Selectboard Meeting Notes – Rising Parking Costs and Property Taxes

selectboard july 9 2024

A hot July evening, and the Brattleboro Selectboard approved new property tax rates. , The Town’s Finance Director told the board 75% of the increase is because of education. Dick Degray called it an unsustainable increase.

The new parking ordinance had a first reading. The costs to business owners and employees on Main Street was a concern to some and an outright horror to others.

The board made a list of things to discuss with legislators, adjusted rules for political signs, and discussed parking enforcement at the Vermont Country Deli.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – July 9, 2024 – Agenda and Notes

The Brattleboro Selectboard has some spelling-challenged items to take care of at their next meeting. They plan to approve the 2025 “Fical” Year property tax rate and hear about a new proposed “pollical” sign policy.

The board will also discuss changes to the parking ordinance,  things they’d like to have the State of Vermont help with (transportation funding, the Grand List, community development, municipal revenue, and public safety and public health,) and their own goals for the year – community safety, child safety zones, and enhanced state revenue sharing. 

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


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Water & Sewer Rates Up, Parking Meters To Come Down But Rates Likely To Rise

brattleboro selectboard june 4 2024

The first meeting of June for the Brattleboro Selectboard and they decided your Water & Sewer Rates are going up 5%. 

The board spent quite a bit of time, though, talking about raising your parking rates, too.  Remember the great meter system that the Town staff insisted be purchased a few years back? Fast forward a bit and now the Town staff wants to cut down every meter and replace them with a handful of credit card powered kiosks. They’d like to get rid of any coins or cash in the system. And Town staff suggested merely doubling current rates.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – June 4, 2024

Newly increased water rates will be adopted and the FY25 Parking Fund will be presented for approval at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Part of the discussion will be the adoption of a grant for downtown parking system improvements. A slightly more unusual part will be to choose between parking fund revenues of $654,500 or $1,029,500, which most likely means a decision about raising parking rates.

There will be a small affordable housing grant for BAAH, and an application for a grant to improve sidewalks and add a path to the backside of the Common. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Brattleboro Street Parking During a Snow Emergency

A winter storm watch has been issued for southern Vermont from the afternoon of Saturday, January 6 through the evening of Sunday, January 7. Heavy snow and high winds are in the forecast. During this time, the Town of Brattleboro anticipates road crews and equipment will be working around the clock to keep roadways open and free of hazards. 

Vehicles parked on Town streets create dangerous obstacles for all during a storm and are susceptible to being towed at the owner’s expense, per Brattleboro Town Ordinance. Please attempt to utilize off-street parking. Free overnight parking is available in the Brattleboro Transportation Center between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. in UNRESERVED parking spaces. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.


Brattleboro Winter Parking Ban Begins Wednesday

The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to advise everyone that the winter parking ban will go into effect, starting Wednesday, November 15, 2023. Overnight parking is
forbidden on all streets in the town of Brattleboro. Vehicles parked for longer than one (1) hour between 11:00pm and 07:00am may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

THIS BAN IS IN EFFECT EVEN IF THERE IS NO SNOW ON TOWN STREETS.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – July 11, 2023

The results of the Brattleboro Selectboard board retreat will be discussed at their next Tuesday meeting. Hint: they have established their five top goals of the year to be good transportation center parking, the town pool, the community safety plan, safety zones, and housing.

Tax rates and utility rates will be set, housing and land use will be discussed, and you can bring up any other items not on the agenda if the Chair allows under Public Participation.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting June 20, 2023 – Agenda and Notes

Brattleboro employees will get raises and taxpayers will get a 5% reduction in water bills at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Parking and Utility budgets will be approved, the monthly EMS update will be given, and the public’s chance to weigh in at the 2nd meeting in June regarding EMS services will be on the agenda as well.  You might also be able to bring up other items not on the agenda.


Brattleboro Parking Lot Line Striping

The Public Works Highway Division will be repainting the lines in the Harmony and High Grove Parking Lots this weekend, Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16.  Crews will work from 6:00 am to approximately 1:00 pm both days and plan to complete a portion of each parking lot each day.  

Please have all vehicles removed from the WEST side of each lot by 6:00 am on Saturday.

Please have all vehicles removed from the EAST side of each lot by 6:00 am on Sunday.


Winter Parking Ban Ends April 12 at Midnight

The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to announce the lifting of the winter parking ban. Starting tomorrow night, April 12, 2023, at midnight, overnight parking will be allowed on all streets EXCEPT in the downtown area. The following streets are never available for overnight parking:

Main Street
High Street


Brattleboro Overnight Parking Ban Reminder

As we have had little snowfall this winter and there are storms predicted in the coming days, the Department of Public Works would like to remind everyone that the winter parking ban is in effect.

*Overnight parking is forbidden on all streets in the town of Brattleboro.  


Brattleboro Winter Parking Ban

The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to advise everyone that the winter parking ban will go into effect, starting Tuesday, November 15, 2022. Overnight parking is forbidden on all streets in the town of Brattleboro. Vehicles parked for longer than one (1) hour between 11:00pm and 07:00am may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

THIS BAN IS IN EFFECT EVEN IF THERE IS NO SNOW ON TOWN STREETS.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – November 15, 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard will discuss cost increases, delays, and supply chain issues at the Water Treatment Plant at their next regular meeting. This is in addition to kicking off budget season in earnest, with an overview of the FY24 General Fund Budget, revenue, and capital project and equipment expenses.

They will consider free parking for Holly Days, hear the annual presentation from the downtown alliance, and learn about marketing initiatives. The board will also cross into school matters as they take up the issue of appointing a new member to the WSESU board. You can, as always, bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Acknowledges Executive Session Open Meeting Violations

selectboard june 7 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard held one of their longer meetings in some time. The public was active!  Complaints about downtown crime, lack of action on climate change, and open meetings kept the board busy until after 10:30pm.

Of note, the Town acknowledged their violation of open meeting protocols and adopted a new two-part process to make sure it won’t happen again. This wasn’t enough for most people, who wanted a more detailed accounting of the EMS decision making process.

The board changed RTM districts to conform with state updates, adopted Utility and Parking budgets, and poured luke-warm water on a suggestion to bring back the electric trolley.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 7, 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard will emerge from another Executive Session to do something that isn’t done very often – update the boundaries of the voting districts in town, which will change representation at Representative Town meeting. This update is to conform with adjustments recently made by the state.

The board will also take up the Utility Fund, Parking Fund Budget, raises, and the Depot Street parking lot project. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Brattleboro Winter Parking Ban Lifted

The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to announce the lifting of the winter parking ban. Starting tonight, 04/06/2022, at midnight, overnight parking will be allowed on all streets EXCEPT in the downtown area. The following streets are never available for overnight parking:


Selectboard Meeting Notes – No Business Likes Snow Business

selectboard february 15, 2022

The Brattleboro selectboard had strong words for downtown property owners over sidewalk snow removal. It was a good old-fashioned Selectboard -DBA battle for a while there, when the downtown organization tried to pass responsibility for clearing snow to the Town.  No, insisted the board. Building owners have always been required to clear it, and if the downtown organization feels it is a shabby job, perhaps they should pay to use a more professional service. Take that.

They also raced through some public hearings, updates and reports.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes February 15, 2022

At their next regular meeting the Brattleboro Selectboard will consider changing the rules about downtown snow removal, possibly ending the practice of removing snow for building owners and charging them after for the work.

The board will revisit the mask mandate, take care of some grants, appoint some people, and consider use of ARPA funds to replenish the parking fund. You can, as always, bring up pther items not on the agenda during public participation.


Brattleboro Parking Closure Extended to June 11

 Due to additional necessary work, the closure of the lower floor of the Brattleboro Transportation Center will be extended until Saturday, June 11, 2021. The Brattleboro Transportation Center was due to open on Saturday, June 5, 2021, but due to the additional work the closure has been extended. The Flat Street entrance/exit to the Transportation Center will be closed to all traffic. Vehicles will be allowed to enter and exit through the Elliot Street entrance only. 


Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY22 Parking and Utility Funds, Paving, and the Whetstone Path

Brattleboro selectboard meeting

The Brattleboro Selectboard heard the sad tale of the Parking Fund and its many losses over the previous, current, and probably future year at Tuesday’s meeting. Estimates for the coming year are just guesses. One of the hardest financial discussions ever, the Town Manager told the board.

Everything else, however, went smoothly. The Utilities Fund is pretty much as it was before. New paving projects have been approved. Winston-Prouty got a liquor license (for a single event for grown ups, ahem…), and more. No public participation, either. “A return to normal,” your reporter snarks snarkily.