Selectboard

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 17, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will learn at their next meeting that their downtown safety decisions come with a substantial price tag – the starting cost is close to $800,000 per year for additional downtown policing. 

The board will get an update on programs and news from Turning Point, and would like to again spend from the Community Safety Fund – this time to help pay for an “acceptable community conduct” campaign.  You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 3, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

The 2020 Community Safety Plan is on the agenda again after quite a long time.  “Final Staff Recommendations for Implementation” will be presented and acted upon. 

The Town wants to adjust Town Ordinances regarding “Acceptable Community Conduct” and will hold a first reading of some proposed changes.  Some new housing on Elliot Street, plans for the Safe Fair, and a Health Order for 6 Reynolds Drive, round out the agenda for the evening.  You can bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro To Expand Police and Surveillance

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard aug 20 2024

The Brattleboro Selectboard voted in favor of many suggestions by Police Chief Norma Hardy at their regular Tuesday meeting: using community safety funds to purchase surveillance cameras, plus authorizing a move forward on un-budgeted hiring of three more officers, hiring two unarmed police staff, and one police data technician. They also will move ahead with locating a police satellite office downtown.

This came after a presentation on police data that showed that the majority of police calls in town were not for crimes, and many incidents with police involve a handful of known actors.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – August 20, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

 Safety has a price and the Brattleboro Selectboard will begin to hear some of the new costs for downtown safety at their next regular meeting. Brattleboro Police will request hiring of additional staff and officers plus the creation of a parking garage satellite office for police use. It is part of their downtown safety action plan. They will also discuss their HEAT mapping and how this impacts deploying resources to problem areas.

Esteyville bandstand plans will be discussed. The result of the public input is that people want the bandstand, but not way up in the air as it currently sits.  The selectboard will also set a plan for this year’s budget process. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Public Says Downtown Brattleboro Has Never Been This Bad

by cgrotke | Town News
youth council map of brattleboro hot spots

The Brattleboro Selectboard got an earful from people in town that definitely do not feel safe downtown. Things have reached new levels of awfulness for people of all ages. The board is considering making downtown a “safety zone” to take care of this problem once and for all. What that means exactly remains to be determined. But progress is being made! And the Youth Council created a cool map.

The board also learned that come September, people in the hotel and motel program will begin to be kicked out of their lodgings and will require sheltering of some sort.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – August 6, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro will take possession of the new park at 250 Birge Street during their first regular meeting in August. The floodplain has been restored and the work is complete.

Emergency housing, water treatment plant construction, and “safety zones” will also be discussed. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes July 23, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

Community Safety will be one of the major topics at the next Brattleboro Selectboard meeting. The Town will give an update on current and future community safety initiatives, including a Brattleboro Police data project and convening a “Brattleboro Collaborative.”

EMS billing policies will change.  The Town will buy a new sand and salt shed, HVAC system, improvements at Living Memorial Park, a new Fire Bucket Truck replacement, and more! You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Rising Parking Costs and Property Taxes

by cgrotke | Town News
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

by cgrotke | Town News

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.

Brattleboro Selectboard July Meetings Shift

by Not Signed In | Town News

The July 2, and July 16 Regular Selectboard Meetings have been cancelled due to the July 4th holiday.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on July 9 and on July 23 for the month of July. They will return to their regular schedule (first and third Tuesdays) next month

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Parking Rates Hiked, Free Sunday Parking To End, and Solid Waste Collection Questions

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard june 18 2024

A Juneteenth eve Selectboard meeting stated late and went long. The board raised parking rates – 44% by one member of the public’s estimates – and voted to end free downtown parking on Sundays. They also voted to make it easier and quicker to raise rates in the future.

Winston-Prouty campus housing was discussed as was public feedback on trash, recycling and compost.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes – June 18, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will raise your parking fees at their next regular meeting. How much they go up will be the primary discussion.

They’ll also hear about some projects that received grants, get an update on Winston-Prouty housing, and begin wading into the solid waste discussion of what to do about trash, recycling, and compost. Specifically, they will be discussing the results of their public feedback.   You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Retreat Special Meeting Agenda – June 13, 2024

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 12:00pm at Holton Hall at the Winston Prouty Center (4th Floor, 209 Austine Drive) to conduct their annual Selectboard Retreat. This meeting will be carried by BCTV after the conclusion. The backup materials for this meeting will be available on the town Website Brattleboro.gov/Selectboard by the end of today.

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

by cgrotke | Town News
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

by cgrotke | Town News

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.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Vacant Building Permits and Municipal Housing

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard had a first reading of a new ordinance regarding vacant buildings around town. If a building is vacant for 180 days, it must get a permit, and the cost of the permit doubles each year. Will it finally put some pressure on the empty Home Depot building? Not as written. It will be exempt.

In a discussion about possible municipally-owned properties that could be candidates for new housing developments, Liz McLoughlin mentioned a confidential plan that might include both the Municipal Center and the High Grove parking lot. She didn’t explain further.

And, your water rates will go up 5% rather than 1% this October.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes – May 21, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

At their next regular meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard will consider a number of ordinance changes, and in one case an “ordnance ” change. Water and sewer rates, liquor licenses, and vacant buildings are the topics.

They will also hear about the suitability (or “suitablity”) of municipal properties for potential housing, and list the various committee vacancies that are awaiting members of the public to apply and serve. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet for a special meeting on Friday, May 17, 2024 at 2:00pm at Holton Hall at the Winston Prouty Center (4th floor, 204 Austine Drive). The board is expected to recess around 6:00pm until Saturday, May 18 at 9:00am. This meeting will be carried on BCTV after the conclusion of the meeting.