Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Discusses Big Issues with State Delegation

Repeat Offenders

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.


Brattleboro Selectboard – Agenda and Notes – November 7, 2023

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.


Brattleboro Fall Paving 2023

Beginning Tuesday, October 10, Northeast Paving (a contractor of the town) will be milling and paving on Flat Street, Frost Street, Elm Street and Lynde Place.  This work is expected to take four days to complete, weather permitting.

Crews will be working between 6:00am and 6:00pm (please see schedule below).  There will be no on-street parking during this project and motorists should expect delays in the area and seek alternate routes.  


Brattleboro Installs Bike Lanes on Western Avenue

The Town of Brattleboro is in the process of striping bike lanes onto Western Avenue from the intersection with High Street to Allerton Avenue. The project is currently ongoing and is expected to be completed this fall. Drivers should pay attention to the lane shifts and are reminded that no parking is allowed in bicycle lanes.

Starting on Sept. 19, the Department of Public Works began the process of marking bike lanes, installing signage, and adding new crosswalks on Western Avenue at Greenhill Parkway and on Western Avenue at Green Street. A rectangular rapid-flashing beacon will
also be added near Allerton Avenue.


Vernon Street Closing Wednesday

Green Mountain Power will be working on Vernon Street around the intersection of Vernon Street and Bridge Street on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, from 7:00am to 5:00pm. During that time Vernon Street will be closed from main Street to Royal Road. During the remainder of the week there may be alternate traffic. Please seek alternate routes if possible.


Main Street Milling and Paving Rescheduled

Tomorrow, Thursday, May 26, beginning at 6:00 pm, Highway crews will be milling and paving Main ST between High ST and Grove ST.  The work will take place overnight and is expected to be completed by Friday morning at 7:00 am.  There will be no on street parking during this project and motorists should expect delays in the area and seek alternate routes.  


High Street Paving Rescheduled

Tomorrow, Thursday, May 26, beginning at 6:00 pm, DMI Paving (a contractor of the town) will be paving High ST from Main Street to Green Street.  The work will take place overnight and is expected to be completed by Friday morning at 7:00 am.  There will be no on street parking during this project and motorists should expect delays in the area and seek alternate routes.  


Milling and Paving of Main Street

On Thursday, May 19, beginning at 6:00 pm, Highway crews will be milling and paving Main ST between High ST and Grove ST.  The work will take place overnight and is expected to be completed by Friday morning at 7:00 am.  There will be no on street parking during this project and motorists should expect delays in the area and seek alternate routes.  

The rain date for this project is Thursday, May 26th.


High Street Paving

On Thursday, May 19, beginning at 6:00 pm, DMI Paving (a contractor of the town) will be paving High ST from Main Street to Green Street.  The work will take place overnight and is expected to be completed by Friday morning at 7:00 am.  There will be no on street parking during this project and motorists should expect delays in the area and seek alternate routes.  

The rain date for this project is Thursday, May 26th.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Whetstone Woes, WRC Wows, and Playgrounds

Brattleboro Selectboard march 16 2021

Water leaks and collapsing walls were part of  the first post-Daylight Savings Time regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.  The Department of Public Works reported on a couple of recent and ongoing emergency repairs downtown involving water.

The board heard an update on the work of the Windham Regional Commission, found out more about how poorly parking revenues are going this year, hired a company to do cemetery maintenance, and purchased some new playground equipment. And board members said goodbye to Brandie Starr and Jan Anderson, thanking them for their service.


Lower Main Street Traffic Restrictions, Water Service Interruption

On Wednesday, March 17, Utilities Crews will be working in the junction of lower Main Street and Canal Street.  The work will begin at 9:00 pm and continue through approximately 6:00 am Thursday morning, March 18.  Traffic will be restricted in that area during the scheduled time while the Utilities Division works to repair a water main leak.  

Motorists should plan to use alternate routes during this time period.


Hundreds of Protestors Fill Brattleboro’s Main Street In Response To Floyd Killing

George Floyd protest1

Hundreds of protestors in Brattleboro on Sunday joined in the nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd.

Lining Main Street from one end to the other on both sides of the streets, were social-distanced people with masks and signs, chanting and singing. This crowd was probably as big if not bigger than the Iraq War protests in 2003.

A sampling of signs:

Black Lives matter

Justice for Floyd


Brattleboro Downtown Merchants

Quote: “I’m no economist, but when I hear about downtown businesses blaming their financial woes on the presence of people on the sidewalk asking for spare change, I’m left scratching my head. It seems like if you’re going to run a business, you’d want to know the basics of supply and demand… Like, if you want to make money, you need to offer goods and services that people want at a price they can pay. Sell things people need and can afford. Three-thousand-dollar rugs not flying off the shelves? Rethink your business strategy. I can buy an 80-dollar bouquet of flowers downtown, but I have to drive somewhere else to buy a pair of underwear.”


River Garden Brown Bag Lunch Series Continues!

Strolling of the Heifers has announced the schedule for its Brown Bag Lunch at the River Garden series for the week of Mon. 7/29– Fri. 8/02. This week, join us for a discussion of Emotional Wellness and Diabetes Prevention, The Wonder and Gift of Reiki ,What We Can Learn From Horses, music with Mr. Blair, a group sing along with Rich Grumbine and more!

All Brown Bag Lunch events take place from noon to 1 p.m. at the Robert H Gibson River Garden, 157 Main St., Brattleboro, and are free and open to the public.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – May 21, 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be reviewing a number of budgets at their next meeting. FY20 approaches with talk of Utilities, Parking, and Solid Waste budgets.

The contract with Rescue Inc. is up for renewal, a new handicapped parking space is set for approval, the board will continue to discuss goals for the coming year, the battle against knotweed will continue, and you will be asked to volunteer for the Town. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Come to Find Out the Secrets of Freemasonry at the Brattleboro Masonic Lodge’s Open House, Sat. May 18th

Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity in the world and evolved out of the stonemason trade guilds that went back to Biblical times. After the Renaissance, and with the start of the Reformation, and during the Age of Enlightenment, more individuals of learning, business people, and those from the nobility wanted to consider alternative ideas in philosophy, science, and government that were not considered acceptable topics for public discourse. They found tiled lodges of fraternal Freemasonry excellent venues for presenting papers on different subjects and receiving feedback regarding the thesis they advanced.