PCBs Found at GMUHS

The Community Forum on PCBs at GMUHS, held Wednesday night,  is now available at the Okemo Valley TV Website. Note that this is an evolving story and expect changes and new information in the days and months ahead.

As the result of testing, held on April 10, 2023, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been found at Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS).

Testing was done in compliance with the 2021 legislation (Act 74), requiring all schools – public and independent – built or renovated before 1980- to test their indoor air for PCBs by July 2024. Note that within the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU), of the five schools, three (Cavendish, Ludlow and Mt. Holly Elementary Schools) tested fine. Chester Andover Elementary has yet to be tested.

What are PCBs: PCBs belong to a broad family of man-made organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons, which were manufactured from 1929 until they were banned in 1979. They were used in electrical, heat transfer and hydraulic equipment; plasticizers in paints, plastics and rubber products; pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper as well as in other industrial applications.

Health Risks: According to the VT Department of Health (VDH), PCBs can cause serious health effects. The potential for health effects from PCBs, as with other chemicals, depends on how much, how often, and how long someone is exposed to them. Numerous studies in both humans and animals have shown that exposure to PCBs can affect the nervous, immune, reproductive and endocrine systems. PCBs can cause cancer in humans. Moreover, the different health effects of PCBs may be interconnected. This means that if one system of the body is affected by PCBs, it may have significant effects on the other systems of the body, which can lead to many serious health problems.

At a special meeting on Wednesday evening, June 7, representatives from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Agency of Education (AOE) and VDH were on hand to explain testing results, answer questions and to discuss next steps.

In terms of health risks, an audience member brought up that at one time GMUHS housed a pre-school program, which some children attended for three years and then spent an additional six years from 7th-12th grade. With the state’s action level standards of 30 ng/m3 for Pre K, and the high levels found-see below- could these children be at risk? No definitive answer was given.

Test Results: Vermont uses an acceptable level of 100 ng/m3 for PCBs for students in grades 7 through adult. For air testing purposes, the school was divided into three zones, with 30% of each zone tested. The following averages were obtained for each zone:

• Floor 1: 148 ng/m3

• Floor 2: 143 ng/m3

• Floor 3: 323 ng/m3

The highest levels were seen on the 3rd floor: Stairwell 2 (600 ng/m3); Room 309 (560 ng/m3); Stairwell 3 (500ng/m3); Rooms 301 and 307 (360 ng/m3).  Outside air testing was fine, though no specific data was given.

Action Required: The state standard calls for any immediate action for an area with 300 ng/m3 or more, which would be seven of the places tested, and “action” for any space 100 ng/m3 or above. Of the 45 places tested, 35 were at or above the accepted state level.

Next Steps: An environmental consultant has been hired and further testing and identifying the sources of the PCBs  should be underway by the end of the month. As Superintendent Lauren Fierman noted, “We’re just at the very beginning of what will be a very long process.” It will most likely be sometime in mid-August before the public will be notified of results, though Fierman indicated that the public will be kept informed throughout this process. She also noted that because the school is large, with a lower student occupancy, there would be more options in closing down spaces and using other areas.

One of the remediation options discussed was the use of carbon filters. While the school was equipped for air filters to reduce Covid risks, they have not been using carbon filters, which can significantly improve air quality.

Ultimately, the goal is to keep the school open and safe for students, faculty and staff, while remediation is underway.

Immediate Plan: No changes will take place for the remainder of this school year, based on the recommendation of VDH. The last day of school is June 16th.

Summer: Changes will be made on the use of spaces on the first and third floors to reduce exposure.

Fall: Assessments will be done this summer for the 2023/2024 school year.

Paying for Remediation: To the question of funds to help with paying for the cost of remediation, both Senator Dick McCormick and Cavendish Representative John Arrison spoke. With the Governor having vetoed both the state budget as well as child care (H.217) the legislature will be meeting later in June to override the vetoes and/or draft a new budget. One way or the other, allocations will be made for school remediation costs due to PCBs. Will it be enough to help all the schools who are finding PCBs remains to be seen.   

For more information on PCBs in Vermont schools, check out the Dept. of Environmental Conservation’s website PCBs in Schools. Trish Coppolino, the Senior Environmental Program Manager who lead the discussion at Wednesday’s meeting can be reached at 802-249-5822

Cavendish Update 6/2/23: Job Opening/Talk/News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

