A possibly short meeting with potentially interesting topics ahead was actually not so short due to technical difficulties, but it certainly was interesting. A respite from budgets, for sure.
Sustainability, food security, downtown safety, bridge fixing, and more were all discussed. Some with slide presentations!
Flood Plain Restoration is more expensive than originally thought. By hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s part of what the Brattleboro Selectboard will hear at the first regular meeting of February 2024.
The board will also create a new road for the Town to take care of, hear updates on town safety, sustainability, food, farms, and vacant buildings. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation, if the Chair allows.
AGENDA
A. Meeting Called to Order
B. Welcome and Introductions
C. History of the Agricultural Advisory Committee
D. Committee Organizational Meeting
Sadly, the Brattleboro Co-op, with minimal announcement to its owners, is planning to close Dottie’s. In the current “Food for Thought”, they describe it as “the integration of Dottie’s into our main store”. If this happens, Dottie’s as we know and love it, will no longer exist.
Although the plans seem to be far along, we are asking the management to kindly reconsider.
Many people, especially those on a tight food budget, rely on Dottie’s, and everyone benefits from the mix of interesting products, many of which are not available in the main co-op.
TODAY’S NEW INFORMATION + IMPORTANT REMINDER
• Reminder: A second State-organized food distribution will be held in Brattleboro tomorrow, June 11, from 10am to 2pm. This time, you must pre-register to be able to receive food. (This helps the organizers better plan for both the amount of food to distribute and the safety and efficiency of the distribution process.) Appointments are clustered every 15 minutes. As with last time, no personally identifying or financial questions will be asked. Please use this link to register: https://humanresources.vermont.gov/food-help.
• On June 15, the softball fields at Living Memorial Park and West River Park will reopen for team practices. Use is limited to one team at a time and a maximum of 25 people. No games or scrimmages. A list of other limitations on this use has been distributed by the Recreation and Parks Department to the organizers of local softball leagues.
On Wednesday, May 27, the State of Vermont will be distributing a large amount of free food in the student parking lot at Brattleboro Union High School from 10a – 2p. Everyone is welcome, you will be asked only the community you are from (this is for Brattleboro and the region around us) and how many people are in your household. You will not be asked names or your financial information.
WHAT IS NEW TODAY
• The Brattleboro Selectboard issued an Emergency Order at its meeting last night requiring that face coverings be worn by all employees, customers, and visitors in any store, office, or other indoor setting where business is conducted. This requirement is effective immediately and applies equally to businesses, non-profit organizations, and governmental facilities anywhere in Brattleboro.
The Selectboard made this decision after a lengthy discussion that included substantial public input on the GoToMeeting platform where Selectboard meetings are currently being held without any specific physical location due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Here is the full text of the resolution that the Selectboard adopted to issue this order:
Let’s get concrete. One aspect. Food security. There was a suggestion, a well worn mantra but nonetheless very true, to buy local. We’ll keep that narrowed to food. The presumption is that the more local food we buy the more local growers will be inclined to raise. Each additional pound of food gets us one pound closer to security. But there is another factor. The food has to be affordable.
Small farms, especially the organic farms and it would be ideal if all were organic, can’t get food to the market at the same price as agribiz. Agribiz doesn’t care about or thus factor in the external costs of pollution (and resulting health issues) from chemicals or gmo’s or any such thing. On top of that they get huge subsidies. The subsidies are added to everyone else’s tax bill.
Millions of Americans have been under attack since Trump and his thugs took power. The list of inhumane, racist and xenophobic actions is long and most of the people who have been targeted are low income, vulnerable because of their health or socio-economic status or because they live in fear of having their families torn apart.
The vulnerable among us are experiencing a type of bullying never before seen in this country, but this kind of cowardly action has become the norm for our rogue government. One of the more recent assaults on Americans who are working hard and trying to get ahead is a proposed rule change that would cut food stamp (commonly referred to as SNAP) benefits to about three million people.
Do you want to lose weight?Are you tired of diets? Thousands of people are feeling just like you do right now. Maybe diets haven’t worked for you so far, but you can try something that will give you the positive edge you need to control the cravings you have around food.
Windham Southeast Supervisory Union is pleased to announce its continued sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided this summer to all children without charge regardless of income or residence. Meals are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.
Children and families are invited to the Kick Off Event on June 25th at Living Memorial Park Pool. Children and adults eat for free at this event. Lunch is from 12-1pm. Free passes to the pool will be given with the meal, so stay the afternoon to swim.
Want to contribute to the health and wellbeing of children this summer? Windham Southeast Supervisory Union is looking for a volunteer to serve healthy meals to children at the Living Memorial Park Pool. Volunteering to serve this free meal will ensure that children have access to nutritious food despite the fact that school is not in session. This is an ideal position for a parent already bringing children to the pool daily or a community member committed to supporting children thrive.
Food truck season is on! Dosa Kitchen’s hours are WED-SUN 12-3.
We are located at 400 Linden Street, at Grafton Village Cheese and the Retreat Farm.
The Friends of Brooks Memorial Library will celebrate National Library Week (April 8 to April 14) with a dessert fundraiser and “Friendraiser” on Friday, April 13, 2018 from 7pm to 9pm at the Brooks Memorial Library.
The Friends will offer a selection of desserts, as well as tea and coffee.
Various prizes, many handcrafted by area artists, will be raffled off. The cost is $10.00 per person and includes dessert and coffee as well as 3 raffle tickets. You may also purchase extra tickets — 3 for $5.
