Cavendish Update 3/30/18 News/Egg Hunt/Grant/Events

The gardens at Smith College, which Mary van Schaik-featured in "Cavendish Women You Should Know"-was so involved with.

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 3/30/18 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Cavendish Easter Egg Hunt

3. Cavendish Community Fund Accepting Grant Applications

4. Events

1.     CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

CHS Series Cavendish Women You Should Know Concludes with Mary van Schaik: The Cavendish Historical Society’s five part series on “Cavendish Women You Should Know” concludes with Mary van Schaik, who was known as an expert gardener and importer of Dutch bulbs. Learn more about her life and the other women in the series as follows:

• Mary van Schaik

• Yekaternia Svetlova and Natalia Solzhenitsyn

• Ethel Roosevelt Derby

• Phyllis Bont

• Overview

GMUSD Vision Committee Looks Back to Act 46 Promises: The Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) vision committee met for the first time on Monday, March 26 to begin the process of revising the GMUSD school budget that was rejected by voters earlier this month. It was formed specifically to address one of the key criticisms by community members that the budget did not reflect the promises made by the Act 46 study committee back when merging of the TRSU was first considered. Cavendish board member Doug McBride summed it up, “We have a real problem where there seems to have been lots of promises made, but not much has been achieved.” Next meeting of the vision committee will be Monday, April 2 at Chester Andover Elementary School from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. VT Journal

Why People Voted No on the GMUSD Budget: If you voted no on the school budget on Town Meeting Day, there are several easy ways to let the Vision Committee and GMUSD board know why. You can post a response on the Cavendish VT Facebook page, which poses the questions; send an e-mail to cavendishconnects@gmail.com -responses will be forwarded minus the names; or take the on-line survey being conducted by The Chester Telegraph.

CTES Interim Principal Search Committee: The Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) Interim Principal Search Committee is looking to bring forward the candidates to the community for input on this process. The candidates will be available to answer questions from the community. This is your time to ask them anything you want to know and help the committee decide who is best suited for our school. The date is Thursday, April 5. Check the Cavendish VT Facebook page for more information on times.

 Moon Dog Cafe in Chester Moving to Bellows Falls: The Moon Dog, known regionally for its organic menu, flavorful soups, baked goods and eclectic atmosphere, is packing up and moving to Bellows Falls. April 1 will be the last day the cafe serves customers at its Main Street location in Chester. Eagle Times

Birdfeeders Down by April 1: According to VT Fish & Wildlife, take your birdfeeder down by this weekend to avoid attracting unwanted visitors! Bears are coming out of their dens this time of year. They are attracted to birdfeeders, and may move on to pet food, garbage, or barbecue grills and become habituated to people. Respect Vermont's wild bears by taking your feeder down by April 1 each year.

2. CAVENDISH 2ND ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT: On Saturday, March 31, at Noon, Cavendish Recreation is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt.   It will be held at Cavendish Town Elementary School. The event will be open to children from up to 12 years of age.  There will be plenty of candy and prize filled eggs, a staggered start so the little ones can get their share, and more difficult hidden eggs for the older kids. The event is free and please arrive 15 minutes prior to check in. For more info: Terry O’Brien at 802-738-3215 or dthuskies@hotmail.com

3. CAVENDISH COMMUNITY FUND ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS: The Cavendish Community Fund is now accepting grant applications for spring 2018 grant awards. The deadline for applying is April 25th. Applications that miss that date will be considered in the fall. Grants are available for projects, programs or events that directly benefit the Cavendish community in some way. A panel of local citizens reviews the applications and recommends awards based on the quality and feasibility of each proposal. The number of grants and the amount of each depend on how many applications are received.

Since 2007 the fund has given cash grants to individuals or organizations for educational, artistic or cultural projects, programs or events. Application guidelines are available at  www.CavendishCCCA.org/communityfund.html. Information is also available at Crow’s Bakery in Proctorsville and at the Cavendish town office. For further information on applying, on eligibility or on any other aspect of the grant program, or for help completing the application, please call Barbara Dickey at 226-7187 or Peter LaBelle at 226-7250.

4. EVENTS

MARCH 30 (FRIDAY): Good Friday, Town Office Closed.

 MARCH 31 (SATURDAY): Noon. Easter Egg hunt at Cavendish Town Elementary School. Free and open to the public. For children up to 12.

