Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – January 16, 2024

At their next regular meeting , the Brattleboro Selectboard will approve budgets for FY25 to send along to Representative Town Meeting, including their plans to use what remains of ARPA funds.

The board will also hear from the Downtown Alliance and Chamber of Commerce  (two of several organizations that foster economic growth, attract new business, and enhance the overall economic well-being of the community) for new funding to pay for someone to “foster economic growth, attract new business, and enhance the overall economic well-being of the community.”

You can bring up other items not on the agenda, if the Chair allows, during Public Participation.

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The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212). Prior to the regular meeting, at 5:30pm, the Board will convene and is expected to immediately enter into executive session to discuss contracts. Invited into the executive session are Town Manager John Potter and Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland. No action will be taken in executive session. The public may also participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

 

 

Jessica Sticklor (she/her/hers)

Executive Assistant

Town of Brattleboro

230 Main Street, Suite 208

Brattleboro, VT 05301

(802) 251 – 8115

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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2024

SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM + ZOOM

EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:30 PM

REGULAR MEETING – 6:15 PM

The physical location for this meeting will be the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center

at 230 Main Street.

If you join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, please use this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:

860 6789 2659

Passcode: 12261753

You also can call in using your telephone

by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States:

833-548-0282

877-853-5247

888-788-0099

833-548-0276

(*6 Mute/Unmute – *9 Raise Hand)

The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV:

On Cable TV: Channel 1079

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-1079-livestream

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv

AGENDA

(please note that all times are approximate)

1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING (6:15 PM)

2. APPROVE MINUTES – January 2, 2024 and January 5, 2024

3. CHAIR’S REMARKS

4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS

5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (6:25 PM)

7. CONSENT AGENDA (6:30 PM)

A. Brattleboro Luv Crawl Special Event Permit – Authorize

B. 2024 Municipal Planning Grant – Accept

C. Pre-Bond Issuance Resolutions – Approve

8. NEW BUSINESS (6:35 PM)

A. Downtown Brattleboro Alliance and Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce Marketing Initiative

and Economic Development Update and Funding (6:35 PM)

B. Approve Selectboard Budgets (7:00 PM)

i. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Budget (7:00 PM)

ii. FY25 Capital Fund Budget (7:50 PM)

iii. FY25 General Fund Budget (8:00 PM)

C. Draft Warning for Representative Town Meeting (8:30 PM)

D. Quarterly Financial Report (FY24, Oct.-Dec.) – Accept (8:45 PM)

9. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI

A. Warrants and Department Reports

10. MEETINGS

See Town Calendar

11. ADJOURNMENT (9:00 PM)

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MEMORANDUM

To: Selectboard

From: John Potter, Town Manager

Re: Administrative Report

Date: January 12, 2023

——————————

The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Tuesday,

January 16, 2024. The Board will convene the regular meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard

Meeting Room and on Zoom. All times listed below are approximate, and interested parties should

monitor the meeting if they do not want to miss an agenda item.

Join the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, using this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659

The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:

860 6789 2659

Passcode: 12261753

You also can call in using your telephone

by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States:

833-548-0282

877-853-5247

888-788-0099

833-548-0276

(use *6 to Mute/Unmute, *9 to raise Hand)

The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV:

On Cable TV: Channel 1079

Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-1079-livestream

Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv

7. CONSENT AGENDA (6:30 PM)

A. Brattleboro Luv Crawl Special Event Permit – Authorize

B. 2024 Municipal Planning Grant – Accept

C. Pre-Bond Issuance Resolutions

In a memorandum dated January 16, 2024 Town Clerk Hilary Francis discusses the Special Event Permit application for the Brattleboro Luv Crawl. This event pairs Vermont brewers and distillers with area merchants who have agreed to keep their doors open to shoppers during the evening. Alcohol dispensing will be set up in compliance with the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery regulations. The memo also discusses the five confirmed store sponsored partnerships. Kate Trzaskos from the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance (DBA) will be in the meeting to answer any questions, should this be pulled from the Consent Agenda. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve the five special event and catering permits outlined in Francis’ January 16, 2024 memo, at the locations specified.

In a memorandum dated January 8, 2024 Planning Director Sue Fillion discusses the FY24 Municipal Planning Grant application that was authorized by the Board in October of 2023. The Town was recently informed that they were awarded the full funding of $45,000. This grant will go toward creating a Windham Region Cultural Plan with the towns of Wilmington and Rockingham. There is a $5000 match that will be divided by each of the municipalities. The Planning Commission supports this project, and the Town Arts Committee has been informed of this. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will accept and appropriate the FY24 Municipal Planning Grant.

In a memorandum dated January 10, 2024 Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland explains that when an applicant to the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank goes collectively to market, each applicant is required to have an approved bond counsel review the steps taken by the municipality to ensure that all necessary steps have been followed. Brian Monaghan of Monaghan, Safar, PLLC, is serving as bond counsel for the Town and after review, he has provided the Town with a Necessity Resolution that outlines and affirms each of the steps taken. The Board is asked to review the resolutions and possibly sign them. Included in the Board materials are the Resolutions of Necessity for the Generational Improvements at Living Memorial Park and the Phase 1 Water System Improvements. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will execute a Resolution of Necessity for the Generational Improvements at Living Memorial Park and the for the Phase 1 Water Systems Improvements, as presented.

ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS PRESENTED.

8. NEW BUSINESS (6:35 PM)

A. Downtown Brattleboro Alliance and Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce Marketing Initiative and Economic Development Update and Funding (6:35 PM)

In a memorandum dated January 12, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance’s and Chamber of Commerce’s proposal for a community and economic development initiative for Brattleboro called THRIVES. The DBA would like to establish an economic and community development strategy that allocates funds for an Economic Development Coordinator, whose role is to foster economic growth, attract new business, and enhance the overall economic well-being of the community. Included in the Board’s materials is a detailed description of this proposed initiative as well as a proposed budget. Also included in the Board’s backup materials is the requested five-year review of the Community Marketing Initiative and a discussion of the THRIVES initiative from DBA Director Kate Trzaskos. Trzaskos and Chamber of Commerce Director Greg Lesch will be in the meeting to answer any of the Board’s or the publics’ questions.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ALLOCATE <INSERT AMOUNT> FROM THE TOWN’S REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO FUND THE DOWNTOWN BRATTLEBORO ALLIANCE AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL, AS PRESENTED, OR AMENDED>.

B. Approve Selectboard Budgets (7:00 PM)

i. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Budget (7:00 PM)

ii. FY25 Capital Fund Budget (7:50 PM)

iii. FY25 General Fund Budget (8:00 PM)

In a memorandum dated January 12, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), FY25 Capital Fund and FY25 General Fund Budgets.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE FY25 AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) BUDGET, AS PRESENTED.

TO APPROVE THE FY25 CAPITAL FUND BUDGET, AS PRESENTED.

TO APPROVE THE FY25 GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AS PRESENTED.

C. Draft Warning for Representative Town Meeting (8:30 PM)

In a memorandum dated January 10, 2024 Assistant Town Manager, Patrick Moreland discusses the Draft Warnings for the 2024 Town Meeting Day Election and the March 23, 2024 Representative Town Meeting. The Board is asked to review and discuss the Draft Warnings.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.

D. Quarterly Financial Report (FY24, Oct.-Dec.) – Accept (8:45 PM)

In a memorandum dated January 12, 2024 Finance Director Kimberly Frost discusses the quarterly financial report for October through December.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT, AS PRESENTED.

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