What You Need to Know About Cavendish & State Legislative Processes

January is a busy time locally and in Montpelier. This is when citizens can help determine budgets and the direction of their state and town governments.

• Running for a Cavendish Town Office Position: Those who are interested in running for a town office position (e.g. Select Board member, auditor etc.) must file a petition and receive sufficient signatures by the close of business on January 25 (Monday). Please stop by the Town Office to complete necessary forms. Voting for town offices, which is by Australian ballot,  takes place this year on March 1 (Tuesday), 10-4 at the Cavendish Town Elementary School. FMI: 802-226-7292

• Absentee Ballot: Did you know that you can vote early by absentee ballot? The ballot, which includes presidential primary candidates this year, will be available by January 31. Please contact the town office for information about this type of voting.  802-226-7292.

• Cavendish Town Budget: The Select Board is meeting a number of times in January to set the FY 2016-2017 town budget. They are also dealing with the warnings that will be discussed and voted on as part of Town Meeting, Monday, Feb. 29 and Tuesday, March 1. Please note that voters will determine the town budget at Monday night’s Town Meeting .

To follow the Cavendish Select Board activities, check The Dish for meeting times, agendas, and reports on various meetings. Agendas and Minutes are also posted at the Municipal website. 

Select Board meetings are open to the public and provide an opportunity to voice concerns.

• School Budgets: Cavendish Town Elementary and GMUHS are finalizing their budgets. While Town Meeting is informational only for the CTES budget, voting takes place on Tuesday, March 1 by Australian ballot for CTES, GMUHS and River Valley Technical Center budgets. Polls (at CTES) are open from 10-7.

• Fire Districts: Proctorsville Fire District 1 and Cavendish Fire District 2 will meet with their respective voters regarding budgets, equipment, taxes etc. These meetings usually take place in February. Note that fire departments are not under the Select Board and they determine their own budgets. 

• Town Meeting: Cavendish holds its town meeting on the Monday evening before the first Tuesday in March, the official Vermont Town Meeting Day. This year’s town meeting will take place on Feb. 29, 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. The town budget is voted on at this meeting. On Tuesday, March 1, Australian balloting takes place at CTES from 10-7 and will include voting on school budgets, town offices, and presidential primary candidates.  Learn more about town meeting and how you can participate at Cavendish Town Governance. 

• Vermont General Assembly: Now in session for the next four months, opening day was Jan. 5. The legislature will be dealing with a number of issues including: legalization of marijuana; Medicaid; and Act 46 (the state’s new school district consolidation law). Because this was a non-election year, House and Senate committees have dozens of bills to review that were introduced in the 2015 session. To monitor progress on bills, write your legislator etc. go to the Vermont General Assembly website. 

Cavendish’s legislative representatives are as follows:

Representative Mark Huntley

Senator John F Campbell

Senator Dick McCormack

Senator Alice Nitka