The Dish
The Dish features a round-up of local happenings and events in Cavendish, Vermont.
Have something noteworthy to share? Contact us at cavendishconnects@gmail.com; we would love to hear from you.
Preparing for the Coronavirus: Cavendish
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On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) advised Americans to prepare, not panic, for the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The CDC’s message was clear "It's not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but more really a question of when it will happen — and how many people in this country will have severe illness," said Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the CDC. Health Officials Warn Americans to Plan for the Spread of Coronavirus in U.S.
On Wednesday, Vermont Department of Health weighed in with Patsy Kelso, the state’s epidemiologist saying, “It’s getting harder and harder to say with a straight face that we can contain this virus to the countries where it’s already impacting people.” Kelso said if the outbreak spreads to the United States, it will “definitely” reach Vermont. Vermont Health Officials Prepare for ‘inevitable’ U.S. Arrival of Coronavirus.
Since Tuesday, the first case in the U.S. (California) of community exposure has been found. The infected person reportedly did not have a history of travel to a region where the virus is spreading — or exposure to another person known to have COVID-19. The number of new cases reported outside China now exceeds the number of new cases in China for the first time
COVID-19 is transmitted similarly to the flu and can be transmitted by people who are infected but don’t show symptoms. Fortunately, 80% of those infected will have mild symptoms, requiring little to no medical intervention. Those most at risk for significant illness and potentially death are those over 60 and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Why the concern: This is a new virus in humans and it’s unclear what it can do.
Cavendish’s Risk: We are part of the Okemo Valley, which includes Okemo Mountain Resort, where weekends can bring in 10,000 people or more from not only major cities, but other parts of the world. In addition, we have a large second home owner population. In short, the potential is there for COVID-19 to impact our community and therefore it’s important not to ignore the CDC’s call to be prepared and as Dr.Messionnier noted, it’s better to be over prepared.
In such an event, people should be prepared for the possibility of disruptions to their daily lives which could include closing schools, working from home and delaying elective medical procedures.
This is the same type of basic preparedness that we remind people about periodically due to the weather, power outages and flooding that Cavendish can experience. As such, the Cavendish Connects website has a special page on Emergency Preparedness.
Since quarantine is a potential, be proactive and talk to your employer about the ability to work at home. Make sure you have sufficient:
• food
• prescription medications, oxygen, over the counter medications and other medical supplies
• incidentals such as toothpaste, toilet paper
• pet food and supplies
• a plan in place for someone who might become ill
• activities to stay occupied, particularly for children
What a quarantine for our area could look like remains to be seen, but it’s prudent to think about two weeks.
Prevention measures to stop the spread: Because COVID-19 spreads similarly to flu and colds, the biggest risk is contact with someone who is infected. Think Cover & Wash.
• Cover your cough with your arm or tissue not your hand
• Wash your hands throughout the day with soap & water, using hand sanitizer when that’s not available. Hand washing done correctly is one of the best 20 second prevention tools and is the cornerstone of all infection prevention programs. Proper hand washing includes using soap (either bar or liquid), rubbing the backs of hands, between your fingers and under your nails and 20 seconds. To learn the proper way to wash your hands, watch the World Health Organization’s (WHO) hand washing video.
• Stay at home if you are sick. Keep your child out of school if they are sick
• Avoid people who are sick and avoid touching your face
What about masks? The CDC does not recommend the routine use of masks outside of workplace settings (in the community). For those who are first responders and working in a setting where they would come in contact with patients with respiratory illness, the recommendation is an N95 respirator. CDC
Learn more at Prevent Flu, Colds & Coronavirus
The Cavendish Facebook page will be providing updates and information as it is received.
Additional Resources
• A Guide: How to Prepare Your Home for Coronavirus
• Just for kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus
• Vermont Health Department: 2019 Novel Coronavirus Current Status in Vermont
Cavendish Update 2/21/20: SB/Town Mtg/Education/Events
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CHECK THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY FOR THE LATEST NEWS You don’t have to be a Facebook subscriber to see this page.
2/21/20 Cavendish Update
1. Town Meeting
2. Select Board Action
3. Education News
4. Fire District 2 (Cavendish) Annual Meeting
5. Cavendish Related News
6. Events
1. TOWN MEETING: Petitions for elected town positions were closed on Jan. 27. All candidates are running unopposed-see list below. The following positions have no candidate: Town Agent; Auditors one year of a two year term and one 3 year term; Trustee of public funds; Library Trustee, 5 year term; GMUSD (school board) 3 year term position.
