Cavendish Update 11/4/22: Fall back/News/Events

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11/4/22

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Privacy and voting early

3.    Help with Energy Costs

4.    Covid update

5.    Events

FALL BACK: Day light savings ends Sunday (Nov. 6). Turn clocks back one hour. Replace batteries in smoke & carbon monoxide detectors.

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• Voters weigh in with questions on school bond:  Chester Telegraph

• UVM will offer free tuition to Vermonters whose families make under $60K: Starting next fall, the University of Vermont will be tuition-free to all Vermont residents whose families make less than $60,000 a year. The board of trustees approved the plan, which would cover tuition and fees for in-state students — a total of $18,890 a year. Out-of-state students pay more than twice that to attend UVM. Room and board, which costs $13,354 a year, would not be covered under the proposal, according to a UVM spokesperson. VP

• Freedom and Unity A Graphic Guide to Vermont Democracy: The Center for Cartoon Studies was challenged by Vermont’s Secretary of State office and Vermont Humanities to create a graphic guide about the past, present, and promise of democracy and civics in our brave little state. Freedom and Unity is the answer to that challenge. Down load a free copy by clicking here.

2. PRIVACY AND VOTING EARLY  If you are concerned about privacy when voting early, know that Cavendish follows the procedures of the Secretary of State Elections Division.

Early or absentee voter ballots must be returned to the town clerk’s office before the close of business on the day before the election [Nov. 7 (Monday) by 4:30 pm] or to the polling place [Proctorsville Fire Hall] by 7 p.m. on Election Day. The ballots may be returned by mail or in person, unless the ballots were delivered by justices of the peace who would then return them to the town clerk.

The town clerk must record receipt of the voted ballot(s) on the list of early or absentee voters.

Once an early voter absentee ballot has been returned to the clerk in the sealed envelope with the signed certificate, it shall be stored in a secure place and shall not be returned to the voter for any reason.

During the hours that the polls are open, the town clerk delivers the envelopes to the presiding officer in the polling place where the early or absentee voter would have voted if he had voted in person.

On Election Day, election officials examine the checklist to see whether the voter has already voted in person. The election officials also check the certificate on the envelope containing the ballots to make sure it is properly filled out. When the election officials are satisfied that the early or absentee voter is legally qualified to vote, has not already voted in person and that the certificate is properly filled out, they open the envelope containing the ballot(s). Without unfolding the ballots or permitting the ballot to be seen, the election officials mark the entrance checklist indicating the fact that that voter has voted by means of an early voter absentee ballot, and then they deposit the ballots in the ballot boxes or voting machine. Early voter absentee ballots are commingled with the ballots of voters who have voted in person.

In person voting takes place on Nov. 8 (Tuesday) from 10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Hall. If you are voting early, please remember to pick up the special ballots for the $20 Million School Bond vote and Justice of the Peace.

If you have additional questions, you can contact the town office 802-226-7291, or you can email the Elections Division at sos.elections@vermont.gov, or call 800-439-VOTE.

3.ENERGY HELP: Winter is coming – and energy prices are high, from electricity to home heating fuel. But help is available to pay those high bills now and improve your home so your future bills are lower!  Speak with experts on energy help programs for New Hampshire and Vermont residents and get free DIY weatherization materials at the Affordable Energy Resources Fair.  

Saturday, Nov 19, drop in between 11 am and 3 pm at the LISTEN Community Dinner Hall  42 Maple St. White River Junction, VT FREE – NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED  Can't make it? Get help anytime at vitalcommunities.org/energyhelp  Co-hosted by Vital Communities, LISTEN Community Services, and ButtonUp Vermont

4. 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.

Vaccination clinics nearby:  Fridays at Riverside Middle School in Springfield; 3-6pm, no appointment needed. Free flu shots are also available.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

Schools: No new cases at CTES this past week.  Since the start of the school year, CTES has had 23 cases, with 11 taking place in October.

