Selectboard Meeting Notes – The Plan for the EMS Process

selectboard may 2 2023

Brattleboro Selectboard endorsed a plan put forth by Town Manager John Potter that offers an aggressive summer schedule for gathering input from board members, staff, EMS providers , other towns, and the public.  It kicks off at the next board meeting and will be a regular item for the second meeting of each month until decisions have been made.

Brattleboro will celebrate Juneteenth henceforth. The Agricultural Loan Fund has been updated to serve more people and the board held a first reading to find out the details. And green burials and properly-oriented Muslim burials will soon be options at the local cemetery 


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – May 2, 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard will discuss a plan for the  “Fire-EMS Transition Project” which promises multiple opportunities for the public to weigh in with comments and opinions in the coming months.

They will also add Juneteenth to the official holiday schedule, adjust the cemetery ordinance , change the Agricultural Loan Fund, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation. But keep it short, you pesky public!  : )


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – March 21, 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard will set aside over $2 million of the $2.7 million in ARPA funding for EMS related projects and potential start-up costs, leaving a much smaller amount for the public to discuss how to spend. This comes after promises of community outreach and public input to best determine the ways to spend the funds. Related, the monthly EMS update has been relegated to the Consent Agenda. 

The board will also discuss how to spend the $300k in community safety funds.  You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Brattleboro Fire Department to Transition to Joint Fire/EMS Services

On March 25th, 2022, Chief Drew Hazelton of Rescue Inc. informed the Selectboard and Town Manager that Rescue Inc. would no longer be providing emergency medical services (EMS) for the Town of Brattleboro as of July 1st, 2022. The Town thanks the dedicated members of Rescue Inc. for their many years of service in our town. Their excellent help and dedication to the community have been appreciated. We know that they will continue to provide that high level of service to their remaining customers in our surrounding municipalities.

After careful consideration of various options, The Town will be shifting from a private provider to a joint Fire/EMS service, offering patient care from the scene to the hospital with transport service. This Municipal Fire/EMS model is the most efficient and effective standard practice for the rapid delivery of medical care. It is currently being utilized in a highly successful manner by 5 of the 6 Vermont municipalities larger than Brattleboro and our neighbor in Keene, NH.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – November 23, 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at 6:15pm over Zoom. The Municipal Center (230 Main Street) will be open to the public with limited seating spaced six feet apart and face coverings will be required. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 19, 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be approving a range of new contracts for police officers, firefighters, and other unionized employees at their next regular meeting. 

Union Station will be handed over to the BMAC, the board will hear a sustainability update, they’ll review their goals, Selectboard meetings will be moved to Central Fire Station, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participations.


Elliot Street Fire – Press Release

Fire between 42 & 50 Elliot St – 05/23/2020 – At 10:26p Central Dispatch received a call reporting a fire between 42 & 50 Elliot St. A 1st alarm assignment consisting of Engine 2, Engine 4 and Ladder 1 responded and upon arrival reported smoke showing from the alley between the two buildings and a possible basement fire. Investigating further a fire was discovered in a wooden roof that covered the stairwell that goes down between 42 & 50 Elliot St with some extension into the basement of 42 Elliot. 

At 10:36p the shift captain ordered a 2nd alarm be struck, recalling all Brattleboro Firefighters and bringing all Brattleboro apparatus to the scene. An attack line was stretched down the stairwell and the fire in the roof was quickly extinguished. Entry was forced into the basement of 42 Elliot from the stairwell and a fire around a boarded-up window frame was extinguished. No further extension into the building was found.


Brattleboro Fire Department – Be Careful With Home Oxygen

On Tuesday, December 3 at 8:45am the Brattleboro Fire Department and Rescue Inc responded to a West Brattleboro address for a subject that was burned. Upon arrival it was learned that the 55 year old patient was burned while vaping while he was on home oxygen. A flash fire occurred around the face area of the subject and he received burns to his mouth and nose area. He was transported to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital by Rescue Inc for further evaluation and treatment.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Opioid Lawsuit Hokey-Pokey, Plus FY21 Police and Fire Budgets

brattleboro selectboard nov 26, 2019

At their special meeting this week, the Brattleboro Selectboard decided to reverse a decision they made just last week and instead remain IN a second, national opioid lawsuit. A lawyer told them opting out wouldn’t be so smart.

Health and safety issues at local apartments, an effort to reduce the speed limit in West Brattleboro along Route 9, and discussions of the FY21 Police and Fire budgets rounded out the special meeting.


Brattleboro Sub Station Fire Press Release

At 10:25am Engine 2 & Utility 8 responded to the Power Sub Station just south of the Veterans’ Bridge for a reported transformer fire. Upon arrival they had a significant fire in a large power vault and transformer. An attack line was stretched to the area but the decision was made to let the fire burn due to high voltage electric equipment. Green Mountain Power arrived on the scene shortly after the arrival of the 1st fire apparatus and got the power killed to the sight and the fire burned out approximately 15 minutes after that.


Western Avenue Fire – Press Release

At 7:38am Central Dispatch received a call reporting smoke in the building at 929 Western Ave. A 1stalarm assignment consisting of Eng 2, Eng 4, Ladder 1 and Car 1 & 2 responded. At 7:41am Eng 4 reported there had been a fire in the bathroom of Apt 202 which was out, and they had a burn victim and requested an ambulance.


Town of Brattleboro Finance Director and Treasurer John O’Connor To Retire

Town of Brattleboro Finance Director and Treasurer John O’Connor has announced his intention to retire in October. 

O’Connor has been the Town’s Finance Director and Treasurer since July 7, 2011. During his tenure, the Town has received 7 years of “clean” audited financial reports with no findings requiring corrective action. In addition to that stellar record of financial reporting, O’Connor successfully managed $32.5 million in bond funds from a variety of sources for the wastewater treatment plant upgrade project; $13 million of bond funds for the Police Fire Facilities construction project; and millions of dollars more in Federal, State, and private grants for a wide variety of Town programs and projects, including $1.6 million in FEMA grant money for 39 separate recovery projects after Tropical Storm Irene. 


Shore Road Building Fire

At 5:05am Central Dispatch received a call for a building fire at 25 Shore Dr. Engine 2 and Ladder 1 out of Central Station and Engine 4 out of Station 2 responded on a 1stalarm. Upon arrival at 5:13am Engine 2 reported heavy fire showing from the front of the building and ordered a 2ndalarm be struck, recalling all off duty Brattleboro Firefighters and bringing all Brattleboro apparatus to the scene. Engine 4 laid a supply line to Engine 2 from a hydrant on Eaton Ave and Engine 2 crew stretched a 2 ½” attack line, knocked down a big volume of fire from the outside, the advanced an attack line to the interior of the house. Information was quickly gathered that all of the occupants were out of the house and uninjured. Extinguishment of the fire continued by the interior crew and as more help arrived additional attack lines were stretched to help with fire attack. The fire was declared under control at 7:18am.


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.