to the VT Department of Health (VDH), PCBs can cause serious health effects.

Vermont uses an acceptable level of 100 ng/m3 for PCBs for students in grades 7 through adult. Of the 45 places tested, 35 were at or above the accepted state level. The state standard calls for any immediate action for an area with 300 ng/m3 or more, which would be seven of the places tested.

An environmental consultant has been hired and further testing and identifying the sources of the PCBs  should be underway by the end of the month. It will most likely be sometime in mid-August before the public will be notified of results, though Fierman indicated that the public will be kept informed throughout this process. She also noted that because the school is large, with a lower student occupancy, there would be more options in closing down spaces and using other areas. Ultimately, the goal is to keep the school open and safe for students, faculty and staff, while remediation is underway.

No changes will take place for the remainder of this school year, based on the recommendation of VDH-last day is June 16th. Changes will be made for summer school to reduce exposure.  Assessments will be done this summer for the 2023/2024 school year.

3. WEEKLY BP CLINIC IN CAVENDISH/FREE CPR COURSE: The Cavendish Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) now has a free blood pressure (BP) clinic every Wednesdays from 9-3. You can also stop by the station at 2154 Main Street anytime the EMT is at the station-Monday-Friday 9-4, for a BP check.

On July 15 (Saturday), from 1-4 pm,  CVFD will be holding the American Heart Association’s HeartSaver CPR at the station. This course is designed for community members who need to know how to perform CPR in a variety of community setting. Participants, upon completion of the training, receive a two year certification.  The course is free to all Cavendish residents. To sign up, please contact Chief Nareau at 802-226-7790, puba0111@gmail.com or stop by the station.

CVFD continues to offer free COVID test kits, masks and hand sanitizer.

4.CHS’S ANNUAL GHOST WALK-CAVENDISH VILLAGE: In keeping with Mid-Summer Night’s Eve, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) will once again host the Cavendish Village Ghost tour on Saturday, June 17. Meet at the former Duttonsville School House, 66 Duttonsville School Dr, Cavendish, at 8 pm, wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight.

The former Duttonsville School is thought to be haunted by children in what was once a classroom. The owner would hear laughing and sounds that a party was going on. However, whenever he opened the door, no one was there. Other strange occurrences have happened in the building, including a spirit teenager who sat at the end of a visitor’s bed.

Among the sites to be visited include the Cavendish High Street Cemetery; Cavendish Stone Church, private homes as well as the site of the “Dutton House.” The latter was believed by locals to be haunted long before it was moved to Shelburne Museum, where the ghosts seemed to continue to haunt the museum, staff and visitors alike. No tour would be complete without a stop at the old Hickernell house, where for many decades it was believed that Mr. Hickernell had been murdered and buried in the basement.

Free and open to the public, donations are always welcomed. For more information call 802-226-7807 or e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com

5. CAVENDISH INFO

• Congrats to GM’s Girls and Boys Track Teams: Green Mountain Union High School boys and girls track and field are state champs for Div. 4.

• Mercedes Kubisek (1977-2023): Proctorsville resident Mercedes died unexpectedly on June 3. A fundraiser will be held on Friday, June 30th at the Ludlow American Legion Squadron, 36 Main St. in Ludlow to help support Mercede’s children.

• Black River High School Alumni Gathering: June 10 (Saturday), 11-3, Visit the new BRHS exhibit at the Senior Center and Black River Academy Museum, High St. Ludlow.

• Vermonters are invited to share their experiences accessing broadband VT Digger

• Dartmouth Health lays off 75 workers, eliminates 100 open positions: Vt Digger

6. EVENTS

JUNE 1-16: Stop by the Cavendish library and voter for your favorite picture for the 2024 Cavendish Community Conservation Association calendar

JUNE 5-JULY 11: The Most Costly Journal-Physical & Mental Health Needs Display Panels at the Cavendish Library

JUNE 9 (FRIDAY): Summer Kick Off Carnival at CTES 5-8. Free and open to the public. Games, food and fun.

JUNE 11 (SUNDAY): Cavendish Historical Society talk on Peter Tumbo, the 106 year old former slave who lived the last 40 years of his life in Cavendish. Talk is being held at the Cavendish Stone Church on Main St (route 131) at 2 pm. Parking is at the Cavendish Baptist Church.