6/2/23

1.    Immediate Job Opening-Cavendish Highway Dept

2.    Peter Tumbo former slave dies at 106 in Cavendish

3.    Cavendish Info

4.    Events

1. IMMEDIATE JOB OPENING CAVENDISH HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: The Town of Cavendish has an immediate opening for a full-time Highway Department crew member. This position has a competitive wage and excellent benefits package. Applicants are required to have current CDL, good driving and work records and must be in good physical health. Experience in construction and heavy equipment operation, including dump truck operation, is preferred but  the Town is willing to train the right CDL holding applicant. This is a permanent position with a retirement plan. A comprehensive job description is  available to serious applicants. Applications, resumes and inquiries should be directed to: Town Manager Town of Cavendish Municipal Building, 37 High Street, P.O. Box 126, Cavendish, Vermont 05142 (802) 226-7291. Cavendish is an Equal Opportunity Employer

2. PETER TUMBO FORMER SLAVE DIES IN CAVENDISH AT 106: Born most likely in West Africa, enslaved, and a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, Peter Tumbo spent the last 40 years of his life in Cavendish, VT. He was married when he moved to Cavendish, remarried while here and was reputed to be a man of good moral character, and sustained a good reputation for truth and veracity, according to the leading citizens of the day, Josiah French and Jabez Proctor.

 Was he really 106 when he died, as the abolitionist newspaper, “The Liberator,” reported, along with “The Vermont Watchman” & “State Gazette” -On Jan 30, 1832, Peter Tumbo, “colored man”, aged 106 died in Cavendish, VT? While he owned 50 acres of land, and therefore not eligible for a Revolutionary War pension, could he have suffered from war injuries that made it hard for him to maintain that land?

On June 11 (Sunday), the Cavendish Historical Society will be giving a talk about Peter Tumbo, the events that led to his coming to Cavendish, his story as well as his daughter’s. The talk begins at 2 pm at the Cavendish Universalist Church (Stone Church) on Main St. (route 131) in Cavendish Village. Parking is across the street at the Cavendish Baptist Church, 2258 Main St.

The location for the program was chosen as the Cavendish Universalist Church, also known as the Stone Church was built in 1844 under the leadership of the Rev. Warren Skinner, an avid abolitionist and part of Vermont’s “above ground railroad. The talk is free and open to the public. Donations welcome

3. CAVENDISH INFO

• Dale Mann offered CTES Principalship at CTES: On Wednesday evening, the Green Mountain Unified Supervisory Union (GMUSD) board unanimously agreed to offer Mann a two year contract as principal of CTES. Mann was raised in rural Western Maryland and has extensive experience as a principal. Having been principal for the last 10 years in Washington D.C., he indicated during Tuesday’s public forum, that he was ready to return to his small town roots. His resume is available on-line at the TRSU website. The Chester Telegraph also has an article about Wednesday’s meeting.

• Cavendish Library 2023 Events: The following will be taking place at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St., Proctorsville. FMI and to Register 802-226-7503 or e-mail cavendishlibrary@gmail.com

-       June 1-16: Stop by the 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.

-       June 27 @ 6 pm: The Most Costly Journey-Book Discussion. Books available for pick up on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9-6

-       July 11 @ 6pm: Movie Night-Under the Cloak of Darkness

-       August 4 @ 2pm: Cartoonist Marek Bennett, registration is required for this event.

• Bear Coexistence PSA from VT Fish & Wildlife Department: Bear activity typically increases in June, so the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is reminding everyone that now is an especially important time to secure food sources that could attract bears to your neighborhood.  A complete list of bear coexistence tips covering topics like composting, protecting your backyard chickens, and discouraging bears from getting too comfortable in your yard is available on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department website  As always, if you notice bears seeking food in their yards or in public places like campgrounds, report the incident at Fish & Wildlife website.

 

4. 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 (MONDAY): E Tools Workshop at the 6:00 p.m., at the Cavendish town office to demonstrate battery-operated tools for the yard and garden. Free and open to the public. Light refreshments. FMI: CavendishCommunityConservation@gmail.com.

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

JUNE 7 (WEDNESDAY): CTES Spring concert 6 pm

JUNE 9 (FRIDAY): CTES Summer Kickoff Festival at CTES 5-8 pm. Free. Lots of games, prizes and much more. Rolling Rooster Food Truck will be offering delicious treats.

JUNE 15 (THURSDAY): CTES 6TH grade graduation, 6 pm

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

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

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

JULY 29 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale

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

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

IMMEDIATE JOB OPENING: CAVENDISH TOWN CREW

The Town of Cavendish has an immediate opening for a full-time Highway Department crew member. This position has a competitive wage and excellent benefits package. Applicants are required to have current CDL, good driving and work records and must be in good physical health. Experience in construction and heavy equipment operation, including dump truck operation, is preferred but  the Town is willing to train the right CDL holding applicant. This is a permanent position with a retirement plan. A comprehensive job description is  available to serious applicants. Applications, resumes and inquiries should be directed to:

Town Manager

Town of Cavendish Municipal Building

37 High Street, P.O. Box 126

Cavendish, Vermont 05142

(802) 226-7291

Cavendish is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Cavendish Update 5/26/23: Schools/News/Events

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

The Cavendish Historical Society Annual Plant Sale begins this evening with their Early Bird Special from 5:30-7:00 in front of the Museum and tomorrow, from 9-noon.