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Oct. 23 to Oct. 29 reports statewide community levels as returning to low. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported on Thursday that 11 of VT counties had medium levels, two high (Rutland and Bennington) and Windham was listed as low.  

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 47 new admissions (decrease from last week’s 76). The state is averaging 10+ hospitalizations daily. This is the highest hospitalizations since mid-May

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 6.04% an in increase from last week’s 5.86%

• Outbreaks: As of Oct.31, there were 16 active outbreaks with 8 at Long term care facilities and 8 at schools/childcare. Two active outbreak are listed for Windsor County.

• Deaths: The October number of deaths is 25, which is above the 12 deaths in Sept., and 19 in August.  754 Vermonters have died since the start of the pandemic. 

5. EVENTS 

NOVEMBER 5 (SATURDAY): Winter Clothing Sale at CTES 9-12

NOVEMBER 8 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 18 (FRIDAY): Turkey Bingo Fundraiser at CTES 6 pm

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.

DECEMBER 17 (SATURDAY): Stuff a fire truck food drive, 9-5 at Shaw’s Parking Lot, Ludlow. Sponsored by Proctorsvile and Ludlow Fire Depts. Benefits Black River Good Neighbors.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Update 10/28/22: Halloween Events/News

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10/28/22

1.    Cavendish Info

2.    Covid update

3.    Events

       HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES ARE LISTED IN THE EVENTS SECTION

1. CAVENDISH INFO

• October Select Board Minutes: The unapproved minutes from the Oct. 17 Cavendish Select Board Meeting are now available at the town website

• New from the Cavendish Historical Society: The Fall Newsletter of the Cavendish Historical Society is now on-line. The lead article contains an epilogue written in 1994 by Barbara Kingsbury, the author of "Chubb Hill Farm and Cavendish, Vermont: A Family and Town History 1876-1960." In spite of all the passage of time, somethings remain the same. Also posted this week is the Carmine Guica Young Historians Update for November. It includes a lot of resources, videos and links for November holidays and events, along with what our young historians have been up to.

• Stone Church Belfry and Roof Repair: Some much needed repairs took place this week on the Cavendish Stone Church.. The Belfry was damaged in a N’oreaster several years ago. It’s been a challenge to get a construction crew but Wright Brothers Construction repaired the belfry and checked out the roof this week. Thank you to town manager, Brendan McNamara for overseeing this project. We’re one step closer to the Solzhenitsyn Museum.

• CTES’s Winter Clothing Sale: CTES’s Parent Teacher Group is holding a winter clothing sale on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 9-12 at the school.

• Ski Swap: The Okemo Mountain School’s Annual Ski Swap is Nov. 18-20 at the Roundhouse at Jackson Gore. Sell your old gear (no skis, boots, or bindings older than 7 years) on consignment.  25% of the selling price goes to Okemo Mountain School – the remainder you will receive in a check about 3 weeks after the swap. You may also choose just to donate your equipment – all donations are tax-deductible. FMI: Use the OMS website to learn more about the sale and where and when to take items.  

• Springfield Hospital Opens Pain Clinic: Located on Level D at Springfield Hospital, the Pain Clinic’s goal is to assist patients with chronic and acute pain issues and develop a treatment plan that meets patient’s needs and expedites their recovery process. The clinic offers pain management for medical conditions that include lower back pain, neck pain, headaches, musculoskeletal disorders, complex regional pain syndrome and neuropathy. Providers Francis Valenti, CRNA, NSPM-C, and Daniel Rice, CRNA, NSPM-C, are board certified and work closely with patients and their healthcare team. All appointments require a referral and patients are encouraged to inquire about Springfield Pain Clinic services with their primary care provider. For more information on services or referrals, please visit http://www.springfieldpainclinic.org.

2. 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.

Vaccination clinics nearby:  Fridays at Riverside Middle School in Springfield; 3-6pm, no appointment needed. Free flu shots are also available.

Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

Schools: From 10/20-10/25, CTES had 3 new cases.  Since the start of the school year, CTES has had 23 cases.

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Oct. 16 to Oct. 22  reports statewide community levels as remaining medium.. Bennington county, continues to report “high” community levels.  

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 76 new admissions (increase from last week’s 73). The state is averaging 10+ hospitalizations daily. This is the highest hospitalizations since mid-May

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 5.86% and in increase from last week’s 4.25%

• Outbreaks: As of Oct.24, there were 13 active outbreaks with 4 at Long term care facilities,5 at schools/childcare and 2 each listed for “other” and non-LTC Healthcare.  One active outbreak is listed for Windsor County.

• Deaths: Six additional deaths have been reported in the past week, bringing the October total so far to 14, bringing the monthly total to eight. 740 Vermonters have died since the start of the pandemic. 

3. EVENTS

OCTOBER 29 (SATURDAY): Trunk or Treat at Greven Field in Proctorsville 6-8 pm.

-       6th Annual Trunk or Treat 3:30-5 at Hosington Field, Perkinsville  or the ground of the 1879 school house. This is a rain or shine event.

OCTOBER 31 (MONDAY): Happy Halloween. Trick or Treating in Cavendish and surrounding area

-       Trunk or Treat at Benson’s Chevrolet in Ludlow 4:30-6:30

-       Cavendish Fire Dept. 5 pm on

-       Cavendish Village post office 6-8:30

NOVEMBER 1 (TUESDAY): Informational Meeting on the GMUSD Bond for $20 million, 6 pm at Green Mountain Union High School in Chester.

NOVEMBER 5 (SATURDAY): Winter Clothing Sale at CTES 9-12

NOVEMBER 8 (TUESDAY): Election Day! Proctorsville Fire Dept. 10-7. Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 11 (FRIDAY): Veteran’s Day Town Office Closed

NOVEMBER 18 (FRIDAY): Turkey Bingo Fundraiser at CTES 6 pm

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.

DECEMBER 17 (SATURDAY): Stuff a fire truck food drive, 9-5 at Shaw’s Parking Lot, Ludlow. Sponsored by Proctorsvile and Ludlow Fire Depts. Benefits Black River Good Neighbors.

Cavendish Update 10/21/22: SB Mtg/Events

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10/21/22

1.    Cavendish Select Board Meeting

2.    Covid update

3.    Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 10/17/22: At Monday night’s Select Board (SB) meeting, the hot topic for discussion, a late add on to the SB’s agenda, was the $20 million bond the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) wants passed on Nov. 8 (Tuesday), Election Day. The meeting can be viewed at the Okemo Valley TV Website Miinutes will be posted to the Cavendish Municipal website and an in-depth report is available at the Dish.

The bond of $20,474,354 would pay for building improvements at the three schools in the GMUSD: Green Mountain Union High School ($15,944,538); Cavendish Town Elementary Scholl ($1,694,700) and Chester-Andover Elementary School ($2,632,400). The issue wasn’t whether the schools need the upgrades, they are needed, rather it centered on whether there would be sufficient students to justify the expenditures.

Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) underwent an expansion and major renovation project in 2004, when they had 102 students. Built to accommodate 140 students, the current enrollment is 75, with the likelihood there will only be 65 this time next year. Green Mountain Union High School (GM) was built for 650 students and currently has 350.

The common belief is that there is a shortage of long term rental housing, which many young families rely on, as everyone has converted to AirBnB/short term rentals. Long time Okemo Valley realtor, Betty McEnaney, provided data at the September SB meeting that showed a steady decline in the VT birth rate. As it turns out, VT has the lowest birth rate in the country and there has been a 20% drop in the birth rate nationwide starting with the Great Recession in 2007. There is no indication that this trend is about to be reversed.

