Eduardo is doing “the good work” at our Multicultural Center – helping to re-settle and assist refugees and asylum seekers while bringing their skills, culture and talents into our community – all with an amazing staff and many local volunteers.
The Brattleboro Citizens Police Communications Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 5:00pm at the Brooks Memorial Library.
AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:15 p.m. – Kelly Young, Board Chair
II. EXECUTIVE SESSION – 1VSA §313 (a)(4) a disciplinary or dismissal action against a public officer or employee
BCTV Channel 1078 Weekly Schedule for 1/23/23
Monday, January 23, 2023
5:10 am Media Mentoring Project – The Power of Cartoons 12/15/22
6:30 am Female Founders – Film and Media
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast
9:00 am Around Town with Maria – A Ray McNeill’s Celebration at the Stone Church 12/17/22
PUTNEY, VT— 1/22/2023 — Next Stage Arts kicks off the Brattleboro Winter Carnival with Montreal-based contemporary ice skating company Le Patin Libre, performing their show “Carte Blanche” on Friday, February 17 at 7:15 pm at the Nelson Withington Skating Facility, 61 Memorial Park Drive, in Brattleboro.
Le Patin Libre is a contemporary ice skating company from Montreal, originally founded in 2005 by ex high-level figure skaters. They regrouped with the intention of transforming their athleticism into a means of free expression. Far from sparkles, stereotypes and champions’ demos, the creations of Le Patin Libre propose real works of art exploiting the amazing choreographic and theatrical potential of glide.
Guilford Center Stage returns, after a 3-year absence, with spring and fall productions of plays in its home at Broad Brook Community Center. COVID concerns cancelled the 2020 season, after which the former grange hall was closed for major renovation, now completed. The theater group will remain on COVID awareness as this season progresses.
In a departure from its usual mission of presenting little-known plays, Guilford Center Stage will move in the opposite direction for its return production, with performances of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” the first weekend in May. The group decided this popular, ground-breaking play about typical life in a small New England town would be in keeping with this occasion. The play will be directed by Ian Hefele, a veteran of several Guilford productions. Auditions will be announced shortly.
In Dec. 2022, Congress voted to eliminate the extra federal funding and requirement that states keep people on Medicaid. States will be able to start Medicaid redeterminations on April 1. According to the Urban Institute’s projections, up to 29,000 Vermont Medicaid recipients could be affected.
The Vermont Workers’ Center is hosting two drop-in informational sessions in the Community Room at the Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro. The sessions will be on Jan. 25 and Feb. 8, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Members of the public are welcome to stop in to find out whether they will be affected, what their rights are in this process, and how to be sure that they aren’t cut off for bureaucratic reasons. People who are not on Medicaid and have questions about health care access are also welcome, as there will be other health care resources available. For more information, email windham@workerscenter.org.
A reasonable person might think that if a disease affects the lives of 38 million Americans, or 11 percent of the population, that measures would be in place to make life a little more bearable for them. Don’t hold your breath. Diabetes is a difficult disease to manage under the best of circumstances, but when people with the disease don’t have enough political power their needs take a back seat to the profits of the pharmaceutical industry.
This is not a revelation. What I am mostly talking about is the obscenely high price of insulin. People with Type I diabetes require daily insulin and they make up five to ten percent of all diabetics. About 30% of type 2 diabetics require insulin.
About eight million Americans rely on insulin to stay alive. Not a critical mass for politicians to get worked up enough, especially when you consider that lower income people and people of color represent a higher number of insulin-dependent diabetics.
D. New Business (5:30 – 6:55)
1. Discussion: Report out on Site Visit to Pleasant Valley Reservoir (5:30 – 5:45)
2. Discussion: Request from Public for Commission’s Input re: Invasives Management Day (5:45 – 6:00)
3. Presentation: Marie Caduto & Ryan O’Donnell: Whetstone Brook E. coli, 2022 water quality monitoring
Mindy Haskins Rogers of Northampton (MA) and an alumna of BUHS, mentioned the policy of reporting unprofessional conduct by a licensed teacher to the Vermont Agency of Education, which has a state-level review panel. She cited the statute supporting this. Ms. Haskins Rogers asked Superintendent Mark Speno if he was aware of this requirement, and if he had issued these reports in a timely fashion. Mr. Speno replied “yes” to both questions.
• Mr. Schoales asked if the investigator had received more support to complete the interviews and research. KY responded: she was unsure but will follow up. Mr. Speno noted the investigator has not requested more support.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 5:30pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss contracts and labor relations agreements with employees. The Selectboard will reconvene the business part of the meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center at 230 Main Street. The public may also participate in the meeting 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.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott gave his FY24 Budget Address. In it, he explained the enormous cash infusion coming our way from the Federal government, and what he thought would be the best way to handle all the money.
A full transcript of Governor Scott’s address is included below:
“Mr. President, Madam Speaker, Mr. Pro Tem, members of the General Assembly, and fellow Vermonters:
Two weeks ago, I asked that we focus on the fundamentals in order to seize upon the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we have before us.
The Brattleboro Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 6:15pm at the Brattleboro Co-op.
The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Monday, January 30, 2023 at 11:30am over Zoom.
The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 5:00pm at the Brooks Memorial Library.
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Attend WSESD Finance Committee FY ’24 Budget Meeting
• The total FY24 proposed budget is $62.9 million, which is up 3.2-percent.
• Revenues are expected to be $11,181,775, and Mr. Rucker mentioned some revenue sources.
• The budget minus revenues equals the education spending figure, which is $51.7 million.
• The equalized pupils figure — 2,206.9 — is very close to last year’s figure.
• The education spending per pupil figure is $23,455.
Town Meeting Day and Windham Southeast School District Director elections are coming up on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
Absentee ballots MUST be requested. Unlike the November General Election, ballots for Town Meeting Day in Brattleboro are NOT automatically mailed to all active registered voters. Ballots will be available on February 15, 2023.
I have a friend, who wishes to rent an apartment in Windham County. His name is Mark Laurence. I have known him for about 5 or 6 years. Through a VA program, Mark’s rent can be up to $1,000 per month. He currently lives and rents in Massachusetts.
I think that Mark’s good character makes him a desirable tenant. He is guided by an internal compass, so that he can be counted on to meet his obligations. In fact, Mark goes beyond his obligations. When he visits me and Donna, he cannot stop himself from noticing something that needs to be fixed, and insists on taking care of it. He is skilled, and has a knack for knowing exactly what needs to be done. (He even fixed a clothes dryer for us which we thought needed to be junked, and now works perfectly) At his present residence, Mark has made repairs at no charge to his landlady.
As we have had little snowfall this winter and there are storms predicted in the coming days, the Department of Public Works would like to remind everyone that the winter parking ban is in effect.
*Overnight parking is forbidden on all streets in the town of Brattleboro.
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Approval of Minutes from January 13, 2023
III. Review Work to Date on Sections and Give Feedback
IV. Other Business (as required)
V. Adjournment
In case it is of interest, fyi:
Commentary (of mine): No Public Relief?:
