Here are the unofficial results of the Brattleboro 2021 March election. Short version: Goodnow, Gelter, Quipp to Selectboard, Retail Cannabis yes, Charter Change yes, Schools Dissolve No, allow other towns’ schools to decide to dissolve No.
The Brattleboro Selectboard approved of moving forward with the recommendations of the Town manager regarding the Community Safety Review Committee recommendations. Everything that can be underway is underway.
The board decided to go for a 6% investment in Cow Power and created a new fund with $70k to help reduce emissions and consumption.
It’s now March 2021, and this is the 12th month of daily COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.
I’m attaching two PDF files here that are part of the upcoming Brattleboro Selectboard meeting.
The first is Town Manager Peter Elwell’s memo to the board regarding implementing the community safety recommendations. He gives some background information, acknowledges harm and a commitment to reckoning and collaboration, has some notes about the pace and timeframe of changes, accountability, and a bit about the way they annotated the recommendations.
The second is the list of the recommendations, now annotated by the Town with remarks. Of the 41 recommendations, 30 are marked with a “Yes” indicating that the Town can take unilateral action to accomplish the goal. Those marked “No” aren’t out of the question, but they are out of the Town’s direct control. State or federal changes would be required.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will take up Community Safety Review recommendations at their next regular meeting, which happens to fall on Town Meeting day. Town staff has provided the board with a path for adopting recommendations, if they so choose.
The board will also pick up on their conversation about Cow Power, get grant money for the new train station parking lot, and some possible money for eligible households impacted by COVID. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
I had a good time discussing local issues with candidates for the Brattleboro Selectboard. We talked about governing and representation, community safety, infrastructure, climate, and more.
BCTV recorded it and you can watch anytime:
Rikki Risatti is running for both a 3 year or a 1 year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Tell us about yourself….
I feel thankful to be elected as a 2020-2023 district representative and on the art committee, we need more People to apply online or through the municipal manager’s office. I recently have been welcomed to join partnership with People in the Post 5 Legion Auxiliary and the Adult/Adolescent Sibling match program. Neighbors passionately involved with making community impact efforts have been positive influences for me. I also feel so grateful of all the past and upcoming opportunities to meet with People dedicated to their causes; like the Masons, Co-Op, and Time Trade Bank members.
Brattleboro Fire Chief Mike Bucossi announced his retirement via twitter this afternoon:
“After 43 years the end has arrived. I have retired from the Brattleboro Fire Department, effective April 1. It has been a fabulous career and a great honor to work with such a talented, dedicated group. I look forward to quality time with my beautiful wife!”
It’s 02-20-2021 and iBrattleboro is 18 today. Watch out now, we’re all grown up and can vote! Still a few more years until we can rent a car, but hey…
More seriously, the site stated 18 years ago as a place for people in the Brattleboro area to share news, events, information and opinions. iBrattleboro can be whatever you, the community contributor, wants it to be. If it is exciting and useful, you made it so.
An extended discussion about Brattleboro becoming the largest purchaser of Cow Power ended with explanations of feelings and confusions, but no purchase agreement. The Brattleboro Selectboard was saved from making a decision by Town Manager Elwell’s suggestion to gather more data.
Lots of water and sewer improvements and activity, a thank you from Boys & Girls, and a new name for a short street rounded things out.
The Arts Council of Windham County announced some recent grantees and the projects that are being funded:
“The 2021 TAF Grantees include:
Puppet Companions (Shoshana Bass, Sandglass Theater) Sandglass Theater and Garden Path Elder Living team up to combat loneliness, promote creativity, and inspire story telling in residential care facilities through the magic of puppetry. Sandglass will create a collection of inviting puppets and accessories, along with a series of guided play suggestions for residents at Holton Home and Bradley House. Puppet makers will also bring Sandglass puppeteers and puppets for window visits with residents.
Daniel Quipp is an incumbent and running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Tell us about yourself….
I’m a 42 year old person with a funny accent who has lived in Brattleboro since 2015. My wife is from Newfane and I’ve been coming here since 2004. I work at SEVCA where I run our community solar program, help people get connected to resources, do work with our data and reporting system and assist people in getting health insurance (p.s. If you don’t currently have insurance email me at dquipp@sevca.org or call 802 254 2795). I’ve been on the Selectboard for the last two years and am hopeful you’ll allow me to serve the town for another year.
There will be an emergency discussion of a Muffin Monster at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. They’ll also discuss a new Cow Power agreement, water treatment facility funding and security, and hear an update about Brattleboro’s Boys and Girls Club operations during COVID.
The board will wrap up their meeting with a renaming of a portion of Elm Street in honor of Stanley Lynde, the well-know motorcycle shop owner. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
Brattleboro voters are encouraged to watch the Brattleboro Selectboard Candidates Forum on Tuesday, February 23 from 6-8 PM to learn about this year’s slate of candidates. The event is being presented by iBrattleboro.com and BCTV and will be live streamed to Comcast channel 1085 and BCTV’s Facebook page.
It’s a virtual forum this year, held via Zoom.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a meeting to set dates for three Representative Town Meeting informational sessions. They approved liquor licenses, made appointments, certified highway mileage, and began design work on a shiny new parking lot.
Candidate for Selectboard Gary Stroud dropped out of the race, citing health issues that would prevent him from doing all that was necessary to be on the board.
It is February 2021. Unfortunately, we continue daily COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.
Jessica Gelter is running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Tell us about yourself….
I’m an artist, a nonprofit executive, small business coach, and an engaged citizen. For many years, theater has been my way into conversations about politics, conflict, and the human condition. In 2016, I got involved Brattleboro’s Planning Commission because I wanted to learn how our local government systems work and play a role in crafting our town’s future.
Evan Chadwick is running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Tell us about yourself….
I have lived in Brattleboro since 2006. I graduated from Keene State with a bachelors degree in social science. I then enrolled in a 4 year legal clerkship at the the law office of Thomas Costello. I took the bar in 2012 and began my own law firm now named Chadwick and Spensley PLLC. We have three offices located in Brattleboro, Pittsford and Randolph. A large part of our practice is prosecuting police brutality cases against cities such as Burlington and Saint Albans. For seven years I was the head boys basketball coach at Bellows Falls Union High School. Last year I served as the freshmen coach at Brattleboro High School.
A smattering of small items awaits the Brattleboro Selectboard at their next regular meeting. They’ll approve dates for informational meetings, make a committee appointment, approve of annual liquor permits, and kick off the design of the new train station parking lot.
You can add small or large items not otherwise on this agenda during public participation.
I just completed reading all of the L. Frank Baum Oz books. I’ve had this collection for quite a while. They were inherited from my father’s Aunt Arlene, a teacher in Buffalo. When the books first arrived, I was a bit old for them. I had reached the mature age of about 12 or 13, and the covers looked rather ancient to me. They sat in boxes with my mother for quite a while. I got them back a few years ago.
Seeing a series of unread books on the shelf can nag at you, and these were yelling at me. “C’mon, man, read us!” So I dove in.
L. Frank Baum wrote 14 Oz books total:
