Major industrial development near Exit 1 got a hearty endorsement from the Brattleboro Selectboard on Tuesday evening. Over $1 million in loans and grants have been approved to be spent on an effort to convince a local employer to keep good paying jobs in Brattleboro. There are good odds that G. S. Precision will stay, but plans are not yet final.
A proposed Putney Road telecommunications tower was found to be objectionable enough to trigger a letter of concern to the Public Service Board, Groundworks collaborative will be moving forward to help the homeless with food and shelter through a planned resource center downtown, the Our Town grant selection committee was appointed, and more.
Preliminaries
Chair David Gartenstein said that the town’s role in economic development continues to be a question for discussion, and that the board will hold a special discussion on September 29 with the public to consider what role the town should play, locally and regionally, in supporting business and the economy.
Town Manager Peter Elwell reported that newly installed cameras on Fairground Road at the recycling spot had been catching people throwing out trash, which was leading to a series of $500 fines. He wanted those thinking of throwing trash there to know that the system was working, and that it was cheaper to just get a PAYT bag.
Elwell said downtown curbing would be installed soon, and the sidewalk project would be substantially complete by the end of September. Paving on Hinesburg Road was coming along, and a number of smaller paving projects were still on the schedule for this year.
Selectboard comments and committee reports were minimal, with David Schoales reporting that a solar installation was still planned for the landfill. He also noted that the old Planet Gas has been demolished and the area should look much nicer in the near future.
There was no Public Participation.
Liquor Commissioners
The Brattleboro Selectboard, acting as Liquor Commissioners, granted a special event permit to McNeill’s Pub and Brewery. The event will be at the New England Youth Theater on September 4 from 7 to 10 p.m.
The beer will be offered in conjunction with an event by the Vermont Performance Lab.
Telecommunications Tower
At their last meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard heard conflicting reports about a proposed new cell phone tower for Putney Road. An investigation into a compromise plan was requested before the board would be able to make a decision to support or fight the project in a letter to the Public Service Board.
Specifically, the board requested a visual impact illustration showing a shorter tower, a color change to brown or green, a request to investigate co-locating these services on the existing Buttonwood Hill mono-pine tower along I-91, and whether town equipment could be placed on the tower if built at 1277 Putney Rd.
This week, Blue Sky Towers (AT&T Mobility) returned, with Attorney Will Dodge from Downs Rachlin & Martin again acting as spokesperson. He did his best to answer the board’s prior concerns.
Dodge reported that co-locating on the existing tower would add to its visual impact by increasing the height about 10 feet, and would change the reception area. This would cause some gaps in service, but improve service in other areas. Overall, this location did not meet the needs of his client, who preferred the Putney Road location and the ability to serve the industrial area near Agway, Exit 3, and fill in gaps along I-91.
As for the Putney Road tower height, Mr. Dodge reported that 100 feet was definitely too low. He explained that the cell phone tower would need to be 120 feet, and also have permission to grow to 140 feet if the need arises in the future. “At 100 feet, we’d open a gap of dropped calls on the I-91 bridge, cells or data.”
The tower, he said, could be brown., and there was no objection to Brattleboro using a new tower as a location for communications equipment, as long as interference issues are mitigated.
Planning Director Rod Francis wasn’t there to offer a perspective, so the board weighed in with opinions and took a vote.
John Allen and David Schoales thought the new tower was necessary for the modern age, a necessary evil, and didn’t see any reason to object. Allen said that just about everyone had cell phones, and used them in the car. Schoales joked that he wanted to check email at the golf course. “Let it go ahead,” he said.
Donna Macomber said she felt strongly that a 120 foot tower with a capacity to rise to 140 feet should be opposed. She called it an eyesore for Putney Road, and didn’t buy the explanation that small gaps in coverage were a bad thing. “No crimes or fires go unattended due to lack of cell phone coverage” in Brattleboro, she said.
Kate O’Connor said she saw both the need and the objections, but thought the most responsible thing to due would be to outline objections to the Public Service Board in a letter. “We need to say something about it.”
Gartenstein agreed with O’Connor and Macomber. “My perspective is that it is too much of an installation at that location,” he said, showing one of the sample images displaying a rather massive, unadorned cell tower looming large over Agway.
He said the board had received a letter from Cocoplum Appliances, speaking on behalf of businesses north of Exit 3, who had concerns that their pleasant view of Mt. Wantastiquet, enjoyed by employees and customers alike, would be forever harmed if this tower is built.
In a split vote, 3-2, the board decided to send a letter stating objections to the proposed project. Allen and Schoales voted against sending the letter.
VCDP Planning Grant
Groundworks Collaborative, the organization created by the merging of Morningside Shelter and the Brattleboro Drop-In Center, has positioned itself for a Vermont Community Development Program planning grant. The $30,000 request, if granted, will be used to support the Groundworks Housing Resource Center planning project.
Josh Davis of Groundworks explained. He said that the merger of the two organization led to a realization that a new location to distribute resources was needed, and this led to looking at downtown properties.
The resource center could end up at 39 Frost Street, and will be a place that assists those in need of housing and access to food. Before committing to that location, a feasibility study will be undertaken. The grant would pay for this preliminary study to see if programs can fit into the property, come up with a design and costs, look at funding potential, and to do environmental testing.
Bob Stevens said he hoped the work would be done by the end of the year, and the project could then go to the next stage. Adding to the time-pressure is an urgent need to replace the overflow space used at the Baptist church before the fall of 2016.
Over 11 percent of Windham County’s population lives in poverty, according to a 2015 study.
To get the grant in motion, the Selectboard held a public hearing and approved the Groundworks grant application, designated town staff to be official contacts, and ponied up $5,500 from program income (money paid back from loans made by the town) in support of the project.
Town Manager Peter Elwell said that this grant was one result of many recent efforts and discussions of issues around homelessness.
David Schoales encouraged Groundworks to come back and give a status report update when this preliminary phase wraps up.
VCDP Implementation Grant
In a very similar item, the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation was looking Tuesday evening to the same source, VCDP, for one million dollars to support their Exit 1 Expansion project.
Adam Grinold of BDCC said that in April, G. S. Precision announced plans to expand – in New Hampshire. This led to a major collaborative effort to keep the company and its existing (and 100 expected new) jobs in Brattleboro. The effort has resulted in a mix of local, state, and federal programs and partnerships, he reported.
Grinold said that by the time this grant is awarded, other tools and resources would come together so G. S. Precision could “make the decision to retain and expand in Brattleboro.”
David Gartenstein said that G. S. Precision had been making “nice comments” about the work being done and the “potential for keeping jobs here.”
Peter Elwell said that the collaboration was making best use of each of the partners. He said that Brattleboro is contributing the Town’s expertise in getting and managing federal and state grants. “G. S. Precision sees how motivated we are.”
The project will acquire and expand two industrial buildings, update the equipment and fixtures in them, and add additional land, buildings, and parking in the area.
Patrick Moreland said that the state requires municipalities to be the applicants, and that the money will be sub-granted to BDCC by the town. He said Town staff would also oversee the grant process, to make sure things are conforming to federal and state guidelines.
Elwell assured the board that while it sounded complicated, “it isn’t as much work as it sounds like.” He said it was important work, though, and is a small investment of time that was well worth it.
Kate O’Connor said that this was exactly what the funds were intended for, and that Brattleboro has a good record of asking for money “for the right projects.”
“And this is right,” she added.
“Absolutely,” agreed Gartenstein.
O’Connor sits on the state committee that makes the decisions about these grants, but abstains from those votes so she can comment in her role as Selectboard member. She explained that the two VCDP grants discussed would not be in conflict with one another when they reach the committee. “These are two different pots,” she said, of the planning and implementation grant monies.
As with the Groundworks grant earlier, the Brattleboro Selectboard held the public hearing and approved the grant application. Town staff were designated as official contacts, too. And for this project, Brattleboro offered a loan of $200,000 in support of the project. Brattleboro’s $200,000 loan comes from program income, a fund of money that is replenished and grown when loans are repaid. With this loan, almost half of the available funds to loan or grant will be in use.
GHSP Grant
Brattleboro accepted and appropriated an annual Highway Safety Law Enforcement Grant for 2016 at just under $42,000. The funds will go toward efforts to improve highway safety, reduce DUIs, increase seatbelt use, and reduce deaths and serious injuries due to collisions.
An in-kind, in-service match is required. These funds come via federal programs and are distributed by the state.
(GHSP is the Governor’s Highway Safety Program.)
Parking Ordinance Changes – First Reading
The Brattleboro Selectboard held the first of two public readings of proposed changes to the parking ordinances in town, which will have an impact on loading and unloading zones and no parking areas on Flat Street, and the parking citation appeals process.
Patrick Moreland reviewed the specific changes with the board. The first change was to bring current practices in line with the code of ordinances by correctly identifying the loading and unloading zone on the north side of Flat Street near Main. Moreland said the location of the zone was moved long ago, but the code doesn’t currently reflect that location accurately.
The second change is to get rid of the single parking space in front of the old Sanel Auto Parts building on Flat Street. This space causes problems with access when there is snow, and blocks driver’s views of pedestrians, said Moreland.
The final change is to codify an appeals process for those receiving parking citations.
All of these proposed changes are available from the Town manager’s office at the Municipal Center, and public comment and feedback is encouraged.
NEA Our Town Grant Selection Committee
The Brattleboro Selectboard nominated and appointed members to the Our Town grant Selection Committee, the group assigned with the task of choosing the winning entries from the list of finalists, and making a recommendation back to the board of their decision.
There were seven applicants. Before appointing, the board had to decide how many people to have on the committee. David Schoales enthusiastically suggested a seven person board, and his colleagues agreed.
Susan Rosano, Meg Barr, Jessica Gelter, Gordon Hayward, Tara Sullivan, Sarah Bowen, and Konstantin von Krusenstern were then appointed to the committee.
A special meeting on September 29 to hear public comment on their recommendations has been scheduled. Another public meeting may be scheduled for residents to review the proposed projects, but the date and location have not been set.
Recreation & Parks Board Appointment
The Brattleboro Selectboard appointed Todd Fontaine to the Recreation & Parks board until June 2017.
Dogwood Drive
A new private road in Black Mountain Estates, off Buttonwood Drive, will henceforth be known as Dogwood Drive.
VLCT Delegate
The board appointed Town Manager Peter Elwell to be Brattleboro’s voting representative at the Vermont League of Cities and Towns Annual Business Meeting on October 8.
Economic Development
Top of the list for economic development should be significantly faster internet connections for everyone.
Athens, VT is faster than Brattleboro, and hence, a better place to locate an internet-related business.
Here’s a city in NC that is thinking ahead.
Why did the city start delivering high speeds? Business!
“The reason for 10 gig is economic development… This is really geared toward attracting businesses that need this type of bandwidth and have it anywhere they want in the city.”
and
“Salisbury residents can also buy Internet service from Time Warner Cable or AT&T. But city officials concluded years ago that they would need to build their own network to make sure residents and businesses could get the fastest broadband speeds.”
This is low hanging fruit, with the backbone riding right through town. And much more useful to economic development than a new cell phone tower, in my view.
ugh
“Donna Macomber said she felt strongly that a 120 foot tower with a capacity to rise to 140 feet should be opposed. She called it an eyesore for Putney Road, and didn’t buy the explanation that small gaps in coverage were a bad thing. “No crimes or fires go unattended due to lack of cell phone coverage” in Brattleboro, she said.”
“Gaps in cell phone coverage not a bad thing…” “No crimes or fires go unattended due to the lack of cell phone coverage”
Make sure to read that one twice folks, and let it sink in.
What an incredibly stupid statement. Next time you drop a call driving between exits on 91, or you can’t look up directions or check a store’s hours while in the northern sprawl district of Brattleboro, make sure to loudly thank Donna Macomber.
Visual issues are important and can be mitigated to some degree, but statements like this just make me shake my head in disbelief that this is the rationale that goes into infrastructure decisions here.
I kinda agree with Macomber
No one should be on the phone on I-91, in my view. One can pull off the road and talk. (Maybe a kid in the backseat playing online would like a connection, but they can drop a bit of service and look out the window.) I bet the vast majority calls currently made and dropped in those areas are non-emergency and are things that can wait a minute or two.
Of course, I’m not a cell phone user. I check directions and hours, if I think I’ll need them, before I go anywhere. My car is for driving, not research. I also don’t mind being a tiny bit lost for a moment or two. It’s Vermont, and usually pretty nice.
And, if there were an emergency on I-91 in a gap, I’m certain that someone would be calling to report it as soon as the service was strong again. Ie, in about 10 seconds. I agree that it wouldn’t go unreported. I don’t fear for my safety one bit by a cellphone gap. I do fear drivers messing with their phones, which I see too often.
I’ll try to get the rendering of the tower they plan near Agway to show everyone. To my eye, it is enormous and hideous. It will be very obvious and dominating. If they were planning it for downtown, people would scream. Not worth it, in my view. Other options, please…
Of course, I’m sure that for cell phone users, the map of coverage area and gaps is as frustrating to them as the map of V-Tel’s super-fast internet connections north of us is to me. If they were building a tower for high-speed internet connectivity, or free TV, I might be arguing the other side. : )
But, in terms of this
But, in terms of this proposed tower being an eyesore – isn’t that area already commercial? And, once you get past the Marina heading towards the rotary and beyond isn’t most of Putney Road an eyesore? Fast food restaurants; gas stations; empty buildings; cheap motels. The cell phone service is terrible in this town – there are dead spots from one end of town to the other. I don’t think anyone should be making calls while they’re driving but wouldn’t this tower improve service for residents and businesses alike?
