Cavendish Update 1/9/26: Budget/Elected Positions/News/Events
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The Cavendish Fire Department air hose is once again working. Please note that flu and Covid levels are now high. January is when preparations are underway for Town Meeting in March. Today’s post includes articles on the budget as well as the list of positions up for election.
1/9/26
1. Open Positions for Cavendish Elected Officials 2026
2. Cavendish Budget Planning
3. Supporting River Work
4. Cavendish Related News
5. Events Calendar
1. OPEN POSITIONS FOR CAVENDISH ELECTED OFFICIALS 2026: Below is a list of the positions for the 2026 election. Petitions need to be picked up at the Town Office and are due back by 5 PM on January 26 (Monday).
Position Term Incumbent
Town Moderator 1 year Mike Ripley
Town Agent 1 year Vacant
Town Clerk 3 years Diane McNamara
Town Treasurer 3 years Diane McNamara
Auditor 1 year Andrew Amatutz
Auditor 2 years Vacant
Auditor 3 years Vacant
Select Board 1 year Shannon Devereux
Select Board 1 year David Norton
Select Board 3 year Robert Glidden
Town Grand Juror 1 year Teri McNamara
Library Trustee 5 years Christopher Saylor
Trustee of Public Funds 5 years Vacant
GMUSH Director 3 years Kate Lamphere
GMUSD Director 2 years Donovan Nichols
Diane McNamara and Kate Lamphere will not be running for their current positions in the upcoming election. Note that while Diane McNamara has been both town clerk and treasurer, these are two distinct positions and can be petitioned separately. If a person is interested in just being town clerk, or just treasurer, they can petition accordingly.
2. CAVENDISH BUDGET PLANNING: The Cavendish Select Board has met twice to prepare the budget for Town Meeting. Minutes from the Dec. 22 meeting are available on-line and a video of the meeting is available at the Okemo Valley TV website. The unapproved minutes from the January 5 th meeting are available at the Town Website
Approved
• To allocate $172,564.66 of ARPA funds to the Community Development and Infrastructure Fund. (12/22 Meeting)
• To change the garage loan to a fixed rate loan (12/22 Meeting)
• To eliminate the recreation director position starting July 1, 2026, leaving the money for recreation supplies, and put the director’s salary of $30,674 into Sheriff services. (1/5 meeting) This change should double coverage.
Town Budget: Town manager, Rick Chambers, said that the working budget as of Jan. 5, has an increase of 5,59% over last year’s budget.
- Increased wages by 5%
- Cemeteries: decreased wages based on last season’s expenses. Looking to replace the sexton and may have two people who are interested.
- Recreation: The current rec director primarily does in-school programs but since the school is part of the TRSU, this should be covered by the school budget. Greven Field, due to flooding, is no longer being used as a ball field.
- Town Office Cameras: $14,500 was added to the budget to cover the purchase and installation plus the first year’s contract for 4 cameras, one for each side of the building.
- Local appropriations: Two new items this year, money for town’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and to help with the shelter at the Cavendish Baptist Church, which opens whenever it’s needed.
- External Requests: Three requests were received after the November 30th deadline- American Red Cross, Okemo Valley Technical Rescue and Black River Senior Center. The late requests can be on the warning for the voters to decide.
3. SUPPORTING RIVER WORK: Kelly Stettner started Black River Action Team (BRAT) more than 20 years ago to help clean up and protect the Black River. Not only did RiverSweep celebrate it’s 20th anniversary this fall, but since the 2023 floods, and the dedication of BRAT’s Mud Puppies, a great deal of time and energy has gone into measures to protect riverbanks and property. It involves a lot of plantings and a lot of hard work on Kelly’s part and her dedicated team of volunteers.
Kelly is in dire need of a good reliable work truck to use with BRAT. She’s looking for a 2015 Toyota Tacoma but needs help. While you may wonder why she just doesn’t write a grant for one for the organization, BRAT doesn’t want to take on truck liability. Therefore, this is something she needs to do on her own.
You can help by doing the following:
• Donating on-line to her Buy Me a Coffeed truck fund
• Send a check to Kelly Stettner to 101 Perley Gordon Rd, Springfield, VT 05156 and no it’s not tax deductible.
