Cavendish Update 1/18/19: Town Mtg Prep/SB/Fire District 2
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This special edition of the Cavendish Update has been made possible by donors who wish to remain anonymous.
Thank you to the Cavendish Fire Department and all those who donated to make it possible to purchase a generator for the Cavendish’s Shelter, which is at the Cavendish Baptist Church. While we expect lots of fluffy snow from the approaching storm, it’s good to know that hot showers and food will be readily available if needed. Donations are still being collected to help with the installation of the generator and can me made to Cavendish Volunteer Fire Department Att: Emergency Shelter Initiative, PO Box 453, Cavendish VT 05142
The forecast includes a snowstorm warning-Sat 4pm to Sun 4pm-and will be followed by frigid temps. Please check on neighbors, particularly those who are home bound.
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1/18/19 Cavendish Update
1. Open Positions for Cavendish Elected Officials
2. Select Board Budget Meetings
3. Cavendish Related News
4. Warning Annual Meeting of Cavendish Fire District #2
5. Events
1. OPEN POSITIONS FOR CAVENDISH ELECTED OFFICIALS: Those interested in seeking an elected office, petitions are available at the Town Clerk’s Office, Monday-Friday, 9-4. Deadline for filing with the Town Clerk nominating petitions for town offices, to be voted on by Australian ballot, is January 28, 2019 by 5pm. Election will take place on Tuesday March 5 at the Proctorsville Fire Department. Positions open are as follows:
Town Moderator 1 year
Select Board 3 year and 2 openings for 1-year terms
Town Agent 1 year
Lister 2 positions for 3-year terms
Auditor 1, 2 and 3 year terms
Library Trustee 5 year
Trustee of Public Funds 3 year
Town Grand Juror 1 year
GMUSD 3 year
2. SELECT BOARD BUDGET MEETINGS: As part of the budgetary process, the Cavendish Select Board (SB) is meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout January, unless otherwise noted. Budget meetings are not filmed, but minutes are available at the Municipal Website. Below are some of the activities and decisions made during these meetings:
• Windsor County Sheriff’s office: In Cavendish 12 hours per week to enforce speed limits and respond to emergency calls if they are in the area. Requesting an increase in the hourly rate from $53 to $55 with mileage rate .60¢ per mile. Town manager Brendan McNamara noted that tickets have been higher due to more tickets being issued during the 103 construction.
• Eliminated Bruce McEnaney’s position of Asst. Town Manager. McEnaney will remain as sextant.
• Will include the consideration of the Black River Health Center exemption from property taxes for a period of 5 years on the Town Meeting Warning
3. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
Route 131/103: There are considerable concerns about the lack of lines on 103 as well as the condition of 131, to say nothing of the intersection of the two roads. This was a major topic of conversation at the Cavendish Select Board Meeting on Monday night. Cavendish representative Annmarie Christensen replied to an e-mail on this topic January 17 (Thursday), I have been working on it and anticipate hearing more tomorrow. I understand from the project manager that signs will be installed later this week or early next week on Rt 103 informing motorists driving north and south bound lanes of turns onto route 131. Proctorsville resident Mary McCallum talked about the difficulties route 103 is posing this winter in a commentary for VT Public Radio Faded Fog Lines .
GMUSD Finance Panel Deadlocks, Sends Budget Options to Full Board: Monday night, the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) board rejected the request of the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) to reopen the supervisory union (SU) budget and look for some cuts that would lower the district’s assessment for SU services. [See Chester Telegraph for information on this meeting ] Tuesday night, the GM finance committee was back in session trying to get a 4.3 percent budget increase down below 3.5 percent. But, in the end, the panel deadlocked and decided to present a menu of options to the full GMUSD board, which must finalize a budget at its monthly meeting on Thursday, January 17. The spending plan proposed on Tuesday would represent a per pupil cost of $15,904.59. The SU calculated an estimated tax rate of $1.49 before an Act 46 merger credit reduction of $.06. The tax rate would be further increased or decreased by each town’s Common Level of Assessment. The higher the CLA above 100 percent, the lower the tax rate for that town and the lower the CLA the higher the tax rate. This year, the CLA for Andover is 100.87 percent, Baltimore is 97.17 percent, Cavendish is 113.67 percent and Chester is 117.73 percent*. Chester Telegraph
Help for Government Shutdown Employees: Black River Good Neighbor Services in Ludlow reminds any government employee who is having trouble meeting financial obligations that we stand ready to help with food or heating assistance. They are located at the thrift store, 37B Main Street in Ludlow.
3Square VT Users-Shutdown Impact: Due to the government shutdown the Department for Children and Families (DCF) will be issuing February 3SquaresVT benefits early, on January 20th. These benefits will be for the entire month of February, so it is important that participants budget accordingly.
