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Selectboard Meeting Notes – Water and Sewer Rate Increases, and Face Mask Review

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard Virtual Meeting

The Brattleboro Selectboard had a long discussion about their long discussion last week about face coverings. Is it too strict? Not stick enough? What about the children? They then moved on to a discussion of raising water and sewer rates to help pay for the new water filtration plant. Is 6% a year too much? Is 2% too low?

The final discussion was of the parking system, and how with no income and continued expenses, the budget doesn’t look so good. Should the Parking Fund remain an enterprise fund or be rolled back into the General Fund? And who has the best ceiling?

Selectboard Meeting Notes – War and Water

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro sb may 5 2020

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their regular virtual meeting Tuesday night to discuss war monuments, COVID-19, the Town financial outlook, a new water treatment plant, a new pump station, a new purchase of property, and an overview of additional planned Utility Fund expenses.

The new water treatment plant is estimated, currently, to cost about $11 million.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Representative Town Meeting On Hold, Staff Furloughs

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard april 7

The Brattleboro Selectboard met virtually to discuss updates regarding COVID-19, staff furloughs, putting Representative Town Meeting on further hold, and other matters. Board members urged landlords to pause rents and banks to pause mortgage payments. And licensed electricians may be required for most rental properties repairs.

It wasn’t the smoothest technological feat, and it took a while to get things working semi-smoothly, but it sufficed.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – COVID-19, Skatepark To Be Built, RTM Postponed

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard mar 17 2020

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their regular meeting, but it was anything but “regular” Tuesday. Board members were absent. Those attending sat apart from one another (not quite 6 feet…). COVID-19 was influencing almost every article on the agenda. And Brattleboro’s Skatepark was approved to begin construction. 

The COVID-19 update and discussion was the main item. Groundworks got an additional grant to begin construction on their new building, the town finance report looks good up until last week but may show deficits before the fiscal year is over, and Representative Town Meeting is postponed.

Selectboard Special Meeting Notes – FY21 Budget Sent To Town Meeting Representatives

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard jan 28 2020

The Brattleboro Selectboard held a quick meeting to approve the FY21 budget, Town Meeting warning, and Representative Town Meeting warning. They also discussed a planned sidewalk for the new Hinsdale Bridge and changes to RT 142.

During public participation, citizens questioned the police chief about the recent uptick in vehicle break-ins.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY21 Budget Finalized, Taxes To Rise, And Spotted MOOvers

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard jan 21 2020

The Brattleboro Selectboard discussed some final issues related to the FY21 proposed budget, approving raises for non-union employees but delaying pool improvements for up to a decade, and settled on a final number that… increases property taxes.

The Current is going away, to be replaced entirely by spotted Moovers. All this and more…

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY21 Finals, Finances, and Fund Balances

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard january 2020

The FY21 proposed budget inched closer to becoming the FY21 official budget at the first meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard for 2020. The board ran through a list of final loose ends, heard from the human resources committee and police department, talked loans and grants, discussed public toilets, and were offered both CBD joints and liquor.

A citizen stood up for war crime whistleblowers, select board goals were reviewed, and more. A few budget meetings remain in January, but the board skipped the review of their upcoming meetings schedule so any meetings are theoretical at this juncture.

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

by cgrotke | Town News
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.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Enters Opioid Lawsuit, Settles Other, and Discusses FY21 Capital Expenses

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard nov 19 19

The Brattleboro Selectboard decided Tuesday night to enter into an opioid lawsuit similar to the one that Bennington is undertaking. With strict warnings that local pharmacies could be added in the future if anything notable arises, the board decided not to sue local pharmacies for now.

SeVEDS gave an account of their work year and asked for their annual contribution from Brattleboro, big projects are planned at Living Memorial Park, yes we’re getting another new fire truck, the police have requested some hybrid vehicles for the first time, and the first local option sales taxes shows that things cost about $200,000 more in Brattleboro than in surrounding communities for the first quarter reported.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Agenda Placed On Next Agenda

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard nov 5 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard started their meeting a bit late and ended it quite early, with a rare move of taking nearly everything major off of the agenda and moving it to next week. The reason? Two absent board members.

Almost the entire agenda will be added to next week’s agenda, making next week’s special meeting a whopper.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Opioid Lawsuit May Include Local Pharmacies

by cgrotke | Town News

A Brattleboro Selectboard quartet decided Tuesday night to proceed on a path toward suing opioid manufacturers and providers. The board didn’t see any need to spare local pharmacies from potential litigation, and wasn’t sure about suing local doctors.

The board continued their discussion of municipal broadband, bought winter salt and sand, heard a report on progress at WSWMD, and got a final financial report from retiring John O’Connor.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Broadband, A Tale of Five Cities

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard oct 1 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned the tales of five nearby municipal broadband projects and expressed varying levels of support for something local, along with many questions. Some answers will come at their next meeting.

The Work Today program is being delayed until spring 2020, the parking garage will get a new elevator cab, the DPW will get their generator, and the Town hopes to get some volunteers for committees.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Climate Still Not An Emergency

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard meeting

The Brattleboro Selectboard decided once again that there is no climate emergency worth declaring. The proposed declaration was “a mess” and existing efforts were deemed ample.

The board had their expectations managed about possibilities of self governing anytime soon, budget season is lurking, and the possibility of a bike lane on Western Ave will be further investigated.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Goodbye, Martha RIP

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard

With just three members, the Brattleboro Selectboard said farewell and thank you to Martha O’Connor, who passed away earlier this week.

The reduced  board discussed the small issue of rising waters with the Hinsdale Bridge project, the failed search for a marketing firm, and efforts to become more compassionate in town. The Windham and Windsor Housing Trust got the go-ahead for a grant application to help homeowners, a citizen volunteered to shadow the Town Manager at state meetings of VLCT, and the meeting was done by a very reasonable hour.