Cavendish Update 12/23/16: Recycling Fiber/Job/News/Services

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Greven Field Ice Skating Rink is now open. 

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12/23/16 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Recycling Clothes and Shoes in Cavendish

3. Job Opening

4. Events

 

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Greven Ice Rink is Open: The ice rink at Greven Field is now open. The rink is lit-perfect for a nighttime skate. There are loaner skates and sticks available. Please use caution regarding weather and ice conditions.

Retirement/Promotions at the Proctorsville Fire Dept.: Serving PFD for 34 years, First Deputy Chief Roger Sheehan is retiring and his last day is Dec. 31. Sheehan also serves as the town’s fire marshal, a position he will retain. Thank you Roger for a job well done. With the second in command leaving, First Captain Robert “Bobbie” Glidden Jr, will now be the first deputy chief. Glidden follows a long tradition of firefighters with a great grandfather, grandfather and now father, Robert Glidden Sr., serving as Chief. Replacing Glidden will be First Lt. Seth Perry. Second Lt Nate Rose will become the new first lieutenant. Congratulations to Bobbie, Seth and Nate on their promotions.

Phone Scam -BCBS VT:  There have been numerous reports of a phone scam, claiming to be from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, which shows up on caller ID devices as “Margarita Man.” The automated 'robocalls' aim to enroll people in a new "pain management program" and claim the company has "partnered with Blue Cross-Blue Shield. This is not a legitimate call, but rather an attempt to obtain personal information. DO NOT give out any information over the phone to anyone you don't know. If you receive such a call, immediately hang up and contact the Vermont Attorney General's Office consumer assistance program at 802-656-3183 or the Department of Financial Regulation at 802-828-3301.

 

2. RECYCLING CLOTHES AND SHOES IN CAVENDISH: The Cavendish Transfer Station’s Fiber Barn has suspended operations while a search for a new fiber recycler is underway. To recycle clothes, shoes and other items, consider the following:

• Area thrift stores: Black River Good Neighbor, Chester-Andover Family Center  SEVCA

• Planet Aid Boxes: Bins are located in Chester, Springfield and Claremont. Check Find a Bin for most convenient location. 

 • Goodwill Industries of the Berkshires and Southern VT (230 N. Main Street, Rutland VT 

• Give Back Box Program: Goodwill and Amazon have teamed up for the Give Back Box program. After removing items from the Amazon box, a user fills it with clothes, accessories and other items you want to donate and then visits GiveBackBox.com to print a free shipping label. The box can be dropped off at the post office or UPS or picked up. Donations go to the closest Goodwill participating in the Give Back Box program.

• Repurpose: Can’t bear to part with various clothing items? Repurpose them into other practical uses, such as shopping tote, rag rug, sweater mittens, pillows and more. Check out the following links for more ideas:  or DIY Upcycling Clothing

 

3. JOB OPENING: The Golden Stage Inn is looking for weekend morning/daytime help (with likely extra shifts during school vacation weeks and summertime). We need honesty, reliability, and the ability to work hard. The job is primarily housekeeping with some kitchen assistance in there too. This can be seasonal or year round; we can work that out with the employee. Starting pay is $11/hour. Anyone interested should call me at (802) 226-7744.

 

4. EVENTS

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES (Dec. 24, Saturday)

• Candlelight Service at Okemo: 8:00pm.  Located in the Jackson Gore Round House, Jackson Gore Road in Ludlow, VT.  Celebrate Christmas with Okemo with a candlelight service led by Cavendish Baptist Church Pastor Abraham Gross.  All are welcome to this sharing of the Christmas story and traditional Christmas caroling.  

• Cavendish Baptist Church: 6 pm: Short Bible readings of the Christmas story along with traditional Christmas carols. Candle lighting

• St. James United Methodist Church: Christmas Eve Service Saturday, Dec. 24 at 6 pm

• Gethsemane Episcopal Church: Carol, lessons and holy Eucharist Saturday, Dec. 24 at 4 pm

 

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE (Dec. 25. Sunday)

• Cavendish Baptist Church: 10:00am.  2258 Main Street in Cavendish.  A traditional Sunday worship service celebrating Jesus as the center of this season and all seasons of our lives.  FMI: (802) 226-7131 or visit CavendishBaptist.com  

• Calvary Church (Route 103): 11 am, one-hour service.

For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar.  For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar. 

Cavendish Update 12/16/16 SB Resignation/News/Events

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12/16/16 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Select Board Meeting

2. Cavendish Related News

3. Events

 

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETINGS 12/12/16

Select board 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.  Below is information about items discussed and acted on at Monday’s meeting:

A. SB Member Regier Resigns: Prior to the SB meeting, the board met in executive session, after which Selectmen Wendy Regier sat in the audience and did not participate in the meeting. The public learned with the release of the Agenda for the Dec. 15 SB meeting, that Regier had resigned from the Select Board in the executive session.

