A Stroll/SEON Windham Grows Workshop: Farms, Food, Green Buildings, Green Technology

Strolling of the Heifers and SEON — the Sustainable Energy Outreach Network — are partnering to present a workshop to explore collaborative opportunities between businesses in the farm, food, green building and green technology sectors.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden, 157 Main Street, in Brattleboro.

The event is the second workshop in the Windham Grows series — the first was “Tech Salad,” which brought together farm, food and technology entrepreneurs on March 3.

Like Tech Salad, the March 29 event will be facilitated by Nadav Malin, president of Building Green, Inc., a Brattleboro consultancy that gathers, organizes and publishes information about green building technologies for building industry professional and policy makers.” 


Green Street Retaining Wall Construction

Renaud Brothers of Vernon, Vermont has been awarded the contract to rebuild the Green Street Retaining Wall. Construction on the Green Street Wall will begin during the week of March 21st. We anticipate that the project will be complete within 60 days. Public Works will release periodic updates for this project.

Emergency services, delivery vehicles, pedestrians, and local traffic will NOT be permitted through the closure during the construction season. Please seek an alternate route.


Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – week of March 13

Brattleboro Time Trade:  Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time. See below for more exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade can do for you!

How Time Trade Works: You do something for someone and earn time credits for your “bank,” which you can then put towards someone else doing something for you! It’s that simple – and amazing!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from spring dreams:

Now anyone can see a listing of all our Offers and Requests: https://brattleboro.timebanks.org/ads?type=1

OFFERS (i.e. things people could do for you):

Mending, Sewing
Paper Leaf Collection Bags
Can Repair, Mend, Hem & Sew Specific Projects
Will Make a Baby Quilt
Composting Workshop


Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Votes To Move Police Station

By a vote of 111 Yes to 27 No, Brattleboro Town Meeting Representatives have decided to move the police station to Black Mountain Road.

This approves the concept. At their regular Representative Town Meeting later this month, representatives will vote on the budget that contains this option. That budget, and other business, remains to be approved.


Sanders Announces $1.2 Million in Health Center Funds for Substance Abuse Treatment in Vermont

BURLINGTON, Vt., March 11 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders today announced the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $1,240,794 to four community health centers in Vermont. The health centers will use this new federal funding to expand access to substance abuse treatment.

The Vermont awards are part of $94 million to improve and expand the delivery of substance abuse services announced today by HHS for 271 community health centers in 45 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The funds were authorized by a Sanders provision in the Affordable Care Act that provided $11 billion in funding for community health centers across the country.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – March 15, 2016

The Brattleboro Selectboard will incorporate the decision of Town Meeting Representatives into their annual budget suggestion at their next meeting on Tuesday at the Municipal Center, adjusting levels of anticipated debt service payments for facility projects depending on the outcome of the vote.

The police will get police cars, the substation at Cotton Mill Hill may be upgraded, and Bradley House might be expanded and improved. They’ll also revise the town’s health insurance program for employees. You can participate in person or watch on TV, and you are free to bring up other items that aren’t on the agenda during Public Participation.


Brattleboro Committee Meetings and Agendas

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at 8:00am in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Thursday, March 17, 2016, at 4:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100


It’s DeGray

Richard DeGray will once again bring his special grace to the Brattleboro Selectboard. The Brattleboro Reformer reports a hand count of ballots has flipped the election results, giving DeGray one additional vote and diminishing Avery Schwenk’s count by 8. http://www.reformer.com/ci_29622449/brattleboro-recount-select-board-flips-results

Previously it was reported that Schwenk had won by a single vote: 1,505 to 1,504. The new count is 1,505 for DeGray to 1,497 for Schenk: A virtual landside for the popular former Selectboard Chair.


Select Board Recount

I just read on the Reformer Facebook page that Dick Degray won the election. He won an additional vote and Avery Schwenk lost 8 votes. It will be interesting to hear more about the process.


I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of March 13

I-91

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Sunday, March 13, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I-91 will remain open.

Sunday afternoon closures of the Exit 3 on ramps will continue each weekend through the end of the ski season.

Northbound I-91 traffic has been relocated onto the southbound bridge. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the new bridge. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Malfunction Junction Is Here To Stay

The Brattleboro Selectboard received a detailed report on why our downtown traffic system is just about the best it can possibly be, as is. In discussing the lack of major opportunities for improvements, the name Malfunction Junction returned as shorthand for the intersection causing problems up and down Main Street.

