Town of Brattleboro to Revise FY26 Budget Following RTM Vote

by Not Signed In | Town News

Following the Representative Town Meeting’s (RTM) vote not to approve the Town of Brattleboro’s proposed FY26 budget, the newly seated Selectboard will begin work to revise and resubmit a new budget proposal.

“We stated our reasoning and knew it was an uphill climb,” said Selectboard member Peter Case, “but we live in a community that still respects democracy, so now it’s back to the drawing board.”

The original FY26 budget included a combination of strategic investments to address community safety concerns and build long-term capacity. It proposed funding for additional police officers to respond to sustained increases in crime, while also supporting the behind- the-scenes work needed to launch One Brattleboro—a collaborative initiative that brings together public safety, social service providers, and community partners to reduce future reliance on police through prevention, outreach, and coordinated response.

Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office By Appointment Only

by Not Signed In | Town News

Due to reduced staffing, meetings with the Town Manager’s Office will be by appointment only for the foreseeable future. Please contact Jessica Sticklor at 802-251-8115 or email her at jsticklor@brattleboro.gov to make an appointment. You can also email the Town Manager directly at townmanager@brattleboro.gov. 

Found 1 Cell Phone on Western Ave

by PeterW | Other

Found on Western Ave near the Dim Sum place.At about 1:30pm Saturday 3/22/25
No damage. I doubt it was in the road very long.
Turned into the Fire House downtown. They told me they would be giving it to the Brattleboro Police.
Good luck.

“Back Roads Stories” Returns To Guilford, Vermont

by LGreen | Entertainment

March 2025, Guilford, VT… Stories, music and great desserts return to Guilford once again as the popular program, Back Roads Stories, welcomes in spring. Please join friends and neighbors from around our region at the Broad Brook Community Center, 3940 Guilford Center Road, on Sunday, March 30, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 pm for a show that has always delighted audiences.

“We are thrilled to host the return of Back Roads Stories at the Broad Brook Community Center,” said Ada Brown, Manager and Program Coordinator. “This program is not only a celebration of the art of storytelling but also an opportunity to connect with our neighbors in a deep and meaningful way.”

Brattleboro Selectboard Organizational Meeting

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold an organizational meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025 at 6:15pm 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.”  ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members. There is no backup for this meeting.

The Games of Boris Spassky – Part IV

by CCM Holland Mills | Recreation & Sports

Later in his career Spassky produced a sparkling gem during the 1988 Bundesliga against that year’s French Champion Gilles Andruet.

The first two dozen moves are as conventional as can be with measured development focused on the center followed by the major pieces attending to the half-open files.   Spassky’s 16th move initiated pressure on the kingside which led to inaccuracies by White several moves later.   The final coup de grâce forcing mate is a superior example of brilliance bright and rare.

President Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Re: Department of Education

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

Ah! Of course! Education should only be for the rich, and closing the federal department of EDUCATION will help to reduce the flow of our tax dollars to teaching illegal migrant children English, and it will help reduce the flow of our tax dollars to teach children with Downe’s Syndrome that they CAN hold down a respectable job, nothing fancy, but something to give them a worthwhile contribution to society, after all, who can serve you food at a restaurant, who can clean toilets, who can hold a sign to beware of workers during highway repairs, who can make bars of soap in a factory?

O.K., so I had a cousin who is now buried in Jericho, Vermont and his mother, my great Aunt Annie Ericson Wheeler, worked sooooooooo hard for so many years for the right of kids just like him to have an EDUCATION.

Brattleboro Appoints Jay Symonds as Fire Chief

by Not Signed In | Police & Fire
Jay Symonds

The Town of Brattleboro is pleased to announce the appointment of Jay Symonds to the role of Fire Chief of the Brattleboro Fire Department. Symonds brings an extensive record of experience in fire and emergency medical services, disaster response, and leadership. Symonds will begin his new role on April 7, 2025.

“Chief Symonds has a track record that matches the excellence of the team at the Brattleboro Fire Department,” said Brattleboro Town Manager John Potter. “He’s joining our community with decades of experience as a paramedic, firefighter, educator, and member of the National Guard.”

Symonds previously served with the Manlius Fire Department in upstate New York as a lieutenant and public safety coordinator, overseeing staff EMS education and recertification. Throughout his career, he has held various leadership roles, including five years as Assistant Fire Chief of the Sherburne Fire Department, also in upstate New York.

WSESU Reorganizational Meeting Minutes – March 19, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Mark presented the board with documents detailing our SU’s current system of Supervision, Observation & Evaluation for certified staff. New teachers are evaluated during their 1st and 2nd years and then afterwards on a 3 year cycle. A committee was created including members of the Curriculum office, BAMS and BUHS personnel as well as representatives from the elementary schools so that there was a full Pre-K – 12 lens on this issue. The committee is proposing a newly formatted template that will be discussed at the April Admin meeting. The intent is to create a common structure that can be used across all schools.

Charter Revision Commission Forum March 31, 2025

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Charter Revision Commission invites Brattleboro residents to a discussion on the form of Brattleboro’s annual town meeting.

The meeting will take place on Monday, March 31, 2025, 6 to 8 p.m. in the Main Reading Room at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, and will be broadcast live on BCTV Channel 1079, BCTV’s YouTube Channel, Facebook Page and website, Brattleborotv.org.

The Charter and information about the Charter Revision Commission, including a summary of the forms of annual town meeting and a Frequently Asked Questions sheet, are available at Brattleboro.gov.

Brattleboro Mud Season 2025

by Not Signed In | Town News

Due to the ongoing thaw and potential for continued rainfall, drivers are advised to exercise caution on gravel roads within Brattleboro. Muddy and soft road surfaces can lead to uneven and challenging driving conditions. The Brattleboro Department of Public Works will be monitoring these roads and providing status updates daily through roadside signage, which will be placed at the end of gravel roads throughout town. Drivers are recommended to avoid driving on gravel roads, if possible. If you must drive on a muddy road, go slow and use extreme caution.

Attack From The Left

by RDavis | Op/Ed

Disguised as socially responsible budget cutting, the anti-government juggernaut has come to little Brattleboro, Vermont. Don’t be fooled. This is the 2025 version of the Trojan Horse. Our town only has 12,000 people but recently factions have formed to override the decisions of the selectboard as well as trying to push back on an increased police presence after safety issues were identified.

What appears to be a sizeable faction does not want to see the town pass any kind of ordinance that would restrict socially unacceptable behavior because they feel it would unduly target the more vulnerable people in town.

In addition, they want Brattleboro to continue to be an outlier in relation to towns in Vermont as well as around the country by allocating two percent or more of the overall budget to support human service organizations. That amounts to over $400,000. Most towns have either eliminated this support or cut it drastically.

Caz Clark on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Town News

CAZ CLARK fills a place in our town we didn’t even know we needed. Working at our Food Co-op, Caz interacts with folks in need and finds ways to help connect them to many local organizations. Caz has a view of Brattleboro that’s gritty, real, timely and hopeful.

Brattleboro District 9 Forum

by fidel | Activism

Brattleboro residents of District 9 are invited to attend a District 9 forum where we will hear your questions and concerns in advance of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting; District 9 RTM members are encouraged to attend to hear from their constituents. The forum, organized by Robert Oeser and David Levenbach, will be held in the Community Room of Brooks Memorial Library at 6:30 pm on Wednesday 19 March. (The Community Room is on the third, top floor of the library, near the Children’s Reading Room. There is an entrance to that area from the Municipal Building parking lot and attendees might find that a more convenient way in light of another event to be held in the Main Reading Room that evening.)