iBrattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Daniel Quipp

Daniel Quipp is an incumbent running for a three year seat.

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you are running for a three year seat…

Hello iBrattleboro! I’ve been on the board for the last three years and have decided to take the plunge for the 3-year seat. I’m proud of the work we have done in the last three years and am up for the challenge of the next three. Hopefully we’ll finally move out of the pandemic and into a period of recovery for all people. There are many opportunities ahead and with a new town manager at the helm, I’m excited to see what we can accomplish for the good of the town.

RTM increased compensation to make it easier for more people to serve, yet you are running unopposed. Did RTM make a mistake? Increasing compensation did not increase candidates…

Running unopposed certainly feels quite strange. In my previous three elections I think the smallest field was four candidates vying for two seats. Whether the lack of candidates is related to compensation, I cannot say. The $8000 stipend did not really figure in my decision to run again. I think the work of being on the board for the last two years might not have looked super appealing and with all of the incumbents choosing to run again perhaps potential candidates decided to wait until next year? 


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – March 1, 2022

A potentially short regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard is scheduled for Town Meeting Day (election day). They will hear about new plans for liquor for the Latchis Pub & Underground, they’ll talk about wearing masks a while longer, and they’ll amend the ordinance change regarding downtown snow removal. You can add to the meeting by bringing up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


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.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Whiskey and Water

brattleboro selectboard feb 2 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard met to discuss liquor license renewals and a safe drinking water system loan Tuesday evening

They granted licenses and accepted free money in record time, withholding most commentary and cutting right to the chase. This qualifies the evening as one of the shortest regular meetings.


No Challengers For Brattleboro Selectboard

Everyone in Brattleboro who planned on running for Selectboard has returned petitions to the Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office. The big surprise this year? No surprises at all. All the names are familiar incumbents.

Daniel Quipp will run for a three year seat. Jessica Gelter and Tim Wessel will run for one year seats.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Manale Begins, FY23 & RTM Loose Ends

yoshi manale brattleboro jan 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard began 2022 with new Town Manager Octavian Yoshi Manale at the helm. He remained relatively quiet, letting staff do most of the explaining while he adjusted to the new surroundings.

The board made a few FY’23 decisions, punted a few others to another meeting, and helped approve some articles to go before RTM at what they cautioned might be another virtual town meeting.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 4, 2022

The first regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard in 2022 is also the start of Yoshi Manale’s tenure as Town Manager. Welcome, Yoshi!

Changes to the Agricultural Land Preservation Fund will be discussed. The board will also consider feeding and providing childcare for Representative Town Meeting, they’ll review goals, and consider some traffic safety items. And, as always, you can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting December 28, 2021- Possible Opioid Litigation Settlement

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street) and over Zoom. Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The Board will convene at 6:15pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session. It is expected that the public portions of this meeting (before and after the executive session) will be very brief. However, as noted on the agenda, the Selectboard may take action upon adjourning the executive session and resuming the public session. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” 


Lighting Up The Park At Night

I had to laugh last night during the Selectboard meeting. Dick DeGray, a former board member, called in to suggest putting lights in a park to illuminate a monument at night. It’s a good idea – flags and monuments should be lit, in my view – but it reminded me of our sock puppet selectboard special in which the sock puppet board debates putting lights in a park.

Enjoy the memories:


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Needs 500 Housing Units

selectboard december 6, 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned about housing issues and possible strategies for addressing some serious housing needs during their first regular meeting of December . 500 housing units is the low estimate of what Brattleboro needs, now, and the selectboard is eager to make it an actual goal.

The board also approved corrections and updates to a Civil War monument, preserving the original but annotating it with a new plaque and information about the people of color and lower classes of soldiers not named on the original. They won’t name them on the new plaque, but will be directed to further information.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – December 7, 2021

Traffic safety and recommendations for improvements to the Representative Town Meeting will be discussed at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New bike lanes, LED stop signs, and a request for a crosswalk are all in the mix for Tuesday.

The board will continue to provide free operating space for some local businesses who’d like to have larger establishments, and they’ll approve a correction to a very old piece of Town information.

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


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at 6:15pm at the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station, 103 Elliot Street. Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – November 23, 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at 6:15pm over Zoom. The Municipal Center (230 Main Street) will be open to the public with limited seating spaced six feet apart and face coverings will be required. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Budgets, Capital Expenses, Living Memorial Park and Sidewalks

selectboard november 16

At the first regular meeting in-person at Central Fire Station the Brattleboro Selectboard discussed funding requests for the downtown organization and SeVEDS, then looked deeply at planned capital improvements, including new plans for Living Memorial Park on the horizon.

The board also contemplated using infrastructure funds to replace all the sidewalks in town.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – November 16, 2021

Budget season continues for the Brattleboro Selectboard at their next regular meeting which, by the way, will be the first to be held at Central Fire Station. For this meeting, the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance will offer up their proposed budget and workplan for FY23, SeVEDS will do the same, and the board will take a deeper look into equipment replacement, capital projects, and planning for major improvements to Living Memorial Park.

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


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda November 9, 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 6:15pm over Zoom. The Municipal Center (230 Main Street) will be open to the public with limited seating spaced six feet apart and face coverings will be required. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.