APRIL 1 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

APRIL 2 (MONDAY): GMUSD Vision Committee Meeting, Chester Andover Elementary School 5:30-7:30 pm

• Cavendish Town Dog Licenses Due. FMI: Cavendish Town Office 226-7291

APRIL 3 (TUESDAY): Community lunch at Gethsemane church, 29 Depot St, featuring ham, and all the fixings, dessert by the first grade.  Serving starts at noon, everyone welcome.  

APRIL 5 (THURSDAY): Meeting with Interim Principal Candidates for Cavendish Town Elementary School

• TRSU Executive Committee

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: 3/23/18 GMUSD/News/Compost/Events

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 3/23/18 Cavendish Update

1. Cavendish Related News

2. Solid Waste District News and Compost Bin Sales

3. Cavendish 8th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale

4. Events

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Solzhenitsyn Proclamation: On March 21, members of the Cavendish Historical Society and representatives from the town, joined Ignat Solzhenitsyn and his family in Montpelier where Ignat was presented with a proclamation by the Vermont General Assembly commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Russian author, historian, and former Cavendish resident Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn.

TRSU Exec Committee Votes to Reopen Budget:  At the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) board meeting on March 21, the discussion focused on why their budget had failed to pass on Town Meeting day. One of the key concerns of voters was the inflated cost of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU), which oversees both the GMUSD and the Ludlow-Mount Holly Unified Union District. High rental of space, numbers of staff, salaries, benefits etc. were given as reasons as why the supervisory union’s (SU) budget was so high. Consequently, the GMUSD board voted to request the SU to reopen their budget, as it would be difficult to revote a new GMUSD budget without looking at the TRSU’s cost, as it is part of the unified school district’s budget.

 On March 22, the board chairs of both the GMUSD and Ludlow Mt Holly district asked members of the TRSU Executive Committee, on which they also sit, to convene a full SU board meeting to reopen and reconsider the budget it approved on Feb. 22. Marilyn Mahusky (GMUSD board) told fellow committee members that voters questioned items like the rent on the SU’s Fletcher Farm offices as well as central office salaries. Referring to a statement made by Cavendish resident Sara Stowell during the public comment portion of the meeting, Mahusky also looked for clarity in other expenses including items within the special education budget, such as transportation. Stowell suggested a careful look at the special education budget, including a 10-year study of programs and results.

During the discussion of re-opening the TRSU budget, Stowell pointed to items promised in the Act 46 merger, asking that the budgets be level funded and a year-by-year plan developed to provide for better educational opportunities. The committee scheduled a full board meeting for 6 p.m. Thursday April 12 at Cavendish Town Elementary School. Chester Telegraph and meeting notes from Jenn Harper

Cavendish Women You Should Know: As part of March’s Women’s History Month, the Cavendish Historical Society continues their series this week by recognizing a mother and a daughter. However, either woman is remarkable in her own right. Natalia Solzhenitsyn, the wife of the Nobel Prize author and Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and her mother Yekaternia Svetlova, lived in Cavendish from 1976 until their return to Russia in 1994. Together these women worked behind the scenes, at times putting their own lives in jeopardy while living in Soviet era Russia. When Solzhenitsyn was stripped of his Russian citizenship and sent into exile, the same fate was handed down to Natalia and Mrs. Svetlova. However, in the short interim between when Solzhenitsyn was deported and their own exile, they worked at break neck speed to not only smuggle Solzhenitsyn’s writings and research to him in the West, but to also destroy materials that could endanger the lives of others. Read their stories at the Cavendish Historical Society blog.

GMUHS Wins Awards at Jr. Iron Chef Competition:  St. Patrick’s Day proved to be a lucky day for two of the three Jr. Iron Chef teams Green Mountain Union High School sent to the event in Essex Junction, Vermont to compete in the 11th Annual Jr. Iron Chef Competition. The two high school teams won awards. GMUHS students have competed for six years and four of the six years have been winners. Eagle Times

