Cavendish Update 6/16/23: SB Mtg/BRAT Testing/News/Events

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E. Coli levels are high at the Cavendish Gorge Swimming Hole. See Item 4 for other results.

In case of heavy rain, the CHS Ghost Walk, scheduled for Saturday (6/17) night @ 8 pm, will be rescheduled for the following Saturday (6/24). Check the Cavendish Facebook at 5 PM tomorrow for the possibility of rescheduling. 

6/16/23

1.    Cavendish Select Board Meeting 6/12/23

2.    Notice of Public Hearing

3.    Town Wide Tag Sale

4.    Black River Water Testing Results

5.    Cavendish Info

6.    Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 6/12/23: Cavendish Select Board (SB) meetings are videoed by Okemo Valley TV and posted to their website.  In addition, unapproved minutes from Monday’s meeting will be posted at the Cavendish Municipal Website. The Chester Telegraph also posted a report on the meeting, including an interview with Town Manager Rick Chambers.

In Monday’s 35 minute meeting, the SB approved/acted on the following:

• Rick Chambers, town manager, was appointed to the following positions: Assistant Health Officer and Flood Hazard Regulations Administrative Officer.

• Chris Marks was appointed for a five year term as Fire Warden

• Both Cavendish Streetscapes and CTES were approved for using Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) for “Birds & Bloom” and 6th grade graduation respectively.

• The. Sheriff’s Department contract for July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 was approved at $25,000, which provides 6-8 hours of service per week.

• The Planning Commission’s request to develop sub division regulations. This was requested as a lot of development is occurring outside the villages and there needs to be standards for such things as drainage, protection open space, features. Chair of the Planning Commission, Tim Calabrese, was very clear this is not zoning as they are a strong supporter of business development. The idea is to protect home owners. The regs will be developed over the fall, with the help of Regional Planning, and will go through an extensive review process before the town can vote on it.

• The tree by the Cavendish Stone Church has been determined to be a “boundary tree.” The SB approved spending up to $2,500 to have the tree cut down, with removal by the town garage.

Water: Flushing of lines will be completed this week. This needs to be done at least twice a year: May and Oct., with the potential of being done quarterly. Chambers noted that the water can be pristine coming out of the water plant but unless flushing of the pipes is done regularly, tap water can look otherwise. The media in the filtration system has been changed and the well has been cleaned. Chambers has met with residents who have concerns, showed them the water treatment facility etc. Prior to his job as Cavendish Town Manager, Chambers had 25 years of experience in water and sewer in his role as Superintendent for Water and Waste Water for Springfield.

Speed Signs: No permits have been submitted for four digital speed signs discussed at prior meetings. Chambers will work on this, but in the interim, the state will provide two for the town to use.

Cavendish Replacement for GMUSD Board Representative. With the resignation of Dennis Reilly, Cavendish is currently down a representative on the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) board. Brought up at the end of the meeting, Chambers noted statues had changed, with the decision of the new representative residing with the GMUSD board. Per a conversation with Superintendent Lauren Fierman, SBs can have a role in the process if they chose. In this case, only one applicant sent a letter to the town. The GMUSD board will be appointing the new Cavendish representative at their June 15th meeting.

2. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING: The Town of Cavendish Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, July 5th, 2023, 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office, 37 High Street, Cavendish, Vermont to receive comment on an amendment to the Cavendish Plan. The proposed amendment incorporates an Enhanced Energy plan based on Act 174 regional and Municipal Energy Planning Standards. Dated June 13, 2023 and signed by Timothy Calabrese, Planning Commission Chair. It is also available in PDF at the town website.

3.TOWN WIDE TAG SALE: Hard to believe that the 13th Annual Town Wide Tag is six weeks away-July 29 (Saturday) from 9-2. If you would like a spot on one of the greens, or you’d like to be listed in the on-line directory, please e-mail cavendishconnects@gmail.com or call 802-226-7807. Be sure to include items you’ll be selling to increase traffic to your booth. Space is free for Cavendish residents, property owners and businesses. If you are setting up and would like a Facebook Album of items you are planning on selling, please e-mail pictures starting July 13 to cavendishconnects@gmail.com . Be sure to include where you will be located the day of the sale.

