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Local Solutions Protect Us All – Windham County Heat Fund Benefit at Vermont Jazz Center

by RDavis | Activism

On Saturday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m. the Windham County Heat Fund will hold a benefit concert in conjunction with the Vermont Jazz Center. It is 20 years since we started the fund and the need never diminishes. This concert is not so much of a celebration but more of a lamentation of the fact that the fund still needs to exist. On a hopeful note, we do not rely on any government funding for our efforts and that means our money is local and it stays local.

This has been an unusual year for the fund. Although it is still February our statistics put us at the end of the season, meaning we are very low on funds because about 100 individuals and families have been provided with $48,850 in fuel while we have received $45,503 from individual donors, local businesses, churches and grantees. The surplus we had at the end of last year has made a big difference.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Monday, February 24, 2025 at 6:30pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and over Zoom.

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at 5:00pm in the Brooks Memorial Library Meeting Room.

The Brattleboro Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, February 26 and Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room.

The Brattleboro Charter Revision Commission will meet on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and over Zoom.

Comparative Data on Brattleboro Municipal Social Service Spending

by fidel | Politics

A colleague on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Finance Committee and I undertook a comparative analysis of the funds Brattleboro’s Human Services Committee had to allocate and similar spending by our adjoining towns and Putney and also such spending by eight towns, four just larger and four just smaller than Brattleboro in population. Data were collected in all cases for the current fiscal year.

Because all Brattleboro voters will have the unusual opportunity to express their preferences so as to advise RTM which will set a sum for social services spending in the next fiscal year, I wish to share what we found.

Brattleboro provides human service organizations with more money ($367,810) than is allocated in the 13 comparison towns. Rutland is close, at $342,243, and this is more than double what any of the other towns spend for the purpose. Brattleboro also has the highest percentage of general fund dollars set aside for social service organizations—2%. Our nearest rivals are Dummerston and Rutland (1.2% and 1.3%, respectively). Restricting attention to our neighbors, Brattleboro’s social service spending per capita is over $34; on a per capita basis, Putney comes in at $16.27 and Guilford at $11.27; the other three are below $10 per capita.

Overnight Snow Removal Scheduled for Downtown Streets and Parking Lots on Feb. 19

by Not Signed In | Town News

Snow and ice will be cleared from select parking lots and streets in downtown Brattleboro on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, after 11 p.m.

The affected streets include: Canal Street, Elliot Street, Flat Street, Green Street, Elm Street, Church Street, School Street, and High Street. Snow will also be removed from the High Grove and Municipal Center lots.

Vehicles parked along the streets or in the parking lots listed above must be removed or they may be towed at the owner’s expense.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Delayed Western Ave Bridge Project Much Better; Won’t Happen For Years

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard feb 18 2025

VTrans came back to the Brattleboro Selectboard, granting their wish to pay less for the bridge on Western Avenue. The board was happy, but wouldn’t sign the documentation quite yet. And there is also the matter of VTrans not being able to build the bridge or even put the bridge project on their construction schedule yet. Maybe by 2027 or 2030? No one knew what the future might bring. It will be a great bridge someday, though.

There was some debate over the Town Manager’s interpretation of the audit findings. He saw proof of a solid financial situation going forward; others weren’t so sure since the document didn’t make such a characterization and hadn’t taken into account decisions made last fall, after the audit was finished.

Brooks Memorial Library gets a new roof and a new rooftop solar system, and taxpayers get a video about reducing property taxes. 

Overnight Snow Removal Scheduled for Downtown Brattleboro Streets

by Not Signed In | Town News

Snow and ice will be cleared from parking lots and streets in downtown Brattleboro on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, after 11 p.m.

The affected streets include: Canal Street, Main Street, High Street, Flat Street, Elliot Street, Grove Street, Harris Place, Walnut Street, Park Place, South Main, Green Street, Church Street, Elm Street, School Street, Oak Street, Putney Road, and Chapin Street.

Vehicles parked along the streets listed above or in downtown parking lots must be removed or they may be towed at the owner’s expense.

MuseArts Does MuseArts: A New Web Site For A Web Company

by cgrotke | Business
shooting star logo graphic

There comes a time when your web site starts looking a bit old and out-of-date and it needs a refresh. This is true even if you do web design and development for a living.

Our old site was starting to be an embarrassment. We had let it go while as we did work for others to get their sites looking nice. Eventually it came time for a MuseArts site re-do.

We developed a plan based on what we wanted:  to simplify, to continue to demonstrate what we can do, and to add some fun and animation to the site. 

Letter Regarding Human Service Organizations Funding

by feebee | Politics

As former members of the Brattleboro Human Services Committee, we are writing to encourage all members of the Brattleboro community to read the detailed, informative report to the town, from the current members of the Committee, which appeared in the February 12 issue of The Commons.

Article Vl, on this year’s Annual Town Meeting Ballot, asks Brattleboro voters to choose one of five town funding options for local Human Service organizations.

We think that voting to eliminate or drastically reduce the town’s share of funding of these organizations would be a short-sighted, major mistake, and would be detrimental to Brattleboro’s well-being.  During the time that we served on the committee, each one of us came to more deeply understand and appreciate what a critical role the nonprofit organizations, whose funding requests we carefully reviewed, play in the healthy functioning of our community. 

Interfaith Youth Group Sets Sights on Spring Service & Learning to Asheville, NC

by Nanci Leitch | Activism

A multicultural community of idealistic teenagers and young adults, the Brattleboro Area Interfaith Youth Group comes together monthly to develop friendships, to have fun and to provide service to others. Twenty-one members of their group, ranging in age from 13 to 22, are busy fundraising to make their dream of a service and learning trip to North Carolina a reality this spring.

Brian Remer, one of the adult leaders describes the group as being made up of young people who are interested in sharing their life experiences and cultures and providing each other support while doing community service that helps others. Nearly half of the group are young newcomers from Democratic Republic of Congo, refugees who were resettled in the area in the last several years.

“We first got the idea last fall when we heard about the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene on the area surrounding Asheville, North Carolina, as it was eerily reminiscent of the damages we experienced from Hurricane Irene in the Windham County area,” Remer said.

Please Be Aware That The “Benefits Trap” Also Is Part Of The Puzzle Of Solving The Homeless Crisis In Vermont

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

Many Vermonters are in the Benefits Trap. You can’t earn over a certain amount of money or you will lose your benefits, and the benefits have more financial value than the value of rent which could put you over the benefits limit by renting a room to someone.

In the Benefits Trap scheme of things, you are allowed to own one home (up to a certain value) and one car (up to a certain value). If you have an extra bedroom, and you rent it out, that is income, and poof! you could lose your benefits which have a value greater than the rent a person might pay.

Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Policy and Amendment Committee Meeting Minutes Feb 12, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

The committee discussed the question of whether a policy in support of immigrant students should be developed, a topic that was also under discussion at the board meeting on 2/11/25. MS cautioned that Pietro has advised to stay away from a new policy, and instead to focus on law and procedure. A vision statement would be fine and would be a way to send a message to the community.

Julie Moir Messervy on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Arts

Think Spring and Gardens!  JULIE MESSERVY is known world-wide as a stellar innovator in landscape design. She collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma for a public garden in Toronto. Julie also won the 2024 Vermont Woman-owned Business of the Year Award. Check out this show – her presence is dynamic and inspiring!

Brattleboro Area Events Canceled Due To Winter Storm in Forecast

by Not Signed In | Town News

Several events originally scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16, in Brattleboro have been canceled due to the winter storm in the forecast.

The Harris Hill Ski Jump competition scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16 has been canceled. For more information, visit harrishillskijump.com.

The Brattleboro Winter Carnival has canceled its annual pancake breakfast. For more updates about the Winter Carnival, visit Brattleborowintercarnival.org.

Selectboard Candidate Interview – Isaac Evans-Frantz

by cgrotke | Politics
Isaac Evans-Frantz

Isaac Evans-Frantz is running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

….

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you and why are you running for a one year seat?

I was born and raised in Brattleboro, and I love this community. The gap between rich and poor, the opioid crisis, and the housing shortage are hurting us. We all want a community where we can earn a living wage, put food on the table, and let our kids play outside without fear of drugs or violence. We need a selectboard member who listens and helps us achieve a stronger Brattleboro. I will bring energy, hope and determination to the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Winter Storm Warning Starting Feb. 15, Icy Conditions Possible

by Not Signed In | Town News

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning in the Brattleboro area starting on the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 15, and lasting through the early hours of Monday, Feb. 17. Between 6 and 10 inches of snow are expected in Town, with greater accumulations in the higher terrain, before the storm changes over to sleet and freezing rain on Sunday morning. On Sunday night into Monday, winds could be strong, reaching gusts up to 50 mph.

As the snowfall changes to sleet and freezing rain, the conditions of the roadways could change drastically in a short period of time. Drivers should expect travel to be hazardous and slow with poor visibility.

Harris Hill – All Events on Saturday

by Not Signed In | Recreation & Sports

Brattleboro, VT. (February 15, 2025) —   This weekend’s Harris Hill Ski Jump competition schedule has changed due to pending winter weather that will be arriving late afternoon today.

Today’s event will be a full day of competition hosting both the Pepsi Challenge/US Cup competition AND the Fred Harris Memorial Tournament. There will be no competition tomorrow, Sunday. Below is the schedule of events.

David Levenbach, Candidate for Re-election to RTM

by fidel | Politics

Hello Neighbors,

I am running for re-election to a three-year term as a Representative Town Meeting (RTM) member for District 9 (formerly known as District 3).

I am asking you, if you feel comfortable doing so, to vote for me and, more, to encourage your friends in District 9 to do so as well.

I have been a member of Representative Town Meeting since 2019. Beginning in 2019, I have been elected every year to its Finance Committee which scrutinizes the Town budget to provide a report each year to inform RTM (and the public generally) of issues before that body votes on the budget article; in three of those years, I was chosen to chair the committee.