B. New Town Manager: Four selectmen approved and signed a contract with Brendan McNamara to replace Richard Svec as Town Manager, who is retiring. McNamara’s first day of work, and Svec’s last day will be Tuesday, January 3. Svec will continue to serve in an advisory capacity as needed.

C. Resignation of Planning Commissioner: Accepted resignation of Cavendish Planning Commissioner Joe Marini

D. Snowmobile Maps Approved: Snowmobile trails have been approved for the season. VAST and Windsor County maps are $5 each and are available by contacting Cavendish Green Mountain Snowfleas gmsnowfleas@comcast.net or they can be purchased at the Cavendish Cook Shack during snowmobile season. GM Snowfleas is opening trails starting Dec. 16. Check their Facebook page and website for trail information before heading out.

E. Bont’s Hill: Guardrails have been installed on Town Highway #43 (Bont’s Hill). Paving will take place in the spring.

F. Heat Pump: New heat pump equipment will be installed at the Cavendish Town Office before January 1. The electrical costs for running the high efficiency units will be off set by the surplus of solar credits from the town’s solar array.

G. Road Reclassification:  The state has approved the reclassification of Quent Phelan Road from a class 3 to a class 2 road. This gives the town better funding opportunities for paving as well as higher reimbursement for State Aid to Town Roads

H. Light for 131 and 103 Intersection: In view of the recent accident at the intersection of Route 131 and Route 103, there was a discussion about a need for a traffic light. In the last year alone, the Proctorsville Fire Department has responded five times to accidents at this location. With the closer of the Depot Street Bridge more traffic is forced to use this intersection.

I. Noise Ordinance: The Noise Ordinance continues to be discussed

J. Telecommunications: The Cavendish Telecommunications Committee recently met with Comcast, who will be deciding whether to apply for state funds to connect the Tarbell/Knapp Pond area. It does not appear that TDS has upgraded service to the Twenty Mile Stream area. A copy of the Committee’s report to the SB is available in PDF.

 

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Thank you PFD Chief Glidden: At 3:38 am on Dec. 16,  the Proctorsville Fire Department was toned for automatic aid to Cavendish for a missing autistic 10year old girl from Main Street. With temps at -5,  PFD E1 responded in less than 4 minutes. As they were being given instructions on where to search, Chief Glidden radioed that he located the missing child on High Street near the old Duttonsville School, and was bringing her back home. The child was found to be very cold but with no visible injury. Thank you Chief Glidden for a save that on such a cold night could have had a very different ending.

 Cavendish town plow truck strikes utility pole: A town of Cavendish plow truck struck a utility pole Monday morning Dec. 12 and caused a brief power outage. At 7:50 a.m., Vermont State Police reported to High Street in Cavendish, near the intersection of Route 131 for a traffic accident. The road conditions were icy and snowy. VSP Report

PVFD Ice Water Rescue: The Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department is proud to announce that their emergency services will soon be expanding to include Ice Water Rescue. They currently have three trained Ice Water Technicians and will be training more firefighters over the winter to the technician level. For the last two years Techs have had to do training with the Chester Fire Dept. to maintain their certifications due to lack of departmental ice gear. The PVFD prudential board came through this year with the money to make this important purchase. Most of the gear has arrived and more is on the way. Training begins immediately and will be on line in January. Thank you everyone for your continued support. "Our family helping your family since 1833"

TRSU Act 46 Panel Leans Toward Merger Options: After more than a year of looking at the options for school consolidation, the Two Rivers Supervisory Union Act 46 Study Committee seemed to surprise itself by backing into a merger option to put before the state Board of Education and the voters of the towns in the union. The option selected would dissolve the Black River Union (Black River High and Ludlow and Mt. Holly Elementary) and Mt. Holly would connect with Mill River.  Three elementary schools (Chester-Andover, Cavendish and Ludlow) would remain, but middle and high schools would unify in Chester at Green Mountain Union High. Chester Telegraph 

Something to Write Home About: Sen. Dick McCormack is now writing a new series called “Something to Write Home About.” This week he talks about some of the important issues facing Vermonters as he looks forward to his 13th term serving the Windsor County Senate District. You can find the full update at his Facebook Page: VT State Senator Dick McCormack

Volunteers Needed for Audubon Christmas Bird Count: This holiday season marks the 117th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, a favorite tradition among Vermont’s birding community. Birders in Vermont are encouraged to participate in the count, which is happening in Vermont from December 15 to January 2. Even novice birdwatchers can participate because an experienced birder leads every event. Organizers and participants include birders and biologists from Audubon Vermont, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, and many other groups. More than a dozen count areas and dates are available where birders gather together to conduct the Christmas Bird Count. The dates and contact information for each event are listed at vt.audubon.org/audubon-christmas-bird-count-0.

