Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 3, 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard will delay Town work on Community Safety Review items until the state completes work on Phil Scott’s public safety initiative during their next regular meeting.

They’ll hear about their new website, buy winter sand, plan to realign Melrose Street, consult with the school board, announce committee vacancies, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda as long as the Chair doesn’t decide to cut you off as you begin talking.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Fire Department Gets Their EMS Service

selectboard sept 19 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be using $1.3+ million of ARPA funds to set up a municipal EMS system. The vote was unanimous to give the emergency medical services ‘contract’ to the Brattleboro Fire Department.

The Town Manager told the board why municipal EMS would be best, the board told the public their decisions as to why they would vote in favor, and then the public was allowed to weigh in with comments.


Questions for Sep 19 Brattleboro SelectBoard Meeting

The SelectBoard meeting scheduled for Tue, Sep. 19 promises to be of great significance … Details regarding attendance are here: https://www.brattleboro.org/

The Sep. 5 SelectBoard meeting recessed to Sep. 7 due to technical difficulties. Near the end of the meeting which lasted beyond 11:00pm SelectBoard member Elizabeth “McLoughlin motioned to have a discussion of the transition of care and intergovernmental coordination, interagency coordination by the town staff in recognition of consultation with the town attorney.” “McLoughlin discussed rescinding her motion. The motion was not rescinded” and the “motion passed, as presented. 3-2 (Goodnow and Reichsman opposed)” Case, Quipp and McLoughlin in favor. Minutes pp. 10-11 in the Backup Materials


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – September 19, 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard has one item on the agenda for discussion at their next regular meeting: whether or not to accept the recommendation of Town staff to proceed with a municipal EMS system, or to support a regional system favored by others in the community. During last week’s public forum, the public was encouraged to attend and comment at this selectboard meeting.

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


Brattleboro Selectboard’s EMS Surprise

Thursday’s delayed Brattleboro Selectboard meeting almost seemed like a last-minute confessional. In the movie version it would have gone like this:

Board: “Forgive us, voting public, for we have committed the sin of omission.  When we said it was about the one letter from Rescue, it wasn’t the full story…”  (Cue ominous music)

…..

I’m not sure if it was the late hour, or a lack of air conditioning on a hot evening, or an impending sense of guilt, but moments before the the meeting was to wrap up, (with the next steps being a public information session then a board vote on EMS services,) board members revealed that they had other, important information that they have been keeping from the public.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Former Chair Decides Now Is Time To Reveal Longstanding Fire-Rescue Relationship Issues

sb sept 7

Well, well, well. The Brattleboro Selectboard has decided at the last moment that it would be good for them to explain to the public all the secret EMS BFD Rescue relationship information they have known about, information the public has asked them about for over a year and half and the board has remained steadily tight-lipped about. Until now.

Former Chair Liz McLoughlin cracked and said she wouldn’t let Rescue, Inc. control the narrative anymore, and that she wanted a meeting to reveal everything the board knows that the public has been kept in the dark about by her and her fellow board members. Chair Ian Goodnow warned the board that the town attorney told them they should not discuss these secrets with the public, but they voted to hold a special meeting anyway. The plan is to let the public know all the reasons that Rescue and BFD don’t get along.

This throws the public forum and decision-making meeting dates into question.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – The Meeting That Wasn’t

sb sept 5

The Brattleboro Selectboard got off to a late start then quickly put their meeting on hold for technical reasons.  Forty-five minutes later, the meeting was postponed until Thursday to give BCTV and Facebook time to fix themselves.

Those interested in discussing EMS and downtown safety will have to wait.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – Sept 5, 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be spending most of their first regular September meeting discussing town safety and EMS options for Brattleboro. They will review the EMS proposals received and learn about EMS insights from other communities. They’ll also discuss wrapping up the process, holding a public meeting, and then making an EMS decision.

Twelve items are packed into the consent agenda – a possible record, and good thing!  You may bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting – Aug 30, 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 5:00pm. They will convene in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street) and are expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss contracts. Invited into the executive session are HR Director Sally Nix, Finance Director Kimberly Frost, Town Manager John Potter and Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland. Once they have exited executive session, the Board is expected to immediately adjourn. No action will be taken.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Summer Public EMS Discussions Wrapping Up

selectboard aug 15 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard held their August public EMS discussion at their regular meeting on Tuesday. The board is happy with their progress though one member said that the public doesn’t understand what decisions are to be made,. They will make their EMS decision in late September. Two more public meetings will be held prior.

The Town Manager said the EMS project web page has had over 1600 page views since May. (This site averaged 7,750 pages viewed per day in August for comparison). The board had questions about the Fire Department’s large overtime budget and the public had questions about downtown cameras and sheltering people without homes this winter. 


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes – August 15, 2023

Brattleboro’s Town Manager will suggest changes to the budget process at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. One proposed change to the schedule is intended to increase public participation.

EMS discussions continue, with one more chance for the public to weigh in on aspects of pending EMS decisions. The board will also hear a financial report and will spend nearly $60,000 for a Pool Engineering Feasibility Study.  You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Brattleboro Selecboard Special Meeting Agenda and Notes

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be holding their July moments of public participation for anyone wishing to provide feedback and comments on the EMS plan.

They will also approve new land use regulations, and hear a report on plans for improvements to Living Memorial Park.  You can sometimes bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation, if the Chair allows.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 5:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street). Prior to the business part of the meeting, at 5:15pm,  the Selectboard will conduct a committee interview with a  candidate for the Development Review Board. The Board will then make appointments to the Development Review Board during the business part of the meeting. Following Committee Appointments, the Selectboard is expected to immediately enter into executive session to discuss contracts, real estate and the evaluation of a public employee. After exiting the executive session, the Board is expected to immediately adjourn. No action will be taken in executive session.


Tim Wessel on “Here We Are”

Tim Wessel brings his dynamic enthusiasm to everything he does – his years at BCTV, the Brattleboro Selectboard, “House Hunters” on HGTV, a run for the State Senate, his video production business….and now, Brattle-Boosting ! Tim’s the real deal……


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – July 11, 2023

The results of the Brattleboro Selectboard board retreat will be discussed at their next Tuesday meeting. Hint: they have established their five top goals of the year to be good transportation center parking, the town pool, the community safety plan, safety zones, and housing.

Tax rates and utility rates will be set, housing and land use will be discussed, and you can bring up any other items not on the agenda if the Chair allows under Public Participation.


Brattleboro Selectboard Summer Schedule

In observance of the Fourth of July holiday, the July 4, 2023 Selectboard meeting has been cancelled.

Please find the Selectboard summer schedule below:
• July 4-Cancelled
• July 11 – Special Meeting
• July 18 – Cancelled


Selectboard Meeting Notes – EMS and Kitten Update

The Brattleboro Selectboard approves union and non-union pay raises and contracts for town employees at Tuesday’s meeting, they will talk finances and financial software, and they will approve enterprise fund budgets and a rate decrease for those who use water.

I’ll skip that stuff and give you a kitten update, then join the board for their discussion of EMS after 7 pm.


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting June 20, 2023 – Agenda and Notes

Brattleboro employees will get raises and taxpayers will get a 5% reduction in water bills at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Parking and Utility budgets will be approved, the monthly EMS update will be given, and the public’s chance to weigh in at the 2nd meeting in June regarding EMS services will be on the agenda as well.  You might also be able to bring up other items not on the agenda.