select board

Brattleboro Select Board Candidate

by JakiReis | Town News

I am Jaki Reis and I am running for Select board here in Brattleboro. You may know me from the 22 years that I’ve lived and worked downtown. Maybe we met at Brown and Roberts, or at the Chamber or the River Gallery School, or at the Latchis Theater. I have been close to so many who know me as their neighbor, friend, and fellow volunteer.

I have gained a rich understanding of how we all live and the concerns and complaints that we all share. Like most of you, I love this town a great deal, and I’m happy to have a chance to contribute to the Select board in doing its job.

Landlords & the Vermont Housing Crisis: A Response from TUB to Brandie Starr’s “Be Part of the Movement Towards a Sustainable Brattleboro”

by efrancese | Op/Ed

Brandie Starr of the Brattleboro selectboard recently wrote an article titled, “Be part of the movement towards a sustainable Brattleboro” in which she directly addresses community members and, more specifically, landlords. The article is in reaction to and support of a, now notorious, proposal written by the Tenants’ Union of Brattleboro (TUB) which limits security deposits to an amount of one month’s rent or less.

Since the proposal was added to the last selectboard meeting agenda and since Starr has voiced her support, there have been rumblings of discontent from the landlord community. From voices of opposition at the selectboard meetings, to local landlord Deedee Jones’s rebuttal piece, to emails sent directly to the tenant’s union.

I am a member of TUB and a tenant who has rented four apartments in Brattleboro. On behalf of myself and the tenant’s union, I would like to elaborate on Starr’s points and examine the conditions that make a proposal like this reasonable, necessary and, quite honestly, not very radical. I would also like to address some of the voiced and rumored concerns from our local landlords.

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 – 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 – 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.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 3, 2019

by cgrotke | Uncategorized

The Hinsdale Bridge project inches forward at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. The board will also learn details of the $40k plan to market some aspects of Brattleboro to some other people somewhere.

Compassionate Brattleboro will give an update on their progress, winter heating oil will be bought, grants will be applied for, and more. You can always bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Climate Emergency Declaration Begins at $50M School Board Meeting

by Kurt Daims | Activism

After admonishing the school directors at the Windham South East School Union meeting Tuesday night June 25 for failing to educate students about climate change Kurt Daims of Brattleboro Common Sense (BCS) proposed an advisory resolution to include Climate Crisis in every regular meeting of the school directors. One person spoke against the resolution, and after an enthusiastic debate the resolution was approved.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda & Notes – June 18, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

Paving and pickups are a focus at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

The board will also begin the start-up of rental housing registrations and inspections, Groundworks will see an increase in Town funds for a housing project, the Brooks House will get a modification of their tax stabilization agreement, a Charter Review process may start up soon, and more. You can, as always, bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation near the start of the meeting.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – April 16, 2019

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will review and reject bids for the skatepark at their next regular meeting. They all came in over the amount available in the budget for the project, so plans will need to be adjusted.

There will be quite a few Heifer permits, a public hearing on Water & Sewer rates, adoption of the Local Emergency Operations Plan, a report from the Windham Regional Commission, and adoption of a new whistleblower protection policy. You can, as always, bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

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.

Brattleboro Selectboard Chair’s Remarks- 4/2/2019

by Brandie Starr | Town News

Good afternoon! Here are the remarks I will be distributing and reviewing this evening at the  Selectboard Meeting:

Welcome to the first meeting of the new Selectboard season! I am excited to serve as your Chair, and am looking forward to a busy year ahead of us.

As some of you may be new to attending Selectboard Meetings, I thought I would help to give a lay of the meeting, including some non-negotiable boundaries within which these meetings will operate:

Selectboard Candidate Interview – Elizabeth S. McLoughlin

by cgrotke | Politics

Read on for our selectboard candidate interview with Elizabeth McLoughlin, who is running for a one-year seat on the board. 

Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?

My husband, Tom and I moved to Brattleboro in 2007, after 20 years of visiting relatives here in town, and we opened two small businesses. The younger of our two daughters, Mary, attended BUHS.  I opened a consulting business 10 years ago. With 30 years of experience, as an environmental planner,  I prepare environmental permits, and write environmental impact statements.