Mega International Power Transmission Line Wins Federal Approval: The US Dept. of Energy gave its approval this week to a 1,000 megawatt international power line that will carry mainly Canadian hydroelectric energy to southern New England. VT will have dibs on 200 megawatts. The cable will carry 1,000 megawatts of direct-current electricity 154 miles from the Canadian border to Ludlow, where a converter station would transform the electricity to alternating current. From the Coolidge Substation in Ludlow and Cavendish, the power will flow into the ISO-New England grid, VELCO spokesman Kerrick Johnson said. Most of the cable’s length from the Canadian border will be buried beneath Lake Champlain. VT Digger 

 3. EVENTS

DECEMBER 16 (Friday): GM Snowfleas are opening trails today. For more information check their website and Facebook page. 

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES (Dec. 24, Saturday)

• Candlelight Service at Okemo: 8:00pm.  Located in the Jackson Gore Round House, Jackson Gore Road in Ludlow, VT.  Celebrate Christmas with Okemo with a candlelight service led by Cavendish Baptist Church Pastor Abraham Gross.  All are welcome to this sharing of the Christmas story and traditional Christmas caroling.  

• Cavendish Baptist Church: 6 pm: Short Bible readings of the Christmas story along with traditional Christmas carols. Candlelighting

• St. James United Methodist Church: 6 pm

• Gethsemane Episcopal Church: 4 pm Carol, lessons and holy Eucharist 

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE: Cavendish Baptist Church: 10:00am.  2258 Main Street in Cavendish.  A traditional Sunday worship service celebrating Jesus as the center of this season and all seasons of our lives.  FMI: (802) 226-7131 or visit CavendishBaptist.com  

For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar.  For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar. 

 

Cavendish Select Board Meeting Agenda 12/12/16

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The Select Board Meeting will take place on Monday, December 12th, 2016 in the Cavendish Town Office Meeting Room at 6:10 pm (immediately following the Board of Abatement meeting). The Agenda will be as follows:

  1. Call the meeting to order

  2. Entertain motion to enter into executive (closed door) session to finalize contract details

  3. 6:30 pm open regular monthly Select Board Meeting

  4. Review/approve minutes of the regular meeting of November 14th and the special meetings of November 3rd, 4th, 7th, 21st and December 5th, 2016.

  5. Sign Orders

  6. Review Correspondence

  7. Adjust Agenda

  8. Hear Citizens

  9. Select Board to announce hiring of a new Town Manager and the signing of a contract for same.

  10. Members of the Board of Listers present for a brief discussion on the subject of town-wide reappraisal

  11. Continue discussion (from 11-14-16 meeting) regarding approval of Winter of 2016-17 snowmobile road crossings. New maps have been produced and will be available for this discussion.

  12. Town Manager to introduce a draft of proposed revision/update of the Cavendish Ordinance on Snowmobiles which dates back to 1969.

  13. Consider letter of resignation from Cavendish Planning Commissioner Joe Marini

  14. Presentations regarding External Appropriation Requests for inclusion in the FY2017-18 Select Board Budget including: Green Mt VSP; Visiting Nurse Assoc & Hospice; Women’s Freedom Center; American Red Cross; Black River Good Neighbors; Windsor Co. Youth Services; LPC- TV; SEVCA; Black River Senior Center and Senior Solutions/Council on Aging.

  15. Town Manager to distribute and review with the Select Board a calendar of Forthcoming Town Business January to March 2017

  16. Update on the repair work on Bonts Hill Road, Town Highway #43

  17. Update on the installation of heat pump equipment at the town office building

  18. Update from the Cavendish Telecommunications Committee on TDS high speed internet improvement activities in Cavendish and the most recent contact with Comcast cable.

  19. Update of outcome of Town Highway Classification Transfer from Class 3 to Class 2 of Quent Phelan Road, Town Highway #9.

  20. Review for approval the update of the Policy on Town Employee Health Insurance as discussed at the February 8th and October 17th meetings.