Isn’t this decision by the Selectboard putting the town further behind in attracting new businesses?
Cell Tower Needed
It’s ridiculous that we keep arguing about this in our town. Cell phone reception is something nearly every other place has provided – especially along highways. Putney Road is already a commercial district, and a cell tower makes perfect sense there.
Mobile devices are a fact of life and many cars have bluetooth technology built right in. People use their mobile devices for more than just calls – they are used to stream music, watch movies, etc.
Its time this town put its energies where they matter – not a mobile tower in an industrial district. There are far bigger issues than this.
That area of Putney Road is
That area of Putney Road is not exactly untouched wilderness, a tower there is not going to detract from anything and yes, I think there needs to be some thought around here about decisions to attract more business. This town isn’t going to be able to grow, not to mention grow the Grand List, if the two main employers are the schools and the hospital. That doesn’t bode well. We need faster internet and some things will have to give a bit. It’s the perfect area to put something like this as the area already is a bit overdeveloped and those who oppose it had best not then be complaining that businesses aren’t relocating here.
You drive a CAR??
People shouldn’t be traveling over 10 MPH in my view. There’s no necessity you can’t reach from Brattleboro at horse & buggy speeds. For anything farther than that, a phone call should do. A cell phone call.
But seriously, I’m considering getting rid of my landline. Most younger people already have – or never had one to begin with. My cell phone, my inexpensive Windows phone, can make calls and texts to anywhere in the world, from anywhere in the world with the right sim card & service. I can bring the internet along with me and access it by cell or WiFi – I’ve checked iBrattleboro on my phone from quite literally halfway around the world. Any number of free or low cost applications do everything from connecting to friends, colleagues, and news sources to tuning my ukulele!
At this point, landlines seem about as relevant as a telegraph. And I say this as someone whose first career involved Morse Code.
It can be made attractive
I never said I liked landlines, either. We can get rid of all the telephone poles, too. : )
I basically dislike all phones. Not seeing the person while talking bugs me, and more often than not, what I hear on the phone is often bad news. Maybe this stems from having to pay long distance charges for international breakup call just after college. : )
I like video phones, though, so you can see who you are talking to and if they are paying attention. FaceTime anytime. And email is great – a record of what was communicated, easily accessed.
They sell non-phone devices to do all the internet-related things you mention. I use a Touch from Apple. Works everywhere there is wifi, has FaceTime, and no one can call me. I wouldn’t want to inflict a wifi tower on anyone, though. I don’t mind spotty wifi coverage. I expect it.
Again, I’m for technology. Just not ugly, large towers. Make it look nice! (Oh, but that would add cost… oh dear!).
Zoning problem
I used an iPod Touch for years, myself. But after a while the Touch seemed sort of like a iPhone that failed at being an iPhone. Being WiFi-dependent is unsatisfactory for reliable mobile communications, particularly when traveling, and especially when traveling overseas.
If it’s aesthetics that you’re concerned about, perhaps the problem is less with phones or technology than with zoning. Conditional uses can include an aesthetic component.
The Tower
FYI, Here’s the proposed 120 foot tower. The plan is to allow it to be raised to 140 feet, with more equipment put on it.
I’m not against cell phone coverage per se, but other options discussed (shorter, or co-located on an existing tower) are being rejected in favor of this thing.
I find the area north of Exit 3 to be not so ugly right now. Fulflex field is nice open green space. The views of the mountain are great up there. It’s the gateway to ruralness. Nothing up there is this tall, not even the TEA sign.
Industrial offices, manufacturing, and so on… sure. Buildings are low. A 140′ tower so people can watch movies or avoid the radio in their cars? Seems like a poor solution, but it will happen.
This will be approved and built. Everyone will get to talk, watch movies, and stream media while driving about. Progress!
Whoa. That looks pretty
Whoa. That looks pretty intense. Seems there must be somewhere to put it around here where it wouldn’t be so obvious. There are a lot of backroads off Putney. What about out by the Composting Place. It would still be seen but I think placing it off road somewhere would make it look less imposing. Seems there’s a better location. Thanks for posting this Chris. Now I’m thinking maybe the SB had a point. At least about this particular location.
There must be some way to put a tower without it being this imposing. I can’t imagine that other places are okay-ing this sort of “look”. And by the way, I don’t mind the TEA sign at all. I find it kind of quaint. And since the restaurant is back off the road they do need some sort of obvious signage. Maybe they could put up that huge tower with the TEA sign blazing atop of it. That would be kind of art-y, wouldn’t it? We could call it a public works project or a conceptual piece.