JUNE 12 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Meeting 6:30 pm Cavendish Town Office

JUNE 15 (THURSDAY): CTES 6TH grade graduation, 6 pm

JUNE 16 (FRIDAY): GMUHS graduation, Last day of school for GMUHS and CTES

JUNE 17 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Historical Society’s Annual Ghost Walk. Meet at the old Duttonsville School 66 Duttonsville School Dr, Cavendish, at 8 pm, wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight. Free and open to the public. Donations welcome.

JUNE 19 (MONDAY): Juneteenth. Town Office closed.

JUNE 24 (SATURDAY): Birds & Bloom, Cavendish Streetscapes, Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) 10-2. A gathering of local art, decorated bird houses, plants and more. Benefit for Streetscapes.

JUNE 27 (TUESDAY): 6 pm: The Most Costly Journey-Book Discussion at the Cavendish Library. Books available for pick up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9-6

JULY 4 (TUESDAY): HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Town Office Closed

JULY 5 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts kick off at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Gypsy Reel will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 11 (TUESDAY): 6 PM Movie Night at the Cavendish Library. Under the Cloak of Darkness

JULY 12 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Bill Brink will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 15 (SATURDAY): HeartSave CPR at the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Dept. 1-4 pm. FMI and to register

JULY 19 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Gully Boys will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 26 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. The Willistones will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 29 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale

AUGUST 2 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Sammy Blanchette will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

AUGUST 4 (FRIDAY): Cartoonist Marek Bennett at the Cavendish Library, registration is required for this event. FMI and to Register 802-226-7503 or e-mail cavendishlibrary@gmail.com

AUGUST 9 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Yankee Chank will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

AUGUST 16 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. The Silverbacks will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

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PCBs Found at GMUHS

The Community Forum on PCBs at GMUHS, held Wednesday night,  is now available at the Okemo Valley TV Website. Note that this is an evolving story and expect changes and new information in the days and months ahead.

As the result of testing, held on April 10, 2023, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found at Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS).

Testing was done in compliance with the 2021 legislation (Act 74), requiring all schools – public and independent – built or renovated before 1980- to test their indoor air for PCBs by July 2024. Note that within the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU), of the five schools, three (Cavendish, Ludlow and Mt. Holly Elementary Schools) tested fine. Chester Andover Elementary has yet to be tested.

What are PCBs: PCBs belong to a broad family of man-made organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons, which were manufactured from 1929 until they were banned in 1979. They were used in electrical, heat transfer and hydraulic equipment; plasticizers in paints, plastics and rubber products; pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper as well as in other industrial applications.

Health Risks: According to the VT Department of Health (VDH), PCBs can cause serious health effects. The potential for health effects from PCBs, as with other chemicals, depends on how much, how often, and how long someone is exposed to them. Numerous studies in both humans and animals have shown that exposure to PCBs can affect the nervous, immune, reproductive and endocrine systems. PCBs can cause cancer in humans. Moreover, the different health effects of PCBs may be interconnected. This means that if one system of the body is affected by PCBs, it may have significant effects on the other systems of the body, which can lead to many serious health problems.

At a special meeting on Wednesday evening, June 7, representatives from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Agency of Education (AOE) and VDH were on hand to explain testing results, answer questions and to discuss next steps.

In terms of health risks, an audience member brought up that at one time GMUHS housed a pre-school program, which some children attended for three years and then spent an additional six years from 7th-12th grade. With the state’s action level standards of 30 ng/m3 for Pre K, and the high levels found-see below- could these children be at risk? No definitive answer was given.

Test Results: Vermont uses an acceptable level of 100 ng/m3 for PCBs for students in grades 7 through adult. For air testing purposes, the school was divided into three zones, with 30% of each zone tested. The following averages were obtained for each zone:

• Floor 1: 148 ng/m3

• Floor 2: 143 ng/m3

• Floor 3: 323 ng/m3

The highest levels were seen on the 3rd floor: Stairwell 2 (600 ng/m3); Room 309 (560 ng/m3); Stairwell 3 (500ng/m3); Rooms 301 and 307 (360 ng/m3).  Outside air testing was fine, though no specific data was given.