If you are interested in being a "write-in" candidate for any position, you will need a minimum of 12 voters to write your name in on Election Day (March 3, 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Hall). Cavendish Connects will post information for "write in" candidates. Write- in for the Library Trustee should contact Kata Welch at 226-7503.
Slate of elected town positions with filed petitions:
• Moderator – Michael J. Ripley
• Town Clerk – Diane McNamara
• Town Treasurer – Diane McNamara
• Select Board – Two 1-year terms – Sandra Russo, Stephen Plunkard
• Select Board – 2 years of a 3-year term – George Timko
• Select Board – 3-year term – Robert W. Glidden
• Auditor 1-year term – Peter LaBelle
• Town Grand Juror – Theresa McNamara
• Green Mountain Unified School District Director – 1 year of a 3-year term – Kathleen Lamphere
In addition to voting for elected town positions, voters will be asked to approve the final draft of the Cavendish Town Plan by Australian Ballot on March 3. A copy is available from the Town Office and is also available on-line. Note that this is different from the Town’s Annual Report, which was recently mailed out and is also available on-line.
The town budget is voted on at Town Meeting, Monday, March 2, 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES).
2. SELECT BOARD ACTION: The Cavendish Select Board (SB) completed the budget for the coming year:
• SB Minutes Jan. 23: Continued discussion for the Selectmen’s 20/21 budget. The focus was on the Library Appropriation (requesting an increase from $38,600 to $42,000; Recreation department (budget request of $36,176); Cemetery ($18, 320) All budgets were approved. Additional approvals were for town personnel salaries; Sheriff’s office and other financial matters, including roads.
• SB Minutes Jan. 28: Approved the 20/21 budget in the amount of $1,556,280, which is an increase of $73,793 or 4.92% over the FY 20 budget. Approved the Warning for Town Meeting
At the monthly SB meeting on Feb. 10, the board discussed/took action on the following:
• Mike Harrington updated the board regarding the court proceedings of Snowstone Quarry proposal and he and the other neighbors could ask for another Jurisdictional Opinion from the Act 250 Board regarding lot size and storm water runoff management so that this case might continue for several years.
• Proposed rules of conduct were discussed. Board member Sandra Russo will be making revisions and provide them at the March meeting
• The Stone Church restoration project is now underway. The board were given a draft landscaping plan for the property, which is owned by the town. The town will be the point person for the project, with funding coming from the Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Center (ASC) and other sources.
• Accepted the request for removal of the second sewer allocation at 265 Depot Street, VT Apple Pie Company as it has ceased operations.
• Approved the 2020 Certificate of Highway Mileage
• Approved a second class liquor license application for Singleton’s Store.
• In updates on other projects, town manager Brendan McNamara said he hoped the Depot St. Bridge would be open by Memorial Day. The EV charging station will hopefully be done this summer. The Animal Control Officer position is still open.
Video of the meeting is available at Okemo Valley TV, while unapproved minutes appear on the Cavendish Municipal Website. The Vermont Journal and the Chester Telegraph provided articles on the meeting.
3. EDUCATION NEWS: The school budget will be voted on by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 3rd. The Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) budget is $14,108,968, which represents more than a 9% increase over the current budget. Part of this is due employee health care, which is increasing by 12.9% and beginning in 2021, due to an arbitrator’s decision, the schools must pay the first $4,200 of employees’ out-o-pocket medical costs. In addition, support staff can now have family coverage. Health care and other increases over which the board has no control totaled more than $573,000 and included a $118,684 hike for vocational education and a $131,147 jump in the special education assessment from Two Rivers Supervisory Union, which provides central office services, special education and other shared programs. Learn more GM School Board: Good Budget Despite Hikes
There will be a public informational meeting on the school budget on Feb. 27 (Thursday), 7 pm at the Green Mountain Union High School in Chester.
Other educational news:
• TRSU staff negotiations may bust legal budgets again Chester Telegraph
• Search begins for new Two Rivers schools superintendent: Having resigned at the Jan. 13 TRSU meeting, Meg Powden, TRSU superintendent is slated to leave June 30, 2020. Chester Telegraph
4. CAVENDISH FIRE DISTRICT 2 ANNUAL MEETING: At the Feb. 3 Annual Meeting of Cavendish Fire District 2 (Cavendish) a budget for 2020 of $86, 504 (2019 budget was $81, 995) was passed. Two part time or one full time EMT will be hired to provide coverage during “gap times,” generally during the working day, for both EMS (emergency medical services) calls as well as for fire and rescue. Funds for this position(s) are coming from the Fire District’s Truck Fund.