5/26/23

1.    School/GMUSD/Restructuring/Resignations/Principal

2.    CVFD Citizens as first responder workshops

3.    Black River Water Testing Begins

4.    Cavendish Info

5.    Events

1. SCHOOL/ GMUSD/RESTRUCTURING FORUM/RESIGNATIONS/PRINCIPAL: Starting with the Green Mountain Unified School (GMUSD) Board meeting on Thursday, May 18, Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) and Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS) have dominated the local news. At the GMUSD meeting, the board voted keeping the GMUHS mascot name of Chieftains. This prompted the resignation of three board members (two of Cavendish’s three reps, Kate Lamphere and Dennis Reilly) along with the resignation of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU) Superintendent Lauren Fierman. Two of the three reps decided to return to their posts. After resignations, two former GMUSD members hope to return to posts. Chester Telegraph

On Tuesday, May 23, the CTES’s CPTG (Parent Teacher Group) held a forum on school restructuring. Due to the declining enrollment at CTES (projected to be 67 in the fall) and the overcrowding at the Chester Andover Elementary School (CAES) GMUSD has set up a Restructuring Committee. Approximately 40 members of the Cavendish community, representing parents, grandparents, alumni, home school families, concerned citizens, teachers and staff, came to the CPTG meeting and spoke about the importance of the school to the community. Among the suggestions made was aligning with Ludlow instead of Chester; expanding the use of the CTES building to include Pre K; offering specialized education (e.g. Waldorf, Montessori) and becoming a magnet school for the region. Frustration was voiced with the TRSU and their push to homogenize the education and breaking from CTES traditions that served students, staff and community. An informal show of hands indicated that many parents do not want to send their children to GMUHS, preferring school choice for high school. Following the meeting, many signed up to continue the discussion and help form a sub-committee of the CPTG that could help chart a new direction for the school, while also serving the community. A full report is available at The Dish.

Wednesday, May 24, was supposed to be the CTES Principal’s forum followed by a vote by the GMUSD board. With various candidates opting out, it left one candidate, Amanda Tyrell. While the Principal’s Forum was cancelled, the board chair, Deb Brown decided to meet anyway. The idea was to discuss next steps for the hiring of the principal, but in reality, she adjusted the agenda to discuss and act on resignations.

The board obviously didn’t think the meeting was “in-person worthy” and only one member, Cavendish rep Steve Parini, attended. With 80 + people on Zoom and 20 Cavendish community members in attendance the meeting was at best “a hot mess,” as one person described it, that no parent would want their kids to see.

The two members who wished to be reinstated to the board, including Cavendish Rep, Kate Lamphere, were able to achieve that, though it was not without quite a bit of Robert’s Rules of Order haggling.

The public comment period shed light on a number of issues at GMUHS as well as the negative impact the board is having on community, parents and teachers. The meeting was more “reality TV” than a school board meeting. A full report is available at The Dish. The Okemo Valley TV  video of the meeting is available by clicking here.

Proctorsville resident Zachary McNaughton has started an online petition for a Vote of No Confidence in Deb Brown as GMUSD Board chair.

While the expression “the only constant in life is change” is noted frequently, it doesn’t mean that it is easy or that we do it well. We have just gone through a major pandemic that upended every one’s life only to be greeted with the reality of what the declining birth rate in the last five decades, particularly 2008-2013, has done to the student population. Changes have to be made as it’s a situation that impacts all segments of our communities, regardless of whether you have children or not.

The methods employed this past week to address planning for the future showed what works and what doesn’t. While Zoom has its place, it contributed to the fiasco of Wednesday’s meeting. However, that wasn’t the only issue at play. We have an expectation of our board members to be Zoom as well as computer literate, understand the ins and out of the very complex Roberts Rules of Order, as well as to be on top of every topic and piece of paper generated by the TRSU, their constituency and the state’s Agency of Education (AOE), all the while working, and maintaining families. Also note they are basically doing this as volunteers.

Because of these requirements, many in our community are being left out of the process unless they are given the opportunity to participate in the type of event set up by the CPTG on Tuesday evening.

Modifications are needed in how the GMUSD board conducts its business. In person meetings, particularly where voting is involved, with Zoom as a back-up, need to return. In fact, a lot of what has transpired could have been avoided if members were present and not on Zoom, where wandering cats, noise and other distractions take away from the business at hand. Secondly, everyone needs to be educated in Roberts Rules of Order.