Action Required: The state standard calls for any immediate action for an area with 300 ng/m3 or more, which would be seven of the places tested, and “action” for any space 100 ng/m3 or above. Of the 45 places tested, 35 were at or above the accepted state level.

Next Steps: An environmental consultant has been hired and further testing and identifying the sources of the PCBs  should be underway by the end of the month. As Superintendent Lauren Fierman noted, “We’re just at the very beginning of what will be a very long process.” It will most likely be sometime in mid-August before the public will be notified of results, though Fierman indicated that the public will be kept informed throughout this process. She also noted that because the school is large, with a lower student occupancy, there would be more options in closing down spaces and using other areas.

One of the remediation options discussed was the use of carbon filters. While the school was equipped for air filters to reduce Covid risks, they have not been using carbon filters, which can significantly improve air quality.

Ultimately, the goal is to keep the school open and safe for students, faculty and staff, while remediation is underway.

Immediate Plan: No changes will take place for the remainder of this school year, based on the recommendation of VDH. The last day of school is June 16th.

Summer: Changes will be made on the use of spaces on the first and third floors to reduce exposure.

Fall: Assessments will be done this summer for the 2023/2024 school year.

Paying for Remediation: To the question of funds to help with paying for the cost of remediation, both Senator Dick McCormick and Cavendish Representative John Arrison spoke. With the Governor having vetoed both the state budget as well as child care (H.217) the legislature will be meeting later in June to override the vetoes and/or draft a new budget. One way or the other, allocations will be made for school remediation costs due to PCBs. Will it be enough to help all the schools who are finding PCBs remains to be seen.   

For more information on PCBs in Vermont schools, check out the Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s website PCBs in Schools. Trish Coppolino, the Senior Environmental Program Manager who lead the discussion at Wednesday’s meeting can be reached at 802-249-5822

Cavendish Update 6/2/23: Job Opening/Talk/News/Events

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6/2/23

1.    Immediate Job Opening-Cavendish Highway Dept

2.    Peter Tumbo former slave dies at 106 in Cavendish

3.    Cavendish Info

4.    Events

1. IMMEDIATE JOB OPENING CAVENDISH HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: The Town of Cavendish has an immediate opening for a full-time Highway Department crew member. This position has a competitive wage and excellent benefits package. Applicants are required to have current CDL, good driving and work records and must be in good physical health. Experience in construction and heavy equipment operation, including dump truck operation, is preferred but  the Town is willing to train the right CDL holding applicant. This is a permanent position with a retirement plan. A comprehensive job description is  available to serious applicants. Applications, resumes and inquiries should be directed to: Town Manager Town of Cavendish Municipal Building, 37 High Street, P.O. Box 126, Cavendish, Vermont 05142 (802) 226-7291. Cavendish is an Equal Opportunity Employer

2. PETER TUMBO FORMER SLAVE DIES IN CAVENDISH AT 106: Born most likely in West Africa, enslaved, and a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, Peter Tumbo spent the last 40 years of his life in Cavendish, VT. He was married when he moved to Cavendish, remarried while here and was reputed to be a man of good moral character, and sustained a good reputation for truth and veracity, according to the leading citizens of the day, Josiah French and Jabez Proctor.

 Was he really 106 when he died, as the abolitionist newspaper, “The Liberator,” reported, along with “The Vermont Watchman” & “State Gazette” -On Jan 30, 1832, Peter Tumbo, “colored man”, aged 106 died in Cavendish, VT? While he owned 50 acres of land, and therefore not eligible for a Revolutionary War pension, could he have suffered from war injuries that made it hard for him to maintain that land?

On June 11 (Sunday), the Cavendish Historical Society will be giving a talk about Peter Tumbo, the events that led to his coming to Cavendish, his story as well as his daughter’s. The talk begins at 2 pm at the Cavendish Universalist Church (Stone Church) on Main St. (route 131) in Cavendish Village. Parking is across the street at the Cavendish Baptist Church, 2258 Main St.

The location for the program was chosen as the Cavendish Universalist Church, also known as the Stone Church was built in 1844 under the leadership of the Rev. Warren Skinner, an avid abolitionist and part of Vermont’s “above ground railroad. The talk is free and open to the public. Donations welcome

3. CAVENDISH INFO

• Dale Mann offered CTES Principalship at CTES: On Wednesday evening, the Green Mountain Unified Supervisory Union (GMUSD) board unanimously agreed to offer Mann a two year contract as principal of CTES. Mann was raised in rural Western Maryland and has extensive experience as a principal. Having been principal for the last 10 years in Washington D.C., he indicated during Tuesday’s public forum, that he was ready to return to his small town roots. His resume is available on-line at the TRSU website. The Chester Telegraph also has an article about Wednesday’s meeting.

• Cavendish Library 2023 Events: The following will be taking place at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St., Proctorsville. FMI and to Register 802-226-7503 or e-mail cavendishlibrary@gmail.com

-       June 1-16: Stop by the library and voter for your favorite picture for the 2024 Cavendish Community Conservation Association calendar

-       June 5-July 11: The Most Costly Journal-Physical & Mental Health Needs Display Panels.

-       June 27 @ 6 pm: The Most Costly Journey-Book Discussion. Books available for pick up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9-6

-       July 11 @ 6pm: Movie Night-Under the Cloak of Darkness

-       August 4 @ 2pm: Cartoonist Marek Bennett, registration is required for this event.

• Bear Coexistence PSA from VT Fish & Wildlife Department: Bear activity typically increases in June, so the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is reminding everyone that now is an especially important time to secure food sources that could attract bears to your neighborhood.  A complete list of bear coexistence tips covering topics like composting, protecting your backyard chickens, and discouraging bears from getting too comfortable in your yard is available on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department website  As always, if you notice bears seeking food in their yards or in public places like campgrounds, report the incident at Fish & Wildlife website.

 

4. EVENTS

JUNE 1-16: Stop by the Cavendish library and voter for your favorite picture for the 2024 Cavendish Community Conservation Association calendar

JUNE 5 (MONDAY): E Tools Workshop at the 6:00 p.m., at the Cavendish town office to demonstrate battery-operated tools for the yard and garden. Free and open to the public. Light refreshments. FMI: CavendishCommunityConservation@gmail.com.

JUNE 5-JULY 11: The Most Costly Journal-Physical & Mental Health Needs Display Panels at the Cavendish Library

JUNE 7 (WEDNESDAY): CTES Spring concert 6 pm

JUNE 9 (FRIDAY): CTES Summer Kickoff Festival at CTES 5-8 pm. Free. Lots of games, prizes and much more. Rolling Rooster Food Truck will be offering delicious treats.

JUNE 15 (THURSDAY): CTES 6TH grade graduation, 6 pm

JUNE 16 (FRIDAY): GMUHS graduation, Last day of school for GMUHS and CTES

JUNE 27 (TUESDAY): 6 pm: The Most Costly Journey-Book Discussion at the Cavendish Library. Books available for pick up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9-6

JULY 4 (TUESDAY): HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Town Office Closed

JULY 11 (TUESDAY): 6 PM Movie Night at the Cavendish Library. Under the Cloak of Darkness

JULY 29 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale

AUGUST 4 (FRIDAY): Cartoonist Marek Bennett at the Cavendish Library, registration is required for this event. FMI and to Register 802-226-7503 or e-mail cavendishlibrary@gmail.com

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IMMEDIATE JOB OPENING: CAVENDISH TOWN CREW

The Town of Cavendish has an immediate opening for a full-time Highway Department crew member. This position has a competitive wage and excellent benefits package. Applicants are required to have current CDL, good driving and work records and must be in good physical health. Experience in construction and heavy equipment operation, including dump truck operation, is preferred but  the Town is willing to train the right CDL holding applicant. This is a permanent position with a retirement plan. A comprehensive job description is  available to serious applicants. Applications, resumes and inquiries should be directed to:

Town Manager

Town of Cavendish Municipal Building

37 High Street, P.O. Box 126

Cavendish, Vermont 05142

(802) 226-7291

Cavendish is an Equal Opportunity Employer