• Know of a good truck? Email her blackrivercleanup@gmail.com
4. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
• Respiratory Weekly Report: The health department’s Respiratory Illness Activity in Vermont reports Covid and flu concentrations in Ludlow waste water, as well as throughout the state, are “high” for the week of 12/28-1/3/26. Masks and hand sanitizer are available at the Cavendish Cares closet next to the Museum steps.
• Municipal Water: On Jan. 2, the town issued the following statement, Due to extreme water demand currently on our water system you may be experiencing discolored water. The Water Department is producing double the amount of water we typically produce. With all this treated water flowing through the distribution system it will stir up sediment causing discoloration. I want to assure you this water is treated and safe. This high demand should subside soon and allow the water system to return to normal. If you are having water issues, report your concerns to the Town Office 802-226-7291.
• To save the state money, lawmaker commutes 90 miles every night: Rather than stay overnight in Montpelier during the week, Rep. V.L. Coffin drives 87 miles home to Cavendish most nights after a day’s work in the Legislature. VT Daily Chronicle
• Tech Time at Fletcher Memorial Library: Fletcher Memorial Library will host Tech Time with Matt Sydorowich, of Sydscompufix, on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Sydorowich will offer one-on-one assistance with your device, phone, or computer. Please call the library at 802-228-8921 to register.
• Free tax-preparation assistance: Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA) and the Black River Senior Center have partnered to provide free assistance with federal and state tax preparation, Vermont homestead and property tax credit claims, Vermont renter rebate claims, and more, for veterans, active duty military members, seniors, those with disabilities, and individuals or couples who make $69,000 per year or less. Tax preparation is in person, by appointment, at the senior center, 10 High Street in Ludlow, Vt., on Feb. 5, Feb. 25, and March 19, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. all days. For more information, or to make an appointment, call the senior center at 802-228-7421.
• Gov. Phil Scott insists on lawmakers 'keeping our word' on education reform in State of State speech: In his State of the State address Wednesday afternoon, Scott issued an ultimatum to the Democratically-controlled Legislature: force Vermont’s 119 school districts to consolidate into much larger entities, or he’ll block the more than $9 billion in funding needed to keep government running the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. “I want to be clear,” Scott told the Vermont lawmakers who gathered in the House chamber to hear his speech. “I will not sign a budget or an education bill or a tax bill that deviates from Act 73 or fails to fix what’s broken.” VT Public
• Vermont Health officials reaffirm existing childhood vaccine schedule in light of federal changes:The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scaled back federal guidelines for childhood vaccines Monday, moving six immunizations out of the “recommended” category. Following the federal action, Vermont officials and health experts are reaffirming the state’s commitment to its existing childhood immunization schedule, which recommends many of the vaccines that the CDC had removed. VT Digger
5. EVENTS
JANUARY 12 (MONDAY): Cavendish Select Board Monthly Meeting 6:30 pm at the Town Office.
JANUARY 19 (MONDAY): Martin Luther King’s Day, Legal Holiday Town Office closed
FEBRUARY 7 (SATURDAY): CHS workshop: Write an 18th Century Valentine. The workshop will include: writing with a “quill pen,” examples of letters written for Valentine’s Day, folding the letter and sealing it with wax (letter locking). 1-2:30 at the Cavendish Library. Recommended for those 12 and up.
FEBRUARY 14 (SATURDAY): Happy Valentine’s Day
FEBRUARY 15 (SUNDAY): Cavendish 3rd quarter taxes due. Note, you have until Monday Feb. 16 to make payments.
FEBRUARY 16 (MONDAY): President’s Day, Legal Holiday
FEBRUARY 28 (SATURDAY): CHS Workshop: In keeping with Black History Month, this workshop will include screening portions of Ken Burns’ American Revolution series on the role of black patriots, the Ethiopian Army, and two Cavendish patriots-Peter Tumbo and Prince Robinson-who had been enslaved and made their way to Cavendish after the war. 1-2:30 pm at the Cavendish Library. Recommended for those 12 and up
MARCH 14 (SATURDAY): CHS Workshop- Celebrating Women’s History month, this workshop will discuss the role of women in the American Revolution and will include screening segments of the American Revolution series. This workshop will include a “taste of history,” where “Liberty Tea” will be served. 1-2:30 pm at the Cavendish Library. Recommended for those 12 and up.