DMV To Clamp Down on Car Inspections: Vermont drivers received a postcard from the DMV alerting them of car inspection changes. Cars that didn't meet emissions requirements ended January 15. The state instructs repair shops to direct customers to check their warranties to make sure they don't spend money that they don't have to. And if the emissions repairs aren't covered, to help them with a waiver if they can't afford the fixes. For repairs that cost more than $200 and are not covered by dealer warranties, car owners can still get a one-year waiver.
Increasing Number of Scams Targeting Vermonters: WCAX has a special report on scamming in Vermont. If you wish to be notified of scam alerts by text, e-mail or call, sign up the University of Vermont’s Scam Alerts
State of Vermont Workers 2018: Ten years after the start of the Great Recession and more than eight years after it officially ended, there are signs of recovery in Vermont. The economy has continued to grow, if more slowly than the rest of the country. Yet whatever growth or prosperity the state has achieved, many have not benefited from it. Average Vermonters still struggle to make ends meet. The economy is improving, but not for most Vermonters: For the past 13 years State of Working Vermont has told the same story. This year again, because the fruits of economic growth have not shown up in the pockets of a lot of Vermonters, the indicators point to mixed results. More Vermonters were working, yet at the end of 2017 their numbers were still below the all-time high of 344,135, reached in 2006. Poverty fell a bit last year, but for young Vermonters, Vermonters of color, and single parents the rates remained high. Fewer families were relying on the Reach Up program for assistance in 2017, but still nearly 70,000 Vermonters lived in poverty, and over 75,000 depended on 3SquaresVT to get enough to eat. In the large majority of families with children, all parents in the household worked, but affordable, high-quality childcare was out of reach for many of them. State of Working Vermont 201
Mobile Wireless in Vermont: In October and November of 2018 The Department of Public Service (PSD) conducted a drive test of the state of mobile wireless coverage in Vermont. The initiative was undertaken primarily to demonstrate that good cause exists to expand the territory in the state that is deemed eligible for forthcoming federal grants. The two largest carriers, AT&T and Verizon have a similar number of blocks where they have at least some service-72% Verizon, 74% AT&T. 65% of the tested blacks have service from both AT&T and Verizon; with 54% of these tested blocks having speeds better than 0.256 kbps. Verizon has the largest number of blocks with the highest speeds. The report, issued Jan. 15, contains an interactive map of findings. DPS
4. WARNING ANNUAL MEETING OF CAVENDISH FIRE DISTRICT #2: The legal voters of Cavendish Fire District #2 are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Meeting Room at the Cavendish Town Office on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at 7:30 pm to act on the following articles:
Article 1:To hear and act on the Auditor’s report (position vacant)
Article 2:To elect officers as follows:
• Moderator for one year (currently Abraham Gross)
• Prudential Committee Member or one year term (Currently Scott Ranney)
• Prudential Committee Member for three-year term (Currently Stuart Lindberg)
Current members are Stuart Lindberg-term up 2019; Scott Ranney-term up 2019; Robert Evens-term up 2021; Clerk for one year-currently Michele Lindberg; Tax Collector for one year (Town Manager-Brendan McNamara); Treasurer or one year-Currently Bob Evens; and Auditor for one year (currently vacant)
Article 3: To see if the legal voters of District #2 will raise money and in what amount or the purpose of defraying expenses for this fiscal year July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020
Article 4: To conduct any other business to come before the meeting.
Minutes from 2018’s Annual meeting are available on-line. Financials are also available on-line
5. EVENTS: The Cavendish Town Budget process is now underway and the Select Board will be meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 at the Cavendish Town Office as part of this process.
JANUARY 18 (FRIDAY): Municipal utility payment due
JANUARY 21 (MONDAY): Martin Luther King Day Town Office closed
JANUARY 23 ( WEDNESDAY): Foxes in our Midst workshop. Free open to the public. Speaker is Michael Clouth from the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum; 6 pm at the Cavendish Town Office. Sponsored by CCCA. Refreshments served. FMI: Claire Walker at 226-7259.
JANUARY 27 (SUNDAY): SunCommon in conjunction with the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA) will host a free workshop to discuss solar power generation and battery storage; 1 pm; Crows Bakery on Depot St. in Proctorsville. FMI: Robin Timko 226-7736
FEBRUARY 12 (TUESDAY): Cavendish Fire District #2 Annual Meeting; 7:30 Pm Cavendish Town Office. Warning information is available at the Cavendish Connects Calendar.
MARCH 4 (MONDAY): Town Meeting
MARCH 5 (TUESDAY): VOTING! Proctorsville Fire Department from 10-7.
For information on upcoming events, go to the Cavendish Connects Calendar. For area events, check the Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce calendar.