The Regional Economic Hub Study Group will meet on Thursday, May 7, 2015, at 5:30pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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REGIONAL ECONOMIC HUB STUDY GROUP
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015 – 5:30PM
HANNA COSMAN MEETING ROOM, MUNICIPAL CENTER
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
AGENDA
1. Introductions
2. Reminder to All Members about Vermont’s Open Meetings Law and Public Participation – Jan Anderson, Executive Secretary
3. Selectboard’s Charge to the Study Group – Peter Elwell, Town Manager
4. Overview and Background – David Gartenstein, Selectboard Chair
5. Election of Study Group Chair
6. Election of Study Group Vice-Chair
7. Election of Study Group Clerk/Scribe
8. Identification of Topic(s) to Address at Next Study Group Meeting (and Who will be Prepared to Address Each Topic)
9. Date, Time, and Place of Next Study Group Meeting
10. Adjournment
strategy
What price shall we make the admission ticket to Brattleboro?
The talk of making people from elsewhere pay for the privilege of visiting and supporting Brattleboro still seems very strange to me.
Let’s say for the sake of argument that all towns adopt some sort of admission fee, as it is such a good idea. Would we continue to visit these places, or curse them as we passed through as we do when paying tolls in Delaware on 95? And what should we charge?
On one hand, charging admission could be an very good idea. Walt Disney World gets around $100 a day per person, in part because they want to visit a clean, old-fashioned Main Street. But Walt Disney World has other things, too, like topiary, fresh paint, music, parades, fireworks, and so on. People can stroll down their Main Street without concern for traffic.
(If we followed that model, we’d create parking areas on the edge of town, and provide trams into town. We’d focus on becoming a destination to attract people, and it would be done so well they’d pay for the experience.)
What seems missing from our local discussions is the other half of the equation. We lament the cost to us of providing services for visitors, but where is the calculation of the benefit of having people want or need to come to town? The discussions thus far seem to present a picture of freeloaders on the edge of town, rushing in to take our services for themselves and giving nothing back.
Likewise, what is the advantage to living in Brattleboro? The taxes on tourists, and parking fees and fines all apply to residents as well. Many efforts thus far to collect more from visitors has cost us more, too.
Want quick money from people passing through town? Set up collections on Cedar street as people cut through from Rt 30. Make anyone with an out of state plate pay a $10 donation. Volunteers with buckets could clear thousands each Sunday afternoon.
Of course, another strategy could be to make Brattleboro so unpleasant and expensive that no one from any surrounding areas ever visits, thereby eliminating all demands on our “services” from outsiders.
important work
This is an important issue that we started to discuss in the Finance Committee when I served on it. This is not about collecting tolls or off-loading more costs to our visitors. The real question is “what can we find a regional solution for that is a win for Brattleboro and the surrounding area?” We already have regional solutions for our public high school, our waste management district, etc. Are there other expenses that can be reduced overall by cooperating together? If we look at Windham County, it has the population of less than most mid-sized cities. Granted, our additional land mass makes a difference, but if we start to think about what we could do together we might start to find cool solutions.
I applaud the work of this group and look forward to some new ways of thinking –and I will bet that tolls are not on the list 🙂
What is on the list?
What is on the list?
The List
The current plan, as I understand it, is to have a report from this committee by the end of the year.
Good to hear
I was being a bit facetious about collecting admission, but that’s what it often sounds like when discussed at many meetings. A sort of “why aren’t they all paying for our wonderful services?” question often leads the discussion. I tried to take it to the extreme here to provoke a discussion.
It’s good to hear that there are other views being considered, and collaboration and cooperation, rather than fees and fines, might be a goal. Gartenstein said at the most recent SB mtg that the first meeting had scintillating discussion. It’ll be great to hear more.
Tolls, incidentally, were very much a part of early Brattleboro. To get over the West River, or to NH, there was a toll to be paid. Business folks found it a hinderance, and eventually Town Meeting took action to buy the bridges and eliminate the tolls altogether.
Thanks for the update, and hope I wasn’t off-putting.
And, charging admission to our village could work, but we’d need a monorail. : )
Pedicabs would be great.
Pedicabs would be great.
no off-putting
No off-putting at all, ever. I love how you push us to think, and both you and Rosa make me laugh and engage. I still like that image of the 300 dogs at the closed Exit 3 on Memorial Day… I think I will join them and bark loudly.
Chris, what are you referring
Chris, what are you referring to? Did I miss something somewhere? Have we now decided to charge admission to come into town? Please inform. Thanks