Cavendish Update 2/10/22: Cell Coverage/News/Events
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2/11/22
1. Cavendish Info
2. Telecommunication-Cell Coverage
3. Covid update
4. Events
1. CAVENDISH INFO
• Minutes from 2/2/22 Cavendish Select Board (SB) Mtg: Continuing with the budget, both the Cavendish Library and Ludlow Ambulance (LA) have requested increases. The Library requested $86,300 but was approved by the SB for $56,000. The Ambulance Service is being moved into an expense category rather than an appropriation. LA is requesting $73,150 this year and anticipates asking for $98,000 next year. Minutes are available at the municipal website.
• Sample ballot & Warning for GMUSD & River Valley Tech Center online: The Green Mountain Unified School District warnings and sample ballots are now available online. Also available at the Town’s website is the River Valley Tech Center Warning and sample ballot. Voting will be on March 1, Tuesday, from 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Dept.
• Okemo Valley Women’s Club Holds Bake Sale for Scholarship Fund: The Tree of Remembrance is brightly lit in Veteran’s Park and The Green in Proctorsville. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs, Okemo Valley, is still fundraising for a scholarship that will go to a local high school senior, and that fundraising opportunity will be coming to an end Feb. 11, at 3 p.m. with a Bake and Appetizer Sale in front of the Shaw’s in Ludlow. To see who is being remembered, click here.
• Vail Resorts Sold a Record Number of Passes. Now, Their Ski Areas Are Facing a Logistical Nightmare: Employees fear the corporate behemoth bit off more than it could chew, while pass holders cry foul about overcrowding and reduced hours.
• Okemo Valley Chamber of Commerce Awarded Marketing Grant
• School Mascots: Senate Bill 139, which would bar schools from having a “name, symbol, or image” that refers to a Native American tribe, person, custom or tradition, has had a hearing before the VT Senate Committee on Education. VT Digger
2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS: CELL COVERAGE: At Tuesday’s press conference, Gov. Scott said he didn’t have much to add on Covid and called on Commissioner June Tierney, who spoke at length about how $51 million of the state’s federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund will be used to improve cell coverage in Vermont. This will include 100 new cell towers strategically placed to reach the most underserved areas in the state.
In a 2019 report, the Public Service Department found that 40% of Vermonters do not have reliable cell service and that 62% of the state’s highways have subpar reception, with 10% having no coverage.
To determine where the towers should go, the state is in the process of updating it’s 2018 drive test of Mobile Wireless in Vermont. According to this report, Verizon has the largest number of blocks with the highest speeds, 31% for Verizon vs. 13% for AT&T and 15% for T-Mobile.
Tierney noted, With federal funding now available, this is our chance to invest wisely in expanding cell service so our citizens can have the basic tools they need to be safe, be in touch, and to collectively advance Vermont’s economic future. But seizing our chance means we can’t keep standing on old, familiar objections. We must make smart choices if we are going to move forward, to a better place where cell service is reliable and readily accessible in our everyday lives. The need to expand cell service in Vermont is monumental. The cost of not expanding service is unacceptable.
The components of the Critical Communications Infrastructure Program (CCIP) include: A drive test which will include all federal aid highways with regional planning councils and towns also testing additional areas; identify priority areas; identify tower sites; secure carrier interest at all towers; and deploy towers (lowest bid wins each site).
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.
WEEKLY DATA:
Cavendish & Surrounding Towns For the week ending February 2, Cavendish and surrounding towns have all seen a decrease in reported Covid cases. Cavendish had 7 new cases, 173 total; Ludlow 7 (319 total); Chester 19 (615 total); Springfield 40 (1,840); and Weathersfield 6 (245).
State: According to Tuesday’s Feb. 8 modeling reports cases continue to drop with the 7-day average having decreased 41% over the last 7 days and decreased 65% over the last 14 days. Test positivity has also decreased 14% over the last 7 days. Vermont COVID-19 cases are expected to continue to decline in the coming weeks, consistent with improving case trends in Vermont, the Northeast and the U.S. Declines in Covid-19 fatalities are expected over the next 4 weeks. As of Feb. 10, 29 new deaths have been occurred in VT for a total of 565 deaths. Yesterday, had the lowest daily hospitalizations (76) since January 3, which had 74 cases.
SCHOOLS-Masks: Currently the Agency of Education has a masking recommendation that most schools in the state are following. At the end of February, this recommendation is up for reconsideration. The state may roll this back provided a school’s vaccination rate among eligible students is 80% or higher.
School Staff Testing: Education Secretary Dan French discussed a new testing program for school staff that will be launched shortly. The program will provide two rapid antigen tests per staff on a weekly basis. Details of the program are forthcoming.
OTHER NEWS
• Mask mandate to end in Ludlow on Feb. 21
• Rutland Regional Medical Center will allow each patient to have two visitors starting Feb. 14. RRMC plans. To close its COVID vaccination clinic Saturday, Feb. 12.
4. EVENTS
FEBRARY 13 (SUNDAY): Dinner and a Movie at the Cavendish Library. Queen Bee, 1 pm 802-226-7503
FEBRUARY 14 (MONDAY): Happy Valentine’s Day
- Select Board Meeting
FEBRUARY 15 (TUESDAY): 3RD Quarter Property Taxes Due
FEBRUARY 16 (WEDNESDAY): Cavendish Library Book Club meets at 7 pm. This month’s book is DogTripping. FMI: 802-226-7503
FEBRUARY 21 (MONDAY): President’s Day. Town Office Closed
FEBRUARY 21 (MONDAY)-25 (FRIDAY): School winter break.
FEBRUARY 24 (THURSDAY): GMUSD Informational Budget Meeting, 6 pm via Zoom.
FEBRUARY 27 (SUNDAY): A visit with David Rosenfelt, 1 pm Cavendish Library. FMI: 802-226-7503
MARCH 1 (TUESDAY) Mardi Gras
CA❤︎ENDSH VAXXING, BOOSTING & MASKING TO PROTECT SELF & OTHERS