The board also learned about the best path forward toward addressing issues related to being a hub town in Vermont, which is to form a coalition with other hub towns, such as Bennington, St. Johnsbury, and Springfield, to put pressure on the state to create new sources of revenue.

A trailer was bought, committees have new members, and the town now offers larger loans to help businesses.


Brattleboro Town Meetings: Get Involved! March 2016

Town Manager’s Office teammates Peter Ewell, Patrick Moreland and Jan Anderson take a few moments to discuss the different ways area residents can get involved with Town Meeting–whether it’s participating in the annual town meeting, attending this year’s special Town Meeting on the Police-Fire Upgrade, prepping yourself with the pre-town meeting info sessions, attending the regular selectboard meetings throughout the year, or watching all of it on BCTV. .


Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of March 6

Brattleboro Time Trade:  Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time. See below for more exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade can do for you!

How Time Trade Works: You do something for someone and earn
time credits for your “bank,” which you can then put towards someone
else doing something for you! It’s that simple – and amazing!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from the arctic depths:

Now anyone can see a listing of all our Offers and Requests: https://brattleboro.timebanks.org/ads?type=1

OFFERS (i.e. things people could do for you):

Help with Spring and Summer Chore’s – Many T.T. Ref,s.
Help Moving Items and/or Hauling Items to the WSWMD
Genealogy Tutoring/Mentoring


Next WBA Meeting on March 10th to Feature Q&A with District 1 Town Meeting Members

The next monthly meeting of the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will be held on Thursday, March 10th at 6:00 PM in the Hayes Court Community Room on Garfield Drive (just west of the W Bratt PO). After a review of the treasury report, the WBA will discuss the status of the welcome signs and other pending issues.

A feature of this month’s meeting is the WBA hosting of District 1 Town Meeting representatives at 7:00 that evening. This is a chance for area residents to engage in an informal Q&A regarding the warrants for the upcoming March 12th Special Town Meeting which will specifically address the proposed police/fire facilities upgrade, and to engage them in a discussion about the March 19th Annual Representative Town Meeting. This part of the meeting will be facilitated by West Brattleboro’s own Orion Barber.


I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of March 6

I-91

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Sunday, March 6, and Sunday, March 13 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I-91 will remain open.

Sunday afternoon closures of the Exit 3 on ramps will continue each weekend through the end of the ski season.

Northbound I-91 traffic has been relocated onto the southbound bridge. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the new bridge. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – March 8, 2016

The Brattleboro Selectboard will receive a report regarding downtown traffic lights and traffic flow at their next Tuesday meeting. They will also receive a final report from the Regional Economic Hub Committee and act on that committee’s recommendation to dissolve.

The board will assist local businesses via new policies and procedures for the Small Business Assistance program, and will places fines and fees on local businesses for failing to get a business license in a timely manner.

You can participate by attending in person, or watch on BCTV. Read about the meeting the next day.


Brattleboro Committee Meetings and Agendas

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, March 7, 2016 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.


Help A New Town Meeting Rep Decide How To Vote?

Hey folks,

So the elected district 1 reps were kind enough make me to be a town meeting rep, despite arriving at the last moment. 

I came into the meeting tonight supportive of moving the police department to the reformer building though extremely concerned about the financial considerations.  During the course of the meeting I rediscovered that I am rather nervous public speaker but more importantly I now have doubts such that I am unsure of how to cast my vote at the next meeting.


Notes From The Senate – S.241 Marijuana Legalization and Regulation

Last week the Senate voted to pass a bill that would allow legalization and regulation of marijuana. It will be posted on the Legislative website by the end of the week. It is S.241 as passed by the Senate. Here are some of the reasons I sponsored and voted for the bill, and some of the highlights – what it is and what it isn’t.

For many years I have felt that our policy of prohibition has not worked – not for youth, for law enforcement and not for the citizens who have become criminals because of it. In 2014 the Rand group was commissioned to report on the potential for legalization in Vermont. In 2015 the Government Operations committee, which I chair, took testimony on the report and how it should be done in Vermont if it was to be done. We heard from everyone who had something to say – no one was denied a voice. From those hearings, Senator Benning (who is also on the committee) and I cosponsored S241. In January 2016 it went to the Judiciary Committee where testimony was taken. At the beginning of the session, Senator Sears, Chair, stated that there was no way he would vote for legalization. After hearing all the testimony and the facts, he changed his mind and became a strong supporter of legalization and regulation. As happens with all bills, it is different than it was as introduced.