I support Amanda Ellis Thurber for the 3 year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard. She’s been a farmer for years, was a founding member of the Brattleboro Area Farmers Market and she has been working with numerous regional organizations on issues revolving around sustainability of the farming economy and community. Amanda is pleasant and respectful to every community member. More important she has an open mind, is willing to ask questions and work to solve problems.
When former Town Manager Peter Elwell wrote a letter to the editor he expressed concerns about fiscal mismanagement. For Peter who was always measured and reasoned during his tenure in that position to raise the alarm to that level should cause one to look carefully. He steadfastly guided Brattleboro and managed the town’s finances well. Upon his departure Peter left the Town of Brattleboro in decent financial standing.
It did not take long for the financial well being of the town to begin failing due to gross financial mismanagement by the Selectboard. This is a major part of the reason the tax rate keeps climbing. Because of a series of poor decisions, lack of planning, excessively drawing down from the reserves and.squandering the ARPA Funds Brattleboro is one disaster away from bankruptcy. When Irene struck we were able to use reserves to do repairs to infrastructure and then got reimbursed by FEMA. Except there is no FEMA to bail out towns anymore and we have no reserves. Many communities are still waiting for disaster relief from the last few incidents. Also regardless of which party wins the midterms the cuts to the federal budget are going to continue affecting local budgets.
The structure of the town government now is set up so there is no Assistant Town Manager or Finance Director who in the past would have helped keep track of the finances as there had been for fail safe. Those positions had been added in part because past Selectboards had a history of not managing the budget properly. This organization had proven to function effectively for Selectboard, staff and citizens.
Over the last couple of years several members of the public have raised questions at meetings about budgetary decisions and numbers. They have been given the runaround. Even the finance committee and some Selectboard members could not get straight answers because the numbers of the actual budget are not clear.
Currently there is only one member of the Brattleboro Selectboard who has been there long enough to charge with responsibility for the budget problems and that is the incumbent for the 3 year seat Liz McLaughlin. Because of the nature of how boards work the chair has very tight control over everything from setting the agenda, to developing the budget, to interfacing with the Town Manager and managing the public especially in meetings.
What I am advocating for Brattleboro is a chance to allow fresh eyes to reinvigorate the town Amanda Ellis Thurber is just beginning to work to find a way to help Brattleboro through its problems. She really does believe Brattleboro can have nice things.
– Dora Bouboulis
