Cavendish Fire District 2: PRUDENTIAL COMMITTEE REPORT 2025-2026

Cavendish Fire District # 2's mission is to maintain a functioning and responsive fire department and rescue squad that is able to address the various hazards and emergencies that may exist within our coverage area and surrounding mutual aid towns. To do this the District manages the finances as approved at the annual meeting, providing the appropriate resources and keeping them secure, housed and maintained for long term use. The District demands that our Chiefs and officers set policies and guidelines that ensure the safety of its volunteers. In addition they are expected to conduct training, mentoring and maintain respect for its membership and community. Department officers are responsible for keeping communication channels open to neighboring mutual aid departments, ensuring resource coordination and compatibility. 

The Cavendish Fire Station building belongs to the taxpayers of fire district 2. The district has been successful in applying for and obtaining a substantial state grant through the Municipal Energy Resilience Program. The purpose of this grant is to make the building much more energy efficient, lowering our carbon footprint and bringing the building further into ADA compliance. The process in getting construction underway has taken longer than anticipated, Requests for Bids from contractors should be received and examined by early May of 2026.

Vermont, along with other rural states continue to face a severe shortage of first responders. We are asking interested citizens to reach out to our Chief regarding volunteering for this essential community service. Training is provided at both the local, regional and state level.

The taxpayers of Cavendish Fire District 2 and all of Vermont continue to struggle through an affordability crisis. We are respectful of the hard earned tax dollars we rely upon, therefore we are again advocating level funding our budget this year. 

The District, along with the Fire Department will continue to be active in pursuing private and government grants to fund necessary improvements. Please review the material presented. We will gladly discuss your concerns individually at our monthly meetings or at the annual meeting. Our annual meeting will be held Wednesday May 13th, 2026 at 6.p.m. at 2154 Main Street Cavendish, Vermont. 

Respectfully ,

Scott Ranney-Chairman

Matt Seaton

Stu Lindberg

Cavendish Update 4/10/26: Workshop/News/Events

LINKS TO CAVENDISH CONNECTS:  Facebook Blue Sky or Website

FREE PAPER FLOWER WORKSHOP: Saturday (4/11), 1pm at the Cavendish Library. The Cavendish Historical Society will once again host making paper flowers with the theme of red, white and blue honoring the nation’s 250th birthday in July. You can decorate a straw hat, make a paper garland or individual flowers. 

No gain from a blocked drain: Before there is a lot of foliage, this is the best time to check culvert, ditches and drains in and around where you live. Remove debris, including leaves, so the drain can do its job.

4/10/26

1.    Culvert Crawlers Workshop

2.    Cavendish Related News

3.    Events Calendar

 

1. FREE CULVERT CRAWLERS WORKSHOP: Culverts are designed to convey stormwater runoff but can easily become clogged with fallen leaves, vegetation, and debris, which can lead to flooding. For Green Up Day this year-May 2-as people are picking up trash, take the time to check culverts, ditches and drains (CCDs) in and around where you live to make sure they are clear.

To help the community learn more about CCDs and how to care for them, a free workshop, open to the public, is being held on April 22 at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville from 5:30-6:30. As part of the workshop, participants will download and use an open-source phone App to monitor culvert conditions and report to road crews. One of the advantages of the App is you can continually monitor the CDDs where you live, comparing changes seasonally and yearly. The workshop also includes how to clear out culverts safely, riding them of vegetation and debris that could block their flow. Please note-there is no crawling in culverts involved.

Culvert Crawlers is a citizen-science, grassroots effort to prevent flooding that is a collaboration with Black River Action Team (BRAT), Cavendish Connects and the Rural Rivers Project at Dartmouth.

As part of Green Up Day this year, there will be special Culvert Crawler teams (comes with cool stuff) in Cavendish and Springfield.

For more information on the workshop, or to register with one of the Culvert Crawlers teams on Green Up Day, call 802-226-7807 or e-mail culvert.crawlers@gmail.com or cavendishconnects@gmail.com

 

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Respiratory Weekly Report: Flu season is now behind us, but due to a new variant, we will continue to post information about Covid-19. The health department’s Respiratory Illness Activity in Vermont reports Covid in “low” concentrations in Ludlow waste water, for the week of 3/29/26-4/4/26. Statewide Covid is listed as “moderate”

• Celebrating Community Workshop: What makes a community? What does a community look like? Come create a work of art that shows what home and community looks like to you! Participants in the Celebrating Community Workshop-Cavendish Library on April 22 at 1 pm,-will receive a Community Heart & Home art project kit provided by the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity in celebration of Fair Housing Month.  This program is free and for all ages. Participation is limited to 20 spots. Registration recommended. FMI or to register, contact Amy at 802-226-7503 or CavendishLibrary573@gmail.com

• Local Paid Internship for 18-21: This summer, the inaugural Rural Rivers Community Science Fellowship. Is being offered to those 18-21. In collaboration with the Black River Innovation Campus, the Black River Action Team, and towns in the Connecticut River Valley, including Cavendish. This offering is an opportunity for young adults ages 18-21 to come learn how to do community science on rivers, flooding, mitigation, and recovery. Apply here!

Renovations underway at Okemo Valley TV: Okemo Valley TV is kicking off its 25th anniversary by expanding its services and renovating its building. The long-awaited work is now underway in its facility in the Ludlow Community Center complex, where the community TV station has been based for over a decade. The renovations are allowing for the expansion of its services, to include the new community radio station, WLUD, while also providing much-needed partitioning to create new spaces. The new rooms will be used for media editing and sound recording, where users of the facility will be able to better concentrate on their work. The addition of walls, ceilings, and flooring is also helping with energy efficiency improvements. VT Journal

 

3. EVENTS

APRIL 11 (SATURDAY): Free paper flower workshop at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville. 1 pm. Sponsored by the Cavendish Historical Society. FMI: margocaulfield@icloud.com or 802-226-7807

APRIL 13 (MONDAY): Andy Scherer, Outreach Coordinator for the Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District will be discussing what goes where in your household recycling bin and at the transfer 5:30-7 pm at the Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow. This is the perfect time to get all your recycling questions answered. FMI: 802-228-8921

  • Cavendish Select Board Meeting: 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office. Agenda, when available, will be posted to the Cavendish VT Facebook page.

APRIL 22 (WEDNESDAY):  Culvert Crawlers Workshop, 5:30-6:30 pm at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville. FMI: cavendishconnects@gmail.com or 802-226-7807

-       Celebrating Community Workshop: 1 pm Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville. FMI or to register, contact Amy at 802-226-7503 or CavendishLibrary573@gmail.com

MAY 2 (SATURDAY): GREEN UP DAY

MAY 9 (SATURDAY): Audubon Bird Walk, 7:30 A, 731 Stevens Rd. To register or for more information jleak499Wgmail.com or 802/376-3937

MAY 16 (SATURDAY):  Geological Exploration of the Cavendish Gore. Meet at the Green Mountain Power Station on Power Plant Road at 10 am. To register or more information bdayaemig@gmail.com or cavendishcommunityconsdervation@gmail.com

JUNE 27 (SATURDAY): American Heart Association HeartSaver CPR and First Aid at the Cavendish Fire Station. Free to Cavendish residents. To register call 802-226-7790, e-mail puba0111@mail.com or stop by the station.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 4/3/26: Hearing/Culverts/News/Events

LINKS TO CAVENDISH CONNECTS:  Facebook Blue Sky or Website

HAPPY EASTER: There are Easter Egg Hunts in Ludlow and Weathersfield on Saturday. See the Events section for more information. The Town Office is closed today for Good Friday.

 

4/3/26

1.    It’s Culvert Checking Time

2.    Public Meeting for VTrans Project 4.13.26

3.    Cavendish Related News

4.    Events Calendar

 

1. IT’S CULVERT CHECKING TIME! With the snow melted, and before the spring growth begins, this is a good time to check the culverts, ditches and drains in and around where you live. Some simple preventive steps now can help lessen the risks of damage to roads and property due to flooding.

Watch the six minute video on culverts to learn what to check for. Throughout April, we will be posting information and resources on culverts, ditches and drains and will be holding a workshop on April 22 (Wednesday), 5:30 pm at the Cavendish Library where you can learn a lot more, particularly how to use the App to record conditions.

If you have concerns about a town or state culvert, ditch or drain, please call the town office 802-226-7291.

 

2. PUBLIC MEETING FOR VTRANS PROJECT 4/13/26: A Public Informational Meeting on the project listed below will be held on  Monday, April 13, 2026 beginning at 6:30 PM during the regularly scheduled selectboard meeting at the Cavendish Town Office located at 37 High Street in Cavendish, Vermont. The  meeting will be held by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) and Town of  Cavendish. The meeting may also be attended remotely via zoom. The zoom link will be posted  on the Selectboard Meeting Agenda on the Town’s website prior to the meeting.  Bridge replacement project: CAVENDISH ER P23-1(233) – VT 131, Bridge #5 over an unnamed tributary to the Black River.

The selected alternative is to replace the corrugated metal pipe culvert with a buried concrete  structure during a four (4) day closure period.  The intent of the meeting is to provide an overview of this bridge project to Town Officials, local residents and businesses, emergency services and other interested parties. There will be a review  of the existing site conditions, proposed work, and overall schedule followed by a question-andanswer period. Representatives from VTrans will be available at the meeting to address public  concerns about the project. An electronic copy of the Preliminary Plans is available online,

3. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Respiratory Weekly Report: Flu season is now behind us, but due to a new variant, we will continue to post information about Covid-19. The health department’s Respiratory Illness Activity in Vermont reports Covid in “high” concentrations in Ludlow waste water, for the week of 3/22/26-3/28/26. Statewide Covid is listed as “moderate”

GM board to consider ‘reduction in force’ ahead of next budget vote:  Last Thursday evening-March 2-, the Green Mountain Unified School District Board held a special meeting with the single discussion item of “the contemplation of a reduction in force due to the failure of the district budget.” That discussion was among the members of the board and representatives of the unions representing the teachers and support staff. According to Superintendent Layne Millington, the uncertainty around the failure at the March polls of the district’s $19 million budget is at the heart of problem. Millington said that contracts with teachers automatically renew on April 15, while the budget won’t be revoted on until later – probably in May. If reductions in the budget are needed to get it passed, there may not be enough money to meet the contracts. Chester Telegraph

• Help Send the Cavendish DI Team to Global Finals: Three of the fourth grade  CTES students won first place at the Vermont Destination Imagination tournament. Lily, Carter, and Fisher have been working on their technical steam challenge and performance since this past fall with Amy and Wendi at the Cavendish library. DI - the team-building, student-led science and arts challenge program- encourages students’ creativity and problem solving skills. The three have been invited to attend the national competition (“Global Finals”) at the end of May in Kansas City Mo. They are excited to share about their tournament experience and to fundraise to try to attend the national competition. A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help the students, click here to learn more and make a donation.

• CHS April Briefs: The Cavendish Historical Society “Briefs” for April is now available on-line and includes upcoming events.

• Betty McEnaney Recognized by VT Association of Realtors: As part of Women’s History Month (March), Cavendish resident Betty McEnaney was recognized by the Vermont Association of Realtors- celebrating the women whose leadership, dedication, and expertise continue to shape the real estate profession and their communities. From guiding clients home to strengthening the communities we serve, women in real estate open doors, create opportunity, and inspire the next generation of leaders.

• The Ludlow Rotary Requests Your Support: The Ludlow Rotary Club is joining their district for a larger cause. They are collecting specific Back-to-School items, as listed below to support Pine Ridge Reservation, home to the Oglala Lakota Nation in SW South Dakota. The Nation faces severe challenges-consistently ranking among the poorest areas in America. Ludlow Rotary is seeking donations of crayons (24 colors), glue sticks and student erasers. Collections dates are March 30-May 22. Drop off sites locally include: Singleton’s, M&T Bank, Fletcher Memorial Library, Ludlow Insurance and Benson’s Chevrolet.

• Recycle Right Workshop: Andy Scherer, Outreach Coordinator for the Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District will be discussing what goes where in your household recycling bin and at the transfer station on Monday April 13 5:30-7 pm at the Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow. This is the perfect time to get all your recycling questions answered. FMI: 802-228-8921

• Beavers Workshop: On Monday, April 6, from 10:30-Noon at the Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow, Black River Action Team (BRAT) will be hosting a workshop on beavers.  Whether you are fascinated or frustrated by them, beavers are part of our landscape and they do important work. Come prepared to learn, but bring your questions and concerns - we will wrap up with a problem-solving session!. Speakers are both ecologists/biologists and beaver experts: Patti Smith of Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, and Skip Lisle of "Beaver Deceiver" fame. A Zoom option is available. Click here for the Eventbrite link to pre-register:

 

4. EVENTS

APRIL 3 (FRIDAY): Town office Closed for Good Friday

APRIL 4 (SATURDAY): Great Ludlow Egg Hunt, Ages 2-12, Hunt starts at 10 am at the Ludlow Community Center, sponsored by Ludlow Parks and Recreation.

-       The Weathersfield Egg Hunt: Hoisington Field, Perkinsville, 10:30 AM

-       Easter Dinner Curbside pickup at Ludlow Community Center, 37 Main St., Ludlow  from 12-2. Ham, potatoes, Gravy, Corn, Roll and Dessert. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 by April 1 to reserve your free dinner(s). Ludlow and Proctorsville Fire Departments with Black River Good Neighbor Services (BRGNS) are once again providing and preparing these meals.

APRIL 5 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

APRIL 11 (SATURDAY): Free paper flower workshop at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville. 1 pm. Sponsored by the Cavendish Historical Society. FMI margocaulfield@icloud.com or 802-226-7807

APRIL 13 (MONDAY): Andy Scherer, Outreach Coordinator for the Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District will be discussing what goes where in your household recycling bin and at the transfer 5:30-7 pm at the Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow. This is the perfect time to get all your recycling questions answered. FMI: 802-228-8921

MAY 2 (SATURDAY): GREEN UP DAY

MAY 9 (SATURDAY): Audubon Bird Walk, 7:30 A, 731 Stevens Rd. To register or for more information jleak499Wgmail.com or 802/376-3937

MAY 16 (SATURDAY):  Geological Exploration of the Cavendish Gore. Meet at the Green Mountain Power Station on Power Plant Road at 10 am. To register or more information bdayaemig@gmail.com or cavendishcommunityconsdervation@gmail.com

JUNE 27 (SATURDAY): American Heart Association HeartSaver CPR and First Aid at the Cavendish Fire Station. Free to Cavendish residents. To register call 802-226-7790, e-mail puba0111@mail.com or stop by the station.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 3/27/26: Green Up/News/Events

LINKS TO CAVENDISH CONNECTS:  Facebook Blue Sky or Website

Tonight: Ham Bingo, 6pm at CTES: You can sign up for Green Up Day at Bingo and receive a free T-shirt. See item 1 for more information on this year’s Green Up Day.  

SUNDAY: Cavendish’s ignat Solzhenitsyn will be playing a concert on March 29, 4-5:30 pm at the Brattleboro Music Center. Please click here for more information.

Free Community Art Workshop, 1 pm Make a Garden Flag at Create Together at Fletcher Farm. Book at www.CreateTogetherVT.org 

APRIL 1 Dog License Renewal Due: All dogs residing in Vermont are required to be licensed by state law. Dog licenses must be renewed by April 1st of each year. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required for licensing. Please contact the Town Clerk’s office with any questions about dog licenses at 802.226.7292.

 

3/27/26

1.    Cavendish Green Up Day

2.    Cavendish Related News

3.    Events Calendar

 

1. CAVENDISH GREEN UP DAY: Vermont’s Green Up Day is always the first Saturday in May-the 2nd this year. The following information is from Betty McEnaney, this year’s Green Up Coordinator. Claim your road!. Sign up by April 15 and you will be given a Green Up T-Shirt Sign up in the entry of the Town Office (door is open 24/7) Mark your road or area on the map, get your bags and go. It’s okay to sign up for more than one road! Or, Meet on the Proctorsville Green, Saturday May 2 between 8:30 and 10:30. We will have the list of unclaimed roads for you to help Green Up Cavendish. Gloves will be available for those who need them. Meet back on the Proctorsville Green from 11:30 to 1 for a cook-out and beverages. If you are able, keep returnables in a separate bag and bring them back to the Green. They will go to benefit Streetscapes and the CCCA. Can’t make Green Up Day? Start early or pick up trash through May 10th

.Questions? Contact Betty McEnaney at 802-236-7667 or betty@gotvermont.com or send questions to cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

 

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Respiratory Weekly Report: The health department’s Respiratory Illness Activity in Vermont reports Covid and Flu A are in “very low” concentrations in Ludlow waste water, for the week of 3/15/26-3/21/26. Statewide Covid is listed as “low” and Flu A “very low.”

