At the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard, five local establishments will discuss recent liquor violations and corrective actions taken since. If the board is satisfied with their responses, they’ll be granted their annual liquor license renewals.
The board had a discussion of winter road conditions, causes of potholes, methods of repairing potholes, and specific reasons why Western Avenue has so many of them.
The board considered a letter to state education officials asking to support the results of the vote against a school district merger, as it would negatively impact Brattleboro taxes. The Brewer’s Fest permit was approved, Brattleboro Words are being explored and celebrated, and a pile of tires near the Marina is a problem for plants and animals in the vicinity.
We now present the fourth in our series of four interviews with people running for the Brattleboro Selectboard. Brandie Starr is the sole candidate for the three year seat.
Continuing in our series of interviews with Selectboard candidates, here is our interview with Tim Wessel, a current board member running again for a one-year seat on the board.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a meeting full of exciting twists and turns. From a sudden interest in municipal broadband to a re-examination of requiring write-in candidates to pre-register, the meeting was full of surprises.
There were the scheduled issues as well with liquor licenses renewed, an animal control officer appointed, grants accepted, and so on, but even these provided curious side paths. Consider, for example, that the board decided to willingly challenge what they felt was an unfair ordinance, all in the name of compassion. Or the matter of the fly in need of rescue… In short, it was an eventful meeting.
In preparation for voting on March 6, we are presenting interviews with each of the Selectboard candidates. Let me introduce Shanta Lee Gander, running for one of the two available 1-year seats on the board.
In preparation for voting on March 6, we are presenting interviews with each of the Selectboard candidates.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a mostly happy meeting Tuesday night. Most seemed happy that their budget meetings were behind them, John Allen was happy he only had a few meetings left on the board, and all were very happy by somewhat surprising news of a very large grant to help pay for the waste water treatment plant.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a five minute meeting on Tuesday evening, sans David Schoales, to take final steps to approve their budget and meeting warnings.
At their special meeting Tuesday night, the Brattleboro Selectboard finalized the FY19 budget. They agreed on the amount of fund balance to tap, set a final property tax rate, and reviewed draft warnings for Town Meeting on March 6 and Representative Town Meeting on March 24.
Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Selectboard began on a rather sad note, with John Allen explaining that Tim O’Connor had passed away earlier in the day.
With both Kate O’Connor and Tim Wessel absent for family matters, the small board raced through their agenda and ending before 7 pm.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a special meeting Tuesday to make some final decisions regarding the FY19 budget. Vice-Chair Brandie Starr led the meeting in Kate O’Connor’s absence.
The first meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard in 2018 was almost entirely about money. They continued their discussion of remaining FY19 budget issues, narrowing the list of undecided items by saying yes to some and maybe to others. It makes for a rather high potential tax increase, but many decisions remain that could bring the proposed rates down again. More budget meetings are planned.
The Brattleboro Selectboard had numbers on the agenda for their final meeting of 2017. Budget numbers, audit numbers, financial reports, grants, and even dates on the calendar. They talked about numbers, reviewed numbers, noted errors and omissions, and made calculations.
The Brattleboro Selectboard had a special Thursday meeting to discuss other items not currently in the FY19 budget. This list included possible new employees, equipment, training, funding, and even some consideration of a donation to the skatepark project.
The Brattleboro Selectboard heard from the Fire Department concerning a request for a new aerial ladder truck. This would be to replace a used truck, which is replacing an out-of-service truck. The board was sympathetic to the request and need, but had some concerns about the cost and how best to pay for it.
Brattleboro became the first town in the state to ban single use plastic bags under 2.25 mil in thickness. It was the culmination of nearly a year-long effort of citizens and officials, and was adopted by a split-decision of the Brattleboro Selectboard.
The Brattleboro Selectboard decided to revise their proposed plastic bag ban ordinance bag thickness, increasing it from 1 mil to 2.25 mil. This came after some special demonstrations and displays were presented and comments taken.
They also got a peek at the FY19 budget, with a review by the Town Manager that sets a course for in-depth analysis at a series of upcoming meetings. The board learned of continued steps in the realm of diversity, inclusion and equity. Groundworks received grant funds for operation of their new shelter, and results of the panhandling survey were reviewed.
There will be no Town panhandling sign. That was the split decision of the Brattleboro Selectboard Tuesday evening.
The board had an active and long night. Much of it had to do with financial matters and planning, such as approving a letter of intent to rent space in the Municipal Center, reviewing long term financial plans, buying a fire truck, debating the thickness of single use plastic bags, and contemplating energy issues.
Budget season starts officially at the next meeting, but it peeked its head in and said hello this week.
Brattleboro’s Town Manager revealed the results of his summer explorations of issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity. He got generally good reviews for the summary of his report, but more than a few requested some additional specifics be included. Brattleboro seems to be in a good position to make progress over the long term, but benchmarks and budgets might help.
The pesky panhandling sign returned in a semi-uncertain form, with wording in question and sponsoring organizations and services asking for their logos to be removed. The private effort was to be a collaboration, but appears to have offended a few too many.
The board also signed a statement in support of other climate agreements being signed around the globe. (For Kate O’Connor’s sake, I’ll say here that Brattleboro has been working on climate issues for a long time, is committed to action, and will continue to be so.)
All this, and possibly more.