  21. Continuation of discussion on a noise ordinance.

  22. Updates on other town activities

  23. Other business

  24. Adjourn

Cavendish Update 12/9/16 News/Tree Lighting/Events

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Proctorsville Tree Lighting, 6 pm Friday, Dec. 9

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12/9/16 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. “Returnables” at Jill’s Place Benefit Jr. Fire Fighters

3. Tree Lighting Proctorsville

4. Events

 

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Indulgence Tour: This past weekend, the first of what is hoped to be an annual event, the Indulgence Tour, took place in the Okemo Valley. Julie-Lynn and Michael Wood, owners of the Golden Stage Inn came up with the idea back in September. Julie-Lynn wanted to market all of the inns throughout the region so that locals and second homeowners could learn about their histories, as well as what makes each inn unique. About 70 people purchased a passport for the tour. VT Journal 

 Fair Point Being Sold: Consolidated Communications, based in Matoon, Illinois, is planning to pay about $1.5 billion for the company that provides landline and internet service- northeast section of Cavendish is covered by FairPoint. VPR 

Property Tax Rates to Go Up by 2.5% on Average: The Shumlin administration is predicting that the statewide property tax will increase by 2.35 percent next year. State officials expect education spending for fiscal year 2018 to be $1.617 billion, up from $1.552 billion in fiscal year 2016.  VT Digger 

Bird Feeding Basics from VT Fish & Wildlife: Before residents put up their avian offerings, Vermont Fish & Wildlife recommends a review of the bird feeding basics. Birds don’t generally need food from backyard feeders to survive, but the activity is a great way for people to interact with nature and if done properly, won’t harm bird populations. For an all-purpose food, black oil sunflower seeds will attract many native bird species. Press Release 

Recycling Law Credited with Cutting Landfill Use 5%:  The amount of trash going to landfills decreased by 5 percent between 2014 and 2015, and recycling and composting grew during the same time. Those are some of the highlights of a new universal recycling program, which officials are hailing as a success. The 2 percent growth in recycling and composting, for example, diverted 12,000 tons of food and other material from the waste stream. Due also in part to the law that went into effect two years ago, food donations to the Vermont Foodbank ramped up by 40 percent between 2015 and 2016. Nevertheless, Vermonters still bury about two-thirds of the state’s annual waste in landfills. VT Digger 

 

2. ‘”RETURNABLES” AT JILL’S PLACE BENEFIT JR. FIRE FIGHTERS: The Proctorsville Jr Firefighters are proud to announce Jill's Place as a drop off point for 5-cent returnable cans and bottles to benefit the PFD Jr Firefighters. Please have clean bottles and cans in bags or boxes. You can continue to drop off at the firehouse if you choose. Thanks to Jill Flinn and her staff for helping to support our Jr Firefighters.

 

3. TREE LIGHTING PROCTORSVILLE GREEN: The GFWC Okemo Valley Women's Club 2016 Tree of Remembrance lighting in Proctorsville, VT will held on the town common on Friday Dec. 9th at 6:00pm.  The PTA from Cavendish will supply the hot chocolate and the Okemo Valley Women's club will supply cookies.  CTES' own George Thompson will be leading the carol singing of Christmas songs. Bundle up, bring flashlights and holiday cheer. 

The Trees of Remembrance are a symbol of the holidays that allow people to remember their friends, family and loved ones by a donation to the Okemo Valley Women's Club, which will benefit CTES and Black River Academy students. Donations of any size are welcome and may be mailed to either Roxie Davis, 126 Newton Rd., Proctorsville VT 05153 OR Pam Bruno, 25 Tepper Dr., Ludlow, VT 05149. 

 

4. EVENTS

DECEMBER 9 (Friday): Tree Lighting on Proctorsville Green, 6 pm. Caroling led by George Thompson with hot chocolate and cookies to follow.

 DECEMBER 10 (Saturday) : Grand Opening dGBody Works, 7 Depot St., Proctorsville (former Six Loose Ladies Store). 12:30 pm free Zumba class

• CVFD Christmas Tree and Wreath Sale: Christmas trees start at $30 and Wreaths at $12. Sale is from 9-5

• PVFD Christmas Tree & Wreath Sale: 11th9am – 4 pm VT Grown Frasier Firs Trees start at $30; Wreaths are $15 Benefits the PFD Equipment Fund Free Coffee and Homemade Doughnuts. Santa will arrive by Fire truck to see the children from 10am-12 Proctorsville Jr Firefighters will also be collecting VT redeemable cans and bottles to be dropped off during the sale to benefit the Jr Firefighters program.

DECEMBER 11 (Sunday): Tree and Wreath sales continue at the Fire Departments.

• “It’s About Believing”: A holiday program for everyone, 4:00 P.M. at the Gethsemane Church on Depot Street, Proctorsville, Vermont. Free. FMI call 226-7398.

DECEMBER 12 (Monday): Cavendish Select Board Meeting

For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.