Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – October 16, 2025

When the Brattleboro Selectboard has their regular Tuesday meeting… on Thursday (?!), they will deal with both novel and routine items of business.

In the novel category there will be a discussion of a Festival of Miniatures, and approvals of permits for No Kings and Horribles. Routine items include changes to parking ordinances, talk about local roads, a monthly budget update, and more.

You can bring up other items in either category, if they are not already on the agenda, during Public Participation.

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The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a meeting on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom. Prior to the meeting, the Board will meet at 5:00pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss contracts and litigation. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” Closed captioning will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members. The backup materials for this meeting will be available on the town Website by the end of the day.

Jessica Sticklor (she/her/hers)
Executive Assistant
Town of Brattleboro
230 Main Street, Suite 208
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 251 – 8115
* Please note that all correspondence with Town staff is part of the public record and may be shared with others.

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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2025
SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM + ZOOM
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:00 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.
Selectboard Meeting materials can be found on the Town’s website, Brattleboro.gov/Selectboard.
If you join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, please use this link:
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85223252040?pwd=f0zpzRIYterkWvZ53MAfbuxuMv3Dvm.1
Meeting ID: 852 2325 2040
Passcode: 602388
The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV.
Cable TV: Channel 1079
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/live/gov-ed-channel/
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv

AGENDA
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

(please note that all times indicated are approximate)
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING (6:15 PM)
2. ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA
3. APPROVE MINUTES – September 24, and October 1, 2025
4. CHAIR’S REMARKS
5. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
6. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
7. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (6:25 PM)

8. CONSENT AGENDA (6:30 PM)
A. Williams Street Retaining Wall Change Order – Approve $48,300 Change Order
B. Elliot Street Lighting (Global Warming Solutions Fund)
C. Horribles Parade Permit – Approve
D. Fuel Oil – Approve $2.4950/gallon Bid
E. No Kings Day Parade Permit – Approve
F. Echo’s Restaurant & Lounge – Approve Third Class Liquor License Renewal
G. Houle’s Wine – Approve Second Class Liquor and First Class Commercial Caterer Licenses

9. REGULAR BUSINESS (6:35 PM)
A. Brattleboro Festival of Miniatures (6:35 PM)
Presentation by Melany Kahn
B. Human Services Committee (6:45 PM)
Presentation by the Human Services Committee
C. Bittersweet Lane Request (7:00 PM)
Presentation by Cersosimo Industries, Inc.
D. Windham and Windsor Housing Trust Scattered Site Grant – Public Hearing (7:30 PM)
Presentation by Bruce Whitney, WWHT Director of Homeownership
E. Black Mountain Road Discontinuance Project – Accept $44,176 Bid (7:50 PM)
Presentation by DPW Staff
F. Parking Ordinance Revision – Second Reading (8:10 PM)
Presentation by DPW and Police Staff
G. Regional Assessment District – Update (8:30 PM)
Presentation by Assessor’s Office Staff
H. Monthly FY26 Budget Update for August (9:00 PM)

10. CORRESPONDENCE
A. Warrants

11. ADJOURNMENT (9:15 PM)

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MEMORANDUM
To: Selectboard
From: John Potter, Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: October 10, 2025
———————————————————————————————————————————–
The following will summarize the proposed motions for the Selectboard meeting on Thursday,
October 16, 2025. The Board will convene the 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.
If you join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, please use this link:
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85223252040?pwd=f0zpzRIYterkWvZ53MAfbuxuMv3Dvm.1
Meeting ID: 852 2325 2040
Passcode: 602388
The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV.
Cable TV: Channel 1079
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/live/gov-ed-channel/
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv
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

8. CONSENT AGENDA (6:40 PM)

Williams Street Retaining Wall Change Order – Approve $48,300 Change Order
Elliot Street Lighting (Global Warming Solutions Fund)
Horribles Parade Permit – Approve
Fuel Oil – Approve $2.4950/gallon Bid
No Kings Day Parade Permit – Approve
Echo’s Restaurant & Lounge – Approve Third Class Liquor License Renewal
Houle’s Wine – Approve Second Class Liquor and First Class Commercial Caterer Licenses

In a memorandum dated October 2, 2025 DPW Director Dan Tyler discusses the Williams Street Retaining Wall project’s Change Order #1 in the amount of $48,300. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will ratify the acceptance of Change Order #1 in the amount of $48.300, to account for increased anchor lengths required for the project.

In a memorandum dated October 4, 2025 Sustainability Coordinator Stephen Dotson discusses the proposed use of the Global Warning Solutions Fund for Solar Street Lighting. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve the Town of Brattleboro committing the remaining uncommitted funds of the Global Warming Solutions Fund (GWSF), to pay for supplemental solar street lighting on Elliot Street and to approve of the Town of Brattleboro allocating any future tax credit revenues created from projects paid for with the GWSF funds, back to the GWSF, if received by the Town.

In a memorandum dated October 10, 2025 Town Manager John Potter discusses the parade permit application for the Town’s annual Horribles Halloween Parade, to be held on October 31, 2025. The parade will close the full width of Main Street, from the Co-op to the Gibson Aiken Center for the duration of the parade, which should last about fifteen minutes. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve the parade permit application for the Brattleboro Horribles Halloween Parade.

