Cavendish Update 11/14/14 SB Mtg/News/Events

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 THE 11/14 /14 EDITION OF THE CAVENDISH UPDATE

1. Cavendish Select Board Meeting 11/10/14

2. Cavendish Related News

3. Look Before you Book

4. Holiday Basket Applications are Available

5. Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 11/10/14: Select board (SB) meetings are recorded by LPC-TV and are available at their website  and on Comcast Television.  Written minutes are available at the town’s website. Items discussed and actions taken included:

•  Received an update from Sharon Huntley, chair of the committee overseeing the use of the vacant lot next to the school. Currently soliciting comments from the community, the committee will have plans for the SB to review at their December meeting.

• Approved the Snow Fleas use of trails for the upcoming snowmobile season.

• Completed a state survey on Special Investigation Units

• Continued to discuss telecommunications. Will invite EC Fiber  to the February SB meeting to learn more about what they are doing and whether they could provide high fiber optics to Cavendish.

• Reviewed town projects including Cavendish Gulf Rd underpass (construction 2015); Davis Rd Bridge (construction begins this week); Brook Rd Bridge (should be completed by Dec. 1); Solar Panels (on track for completion and connection by 12/31/14)

• Discussed last week’s Solar/Weatherization workshop, which was well attended.

 For a full report on the SB meeting, see The Dish. 

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Man Held Without Bail for Assaulting a Woman in her Apartment in Cavendish: A Springfield man who is on probation for a recent domestic violence conviction has been ordered held without bail, after he allegedly shoved his way into a woman’s apartment in Cavendish at midnight and then created a commotion in the parking lot outside her apartment building. Rutland Herald 

 Comments Sought for Use of Vacant Lot Next to CTES: With the town’s purchase of the vacant lot next to the school, discussions are underway about the best use of this space. Community comments are being sought by Nov. 30. For more information on the project and how to comment, please see The Dish. 

No Recount in Close Windsor 2 Race: Independent challenger Stuart Lindberg won’t seek a recount of incumbent Democrat Mark Huntley’s 13-vote victory in their race to represent the towns of Cavendish and neighboring Weathersfield in the Vermont House. “After four days of hand wringing and thoughtful discussion with my immediate family, I have decided not to pursue the vote recount,” Lindberg has announced in a statement on his Facebook page. “My daughters want their father back and my wife wants her husband back. I am putting faith in the justices of the peace and town clerks that they have upheld their sworn oath to preserve the integrity of our vote.” Rutland Herald 11/13/14

Solar/Heat Pumps for Your Cavendish Home: On November 6, the town’s Energy Committee and the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA) hosted a program on weatherization and solar for home use. From the turn out and questions asked, the audience’s primary interest was in solar and cold climate heat pumps. To learn more about solar and heat pumps for your Cavendish home go to The Dish.

VT Gas Prices Higher Than National Average: Gasoline prices continue to fall, but Vermont is lagging behind much of the country. The latest figures from GasBuddy.com show the average price in Vermont at $3.17 a gallon. That's 26 cents above the national average of $2.91. New Hampshire is now one of the states dipping below $3.00 a gallon with an average of $2.98 a gallon. WCAX

 VT Anglers Enjoy Expanded Year Round Open Water Opportunities on Black River:  In effect since the beginning of this year, revised state regulations have opened up 11 new river sections to catch-and-release trout fishing with artificial flies or lures outside of the normal trout season. The Black River from the CT River boundary upstream to the Howard Hill Road Bridge in Cavendish is open to year round trout fishing. VT Digger 

3. LOOK BEFORE YOU BOOK: Want people to attend your Cavendish event? Avoid conflicts by checking the Cavendish Connects calendar before you schedule your activity. There is an on-line form to fill out, or you can e-mail information to cavendishconnects@gmail.com Events are generally posted to the calendar within a few hours of being received.

4. HOLIDAY BASKET APPLICATIONS: The staff of Black River Good Neighbor Services has announced that they are accepting applications for the 2014 Holiday food basket program.  Completed applications must be received by December 1, 2014.Anyone living in Ludlow, Proctorsville, Cavendish, Mount Holly, Belmont or Plymouth who believes that they qualify need only stop by Black River Good Neighbor’s Food Shelf and Thrift Store at 37B Main Street in Ludlow to pick up an application.

