Cavendish Update 5/11/12 News/Legislation/Events

Information can also be posted on the Cavendish VT Facebook Page

The 5/11/12 Cavendish Update Contains:
1. Cavendish Related News
2. Legislative Wrap Up for 2012
3. Smiling Faces Daycare Recognized by Vermont Birth to Three
4. CTES Board Agenda 5/15/12 and Minutes from April School Board Meeting
5. Cavendish Events 5/11-5/20

1. Cavendish Related News
Reduced Hours for Post Offices Would Affect Cavendish and Proctorsville: Hours could be reduced at 145 rural post offices in Vermont under a new strategy announced Wednesday by the financially beleaguered U.S. Postal Service. The plan, to be phased in during the next two years, would keep rural post offices open but cut back on window service. Lobby access would not be affected. The proposal would keep open rural post offices that were in danger of being closed and allow to retain their zip codes. The Cavendish Post Office would be reduced from 8 hours to 4, while Proctorsville Post Office would go from eight to six hours. Burlington Free Press List of all post offices impacted.

VT Recreational Waterways Monitored for Health & Safety: Eight months after Irene, state environmental and health officials are monitoring Vermont’s lakes and streams for any lingering health or safety hazards in recreational waters. Due to the magnitude of flooding experienced in many areas of the state, it’s likely that any biological or chemical contaminants that may have been washed in by floodwaters have since been diluted by the sheer volume of those waters. Test results of water samples taken after Irene, as well as more recent samples from early this month, generally show bacteria to be below levels of concern. Press Release

No Decision on Vermont Yankee until 2013: The Vermont Public Service Board now says it won't make a decision about relicensing Vermont Yankee until some time in late 2013. WCAX

2. Legislative Wrap Up for 2012
Ending on May 6, the VT legislature enacted the following:
• Passed the state’s first $5 billion budget

• Funding to build new mental health facilities and a new mental health system

• Funding to build new state offices

• Passed $658 million Transportation Budget, the largest in the state’s history; will repair and replace damaged and aging roads, bridges and railroads to ensure businesses, tourists and the public enjoy safe and smooth travel.

• Passed $500,000 tax credit program to help restore businesses located in historic downtowns damaged in Irene re-open and get Vermonters back to work. Also for businesses, imposed a moratorium on the ‘Cloud Tax’ on internet-based services to help Vermont companies that rely on that delivery system, and eliminated the tax on packaging equipment to reduce costs on Vermont’s manufacturing firms.

• Redrew maps for House and Senate districts

• Banned employers using credit scores when making hiring and promotion decisions

• Created Search and rescue requirements: Requires the Vermont State Police to adopt interim protocols that requires the Vermont State Police to respond immediately to missing recreationalist calls, sets up an incident command structure for searches conducted by state police and municipal and county officers, and requires the Department of Public Safety to hire a consultant to assess local resources for search and rescue and from that information create a statewide database.

• Passed Mandatory recycling legislation: The bill requires solid waste facilities and transporters that collect municipal sold waste to offer to collect mandated recyclables and leaf and yard residual separately from other solid waste at no additional charge. The bill also bands the landfill disposal of mandated recyclable and leaf and yard residual.

• Passed a bill that gives citizens a chance to weigh in when the state proposes fine for violators of the state’s environmental laws.

• Passed renewable energy bill , which promotes small-scale renewable energy projects in Vermont.

• Made the commissioner of education a member of the governor’s cabinet

• Approved an ‘exchange’ to offer comparable health insurance plans at competitive prices to Vermont families and businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

• A $1.5 million increase – more than double last year’s budget — to the Department of Fish and Wildlife to support Vermont’s wildlife-based recreation, which accounts for $385 million of economic opportunity for the state.

• Increased fees for a wide variety of different types of environmental permits, including air pollution permits, wastewater permits, petroleum storage tanks, and thermal discharges.

• Prohibited Fracking: The first state in the country to do so, the bill also bans the storage, collection or treatment of fracking waste in Vermont. Fracking involves forcing a mixture of chemicals, significant amounts of water and sand into bedrock to create fissures and release natural gas.

A list of all bills passed by both House and Senate during the 2011-2012 Legislative Session can be found on-line.

3. Smiling Faces Daycare Recognized by Vermont Birth to Three
Friday, May 11 is Provider Appreciation Day. On that day, Vermont Birth to Three will be paying tribute to 95 home-based childcare professionals across the state, one of which is Cavendish resident Sheila Roby of Smiling Faces Daycare. Vermont Birth to Three is committed to helping create the best care possible for our young children. It recruits and trains home-based providers as mentors, who then work one-on-one with other providers in their homes, free of charge. Presently there are eight Vermont Birth to Three mentors working with more than 95 providers around the state.

Roby says, “I have been working with mentor Rachel Hunter for a year and a half now. Rachel motivates me beyond belief! She is always there to assist me, whether it is proof reading a paper, informing me of upcoming trainings, or allowing me to vent! In the short time working with her I have climbed to a 3 STAR program, received certificates for completing level 1 and 2 on the Career ladder, and received my CDA. I think the Vermont Birth to Three project and its mentors are wonderful and their continued support to providers in my community is outstanding!” Press Release

4. CTES Board Agenda 5/15/12 and Minutes from April School Board Meeting
The Minutes from the April 17 CTES board meeting have been posted to the Cavendish Update Blog. The agenda for the 5/15 school board meeting will include: Professional Development Days – (Discussion) and Joint Supervisory Union Merger/Consolidation Update. LPC-TV tapes meetings and makes them available on-line and Comcast Cable TV.

5. Cavendish Events 5/11-5/20
May 11 (Friday): CTES School Dance 6-8 pm at the School.

May 12 (Saturday): The Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission and the Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring for the Home Energy and Business Expo: a free event for Vermont families, home and farm owners, and businesses, created to showcase products and services that will decrease energy costs, improve the surrounding community, and build regional business sustainability. The event will take place on May 12, from 10-3 at the Jackson Gore Inn in Ludlow. FMI: Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce at 802-228-5830 or http://www.yourplaceinvermont.com/home-energy-and-business-expo---ludlow.html
• Stamp-Out Cancer Benefit at the Proctorsville Fire Hall from 10-4. Kids crafts, Hand Crafted Cards, to purchase or make yourself, face painting, food and more. All money raised goes to a family fighting stage 4 cancer.
• In celebration of Mother’s Day, the Cavendish Fletcher Community Library in Proctorsville is holding a Mother/Daughter Beauty Day, Inside and Out, from 1-4 pm at the Library in Proctorsville. A free event, lots of fun things are being planned including: jewelry making; make overs; hair styling; chair massage; henna tattoos; chocolate fondue; yoga and more. FMI: 226-7503.
• Dance Factory’s spring recital, 6 pm Springfield High School. A number of Cavendish students will be performing. Tickets are $14 for adults and $8 for students/children and are available at the door.

May 13 (Sunday): Happy Mother’s Day

May 14 (Monday): Select Board Meeting, 6:30 pm at the Cavendish Town Office. Agenda posted to blog as soon as it is received. LPC-TV tapes meetings and makes them available on-line www.lpctv.org and Comcast Cable TV.

May 15 (Tuesday): Bone Builders Class at the Cavendish Baptist-- Class from 10-11:15. FMI: Linda at Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County at (802) 885-2083, or Anne Oakes or Andrew Ohotnicky at (802) 228-5236, Dot Ramsdell at (802) 226-7870
• CTES Board Meeting, 5:30 pm at the school. The Agenda will include Professional Development Days – (Discussion) and Joint Supervisory Union Merger/Consolidation Update. LPC-TV tapes meetings and makes them available on-line and Comcast Cable TV.
• The VT State Board of Education will be meeting in Bennington. The question of whether the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union (CTES is part of this union) should merge with the Rutland West Supervisory Union (Ludlow is part of this union) is on the agenda. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the Southwest Vermont Career Development Center 321 Park St, Bennington, Vermont. The merger question will be heard at 1 PM. Cavendish Town Elementary School is part of WSWSU.

May 17 (Thursday): Bone Builders Class at the Cavendish Baptist-- Class from 10-11:15. FMI: Linda at Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center of Windsor County at (802) 885-2083, or Anne Oakes or Andrew Ohotnicky at (802) 228-5236, Dot Ramsdell at (802) 226-7870
• Sit & Knit" at the Six Loose Ladies yarn shop, Pollard Building, Proctorsville Green, 2:00 -9:00 PM. Open to knitters, spinners, crocheters, hookers. Free. FMI: 226-7373
• Community Luncheon, 11:30 am at St. James Methodist Church. The menu will include: calico baked beans with a green vegetable, fresh hot rolls and a tossed salad, topped off with ice cream and cookies for dessert. Coffee, hot tea or a cold beverage will be available as well. A suggested donation of $4.00 for seniors or $5.50 for those under 60 years helps us defray the cost of this meal.

May 18 (Friday): GMUHS Middle School Semi Formal, 8-11 pm at the school
• Spring Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm School to benefit Black River Good Neighbors 10-4 FMI: 2283663 or www.brgn.org

May 19 (Saturday): GMUHS Junior Prom-Epic at Jackson Gore, 7-11 pm
• Spring Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm School to benefit Black River Good Neighbors 10-4 FMI: 2283663 or www.brgn.org
• Paws About Town. Springfield Paws Walk to benefit Springfield Animal Shelter. Starts 9:30 a.m. at Springfield Middle School, rain or shine. Download your pledge sheet early at spfldhumane.org by clicking on Upcoming Events, then Paws About Springfield. Or pick one up at the Springfield Humane Society at 401 Skitchewaug TrailFMI: 885-3997.

May 20 (Sunday): Spring Rummage Sale at Fletcher Farm School to benefit Black River Good Neighbors 10-2 FMI: 2283663 or www.brgn.org