Selectboard

Brattleboro Selectboard Agendas Sept 9 and 11, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold two meetings the week of September 8th – a regular meeting and a listening session.

Tuesday’s regular meeting features the presentation by the Charter Revision Commission regarding a new draft charter and an update from Groundworks.  The Thursday listening session is for the public to weigh in on the upcoming budget for FY27.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda at both meetings, but only the regular meeting will have the livestream and zoom elements. You have to be there in person to participate Thursday.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – 69A Elliot Street and June Financial Report

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard aug 5 2025

The first regular meeting of the month was relatively short, though the public took full advantage of Public Participation. Many talked about a beautiful space on Elliot Street,  69A, that is part art gallery, part safe space, part… whatever you want it to be.

The board also heard a summary of the June 2025 Finance Report. It is the almost-final report that could change, but is nearing a stage where an auditor can look it over. Except the Town is having a bit of trouble finding an auditor.

Brattleboro Selectboard Retreat and Meeting Agendas

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a”retreat” to plot and plan their upcoming year. They’ll spend the afternoon coming up with 3-5 refined priorities. Once that is done, they have 10 minutes set aside to hear from the public about what the public might want done. There is 10 minutes set aside for this, after all decisions have already been made.  There is more time in the meeting scheduled for breaks than hearing from the public.

The next day they will hold a regular meeting with just a couple of items.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Summer Is Fines & The Living is Fee-zy

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard july 22 2025

The second regular meeting of July for the Brattleboro Selectboard was focused on properties. How much should we fine owners of vacant properties, can we ask the pesky, service-sucking non-profits in town to cough up some cold hard cash every quarter, and how much should we raise water and sewer rates?  

The former Home Depot building eyesore, however, is exempt and not vacant according to the way the Town wrote the ordinance. And some questioned why the Town RTM would give money, then ask for it back.

And, there was more discussion of Henry George at a public meeting than there has been in perhaps over a century. : )

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – July 22, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Town would like to increase pressure on tax exempt properties to pay some taxes. The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear about options at their next regular meeting.

They’ll also hear from Green Mountain Power about the Ames Hill project, they’ll vote to increase water & sewer rates, they’ll get a report on May finances (yes, May,) will adopt fees for vacant building violations, and will hear a quarterly report from the Fire Department, and will listen to other items not on the agenda that you bring up during public participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard  Special Meeting – Tri-Park

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.

The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required passcode. Please note that the Zoom credentials have changed as of this meeting. 

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Bridge Over Troubled Island, Charter Changes

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard july 8 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned what the Brattleboro Charter Commission has been working on regarding the form of town governance and other possible changes to the Charter. The Commission has put over two years of work into this and the Chair seemed quite interested in being able to edit whatever they present, such as the form of town government, when it comes before the board again in September.

The next big discussion was about the old Hinsdale bridges. Hinsdale sent some semi-unanticipated reps to read Brattleboro the riot act. They seemed to take special glee in pointing out just how terrible Brattleboro’s problems are, and wanted to know if the town would agree that the bridges should be destroyed or sold.  A split vote at the end of the discussion means Brattleboro does not surrender in the battle

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – July 8, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard starts July with a big meeting on the 8th. They’ll spend almost a half million dollars on DPW vehicles, authorize tax collectors going after local businesses, pay for a new $476k retaining wall, and that’s just in the consent agenda. (They’ll also retroactively consider a parade permit – if it fails, do the participants need to march backwards?)

Once the meeting gets going in full, the board will hear from the Charter Revision Commission, receive an update on the old Hinsdale bridges, set a property tax rate of $1.5835 per $100, hear about increases to water and sewer rates, spend over $500k on space for police and bathrooms downtown, and more.

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

Brattleboro Parking System’s Impact On Downtown Business

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Isaac Evans-Frantz made some good points about the parking system and downtown business at Tuesday’s Selectboard meeting. His points deserve underlining and emphasis because he latched on to some logical flaws of the current parking system, and hinted heavily that it might be really harming downtown business.

