Charter Revision Commission

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Groundworks Update and How To Decide How To Govern

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard sept 9 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their first regular meeting in over a month. Top issue was Groundworks, who came to give an overview of recent stats and projects. People seemed most interested in a new project to build 40 beds near Morningside, and safety issues.

The other big discussion was about possible changes to the Charter. The results of the 2.5 years of Charter Revision Commission meetings were somewhat enhanced and overshadowed by members of the public being confused, asking to slow down, wanting consideration of other options such as certified petitions, potential petitions, special and regular meetings, informational meetings, educational programs, and legal issues.

The board made the firm decision to wait until their next regular meeting, not the listening session, to decide whether to discuss putting it on an agenda at a meeting in October to consider holding a special election on November.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agendas Sept 9 and 11, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold two meetings the week of September 8th – a regular meeting and a listening session.

Tuesday’s regular meeting features the presentation by the Charter Revision Commission regarding a new draft charter and an update from Groundworks.  The Thursday listening session is for the public to weigh in on the upcoming budget for FY27.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda at both meetings, but only the regular meeting will have the livestream and zoom elements. You have to be there in person to participate Thursday.

Town Charter Revision Commission & Open Town Meeting

by RobertOeser | Town News

The next Charter Revision Commission [1] will meet Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and also on Zoom (the agenda [2] contains the Zoom link) Meetings are also being planned for August.

As you may be aware the Charter Revision Commission is recommending that the Brattleboro form of government be changed from Representative Town Meeting (RTM) to Open Town Meeting (OTM). A survey, the results of which are available online with percentages [3] show a preference for OTM [173 to 84].

At its June 4, 2025 meeting, the Commission voted 6-0 to approve a motion “that the Commission is committed to developing a plan to replace Representative Town Meeting with a system that would include an Open Town Meeting.”

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room and over Zoom.

The Charter Revision Commission will meet on Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and over Zoom.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Bridge Over Troubled Island, Charter Changes

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard july 8 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned what the Brattleboro Charter Commission has been working on regarding the form of town governance and other possible changes to the Charter. The Commission has put over two years of work into this and the Chair seemed quite interested in being able to edit whatever they present, such as the form of town government, when it comes before the board again in September.

The next big discussion was about the old Hinsdale bridges. Hinsdale sent some semi-unanticipated reps to read Brattleboro the riot act. They seemed to take special glee in pointing out just how terrible Brattleboro’s problems are, and wanted to know if the town would agree that the bridges should be destroyed or sold.  A split vote at the end of the discussion means Brattleboro does not surrender in the battle

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – July 8, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard starts July with a big meeting on the 8th. They’ll spend almost a half million dollars on DPW vehicles, authorize tax collectors going after local businesses, pay for a new $476k retaining wall, and that’s just in the consent agenda. (They’ll also retroactively consider a parade permit – if it fails, do the participants need to march backwards?)

Once the meeting gets going in full, the board will hear from the Charter Revision Commission, receive an update on the old Hinsdale bridges, set a property tax rate of $1.5835 per $100, hear about increases to water and sewer rates, spend over $500k on space for police and bathrooms downtown, and more.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Finance Committee will meet on Monday, June 30, 2025 at 6:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street, rm. 211).

The Brattleboro Charter Revision Commission will meet on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Rm. 212).

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Charter Revision Commission will meet on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and over Zoom.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, May 5, 2025 at 4:15pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Finance Committee will meet on Monday, April 14, 2025 at 6:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room.

The Charter Revision Commission will meet Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at 7:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and over Zoom.

God of Democracy Where Art Thou?

by spoon | Op/Ed

The Charter Revision Commission is making its public debut on Monday, the 30th, in the Library at 6 pm. And online too.  After two and a quarter years it is introducing itself by asking the public what to do about one particular question: should Representative Town Meeting vote itself out of existence and revert Town Meeting to the former and more common open meeting style.  

I have not seen any of the evidence it has gathered pro and con but perhaps they will share that at the meeting itself though at that point perhaps not as useful as it might be.  Presumably they have gathered evidence inasmuch as that is what Charter Revision Commissions are appointed to do.  

Charter Revision Commission Forum March 31, 2025

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Charter Revision Commission invites Brattleboro residents to a discussion on the form of Brattleboro’s annual town meeting.

The meeting will take place on Monday, March 31, 2025, 6 to 8 p.m. in the Main Reading Room at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, and will be broadcast live on BCTV Channel 1079, BCTV’s YouTube Channel, Facebook Page and website, Brattleborotv.org.

The Charter and information about the Charter Revision Commission, including a summary of the forms of annual town meeting and a Frequently Asked Questions sheet, are available at Brattleboro.gov.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Charter Revision Commission will meet on Monday, March 17, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Rm 212) and over zoom.

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 8:00am in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Rm 212) and over Zoom.