Cavendish Update 10/7/22: $20 M Bond/SB Mtg/Job/News
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10/7/22
1. Cavendish Info
2. $20 Million Bond Warning for GMUSD Schools
3. Covid update
4. Events
DEPOT ST WILL BE CLOSED MOST OF MONDAY (10/10) SO GREEN MOUNTAIN RAILROAD CAN WORK ON THE TRACKS.
1. CAVENDISH INFO
• 9/28 Select Board Meeting: At a special meeting regarding a dog situation in Proctorsville, the SB approved the following motion, …” approve an extension of the fencing directive deadline to October 3, 2022, to be inspected by the Town Manager who would report to the Select Board and then appropriate action could be taken if needed.” All voted in favor. Unapproved minutes are available at the Municipal website.
• Job Opening Municipal Assistant Water and Wastewater Operator Town of Cavendish: The Town of Cavendish is currently accepting applications for an Assistant Water and Wastewater Operator. This is a full-time position with a competitive wage and excellent benefits package. A current Water and Wastewater Operator License in the State of Vermont is preferred but not required. Applications should be highly organized and motived, have a background in mechanical/construction work with a solid knowledge of computers. This is a permanent position with retirement plan. A comprehensive job description is available to serious applicants. Applications, resumes and inquires to be directed to: Brendan McNamara, Town Manager
Town of Cavendish Municipal Building, 37 High Street, P.O. Box 126, Cavendish, Vermont, 05142 802-226-7291
• Ludlow Selectboard postpones rental registry decision VT Journal
• Hollowed Community? Residents ring alarm over growth of unhosted short-term rentals: Short-term rentals didn’t create the housing problem, but some people believe that they have made it worse, and town select boards have begun to take notice. Marion Major of the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, which seeks to find homes for area residents, called it a “complex scenario because the housing crisis has been building for so long and Covid exacerbated it. Then the idea that people could buy homes and then put them on the market for short-term rentals full time (and) out of the financial reach” of local residents occurred. Just how big of a problem is this? It’s difficult to pinpoint because, as Major says, “There isn’t really centralized data … there has been conversation to bring it together through the state but that hasn’t been done. Neither has a statewide rental registry, which has been talked about for years.” Chester Telegraph
• ‘Every bit helps’: Lawmakers, advocates strategize on affordable housing in southeastern Vermont:The crisis is acute, and there’s no silver bullet. That was the message at the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition’s southeastern Vermont Virtual Town Hall on Tuesday night. Affordable housing experts and legislators from WIndham and Windsor counties met to discuss what’s working, what’s not, and how lawmakers can collaborate with housing professionals to produce more affordable housing. Vt Digger
• Claremont Police investigating shooting in Walmart parking WCAX
2. $20 MILLION BOND WARNING FOR GREEN MOUNTAIN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT: At the Sept. 15 special meeting of the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD), of which Cavendish is a member, the board adopted and approved the warning of a bond for $20,474,354 to pay for building improvements as follows:
• Green Mountain Union High School efficiency upgrades and other building and ground improvements ($15,944,538)
• Cavendish Town Elementary Scholl efficiency upgrades and other building and grounds improvement ($1,694,700)
• Chester-Andover Elementary School efficiency upgrades and other building and grounds improvements ($2,632,400).
The bond warning also includes the warning for an informational meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6 pm at GMUHS in Chester.
The Warning notes, “State funds may not be available at the time this project is otherwise eligible to receive state school and construction aid. The district is responsible for all costs incurred in connection with any borrowing done in anticipation of the receipt of school construction aid.”
Cavendish voters will be asked to vote on this issue on Nov. 8. Voting will take place at the Proctorsville Fire Hall from 10-7. If you plan to vote by mail, you will need to get a bond vote ballot from the town office. Sample Ballots and Election Information are available at the town’s website.
At the August 25 GMUSD meeting, tax implications were discussed. TRSU Business Manager Cheryl Hammond said that for a home assessed at $250,000, taxes would increase by a little less than $300 per year. For an average home assessed at $350,000, the tax would increase by a little less than $400 per year.
To learn more about the process of the development of this bond, read the Chester Telegraph’s article GM board votes to put $20 million renovation bond before district voters
Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) currently has 75 students enrolled. GMUHS, which was built to house 600 students, currently has 350. Chester-Andover has 236 students.
3. COVID UPDATE: For local information on testing, vaccinations, boosters, notifying contacts as well as other resources, including for Long Covid, please see the Cavendish COVID-19 Resource Guide.
Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807. Note that most at-home Covid tests had their expiration dates extended. Check to see if your tests had their expiration dates extended by visiting these sites: Most; Intrivo; iHealth; FlowFlex
Schools: One case of Covid was reported for GMUSD schools this past week-Ludlow Elementary.
State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Sept.25 to Oct.1 continues to report statewide community levels as low. However, Bennington county is now reporting as “high” with Rutland reporting “medium.”
• New hospital admissions with Covid: 45 new admissions (decrease from last week’s 52)
• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 3.74% (increase from last week’s 3.46%)
• Outbreaks: As of Oct.3, there were 14 active outbreaks with 8 at Long term care facilities, 5 at schools/childcare and 1 at a non -LTC Healthcare facility. There are 2 active outbreaks listed for Windsor County.
• Deaths: No additional deaths this week.
4. EVENTS
OCTOBER 9 (SUNDAY): Talk on the “Columbian Exchange,” which refers to the transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, disease and ideas between the Americas and Afro-Eurasia, 2 pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. This is the last Sunday the Museum is open. This event is free and open to the public. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com
OCTOBER 10 (MONDAY): Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Town Office Closed
OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween
NOVEMBER 1 (TUESDAY): Informational Meeting on the GMUSD Bond for $20 million, 6 pm at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester.
NOVEMBER 9 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed
NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed
NOVEMBER 24 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING
NOVEMBER 25 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed
DECEMBER 3-4 (SATURDAY-SUNDAY): Okemo Valley INNdulgence Tour. Enjoy holiday decorations, warm drinks and tasty treats at nearly a dozen inns in the Okemo Valley. From noon-5 pm, tickets are $15 per person.
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