Cavendish Solar Array Construction Awarded to Prudent Living

On Friday, September 12, the Cavendish Select board reviewed the three applications submitted for the 150 Kw solar array and awarded the contract to Prudent Living.

 The award criteria for the project was based on: cost; completeness of submitted proposal; and qualifications of the contractor including references as well as history of success and experience with similar projects. The board compared the three proposals on all aspects of the project-Monitoring System, layout, warranties, panels, inverters, design work etc.

 Of the three proposals by Aegis Renewable Energy, Prudent Living and the partnership of Soveren/USA Solar Store, Prudent Living had the lowest bid of $399,512. Aegis was the highest at $448,777 while the Partnership was in the middle with $428,688.

 Aegis and Prudent Living received excellent recommendations from projects similar to Cavendish’s 150 Kw system. Aegis is responsible for the town of Warren’s array and Prudent Living has completed three projects of verifying sizes and configurations for Black River Produce. Because this is a new partnership between Soveren Solar and USA Solar Store, they do not have a track record at this time, though each has been involved in various activities throughout the state.

 It should be noted that Cavendish awarded Soveren Solar a contract last fall to install an array using a business partnership model. This effort fell through, which prompted the Energy Committee to look at other options resulting in the town realizing it would be in their best interest to pass a bond and under take the construction and ownership themselves.

 In order to maximize incentive benefits from the state, this project has to be completed and producing power by Dec. 27. Selectmen Wendy Regier asked the Energy Committee who they felt most comfortable working with. There was complete agreement with the Select Board’s choice of Prudent Living.

Cavendish Update 9/12/14 SB/Internet/News/Events

Important Notice: Christine Balch posted the following to the Cavendish VT Facebook page I would like to please ask that folks be mindful that school is in session and of local speed limits. I've had two people pass me, while I was doing the speed limit, in the last week, one on 20 mile stream road and one on Depot Street on a school morning while kids were walking to school. There are several families with and without children on 20 mile stream road that enjoy walking and bike riding. Thank you.

 The 9/12/14 Cavendish Update Contains the Following:

1. Select Board Meeting

2. Cavendish Related News

3. Events

 1. SELECT BOARD MEETING: 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 included:

• Continuing discussion about the poor quality of Internet service by TDS-the new Field Service representative has stated that the TDS system is maxed out and there are no immediate plans to upgrade. A follow up report on this issue is available at The Dish.

• The Solar Project is moving forward rapidly, with a vendor being selected on Sept. 12. Three vendors responded to the RFP for installing the 150 Kw solar array on Sept 10: Aegis Renewable, Waitsfield, VT; Prudent Living, Windsor VT; and a joint venture of Sovern Solar, Putney VT  and the USA Solar Store, Perkinsville,VT.

•  An update from recreation director was provided along with a discussion about the Cavendish Village Green playground construction, taking place on Sat. Sept. 13

•  Replacement of all Cavendish Village street lights (Green Mountain Power only) should be completed by the end of this week

• The Davis Rd Bridge project continues to remain on hold.

For more information about this SB meeting, go to The Dish.

 2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Cavendish Internet Problems Continue: While there has been some relief for those who can take advantage of the newly emerging wireless system from VTel, complaints are still very high about Internet connectivity, particularly for TDS. With cell service and other local Internet providers coming into the area, TDS’s customer base-including land line and Internet- has been significantly reduced. High costs of replacing the antiquated copper system, 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. Therefore, the information given at Monday night’s SB meeting is not surprising-TDS knows the system is maxed out but has no plans to improve it. Internet is an unregulated service, which means that Internet providers can do what they want. That said, the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) is willing to call TDS on our behalf recognizing there is no requirement for TDS to act. 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. The full report, as well as other steps TDS subscribers can take, is available on-line at The Dish. 

 Home Depot Confirms Data Breach: Millions of Home Depot customers could be at risk because of a data breach. The home improvement giant is investigating issues with its payment systems. The company says the hacking could go back as far as April. Last week Home Depot said it was looking into a potential hack, but hadn't confirmed it. Now, it says there is evidence the system was compromised. They aren't saying how many credit cards could be affected.

CARE Program Seek info on Residents Who Need Special Help in Disasters: The CARE Program (Community Assistance Registry for Emergencies), administered by the United Ways of Vermont, E-911 and VT 211, works to identify Vermont residents who would require special assistance in an emergency.  If you, or someone you know, would need special help in an emergency, please complete the form located on the E 911 website. VT Digger 

 Do You Phone While Driving? In just a few weeks, holding your cell phone while driving will be illegal in Vermont. The new law goes into effect on Oct. 1. Drivers can still use portable phones — but only if they do not hold them in their hands to make and receive calls. “So the law is now totally hands free.” "You have to have your phone in some type of cradle or have some type of Bluetooth device within your vehicle where you can communicate basically with a one-touch to activate and de-activate." VPR 

3. EVENTS

Saturday, Sept. 13, events include:

•  The Vermont Honey Festival at the Golden Stage Inn (10-4)

• Hazardous Waste Collection (9-noon)

• Cavendish Green Play Ground Park Build (Volunteers needed starting at 8 am)

On Sunday, Sept. 13, the Annual Phineas Gage Walk and Talk program at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum starts at 2 pm.   For more information about these events and other activities, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar.

 For other events in the Okemo Valley 

SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

3 Vendors Submit Proposals for Solar Project

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. 

Cavendish Internet: Problems Continue

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.