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Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 21, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

Golden Cross is back on the agenda with a limited-time offer that will only cost $50,000 a year after the initial 90 day free trial. The Brattleboro Selectboard will, by approving this, “expand the second AEMT provider to 24 hours per day and situate a third ambulance (to be housed at Station 2.)”

They will also discuss liquor licenses, fines for rental housing inspection program violations, Waste Water Treatment Plant and water pump improvements, and more. You can bring up other issues not on the agenda during public participation.

That Electric Trolley Idea… I Like It

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Django Grace brought up a fun idea at the most recent Brattleboro Selectboard meeting – a return to the electric trolley.

Now, I’d advocate for a trolley-monorail hybrid, of course, but the trolley alone is interesting. I like transportation that is fun.

It would be cost prohibitive to get one custom built and installed.  Recent trolley projects have costs cities between $4-14 million dollars per mile. There are Federal funds available, but they are calculated on ridership estimates and larger locations would certainly win out over Brattleboro.

What could be done, though, is to build something locally.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Acknowledges Executive Session Open Meeting Violations

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard june 7 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard held one of their longer meetings in some time. The public was active!  Complaints about downtown crime, lack of action on climate change, and open meetings kept the board busy until after 10:30pm.

Of note, the Town acknowledged their violation of open meeting protocols and adopted a new two-part process to make sure it won’t happen again. This wasn’t enough for most people, who wanted a more detailed accounting of the EMS decision making process.

The board changed RTM districts to conform with state updates, adopted Utility and Parking budgets, and poured luke-warm water on a suggestion to bring back the electric trolley.

Brattleboro Selectboard Instructed Town Manager to Take On EMS; Board Warned of Pandora’s Box By Manale

by cgrotke | Town News

When I asked him about his goals back on Jan 20, Town Manager Yoshi Manale spoke of creating more open spaces downtown, being open and transparent, and being flexible while solving problems. No mention of wanting to alter EMS services. Yet the impression one might get from official communications is that a new town manager came to town, took aim at EMS, and is walking away.

But that’s not the full story. First off, the Brattleboro Selectboard told him to take on Rescue.

Both the current and former Chair of the Brattleboro Selectboard have confirmed that Town Manager Manale was not acting solo when it came to Rescue Inc actions and decisions.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 7, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will emerge from another Executive Session to do something that isn’t done very often – update the boundaries of the voting districts in town, which will change representation at Representative Town meeting. This update is to conform with adjustments recently made by the state.

The board will also take up the Utility Fund, Parking Fund Budget, raises, and the Depot Street parking lot project. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Your Handy Brattleboro Fire – EMS – Rescue Timeline 2021-2022

by cgrotke | Town News

It is sometimes helpful to look at information in a timeline format. Thanks to everyone who assisted in piecing this together this list of Brattleboro Fire, Rescue, and EMS items from the past year or so.**

Please note any additions or corrections you feel would clarify in the comments if you’d like. This is an in-progress project and will likely be updated. I’ll note any edits to the main timeline list in the comments.

2021

March 22 – Elizabeth McLoughlin becomes Chair of the Selectboard.

Brattleboro Town Manager Yoshi Manale Severance Agreement and General Release

by cgrotke | Town News

Here’s the full text of the Severance Agreement and General Release for Brattleboro Town Manager Yoshi Manale.

…..

SEVERANCE AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE

This Severance Agreement and General Release Agreement (“Agreement”), made the 19th day of May 2022, between Octavian Yoshi Manale, an individual, hereinafter referred to as “Manale”, and the Town of Brattleboro, a Vermont municipality, hereinafter referred to as “Brattleboro”, is an agreement which includes a general release of claims.

Brattleboro Abstract Grand List and Grievance Hearings

by cgrotke | Town News

Pursuant to title 32, Vermont Statutes Annotated, section 4111(g), “A person who feels aggrieved by the action of the Listers and desires to be heard by them, shall, on or before the day of the grievance meeting, file with them his or her objections in writing and may appear at such grievance meeting in person or by his or her agents or attorneys. Upon the hearing of such grievance the parties thereto may submit such documentary or sworn evidence as shall be pertinent thereto.”

Brattleboro Selectboard Chair Suggests Mutual Aid Agreement With Rescue, Inc.

by cgrotke | Town News

Dear Ms. Hege,
After some initial staff level discussion on the issue of mutual aid between the Town of Brattleboro and Rescue Inc., Chief Hazelton made clear his preference for direct Board to Board communication. We are happy to honor his request. It is our view that a mutual aid agreement between our two organizations is in our shared best interest. I hope that you agree.

Some Thoughts On Being In The Spotlight

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

It surprised many that Town Manager Yoshi Manale resigned after just a few months. But it isn’t that surprising.

Brattleboro is unusual. For a small town, there is a tremendous amount of media. Two newspapers, three radio stations, citizen journalists, and others pay close attention to what goes on in town government. Add in social media, discussions in offices, and conversations on the street and you end up with a rather active core population that follow the details of town government.

There are big cities with less coverage of their municipal governments and fewer news outlets. And big city news is often dominated by crimes, fires, and other distractions, making municipal news a smaller piece of the overall newscast or front page headlines.

Q & A – The Brattleboro Website RFP

by cgrotke | Town News

Hey. I see in the agenda that your web design company, MuseArts, didn’t get the gig to do the new town website…

– That is correct!

Sorry to hear. Your bid must have been too high, eh? Didn’t like your response to the RFP?

– Nope.  They never saw our proposal.

Okay, now I’m confused… did you want to respond to the RFP?

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Openness, Transparency, Parklets, and Housing

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 3, 2022

Members of the public scolded the Brattleboro Selectboard again for poor communication regarding their recent EMS decision. After, the board discussed removing some mentions of transparency and openness from their goals while patting themselves on the back for already having an open and transparent process.

They discussed other goals, then heard presentations about some exciting, possibly large housing projects going through the planning process. They also discussed improving the parklet program.

No Mow May

by cgrotke | Home & Garden

Need an excuse to be lazy for a month? I have one for you. No Mow May.

It started in England and is a movement to NOT mow lawns in May, to let dandelions, violets and other plant life have a chance to feed some bees.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – May 3, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

Should the Harris Lot be developed by a private contractor? The Brattleboro Selectboard will discuss it at their next regular meeting.

There will also be a discussion about expanding a parklet program, a discussion about the Prouty-Delta Development initiative, discussion and possible apoproval of selectboard goals, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Goodbye Rescue, Hello Golden Cross

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard april 19, 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard voted to enter into a one year contract with Golden Cross Ambulance, effectively ending five decades of Rescue, Inc. collaboration with the town. There was much public discussion, mostly against the way this was handled, but it was approved 5-0.

The board also went back on their previous decision about the ski jump sculpture, now allowing it to be downtown year round but unlit most of the year, sort of like the Valentines hearts that hang year round downtown.