• VSP Request for Information: On March 25, at 2:10 pm the Vermont State Police received a report of a road rage incident involving the blue Subaru Forester in the attached photographs. Click here to see the photo. VSP asks that anyone with information that could assist investigators identify the operator call the Westminster Barracks at 802-722-4600 or submit an anonymous tip online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

• Congratulations to the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library Destination Imagination Team-The Dragons: Who placed first in their bracket at the Vermont State Tournament! Their win qualifies them to attend the Global Finals in Kansas City, Missouri in May. Since October, the team has met weekly after school to create a game show skit that involved the use of props and at least one special effect. All props and effects had to be created by the team members themselves without the assistance of parents / adults. The group constructed dinosaur costumes, a dinosaur egg, a baby dinosaur, microphone, and food using cardboard, string, duct tape, tin foil, paper, and paint. The dinosaur mouths were functional through a lever system that the group designed. A small sound board was also constructed to add sound effects for their show.  Destination Imagination’s (DI) mission is to advance creativity as an essential skill for innovating, collaborating, and driving positive impact using values such as collaboration, respect, stewardship, perseverance, and integrity. We are SO proud of this group for all their hard work and imagination!

• Senior Solutions’ Foxy Fund helps seniors to keep caring for their pets at home: The Foxy Fund was created to help older adults who need assistance caring for their pets. The program provides pet food to clients enrolled in Meals on Wheels and offers financial support for unexpected veterinary or pet-related expenses.By addressing these practical challenges, the Foxy Fund helps seniors continue caring for their animals during times when resources may be limited. To learn more or support this program, please visit our website by clicking here.

GMUSD board re-organizes with several new members: Lisa Saunders of Cavendish is the new chair of the Green Mountain Unified School District board. Chester Telegraph

• Scholarship Opportunity:  The Ludlow Sidehill Cronchers Snowmobile Club is awarding a $1,500 scholarship to an eligible graduating senior from Ludlow, Mount Holly, or Cavendish. Apply by May 1, 2026 Questions or submissions: ludlowshc@gmail.com Go to https://www.ludlowsidehillcronchers.com/.../02-25-2026... for more info!

• Community Garden: The garden is located on Route 103, (Fletcher Farm) at the border between Ludlow and Proctorsville, and is open to all residents of Ludlow and neighboring towns. It will open around mid-to-late April, depending on the weather. Gardeners grow vegetables, herbs, flowers and small fruits. Individual plots are 10 feet by 10 feet. Members take care of their plots as well as help maintain the common areas of the garden. Seeds are available only to garden members through our small seed library. A separate enclosed area is dedicated to composting food scraps. This is an ongoing educational project made possible through a Grow Grant from the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund and support from Composting Association of Vermont, Vermont Community Garden Network, and the participation of UVM Extension master gardeners and master composters. Fees for plots and raised beds include the use of all garden tools, hoses, carts, water, compost, some seeds, and other materials. Scholarship plots are available upon request. Plots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There are a few plots and raised beds available. If interested, please send an email with your full name, address, and phone number to garden secretary Emma Hileman at emma.hileman@gmail.com, or call her at 540-320-3399.

3. EVENTS

MARCH 27 (FRIDAY): Ham Bingo, CTES @ 6 pm. Funds raised are used for field trips and other student activities.

APRIL 1 (WEDNESDAY): Dog License Renewals Due

-       Planning Commission Hearing, 6 pm Cavendish Town Office to consider a conditional use application regarding the proposed improvements at 67 Mill St, Cavendish.

APRIL 3 (FRIDAY): Town office Closed for Good Friday

APRIL 4 (SATURDAY): Great Ludlow Egg Hunt, Ages 2-12, Hunt starts at 10 am at the Ludlow Community Center, sponsored by Ludlow Parks and Recreation.

-       Easter Dinner Curbside pickup at Ludlow Community Center, 37 Main St., Ludlow  from 12-2. Ham, potatoes, Gravy, Corn, Roll and Dessert. Call Angela at 802-356-3823 by April 1 to reserve your free dinner(s). Ludlow and Proctorsville Fire Departments with Black River Good Neighbor Services (BRGNS) are once again providing and preparing these meals.

APRIL 5 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

APRIL 11 (SATURDAY): Free paper flower workshop at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville. 1 pm. Sponsored by the Cavendish Historical Society.

MAY 2 (SATURDAY): GREEN UP DAY

MAY 9 (SATURDAY): Audubon Bird Walk, 7:30 A, 731 Stevens Rd. To register or for more information jleak499Wgmail.com or 802/376-3937

MAY 16 (SATURDAY):  Geological Exploration of the Cavendish Gore. Meet at the Green Mountain Power Station on Power Plant Road at 10 am. To register or more information bdayaemig@gmail.com or cavendishcommunityconsdervation@gmail.com

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS