Cavendish Update 2/9/18: Warnings/News/Events/Principal

PLEASE NOTE: Face-Off Hockey Match, between Chester and Proctorsville Fire Departments has been postponed to Feb. 16 (Sunday).

 CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.

 2/9/18 Cavendish Update

1. Warnings for school and town

2. Cavendish Related News

3. Warning Annual Meeting Cavendish Fire Department

4. Meet the Finalists for GM Principal

5. Free Energy Efficiency Program Extended for Seniors

6. Events

1. WARNINGS FOR SCHOOL AND TOWN

Warnings Annual Meetings School: The Annual District Meeting for the Green Mountain Unified School District is Feb. 27 (Tuesday) at GMUHS in Chester at 7 pm. The Annual Meeting for the Green Mountain Union High School will take place the same night at 7pm.

The Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) Annual Meeting with take place on Monday, March 5 at 7 pm at the CTES multipurpose room.

Voting for school budgets take place on March 6 (Tuesday), Election, from 10-7 at the CTES Arts room. To obtain absentee ballots call or stop by the Cavendish Town Office. Download a copy of the various warnings

Warning Annual Town Meeting: Town Meeting will take place on Monday, March 5 at 7 pm in the CTES multi purpose room.  Among the articles to be voted on that are unique to this year are: 

• To see if the legal voters of the Town of Cavendish will vote to dissolve the position of Town Constable as proposed by the Board of Selectmen

• To see if the legal voters of the Town of Cavendish will approve the amount of $796.00, a Town surplus realized from Fiscal year 2017-2018, to be used to help offset Town expenses for FY 2018-2019

Please note that the town budget is voted on at this meeting. To obtain absentee ballots call or stop by the Cavendish Town Office. Download a copy of the various warnings

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

TRSU Full Board Votes Down the Supervisory Union Budget: At the Semi-annual meeting of the full TRSU School Board last Thursday, Feb. 1, TRSU board members overwhelmingly rejected the Supervisory Union budget at the end of a meeting that was filled with criticism for a budget that lacked detail, included previously unseen budget items, and falsely presented the budget as a decrease compared to last year. Once again, CTES and GMUSD board member Doug McBride pointed out inconsistencies and the continual ignoring of the goals of Act 46. VT Journal

Ludlow Voters Affirm BRHS Closure: Ludlow residents voted 288-231 on Tuesday – for the second time – in favor of merging school districts with neighboring Mount Holly, effectively closing the door on the historic high school. The two towns, under pressure from the state Board of Education to come up with a merger plan that met the requirements of Act 46, had hammered out an agreement to close the middle and high school in exchange for a promise that each town could hold on to their elementary schools. Black River High School will close June 2020. An effort is underway to convert the school into a private “magnet” school. Rutland Herald

Cavendish Olympians-Henri van Schaik: With the opening of the Olympics beginning today, we note past Olympians that have lived in Cavendish. Henri van Schaik won a silver medal in the 1936 games for Holland in dressage. Not only did he write the book “Misconceptions and Simple Truths in Dressage,” but he establishing a riding school in Cavendish after immigrating here in the early 1950s. Learn more at Dr. Henri Louis Mari van Schaik: To the Threshold of Your Own Mind

Sound of Music Sing Along: On Feb. 22 Thursday, FOLA will be showing the Sound of Music –sing along as loud as you want-to benefit the Black River Good Neighbor food shelf. The show will be presented at the FOLA Theater, 37 Depot Street in Ludlow, which is on the second floor, above the Ludlow town offices, and is handicapped accessible. Bring the whole family. A $5 donation is suggested. FMI: 802-228-3663 or www.brgn.org

 Stopped for No Seat Belt? Highway Safety Bill Could Revamp Rules of VT: VT Lawmakers are taking up a new highway bill that makes not wearing a seat belt a “stoppable offense” as well as making stiffer penalties for young drivers who use cell phones while operating a vehicle. While the bill has passed the house, Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Dick Mazza says he'll oppose a primary enforcement seat belt law this year. “I haven't been a big supporter of primary enforcement. I think it's working well under the present law — we're running 85 to 90 percent compliance. It's not high on my priority because I think we're doing fine without primary enforcement." If the Senate strips the seat belt enforcement plan from the highway safety bill, it could re-emerge as an amendment to another transportation related bill later in the session. VPR

VT Research News: VT has per capita more participants in the Winter Olympics than any other state. Climate change however could reduce that number in years as many ski areas in the northeast will not be viable by mid century. VT’s hub and spoke model for treating opiate addiction is turning out to be highly successful based on research being conducted at UVM. VT was one of 13 states to earn a failing grade in the 2018 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws, released by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. VT ranked the third healthiest state in America’s Health Rankings Annual Report, behind Massachusetts and Hawaii, and was only one of four states to receive an A grade on the latest March of Dimes Birth Report Card. VT Research News Feb. 7, 2018

3. WARNING CAVENDISH FIRE DISTRICT 2 ANNUAL MEETING: The legal voters of Cavendish Fire District #2 (Cavendish village) are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Meeting Room at the Cavendish Town Office on Tuesday, February 12, 2018 at 7L30 pm to act on the following articles:

Article 1: To hear and act on the Auditors report (position vacant)

Article 2: To elect officers as follows: Moderator for one year (currently Abraham Gross); Prudential Committee Member for three- year term (currently Robert Evens). Current members are Stuart Lindberg (2019), David Burgess (2020), Robert Evens (2018), Clerk for one year (currently avid Burgess), Tax Collector for one year (Town Manager Brendan McNamara), Treasurer for one year (currently Robert Evens)

Article 3. To see if the legal voters of District #2 will raise money and in what amount for the purpose of defraying expenses for the FY July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

4. MEET THE FINALISTS FOR GM PRINCIPAL 2/13/18: Whether you are a community member and/or a parent of a Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS) student, please come to "Meet the Finalists Night" on Feb. 13 (Tuesday) 4:40pm to help select the candidate for the GMUHS principal. Your input will help shape the future for our students.

Finalists include:

• Mr. Chambers has served as a Director of Curriculum for the Windsor Southeast and Windham Northeast supervisory unions, a principal and a high school teacher.

• Mrs. Fierman is currently the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment at Regional School District No. 8 in Hebron, CT and has previously worked as a district data coach, an English department chair and a middle school teacher.

• Mr. Ripley is the Associate Principal at the Green Mountain Union High School and has served as an assistant principal and a science teacher in other school settings. Ripley is also a Cavendish Select Board member, lives in Proctorsville and serves on the Ludlow Ambulance squad.

Community members will have twenty minutes to meet with each candidate separately and will switch classrooms so they can meet all three finalists. After meeting with the candidates, you will provide feedback, which will then be shared with the GMUSD Board of Directors that evening.

5. FREE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM EXTENDED FOR SENIORS: The Energy Efficiency program, which is designed to reduce utility bills for older adults and people with disabilities in southeastern Vermont, has been extended until March 31, 2018. Senior Solutions is continuing to offer free home energy visits in Cavendish and the other 46-town service area. The energy visits, conducted by a team of trained staff and volunteers, include the installation of free energy efficient light bulbs, shower heads, and hot water heater pipe insulation. During the energy visit, they will also try to identify other energy-saving opportunities and programs that could possibly provide additional assistance. Volunteers are also still needed to do the energy visits. If you are interested in receiving a home visit, making a referral, or volunteering call 802-885-2655

6. EVENTS

FEBRUARY 9 (FRIDAY): Look & See Film (about Wendell Berry, farmer, activist and writer) at the Cavendish Baptist Church, 7pm.

FEBRUARY 12 (MONDAY): Select Board Meeting, 6:30 pm Cavendish Town Office

FEBRUARY 13 (TUESDAY): HAPPY MARDI GRAS

Book Discussion and Movie of “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," noon at Fletcher Library in Ludlow.

• Meet the candidates for GMUHS’s next principal at Meet the Finalists Night 4:40 pm at GMUHS

• GMUHS Board Meeting, 5:30 at the CAES library

• Cavendish Fire District #2 (Cavendish Village) Annual meeting, 7:30 pm Cavendish Town Office

FEBRUARY 14 (WEDNESDAY): HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

• Energy Committee Meeting, noon, Cavendish Town Office

FEBRUARY 15 (THURSDAY): 3rd Quarter Taxes Due

• TRSU Budget Meeting, at CTES, 6 pm

• Sit N Knit at the Cavendish Library from 5-7.

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

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 2/2/18: News/ Ballot/Face Off

CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.

