Welcome to "The Dish", the blog of Cavendish Connects, a community web site for the town of Cavendish, Vermont.
The Dish features a round-up of local happenings and events in Cavendish, Vermont.
Have something noteworthy to share? Contact us at cavendishconnects@gmail.com; we would love to hear from you.
At the Sept 10 Select Board meeting, three vendors responded to the town's request for proposal (RFP) to install a 150 Kw system. The vendors were as follows:
• Aegis Renewable, Waitsfield, VT
• Prudent Living, Windsor VT
• A joint venture of Sovern Solar, Putney VT and the USA Solar Store, Perkinsville,VT
The contract award will be done at the Sept. 12 (Friday) Select Board meeting, which will take place at 4:15 at the Cavendish Town Office.
In the June 6 Cavendish Update, we reported the frustration many people in town were experiencing with their Internet service, particularly TDS. While problems continue, and in some cases are worse, there is improvement for those who can use VTel’s emerging service.
VTel’s full wireless system will not be in place until the summer of 2015, but fortunately some locals are benefiting from what’s now available and have made the switch. According to VTel’s Lead Wireless Specialist, Andrea Spaans, there is no guarantee that the service when implemented will cover 100% of Cavendish. However if the service is available where you live, it should be good. There are four towers that will impact our area (one in Ludlow (live next summer), one in Cavendish (live this winter), one in Windsor (connecting commercial traffic next month) and one in South Reading (live next summer) that all have different launch dates. Whether VTel’s system will work for you now or in the future can only be determined by calling them 875-7711 and speaking to a representative.
At Monday’s Select Board meeting, town manager Rich Svec informed the board that the new TDS field services representative for Vermont, stated that TDS was very aware that the current system in Cavendish is maxed out, yet upgrades or changes are not planned for 2015. A local engineer, who works with this technology, and was present at Monday night’s meeting, was able to further elaborate on this situation.
Basically, a system constructed several years ago is no longer adequate to handle the same number of customers today, due to increased customer bandwidth usage. [More people are video streaming, sending pictures etc.] Building a new fiber cable from Cavendish to the world, becomes an extremely expensive operation due to the distances involved and the make ready work required in other operating companies.
With cell service and other local Internet providers (Comcast and VTel) coming into the area, TDS’s customer base-including land line and Internet- has been significantly reduced. High costs combined with loss of market share is not much of an incentive for TDS to spend the millions needed to meet today’s standards, let alone where the Internet will be five years from now.
Currently, the Federal Communications Commission’s benchmark for broadband services is a download speed of 4 Mbps and an upload speed of 1 Mbps. These figures will often be represented as 4/1. TDS advertises a 5 Mbps service as well as a 15 /4 “Turbo speed.” Recent speed tests in various parts of town are showing speeds of 1/.47 for 5Mbps service and 4.62/.46 for Turbo speed. Check your speed by going to http://speedtest.tds.net It will most likely vary throughout the day depending on your location and users on-line.
According to Susan Paruch of the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA), VTA has no regulatory control over Internet providers as it is unregulated at the federal level. However, VTA is willing to call TDS on our behalf recognizing there is no requirement for TDS to act. Paruch stated that it’s important for people to call them as the more information they have, the better the case they can make. The number to call is 1-800-622-4496.
VTA was a good source for information about some of the rumors circulating in town.
• Is VTel making it difficult for TDS to expand their services by locking up bandwidth or high fiber optics? No, VTel uses different technology.
• Is VTel going to buy out TDS? Unlikely as the market share isn’t of sufficient size to be of interest.
• Could TDS abandon the area? At this time land lines are still a regulated service. TDS is the incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) for our area as they provide land line coverage. Consequently, before TDS could leave there would be a variety of hearings and a land line provider would either already be in place or would be purchasing TDS. Could this change if land lines become deregulated? Of course.
The issues we’re experiencing are not unique for small towns in VT. In August, VT Public Radio aired a story about The Department of Public Service’s draft 10 year plan for the future of telecommunications in Vermont. It is worth the time to read/listen to this article as it shows the difficulties small companies like TDS are facing-in 2011 alone VT ILECs lost $39 million- while acknowledging the problems the lack of broadband creates for VT.
