Brattleboro Water Department’s Annual Consumer Confidence Report/Water Quality Report for 2019

The Town of Brattleboro Water Department’s annual Consumer Confidence Report/Water Quality Report for 2019 is now available. This report can be viewed on-line at https://www.brattleboro.org/ccreport or printed copies are available at the Brattleboro Municipal Center in the Town Manager’s Office or Town Clerk’s Office or at the Department of Public Works, Brooks Memorial Library, Tri Park CO–OP Office, and the Guilford Country Store.  Questions about this report can be addressed to the Department of Public Works at 254-4255


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Broadband, Break-ins, Trees, and a Trolley

brattleboro selectboard - feb 4 2020

The Brattleboro  Selectboard contemplated strange things at their regular Tuesday meeting. Shall  we plant $16,000 worth of carbon-capturing trees? Could we do without paved roads?  Should we bring the trolley back along RT. 9? None of these were agenda items per se, but they were intriguing side thoughts to scheduled conversations.

A municipal broadband survey is coming your way, the sustainability coordinator is on the job, and most liquor licenses will be renewed without incident.


Helpful Information Regarding Special WSESD Vote

Below is information that might be helpful to know for November 19th special elections.

Attached is a sample ballot for all four towns – Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford and Putney. All towns’ ballots are the same. Absentee ballots are currently available at the Town Clerk’s Office and may be requested until 5:00 pm on Monday, November 18th. Sample ballots can also be found on our website at www.brattleboro.org under Elections.


Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, and Putney Citizens Invited to Vote on Proposed Amendments to WSESD Articles of Agreement

On Tuesday, November 19th, 2019, an election will be held by the Windham Southeast School District (“WSESD”) in the four towns of the district, Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, and Putney. Citizens of the towns of the WSESD will have the opportunity to vote, by Australian Ballot, to approve or reject proposed amendments to the Articles of Agreement, the bylaws governing the WSESD. Vermont allows voter registration up to and on the day of an election. Early voting begins October 30th, 2019.

Four questions will be presented to voters:


Brattleboro 2019 First Installment Taxes and Utilities Due

The first installment of the 2019 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxeswill be due onAugust 15th, 2019.  Payments made after August 15th, 2019 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The utility billing is also due on August 15th, 2019. Payments made after August 15th, 2019 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

Payments can be mailed to the Town of Brattleboro, 230 Main Street, Suite 111, Brattleboro VT 05301.


Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting 2019

Representative Town Meeting 2019

Brattleboro Representatives are holding their Representative Town Meeting. The crowd is slowly gathering at the gym, where those elected will be talking town and school business for most of the day. Will they approve an extra 1% local option tax? Will there be surprises, twists, and turns? We will find out.

The Town portion of business  comes first, and there are a number of preliminary formalities to endure before actual business begins.


Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Informational Forum and District Caucuses

Brattleboro Town Selectboard will hold a pre-town meeting information forum on Wednesday, March 13 at Academy School beginning at 7:00 PM. Representative Town Meeting articles will be discussed, including the budget, and the bond issue.  At 6:30 p.m., town meeting members of each district will be available to meet with constituents to offer residents an opportunity to share their views and discuss articles to be voted on at the annual meeting.  Also, at that time, all three districts will be accepting nominations to fill town meeting member vacancies for 1 year.


Brattleboro Unofficial Election Results – Article 2 Passes

Good evening,

Please see attached and the below link for the “unofficial results” for Brattleboro Town Meeting. The attached is formatted to show the unofficial winners for each race in bold. These are the results from the ballot tallies, not including write-in votes.

https://www.brattleboro.org/(click on “Unofficial Results 3-5-2019 Election” on the right hand side).


Newfane Town Meeting – Property Tax Late Charges Reduced

I attended my first “real” Town Meeting today. It was the Newfane, VT Town Meeting, held at Williamsville Hall. Previously, I’ve been both a representative and a constituent in Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting system. This is the first time I could attend, or not, without needing to be elected  first.