A further study of Cavendish’s short term rentals indicates, as McEnaney also suggested, usage is fairly similar to what it’s always been. For years short term rentals were listed with Strictly Rentals and other property management services. Yes, long term rentals are difficult to find, which has to do with VT legislation that favors the tenant’s rights over the landlord’s. How many of these rental properties there were and what is now available is unknown, but as McEnaney pointed out, the declining school populations are due to the declining birth rate not only in VT but all over the country.

Cavendish rep John Arrison, who serves on the House Education Committee, told the SB that in the upcoming 2023 legislative session, the Agency of Education will be presenting their report on the needs and conditions of public school facilities in the state.  The hope is to reinstate the “State Aid For School Construction.” The monies, if approved by the legislature, may not be retroactive, according to Arrison. This means that if the bond passes on Nov. 8, the GMUSD may not be eligible for school construction funding voted on in the 2023 legislative session. 

As far as taxes, the 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.  Chester Telegraph

Note that because Cavendish is part of the GMUSD, though we send about 60 students to GM, we would be taxed at the same rate as Chester property owners. As one person who watched Monday’s meeting noted, There has to be a better way, we already pay too much in school /property taxes with declining enrollment. Many of us who are seniors don't have the income too be able to afford more in property taxes… We simply can't afford this, I can't believe they think the residents are ok with another tax increase, mine went up last year by quite a bit and if this went through it will be close to unaffordable.

Voting takes place on Nov. 8 (Tuesday) at the Proctorsville Fire Dept. from 10-7. Bond vote ballots can be picked up now and returned to the Town Office.

2. 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.

Covid is working its way through Cavendish. While there is no longer state data provided by town, the increasing number of cases at CTES reflects what’s happening in the community. There are now many articles appearing about new strains that could easily overwhelm the health care system this winter. This is but one article, The Nightmare COVID Variant That Beats Our Immunity Is Finally Here The VT Dept. of Health strongly encourages people to get the bivalent vaccine, which is free, as well as a flu shot.

Vaccination clinics nearby:  Fridays at Riverside Middle School in Springfield; 3-6pm, no appointment needed. Free flu shots are also available.

 Free Test kits: Available Monday-Friday at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4. For weekends and off hours, call 802-226-7807.

Schools: From 10/07-10/19, CTES had 8 new Covid cases; GMUHS 4; Ludlow Elementary 1 and Mt. Holly 3. Since the start of the school year, CTES has had 20 cases.

State: The current VT Dept of Health Weekly Report Oct. 9 to Oct. 15  report sstatewide community levels as medium, the first time the state has risen about low since June. Bennington county, is reporting “high” community levels.  

• New hospital admissions with Covid: 73 new admissions (increase from last week’s 48).

• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with Covid: 4.25%

• Outbreaks: As of Oct. 17, there were 13 active outbreaks with 5 at Long term care facilities, 6 at schools/childcare and 1 each listed for “other” and non-LTC Healthcare.  No active outbreaks are listed for Windsor County.

• Deaths: Six additional deaths have been reported in October, bringing the monthly total to eight. 734 Vermonters have died since the start of the pandemic. 

3. EVENTS

OCTOBER 29 (SATURDAY): Trunk or Treat at Greven Field in Proctorsville 6-8 pm.

-       6th Annual Trunk or Treat 3:30-5 at Hosington Field, Perkinsville  or the ground of the 1879 school house. This is a rain or shine event.

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.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Cavendish Select Board Mtg 10/17/22-Bond & AirBnB

At Monday night’s Select Board (SB) meeting, the hot topic for discussion, a late add on to the SB’s agenda, was the $20 million bond the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) wants to see passed on Nov. 8 (Tuesday), Election Day.

The Bond is broken down as follows:

Green Mountain Union High School $15,944,538 total cost, with total savings anticipated to be $50,100 with a rebate of $88,000.