Even if a family or an individual received a food basket in past years, they must complete a new application this year.  BRGNS asks clients to reapply so that they can allocate resources to the right people.  Application is an easy process, and employees are at the food shelf to help.  Those people who are unable to get to the store, or anyone with questions, may call 228-3663 for assistance.

5. EVENTS: Friday, Nov. 14, CTES is hosting a Turkey Bingo Fundraiser starting at 6 pm at the school. Saturday, Nov. 15, begins rifle season for deer hunting. Please wear appropriate colors  when recreating in or around wooded areas. Greven Field trail is a “no hunting” zone.   On Sunday, Nov. 16 Jenni Johnson and the Jazz Junketers will be in concert at Gethsemane Church starting at 4 pm.

For information about these and other events, go to

• Cavendish Connects Calendar 

• On going Cavendish Fall Activities 

•  Okemo Valley Calendar 

SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS 

 

CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 11/10/14

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Select board (SB) meetings are recorded by LPC-TV and are available at their website and on Comcast Television.  Written minutes are available at the town’s website. Items discussed included:

 A. Vacant Lot Next to CTES: Sharon Huntley, CTES Director, is chairing a committee that is overseeing the development of the vacant lot next to the school. The committee is seeking input from the community until the end of November about its use and plans to have several options for the SB to review at their December meeting. At this juncture, various ideas have been discussed, all of which include additional parking for the school, and will have varying funding needs. For more on this issue, see The Dish. 

B. Funding for Special Investigation Units (FIU): The town received a survey from the State of Vermont about whether they have helped or would fund a Special Investigation Unit (SIU). The SB completed the survey, indicating that an SIU has not been needed or funded, and it would depend on the circumstance as to whether they would fund one in the future. Learn more about SIUs from the State’s website.

C. Telecommunications: Since the last SB meeting, changes in service have occurred to TDS/Dish subscribers. A number of channels were lost due to the pending merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Internet connectivity issues continue, but there has been considerable national press showing this is a national problem. The best solution appears to be when towns broker their own system.

SB member Wendy Regier attended the EC Fiber  meeting in South Reading to learn more about this coop and whether it’s a possibility for Cavendish to join. EC Fiber has been installing high fiber optics in 24 towns in the Upper Valley including Reading. The SB agreed to ask them to attend the February meeting to discuss the possibility of their providing coverage for Cavendish. In addition, town manager, Rich Svec, said he thought he was going to be meeting with the TDS general manager shortly. It was also recommended that Comcast and VTel come to the SB to discuss what their respective plans are for the community.

D. Town Projects

• Underpass on Cavendish Gulf Road: The drawings have been reviewed for this project and changes requested by the town have been made to the extent possible-dyeing concrete that is closer to the existing embankment color and using a finish coat that will make it easier to clean graffiti. The project will take place during the 2015 construction season.

• Davis Rd Bridge: The bridge replacement should begin sometime this week in two phases, with the second part completed in the spring 2015. The by pass will not be taken down initially as it involves pipes and the river conditions must be appropriate before they can be removed. It is likely that the bypass will remain in place briefly after the bridge has been replaced.

• Brook Rd Bridge: Work began on the bridge on Monday and will remain closed until Dec. 1. Svec, noted that the traffic tests showed a daily utilization of 98 vehicles prior to the closing of the Whitesville Bridge this summer. While the bridge was replaced, traffic on the Brook Rd Bridge increased to 778 vehicles a day, definitely justifying the expense of the temporary Maybe Bridge.  

E. Sustainability

• Solar : The solar panels have been delivered and installation is underway. Eighty percent of the fencing has been completed and Green Mountain Power has put in a new pole. The project is on track for its completion and operation by December 31.

• Solar/Weatherization Workshop: On Thursday, Nov. 6, the Town Energy Committee, in conjunction with CCCA, held a workshop for the community on weatherization and solar. Well attended by the community, the topics of most interest were home solar and cold weather heat pumps. A report on the workshop appears at The Dish.