The Rutland Free Library Imagination Library program is only available to children ages birth to 5 years in Rutland City, Rutland Town, Mendon, Ira and Tinmouth. Please click the link below for more information and to sign up.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Rutland Free Library
Below is the registration form that can be printed out and brought to the Rutland Free Library as well.
Tabulator test for the tabulator machine to be used at the Mendon Town Meeting in Mendon on March 2, 2021.
Where: Mendon Town Office – 2282 US Route 4, Mendon, VT 05701
When: Wednesday February 17, 2021 – 1:00 p.m.
Why: To test and secure the tabulator prior to the Town Meeting.
Rutland City and some surrounding towns now have evidence of increased rates, multiple household clusters and workplaces with cases.
Surrounding towns with increased rates include Benson, Pittsford, Castleton, West Haven and Fair Haven.
At this time they are seeing an increased number of cases that are not known to be associated with an outbreak, which is an indication of more widespread community transmission.
Take these prevention steps to help slow the spread:
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Wash your hands often.
- Keep your social circle to only the people you live with.
- Stay at least 6 feet apart from people you do not live with.
- Wear a mask any time you are around people you do not live with.
- If you have gathered with people you don’t live with, you should quarantine, and we encourage you to get tested right away, and then again 7 days after the gathering.
- If you had close contact with someone with COVID-19, follow quarantine guidelines. Answer the phone if a contact tracer from the Health Department calls you.
- Avoid non-essential travel. If you travel out of Vermont, you must quarantine when you return.
Remember that we’re all at risk of getting this virus. Offer to help community members who are affected by isolation and quarantine. We thank you for being understanding and supportive of one another during this time.
Find more information at healthvermont.gov/COVID-19
Community forums will kick off in April 2021 – Keep an eye out for dates and more info. To follow along the process and for updates check out the Mendon on the Move website at bit.ly/MendonOnTheMove or at the town website www.mendonvt.org or at the Mendon Facebook page at facebook.com/townofmendonvt or contact the Vermont Council on Rural Development at nick@vtrural.org or 802-223-6091.
After a pause for the new year, the Everyone Eats program in Rutland County will resume on Monday, January 25th.
A table of distribution sites for immediate publication is below. Everyone Eats aims to coordinate the distribution of 3,600 meals per week moving forward. The Vermont Farmers Food Center seeks the community’s assistance in publicizing these distributions so that meals reach families who need them most. More information can be found by following our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram) and on our website.
| Town | Name | Address | Day(s) | Time(s) | Type: | Distribution Partner | Contact |
| Rutland | Vermont Farmers Food Center | 251 West Street, Rutland | Monday, Wednesday, Thursday | 4 pm – 6 pm | Drive-thru, first-come first-served | Vermont Farmers Food Center | |
| Chittenden | Barstow Memorial School | 223 Chittenden Rd, Chittenden | Wednesday | 4 pm – 5 pm | Drive-thru, first-come first-served | Chittenden Office of Emergency Management | |
| Chittenden | North Chittenden Grange Hall | 3 Lower Middle Rd.Chittenden | Thursday | 4 pm – 5 pm | Drive-thru, first-come first-served | Chittenden Office of Emergency Management | |
| Poultney | St. Raphael’s Catholic Church parking lot | 21 E. Main Street, Poultney | Wednesday | 5 pm – 6 pm | Drive-thru, first-come first-served | Poultney Rotary | |
| Proctor | Proctor Library | 4 Main St, Proctor | Monday | 5:15 PM | Drive-thru, first-come first-served | Contact Brookelyn Kimball: haleytokimball@yahoo.com, 8024592832 | |
| Danby | Smokey House Center | 426 Danby Mountain Rd, Danby | Wednesday | 3:30 pm – 5 pm | Pickup at Center, Coordinate with provider by Friday before. | Smokey House Center | Contact Jamie Lombardo, jamie@smokeyhouse.org, 802-772-5919 by Friday before to reserve meals. |
| Brandon** | Brandon American Legion | Brandon Department of Recreation | |||||
| Fair Haven | Fair Haven Grade School | 115 N Main St, Fair Haven, VT | Wednesday | 3 pm – 5 pm | Drive through pickup behind school. Coordinate by Friday before. | Fair Haven Grade School | Contact Harry DiPrinzio to reserve meals by friday before: hdiprinzio@vermontfarmersfoodcenter.org / 917 770 2277 |
| Shrewsbury | Shrewsbury Community Church | Wednesday | 5 pm – | Coordinate with distribution partners by Friday before. | Shrewsbury Community Church | Call Sue Ransom-Kelly 802- 492-3738 or Roxanne Ramah 802-492-3675 to request meals |
**Deatils still being finalized. Check social media and Vermontfamersfoodcenter.org to confirm.
An initial allocation from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) will fund three weeks of programming. Partners across the state including the Scott Administration and Legislature are working together to identify additional funding opportunities. Partners agree on the goal of funding the program through the state of emergency.
During the first five months of the program’s operation, from September to December, the program distributed over 53,000 meals in Rutland County, injecting over $530,000 into our local economy. Distribution of these meals was made possible by countless community partners who staffed distribution sites and delivered meals directly to families in need, often on a volunteer basis.
Feedback about the program has been exceptionally positive as families who are struggling say the meals provided are a great benefit to them. Some feedback provided anonymously by meal recipients:
“I don’t have enough food to last all week. The meals are a great help! Thank you!”
“I deliver meals to the elderly who are struggling to make ends meet. Thank you to all who make this program possible.”
“Help. Food. We need the help. Thank you so much for the food, it is a big help for all of us. Thank you. “
“Getting less than 10hrs a week at work. That is why I am here :(“
“Fantastic meals and workers and greeters appreciated. Thank you.”
“Due to pandemic, haven’t had a paycheck since march. Because self-employees, fall into ‘black hole’ for state benefits.”
“Helps with feeding my family and parents”
The program works with over 15 restaurants throughout Rutland county to provide meals. The Vermont Farmers Food Center and Everyone Eats seeks to establish connections between restaurants and local food producers and will be working to do so throughout the next phase of the program.
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Everyone Eats aims to support families in need of food, independent restaurants and caterers and local farmers. Participating meal providers are required to source local ingredients and provide nutritious, balanced meals. The Everyone Eats program is administered at the state level by Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA), which coordinates hubs in each of Vermont’s 14 counties. The Vermont Farmers Food Center coordinates the Everyone Eats program in Rutland County.
For more information about Vermont Everyone Eats at the state level, visit www.vteveryoneeats.org.
Selectboard – 2 year term to complete a 3 year term
Selectboard – 3 year term
Moderator – 1 year term
NOTE: Due to the COVID pandemic, the nominating process for those interested in running for a position has been changed by the Vermont Legislature. Nominating petitions are not required, however, all candidates must submit a signed Consent of Candidate form by 5PM on Monday, January 25, 2021.
The Mendon Town Office will be closed Monday January 18th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Thank you.
Please review the draft budget below for the upcoming fiscal year. The Selectboard will discuss the budget on Monday, January 11, 2021 at its regularly scheduled Selectboard meeting at 5:30 p.m. In addition, a special Selectboard meeting will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. to finalize the budget. These will be the final chances to make changes or offer any input into this particular budget. Due to COVID-19, the Town will be voting all articles via Australian Ballot this year. Once the budget has been finalized and warned, no further changes can be made. Let us hear from you if you have any questions, concerns, or other input into the meeting. You can always reach us by e-mail if you’d like. Sara Tully, Town Administrator can be reached at mendonadmin@comcast.net and Nancy Gondella, Town Clerk/Treasurer can be reached at mendontown@comcast.net. Either of us would be happy to send your e-mail along to the Selectboard for consideration.
Further information regarding how to access the meetings will be posted prior to the meetings at https://www.mendonvt.org/selectboard-agendas-minutes/minutesagendas/.
We will be holding a Candidate Orientation for all those interested in running prior to our regularly scheduled meeting on January 11th, 2021 at 5:00pm. We will be available to answer any questions you may have regarding the candidate process or the position itself.
Petitions are currently available for three BUU member seats. There are two (2) seats for a Chittenden resident and one (1) At-Large seat to be held by a resident of either Chittenden or Mendon. Board terms are three years, however, please note that one of the Chittenden seats in this election will be for only one year due to a previous resignation.
Due to current situations, the need to obtain voter signatures on a petition has been waived for the 2021 elections. The only requirement this year is to self nominate yourself by submitting a Consent of Candidate form to your local town clerk. Consent of Candidate forms are due to your respective town clerks by January 25th, 2021.
Our regularly scheduled board meeting will begin thereafter at 6pm where we will be voting on the FY22 Budget. A link to the budget can be found on the home page of rnesu.
All Board meetings are open to the public. If you are interested in attending any upcoming BUUSD meetings, please go to the calendar on the RNESU website and click on the link for dial-in information.