Boilers + Kitchen Conversion (Oil to Propane + Tank Removal  $1,208,466

Remove UVs, add ERV’s w/Perimeter Heat and LED Lighting     5,403,278

Replace Windows                                                                                 2,653,350

Controls Upgrade                                                                                     695,000

Kitchen Revocation                                                                                  440,710

Electrical Transformers                                                                    151,858

Elevator                                                                                                     174,000

Fire doors and Railings (Code Issues)                                               1,167,600

Sprinkler System (Cafeteria and Auditorium                                        100,000

Ceiling, Painting, Asbestos and Flooring                                          2,022,867

Millwork Carpentry                                                                                   483,720

Brick Repointing                                                                                       192,850

Electrical Service Upgrade                                                                  1,050,840

Softball Field                                                                                             200,000

Chester Andover Elementary School $2,632,400 with projected savings of $19,000 with rebates of $40,000

Replace Federal Pacific Sub Panels                                                        216,000

Fire alarm improvements                                                                            136,250

LED Lighting                                                                                                 255,000

Convert from Oil to Propane                                                                      100,000

Controls Upgrade                                                                                         198,950

Pavement & Bus Drop off modifications                                                  529,200

Window Upgrades                                                                                   1,197,000

Cavendish Town Elementary School: $1,694,700, Projected savings $17,900, rebates $17,500

LED Lighting                                                                                                 106,400

Condensing Boilers                                                                                     448,500

Remove UVs and Add ERVs w/Perimeter Heat                                     825,000

Remove underground oil tank                                                                     48,500

Controls and Drives                                                                                       71,300

Insulation and Weatherization                                                                     35,000

Fire Alarm                                                                                                        75,000

Playground Upgrade                                                                                     85,000

TO VOTE ON THE BOND:  Pick up a ballot at the town office before Nov. 8, or go to the Proctorsville Fire Dept on Nov.8 (Tuesday) from 10-7.

While the actual needs for upgrades was recognized, there were questions about what had or hadn’t been considered:

-       Was solar considered? It was looked at for GM only and they decided not to move in that direction. CTES was not considered for solar.

-       What will happen in 2030 as the state wants to eliminate and/or significantly reduce fossil fuels? Will another bond be required? No answers

-       The cost of propane could be just as high in a few years, so what then? Propane is a better fossil fuel than oil. 

The GMUSD representatives were clear that their task was limited to what was needed to bring buildings up to code. It  appeared that  no consideration was given to the fact that at least two of the three schools in the GMUSD were operating at half of their intended occupancy.

A dwindling school age population: The U.S. birth rate is well below what is referred to as “replacement-level fertility,” the birth rate a country must maintain to keep population levels stable without immigration. The U.S. birth rate has fallen precipitously (20%) since the 2007 Great Recession, with no signs of reversing. Successive generations of women are having fewer children at every age. The Mystery of the Declining US Birth Rate. Vermont has the lowest birth rate in the country. There were 7.9 births for every 1,000 people in the state between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021 compared to 10.8 per 1,000 nationwide. U.S. Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates Program.

School populations reflect the national/state trend

• CTES was expanded and underwent major renovations in 2004, in order to accommodate a projection of 140 students. Today the school has 75 students. Nineteen students are currently in the 6th grade. Since incoming grades have been closer to 8 or 9 students in the last three or four years, with the graduation of such a large class, it’s projected that in the fall of 2023 the enrollment will be closer to 65 students.

• GMUHS was built to accommodate 650 students and currently has 350 enrolled. While it was brought up that the school was sufficient in size to also house all of CAES school just a few years ago, SB member and GM faculty, Mike Ripley, stated that all of the space was needed to accommodate the special needs of students.

A big question, and the “elephant in the living room,” regardless of the upgrades needed, is there going to be a sufficient number of students in the future to justify expenses and even the schools themselves?One SB member asked if the committee had done any calculations on the cost of paying tuition to other schools. This hasn’t been considered.

