Friday, June 27, 2014

Cavendish Update: 6/27/14 News/Town Mtg/Water/Events/CHS


The Cavendish Connects website now includes much of what was included on this blog as well as a calendar of Cavendish events. The new blog, “The Dish,” includes the Cavendish Update as well as on-going information.
Madi Huntley and Catie Tyrrell
This week’s Cavendish Update has been made possible by Mark Huntley, whose donation is in honor of the 2014 graduating class. Of the 58 graduates at GMUHS, 13 were from Cavendish: Cassie Ann Call, Jacob Roy Cavacas, Richard (Rickie) A. Chambers IV, Madison (Madi) Ellen Huntley, Rachel Marie Martel (Class Salutatorian), Seth Matlofsky, Rosalie Ellen McNamara, Andrew J. Paczkowski, Christian Shawn Palmer, Sasha Carmen Petrycki, Katelynn Faith Phelps, Catherine (Catie) Elizabeth Tyrrell, and Whitney Jordan Woods. All of these students will be going on for further study, some in the trades, others in aviation, fire fighting, art, marketing, drama etc. 

While many will be going to schools in Vermont-St. Michaels and Castleton, some will be traveling to Rhode Island,  Missouri, Florida and New York. We wish them all the best and to keep in touch with “The Dish” via the Cavendish VT Facebook page.

 Information can also be posted on the Cavendish VT Facebook Page.

The 6/27/14 Cavendish Update Contains:
1. Cavendish Related News
2. Changes in Vermont’s Open Meeting Law
3. News from the Cavendish Historical Society
4. Cavendish Concert on the Green Kicks Off 2014 Series with Gypsy Reel
5. BRGNS and LPC-TV Join Forces to Produce Cooking Show
6. Recycling Paint in Cavendish
7. Fizz, Boom, Read
8. Vacation Bible School
9. Events

1. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
Town Meeting Results: By a vote of 52 to 7, (5% of Cavendish’s 1,025 registered voters) the Cavendish voters approved Article 1: To see if the voters will approve of the purchase of Cavendish Parcel #1Veo-196, a 0.33 acre village lot located at 601 Main Street, Proctorsville. This property abuts the Cavendish Town Elementary School lot to the east and is currently vacant. The purchase price is $24,900. The purpose of this procurement is to secure the property for good public uses including, but not limited to, use by the school. For more information on town meeting, go to the Cavendish VT Blog Post.

Cavendish Water Conservation Notice: On June 20th, a water conservation notice was issued for Cavendish Municipal Water System Users. There is a high probability of a system leak as the volume of water being produced and used is unusually high. While there was a check on the system on Tuesday, June 24, more work is needed and it will not be done until next week. In the mean time, the conservation notice remains in effect so please reduce unnecessary water consumption and repair leaky faucets and “running toilets.” FMI 226-7291 or 226-7292 

Municipal Water System Consumer Confidence Report: The June 2014 report has been mailed to water users and is available on line at the Municipal Water Website. The report states that there were no drinking water violations incurred during 2013.

Towns Consider Shutting Down Websites to Avoid New Open Meeting Law:  Substantial changes to Vermont’s open meeting law [see article 2 below] go into effect next week. Among the changes: for the first time towns with websites will have to meet specific posting requirements. But some towns are considering taking down their websites rather than run the risk of not meeting the mandates. The Vermont League of Cities and Towns sent out a recent recommendation to its members: “Prepare your municipality’s website, if there is one, so that you will be ready to post agendas before meetings and minutes five days after those meetings occur,” he league said. “Or de-activate the website to avoid violating this requirement.” VPR 
2. CHANGES IN VERMONT’S OPEN MEETING LAW
On July 1, a number of changes will go into effect for Vermont’s Open Meeting Law. Among the changes are the following:
• Allows for one or more members of a public body to fully participate in the discussion and voting of a meeting through electronic or other means when not physically present at the designated meeting location if they identify themselves when the meeting begins, are able to hear and be heard, and any votes that are conducted are taken by roll call;

• Allows for an entire meeting of a quorum of a public body to be conducted through electronic or other means under two additional conditions. First, at least 24 hours before the meeting or as soon as practicable prior to an emergency meeting, the public body publicly announces this format. The notice must identify a physical location or another electronic means for members of the public to access the meeting from a remote location. Second, at least one member of the public body, or at least one staff person or designee of the public body, must be physically present at each designated meeting location.

• Requires that meeting minutes be posted no later than five days after the meeting on a website, if one exists, that the public body maintains or designates as the official website of the body

For a complete listing of Legislative Changes for 2014, download the Vermont League of Cities and Towns “Legislative Wrap Up." 

3. NEWS FROM THE CAVENDISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
This Week in History: On June 23, 1864 Vermont troops were captured, including several from Cavendish, and were marched to Camp Sumter, better known as Andersonville prison. Of the 412 Vermonters imprisoned there, 203 died. One Cavendish soldier, en route home from this prison, died at sea.

The Vermont Movie Part 3: On June 29 (Sunday), at 2 pm, the Cavendish Historical Society will be showing part 3 of The Vermont Movie: Vermont Movie Refuge, Reinvention and Revolution at the Museum on Main Street.

No Plant Sale on July 5th Weekend: The Saturday closest to the 4th of July has been the CHS annual plant and tag sale for more years than many can remember. With the proliferation of Farmer’s Market, attendance has been declining in recent years and so this year, this event is being moved to coincide with the Town Wide Tag Sale on July 26, from 9-3 pm. Hope to see you then.

Connecting Families Changing Lives: This past week, CHS was able to solve a major mystery for a Proctorsville family, connecting cousins and family who haven’t seen each other in 50 years. Read more about this story and other CHS activities at the CHS blog

Check out the new Cavendish History board on Pinterest. 

4. CONCERTS ON THE GREEN START WITH GYPSY REEL
The Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA) and the Town of Cavendish invite everyone to spend an evening having fun on the Proctorsville Green on Wednesday, July 9th at 6:00 p.m. when the annual summer music series begins.  To start the 2014 six week series, CCCA presents Gypsy Reel.

For over twenty years they have been acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.  Gypsy Reel, in their own words, is not a rock band that Celts, but a Celt band that rocks.  They play high energy, stirring music rooted in the Celtic tradition but garnered from the whole world.  Their music is an exciting synthesis of world rhythms and influences from three continents.  Their newest studio album, Red Red Rose, features a blend of traditional and original music.

Sponsored by Okemo Mountain Resort, this will be the first of six concerts that are held on consecutive Wednesday nights in July and August that are free and open to the public. FMI: Robin at 226-7736 or Vermont Summer Concert Series 

5. BRGNS & LPC-TV PRODUCE COOKING SHOW
Black River Good Neighbor Services is the area’s primary distributor of USDA and emergency food assistance.  As such, BRGNS staff and volunteers provide bags of food to community members in need of food assistance.  “Some people find the food that we distribute to be a bit repetitive, so we decided to bring together different recipes using that food and to give those recipes out to anyone who asks.  That led us to demonstrating the recipes too,” said Doris Eddy, Vice President at BRGNS.

Those demonstrations quickly led to collaboration with LPC-TV, Ludlow’s local public access cable TV station, and the creation of a new cooking show, “Across Our Table”.  The show is produced by BRGNS and filmed, edited and broadcast by LPC-TV.  Doris Eddy and Peter LaBelle are the show’s hosts. In each episode, they demonstrate how to prepare three simple, nutritious and tasty recipes that are building blocks for family meals.

The format of the show is much like all cooking shows in that ingredients and preparation are the focus.  “But we try to be more informal and cook like real people.  There’s nothing fancy in what we do or how we do it,” said Eddy.  “This show is for the majority of us, not for ‘foodies’ and gourmets.”

You can watch “Across Our Table” on LPC-TV if you subscribe to cable in the Ludlow area, or you can access it on the Internet.  All the recipes demonstrated on the show are available on Black River Good Neighbors’ website.  For more information regarding the show, please call BRGNS at 802-228-3663.

6. RECYCLING PAINT IN CAVENDISH
The paint stewardship law requires the paint industry to be responsible for collecting and managing leftover architectural paint in Vermont, reducing the role of government and taxpayers. The cost of the program will be paid by manufacturers who sell paint in the state. A fee will be included in the price of paint sold in Vermont. The program will be administered by a paint stewardship organization, Paint Care for a list of what products are accepted and what are not.
While latex and oil-based paint will be accepted at the four annual household hazardous waste collections, several retailers have also signed up to be year-round collection locations. These include Bibens and Sherwin-Williams in Springfield and LaValley's in Ludlow. The next Household Hazardous Waste Collections day for our area is Sept. 14 (Saturday).
7. FIZZ, BOOM, READ
Like explosions?  Want to know what makes a DVD player work, or most importantly what the inside of a PlayStation looks like?  Hurry up and sign up for the library's Summer Reading Program. 

The program, which runs from June 24-July 30, will have a focus on science with a different project each week, including making bouncy balls, using photo-reactive paper, dissecting electronics and much more. 

In addition, each week will have an all day special event with such activities as making ice cream in a ball, henna tattoos and tie-dyeing. This program is free and open to anyone ages 18 and under.  FMI: https://sites.google.com/site/cavendishlibrary/home/news-and-events

8. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Get ready to Blast Off! at the Cavendish Baptist Church. This year's VBS sends kids on a mission to discover and share God's incredible love! Blast Off! is filled with incredible Bible-learning experiences kids see, hear and touch. Team-building games, cool Bible songs, and active Bible adventures are just a few of the activities that help faith flow into real life. Kids will also participate in a service project, called Projects With A Purpose, by filling 'care bags' that will be handed out at the Springfield Warming Shelter. Blast Off! is free for children ages 3 to 12 years and takes place July 14-16 from 5:00 to 7:30 pm. A healthy dinner is also included. For more information call (802) 226-7131 or visit CavendishBaptist.com. The church is located at 2258 Main Street in Cavendish.  

9. EVENTS
The following Cavendish related events are taking place in the coming week:

JUNE 27 (FRIDAY): Ludlow Farmer’s Market featuring a number of Cavendish vendors, 4-7 pm on the front lawn of Okemo Mountain School, 53 Main Street in Ludlow. FMI: 


JUNE 29 (SUNDAY): The Vermont Movie Part 3: Refuge,Reinvention and Revolution at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum (Main Street) 2 pm. 

JULY 1 (TUESDAY): Bone Builders Bone Builders meeting at the Cavendish Baptist Church each Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am to 11:30 am.  Weighs are used to help build muscle and stave off osteoporosis for both men and women. Exercises also focus on balance.  Call Charlotte Snyder at 226-7343 or Dot Ramsdell at 226-7870 or RSVP office at 885-2083.  RSVP is the sponsor of this activity.

• Prize Day at the Cavendish Community Library

JULY 3 (THURSDAY): Bone Builders Bone Builders meeting at the Cavendish Baptist Church each Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am to 11:30 am.  Weighs are used to help build muscle and stave off osteoporosis for both men and women. Exercises also focus on balance.  Call Charlotte Snyder at 226-7343 or Dot Ramsdell at 226-7870 or RSVP office at 885-2083.  RSVP is the sponsor of this activity.
• Make your own bouncy balls at the Cavendish Library

JULY 4 (FRIDAY): HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! Banks, town office and most businesses will be closed.
• Ludlow Farmer’s Market featuring a number of Cavendish vendors, 4-7 pm on the front lawn of Okemo Mountain School, 53 Main Street in Ludlow. 
• 4th of July Fireworks. 9 pm Ludlow.

To learn more about upcoming events in Cavendish and surrounding towns go to:
• Events listed by month 
• Events listed by day 
• To register an event 

8. YES! I WANT TO BECOME A FRIEND OF CAVENDISH CONNECTS
Please complete the form below and send a check, payable to Cavendish Connects and mail to Margo Caulfield, PO Box 3, Cavendish, VT 05142.

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Monday, June 23, 2014

June 23, 2014 Town Meeting Results


The Cavendish Connects website now includes much of what was included on this blog as well as a calendar of Cavendish events. The new blog, “The Dish,” includes the Cavendish Update as well as on-going information.

By a vote of 52 to 7, the Cavendish voters approved Article 1: To see if the voters will approve of the purchase of Cavendish Parcel #1Veo-196, a 0.33 acre village lot located at 601 Main Street, Proctorsville. This property abuts the Cavendish Town Elementary School lot to the east and is currently vacant. The purchase price is $24,900. The purpose of this procurement is to secure the property for good public uses including, but not limited to, use by the school.

The cost will be paid for by one of the following means: increase in the coming year’s taxes; use of surplus budget at the end of the year; or spread the cost over several years. The select board will need to discuss this at their July meeting when they will be setting the tax rate for the coming year. 

There was considerable discussion about how the space could be used:
-       By CTES for additional parking, play ground for young children, outdoor classroom and as a buffer between the school and community.
-       Relocate the town water tower from school property and on to land owned by the town.
-        Affordable housing
      -       Swimming Pool
-       Generator for the school in its capacity as the town shelter

No clear plan is in place and no costs were provided as to what would be incurred to reconfigure parking and playgrounds at the school. It was suggested that the landscape architects in town might be willing to provide in kind contributions of their time to figure out a plan and that work could be done by the Town’s Highway Department. At least one person in the audience expressed their concern that the Highway Department should be spending their time on existing concerns-such as roads that are not passable during mud season-and not taking on new projects.

The school board does not have a plan or cost estimates, but said they would seek grant funding to help make changes without adding to the tax burden.

Several people expressed concern that we’re adding to the town’s assets without properly maintaining what we already own. An amendment to the article was made that would have required that 10% of the tax value of town property be set aside for upkeep for town real estate assets.

According to the recently adopted Capital Budget and Program for FY 2014-2031`the town’s real estate fair market value are estimated to be valued at $10,537,150, which does not include the value of the recently added Cavendish Stone Church.

This amendment was defeated, with voters suggesting that this be something to consider for Town Meeting.

The Select Board will have the final say on how the property will be used.