Town News

Hi, all –

The next West Brattleboro Association monthly meeting will be held on Thursday, June 9th at 6 pm at the Hayes Court Community Room on Garfield Drive.

The agenda is below the dotted line.

– Michael B.

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The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, June 6, 2016 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, June 10, 2016 at 11:15am at Marlboro College Graduate Center in the VCIL conference room.

Brattleboro will be applying for federal funds to purchase land along the Whetstone as part of ongoing flood mitigation plans for the town. It’s on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Selectboard at the Municipal Center.

The board will also sign off on applying for a Bond to pay for for police and fire projects, accept $200,000 from the state for I-91 detour impact paving, issue the annual dog warrants for canines without licenses, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

In observance of Memorial Day, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2016, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30, 2016. All other violations will be enforced.

Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30, 2016.

The 15th annual Strolling of the Heifers Weekend, featuring a parade of flower-bedecked heifer calves led by future farmers up the historic Main Street of Brattleboro, Vermont takes place June 3, 4 and 5. Organizers promise many special surprises for the occasion.

The centerpiece of the weekend is the world-famous Strolling of the Heifers Parade, which starts promptly at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 4. The signature heifer calves lead the parade and are followed by other farm animals, tractors, bands, floats and much more.

The crowd then follows the parade to the all-day Slow Living Expo to enjoy food, family fun, entertainment and exhibits. The Expo stretches over 11 acres on the Brattleboro Common and the Brattleboro Retreat grounds.

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, May 23, 2016 at 5:30pm at the Brooks Memorial Library in the community room.

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

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

Agricultural Advisory Board
ADA Committee
Arts Committee
Brattleboro Housing Partnerships
Cemetery Committee
Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC)

At their regular meeting on Tuesday, the Brattleboro Selectboard approved of new plans for the West Brattleboro fire station as well as $7.8 million in financing from a bond bank for completing all three facility projects.

Enterprise budgets and selectboard goals were approved, the board held a discussion of public and private roads, the contract with Rescue Inc. has been renewed, new liquor fees were adopted, and Whetstone Brook is getting a close look to inspire discussions of redevelopment and flood protection.

The Town of Brattleboro Water Department’s annual Consumer Confidence Report / Water Quality Report for 2015 is now available. This report can be viewed on-line at www.brattleboro.org or written copies are available at the Brattleboro Municipal Center in the offices of the Treasurer or Town Clerk. The Water Quality Report can also be obtained at the Brooks Memorial Library and the Department of Public Works on Fairground Road.

Recently discussed enterprise fund budgets will be adopted at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New liquor license fees will also be up for adoption.

Police officers will be sworn-in, Selectboard goals will be discussed, public vs. private roads will be debated, grants and contracts approved, and plans for the West Brattleboro Fire Station will be reviewed on Tuesday at the Municipal Center on Main Street. You can attend in person and participate, even bringing up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee meeting previously scheduled on May 19 has been CANCELLED. The next meeting is scheduled on Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 8:00am in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

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

The Brattleboro Selectboard came out of an executive session to hold special meeting about three of the Town’s fund budgets. The FY17 Utility, Parking, and Solid Waste budgets were up for review, along with updated plans for capital improvements within each enterprise fund.

Before the funds fun could get underway, Chair David Gartenstein congratulated and thanked a third grade class at Academy School for their study of West Brattleboro and how well town services meet the needs of the students. He said they wrote letters with their recommendations. Top of their list, he said, was concern about sidewalks and how close traffic is to edges of the road in some places. In addition to the safety concerns, they hoped for more clothing stores and restaurants.

The fourth installment of the 2015 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on May 16, 2016 by 5:00 PM. Payments made after May 16, 2016 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

The utility billing is also due on May 16, 2016 by 5:00 PM. Payments made after May 16, 2016 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet in Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 4:30pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:30pm to discuss labor relations agreements with employees and pending or probable civil litigation, and will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm.

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

The regular monthly meeting of the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will be held on Thursday, May 12^th at 6:00 PM at the New England House, 254 Marlboro Road. After a review of the treasury report, spring plantings, the last BizUp meeting and other issues, the WBA will discuss details of the Chicken BBQ coming up on Saturday, May 28^th.

A feature every year of the group, the popular Chicken BBQ will once again happen in front of the First Congregational Church on Western Avenue in West Brattleboro. The menu will feature half chickens, baked beans, and coleslaw or salad, available from 11:00 a.m. until sold out.  More information on the event will be forthcoming.

Steve Barrett of the Brattleboro Department of Public Works reports that this morning a tractor trailer truck hit a hydrant on Canal Street. He sent along these photos:

New fees for special event permits were almost adopted, but put off until the next meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard to allow for more public input.

The West Brattleboro Association won themselves a small amount of time to come up with brilliant plans for renovating and re-using the current fire station in West Brattleboro. The clock is ticking, as the Selectboard approved of continuing with plans for its demolition.

Energy audits for municipal buildings have been completed, a new traffic safety plan has been adopted, committees have received new appointments, and the Reformer will remain the newspaper of record for the next year.

On Wednesday, June 1st, 2016 at 5pm, the Brattleboro Schoolboard will hold a ceremony dedicating Rouleau Park at the foot of the Canal Street School, in recognition of Lois and Larry Rouleau’s more than 35 years of relentless community service. A good show of community support would be wonderful: Everyone is invited.

Last year, Larry said that he and Lois, in their mid ’80s, are going to be less active: but still there was no sign of them slowing down. Whenever I run into them, they are on their way with a delivery to a food bank or community dinner, organizing a fund-raising tag sale, collecting bottles and cans to support community activities, or raking leaves and cleaning rubbish to maintain the park. Years ago, the Schoolboard had to remove a dangerously dilapidated jungle-gym, which they did not have funds to replace. With the Schoolboard’s permission the Clark-Canal Community Association installed two benches at the park, but otherwise the space remained empty.

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, May 2, 2016 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

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