One of the fortunate things we do have with TDS is the repair team. Not only do they live locally, but they are working countless hours trying to keep an antiquated system operational. Yes, this is a very frustrating situation, but they are not the problem so please don’t take it out on them.
The local engineer at Monday night’s select board meeting discussed some interim solutions that TDS could do that would improve the situation. Whether TDS would consider this is an unknown. However, there are some things you can do:
• TDS users with internet issues should outline them in an e-mail and send immediately to rsvec@comcast.net You can also call the town office at 226-7292 and provide similar information. Svec is sending a letter to TDS on Friday, Sept. 12 and would like to include as much information about the problem as possible.
• Conduct speed tests at various times to better understand how the Internet is working at your house. This does several things-TDS and VTA need specifics and you’ll have a comparison measure if you switch Internet providers.
• Call VTA 1-800-622-4496 and register your concerns. Again, the more people that contact them, the stronger the case they can make when they talk to TDS.
• Attend the October Select Board meeting where it is expected that the TDS representative will be in attendance to answer questions and to explain how they will be addressing these concerns.
While this article has discussed VTel and TDS, there is a third major Internet provider in Cavendish, Comcast. We have yet to connect with someone at Comcast that can provide us with the information we’re looking for.
Finally, it’s important to take the poor connectivity complaints of visiting friends and family seriously. It’s easy to dismiss this by saying, “what do you expect it’s a rural area.” However, according to area realtors, poor Internet is a contributing factor as to why people do not move here. If we want a strong year round residential community and economy, a reliable broadband network is essential.
Select Board Agenda for 9/10/14, Cavendish Town Office 5 pm.
1. Call the Meeting to Order
2. Board of Selectmen to open proposals received for the Cavendish Solar Project. The deadline for proposal submission was 4:55 pm, September 10, 2014. The proposals will be logged in by the Board and checked for apparent completeness. A brief extract of the proposal elements including the total proposed project cost for each received proposal will be read aloud by the Town Manager. Questions regarding clarification may be posed to the proposing contractors present by the Board.
3. The Board is scheduled to convene a meeting at 4:15 pm on Friday, September 12th, 2014 at which time the Board will again review the proposals but with a summary analysis report offered by the Cavendish Town Energy Committee and the Town Energy Coordinator. The Board will then contemplate further action, including award, on the proposals.
4. Sign Selectmen’s Weekly Orders
5. Adjourn
Select Board Agenda for 9/12/14, Cavendish Town Office 4:15 pm.
1. Call the Meeting to Order
2. Board of Selectmen to review the proposals but with a summary analysis report offered by the Cavendish Town Energy Committee and the Town Energy Coordinator. The Board will then contemplate further action, including award, on the proposals.
3. Adjourn
Select board (SB) meetings are recorded by LPC-TV and are available at their website and on Comcast Television. Discussion and voting at Monday, Sept. 8’s SB meeting were as follows:
A. Local Broadband Access: There have been a number of complaints about TDS Internet service starting in June. The complaints have fallen into three broad categories: intermittent service; slow speed and poor response from TDS. At the August meeting, the SB voted to have a representative from TDS attend the Sept. Meeting in order to discuss concerns and how TDS is planning to address them.
Since the last meeting, Rich Svec, town manager, has been in touch with the new TDS Field Service Manager, Dave Colbert. Responsible for all of Vermont and Northern NH, Colbert’s first day of work was on Monday. Unlike his predecessor, Colbert did respond to Svec’s calls and provided the following information:
• Cavendish is built to capacity and there is no more bandwidth.
• There are currently no plans in the 2015 TDS schedule to change this situation.
Those in attendance noted that the system isn’t just built to capacity, but rather over built. However, there could be an immediate improvement if the remote terminals were switched from the existing copper to high fiber optics.
Selectmen Mike Ripley said that he had recently switched from TDS to Comcast and found the service to be faster and a cost savings. Three of the five SB members are now using Comcast and not TDS. The town receives free complementary service from Comcast as does the school. Comcast is limited to certain areas of town. One resident e-mailed the board and town manager suggesting that maybe part of the solution is to see if Comcast would consider extending their service to additional areas.
