On Thursday, December 11, at 6:00 pm, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will host its annual Holiday Party at The New England House, 254 Marlboro Road. This is a time for people and businesses in West Brattleboro to get together socially and to celebrate the Association’s numerous accomplishments in this past year. The evening will feature a cash bar with hors d’oeuvres prepared by the restaurant. The WBA suggests a voluntary donation of $5 toward the food, although no one will be turned away.

 In addition to this being a time to enjoy each other at this festive season, there will be a couple of short presentations.  The Association’s board president Michael Bosworth will give a brief “state of the Association” report after which the group will present the West Brattleboro Community Leader of the Year to a deserving person or entity. Come to our party to help us celebrate this worthy recipient! Previous winners have been Ahmad and Kat Rashed of Rashed’s Garden Center, the staff and board of the Brattleboro Housing Authority, and Todd Darrah of the Chelsea Royal Diner, each for their many contributions to our community.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at 5:15pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:15pm to discuss the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The December exhibit at the Gallery at the Garden (Robert H. Gibson River Garden, 157 Main Street, Brattleboro) features photographs of Vermont’s organic farming pioneers by John Nopper, along with photos from the Brattleboro Food Co-ops long-running “Producer of the Month” series.

Nopper’s photos will be accompanied by texts by Susan Harlow telling the stories of the farmers depicted. These farming pioneers started farming in the 1970s and 1980s, some as members of communes, others as new arrivals to the state looking to “get back to the land.”  

They were, in fact, reviving a way of farming that the Green Revolution had all but killed off. They learned how to grow vegetables and raise livestock in a difficult climate and topography, without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. They learned how to grow food that was good, and good-looking. 

In one of their longer meetings to date this year, the Brattleboro Selectboard worked their way through a great deal of municipal information Tuesday evening. 

They heard a full and detailed report on the usefulness of the West Brattleboro Fire Station, No. 2, learned about work being done by the Brattleboro Energy Committee, outlined preliminary and potentially positive plans for the FY16 budget, appreciated the work of the Downtown Alliance, discussed the value of putting vague items on the agenda, and more. There were also suggestions of abandoning the Municipal Center, and getting rid of the pool, from former Chair Dick Degray.