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Selectboard Meeting Notes – Climate Emergency, Homelessness, Addiction, and Flowers

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard

Before the Brattleboro Selectboard could get to regular business, they heard from many agitated citizens on issues such as the homeless, flowers, and librarians getting paid less than homeless day work program employees. This was interrupted by a climate emergency protest, adding to the list of grievances.

Eventually the board got tho their scheduled business of updates on the DBA and Project CARE, approving of contracts, a short discussion of childcare at public meetings, and more. It was quite an outpouring of interest in local government, from many angles.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Rental Housing, Day Work, Sustainability

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their only meeting of July. Despite objections from many landlords, the board approved a new rental housing inspection program, and despite numerous statements of support they put off deciding on how best to deal with issues of sustainability.

New tax rates for FY20 were set, a 3-month day work pilot program was funded, Groundworks received $100,000 for housing, and more.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Day Work Program Coming, Landlords Facing Inspections

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard June 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard took up a full agenda, though with only three members present, they themselves were not quite full.

The big discussion of the evening centered on landlords and a new rental housing inspection system soon to take effect, but the exciting news came during public participation when it was announced that a day work program, legal and with dignity, will soon be getting started.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY20, Goals, and Raises

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard June 2019

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their first meeting of June, spending most of the time discussing goals, but also approving Utility and Parking budgets for FY20.

Firefighters, administrators and office staff of Local 98 all got raises, and a new downtown design process will be getting underway.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY20 Water & Sewer, Parking, Solid Waste Budgets

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 21 2019

Vice Chair Tim Wessel led the board through the second regular meeting in May. It was a night of numbers, with Water & Sewer, Parking, and Solid Waste FY20 budgets being discussed in detail. One member compared the evening to math class, but budgets can be revealing, and many new town projects and plans were listed. The projects have timelines and costs, hence their inclusion in budget talks.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Big New Skatepark Grant Not Enough To Prevent Re-Scope of Project

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard heard about a new, big grant for the skatepark project at Tuesday’s meeting, but it wasn’t enough to stop the re-scoping of the project and rejection of current bids. New timetable calls for a skatepark to be completed, maybe, by snowfall!

Heifers are permitted to Heifer this year, residents urge urgency on climate related matters, whistleblowers are now protected, the Emergency Plan has be readopted, financial matters attended to, and more.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Representative Town Meeting Review, Main Street Repairs

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard April 2019

The first meeting of the new configuration of the Brattleboro Selectboard went off without difficulty. New members Daniel Quipp and Elizabeth McCloughlin were initiated with a fill agenda including actions as Liquor Commissioners as well as Water & Sewer Commissioners.

The board considered issues raised at Representative Town Meeting, approved grants for a slight expansion to Red Clover Commons, helped renegotiate some loans due to the Town, and more.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Going Through The Motions

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard

The Brattleboro Selectboard gathered for their last regular meeting under the current configuration of board members – Chair Kate O’Connor and Shanta Lee Gander are about to return to civilian life. 

The Country Club was reprimanded for a liquor infraction, causing the board to offer them time to do some free promotion. (Note to other liquor license holders – minor infractions will lead to publicity!) Bids were accepted, the Energy Committee was reduced in size, and representative town meeting motions were assigned.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Steve Barrett Night

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard march 5

The Brattleboro Selectboard met on Town Meeting Day 2019 and spent most of the time discussing issues of water and sewer.

This included a rather substantial presentation by an apartment owner requesting a reduction in an abnormally high water bill, some discussion of the Hinsdale Bridge, some notes on odors and energy, and a hint that water and sewer ates may hold steady for a year.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Representative Town Meeting Meeting Warning, and Arts Fail To Get 2%

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard

The Brattleboro Selectboard sent an approved FY20 budget to Representative Town Meeting as part of the annual Representative Town Meeting Warning.

Representatives from the arts community, meanwhile, asked that an article requesting 2% of the Rooms & Meals tax be allocated for an Arts Fund for public arts projects, $8,424, be placed on the Representative Town Meeting Warning. The board said no, telling them it was hasty and didn’t have enough detail.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 22, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear their first request for an exemption from the relatively new Plastic Bag Ordinance. Zephyr Designs is making the request.

Culture Made Vermont will get lots of goodies, mileage will be certified, an EPA grant applied for, liquor permits approved, and nearly final FY20 budget thoughts presented.  You can weigh in on spending Rooms & Meals taxes on promotions and the precedent it sets, or bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes- Dozer Decision Delayed, DPW Starts On Long Path To New Facilities

by cgrotke | Town News
Selectboard-dec4-2018

Read on for coverage of the Brattleboro Selectboard’s regular December 4th meeting. The mini-trial in the middle of the meeting regarding Dozer the Dangerous Dog took a turn when the owner made claims that it was not Dozer, but Buddy, her other dog. This led to much confusion in the courtroom.

In more substantial and long term news, the Department of Public Works got the go-ahead to do a feasibility study to see what new facilities would entail. Nothing will be built anytime soon.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Thanksgiving Edition

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard nov20

A full meeting for the Brattleboro Selectboard just prior to Thanksgiving. Discussions of the FY20 Budget, the Downtown Alliance, affordable housing, downstairs tenants driving someone nuts, and more took place, plus there was the introduction of a new 25 year plan for replacing town equipment, as well as a new suggestion to put some money aside, like a layaway plan, to buy future fire trucks.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Budget Preview, and Blinking Lights Baffle

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard

The Brattleboro Selectboard cancelled a few possible contentious items on the agenda (the Harmony Lot mural and the Health Code violation) but still got an earful from a couple concerned that blinking safety lights on Western Ave are unnecessary and lower the value of their home. The Wessel Baffle might prove to be the solution.

Town Manager Elwell gave the board an overview of the coming budget request from Town staff. Of note: the expected 4% health insurance increase is actually more like 17%. Ouch. Call a doctor. Police cars are being uplifted, a new solar project is being considered, and more.

Selectboard Meeting Notes : The Parking Garage, Safety, and a Pause on Vehicles For Hire

by cgrotke | Town News

The parking garage, a.k.a. the Brattleboro Transportation Center, had center stage at Tuesday’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Is it safe? Is it energy efficient? Is it bright enough? Should we add a permanent art project? How big is that ceiling? Is there something we can do instead of paying half a million for reflective paint? These are the issues of the day.

There was quite a bit of public discussion throughout, new energy projects were approved, and the vehicle for hire ordinance is on hold. But really, it was mostly about the parking garage.