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

by cgrotke | Health

It’s the June 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 now shut down their reporting. Numbers are low, but not zero. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.

VT and MA do weekly updates, near the end of the week, so we update on Fridays usually. Variant updates are every two weeks.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Pickleball and Parking

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard june 3 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard heard initial presentations about Water & Sewer and Parking budgets for FY26. This included a detailed discussion of Sunday parking, whether free parking might be better in some cases to encourage shoppers and 1% LOST income, and whether parking costs should be charged based on how popular a lot might be. The board decided to ask for no changes.

Also, pickleball courts are on the way.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Board Hears Updates & Reports

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 20 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard heard a number of updates and reports at their second regular meeting of May. They learned how a grant was used to help with housing, how a group would like to expand passenger rail service in the region, how Green Mountain Power is burying some of the most problematic electrical circuits, and more.

More, of course, included hearing that utility rates would be increasing.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – May 20, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will have a regular meeting on Tuesday and will hear lots of updates and reports – on expanding rail service to Connecticut, electric company projects, state legislation, FY25 budget numbers, and the results of a Utility Rate Study to see if Brattleboro customers are paying the right amount.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation if the Chair anticipates what you are about to say is germane.

Vermont Community Radio Funded By State Legislature

by cgrotke | State News

Here’s the announcement from the Vermont Association of Broadcasters of new state funds for community radio. This means that Brattleboro’s WVEW will be able to apply for these new funds eventually.

….

“VT Community Radio Network,

I have news that is too good to wait until our monthly ZOOM meeting May 15th. Without further ado…

the state legislature committed $150,000 to the Vermont Community Radio grant program!!!

I cannot express enough just how significant and incredible this is for so many reasons:

A Moment for John Carnahan

by cgrotke | Obituaries
John Carnahan at EOM

John Carnahan was one of the first true Brattleboro folks I got to know. He and I worked together with many others to bring the Estey Organ Museum to life.

John had great knowledge of Brattleboro and Vermont history, and seemed to know just about everyone.

He politely corrected me when, early on, I would mention the city of Brattleboro. “”Brattleboro is a town.”

Selectboard Meeting Notes – More Parking System Changes; Old Hinsdale Bridges Uncertain Future

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard May 6 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard had a regular meeting and approved of more changes to the recently-changed parking system. Zones will get new names, there will be new signs and stickers, rates and times will change, and more. This will make it easier for everyone, the Town assures us.

There are big beautiful plans by locals in Brattleboro for the old Hinsdale bridges, but they are owned primarily by New Hampshire and that side of the river isn’t too keen on maintaining them in the long term. It will take might private efforts to make something happen at this juncture, but a “balanced” letter will be sent to the NH DOT, with or without support from Hinsdale.

And Kate O’Connor is again director of the Chamber of Commerce.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – May 2, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

It has been a while, but the Brattleboro Selectboard will again hold a regular meeting to discuss items other than the FY26 budget. Instead they will examine more changes to the parking system, new murals and events, get an update on the Housing Plan,  and hire a financial services company for a year to help ill in for the Finance Director.

The board will also have a discussion about the old bridges sitting in the Connecticut River and come up with a list of requests for the state of New Hampshire to consider. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Chair Encourages Civility For Herself; Loses It Over Rescue Comment; Budget Passes

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 1 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard held a May Day meeting to discuss and pass their new budget, which takes the overall municipal tax increase down from 12.1% to 10.8%, shaving 1.3% from the budget rejected by Representative Town Meeting.

The public, those allowed to speak, weren’t very impressed.

Chair McLoughlin began by apologizing for being rude to young people at the previous board meeting. Later on, she shut down the meeting with gavel banging and demands for an adult to stop speaking about something she said could not be tolerated-  a discussion of Rescue Inc correcting the record. 

Selectboard Special Meeting Notes – Board Reacts To Revised FY26 Budget Up By $420,000

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard solid waste april 24 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard held another in their month of many meetings to focus on decisions around solid waste and to hear the results of their budget decisions thus far.  Those results were not good. They also warned a special Representative Town meeting to vote on the revised FY26 budget, which will face further revision.

As with last week, I’m watching this second meeting of the week but not typing up every word. I’ll summarize again. 

Selectboard Meeting Review – Five Hours of Avoiding the Topic

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Over five hours and the agenda topic – possible reductions in public safety services – was barely discussed by the board. There were over 70 items on the list to be discussed that didn’t get much of a mention.

Tuesday’s meeting seemed designed to prevent the board from having an on-topic discussion. It was stuffed with information previously presented and comments already taken. The people we most wanted to hear from – new board members – didn’t get to have a robust discussion, and their limited discussion didn’t begin until well after 10 pm. 

At tomorrow’s meeting, the new members will be told that they are out of time and have to go with the budget as presented.  They will be told it is their budget. Buck will be passed back to them now for RTM.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Fire Department Suggests Hiring More Staff To Lower Costs; No Major Changes To Safety Budgets

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard breakdown april 22 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard continued their month of many meetings with a discussion of potential service reductions in public safety.

It was a long meeting, mostly because the police and fire departments were given hours to speak of the value they provide to the town. After that, the public spoke about how much they valued the police and fire departments.   In the end, no changes will happen and the town may end up hiring more fire department staff. To save money.  

Thanks to everyone who has sent a donation to support coverage!

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY26 Revenues and Reductions

by cgrotke | Town News

I won’t be doing the usual transcription-style tonight. It’s too many meetings to type that much. But I will watch and give you highlights. And I’ll make a rare pitch – if you’d like to make a donation to help underwrite all of this, it does help. On to the show.

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First off, they instituted a new sign up per topic list for those in the room, adding another level of confusion/intimidation for members of the public who must now anticipate what will be said and if they might like to respond.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Long Term Planning To Return, EMS Numbers Reported

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard april 15 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard, meeting for some regular business and a discussion of the evolving FY26 budget, were able to agree on a few structural budget issues – to have a long term financial plan once again and to have a capital equipment and a capital infrastructure plans as well. 

The new fire chief praised his amazing staff, and all town departments. He also gave the first accounting of what EMS services were costing the taxpayers. Solid waste and mural discussions were postponed. And the 12% tax increase was really just 6% if you average it with some other numbers.

Vermont Delegation Statement on Mahdawi Arrest in Colchester

by cgrotke | State News

Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch and representative Becca Balint issued a statement on the arrest of a green card holder going for a naturalization interview. Mohsen Mahdawi was in Colchester when detained by ICE agents.

“BURLINGTON, Vt., April 14 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Rep. Becca Balint (Vt.-AL) today released the following statement on the illegal detention of Mohsen Mahdawi by the Trump Administration:

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – April 15, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard continues their month of many meetings with a regular meeting on Tuesday where they will approve of some paving grants, approve a new mural, discuss tax stabilization for a farm, and get financial and fire updates. 

The big item should be the budget discussion about solid waste options.

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