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Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – August 6, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

Summer is over (just kidding) and meetings are back in session.  At the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard, Whetstone Station will request permission from the Brattleboro Selectboard to make noise on Frost Street, the ice rink will be approved for some energy efficiency measures, and the board will consider providing childcare at their meetings.

For the first time in quite a long time, a vendor unable to fulfill a paving contract will be replaced on the project. The board will hear updates on Project CARE and the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance, and more.  You can, as always, bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Everyone Else Wants You To Quit Facebook First

by cgrotke | Sci-Tech

Your friends and family will ultimately thank you. Take a few moments and quit Facebook.

Yes, go ahead and quit. 

I’ve done an informal survey of this summer and it seems many people who use Facebook don’t like that they use it. They know it is a crappy platform that is in the business of selling personal information to the highest bidder. They know Mark Zuckerberg is using them. They know the site is undermining democracy and is weaponized by political parties to sway voters. They know there are privacy problems. They are tired of being a commodity and tired of supplying personal data for free.

Foodworks, From Groundworks

by cgrotke | Food

Groundworks Collaborative is taking over the former Domino’s Pizza location at 141 Canal Street to relocate their Food Shelf from the Drop-In Center at 60 South Main. The spiffy new “warm and welcoming” spot will be called Foodworks and will allow for better access and parking.

Public Officials Can’t Block Critics From Official Social Media Accounts

by cgrotke | Politics

You may have read that courts ruled that Trump, using a Twitter account for official, open government purposes, cannot block people based on the views they express. This applies to all public officials, not just Trump. It’s a first amendment issue.

Members of the Selectboard and elected Representative Town Meeting reps should take notice and proceed with caution.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Rental Housing, Day Work, Sustainability

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their only meeting of July. Despite objections from many landlords, the board approved a new rental housing inspection program, and despite numerous statements of support they put off deciding on how best to deal with issues of sustainability.

New tax rates for FY20 were set, a 3-month day work pilot program was funded, Groundworks received $100,000 for housing, and more.

Brattleboro Selectboard – Agenda & Notes July 9, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro’s new “Work Today” program for day labor will be explained and partially funded at Tuesday’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Youth Services is taking the lead on this attempt to employ members of the community that have trouble finding steady work.

The board will take up the question of whether to create a Sustainability Officer position within town government, enact a rental housing inspection program, the town pool needs more repairs, tax rates will be set, goals will be reviewed, the library will get grants to help with local history, we’ll buy another pick-up truck, goals will be reviewed, committee members will be appointed, and more.

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

Have You News Today Of Your…

by cgrotke | iBrattleboro

I was digging through some old family things and came across a green piece of paper that my grandfather had printed to encourage fellow students to submit news to the college newspaper. It says:

“HAVE YOU NEWS TODAY OF YOUR..

Brattleboro Landlords Point Out Need for Housing Bill of Rights

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Some landlords speaking at this week’s Brattleboro Selectboard meeting had a few problems with the proposed apartment inspection program. In speaking up, they brought up a community need for both landlords and tenants.

The first issue for landlords was cost. Multi-unit landlords said that to suddenly have a bill due for a couple of thousand dollars, all at once, wasn’t terribly appealing. The board tried to make the point that it was only a couple of dollars per month per unit, but the new ordinance doesn’t call for billing monthly. It’s all due in one lump sum, 30 days from the date billed. Penalties and interest extra.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Day Work Program Coming, Landlords Facing Inspections

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard June 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard took up a full agenda, though with only three members present, they themselves were not quite full.

The big discussion of the evening centered on landlords and a new rental housing inspection system soon to take effect, but the exciting news came during public participation when it was announced that a day work program, legal and with dignity, will soon be getting started.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda & Notes – June 18, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

Paving and pickups are a focus at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

The board will also begin the start-up of rental housing registrations and inspections, Groundworks will see an increase in Town funds for a housing project, the Brooks House will get a modification of their tax stabilization agreement, a Charter Review process may start up soon, and more. You can, as always, bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation near the start of the meeting.

40 on 30

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

The speed limit leaving Brattleboro on Route 30 is wrong.

Currently, the posted limit is 40 mph until after the distillery. The road, though, was engineered for a faster speed. Driving 40 mph now feels very slow.

Driving 40 mph along this stretch seems slow for many reasons. The road is wide as it is. The shoulders are wide enough for extra lanes. The curves of the road are wide and gentle. 

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY20, Goals, and Raises

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard June 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their first meeting of June, spending most of the time discussing goals, but also approving Utility and Parking budgets for FY20.

Firefighters, administrators and office staff of Local 98 all got raises, and a new downtown design process will be getting underway.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 4, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will spend over $40,000 for a new Downtown Design Plan and give out annual employee raises at their next regular meeting. 

The board might also approve Utility Fund and Parking Fund budgets for FY20, they’ll appoint volunteers to boards and committees, continue consideration of their goals for the coming year, approve a parade, and punish Brattleboro dogs for the negligence of their owners to get them a licenses. You can participate, and bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY20 Water & Sewer, Parking, Solid Waste Budgets

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 21 2019

Vice Chair Tim Wessel led the board through the second regular meeting in May. It was a night of numbers, with Water & Sewer, Parking, and Solid Waste FY20 budgets being discussed in detail. One member compared the evening to math class, but budgets can be revealing, and many new town projects and plans were listed. The projects have timelines and costs, hence their inclusion in budget talks.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – May 21, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be reviewing a number of budgets at their next meeting. FY20 approaches with talk of Utilities, Parking, and Solid Waste budgets.

The contract with Rescue Inc. is up for renewal, a new handicapped parking space is set for approval, the board will continue to discuss goals for the coming year, the battle against knotweed will continue, and you will be asked to volunteer for the Town. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Opioids, Broadband, and a Dump Truck

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro selectboard may7-2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard was reduced to four members for their meeting Tuesday, and Tim Wessel sat in as Chair for the evening. They managed to get through a long agenda with relative efficiency.

A new goal to examine the impact of the opioid epidemic in Brattleboro is being considered, as is a new handicap parking space on the east side of Main Street. The state may have programs that might eventually help Brattleboro with broadband issues, Brattleboro is paving streets in Esteyville and buying a new dump truck, and much more.

Six Suggestions for Shorter Brattleboro Selectboard Meetings

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Selectboard meetings can drag on. Meetings that start at 6:15 pm often end after 9 pm. It’s not as bad as the record-setting meeting of the mid-aughts that lasted well past midnight, but three hours is a long regular meeting, especially when board members may have met for an hour prior in Executive Session.

When meetings go on too long, participants lose energy and the quality of debate and discussion drops. Important issues can get rushed if they come late on an agenda.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – May 7, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

A packed agenda awaits the Brattleboro Selectboard for their first regular meeting of May. Brattleboro broadband possibilities and a handicapped parking space on Main Street are just two items of note.

They’ll also talk about liquor licenses for new and old establishments. They will buy a dump truck, authorize improvements to the parking garage, plan summer paving, and discuss goals and town operations. There are grants to apply for, farm taxes to be stabilized, meetings to cancel, and more. And you can bring up other items during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Big New Skatepark Grant Not Enough To Prevent Re-Scope of Project

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard heard about a new, big grant for the skatepark project at Tuesday’s meeting, but it wasn’t enough to stop the re-scoping of the project and rejection of current bids. New timetable calls for a skatepark to be completed, maybe, by snowfall!

Heifers are permitted to Heifer this year, residents urge urgency on climate related matters, whistleblowers are now protected, the Emergency Plan has be readopted, financial matters attended to, and more.