4. BLACK RIVER WATER TESTING: Once again the Black River Action Team is testing local swimming holes on Wednesdays for E. coli levels. The EPAs limit for safe swimming is 245 CFUs. It is recommended to stay out of the water when it appears cloudy and within 24 hours of a heavy rain. Site results were as follows: Cavendish Gorge: 276 cfu (unsafe); Greven Field: 199; Buttermilk Falls: 345 cfu (unsafe); Tolles Power Dam: 67 CFU; Twenty Foot Hole: 52 CFU; and West Hill Road Rec Pond (Ludlow): 47 CFU

5. CAVENDISH INFO

• Cavendish Municipal Water Consumer Confidence Report June 2023: The staff and Board of Water Commissioners of the Town of Cavendish Municipal Water System are pleased to provide you with this consumer confidence report which offers a snapshot of Cavendish’s drinking water quality last year, from January through December 2022. Providing users with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water is our primary goal. We hope that the information provided within this document will be of interest and value to you in understanding what the system presently does in the way of quality control and safety, what the nature of the local water supply is, what the current status of the system is, and what we plan to do in the future. The report is available at the Town’s website in PDF format

• Age Successfully-2nd Annual Health @ Benefits Fair: Hosted by Black River Good Neighbors (BRGN) and Senior Solutions, the Fair is open 10-2 at the Ludlow Community Center (just across from the BRHC)  today June 16th. There will be a free BBQ along with live entertainment.  The fair is an opportunity for visitors to learn about wellness-based goods and services, to help older Vermonters to age successfully. Exhibitors include teams from Senior Solutions Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont, Americorps Volunteer Recruitment and Services, Black River Good Neighbor Services, AARP Fraud Watch Network, Better Life Partners, Black River Valley Senior Center, NorthStar Health, Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, Reinbow Riding Center, Tai Chi Vermont, True North Hearing, Valley Health Connections, Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire, and the Vermont Garden Network. Visitors will be able to go home with a seedling generiously donated by the students at the River Valley Technical Center and their Horticulture and Natural Resources group, as well as Bonnie Plants. FMI: Suzanne Burge, Senior Solutions, at 802-822-0498 or Sburge@seniorsolutionsvt.org, or Krey Kellington, BRGNS, at 802-228-3663 or kkellingtonbrgns@gmail.com.

• Thanks to the Tuckers: On behalf of the youth community, thanks go out to Jerry and Deborah Tucker for their years of service. The nonprofit Ludlow Teen Center – known as “Rampage” – operated for approximately 20 years, serving and providing area youth and families many various sports programs and activities, a big buddy program, as well as field trips and so much more. Recently the Tuckers have retired from the teen center, and have sold the building. It is still home to Mojo’s restaurant and Mountain Cycology bike shop. VT Journal

• “American Pickers” to film in Vermont: The American Pickers are excited to return to Vermont! They plan to film episodes of The History Channel hit television series throughout the state in August 2023. VT Journal

6. EVENTS

JUNE 1-16: Stop by the Cavendish library and voter for your favorite picture for the 2024 Cavendish Community Conservation Association calendar

JUNE 5-JULY 11: The Most Costly Journal-Physical & Mental Health Needs Display Panels at the Cavendish Library

JUNE 16 (FRIDAY): GMUHS graduation, Last day of school for GMUHS and CTES

JUNE 17 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Historical Society’s Annual Ghost Walk. Meet at the old Duttonsville School 66 Duttonsville School Dr, Cavendish, at 8 pm, wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight. Free and open to the public. Donations welcome. Check the Cavendish Facebook page on Saturday at 5 pm to see if the event has to be rescheduled due to heavy rain.

JUNE 19 (MONDAY): Juneteenth. Town Office closed.

JUNE 24 (SATURDAY): Birds & Bloom, Cavendish Streetscapes, Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) 10-2. A gathering of local art, decorated bird houses, plants and more. Benefit for Streetscapes.

JUNE 27 (TUESDAY): 6 pm: The Most Costly Journey-Book Discussion at the Cavendish Library. Books available for pick up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9-6

JULY 2 (SUNDAY): Ludlow Fireworks, Food, Music and Fun. Begins 6pm at the Okemo Base area. Park in the Main Lot of the Clock Tower Base Area. Fireworks start at dusk.

JULY 4 (TUESDAY): HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Town Office Closed

JULY 5 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts kick off at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Gypsy Reel will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 11 (TUESDAY): 6 PM Movie Night at the Cavendish Library. Under the Cloak of Darkness

JULY 12 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Bill Brink will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 15 (SATURDAY): HeartSaver CPR at the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Dept. 1-4 pm. FMI and to register

JULY 19 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Gully Boys will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 26 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. The Willistones will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

JULY 29 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale

AUGUST 2 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Sammy Blanchette will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

AUGUST 4 (FRIDAY): Cartoonist Marek Bennett at the Cavendish Library, registration is required for this event. FMI and to Register 802-226-7503 or e-mail cavendishlibrary@gmail.com

AUGUST 9 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. Yankee Chank will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

AUGUST 16 (WEDNESDAY): Summer Concerts at Svec Park (Proctorsville Green) starting at 6 pm. The Silverbacks will perform. Concerts are free and open to the public.

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