Give a kid a camera and magic can happen! EMILY WAGNER brings vibrant energy, art and photo skills to Insight Photography Project for youth – Check out this show & hear all about the 2024 Awards Ceremony at The Latchis Theater Sept. 28, 2-4pm and the exhibit at BMAC!
The Brattleboro Selectboard voted in favor of many suggestions by Police Chief Norma Hardy at their regular Tuesday meeting: using community safety funds to purchase surveillance cameras, plus authorizing a move forward on un-budgeted hiring of three more officers, hiring two unarmed police staff, and one police data technician. They also will move ahead with locating a police satellite office downtown.
This came after a presentation on police data that showed that the majority of police calls in town were not for crimes, and many incidents with police involve a handful of known actors.
Safety has a price and the Brattleboro Selectboard will begin to hear some of the new costs for downtown safety at their next regular meeting. Brattleboro Police will request hiring of additional staff and officers plus the creation of a parking garage satellite office for police use. It is part of their downtown safety action plan. They will also discuss their HEAT mapping and how this impacts deploying resources to problem areas.
Esteyville bandstand plans will be discussed. The result of the public input is that people want the bandstand, but not way up in the air as it currently sits. The selectboard will also set a plan for this year’s budget process. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held an extended conversation with members of the state legislative delegation, handing them a long list of things that Brattleboro would like help with – money, staff, changes to laws, and so on.
Reps said they were working on many items already, but were eager to stay involved and work together to find solutions to housing, justice, addiction, mental health, crime, and other issues plaguing the ‘boro.
Downtown Brattleboro surveillance is on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New $45,000 police cameras will be purchased for the intersection of High and Main so that the Town can watch everything you do there, in addition to watching everything you do at the Transportation Center. Some local stores will join in and add their cameras to the surveillance system, too.
Brattleboro’s sludge removal has become more expensive and the board will approve nearly $45,000 contract increase for just six months of disposal costs. The board will also discuss their new Legislative Agenda (things they want the State to help fix), a bike path proposal for Rt. 5, discontinuing part of Melrose Street, ordinance changes, and more.
You can request other items not on the agenda during public participation, as long as you don’t bring up something that annoys the Chair.
