The Brattleboro Selectboard held a very long first meeting of Spring.
Despite pleas from the public, they pressed on with many issues they felt could not wait for new board members. From Community Safety to ARPA, the board ignored suggestions to improve their public perception and to increase public input.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will set aside over $2 million of the $2.7 million in ARPA funding for EMS related projects and potential start-up costs, leaving a much smaller amount for the public to discuss how to spend. This comes after promises of community outreach and public input to best determine the ways to spend the funds. Related, the monthly EMS update has been relegated to the Consent Agenda.
The board will also discuss how to spend the $300k in community safety funds. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held one of their longer meetings in some time. The public was active! Complaints about downtown crime, lack of action on climate change, and open meetings kept the board busy until after 10:30pm.
Of note, the Town acknowledged their violation of open meeting protocols and adopted a new two-part process to make sure it won’t happen again. This wasn’t enough for most people, who wanted a more detailed accounting of the EMS decision making process.
The board changed RTM districts to conform with state updates, adopted Utility and Parking budgets, and poured luke-warm water on a suggestion to bring back the electric trolley.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will emerge from another Executive Session to do something that isn’t done very often – update the boundaries of the voting districts in town, which will change representation at Representative Town meeting. This update is to conform with adjustments recently made by the state.
The board will also take up the Utility Fund, Parking Fund Budget, raises, and the Depot Street parking lot project. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Selectboard met on the last evening of summer, and heard big news. Steve Barrett, long-time employee of the Town, will be retiring and Dan Tyler will be taking his place. The switch happens in December.
There was discussion of racism in the community, COVID safety at the Stone Church, stormwater plans, designs for and objections to a new bridge on Western Ave, and more.
A new bridge near Melrose Street will be one focus of attention for the Brattleboro Selectboard at their next meeting. VTrans reps will be on hand to explain the details and answer questions.
The board will also hear more about the creation of a stormwater utility and master plan for the town, will renegotiate tax payments for the Retreat, explore grants for a health program and for a water and sewer capacity study, and more. You can always bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Selectboard heard the sad tale of the Parking Fund and its many losses over the previous, current, and probably future year at Tuesday’s meeting. Estimates for the coming year are just guesses. One of the hardest financial discussions ever, the Town Manager told the board.
Everything else, however, went smoothly. The Utilities Fund is pretty much as it was before. New paving projects have been approved. Winston-Prouty got a liquor license (for a single event for grown ups, ahem…), and more. No public participation, either. “A return to normal,” your reporter snarks snarkily.
At the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard they will discuss two proposed budgets – the FY22 Utilities Fund budget, the FY22 Parking Fund budget – approve emergency repairs for the Whetstone Pathway, review plans for summer paving, and more.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation. And of course, May the 4th be with you.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will return to non-FY21 business at their next regular meeting, granting permits for festivals, approving liquor licenses, and proposing parking spaces.
The board will also be introduced to Stephen Dotson, Brattleboro’s new Sustainability Coordinator and will hear about carbon offsets and renewable sources of electricity. You can bring up other matters during public participation.
The 5th Annual Par for the Cause – an indoor mini-golf classic to benefit the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development – will be held the weekend of March 9th and 10th at the Winston Prouty Campus, 209 Austine Drive in Brattleboro.
The Saturday evening event from 6:00-9:00pm on March 9 will feature delicious food by Guilford Country Store, a cash bar by Hazel and a silent auction of fun experiences. Tickets are $25 per person.
The Brattleboro Board of Listers will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 9:00am in the Assessors’ Office at the Municipal Center.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
230 Main Street, Suite 208
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 251-8100