Williamsville Hall is right down the road, so I took advantage of the sunny day and walked. Along the way a neighbor caught up with me and we arrived together, went inside and found seats.


The Brattleboro Farmers’ Market is Seeking New Vendors

The Brattleboro Farmers’ Market is seeking new vendors for its 2019 season. We’re particularly looking for prepared foods (breakfast/lunch) and cheese, but all applications are welcome in the areas of agriculture, prepared/specialty foods, and crafts.

We’re a producers-only market, which means all products must be grown or made by the applicant. Generally, vendors hail from Windham (VT) and Cheshire (NH) counties, but this year we can accept out-of-county prepared food and craft vendors on a one-year basis.


On Education II

After taking my seat on the Brattleboro Town School Board for the first time I took up as an early task the reading of the responsibilities of a school board member. Not surprisingly number one was to see to the education of the children. That suggested that I learn something about education. I remembered my father writing a paper on John Dewey in the 50’s when, after two and a half decades, he had the motivation to finish his Masters in education. So I read a teeny bit about Dewey, and a smattering of Piaget, Montessori, Bruner, Skinner and a few others.


Helpful Election Information for March 5 and Sample Ballots

Below is information that might be helpful to know for March 5th local elections.

Attached is a sample ballot from each of Brattleboro’s three districts. All districts’ ballots are the same except for Town Meeting Members for each district. Absentee ballots are currently available at the Town Clerk’s Office and may be requested until 5:00 pm on Monday, March 4. Sample ballots can also be found on our website at www.brattleboro.orgunder Elections.


Selectboard Candidate Interview – Elizabeth S. McLoughlin

Read on for our selectboard candidate interview with Elizabeth McLoughlin, who is running for a one-year seat on the board. 

Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?

My husband, Tom and I moved to Brattleboro in 2007, after 20 years of visiting relatives here in town, and we opened two small businesses. The younger of our two daughters, Mary, attended BUHS.  I opened a consulting business 10 years ago. With 30 years of experience, as an environmental planner,  I prepare environmental permits, and write environmental impact statements. 


Pavlic Wins Harris Hill Ski Jump for Second Time

Harris Hill Ski Jump

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — A 20-year-old Slovenian bested 30 of the world’s top up-and-coming ski jumpers Sunday to win the Harris Hill Ski Jump’s annual namesake Fred Harris Memorial Tournament.

Blaz Pavlic, performing for a crowd of several thousand spectators, came within two meters of matching the hill long-distance record of 104 meters he set with his first win in 2017.

“For the hill record, you need a little bit of headwind,” said Pavlic, who jumped this year in calmer conditions.


Slovenian Scores On First Day of Harris Hill Ski Jump

harris hill 2019

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — A young Slovenian bested 32 of the world’s best up-and-coming ski jumpers Saturday on the first day of this weekend’s Harris Hill Ski Jump.

Blaz Pavlic, 20, won the most total points in front of a crowd of several thousand spectators, with Xaver Aigner, 16, of Austria second and Zak Silih, 23, of Slovenia third.

In the men’s U.S. Cup, Canden Wilkinson, 16, of Colorado’s Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club finished first and Hunter Gibson, 17, of Illinois’ Norge Ski Club placed second, even though both experienced falls in the last of their two jumps.


Brattleboro Early and Absentee Ballots Available

Early/absentee ballots for the Brattleboro Annual Town and Town School District Meeting to be held March 5, are now available in the Brattleboro, Town Clerk’s office. Anyone wishing to vote prior to March 5 may apply for an early/absentee ballot until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 4.

Early/absentee ballots may be voted in person in the Clerk’s office, mailed to the voter by the Clerk’s office, picked up by the voter, or if a voter is in need can be delivered to the voter’s residence by two Justices of the Peace. All voted ballots must be received by the Clerk before the polls close on election day in order to be counted. For more information or to request an early/absentee ballot call 251-8157.