VTel was awarded the Rural Utilities Service contract to provide a WOW 4G/LTE network for underserved areas of the state by the middle of 2015. While a number of residents were part of the Beta test for VTel, the system is still not fully operational in Cavendish. According to a phone conversation with VTel on Sept. 9, there will be some type of upgrade happening in October, which will improve service in some parts of Cavendish. However, all towers will not be complete until the summer of 2015. This service is more expensive then what TDS and Comcast offer.
Svec was given the name of the Product Manager Developer in Madison, WI Matt Apps, and told to write a letter outlining the issues people were experiencing. At the direction of the board, Svec is drafting a letter that the members will sign on Wednesday. As part of this, Svec would like as much documentation as possible by Friday. Consequently, if you are a TDS subscriber and have had or are having problems, please document and e-mail this information to rsvec@comcast.net as soon as possible.
B. Temporary Liquor License: A one day special event liquor license has been given to a vendor who will be selling mead at the upcoming Golden Honey Festival at the Golden Stage Inn on Saturday, Sept. 13.
C. Solar Project: With the Aug. 26 approval of the voters to proceed with securing a bond to install a 150 KW solar system, the town office has been moving forward with the project as follows:
• 8/28/14: RFP (request for proposal) was issued. One of the stipulations is that the project must be completed and on-line by Dec. 27. In order for the town to get the full .6¢ per KW incentive, the project must be operational by Dec. 31, 2014. After that date, the incentive drops to .4¢ per KW. In the event this condition is not met, there will be a $35,000 penalty, which would be the amount lost over the 10 year period that the incentive will be available.
• 9/5/14: A mandatory site visit was held for those interested in submitting RFPs
• 9/8/14: The SB agreed to and signed a Reimbursement Resolution prepared by bond counsel to ensure that project expenses incurred will be properly reimbursed by the permanent financing proceeds and the issuance of a Bond Opinion letter from bond counsel.
• 9/10/14: At 5 pm, the SB will open the bid envelopes and review them. Svec anticipates 3-4 construction bids.
• 9/12/14: At 4:15 pm, the SB will select a firm for the project.
D. FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant: In order to maximize the town’s eligibility for disaster funds in the event of a future catastrophe, such as an Irene type storm, the town needs an All Hazards Mitigation Plan. The grant will cover three quarters of the cost associated with plan development. The remaining quarter can be in-kind contributions, such as the town manager’s time to meet with the regional planning council. The SB approved the submission of the grant application.
E. Cavendish Village Green Project: On Saturday Sept. 8, volunteers will assemble at the Cavendish Green to install a new play area. As part of this project, the spruce tree, which is infected with blight, will be removed this week. Volunteers are needed for this event. As noted in the Sept. 5 Cavendish Update, three local school children Rhyan and Sarah Devereux and their cousin Bradley Frye were responsible for planning this renovation and spent considerable time with their parents helping to raise the money and in-kind contributions needed. The video, created by Shannon Devereux, explains the children’s ideas for the park.
F. Roads and Bridges
• Davis Road Bridge: While the state says that the Bridge replacement is a high priority, the review process continues to grind on. This is a more complex process because it’s FEMA funding. The vendor selected for the project is still willing to do the work for the agreed price. However, as Svec noted, this wont last forever and there will come a time that the vendor either doesn’t have time to do the work and/or there will be cost increases. The reflective mirror from Chubb Hill has been installed at the Davis Rd Bridge area in order to improve safety.
• Whitesville Bridge and Center Road: The hump and guard rail of the newly replaced Whitesville Bridge is blocking visibility for drivers turning onto 131 from Center Road. This is an unsafe intersection and something needs to be done to protect motorists prior to the winter season.
G. Streetlight Replacements for Cavendish Village: Green Mountain Power is switching out old fixtures (most mercury vapor) and replacing them with LED heads. By the end of this week, all of the street lights in Cavendish Village should be equipped with LED lights.
H. Recreation Department: Terry O’Brien, the new recreation director, provided a report to the SB about activities relating to this new town department. While the primary focus at the moment is the fall soccer program, other activity information is available at their Facebook page.
