Hello! I wanted to take a moment to announce my run for Selectboard. I am excited to embark on this run and welcome any questions you might have. Feel free to email me: bstarr@brattbank.com. I have started a Facebook page facebook/brandiestarrforselectboard and will post questions and answers there as well.
Comments | 16
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
question 1
Cool news!
The obvious question – why?
Of course!
And the maybe obvious off the cuff answer: I have always loved politics, and specifically Vermont local level politics. I also have been inspired by Bernie Sanders (of course) and his emphatic statements about the importance of getting involved and making things happen.
Great news!
This news makes me very happy!
Platform of specific issues
While the off the cuff reasons of loving “Vermont local level politics” and being “inspired by Bernie Sanders” and, the “importance of getting involved and making things happen” are all feel-good characteristics, very little of it, if any, gets down to the nitty-gritty of governance.
What I see in your online links is someone who has traditional, Christian values, at the least in view, if not in actual practice, with a “we stand with love” ethos, and a positive-only, feel-good philosophy that is dynamically family-first and faith oriented.
However, while going through those online links it occurred to me that Brattleboro has significant populations that include the unemployed, single/individuals, a high poverty level, homelessness and a large majority (over 65%) of town residents who are not religious adherents or affiliated. (Vermont is the least religious state in the country.)
I have trouble seeing exactly how you would represent those people.
If you want to “make things happen,” other than the usual statistical, financial and other town infrastructure business, then a candidate platform of specific issues would be useful.
(I also recommend that you change the “brattbank” email you provided to another non-work related email. Also, I know people who do not (will not) use/have Facebook.)
Hi Vidda! I think it may
Hi Vidda!
I think it may become apparent in the upcoming weeks that I am pretty familiar with members of our community that you mention above; more so than people might think. I grew up in rural Central Vermont and was quite poor. My family (at that time) had the typical issues for that area, which were mostly seasonal work with significant gaps in employment, generational poverty, all that comes with it. We were the poor kids with taped shoes, and we hunted, not for sport but to fill the freezer for the winter. By age 12, I was in the foster care system and upon exiting the system, had a few very tumultuous years before finding my feet; including living in my car..
While I would now consider myself a Progressive I grew up in a Red area, and became familiar with Vermont Purple politics. With a way of life where people disagreed vehemently, but were still able to be civil, if not friendly with each other. Those are values I find to be extremely important, and are seemingly becoming forgotten. The strong sense of civic duty in Vermonters has also been a driving force for me. The idea that each of us who feel pulled to office, should do so without question. That a commitment to civic work is vital to the strength of a town, and a community.
It is always interesting to see how we are viewed by others! I have never exactly thought of myself in the way you did in your comment, it made me smile and sit back for a moment to think about that. I would not consider myself to be faith based in an organized religious way but in my life, I have had to have faith in myself and in life itself. Otherwise I would have drowned. Family first, without question. Led by hope, absolutely. And fierce on the issues I feel deeply about such as taking care of our children, supporting our families, and protecting civil rights, integrity, and a general human decency, without which I fear we can sink to some hairy places..
While I am not yet ready to dive into discussion on the technocratic side of town Government, I will say that one of my goals on a town level is to work to bridge the divide between Brattleboro Citizens and the Selectboard. One way to do that, is to be sure we elect people that we trust on a core values level. That we trust to use critical thinking, and represent the community, while also seeking to improve communication between the Selectboard and the Citizens. I would like to consider different ways that can help Citizens to feel that their voices are heard in all issues that come into play in this town. I will be writing about and speaking about this more in the next two weeks, and am always happy to answer questions.
Email: Best to use that one. My Gmail account is a spam nightmare, that I cannot seem to reign in no matter what I try!
Community Tool Box
Thanks Brandie, for responding, but I should point out, that your face book page (https://www.facebook.com/brandie.e.starr) has a top banner with a Christmas tree, with a photo on the left of you smiling sitting in front of a Christmas tree. To the right is a photo of you using a very specific hand-sign of the “The Francis Pledge” of the “Franciscan Action Network” where Dr. Elisabeth Vasko says, in part, “To be a Christian is to take sides with those who are marginalized, dehumanized and subject to violence.” (http://westandwithlove.org/franciscan-action-network/)
I didn’t say that this makes you an organized Christian. I definitely said that you share Christian values. I don’t doubt you have faith in yourself and life itself. Neither do I doubt you also have faith in Christian values.
But, when you say, we need to bridge the divide between town residents and the Selectboard, that, we need to “elect people that we trust on a core values level” that is troubling for more than one reason. “People that we trust on a core values level” is not all inclusive. It has a strong exclusionary feel about it.
It isn’t our shared core values that are important so much as it is coexisting with our different values.
Moreover, what I’m looking for, and I think some others are as well, is, in fact, that “technocratic side of town Government.” Therein lays the meat and potatoes of governance.
There are a minority of people who do feel the Selectboard ignores the wishes of the town residents. In fact, however, that is a myth. It is not an accident that in the recent poll here: “The best way to make my views known to the Town is definitely… a majority of respondents say:
>directly contact a Selectboard member
>attend a warned meeting and participate
>directly contact Town staff or Town Manager
http://ibrattleboro.com/polls/best-way-make-my-views-known-town-definitely ”
In a real sense, there is little need to bridge a perceived divide between the Selectboard and town folks. It’s not a perfect union. Still, it’s my opinion, that the Selectboard staff is likely one of the best in the state. What we need are people willing to fill the vacating terms for the hands-on Selectboard to make town decisions; sometimes, not always in the best interest of everyone, and, sometimes without benefit of everyone’s counsel.
Perhaps Brandie Starr will bring a fresh perspective
A couple of times I have had coffee with a Selectboard member and felt that the communication was good.
One of those times I complained to the Board member that by failing to speak up when the chair insulted myself and other members of the public, his silence was complicity. He was taken aback and embarrassed. Somehow he had been at the same meetings that I had attended: but from the other side of the dais, nothing appeared amiss to him. He apologized, quite sincerely. (Shortly thereafter, that particularly nasty chairman was defeated for re-election, so I never got to find out whether things would have been different the next time).
That was in the late 1990s. Since then, I have witnessed more than one chairperson act with varying degrees of rudeness, always seemingly backed by a dysfunctionally united board or at least a board in which not a single member would openly break ranks regardless of what they might say privately.
Since first encountering the Brattleboro Selectboard 33 years ago, there has always seemed to be a barrier between the Board and the public, even though we are all “ordinary” people and neighbors. Perhaps it is the ambiance of the room: stifling formality. A Board member who, on the street, might seem approachable, at a Tuesday night meeting becomes transformed by the self-importance of their illustrious position.
Regardless of what decisions are made, ideally the process should have been such that everyone feels they were treated fairly no matter how they feel about the particular decision. There are times when a member of the public complains that they have been unheard or treated unfairly, simply because the vote did not go their way. But real instances in which the public’s right to comment is treated as an unwelcome burden, and even greeted by insulting behavior from the Board, has too often been the norm.
One unfortunate tradition is that the chair is often appointed on the basis of having been on the board longest, rather than because that individual is expected to be the best choice. It would be better if all Selectboard members would remember that they are there to serve the best interests of the people, and that it is not a private club.
We have had empathetic individuals on the Board, but they never seem to have the nerve to break ranks by speaking up when the chair is out of line. Thus, even the best selectboard members have at times become enablers for the worst behavior.
Is there something we can do to humanize Brattleboro’s governing body? Will Brandie have the strength to break ranks when appropriate and the skill to do so effectively yet diplomatically?
Quite elementary
It’s power my friend. Remember the quote “…power corrupts”? It’s a common human failing, which comes about immediately power is relegated. Very rarely is one not adversely affected in their hearts and minds, when they are given power. The entire notion of one or the few leading “the masses” is basically as old-fashioned as feeding Christians to the lions. We all can represent ourselves now, 100%! We are equipped to submit to the public, our own proposals, coupled with a video or article stating our case. Then open it up for a discussion period, and then have it voted upon (By-the-way, a 51/49% ratio is woefully ridiculous because it means half the people are dissatisfied. That’s not good enough. So proposals have to appeal to at least 80% and any results over 80% are automatically passed – no need for more ado that that)
We don’t need government in any fashion; nor do we have to continue to pay them as we the people can also select project management companies to handle even the biggest public projects, choosing from companies we can see have the proper track record. When the project is over, end of story. No need to keep paying out. The idea of tenured government means they will look for ways to keep their jobs or satisfy the highest bidder and hence come up with all sorts of convolutions.
Climate Change
Brandie,
Th current Selectboard has done some things to address the town’s contribution to climate change and save the taxpayers money over the long haul – like moving forward on the landfill solar project. They have also dragged their feet or neglected to do other things, like implement the recommendations of the municipal energy audit or design police and fire stations that are high-performance from an energy-use standpoint and use renewable heating systems.
What is your view on climate change? How important to you is addressing it? What commitments have you made in your personal and family life to reducing your contribution to GCC? And how would you lead the town on this issue if you are elected?
Thanks,
Tad Montgomery
Addressing it is mandatory
Hi Tad! Climate change really is the end all issue. It terrifies me when I think of how utterly irreversible the damages will be if we do not get our act together. Even some of the damage already done may take enormous time to correct; assuming we actually put policies in place that aide in such a correction.
While I do nothing amazing or fancy right now in our home, we do fully embrace the curbside composting and recycling. We try to purchase things with less packaging. And between us and our awesome childcare center, our toddlers are quite used to composting and trash here is called waste (a subtle hint for us in the house). My Foster father works for a Vermont Solar Company, and I am very proud of the work he does, as is he. We light candles at home, as a main source of light once dinner is finished, and keep our heat as low as is prudent with toddlers. Not perfect, but I feel good about the direction.
I would lead the Town by making sure that I research and vote for climate preservation opportunities. Between myself, my father, and the Internet (ha!) as well as countless other local resources, I see no reason to not be able to do the research needed to help others understand how critical a vote for climate preserving policies would be.
"The sedge is wither'd from the lake, And no birds sing." ~Keats
Does global climate change really begin at home? The complexities of the changing climate, in so far as “man” is concerned, is so anchored in the global corporate picture now, that predictions it is too late are far more accurate and predictive of the future than what microcosms like the Brattleboro Selectboard and town will do.
I witnessed enough of our local halloween, thanksgiving, christmas and new year’s “excessive consumerism” in just this tri-state 25 mile radius to understand that people cannot change the basic tenets behind their holidays. To me, change is a code word for doing very little locally, nationally and globally with incremental steps that have little impact on change.
The time to change to protect our kid’s future on a local, national or global scale passed us by somewhere about 1965. The rest of it is catch-up as partial belated awareness grows.
It would take years for this Selectboard to change its local climate change policies to the point that real change and results either precedes or follows massive global change.
Burning candles is a quaint idea, though, it has little or nothing to do with climate changes except to possibly pollute the indoor air quality of your home.
Moreover, Brandie, Tad’s question notwithstanding, it’s unlikely you will “lead the town” to do anything. Even the Chair of the Selectboad has only one vote. Moreover, it is the Selectboard, working together, that leads the town by default of being our elected officials. Frankly, not even the town manager leads this town. Even if the Selectboard were reconfigured or “digitized” to take every resident’s opinion into consideration, referendums of any kind are not a major driver in Vermont.
However, as a private town resident, your options are wide open.
100% representation
Hi Brandie,
I would like to see Brattleboro become the first digital democracy in the world. I would even go and vote if a candidate made such a thing their platform. Nobody of course can represent me 100% other than myself. So why not use the tools we have today (computers) to achieve our desires? Quite simple really – but it means making selectmen obsolete which will happen eventually anyway. But I can see why the resistance – job security (at everyone’s expense!) With the tools we have today we could be the first to reach the promise of the 21st century here in Brattleboro! Wouldn’t that be exciting.
I must say I’d like to see a woman do it. But I’m not married to that. The most important thing is that a digital democracy will enable a truly egalitarian society. Having committees and the like is old fashioned now. We all want a say in our future and many good ideas are spawned by people outside committees. To leave the destiny of a people in the hands of the few who constitute a committee (and usually the same kind of people – those who seek approval from outsiders and don’t have conviction unless it’s “popular” or self-serving) To rely on the few to direct the many is folly indeed and the reason we are in such a cesspit.
What do you say Brandie? Should we at least open up the discussion for a better way? Or does this excite you too?
Interesting!
I think that is an interesting idea!. And you are correct, no one can represent you 100% other than yourself. I have some issue with the idea of Rep. Town Mtg. because of that. When I became interested in Vermont politics I lived in small places where everyone voted for everything, everyone got the budget packet…etc. I was unfamiliar with the Rep. method, and a bit confused by it, though I understand population constraints and so forth I guess…
I could not agree more that many great ideas are spawned by people outside of committees, and there is always the danger of the same people in all committees. While I am not sure how quickly Brattleboro would move fully digital, I certainly have aspirations of bringing a more digital component to the Town, and need to think about this more! I find the idea to be a smart one.
Fail-safe online security
In order for “Brattleboro become the first digital democracy in the world” it’s likely a Town Charter Commission would have to revise it, to be voted on in a town wide election.
Computers and the Internet are pretty fallible mechanism. The start to digitized voting would begin with fail-safe online and computer security. I support the R&D to that end.
Heard of this Brandie et al? CAFR?
Apparently every town has a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Not just towns but government agencies, departments, cities, states. This is the report that shows the complete income sources of these agencies which the public is never shown. The reports are sent to the media religiously when they are issued but they are never reported. Listen to Jerry Day and if you want more information, listen to the longer version from the man who discovered these accounting stockpiles, Walter J. Burien. He provides clear evidence of how they are construed. Jaw dropping information…
Jerry Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pRPBKJQnyU
Walter Burien: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkwjtbTjTsE
Good luck!
Holy heck, this thread makes me miss you all! Good luck, Brandie!