Selectboard

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – November 1, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

Camera options for the parking garage will be up for discussion at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. The Interim Town Manager has some preliminary cost estimates for them to review.

The board will hear from SeVEDS, get an update on EMS services, pass those bike ordinance changes, buy winter fuel, talk about ARPA fund spending rules, and consider a 6.7% increase in health insurance premiums. They’ll also kick off FY24 budget season with a look at revenue and expenses in the General Fund. Quite possibly they’ll talk of postponing some of these items when the meeting runs on too long. You can make the meeting longer by bringing up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – AP Triton, Charter Commission, and Bikes

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard october 18, 2022

The new bike ordinance was almost adopted by the Brattleboro Selectboard, but it looked strange upon a second review, and was delayed until the next meeting.

Reps from AP Triton said they, too, would not be giving much weight to community input gather by their own community survey on EMS feasibility. They will present four options, but not a preferred choice, and will leave it to the board to come to their own conclusions. They are also 75% done with their work, but would love to hear from the public at their Wednesday night meeting.

The board bought their simulation machine, and started a Charter Review Commission at the last moment possible, despite earlier requests to get the process going multiple times in the past few years.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 18, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will approve the purchase of a simulation machine at their next regular meeting.

They’ll also update the bike section of the Code of Ordinances, hear a presentation on preliminary findings of feasibility of a Fire/EMS service within the Brattleboro Fire Department, and will begin a Charter review process. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meetings Scheduled

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 9:00am in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. The Board will convene at 9:00am and is expected to immediately enter into executive session to discuss the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. The Board will reconvene after the executive session and immediately adjourn. No action will be taken.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Domestic Violence Resolution Adopted

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard oct 11 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard adopted a resolution recognizing freedom from domestic violence as a human right. They heard a presentation and had a discussion about the impact and effects of domestic violence in the community, and talked about making changes to end it. Men were encouraged to get involved.

The board was also zoom-bombed a few times, which hadn’t happened in a while. They bought police equipment, heard about changes to bike regulations, and got more questions about EMS in Brattleboro.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 11, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will purchase almost $24,000 worth of 9mm pistols at their next regular meeting.

The board will also discuss a domestic violence resolution, extend a loan to Metalarts, begin modification of the Code of Ordinances regarding bicycles,  and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes – September 20, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will approve a $50,000 annual increase in fees to Golden Cross at their next regular meeting. This will cover a 3rd ambulance and a second full time AEMT provider.

The board will also discuss a “Declaration of Inclusion,” authorize sewer repairs, continue with committee appointments. You can, additionally, bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – DV Fiber Presentation

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard Sept 6 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard got into a rather detailed discussion of DV Fiber’s plans to provide high speed internet throughout southeastern Vermont. It stated out as a simple request for some closet space, but expanded into a description of the network and coming plans for service.

The board also approved a grant application for housing assistance and accepted a grant for bike paths.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Monday, August 29, 2022, at 9:00AM. They are expected to enter immediately into Executive Session to discuss the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. Invited into the executive session are Interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland, HR Director Sally Nix and Ellis Hankins.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Stop Asking Us About The EMS Decision

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard aug 16 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard doesn’t want to review what led to an abrupt change in EMS services in town last spring.

As much as some citizens would like to know, the board resists. No lookin’ back. No way. Don’t want to even think about it. 

The next animal control officer will serve 40 hours a week, a fancy new B&B got a liquor license, the Town will work on plans for permanent downtown public restrooms, and the board expressed gratitude for the monthly EMS update and all the fine work being done.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Cautious Board Approves No Resolution

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard august 1 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard continued their careful consideration of abortion rights. They heard testimony about the possible town resolution from the Town Lawyer and a State Representative in addition to members of the public. In the end it was decided to do nothing, the safest option for now.

Brattleboro will be getting energy saving incentives and rebates as part of a special program with Efficiency Vermont. They especially want to hear from renters!

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – August 2, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

It will certainly be a fairly wild meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard as August kicks off. They’ll name a new street “Fairly Wild Way.”

The board will continue their discussion of a resolution protecting a person’s right to access to abortion (and whether or not to throw any money at it,) they’ll adjust the code of ordinances regarding wastewater allocations and fees, authorize and RFP for a town-wide re-appraisal, and apply for a grant on behalf of Commonwealth Dairy. They’ll also hear an Efficiency Vermont presentation on community energy savings. YOu can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – We Need To Take Bold Action. Maybe. It Depends. Probably.

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard july 19 2022

The Brattleboro Selectboard discussed their own powers of resolution and whether they could do anything at all on the issue of abortion rights. They decided their lawyer-approved resolution needed more teeth, but also no chance of disruption to the State, and maybe funding, but not any special funding, and maybe something else as yet undetermined.  They’ll take up the urgent issue again at their next meeting.

There were grave concerns about data collection and not sharing any data with bounty hunters. A bit later, board members were impressed by the ambulance data being collected locally and asked for even more EMS data from the Fire Department.

It was a gloomy and restless mood amongst many members of the public. Many expressed feelings of impending doom. Two asked for a special session of Representative Town Meeting.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – July 19, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet Tuesday, for the most part, to finish what wasn’t completed at their previous meeting. The consent agenda has been updated, but just about everything else is the same.

Of note this week is the change to the item “Resolution on a Woman’s Right to Choose” which is now presented as “Resolution on a Pregnant Persons Access to Abortion,” and that an EMS Update by the Assistant Fire Chief has been added.  You can choose to bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Minute By Minute – Brattleboro Boards Having Trouble Abiding By Open Meeting Law

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro has had two recent minute-related incidents that were slightly out of the ordinary. In one case, a school board member requested that something not discussed at a previous meeting be added to the official minutes to clarify something. In the other, a selectboard member held back approval of minutes until they could be edited for stylistic changes. The selectboard has also struggled to meet required deadlines for posting of minutes.

Let’s look at the school board. According to the minutes for the June 21 WSESD board:

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Much Nothing About Ado

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard july 5, 2022

It was a really long Brattleboro Selectboard meeting with not much getting done! They heard about downtown safety issues, but took no action. They approved a mural design they couldn’t see. There will be more places to buy liquor. The preferred bridge design was selected. And then it was 10:30 pm with discussions of a woman right to choose and EMT issues, among other things, still awaiting ample discussion. They ended up postponing much of the agenda to a future meeting.

Brattleboro Selectboard – Agenda and Notes July 5, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

A packed agenda of important items awaits the Brattleboro Selectboard for their first regular meeting of July. It’s going to be a long meeting.

There will be new liquor licenses, Commonwealtth Dairy wants to nearly double its water and sewer use, rental housing fines will be set, and the board will choose a bridge design for Melrose. There will be a discussion of downtown safety and a new mural for High Street. The board will discuss a woman’s right to choose. There are emergency repairs to authorize.

The firefighters get a “recently concluded additional collective bargaining agreement,” and the Fire Chief would like the board to approve additional funds to meet requirements of becoming a paramedic-level service.

But wait, there’s more!  There will be a first reading of a new ordinance regarding wastewater allocation approvals, there will be a new contract for the Interim Town manager, a new street name will be approved, and the FY23 tax rate will be set.