 2/2/18 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Town Positions for the March Ballot

3. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich: Book Discussion and Movie

4. Face Off

5. Events

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

New Prescription Drug Drop Box in Ludlow: Ludlow Pharmacy now provides a safe disposal of medications- drop box- which is available during Ludlow Pharmacy business hours-Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. VT Journal

Harry’s Returning to Mt. Holly: Harry’s Restaurant is moving from its current location on Route 100 in Ludlow, back to its original location in Mt. Holly. The restaurant will remain open in Ludlow until mid April. VT Journal

 Welch, Sanders Call on Congress to Act on Community Health Centers: Time, and money, are running out for the community health centers that provide basic medical services to Vermonters, including the Ludlow Health Center. A federal program that provides funding for the nation’s community health centers lapsed last September. According to the National Association of Community Health Centers, emergency funding is drying up fast. Vermonters make more use of the health centers per capita than any other state, which means they will feel the brunt of the loss of the funding, Sen. Bernie Sanders said Monday at a news conference at Burlington International Airport. “One out of four people in the state of Vermont are getting their health care, dental care, mental health counseling, low-cost prescription drugs, from community health centers.” “We’ve been going month to month, through continuing resolutions,” Sanders said. “The community health center program has not been reauthorized, and has not received the kind of money it needs to do the job it needs to do.” VT Digger

Scholarships Available for VT Women: The General Federation of Women’s Clubs of Vermont (GFWC-VT) announces the availability of scholarships for Vermont women who are seeking to further their education, training, or to upgrade their skills in preparation for advancing in the workplace. Applicants must submit a specific plan for their education or training. The scholarships range from $500 to $1,500. Applications for the scholarship are due by March 15 and can be obtained from Betty Haggerty, 802-463-4159 or hubett@hotmail.com or Darlene Remy of the Okemo Valley club 802-345-0476 or remyslp@comcast.net and Joyce Lindamood, state president, gfwcvt@vermontel.net. VT Journal

2. TOWN POSITIONS FOR THE MARCH BALLOT: There are no contests in the upcoming Cavendish election. Petitions were not submitted for the following elected town positions: Town Agent; Auditor (3 year and 2 year terms); Constable (the voters will determine if they wish to continue this position); Town Grand Juror; and GMUHS School Director.

 Town Moderator                    Michael Ripley                       1 Year

School Dist. Moderator          Michael Ripley                       1 Year

Select Board                            Michael Ripley                       3 Year

Select Board                            Mark Huntley                        1 Year

Select Board                            Sandra Russo                          1 Year

Lister                                       Claire Walker                         2 Year

Lister                                       Diane McNamara                    3 Year

Auditor                                   Peter Labelle                           1 Year

Library Trustee                       Robert Evens                          5 Year

Trustee of Public Funds         Jane Pixley                              3 Year

Town School Director                       Barbara Dickey                        1 Year

Town School Director                       Doug McBride                         1 Year

Town School Director                       Denise Reilley-Hughes            3 Year 

Town School Director                       Gene Bont                                3 Year 

GMUHS Director                   Kathleen Lamphere                 2 Year

Town Meeting takes place on Monday, March 5, 7 pm at Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES). The town budget will be approved at this meeting. On Tuesday, March 6, Election Day, voters will decide the school budget as well as who will fill elected positions. Voting takes place at CTES from 10-7. To obtain an absentee ballot call or stop by the Town Office-226-7291.

3. ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF IVAN DENISOVICH: BOOK DISCUSSION & MOVIE: As part of the year-long celebration of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s 100th birthday, on Feb. 13 (Tuesday) at noon there will be a book discussion and showing of the movie “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” at the Fletcher Library in Ludlow. In the madness of World War II, a dutiful Russian soldier is wrongfully convicted of treason and sentenced to ten years in a Siberian labor camp. So begins this masterpiece of modern Russian fiction, a harrowing account of a man who has conceded to all things evil with dignity and strength."  Barnes and Noble

Solzhenitsyn’s only publication in Russia before his exile, “One Day in the Life” alerted the world to the existence of the “gulags.” Winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, Solzhenitsyn was exiled from Russia in 1974 and lived 18 of his 20 years in exile in Cavendish, VT where he wrote “The Red Wheel.”

Margo Caulfield, Director of the Cavendish Historical Society and author of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: The Writer Who Changed History will be leading the discussion.

The Library is located at 88 Main St., Ludlow VT. Those attending are asked to please use the rear entrance of the library, which is adjacent to the parking area.  FMI: 228-8921

4. FACE OFF!!!! On Sunday Feb 11, Cavendish and Chester Recreation present the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Dept. "facing off" against the Chester Fire Dept. in a "home and home" Hockey Match. 

The first game will be at Lover's Lane Rink in Chester at 10:00 a.m. and the second game will take place at the Greven Ice Rink at 3:00 p.m.

There will be a barbecue, raffles, and a skills competition for prizes. Come on out and support those that give so much of themselves for our communities! All proceeds will benefit both departments. FMI: Terry O'Brien 802-738-3215 or Cavendish Rec Dept. Facebook page

5. EVENTS

FEBRUARY 7 (WEDNESDAY): Learn about raptors at a VINS presentation at CTES, 6:30 pm. Sponsored by CCCA. Suggested donation $5. FMI: 226-7259

• Planning Commission Monthly Meeting, 6:30-8:30 Cavendish Town Office.

 FEBRUARY 8 (THURSDAY): Sit N Knit at the Cavendish Library from 5-7.

FEBRUARY 9 (FRIDAY): HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

Look & See Film (about Wendell Berry, farmer, activist and writer) at the Cavendish Baptist Church, 7pm.

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

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 1/26/18 News/Events/Recycle/Job

CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.

 1/26/18 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Job Opening

3. Learn About the Raptors Around Us

4. New at the Cavendish Library

5. Stop Look Recycle Your Batteries

6. Events

 

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

GMUSD Warning: The Annual School District Meeting for the Green Mountain Unified School District will take place on February 27 (Tuesday), 7 pm at the Green Mountain Union High School’s auditorium.

Article I: Shall the voters of the GMUSD approve setting its annual honorarium for each of its School Directors at $1,200.00?

Article II: Shall the voters of the GMUS approve setting its annual honorarium for the treasure at $500.00?

Article III: Shall the voters of the GMUSD approve setting the annual honorarium for its School District Clerk at $125.00?

Article IV: Shall the voters of GMUSD authorize its Board of School Directors to borrow money, pending receipt of payments from member districts as provided in Title 16, Chapter 11, 71, by issuance of notes of money orders, payable not later than one year from date, for the purpose of paying its expenses?

Article V: To act on any other business proper to come before said meeting.

The voting on the GMUSD budget, $12,547,513.00, will take place by Australian Ballot, Tuesday, March 6 at the Cavendish Town Elementary School from 10-7. The equalized per pupil cost will be $15,659.09

GMUSD Budget Minus $30,000: At the last minute the Green Mountain Unified School District board passed a budget minus $30,000 at their Jan. 17 meeting. The administration needed to decide where to take out the $30,000 by Friday, Jan. 19. TRSU Accounting Bookkeeper Cheryl Hammond confirmed that $10,000 was removed from Food Service and $20, 000 was removed from the Capital Reserve Fund. Vermont Journal

School Budgets: What goes into the central office assessment?: On January 17, the GMUSD board “reluctantly” passed a budget, minus $30,000 in order to have something to put before the voters by Town Meeting Day. There have been questions about expenditures. Superintendent Meg Powden who – if the budget is approved – will receive a raise of 5.58 percent from $125,580 to $132,590. In the 2017-2018 budget, the superintendent received a 9.2 percent raise, going from $115,000 to $125,580, according to the central office budget. One oddity is a new line for “meeting food” for $4,500. Close inspection also finds lines like “salaries, mail courier” for $6,815 when the actual expenditure for the line averages less than $1,300 for the past two years. The TRSU Executive Committee serves the function of finance committee in reviewing and recommending the budget to the full board. It will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 to put its final stamp of approval on the plan. The full board will meet a 6 p.m. Both meetings will be held at Cavendish Town Elementary School, 573 Main St., Proctorsville. Chester Telegraph

 State Rolls Out Plan to Reclassify Region’s Rivers, including the Black River: State officials are asking residents around Windsor County to weigh in on a plan that would reclassify many waters within the Black and Ottauquechee river basins, and determine funding for watershed projects over the next five years. There will be three public comment sessions on the 163-page proposed “Basin 10 Plan,” which refers to 425 square miles of land between Killington Peak and Springfield that drains water into the Ottauquechee and Black rivers. The first public comment session is scheduled for Tuesday, at the West Windsor Town Office, followed by one on Jan. 29 in the Woodstock Town Office on The Green, with the final session scheduled for Jan. 30 at the Cavendish Town Office. All three will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. VT Digger

 GMP Bills Going Down: Green Mountain Power customers will see their bills go down because of the federal tax changes that cut their corporate tax rate. The utility says it's going to lower bills by $6 million and you'll see that on the bill you get in February. WCAX

2. JOB OPENING: The After School Program at CTES needs a part time 1:1 special education para educator. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 3-5:15. The ideal candidate will be caring, patient and flexible. Team spirited and very organized. You must be passionate about students and learning. Interesting candidates should send a letter of interest, a resume and 3 letters of reference to Mary Barton, Director of Student Support Services, Two Rivers Supervisory Union, 609 VT Route 103 South, Ludlow VT 05149. FMI: 802-875-3365

3. LEARN ABOUT RAPTORS AROUND US: Owls, hawks, falcons and eagles are all around us even if we don’t see them every day. The folks at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) know all about them and will present an evening of learning on Wednesday, February 7th at 6:30 p.m. in the Cavendish Town Elementary School. You can meet captive owls, and perhaps falcons, and hear about their habits and lives.

The presentation will be sponsored by the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association as part of its ongoing Walk and Talk series of environmental and conservation events, and is open to residents of all area towns. Come meet live ambassador raptors from VINS and learn about their winter habits, predator-prey relationships and the interdependence of the systems that support life.  This first-hand encounter enables participants to understand the defining characteristics that make a bird a raptor and to observe their adaptations for life as a predator on the wing. Suggested donation at the door is $5.

VINS’ mission stresses education as a way to change attitudes and maintain a healthy environment. Headquartered in Quechee, VINS houses hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, and other birds of prey in 17 state-of-the-art raptor enclosures. In addition, the site has two songbird aviaries, a Welcome Center and Nature Store, a Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation, a Center for Environmental Education, and the Center for Environmental Research from which operates an active Citizen Science program. FMI:  Claire Walker at 802-226-7259. Refreshments will be served.

4. NEW AT THE CAVENDISH LIBRARY: SIT "N" KNIT starting Feb 1st !! Thursday evenings from 5-7 bring your latest needlework project to the library and stitch with other crafters. Knit, Crochet, Crewel, Needlepoint, Quilting--whatever fiber art you practice is welcome. Light snacks will be provided. There is no charge for this program. For more information call 226-7503

LIBBY is the new app that Cavendish Fletcher Community Library has made available for you to "borrow" books online from a statewide library.  meet.libbyapp.com is the url that will bring you to the site and you just need to input your library card number and happy reading all the books you want.  No need to go out into the cold, snow and ice. Perfect for when you are not feeling well.

Cavendish Fletcher Community Library has increased the movies that are offered  Come in and browse our extensive collection.

5. “STOP! LOOK! RECYCLE YOUR BATTERIES! Keep all of your household batteries out of the trash and recycle them at the Cavendish Transfer Station. Please note that the new E-Waste facility is now open and accepting electronics at the Cavendish Transfer Station.

6. EVENTS

JANUARY 28 (SUNDAY): Dinner and a Movie at the Cavendish Library (Proctorsville) featuring the film Dunkirk. 1 pm. Free. Donations welcome.

 JANUARY 31 (WEDNESDAY): Super Blue full moon

 FEBRUARY 1 (THURSDAY): Sit N Knit at the Cavendish Library from 5-7.

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

IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Impact of Government Shut Down

Congress failed to pass a stopgap measure so the federal government is now in partial shutdown.

What this impacts

Social Security, SSI, Unemployment insurance, TANF, Food Stamps: Benefits will continue, but applying and appealing may be stopped.

Medicare and Medicaid: Payment may be delayed for providers but the programs will continue to operate

Not Affected

• Veteran’s Hospitals

• Federal prisons

• Local Governments, schools, libraries etc.

• U.S. Postal Service (note that new rates go into effect on Sunday. A stamp will now cost. 50¢

• Airports-Air traffic controllers, TSA officers and customs agents will continue to work at airports

• USDA Inspection of meat, poultry and eggs

• Federal Financial Aid-Note that 90% of the Education Department staff will be sent home

• Congress

• Supreme Court

• Special counsel’s Russia investigation

What is closed

• Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo

• National Zoo Panda Cam

• Federal office Buildings: Most departments and agencies will be shut down

• IRS Customer Service-Automated processes will continue but anything that involves people will be closed

• Disaster recovery efforts

• Many government research operations

• National parks though limited access will be available wherever possible.

Possible Impact

• Federal courts: Will have three more weeks of funding

• Passport offices will likely remain open but not those in federal buildings

• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is funded through March.

• Military is currently paid through Feb. 1. After that they will not be paid until after their shutdown

• Department of Health and Human Services: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will have a hard time with their annual flu programs. Reduced staffing is expected

Other Ways it can Impact

• Home buyers could face delays in closing. The Federal Housing Administration would halt new mortgage approvals. Since lenders often ask IRS to verify a potential buyer’s tax information, delays should be expected

Impacts in Vermont

• Vermont Guard-Normal day-today operations would cease and only essential personnel would report for work.

• Other action being taken in VT