The reason for the EMT requirement is that anyone can be made a fire fighter but to respond to emergency medical calls there is a license requirement. In their down time, the hire(s) will be given other duties around the fire house, such as grant writing, cleaning etc.
It should be noted that Ludlow Ambulance Service (LAS) will still be needed in addition to the CVFD EMT. The department is not looking to become an ambulance service, which is what LAS provides. The town budget for 20/21 includes $43,400 for LAS. Note that in October, LAS went to a full time paid staff force. Expanded Ludlow Ambulance Service is Saving Lives, needs support
A video of the meeting is available at the Okemo Valley TV website and an article on the meeting appears in the VT Journal.
5. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
• CHS Annual Meeting and Newsletter: The Cavendish Historical Society newsletter is now available on-line. Their annual meeting will be held on March 29 (Sunday), 2 pm at the Cavendish Baptist Church on Route 131. They will be screening
• Ice Safety: What to Expect if you Need to Get Rescued: Thank you Chris Marks, Proctorsville Fire Department and Proctorsville resident Zach McNaughton for making this video. If you ice fish, or engage in any winter sport that has you on ice, PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO. It just may save your life.
• Prevent Flu, Colds & Coronavirus: Prevention strategies for all three are the same. Learn more at this special post from Cavendish Connects.
• Goodman’s American Pie Celebrates 20 Years: Congratulations to Proctorsville residents on the anniversary of American Pie. VT Journal
• Australia Relief Fundraiser at Murdock’s: Checks are still be counting, but $1,300 has been raised so far to help both wildlife and people who have been impacted by the fires in Australia. VT Journal
• Video of Moose Rescued from Proctorsville Train Tracks
• March Classes at Fletcher Farm School: Note that classes are half price for Cavendish residents.
• Springfield Hospital Looks To Sever Ties With Clinics In Bankruptcy Plan: This includes Ludlow Health Center
• Okemo Discusses Expansion Plans at Ludlow Rotary: Bruce Schmidt, Okemo general manager, was the recent guest of the Ludlow Rotary Club to inform the organization on the new plans to update a number of facilities at Okemo Mountain Resort including the base lodge, a new training are for children and expanded lift service at Jackson Gore. VT Journal
• Bears Are More Active Than Normal This Winter
6. EVENTS
FEBRUARY 26 (WEDNESDAY): Goodman’s American Pie Pizza celebrating 20 years of business from 1-9 Pm, 5 Lamere Sq, Ludlow. The Goodmans are Proctorsville residents.
FEBRUARY 27 (THURSDAY): Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) Public Information Hearing, 7 pm at GMUHS Auditorium in Cbester.
MARCH 2 (MONDAY): Cavendish Town Meeting, 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School. Note: The town budget is voted on at this meeting. There is a separate informational meeting about the school that takes place February 27.
MARCH 3 (TUESDAY): VOTING DAY-Elected town positions and school budgets are done by Australian Ballot. The polls are open from 10-7 at the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department in Proctorsville. Handicap accessible entrance is available. Town office will be closed.
MARCH 28 (SATURDAY): A joint project of Cavendish Connects and the Cavendish Library, learn to make totes from feed bags. The workshop is free from 1-4 pm at the Cavendish Library in Proctorsville.
APRIL 1 (Wednesday): All dogs residing within the Town of Cavendish need to be registered by April 1st each year . Licenses may be obtained in the Town Clerk’s office. A valid rabies certificate needs to be presented at time of licensing.
APRIL 10 (FRIDAY): Town office closed for Good Friday
APRIL 12 (SUNDAY): Happy Easter
SEPETEMBER 12 (SATURDAY): 8th Annual Vermont Golden Stage Honey Festival. 10-4 pm at the Golden Stage Inn, Proctorsville, corner of Depot Street and Route 103. Free Admission. FMI: 802-226-7744 or vtgoldenhoneyfestival@gmail.com
For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.
Job Opening: Cavendish Library
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The Cavendish Fletcher Community Library is looking for a part time circulation assistant to work every Saturday from noon to four. The ideal candidate would have solid computer skills, a love of reading and excellent customer service skills. Previous library experience is not necessary, but a love of books is. Please contact Kata at 226-7503 for more information.