State Moves to Ease Vehicle Inspection Rules After Complaints: Vermont is moving to relax motor vehicle inspection standards a year after the rollout of an electronic database system that many believe unfairly burdens drivers, especially lower-income residents with older cars. The electronic system, known as the Automated Vehicle Inspection Program (AVIP), has spurred an onslaught of criticism and concern from consumers and politicians alike, who say it has increased the financial burden low-income drivers must bear in order to pass an inspection. Before AVIP, critics say, mechanics could use “common sense” to pass vehicles that had issues unrelated to safety or emissions, such as a busted tail light, rust or a broken rear windshield wiper. Now, mechanics have no choice but to crack down on drivers for these types of violations. The state is now working to mitigate the effects of the system’s rollout. Multiple proposals to loosen inspection restrictions are pending in the Legislature, while the DMV, with the support of Gov. Phil Scott, is working to rewrite its inspection manual. Meanwhile, drivers and inspectors continue to deal with the effects of the AVIP system. VT Digger

Firm’s Financial Woes Impacts Cell, 911 Service: A company that has expanded cell phone service — and the ability to call 911 from a mobile phone — to at least 26 rural Vermont communities in recent years is on the brink of dissolving and likely will discontinue that service, state officials say. The expected fate of Vanu CoverageCo, which could cease operations within days, is the latest setback in Vermont’s long and often frustrating efforts to expand mobile phone coverage. Despite millions of dollars in state and federal spending for those efforts, many motorists traveling Vermont’s numbered state highways and back roads are still unable to make calls. Communities likely to be affected include: Canaan, Norton, Brighton, Wolcott, Groton, Ryegate, Topsham, Washington, Roxbury, Granville, Ripton, Middlebury, Hancock, Chelsea, Vershire, Fairlee, Strafford, Thetford, Wilmington, Whitingham, Halifax, Readsboro, Woodstock, Townsend, Newfane, and Jamaica. VT Digger

VT’s Times Argus and Rutland Herald to be Sold: In a story published Thursday on their websites, the Herald and the Barre-based Times Argus reported it's expected the papers will be sold by the end of the month to the Sample News Group by its current owner, Vermont Community Media. Rutland Herald

2. SOLID WASTE DISTRICT NEWS AND COMPOST BIN SALE : The Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste District is selling "Soil Saver" backyard composters for $50 each.  The 100% recycled plastic composter is 28" w x 28" d x 32" high and has a 10-year manufacturer's guarantee.  We also sell Sure-Close food scrap pails for $5 each.  To order, call 674-9235 for an order form or download one from the District's website.  Orders are due by Friday, April 13 and may be picked up at the Cavendish Transfer Station on or after Saturday, April 28.  If you attend a backyard composting workshop, you can buy one at the workshop for $35.

View the Newsletter (.PDF)

3. CAVENDISH 8TH ANNUAL TOWN WIDE TAG SALE: The calendar now says it’s spring, and maybe you’ve had the urge to clean. Make a special box for items to sell at the 8th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale. This will take place on Saturday July 29 from 9-2. Sponsored by Cavendish Connects, if you wish to register for space at either of the  Village Greens, or have your site listed, send an e-mail to cavendishconnects@gmail.com or call 802-226-7807. Please note that the more information on sale items you provide, the more shoppers you will attract.

4. EVENTS

MARCH 24 (SATURDAY): 6:30 pm: Paint & Munch Party/Fundraiser to raise funds for a event marquis sign for the library. It will feature heavy appetizers and desserts
 Donation of $35.00 per person includes painting supplies, a guided painting lesson, food and non-alcoholic drinks. Tickets go on sale on March 1. for info call 226-7503

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 3/16/18 SB Mtg/News/Events

Ethel Roosevelt Derby, daughter of Theodore Roosevelt-on the far right in the photograph-made Cavendish her summer home. She is featured in the Cavendish Historical Society's series "Cavendish Women You Should Know."

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3/16/18 Cavendish Update

1. Select Board Meeting

2. Cavendish Related News

3. Cavendish Women You Should Know-Talk

4. Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 3/12/18: Select board (SB) meetings are recorded by Okemo Valley TV and are available at their website and on Comcast Television.  Written minutes are available at the town’s website. The following was discussed/action taken at Monday night’s meeting:

• Approved: The use of the town greens for the 8th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale on Saturday July 28

-       The use of the Proctorsville Green for a wedding on Sept. 29

-       Liquor licenses for Murdock’s, Cavendish Pointe and Singleton’s

-       Waste water permit for 57 Depot Street

-       Replacing Scott Ranney on the Fire District #2 Prudential Board (Cavendish Village) as Dave Burgess has recently resigned

-       Organizational plan- Most positions remain the same as they appear in the Town Report page 7 with a few exceptions: Animal Control officers will be Jillian Flinn and Ed McEnaney. There is a need for a new Energy Coordinator.

• Outer Limits Brewery (next to Murdock’s on the Proctorsville Green) provided an overview of their project (brewery and 150 seat restaurant), time frame for opening (Thanksgiving for the 2018-2019 season); and request for both a payment plan for permit fees as well as having permits approved quickly in order to meet projected opening date. At this time OLB has not secured an Act 250 Permit.

• Town Project Update: The engineering firm of Weston and Sampson provided updates on various town projects:

-       Aeration Waste Water Plant: Bids should be going out in mid April, with award in May and construction beginning in June.

-       Depot St. Bridge: Finalizing design work of burying utility lines under the river. Bids for constructing the bridge itself will go out in the fall of 2018 with construction taking place in the summer of 2019.

-       Town Garage: The goal is to have the garage ready for use for winter 2018/2019.  

• Cavendish Fire District #2 (Cavendish Village): Due to lack of volunteers, Stuart Lindberg of the Prudential Board, informed the SB that they are looking into dissolving the Fire District. Also discussed was the possibility of having an ambulance service housed at this fire house.

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

2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

Vandalism on Quent Phelan Rd:   On 03/15/2018, at approximately 9:32 hours, the Vermont State Police, responded to an address on Quent Phelan Road, in the Town of Cavendish, for a report of a vandalism. During the investigation it was determined that someone had shot a no trespassing sign, several times with a hand gun. It is believed to have occurred between 1200 hours on 03/12/2018 and 1000 hours on 03/15/2018. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Vermont State Police Westminster Barracks, at 802-722-4600, and ask for Trooper Gauthier. VSP

Following Fire, Benoits Begin Moving Forward: Martha and Mitchell Benoit are doing the best that they can as they start to move forward after the March 3 fire that devastated their Cavendish home. Luckily the older couple, along with their blue tick lab Lincoln, all escaped serious injury, although Mitchell suffering minor burns on his hands. Since the day of the fire, the Benoits have been on the move, most recently staying with their daughter Rhonda but they move to their new temporary housing in Proctorsville on March 22. According to their insurance adjustor, it will likely take six months to rebuild their Cavendish home, but they will have all the final details from their insurance company by end of the week. VT Journal

George Thomson Awarded Vermont Elementary Principal of the Year: In February, George Thomson learned he had been nominated for Principal of the Year by his staff who are appreciative of the work he has done at Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) for almost 30 years. In the last week, the Vermont Principals’ Association has awarded George the Henry R. Giaguque Vermont Elementary Principal of the Year for 2018-19. He will be honored at the VPA Leadership Academy awards banquet on Tuesday, July 31 at the Killington Grand Hotel. The honorees were selected by the Executive Council of the VPA and assisted by 2016-2017 recipients. Congratulations George.

Cavendish Community Tapestry Dedicated to Late Town Manager: A community art project in the tiny town of Cavendish was shown for the first time at this year's town meeting, but its longtime champion wasn't there to see it. Former Cavendish Town Manager Richard Svec died just a few hours before the annual meeting. Svec had retired last year after serving the Windsor County town for almost three decades. In that time, he was a cheerleader for big projects and for smaller ones. One of those smaller projects was a community tapestry. Cavendish has a little more than 1,300 people. And in a tiny town, where small projects have large impacts, Svec left a legacy. He and his wife helped open the community library, and when a fire leveled an old mill in the center of town, Svec made sure the parcel was re-developed. Today it's a town green that holds summer concerts. "He put his all into the effort; never really said, 'I can't do this.' In fact I don't think he ever did," said Assistant Town Manager Bruce McEnaney. Even after Svec retired last year, McEnaney says he kept his former boss on speed dial to pick his brain about town business. VPR

Okemo Joining Epic Pass: Vail Resorts, Inc. Has announced that Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado, Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont and Mount Sunapee Resort in New Hampshire will join the industry-leading Epic Pass in a long-term alliance beginning in the 2018-19 winter season, bringing the total to 64 mountain resorts in 11 states and provinces and eight countries for skiers and snowboarders. Epic, Epic Local and Epic Australia will receive seven days of skiing and snowboarding with no blackout dates at each of the three resorts for a total of 21 days. Cision PR Newswire

100 GMUHS Students Join National Student Walkout: More than 100 Green Mountain students walked out of school at 10 this morning as part of a national demonstration organized in response to the school shooting at left 17 students and teachers dead in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14. The GM students didn’t go far, stopping at the bus pickup lane to listen to a short presentation by eight of their peers who organized the local event on behalf of National School Walkout,  which was to involve more than 2,500 school nationwide. The protesters represented about one-third of the entire student population. Chester Telegraph

3. CAVENDISH WOMEN YOU SHOULD KNOW: TALK: As part of Cavendish Historical Society’s (CHS) annual meeting on March 18, 2 p.m., at the Cavendish Baptist Church at 131 Main Street in Cavendish, there will be a presentation, Cavendish Women You Should Know.

Often thought of in terms of their husbands, fathers, or even in the case of Mrs. Svetlova, son-in-laws, they have lead lives of service and meaning in their own right. The five women featured include:

• Phyllis Bont – Nurse practitioner, teacher, and weaver

• Ethel Roosevelt Derby – Youngest daughter of Teddy Roosevelt, Mrs. Derby spent her summers in Cavendish and was one of the founders of CHS.

• Natalia Solzhenitsyn – Wife of Soviet dissident and Nobel Prize winner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Natalia and family lived 18 of their 20 years in exile in Cavendish.

• Yekaternia Svetlova – The mother of Natalia Solzhenitsyn, Mrs. Svetlova, as she was known to the Cavendish community, was an aeronautical engineer in Russia. She and her daughter, along with two of her grandsons participated in an oral history about life in Cavendish, some of which will be presented at the talk.

• Mary van Schaik – Well known for her love of gardening and bulb sale catalogue, Mary, was also a researcher and speech writer for presidential candidate Al Smith and an observer at the League of Nations in Geneva Switzerland.

The talk begins at 2 p.m. with the annual meeting following. This event is free and open to the public.

Each week in March, stories of Cavendish Women are being posted to the CHS blog. So far these have included Phyllis Bont and Ethel Roosevelt Derby.  For more information, call 802-226-7807 or email margocaulfield@icloud.com.

4. EVENTS

MARCH 18 (SUNDAY): Cavendish Historical Society’s Annual Meeting featuring the program “Women in Cavendish You Should Know.” 2-4 pm at the Cavendish Baptist Church, Cavendish. Refreshments will be served. Free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com

• Raise the Concert Samirah Evans, Jazz and blues; 4 pm Gethsemane Church in Proctorsville, 89 Depot St. Tickets are $10 at the door.

MARCH 20 (TUESDAY): Create Your Own Rain Garden workshop; 6:30 pm in the Cavendish Office. Free and open to the public. The guest speaker will be Kelly Stettner of the Black River Action Team. FMI 226-7736

MARCH 21 (WEDNESDAY): Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) Food Service Committee meeting 5-5:30 pm at Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES)

• Green Mountain High School Board Meeting; 5:30-6:30 pm at CTES’s Arts Room

• GMUSD  Board Meeting 6-7 pm at CTES Arts Room (Note that there appears to be an overlap between the High School Board Meeting and the GMUSD Meeting.

MARCH 22 (THURSDAY): Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) Executive Committee 6-7 pm

• TRSU Full Board Meeting 6:30-7:30 at Ludlow Elementary School Band Room

MARCH 24 (SATURDAY): 6:30 pm: Paint & Munch Party/Fundraiser to raise funds for a event marquis sign for the library. It will feature heavy appetizers and desserts
 Donation of $35.00 per person includes painting supplies, a guided painting lesson, food and non-alcoholic drinks. Tickets go on sale on March 1. for info call 226-7503

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

3/12/18 Select Board Meeting

Select board (SB) meetings are recorded by Okemo Valley TV and are available at their website and on Comcast Television.  Written minutes are available at the town’s website. The following action was discussed/taken at Monday night’s meeting:

• Fire and Rescue Dave Burgess has resigned from the Prudential Board of Fire District #2 (Cavendish Village) and the SB approved replacing him with Scott Ranney until the next annual meeting of the Fire District, which is Feb. 2019.

Stu Lindberg of the Prudential Board informed the SB that due to low numbers of volunteers, the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) is considering closing. Finding volunteers for fire departments is a problem all over the country and at this point, CVFD is unable to secure the volunteers to run a service. They have five active volunteers remaining, with volunteers from previous years having aged out, moved away or find they have other demands on their time.

While Lindberg has been researching this and talking to various people at the state and in the legislature, it’s a multi step process including voters, fire departments, the town’s lawyer and even the legislature. Lindberg said finances, equipment and the building are in good order and are the property of Fire District # 2 residents.

Given the high cost of Ludlow Ambulance request for this year’s budget, the SB had checked into Golden Cross and found it would be almost 75% less. However, they need a bay to park ambulances. The question was raised whether or not a bay at CVFD’s fire house could be used for that purpose.

Also raised was the impact on home owner insurance rates in Fire District #2 if the fire house was closed. SB Chair, and also Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department Chief, Bob Glidden, noted that there is not a problem having one district with two fire houses.

• SB Organizational Meeting: Most positions remain the same as they appear in the Town Report page 7 with a few exceptions: Animal Control officers will be Jillian Flinn and Ed McEnaney. There is a need for a new Energy Coordinator.

• Use of Town Greens: Approval was given for the use of the greens for the 8th Annual Town Wide Tag Sale, which will be Saturday July 28. Also approved was a request for a wedding on Sept. 29th at 3pm for the Proctorsville Green, provided the couple purchases an insurance rider. It was suggested that the town come up with a information sheet and/or policy that outlines responsibilities for using the green(s). 

• Liquor License Approval: The following had their respective liquor licenses approved: Cavendish Pointe, Singleton’s and Murdock’s on the Green.

• Waste Water Permit for 57 Depot Street: The SB approved the waste water permit for the Kauppinen Property, which will house four condos.

• Outer Limits Brewery: A presentation was made to the board about Outer Limits Brewery’s (OLB), located on the Proctorsville Green next to Murdock’s, plans to open a brewery and a 150 seat restaurant, which will be phased in over a several year period. They currently do not have an Act 250 permit for the project, instead opting for water and waste water permitting first. The goal is to have all permits in place by the end of March, as this will give them the best opportunity to be open by Thanksgiving and in time for the 2018/2019 season.

While the board saw no issue with parking, OLB is looking to allocate 9 specified spaces for employees. It should be noted that the parking issues was raised when Murdock’s was required to go through an Act 250 hearing when they requested an upgrade to their restaurant from 50 to 80 seats. [Information on this hearing is available at The Dish ]

No waste water from the brewery operation will go into the town’s system. This will be trucked out and organic sediment from the brewing process will be distributed on a weekly basis to two farms, one of which is Little Village Farm in Proctorsville. Internal pluming plans are available and will be submitted to the SB committee, per SB member George Timko’s request. There is currently no storm water permit or design and the town may need to be the co applicant.

OLB would like to give the town $3,000 of the $20,000 permitting fee required now, with the balance due before construction begins. They would like to get this authorized as soon as possible.

• Updates from Weston and Sampson: The engineering firm of Weston and Sampson provided updates on various town projects:

-       Aeration Waste Water Plant: Bids should be going out in mid April, with award in May and construction beginning in June. This project was approved by the voters March 2017 but was delayed due to a medical leave of absence by Randy Shimp, who heads the Municipal Water & Sewage Department.

-       Depot St. Bridge: Finalizing design work of burying utility lines under the river, versus attaching them to the proposed bridge. This project is fully funded by VTrans. There is a $900 application fee required by the state for construction. It is anticipated that the bidding process will be completed and boring will begin in July. Bids for constructing the bridge will go out in the fall of 2018 with construction taking place in the summer of 2019.

-       Town Garage: Will be meeting with Asst. Town Manager, Bruce McEnaney to finalize internal designs of the town garage, which will be located in the “sand pit.” Two different building orientations are being considered, with the expressed purpose of having southern exposure of the roof making it suitable for solar panels. The building will be constructed off site and will take about a month from ordering to delivery. Once it is delivered and constructed, interior work and paving will be completed. The goal is to have the garage ready for use for winter 2018/2019. While water permitting will take 45 days, the fire safety permit will be fast tracked, since the state is aware that this is an essential municipal building.