In a memorandum dated September 29, 2025 Town Accountant Kim Ellison discusses the FY26 Fuel Oil bid process and requests that the Board ratify the acceptance of the lowest bid from Discount Oil of Keene. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will ratify the decision to accept the low bid from Discount Oil of Keene for the per gallon price of $2.4950 for FY26 Fuel Oil.

In a memorandum dated October 10, 2025 Town Manager John Potter discusses the parade permit application from Indivisible Brattleboro to hold a No Kings Day event on Saturday, October 18, 2025. The organizers are unsure of the turnout, but similar events have had around 1500 participants. The event will begin on the Common and will march downtown. Indivisible Brattleboro has met with Town staff and have agreed to work closely with them to make sure this event is safe. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve Indivisible Brattleboro’s No Kings Day parade permit for October 18, 2025.

In a memorandum dated October 3, 2025 Assistant Town Clerk Jane Fletcher discusses the Third Class Liquor License application for Echo’s Restaurant and Lounge, located at 69-73 Main Street. Town staff have reviewed and recommend approval of this license. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve a Third Class Liquor License for Echo’s Restaurant and Lounge, located at 69-73 Main Street.

In a memorandum dated October 7, 2025 Assistant Town Clerk Jane Fletcher discusses the First and Second Class Liquor License Renewals for Houle’s Wine. Town staff have reviewed and recommend approval of these licenses. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve the First and Second Class Liquor License Renewals for Houle’s Wine.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS PRESENTED.

9. REGULAR BUSINESS (6:35 PM)

Brattleboro Festival of Miniatures (6:35 PM)
Presentation by Melany Kahn

In a memorandum dated October 10, 2025 Town Manager John Potter discusses the Brattleboro Festival of Miniatures and informs the Board that event organizer Melany Kahn will be in the meeting to discuss the festival with the Board and the public.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.

Human Services Committee (6:45 PM)
Presentation by the Human Services Committee

Representatives from the RTM Human Services Committee will be in the meeting to discuss their work.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.

Bittersweet Lane Request (7:00 PM)
Presentation by Cersosimo Industries, Inc.

In a memorandum dated October 10, 2025 Town Manager John Potter discusses a request from Cersosimo Industries, Inc. to revisit a 2016 Selectboard decision that stated that there was insufficient public interest to take Bittersweet Lane on as a public road. There are now seven lots that have been sold on the street; three homes that have been built; and two that are under construction. Representatives from Cersosimo Industries, Inc. will be in the meeting to discuss this item with the Board and the public.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO LAY OUT BITTERSWEET LANE FROM THE INTERSECTION
OF EAST ORCHARD STREET TO ITS TERMINUS AS A CLASS 3 TOWN HIGHWAY AND
TO CONDUCT A SITE VISIT ON THAT MATTER ON NOVEMBER 18, 2025 BEGINNING
AT 4:00 PM WITH A PUBLIC HEARING TO BE CONDUCTED AFTERWARD THAT
EVENING AT THE SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM.

Windham and Windsor Housing Trust Scattered Site Grant – Public Hearing (7:30 PM)
Presentation by Bruce Whitney, WWHT Director of Homeownership

In a memorandum dated September 29, 2025 Town Account Kim Ellison discusses the Vermont Community Development Program’s Scattered Site Grant Program and The Windham and Windsor Housing Trusts’ Home Repair Program, Counseling Advocacy and First Time Homebuyer services. The Town is asked to apply for this grant to support WWHT in their work.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A
GRANT APPLICATION FOR A VERMONT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
(VCDP) SCATTERED SITE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $540,000.00 TO SUPPORT
WINDHAM & WINDSOR HOUSING TRUST (WWHT) TO DELIVER A HOME REPAIR
PROGRAM, COUNSELING ADVOCACY AND FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER SERVICES.

Black Mountain Road Discontinuance Project – Accept $44,176 Bid (7:50 PM)
Presentation by DPW Staff

In a memorandum dated October 1, 2025 Zoning Administrator Brian Bannon discusses the Municipal Highway and Stormwater Mitigation Grant, the Black Mountain Road Scoping Study project, and its bid process. The grant will cover 80% of the project, while a 20% town match will cover the rest.

POTENTIAL MOTION: AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE BID FROM
MSK ENGINEERS FOR A SCOPING STUDY FOR THE DISCONTINUANCE OF A
SEGMENT OF BLACK MOUNTAIN ROAD AND THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO
CULVERTS 80 % FUNDED BY THE MUNICIPAL HIGHWAY AND STORMWATER
MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM, WITH A 20% TOWN MATCH.

Parking Ordinance Revision – Second Reading (8:10 PM)
Presentation by DPW and Police Staff

In a memorandum dated October 16, 2025 Public Works Director Dan Tyler discusses the proposed changes to the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances, Chapter 16. This is a second reading and the Board may approve these changes at this time or provide for feedback for further discussion.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO APPROVE THE CHANGES TO THE BRATTLEBORO CODE OF
ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 16, AS PRESENTED.

Regional Assessment District – Update (8:30 PM)
Presentation by Assessor’s Office Staff

In a memorandum dated October 16, 2025 Town Assessor Jenepher Burnell discusses changes in requirements set for municipalities to conduct town-wide reappraisals, as well as education reform for Listers and Assessors.

POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.

Monthly FY26 Budget Update for August (9:00 PM)

In a memorandum dated October 3, 2025 the Brattleboro Finance Department discusses the FY26 Budget Update for August.

POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT THE FY26 BUDGET UPDATE FOR AUGUST, AS
PRESENTED.