Cavendish Update 12/18/20: SB Mtg/News/Covid/Events
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PLEASE NOTE: There will be no Cavendish Update on Christmas, Dec. 25, Friday. Check the Cavendish VT Facebook page for daily updates. Cavendish Connects wishes you and yours a happy, joyous and safe holiday season.
12/18/20
1. Cavendish Select Board Meeting 12/14/20
2. Cavendish Info
3. Covid update
4. Events
1.CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 12/14/20 The Select Board (SB) continues to Zoom meet, and Okemo Valley TV is now streaming and archiving the meeting via uTube. Minutes are available at the Town’s website.
Approved: Reduced assessment on three parcels of land that no longer have mobile homes on them. The Grand List will be modified to reflect this change; An Emergency Health Order to the owner of 223 Cavendish Gulf Rd, which is now a health risk due to renters, who have since vacated, leaving trash and debris.
Covid: With increases in cases statewide and locally, the Town office is closed except to staff. The Cavendish Library has moved to curbside pick-up (see more information under Item 2). Town manager, Brendan McNamara, discussed his concern if members of the town crew should become sick or need to quarantine due to exposure and is considering possible options. In the meantime, the town crew is prepped and ready for winter weather.
Budget: Town budget planning meetings in January will be held by Zoom and are open to the public. The issue of the Cavendish Library was discussed. SB member, Sandra Russo, who is also a library trustee said they are looking at three options about funding and will be meeting with both McNamara and the library board this coming week.
Town Meeting: Looking at options for town meeting, which will most likely be held by Zoom with Australian and potentially mail-in ballots for voting on town budgets.
Other town business:
- Utility bills just went out.
- Discussed removal of what appears to be an abandoned truck on Depot St. in Proctorsville.
- Follow up continues on a person that appeared to be casing various properties several weeks ago. It’s currently a police investigation.
2. CAVENDISH INFO
• Cavendish has record breaking snowfall: Between late Wednesday evening until Thursday afternoon, close to 4 feet of snow fell. The town office, post offices, library, various businesses, and even some roads were closed. Note that the Cavendish Town Office will not open until noon today. The town crew has been out trying to clear roadways and will continue today. The one thing that didn’t get cancelled was school as students are currently remote learning until Jan. 11 in our area. Please clean away deep snow around outdoor vents for home heating and water heater.
• CHS Cares Cabinet: Lots of new items in the chest, including a cake decorating kit, new puzzles and even a pedometer. A path to the CHS Cabinet (next to the Museum steps) should be cleared later today. It’s open 24/7 and everything is free. If you’d like to donate, please e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com or call 802-226-7807.
• Cavendish Library Reverting to Curbside pick-up/expanded WIFI range: Due to the rising number of COVID cases in the area, the Cavendish Library has returned to curbside service and has expanded its range for WIFI up to 400 feet from the library. There is no password. The library will continue to distribute Everyone Eats Meal-ring the bell for take-out. virtual programming such as story time on Facebook live and other programming for your entertainment and education. Patrons may borrow eBooks, movies, TV series, audiobooks and music online via Hoopla and Libby. FMI: 226-7503, website or Facebook. On Christmas Eve the Library will have a Tuck in Story Time at 7:30 pm
• Cavendish Christmas Eve Ghost Story: Since Covid made it impossible for the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) to offer a Christmas Ghost Walk, they’ve provided a Christmas Eve ghost tale featuring local ghosts, with follow up information about Cavendish’s favorite spirits. The story is available at the CHS Blog.
• Three Open Seats on the GMUSD: Cavendish needs to fill three open seats on the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) board, that represents CTES, GMUHS and CAES. Petitions need to be filed in January and will be voted on as part of Town Meeting in March.
• Cavendish Siblings Win Ghost Story Contest: Saugus.net has announced the winners for its 23rd annual Halloween Ghost Story contest, and two of them are Cavendish locals, Lorien and Luke Strange, who won third place in the Middle School category and second place in the Interactive Fiction Category respectively with their stories “They Fly Out In Winter” and “Spooky Times.” This is Lorien’s second time winning the contest as she was a first place winner last year with her story “Bayou Fog.” The stories can be found online at www.saugus.net/Contests/Halloween
• Three-quarters will lose unemployment benefits: The 18,000 Vermonters receiving benefits through the two CARES Act programs will lose access to that program Dec. 26. Another 885 Vermonters will lose benefits this week as the federal government ends extended benefits.
