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Brattleboro Selectboard Agendas Sept 9 and 11, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold two meetings the week of September 8th – a regular meeting and a listening session.

Tuesday’s regular meeting features the presentation by the Charter Revision Commission regarding a new draft charter and an update from Groundworks.  The Thursday listening session is for the public to weigh in on the upcoming budget for FY27.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda at both meetings, but only the regular meeting will have the livestream and zoom elements. You have to be there in person to participate Thursday.

While Looking at Meteors… A Strange Sight

by cgrotke | Nature
strange thing in sky sketch

I saw something strange in the sky last night. I was out looking for Perseid meteors around 10:30 pm. It was a bit on the early side but I thought I might get lucky. And I did. After 10 minutes or so I saw some very faint little shooting stars above me. It was mostly clear, with a bit of high haze in the east.

I looked across a field to try a different direction. It was clear above me and to the west. Almost immediately I saw a big fiery, flaming meteor come whizzing down. It had a long streak and looked great. Whoo hoo! Mission accomplished – I saw a good one. Time to go in. Then I noticed what looked to be a small plane or satellite moving very slowly in the west. It wasn’t blinking like a plane, though, and it seemed to be moving too slowly to be a satellite. I kept watching.

Solar for All Program Terminated

by cgrotke | State News

The Clean Energy States Alliance has a statement about the (at-least-for-now) termination of the Solar for All Program, of which Vermont was participating:

“The Environmental Protection Agency’s careless and unlawful termination of the Solar for All program destroys a critical effort to expand electricity production at a time when the country desperately needs more power.

The 60 Solar for All awardees—mostly state government agencies—have spent the past two years working creatively and diligently to design and roll out cost-effective low-income solar programs in both red and blue states. Ending this popular bipartisan program squanders both their hard work and valuable federal dollars.

Brattleboro and VT COVID-19 Regional Dashboard Summary – August 2025

by cgrotke | Health

It’s the August 2025 dashboard summary. We continue semi-regular COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA counties that surround Brattleboro, as long as they continue providing them.  New Hampshire has shut down their reporting. Numbers are low, but not zero. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – 69A Elliot Street and June Financial Report

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard aug 5 2025

The first regular meeting of the month was relatively short, though the public took full advantage of Public Participation. Many talked about a beautiful space on Elliot Street,  69A, that is part art gallery, part safe space, part… whatever you want it to be.

The board also heard a summary of the June 2025 Finance Report. It is the almost-final report that could change, but is nearing a stage where an auditor can look it over. Except the Town is having a bit of trouble finding an auditor.

Brattleboro Selectboard Retreat and Meeting Agendas

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a”retreat” to plot and plan their upcoming year. They’ll spend the afternoon coming up with 3-5 refined priorities. Once that is done, they have 10 minutes set aside to hear from the public about what the public might want done. There is 10 minutes set aside for this, after all decisions have already been made.  There is more time in the meeting scheduled for breaks than hearing from the public.

The next day they will hold a regular meeting with just a couple of items.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Summer Is Fines & The Living is Fee-zy

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard july 22 2025

The second regular meeting of July for the Brattleboro Selectboard was focused on properties. How much should we fine owners of vacant properties, can we ask the pesky, service-sucking non-profits in town to cough up some cold hard cash every quarter, and how much should we raise water and sewer rates?  

The former Home Depot building eyesore, however, is exempt and not vacant according to the way the Town wrote the ordinance. And some questioned why the Town RTM would give money, then ask for it back.

And, there was more discussion of Henry George at a public meeting than there has been in perhaps over a century. : )

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – July 22, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Town would like to increase pressure on tax exempt properties to pay some taxes. The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear about options at their next regular meeting.

They’ll also hear from Green Mountain Power about the Ames Hill project, they’ll vote to increase water & sewer rates, they’ll get a report on May finances (yes, May,) will adopt fees for vacant building violations, and will hear a quarterly report from the Fire Department, and will listen to other items not on the agenda that you bring up during public participation.

You Might Need A Cat

by cgrotke | Pets

You might not be thinking about it, but maybe a cat would make life more interesting.  For a limited time, you can go get yourself a 6 month + old cat at the Windham Humane Society for free! (Kittens half price!). Here’s their official message:

“We’re excited to announce our “Real Housecats of Windham County” July promotion!

From July 15-July 31, our goal is to place at least 25 cats and kittens in loving homes, so we’re offering the following adoption discounts:

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Bridge Over Troubled Island, Charter Changes

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard july 8 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned what the Brattleboro Charter Commission has been working on regarding the form of town governance and other possible changes to the Charter. The Commission has put over two years of work into this and the Chair seemed quite interested in being able to edit whatever they present, such as the form of town government, when it comes before the board again in September.

The next big discussion was about the old Hinsdale bridges. Hinsdale sent some semi-unanticipated reps to read Brattleboro the riot act. They seemed to take special glee in pointing out just how terrible Brattleboro’s problems are, and wanted to know if the town would agree that the bridges should be destroyed or sold.  A split vote at the end of the discussion means Brattleboro does not surrender in the battle

Brattleboro and VT COVID-19 Regional Dashboard Summary – July 2025

by cgrotke | Health

It’s the July 2025 dashboard summary. We continue semi-regular COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA counties that surround Brattleboro, as long as they continue providing them.  New Hampshire has shut down their reporting. Numbers are low, but not zero. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – July 8, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard starts July with a big meeting on the 8th. They’ll spend almost a half million dollars on DPW vehicles, authorize tax collectors going after local businesses, pay for a new $476k retaining wall, and that’s just in the consent agenda. (They’ll also retroactively consider a parade permit – if it fails, do the participants need to march backwards?)

Once the meeting gets going in full, the board will hear from the Charter Revision Commission, receive an update on the old Hinsdale bridges, set a property tax rate of $1.5835 per $100, hear about increases to water and sewer rates, spend over $500k on space for police and bathrooms downtown, and more.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

NECCA on NBC Today Show (Video)

by cgrotke | Media

Here’s the clip that NECCA said could be found on the Today Show video page. It is a short piece featuring Brattleboro’s NECCA and the Silver Circus, showing how folks can run away and join the circus even when they are over 60!  (Video below)

Some Funky Summer Music – xoxo Xopher – About Time

by cgrotke | Music

I have a new album of funky instrumental tunes to share with you.  It was my winter/spring creative project to distract myself when I had bits of free time, which allowed me some fun playing with keyboards, drum machines, bass, guitar, and other toys to pay homage to some of my musical influences.

When you have a bit of time, give it a listen, and share with anyone you think might like it.

Brattleboro’s Air Disaster of 1922

by cgrotke | History

In 1922, a big flying event was held on the Retreat Meadows, back when it was still a meadow. The World war had ended and Brattleboro was interested in the potential of aviation for civilians.  Pilots flew in for a weekend of events, competitions, and demonstrations at a special aviation event that Governor Hartness, a big fan of flying, helped bring to town. Everything was going  fine until late on a Friday afternoon, when disaster struck.

This is the story as it appeared in The Phoenix August 25, 1922. It isn’t hard to imagine how a tragedy such as this would perhaps sour the local citizenry on any plans of aviation or airports for quite a long time.

….

AIRPLANE MEET HAS TRAGIC END

Three Passengers Lose Lives When Curtiss Oriole Burns

Were Miss Evelyn Harris and Joseph Trahan and Son – Crowd of About 3,000 Sees Disaster – Inquiry Held.

Noticed Around Brattleboro – Summer 2025 Edition

by cgrotke | Town News

A space for you to add little things you see around town, such as:

– it is hot – hovering around 100 on some thermometers in late June

– Beadniks has a sign up at their new location, and paper on the windows. Looks like they will be re-opening soon  just up the street from their former spot. Near Gallery in the Woods now.

Brattleboro Parking System’s Impact On Downtown Business

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Isaac Evans-Frantz made some good points about the parking system and downtown business at Tuesday’s Selectboard meeting. His points deserve underlining and emphasis because he latched on to some logical flaws of the current parking system, and hinted heavily that it might be really harming downtown business.

…

Isaac began by asking why, if there was a deficit in the parking fund, would the board consider offering any free parking at all during holidays.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Water and Sewer Rates To Rise

by cgrotke | Town News
new sculpture park for Brattleboro plan

Your water bill will go up, your sewer bills will go up, the town is buying a $73k car for the fire department, there will be a bit of free parking near the holidays, and a new sculpture park is being preliminarily proposed for the area near BMAC and he Amtrak station. All this and more at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

More Than 2500 At Brattleboro’s No Kings Day

by cgrotke | Politics
brattleboro no kings day

More than 2500 turned out to protest today in Brattleboro. The number was according to a speaker at the stage at the common, and was probably an undercount, as people were still arriving. Indeed, Brattleboro was filled with people today. Cars filled side streets and church parking lots. Church bells were ringing out. There were people marching, chanting, singing, playing music and holding their signs and flags up as they marched.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 17, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will approve new FY26 budgets for water, sewer and parking rate at their next regular meeting. The parking budget includes options for the possibility of some free parking in December, or perhaps not. It’s up to the board to decide.

They will also buy a new fire car, plan a retreat, and hear about plans to improve the Depot Street area of town.  You can bring up other items on the agenda during public participation.