Legislation: John Arrison, Cavendish/Weathersfield state rep, and a member of the House Education Committee, commented that the Agency of Education’s Act 72 inventory is complete with a preliminary assessment of building conditions. Act 72 addresses the needs and conditions of public school facilities in the state.  Arrison explained that the contractor still has to do a detailed assessment. Schools will be given scores to determine needs. Where the GMUSD schools will fit into that remains to be seen.

The hope is that with the new report, which should be available in January, the “State Aid For School Construction” will be reinstated. This funding was stopped in 2007 in order to permit the Secretary of Education and the Commissioner  of Finance and Management to recommend a sustainable plan for State aid for school construction.

The monies, if approved by the legislature, may not be retroactive, according to Arrison. This means that if the bond passes on Nov. 8, the GMUSD may not be eligible for school construction funding voted on in the 2023 legislative session. 

What will this do to taxes?  While the GMUSD reps note that this is a “big ask,” there was no discussion of tax increases. However, at the August 25 meeting, where the board approved sending the bond to the voters,  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.  Chester Telegraph

Because Cavendish, Baltimore and Andover, all of whom have few students at the Chester Schools, are part of the GMUSD, they would be taxed at the same rate as Chester property owners. As one person who watched Monday’s meeting noted, There has to be a better way, we already pay too much in school /property taxes with declining enrollment. Many of us who are seniors don't have the income too be able to afford more in property taxes… We simply can't afford this, I can't believe they think the residents are ok with another tax increase, mine went up last year by quite a bit and if this went through it will be close to unaffordable.

AirBnB/Short terms rentals: The SB began a discussion at their September meeting about the impact of short term rentals on town services. The popular belief is that the short term rental market has driven out long term rental options, making it harder for families to rent in our town.

However, many of the short term rentals in Cavendish are condos-110 with 101 of them being owned by non-residents-which are generally not leased as long term rentals.  Long time Okemo Valley realtor Betty McEnaney pointed out there has probably been very little change in the short term Cavendish rental market over the last 10 years,  At the September SB meeting McEnaney provided the board with Vermont data showing the significant decline in births starting in 1970. Her message was that the birth rate has more to do with the declining school census than rentals.

The lack of long term rentals has a lot to do with Vermont legislation that strongly favors the tenants’ rights over the landlord. As a result, many landlords have pulled their rental properties in Cavendish. When asked, Arrison said that he was unaware of any legislation for the 2023 session that would address this issue.

Without data on transfer station and water usage, it’s unclear what the impact of short term rentals has on town services. Even with five or more years of data to examine, the Covid effect is very real. With people staying home, and a lot of second home owners also in town, utilization of town services would have increased.

The issues that Cavendish and surrounding towns are facing, are not dissimilar to what’s happening nationwide and within Vermont. Some towns are discussing the best ways to attract new residents, with the GMUSD believing that if the schools are improved it will attract new families.

Vermont is frequently mentioned as a climate “haven” for those seeking to relocate to avoid precarious climate conditions. However, locations being considered are those that have the infrastructure to support a larger population. Burlington, VT is one of the potential havens frequently mentioned.

Could climate drive more people to our area? We had a bit of a dry run with Covid to see who would buy/relocate in our town as they fled the cities. Yes, a lot of real estate changed hands. Certain areas of the state experienced a significant increase in student enrollment, such as Woodstock and parts of Windham county. CTES did not increase its enrollment. It appears that families are seeking areas where school choice is an option, particularly for high school, and where schools are highly ranked.

Towns do not want to close schools because “as your school goes, so goes your town.”

While not discussed at the SB meeting, CAES, which has an enrollment of 235, wants more space. Their new addition request was taken out of the bond. To provide better utilization of space at both schools, as well as expand educational opportunities, CTES and CAES would do well to be working together at this juncture.

Ultimately, the bond vote and AirBnB discussions should be an impetus for the Cavendish SB to establish a group that can strategically plan and implement in order to meet both current and future town needs. This is an activity that is beyond the role of the Cavendish Planning Commission and requires as many stake holders at the table as possible.