3. COVID UPDATE: The Pfizer vaccine is now being administered to front line health workers in VT. While a light at the end of the tunnel, we’ve a ways to go and sadly VT has had 105 deaths, ten this week alone, and it’s taken only 10 days to jump from 5,000 to over 6,000 cases,
Governor Scott noted at the Tuesday press conference, “One thing I’ve always appreciated about Vermonters is our perseverance. It probably comes from those long, tough, cold winters, followed by difficult and still cool mud seasons. But that’s what’s so special about being a Vermonter. We know just around the corner is a beautiful summer. … So we toughen up, put our head down and carry on.”
We’ve made strides: It’s easy to get lost in the blaring Covid headlines and miss some of the incredible strides that have been made in dealing with this disease:.
- The ICU fatality rate has dropped 60%-70%, as intensivists gain a better understanding of basic treatments such as how to oxygenate a patient and avoid ventilators, and the use of steroids and even aspirin to prevent clotting which can lead to severe cardiac and brain damage.
- One approved and about to be approved vaccines which are already being administered.
- Prevention strategies, such as VT Health Dept giving pulse oximeters to newly diagnosed people with Covid and registering them with Sara Alert, which helps to avoid inpatient admissions
- Vermonters heeding the Governor’s advice and staying put at Thanksgiving, thereby avoiding a surge in cases
Town Map: While Cavendish had no new Covid cases as of Dec. 9, Ludlow had three, bringing their total to 21, with the majority occurring in the last three weeks. Chester had seven cases from Dec. 2-9.
Modeling: The state’s modeling, presented on Dec.15 is forecasting a 70% increase in new cases over the next three weeks-the holiday period- if people don’t adhere to the prevention guidelines. Currently, the health department is monitoring 225 “situations” and 37 outbreaks.
VT’s State of Emergency has been extended to Jan. 15.
Close Contact Information: The state has launched a new webpage to help those who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid 19.
Vaccines: The state’s goal is to have 34,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of the month, which will be given to high-risk healthcare workers and patients at certain long-term care facilities. The next group to be vaccinated will include people with underlying health conditions and more front line workers.
In order to reach “community immunity,” often referred to as herd immunity, 75% of the population needs to be vaccinated. Data from the latest Kaiser Family Foundation survey indicates 71% of the public is willing to be vaccinated.
The VT Dept. of Health has set up a special webpage on Covid Vaccination.
Register for VT Alert: To help Vermonters stay up to date on the latest Covid-19 guidance and information, Gov. Phil Scott encourages Vermonters to register for Vermont Alert, the state’s emergency notification system. Register for VT-ALERT by visiting www.vtalert.gov and selecting the alerts they would like to receive. Current subscribers may update their notifications by visiting www.vtalert.gov.
STOP SWAPPING AIR: It’s very simple, if you don’t want to get Covid, don’t swap air with anyone outside your immediate household.
Local Resources
- CHS Cares Closet: Masks (cloth and disposable), books, toys, craft supplies. Open 24/7. All free. Located next to the steps of the Cavendish Historical Society Museum.
4. UPCOMING EVENTS:
DECEMBER 18 (FRIDAY): Last day of Hanukah
DECEMBER 21 (MONDAY): Winter Solstice
DECEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): Christmas Eve Tuck in Story Time at 7:30 pm. Check the Library’s Facebook page for more information.
DECEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): MERRY CHRISTMAS-Town office closed
DECEMBER 26-31 (SATURDAY-THURSDAY): HAPPY KWANZAA
DECEMBER 31 (THURSDAY): New Year’s Eve
JANUARY 1 (FRIDAY): HAPPY NEW YEAR-Town office closed
CA❤︎ENDSH-A SAFER SIX COMMUNITY
Covers mouth & nose
Always masks in public & washes hands
Vermonters keep each other safe
Elbow coughs
Never socializes with those outside their immediate household
Disinfects common surfaces
Is alert for symptoms
Stays at least 6 feet apart from others
Has respect for personal space