…

Isaac began by asking why, if there was a deficit in the parking fund, would the board consider offering any free parking at all during holidays.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Water and Sewer Rates To Rise

by cgrotke | Town News
new sculpture park for Brattleboro plan

Your water bill will go up, your sewer bills will go up, the town is buying a $73k car for the fire department, there will be a bit of free parking near the holidays, and a new sculpture park is being preliminarily proposed for the area near BMAC and he Amtrak station. All this and more at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 17, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will approve new FY26 budgets for water, sewer and parking rate at their next regular meeting. The parking budget includes options for the possibility of some free parking in December, or perhaps not. It’s up to the board to decide.

They will also buy a new fire car, plan a retreat, and hear about plans to improve the Depot Street area of town.  You can bring up other items on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Pickleball and Parking

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard june 3 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard heard initial presentations about Water & Sewer and Parking budgets for FY26. This included a detailed discussion of Sunday parking, whether free parking might be better in some cases to encourage shoppers and 1% LOST income, and whether parking costs should be charged based on how popular a lot might be. The board decided to ask for no changes.

Also, pickleball courts are on the way.

Brattleboro Passed a Budget. We Can Pass a Better One Next Time.

by IsaacEF | Op/Ed

Dear Neighbors,

This week Brattletboro passed a budget for the 12 months starting July 1. You can hear my thoughts (3-minute clip) on the budget here: https://www.youtube.com/live/YduOTj9stGs?feature=shared&t=1119

I supported the budget, and it passed Representative Town Meeting with flying colors (110-4, with about a dozen people abstaining). It represents compromise. We should look to the budgeting process for the following year, and time between now and then, to strengthen our Town’s financial situation, with an eye out for generations to come.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Friday, May 30, 2025 at 12:00pm at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.  The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  Closed captioning will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday,  June 3, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.  Prior to the meeting the Board will meet at 5:45pm to hold committee interviews for the Development Review Board. 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 – Board Hears Updates & Reports

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 20 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard heard a number of updates and reports at their second regular meeting of May. They learned how a grant was used to help with housing, how a group would like to expand passenger rail service in the region, how Green Mountain Power is burying some of the most problematic electrical circuits, and more.

More, of course, included hearing that utility rates would be increasing.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – May 20, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will have a regular meeting on Tuesday and will hear lots of updates and reports – on expanding rail service to Connecticut, electric company projects, state legislation, FY25 budget numbers, and the results of a Utility Rate Study to see if Brattleboro customers are paying the right amount.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation if the Chair anticipates what you are about to say is germane.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – More Parking System Changes; Old Hinsdale Bridges Uncertain Future

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard May 6 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard had a regular meeting and approved of more changes to the recently-changed parking system. Zones will get new names, there will be new signs and stickers, rates and times will change, and more. This will make it easier for everyone, the Town assures us.

There are big beautiful plans by locals in Brattleboro for the old Hinsdale bridges, but they are owned primarily by New Hampshire and that side of the river isn’t too keen on maintaining them in the long term. It will take might private efforts to make something happen at this juncture, but a “balanced” letter will be sent to the NH DOT, with or without support from Hinsdale.

And Kate O’Connor is again director of the Chamber of Commerce.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – May 2, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

It has been a while, but the Brattleboro Selectboard will again hold a regular meeting to discuss items other than the FY26 budget. Instead they will examine more changes to the parking system, new murals and events, get an update on the Housing Plan,  and hire a financial services company for a year to help ill in for the Finance Director.

The board will also have a discussion about the old bridges sitting in the Connecticut River and come up with a list of requests for the state of New Hampshire to consider. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Chair Encourages Civility For Herself; Loses It Over Rescue Comment; Budget Passes

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard may 1 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard held a May Day meeting to discuss and pass their new budget, which takes the overall municipal tax increase down from 12.1% to 10.8%, shaving 1.3% from the budget rejected by Representative Town Meeting.

The public, those allowed to speak, weren’t very impressed.

Chair McLoughlin began by apologizing for being rude to young people at the previous board meeting. Later on, she shut down the meeting with gavel banging and demands for an adult to stop speaking about something she said could not be tolerated-  a discussion of Rescue Inc correcting the record.