Knowing Roberts Rules inside and out definitely gives one the upper hand, and those that do can easily manipulate a meeting to their own ends. Note that while the Cavendish Select Board (SB) operates with the same rules, it rarely, if ever, dissolves into the type of chaos seen on Wednesday night. Further, people have a chance to be heard. It doesn’t mean that the SB members will agree with them, but they have a place to voice opinions and are not constantly being barraged by “points of order” etc.

On Tuesday night, at the Cavendish Forum, the community showed how to deal with the tough issues with civility and good problem solving skills. We need to keep that momentum going.  

2. CITIZENS AS 1ST RESPONDER TRAINING FROM CVFD: Accidents, injuries and other emergent health situations occur regularly in our community. You are the help until the help arrives and by taking simple actions immediately, you can help save a life.

The Cavendish Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) is launching a series of training programs that are free and open to the public. Save the dates and more information will be provided closer to the event.  For more information on the programs scheduled below, please call 802-226-7790

• Blood Pressure Checks-Stop by the Fire House Mon-Friday from 8-4 for free blood pressure checks.

• CPR: July 15 (Saturday) from 1-4

• Stop the Bleed: Slated for September

3. BLACK RIVER WATER TESTING BEGINS: With warmer temperatures comes the joy of jumping in the river, and the annual "Adopt-A-Swimminghole" campaign with the Black River Action Team. Thanks to the ongoing generosity of local businesses, regular weekly sampling will be conducted on several popular swimming and recreation areas. Volunteers with the B.R.A.T. are trained to collect water samples every Wednesday morning between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which will be tested for E. coli bacteria at Endyne Labs in Hanover NH. Results are generated into simple charts by B.R.A.T., and are posted either on site or in the local town office. NOTE: Results are posted at the Cavendish VT Facebook page as soon as they are available and included in the Cavendish Update. Results may also be viewed at https://connecticutriver.us/it-clean, so anyone can check the trend at their favorite cooling-off spot before visiting.

Sites being monitored this summer through the Adopt-A-Swimminghole program are:

• Buttermilk Falls, sponsored by Okemo Resort since the program began in 2012

• Black River at Greven Field in Proctorsville  sponsored again by Betty McEnaney of Bean Group Real Estate

• Cavendish Gorge by Green Mountain Power

• Twenty-foot Hole by the Greater Upper Valley chapter of Trout Unlimited

• Recreation pond West Hill Rd in Ludlow sponsored again by Vermont Co-Pack. • Tolles Power Dam off Maple Street in Perkinsville is being sampled again this year, but the site is still available for "adoption" through the Black River Action Team.  The "adoption fee" of $500 covers all lab testing and chart generation for the full 14 weeks of summer, as well as volunteer mileage.

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors and intrepid volunteers! To learn about B.R.A.T. and the Adopt-A-Swimminghole program, contact Director Kelly Stettner at blackrivercleanup@gmail.com or leave your contact information at (802) 738-0456.

4. CAVENDISH INFO

• Peter Kelleher: It is with sadness that we report the passing of Cavendish resident Peter Kelleher. An active member of the Cavendish Baptist Church, a memorial service will take place on June 17, at 2 p.m., at the Cavendish Baptist Church, located at 2258 Main Street, Cavendish, Vt. Donations in memory of Peter can be sent to Cavendish Baptist Church, P.O. Box 425, Cavendish, VT 05142

• Dan Churchill Memorial: The Memorial for long time Cavendish resident, community leader and business owner will be on June 4 (Sunday), 2 pm at Dan’s  former home in Cavendish (Duttonsville School off of Rt. 131).

• Sign Up as a Volunteer for the CTES Carnival: A new event is taking place on June 5, at CTES-a Summer Kick-off Carnival! A fun family event for everyone! There will be games & activities, prizes, and the Rolling Rooster food truck! This event is free. Volunteers are needed to man the wide variety of booths and games. So families can enjoy this event, without a parent having to run off and man a booth, please consider volunteering. Sign up for a shift by going to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090f4ca8a72bab9-carnival#/

5. EVENTS

MAY 26 (FRIDAY): Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) plant sale 5:30-7:00 pm in front of the CHS Museum.

MAY 27 (SATURDAY): CHS Plant sale 9 to noon

MAY 29 (MONDAY): Memorial Day. Town Office closed.

MAY 30 (TUESDAY): Cavendish Memorial Day program. 10 am at CTES, immediately followed by a parade to Hillcrest Cemetery.

JUNE 5 (MONDAY): E Tools Workshop at the 6:00 p.m., at the Cavendish town office to demonstrate battery-operated tools for the yard and garden. Free and open to the public. Light refreshments. FMI: CavendishCommunityConservation@gmail.com.

• CTES Summer Kick Off Carnival

JUNE 7 (WEDNESDAY): CTES Spring concert 6 pm

JUNE 15 (THURSDAY): CTES 6TH grade graduation, 6 pm

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

JULY 29 (SATURDAY): Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS