Select Board Meeting 1-9-17

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.  The following action was taken at Monday night’s meeting:

A. TELECOMMUNICATIONS: The Cavendish Telecommunications Committee provided an update on Comcast’s applying for a state grant to expand their services to the Knapp Pond/Tarbell Hill area. TDS is upgrading the Twenty Mile Stream area with fiber on Jan 17-18. While these projects will improve conditions for the northwestern and northeastern sections of town, TDS will not upgrade the north central area (East, Old County, Town Farm and Brook Roads) until 2018.

As far as cellular service, the trend is to run as much as possible through Wi-Fi. As the Internet issues are resolved, and users purchase newer phones, reception will become less of an issue. Note that T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon provide built-in-Wi-Fi calling on certain phones as does Republic Wireless, Trackfone and Google Project. Read Everything You Need to Know About Wi-Fi Calling for more information on this topic.  If you are using a “flip phone” you wont be able to take advantage of Wi-Fi calling.  

See the Cavendish Update on 1/16/17 for more in-depth information from the Cavendish Telecommunications Committee. 

B. ROADSIDE MAINTENANCE POLICY:  Representatives from the Cavendish Community Conservation Association (CCCA) have asked the SB to consider a roadside maintenance policy to protect the esthetics of the ditches along the rural roads. It was recommended that the SB consult Woodstock’s ordinance on this topic.

C. SNOWMOBILE ORDINANCE: The ordinance, download in PDF format, was adopted and will become effective Feb. 10

D. TAX SALE OF NORTH COUNTRY CONDO #4: Due to failure to pay taxes, the Town has acquired the property and will sell it. The North Country Condo Association has offered to purchase the condo for $10,000, absorbing the $10, 000 for back condo fees they are owed. Because of the liens on the property, and with an estimated real estate value of $30,000, the Town may be best served by accepting the offer from the condo association. However, total costs to the town, including taxes owed along with lawyer and cleaning fees etc. need to be tallied before a decision can be made. Any money that would be left from the sale of the building after the liens are paid (town and condo association) would go to the original owner of the property. Town manager Brendan McNamara will determine total town costs, which will be reviewed and a decision made about the sale at a later SB meeting

E ENERGY

• UPGRADE TOWN PLAN TO MEET ACT 174: This Act establishes a new set of municipal and regional energy planning standards, which if met allow those plans to carry greater weight - substantial deference - in the Section 248 siting process for energy generation. To assist with this effort, the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission (SWCRPC)  is offering to work with three towns in the district to make appropriate changes to their town plans. Because Cavendish has a strong Energy Committee, SWCRPC is very interested in working with the town. In order to be considered both the SB and the town’s Planning Commission must agree to it. The SB approved the request, as has the Planning Commission. McNamara will send a letter stating such to SWCRPC. 

• WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM: Cavendish will be part of a weatherization program from January through May. The town will host events to encourage residents to learn more about home energy efficiency and the Weatherize process. Weatherize Upper Valley teams up community volunteers with certified weatherization contractors to provide FREE professional home energy assessments, proposals, and quotes. Homeowners who sign weatherization contracts by May 31 will be entered into drawings for prizes ranging up to $2,500 toward energy improvements. A Weatherize Kick-Off will take place on January 28 (Saturday) 10-11:30 at The Weathersfield School. Learn more about the program at Weatherize Upper Valley. 

F. SB VACANCY: The board voted not to fill the SB vacancy resulting from Wendy Regier’s resignation as it’s too close to Town Meeting elections.

G. LIQUOR LICENSE: Approved a first class liquor license for Murdock’s on the Proctorsville Green. This will include a bar and restaurant and has an anticipated opening date of some time in February.

H. TOWN CONSTABLE:  Constable Seth Perry presented a proposed budget for the coming year and discussed his current activities. He would like to see the reimbursed Constable hours be increased from 133 to 200. The SB will consider the increase budget request during their on-going budget hearings.

Cavendish SB Meeting Agenda 1/9/17

Select Board Meeting, Monday, January 9, 2017 in the Cavendish Town Office Meeting Room at 6:30 pm. The Agenda will be as follows:

1. Call the meeting to order

2. Review/approve minutes of the regular meeting of December 12th and December 15th, 2016

3. Sign Orders

4. Review Correspondence

5. Adjust agenda

6. Hear Citizens

7. Discussion regarding the tax sale of Apt. 4 of North Country Condos Phase 2. (Former Giglo Property)

8. Consider liquor license application for “Murdock’s on the Green”.

9. Discussion regarding Select Board vacancy.

10. Recreation Department presentation for budget request for FY’2018 and report on recent activities.

11. Town Constable presentation for budget request for FY’2018.

12. Update on Town Office heat pump installation.

13. Other business

14. Adjourn

Cavendish Update 1/6/17 Telecommunications/News/Offices

IF YOU COUNT ON CAVENDISH CONNECTS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO COUNT ON YOU.

                                          SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS 

 Thank you to the following, who recently made donations to make it possible for Cavendish Connects to continue: Martha Benoit, Mary Anne Butler, Gary Muehlemann, Hans & Therese Schrag, Peggy Svec and George Thompson.

 1/6/17 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Telecommunications Update

2. Cavendish Related News

3. Petitions Due Jan. 30 for Open Offices in Cavendish

4. KonMari Approach for De Cluttering Your Cavendish Home

1. CAVENDISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS UPDATE: At the end of December, the Telecommunications Committee was informed by Comcast that they have applied for state funding to expand their services to the un served/ underserved areas Cavendish, specifically the Knapp Pond and Tarbell Hill areas. Grants were due Dec. 29. Grant award notification should be sometime in late January or February.

TDS plans to complete the upgrade to Twenty Mile Stream, connecting the junction to the 10 G Ring, on January 17 and 18. This will make it possible for users to have Internet speeds up to 50 Mbps depending on their proximity to the junction box. Speeds will be as follows (as wired, not as the crow flies):

- 50 Mbps: within 5,000 to 5,500 feet (about a mile from the junction box)

- 25 Mbps: within 8,000 to 9,000 feet

- Beyond that it's closer to 5 Mbps

Unfortunately, between Ludlow and Cavendish there are 17 TDS junction sites that are using outdated equipment and it wont be until 2018 before these are switched to fiber. TDS has received Connect America Funding (CAF II) for this upgrade. However, their phase I funding, 2017, will be used to upgrade Northfield, VT.

In speaking with TDS, they explained that many items-TV, anti virus/malware, Windows 10 etc.-are using bandwidth that users are often unaware of. Turning off some of these programs can help to increase speeds.

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Rich Svec Town Manager Retires: Tuesday January 3 was Rich Svec’s last day as Town manager. He has served Cavendish in this capacity since 1988. There is a “card” at Jill’s Place, 1990 Main St. that is available for signing until January 10. Please stop by during normal business hours, open every day from 7-7. Svec will continue to work with the new town manager, Brendan McNamara in the development of the 2017-2018 town budget/report and where needed.

 Proctorsville Fire Department Sets Record for Calls: In 2016 Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department volunteers responded to 122 emergency calls-79 fire calls averaging 9 firefighters per call and 43 EMS Calls (assist Ludlow Ambulance) with an average of 6 firefighters per call. Firefighters totaled 2,087 hours operating on emergency calls. This is the most calls in a single year PVFD has received in its 183-year history.  On the first morning of 2017, PVFD responded to a motor vehicle crash on 103 in the Proctorsville Gulf-a driver under the influence was off the road. Thank you for your continued dedication to our town.

Cavendish Historical Society Briefs Now Available: The monthly CHS Briefs is now available on-line.  Anyone with ideas about how CHS can remember Carmine Guica through a special project, restoration or fund, should contact CHS at margocaulfield@icloud.com or 802-226-7807.

NBC Affiliate Removed from Direct TV: An impasse in negotiations for a carriage agreement between DirecTV and Hearst Television has resulted in NBC5 being pulled from DirecTV packages. VPR 

 Heating Fuel Taxes: Vermonters who purchase heating fuel may notice a change on their delivery ticket, invoice or statement. As of Jan. 1, fuel suppliers are permitted by law to itemize the fuel tax. In 2016, the fuel gross receipts tax, in place since 1990, was converted from a tax based on the price of fuel, to a tax based on the volume of fuel sales, in order to provide a more stable funding source for low-income weatherization programs. The 2-cents per gallon fuel tax is applied to oil heat, kerosene, dyed diesel and propane sold in bulk to a Vermont residence or business.  Vermont consumers should also note that all bulk sales of oil heat, kerosene and dyed diesel are assessed a 1-cent per gallon Petroleum Distributors Licensing Fee (PDLF). Revenue from this fee goes to the Vermont Petroleum Cleanup Fund (PCF). The PCF helps pay for pollution remediation and proactive measures to reduce spills.  Learn more about heating fuel taxes at vermontfuel.com/wxtax.

 VT Minimum Wage Increased January 1: The state’s minimum wage has increased to $10 an hour, with tipped employees being raised to $5 an hour.

Flu Season is Here: Flu season has arrived in Vermont with health officials now reporting an uptick in activity within the past week. The majority of confirmed cases have been an A strain, H3N2. WCAX 

VT Health Department’s New Website: After 12 months of preparation, the Vermont Department of Health today launched a newly redesigned and reorganized website at healthvermont.gov.

3. PETITIONS DUE JAN. 30 FOR OPEN OFFICES IN CAVENDISH: The Town of Cavendish will elect officers by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 7, 2017. Those who are interested in running for a town office must file a petition and have it signed by 15 registered Cavendish voters by 5 pm on January 30 (Monday). Please stop by the town office if you are interested in filing or signing a petition.

The following positions are open for election for one-year terms unless otherwise noted:

• Town Moderator

• School Moderator

• Select Board 2 openings for one year term and 1 3 year term

• Town Clerk

• Town Treasurer 3 years

• Town Agent

• Lister

• Auditor 1 position each for one year, two year and three-year terms

• Library Trustee: 1 position each for 5 years and 4-year terms

• Trustee of Public Funds: 1 position each for two and three year terms

• Town Grand Juror

• Constable

• Town School Director (School board): 2 positions for one-year terms

• GMUHS Director: 2 year term

Learn more about Cavendish and the state legislative processes, including Town Meeting, which take place the first quarter of every year.  What You Need to Know About Cavendish & State Legislative Processes. 

4. KONMARI APPROACH FOR DE CLUTTERING YOUR HOME: One of Cavendish Connects’ most popular posts has been updated to include lots of local resources for recycling. While originally written to help prepare for the Abundance Swap, it’s particularly helpful at this time of year when the tendency is to de clutter as holiday decorations are put away. In addition to KonMari Approach for De Cluttering Your Cavendish Home  you might also find Cavendish Holiday Recycling to be helpful. 

Petitions for Town Office Positions

The Town of Cavendish will elect officers by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 7, 2017. Those who are interested in running for a town office must file a petition and have it signed by 15 registered Cavendish voters by 5 pm on January 30 (Monday). Please stop by the town office if you are interested in filing or signing a petition.

The following positions are open for election for one-year terms unless otherwise noted:

• Town Moderator

• School Moderator

• Select Board 2 openings for one year term and 1 3 year term

• Town Clerk

• Town Treasurer 3 years

• Town Agent

• Lister

• Auditor 1 position each for one year, two year and three-year terms

• Library Trustee: 1 position each for 5 years and 4 year terms

• Trustee of Public Funds: 1 position each for two and three year terms

• Town Grand Juror

• Constable

• Town School Director (School board): 2 positions for one-year terms and 1 three-year term

• GMUHS Director: 2 year term

Please stop by or call the Town Office for more information-226-7292.

Learn more about Cavendish and the state legislative processes, including Town Meeting, which take place the first quarter of every year.  What You Need to Know About Cavendish & State Legislative Processes.