News & Information

News and information sections, from near to far

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Budgets, Democracy, And Future At Risk – And A New Town Manager!

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro’s new town manager, Peter Elwell, was front and center for his first official meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. He was quiet for most of the meeting, but had a few strong words about dipping into the Unassigned Fund Balance for non-emergencies.

The future of the Committee of the Future was called into question by the director of Planning Services, a first public hearing was held on a series of proposed changes to the Town Charter, the skatepark committee has a new location to study for feasibility, and a wide array of budget matters were deferred for action at a special meeting of the Selectboard scheduled for January 29th at 5:15 pm.

Brattleboro Time Trade – Week of January 18

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Other

Brattleboro Time Trade:

Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time.

See below for exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade is all about!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from the land of sickness:

OFFERS:

Help Learning New Software
Resume Help
Class: Connecting with the Psychic Self
Class: Creating Money, Abundance, & Prosperity
Class: Inner Child Connection & Healing

Planning-in-Reverse

by ChrisPratt | Town Plan

If you want to see how a developer (ZB Properties) can clear cut their land located at 382 Western Ave, create a public eye sore,  devalue adjacent property values and then AFTER-THE-FACT apply for a site plan, come.

Come, this Wed – Jan 21,  to the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municiple Center at 7PM. Watch ZB Properties apply for a “Retroactive Site Plan” and observe how the town’s Developmental Review Board conducts planning-in-reverse.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 20, 2015

by cgrotke | Town News

Five different vendors of alcohol will ask for special event permits for a single night of samples, at the next regular Tuesday meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

The board will consider a contract and loan to finish off the Black Mountain Gravity Sewer line, consider more items for inclusion on the Representative Town Meeting warning, will hear of revisions to plans for locating the skatepark, and will again offer time for the public to speak to issues of the FY16 budget before it is approved by the board.

Brattleboro’s new Town Manager may also make an appearance, being the first day on the job.

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of January 18

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Night work on the new bridge will resume at Route 30. Night work will be conducted Monday night, January 19th thru Friday night, January 23rd.

I-91

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.

Skatepark at Living Memorial Park Unofficially Rejected

by cgrotke | Town Plan

that the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has “unofficially rejected” the (lower) Living Memorial Park location for a possible Brattleboro skatepark.

The story says the town might still face rejection even if the Act 250 permit for the Living Memorial Park was revised and accepted and the Whetstone Brook banks were stabilized, and hints that the project has returned to the stage of evaluating other possible sites. Elm Street may also face similar state obstacles as a location, according to the story.

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast Invitation – Jan 23 – “Breakfast with Brattleboro’s Chief of Police”

by RobertOeser | Town News

“Breakfast with Brattleboro’s Chief of Police”

The next “Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast” is planned for Friday, January 23, 2015 at the Gibson Aiken Center, downstairs, hosted by Senior Meals. Doors open at 7:30am.

Michael Fitzgerald was appointed Brattleboro’s Chief of  Police in September 2014. Hired as a patrol officer by the former Chief Richard Guthrie, he rose to the rank of Captain in eight years. In the light of current strained relationships between the police and the community in various cities, Chief Fitzgerald  will share with us what the Brattleboro Police Department has done and what it would like to do in the future in the area of community relations.

Public Outreach For Comprehensive Revisions to Brattleboro’s Land Use Regulations

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The Brattleboro Planning Commission will be hosting a series of events in January and February to introduce its comprehensive revision of the town’s land use regulations.

“The Planning Department has been working with the Planning Commission and Brandy Saxton of PlaceSense to design an outreach and public comment process that offers people many opportunities to comment and better understand the intent and purpose of these proposed regulations,” Brattleboro Planning Director Rod Francis said.

Let’s Get Brattleboro Heard! Use WikiMap To Identify Bicycle Routes and Bicycle Infrastructure Concerns

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is currently involved in a project with multiple large planning/engineering companies to gather public input regarding existing infrastructure concerns as they relate to bicycling. The state has limited funds to make improvements so they want to focus what they do have available in the locations that people use the most. In order to prioritize specific routes they are using WikiMapping to allow people to go onto a map of Vermont and put comments on particularly tricky sections of road OR entire routes.

There is not a guarantee of funding or projects at this time. It is simply a means for VTrans to gather information on where the biggest problems are and prioritize them. Let’s get Brattleboro heard!!!

Brattleboro Martin Luther King Jr. Day Schedules

by Not Signed In | Town News

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2015, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Monday, January 19. All other violations, including extended parking, will be enforced.

Brooks Memorial Library will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, January 19.

Brattleboro Time Trade – Week of January 11

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Other

Brattleboro Time Trade:

Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time.

See below for exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade is all about!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from scratchy throat land:

OFFERS:

Suki Nourishing Day Cream
Help Learning New Software
Wall Repairs Lessons
Color Consultation and Design
Move Items in Truck
Accepting Donations of Credits

Inaugural Address Governor Peter Shumlin January 8, 2015

by cgrotke | State News

Here is Governor Shumlin’s address, 2015:

….

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the General Assembly, distinguished guests, and fellow Vermonters:
Thank you for the tremendous honor and opportunity to serve again as Governor. As a Vermonter who grew up, raised my daughters, and built two businesses here, it is the greatest privilege of my life to give back to the state that has given me so much. I love serving as Governor because I love Vermont.

Public Invited to ‘Trail Talk’ To Be Held For I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Project

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The PCL+FIGG Team will conduct the next on-site “trail talk” for the Public on Saturday, January 10, 2015. There has been a lot of progress at the I-91 Brattleboro Bridge project site, which will be shared with attendees. The talks will originate at the West River Trail near the marina. The trail talk will be led by Caleb Linn, Project Manager for PCL (lead contractor) and Garrett Hoffman, Design Manager for FIGG (bridge designer).

Interested participants should meet the PCL+FIGG Team at the West River Trail trailhead on Saturday, January 10, 2015, at 8 a.m. and the talk will begin at 8:15 a.m. Participants will walk the trail to the I-91 bridge site, so please wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

Brattleboro Committee and Board Vacancies

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:

Agricultural Advisory Board
BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark is Coming) – must be Brattleboro resident
Conservation Commission
Development Review Board
Development Review Board Alternate
Energy Committee

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of January 11

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Night work on the new bridge will resume in the vicinity of Route 30. Night work will be conducted Monday night, January 12th thru Friday night, January 16th.

The next trail talk is scheduled for January 10th at 8:00 AM.

I-91

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: Much Ado About Money

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro’s municipal budget, and how to pay for it, was the focus of the first regular meeting of the selectboard in 2015. Very few decisions were made – that’s being saved for their next meeting – but issues were discussed in detail and a few Town Meeting Representatives even joined in the debate.

Property taxes appear to be going up, the 1% Local Option Sales tax may or may not be re-voted, a decision on the Futures Committee has been put off until the future, and the town has a long list of necessary improvements to do.

Board members held differing views on when the public and representatives should be consulted via votes or discussions, and which issues should be reconsidered.