Town News

For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.

Brattleboro Select Board Candidate

by JakiReis | Town News

I am Jaki Reis and I am running for Select board here in Brattleboro. You may know me from the 22 years that I’ve lived and worked downtown. Maybe we met at Brown and Roberts, or at the Chamber or the River Gallery School, or at the Latchis Theater. I have been close to so many who know me as their neighbor, friend, and fellow volunteer.

I have gained a rich understanding of how we all live and the concerns and complaints that we all share. Like most of you, I love this town a great deal, and I’m happy to have a chance to contribute to the Select board in doing its job.

Brattleboro Town Clerk’s Office Closed March 5, 2024

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office will be closed all day on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in order to run the Town Meeting elections, which will be held at the American Legion from 7am-7pm. The Town Clerk’s office will also be closed to the public on the morning of Wednesday, March 6. On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, the Town Clerk’s office will reopen at noon (12:00pm).

Brattleboro Gravel Road Warning Sign System

by Not Signed In | Town News

DPW will continue inspecting and reporting the conditions of Brattleboro’s gravel roads during mud season as we did last year.

The updated report will not be sent daily as in past years. Starting in the coming days, you will see a sign at the beginning of each gravel road. The sign will have a color-coded section that indicates the current condition of the road and QR code that will take you directly to Maps-on-line for the conditions of all roads.  Instead of waiting for all of the roads to be checked to report each road be entered immediately which should speed up the reporting significantly.  Attached is a press release explaining the new procedure.

Déjà Vu: Heartless Town Officials Lack Institutional Memory

by SK-B | Town News
newspaper article

The Town of Brattleboro’s harrassing Kurt Daims for doing what he could to shelter homeless people closely parallels something that happened nearly 4 decades ago.

Thirty-eight years ago, the Town of Brattleboro gave a homeless shelter run by Faith Ministries a December 25 deadline to close.

The Christmas deadline — a public relations blunder — was dramatic enough to garner national attention, but the real issue was articulated in a press release in which Wally & Emily White said the following:

Western Avenue Utilities Work  Feb 27, 2024

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Utilities Division of Public Works will be performing an emergency sewer main repair in the area of 735 Western Avenue on Tuesday, February 27. The work is scheduled to begin at 8:30 am and will require alternating one lane traffic with flaggers.  Motorists should expect delays in the area and seek alternate routes. 

$72,000 Parking Ticket

by Kurt Daims | Town News

(And that’s not the worst of it. The judge hinted he could raise it to $170,000.)

On February 14 the Town asked VT Superior Court for a judgement of $72K against a local nonprofit for placing RVs that were used as emergency homeless shelters on private land in Brattleboro.

The Town has effectively evicted the RV shelter, though homeless people are now sheltering in the house of the non-profit Brattleboro Common Sense, which started the shelter in late 2022. The non-profit claims the Town has started to harass them for that. The group spokesman, Kurt Daims, says “We have a good safe project here. See the work we’ve been doing for sixteen years.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Monday, February 26, 2024 at 6:30pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Rm 211) and on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 6:30pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Rm 211).

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 5:00pm in the Brooks Memorial Library Community Room (224 Main Street).

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Ambulance Rides To Be $1400

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard feb 20 2024

The Brattleboro Selectboard set EMS rates and policies, settling on a $1400 cost for a ride in their new ambulance service. Your insurance will pay for most of it, and if you get a bill you can ignore it completely or enter into a payment plan or pay it all at once. It is compassionate, they agreed.

The Town will embark on a search for a new waste management partner, someone who will listen and be responsive, and perhaps take long walks or watch movies together.

Safe Neighborhoods Wants To Hear From You!

by SafeNeighborhoods | Town News

Safe Neighborhoods is a Brattleboro area group organized to address the problem of drug-selling houses in our town. This group is growing and we invite anyone affected and/or concerned by this issue to contact us (we safeguard your identity), learn more and join in. We coordinate with the police department plus town and state officials.  Please email us at

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – February 20, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

The big item for the Brattleboro Selectboard at their next regular meeting will be setting the billing and collection policies for the Town’s new EMS service. The board is setting the rates to be charged and what to do if someone doesn’t pay, among other things.

Also, the Water Treatment Plant’s engineering costs are over-budget and will cost an additional $303k.  ARPA funds will be used to cover staff salaries, bids will be accepted for trash collection in town, motions will be assigned for reading at Representative Town Meeting, and you can bring up other items not on the agenda, perhaps, during public participation.

Brattleboro Presidents’ Day Closings

by Not Signed In | Town News

In observance of Presidents’ Day, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Monday, February 19, 2024, with the exception of emergency services. Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday,
February 18 and February 19. All other violations will be enforced. Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Monday, February 19, 2024 as well. Trash, recycling, and composting are NOT affected by the holiday. Collections will take place on the normal schedule.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings and Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, February 14th at 6:30pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Room 211).

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Thursday, February 15th at 8:00am in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.

The Brattleboro Charter Review Commission will meet on Thursday, February 15th at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.

Brattleboro’s Charter Revision Commission to Meet, Discuss Forms of Town Meeting

by Not Signed In | Town News

Brattleboro, VT – Brattleboro’s Charter Revision Commission will meet on Thursday, February 15, at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room in the Municipal Center, 230 Main Street.

The meeting agenda includes a discussion of Representative Town Meeting and the open town meeting form of government. The commission will also review the Powers of the People, including those outlined in Article III of the Town Charter.

All commission meetings are open to the public.

Brattleboro Taxes and Utilities Due February 15, 2024

by Not Signed In | Town News

The third installment of the 2023 Brattleboro Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due by 5 p.m. on February 15, 2024. Payments made after February 15, 2024, will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The Town of Brattleboro utility bills are also due by 5 p.m. on February 15, 2024. Payments made after February 15, 2024 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Some Interesting Updates

by cgrotke | Town News

A possibly short meeting with potentially interesting topics ahead was actually not so short due to technical difficulties, but it certainly was interesting. A respite from budgets, for sure.

Sustainability, food security, downtown safety, bridge fixing, and more were all discussed. Some with slide presentations!

Western Avenue Traffic Change

by Not Signed In | Town News

Due to emergency work, Western Avenue between the two ends of Meadowbrook Road will have alternating one-way traffic with flaggers tomorrow, February 6, 2024 starting at 8:15am and going on for most of the day.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – February 6, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

Flood Plain Restoration is more expensive than originally thought. By hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s part of what the Brattleboro Selectboard will hear at the first regular meeting of February 2024.

The board will also create a new road for the Town to take care of, hear updates on town safety, sustainability, food, farms, and vacant buildings. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation, if the Chair allows.