The Brattleboro Selectboard was impressed by a presentation from Jennifer Fitch of Vtrans regarding the new repairs for Elliot Street bridge, which she said would be done quickly, at high quality, and come at a bargain price for the town. The only thing that could stand in the way of a summer bridge repair now are the bats.
In addition, the board authorized the town manager to negotiate for every other week garbage pickup, Police Fire Facility questions remain, the Green Street retaining wall will be repaired, a new design review committee was formed, and the downtown organization made its annual visit to present their workplan and budget for a delay in approval.
Preliminaries
Chair David Gartenstein said that this was the ninth weekly meeting in a row, that another meeting will be held next week, then there would be two weeks off before meeting every week in January. He noted the bank robbery and bomb scare yesterday, saying that law enforcement was investigating and would continue to keep the community safe.
Town Manager Peter Elwell thanked Jerry Carbone formally for his years of service. He said Carbone went beyond being a public servant, and that everyone was invited to wish him well at an open house at the library this Friday.
No selectboard comments, committee reports, nor public participation.
Liquor
The Brattleboro Selectboard, acting as liquor commissioners, granted a first class liquor license to The Flamingo Diner, located at 109 Canal Street. It’s being operated by the former owner of the Backside Café and a new partner, and will be a new enterprise unlike the former restaurant.
Elliot Street Bridge Repairs
A true highlight of the meeting was the energetic and on point presentation made by Jennifer Fitch of VTrans. It was, in this reporter’s opinion, one of the best presentations ever made to the board — quick, informative, and fun.
Fitch is a project manager who does scoping studies for all bridge projects done by the state. She brought engineers working on the project with her to explain the process, constraints, and plans for repairing the Elliot Street bridge. They handed out remote-control polling devices to everyone in the room.
She gave a quick overview then jumped into some poll questions so attendees could register their poll responses. Who do you represent? How often do you use the bridge? Why are you attending? Poll results were instantly incorporated into a slideshow presentation.
Fitch explained the parts of a bridge, from the deck surface that we drive on down to the substructure holding the whole thing up.
She told the board it was an historic bridge, built in 1946, and that it was considered narrow by current standards. 640 vehicles pass over it during its peak hour of use.
She said they could do nothing, make patches, or replace the deck entirely, and would like to do the entire deck. Plans call for it to be widened by a foot or so to give more room for pedestrians and bikes. The load capacity will also be increased in this repair, which Finch said would last for 30 to 40 years.
Fitch showed the board the historic rail that would be added, calling it the prettiest option available.
VTrans weighed options for a work schedule and decided they could complete the work in 8 weeks if the bridge were closed entirely while work was done.
In exchange, Brattleboro would be allowed to pay a 2.5% funding match, just $15,000, and the state would kick in the rest. It is all part of the state’s Accelerated Bridge Program. This project would normally take many years, but is being raced through in under a year, if possible.
“We’re bringing you a deal,” said Fitch. But there was a potential catch. The town had to arrange for a detour during the project. “Done!” said someone in the room.
More poll questions: how long could the bridge be closed, what impact concerns you the most, what design issues concern you?
Fitch had another caveat. There might be bats. If there are bats roosting under the bridge come work season, no work can be done. They are endangered.
Luckily, the Vtrans team has some ideas for keeping bats from returning there after the winter, and they hope to have good assistance from the environmental arm of the state offices.
Everyone was impressed with the presentation, and happy to have a cheap bridge done well coming our way.
“That was fun,” said a smiling David Gartenstein.
Police-Fire Facilities Project
Three Police Fire facility issues were discussed by the Brattleboro Selectboard: should the projects be phased, does the board need other options, and what should be the schedule going forward.
The first two were resolved quickly. No phasing and no more options needed was the consensus.
The issue of the schedule was mostly a calendar issue, except for the fact that there wasn’t clear agreement on how much more public input, via meetings, ballots, or other means, was necessary. Some board members wanted more information from voters; others felt their job was to present the best option and let voters decide.
Gartenstein suggested a schedule that would finalize a warning by the end of January, hold an informational meeting in February, allow a non-binding vote on the March 1st ballot, hold a special Representative Town meeting to discuss the facilities and bonding, then a regular Representative Town Meeting to do the regular yearly business.
Others groaned at the idea of so many meetings. “We need to make a decision,” said John Allen. “We’ve done what we can. We have Representative Town Meeting. I’m not in favor of doing another ballot question.”
Schoales agreed. “At some point we’ve done what we can and people need to make up their minds. if we think there is a best one to do, let’s recommend it. Run for town rep and come vote!”
Kate O’Connor said she was conflicted. She wanted it all to pass, but didn’t want them to rush into a path that might cause trouble down the line. “It sounds simpler than it is in some ways. We need to think it through. We don’t need it to collapse again.”
“We don’t have control over that,” answered Allen.
Gartenstein said it might be nice to be able to gauge the sentiment of the electorate as a whole, emphasizing the word “might.”
O’Connor wasn’t convinced, pointing out that while the five of them on the board may like the plans, there were others in town. “We could be back to where we were before. Presentations have been well done, but we haven’t asked people what they think.”
“I want to ask the question,” she continued. “We need to make that effort. If no one comes, no one comes.”
The board contemplated using alternatives to meetings and postcards, and considered advocating for their preferred choice, which they’ve hinted at (police station on Black Mountain Road) but have yet to formally declare.
Dick DeGray urged them to make a decision and send it to Representative Town Meeting, telling them that the onus was on them to make a decision. He suggested their quest for public input would only lead to frustration.
Louise Zak said she had been at all the meetings and didn’t know that any consensus on the project had been reached. She suggested the board take their top suggestions and get them out before the public for comment in the paper, here on iBrattleboro, and elsewhere.
Franz Reichsman agreed. “This is a political process,” he told the board. “The politics of this are that if you can agree on a proposal, that sets the stage for convincing the public this is the right way to go ahead. “ He said that if they make a decision, there were lots of tools at their disposal that they do not currently use.
He told them they couldn’t complain to voters about attendance at meetings. “You have to engage more actively in selling.” He suggested using the internet, and perhaps taking a real poll.
“If you know what you think, you don’t need to ask what people think,” he said. “People will go along, I think.”
Solid Waste Matters
In the continuing saga of the Windham Solid Waste Management District, we learn of a breakthrough of sorts. The WSWMD board agreed to set up a committee to look into and suggest a possible plan for a fee for service payment system. It might be ready for next year.
This was enough to convince the board to authorize approval of the WSWMF budget for FY17.
Brattleboro will get two of the five seats on the committee, and meetings will be open to the public.
…
The Brattleboro Selectboard authorized the Town manager to forge a new contract with Triple T to have trash picked up every other week. Compost and recycling will continue to be picked up weekly. This change only affects bag pickup.
Going to every other week trash bag pickup is projected to save about $96,188 in FY17. In return, Triple T is getting a 5 year extension of their contract.
The board felt this was a good way to reduce services and save money without a tremendous impact, as evidenced by what they see as success of the composting program.
Green Street Retaining Wall Contract
Renaud Brothers of Vernon were awarded the $386,379 contract to repair the Green Street retaining wall and the sidewalk that goes along the top edge. They had the lowest of five bids.
Funding will come in part from a $300,000 Urgent Needs Grant from the state, as well as Town Meeting Representatives’ prior authorization of funds.
Monthly Finance Report with John O’Connor
Finance Director John O’Connor gave the board their monthly overview of the numbers for November.
With 41.7% of the fiscal year complete in November, the total General Fund expenditures were at 41.9% of the annual budget. The Utilities Fund was at 44.3% and the Parking Fund was at 33.4% of their respective budgets. The newish Solid Waste Disposal Fund had expended 39.7% of its budget, with revenues at 41.9%.
The town has loaned out just under $4 million and has just under $320,000 on hand to loan or grant from program income.
We have 41 active grants and 4 in the pipeline.
Community Development Block Grant
Brattleboro approved and authorized an application for aa addition to a community development block grant in the amount of $45,000 from the Vermont Community Development Program. The money, if granted, will be used to support the “Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) Portfolio Enhancement III project.”
The money, if received, will be used to make improvements and restructure debt on their properties at 99 and 109 Green Street, 13 Canal Street, 11 Cross Street, and 90 Clark Street.
If this sounds familiar, it is. The selectboard previously approved an application for funds for this work to be done, but bids received to do the work were over what was budgeted by about a million dollars.
WWHT is proposing to close that financial gap with a number of different changes to the project and alternative funding efforts, of which this $45,000 grant request is one.
The board agreed.
DBA Workplan, Budget, and Representative Town Meeting Request
As is annually the case, the designated downtown organization, now known as DBA, or the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance, presents their workplan and budget to the board for approval, and asks for a request to be put on the Representative Town Meeting agenda for their annual dispensation.
Also an annual tradition, it seems, is friction between the selectboard and the organization, made more intriguing this year by watching former inquisitor and Selectboard Chair Dick DeGray, now in the proverbial hot seat, answer questions posed to him by the current selectboard. He was joined by Ted Kramer and Greg Worden.
Kramer gave an overview of the current projects and accomplishments, and told the board how the workplan and budget were created.
This year, as before, the organization is asking $78,000 of the downtown improvement district property owners in taxes to support its work, which includes decorations, promotions, and economic development.
Michelle Simpson-Siegel, Executive Director of DBA, was unable to attend, but alerted the Selectboard late Tuesday afternoon by email that $25,000 of surplus funds had been identified, and listed ways the money would be spent by DBA.
The surplus was the focus of David Gartenstein’s questions. He wanted to know where it came from, and why the request for $78,000 shouldn’t be reduced accordingly.
DeGray said the funds came primarily from not having a program coordinator for so long, and that they had polled the members of DBA and they agreed the surplus should be spent on downtown improvements rather than tax savings.
John Allen expressed his annual confusion about the organization, which led DeGray to defend his work planting flowers and decorating for holidays for the organization. He said that as a taxpayer, he was pleased with his efforts. “Maybe I’m doing the work, but I do it because I enjoy it. The feedback is positive.”
He said his work was valuable, and it would cost the organization more if they didn’t have someone like he and his wife volunteering.
This led Allen back to his original confusion about the organization. “Once you are done, will it all go away?”
DeGray said the DBA board was aware that the budget amount for flowers would increase if he stopped doing it.
The selectboard told DeGray that the comments weren’t personal, and that it was simply diligent to inquire about a sudden surplus.
The board sent DBA away without approval of the workplan or budget, and will discuss that matter again after more information about the surplus is supplied.
Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Brattleboro Selectboard formally adopted the town’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The document is used in case of emergency, and helps us stay in the good graces of FEMA.
FEMA requested that the selectboard read a certificate of adoption. They adopted it, but didn’t read the proclamation-like document, which went something like this:
Whereas Brattleboro has been hit by natural disasters, and whereas we have approval of our hazard plans, and whereas the plan has strategies, and whereas it recommends some projects, and whereas saying all this will mean we get money to alleviate effects of future hazards, it is resolved that the plan is adopted, etcetera, etcetera.
Gartenstein asked if the board hadn’t previously approved something similar.
“It comes to you in snippets in your dreams,” said Rod Francis, Planning Director. “Oh, that’s a personal thing? I thought everyone had that.” He said the board had approved something similar — a draft.
Design Review Committee Begins
The new Land Use Regulations recently approved by the town are now in effect, and these new rules call for the creation of a Design Review Committee for development in the four Historic Overlay Districts in town. It is a new, three member committee that is being formed. You can join it.
Some skills are required for this position, such as knowledge of historic guidelines, an ability to read plans and maps, and some familiarity with historic buildings. The committee members will review architectural drawings and make site visits as part of their review process.
Appointments January 19th.
Other
There was a nice handwritten note in the meeting packet urging the town to keep the Police Station downtown. The writer says she lives alone, has no car, and relies on the police. She says she knows she can walk to the station, if necessary.
What happened to getting
What happened to getting public opinion on how the reduced trash pickup would impact people? It’s as though the rather large communities of elderly and physically disabled people don’t even exist to the Selectboard. The PAYT program is only a few months old and already another big change. You know that people will be confused as to exactly what weeks the trash gets picked up and that an additional week’s amount of trash will make it that much more difficult for anyone with mobility or physical fragility to haul the barrels to the curb.
But, I guess if a decision doesn’t negatively impact the Selectboard members then it should be fine for everyone else. You’d be hard pressed to find a town where the people in charge know less about those they represent.
That was your chance. last night, to speak up
No public came to the warned meeting to speak out, so the board may have interpreted that as no one caring. (If elderly and physically disabled people just came to more meetings… : ) )
The only anticipated problem they spoke of was that some worried that it my be a health issue to have it sit the extra week, but due to compost pickup, they thought it wouldn’t be a problem. No one mentioned storing or carrying twice as much.
Kate was really the only one last night to point out that there were other people in the community who have opinions that count. She clearly stated that they were only five, and they may represent the community at large. Donna, on the other hand, congratulated the board for being a microcosm of the community. This was all in relation to Police and Fire facilities, not waste.
Single stream recycling vanished from the plans somehow, too.
On a purely personal level
On a purely personal level it’s pretty difficult to get to meetings – particularly at night. I have a disease that impacts my mobility and on “bad” days ( and nights) I often can’t walk from one end of my apartment to the other without extreme pain and using crutches. I can no longer drive so it means walking – in the dark- or taking a taxi. I have, however, voiced my opinions on how their decisions often impact the invisible communities of Brattleboro: ie> the elderly, disabled and poor ( and if you’re all three of those things forget it- you barely exist in the grand scheme of SB decisions. I have sent many emails and actual letters to the SB and have never – not even once – received any kind of reply from either this SB or the past board. That’s what I mean about them not actually wanting anyone’s opinion but their own. My understanding was that they would hold albeit reluctantly – at least one community meeting geared towards getting input on changing the trash pick up.
Making a decision about it without ANY public comment seems arrogant, uncaring and …oh, wait…. They often seem to forget that, as Kate obviously mentioned , there are other people in town besides them. I’ll be very curious to see what further changes we’ll get hit with when this “money saving” option ends up not saving as much money as they thought. I wonder what other services will be cut or reduced then?