The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series Presents Maine-based Multicultural Collaboration Bondeko, on Saturday, July 6

The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents Maine-based multicultural collaboration Bondeko, on Saturday, July 6 at 6:00 pm at Cooper Field, 41 Sand Hill Rd, in Putney.

Bondeko is the unlikely collaboration of neighbors in Portland, Maine’s migrant community: an Albanian crooner, a Guinian drummer, a French singer-songwriter, a Latin musician from Texas…

The result is a mix of hypnotic Roma melodies, festive Cumbia rhythms, Malenke sing-alongs, and relentless Balkan tempos, peppered with heartwarming waltzes and maybe even a lullaby in Portunhol if the vibe is right.


Goodenough Road Closure

On Monday, June 10, the Highway Division will be replacing a failed culvert on Goodenough Road. The closure will be near 42 Goodenough Road.  Residents and Emergency Services can access address numbers 82 and greater via Akley Road. Please plan accordingly and avoid the area if possible.


WSESD Policy and Amendment Committee Meeting Agenda June 12, 2024

1st Reading
– E14 Environmental Awareness and Responsibility
– F4 Searches, Seizures, and Interrogation of Students by School Personnel
– F5 Searches, Seizures, and Interrogation of Students by Law
– Enforcement Personnel or Other Non-School Personnel
– F41 Policy on Section 504 and ADA Grievance Protocol for Students & Staff
– G13 Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources and the Internet


Review Brattleboro Pool Concepts

BRATTLEBORO – The Town of Brattleboro welcomes the community to participate in an interactive session to review the conceptual design options for the proposed improvements to the pool and aquatics facilities at Living Memorial Park, and share input on those options.  It will provide the opportunity to review the results and outcomes of prior public input sessions held during the summer and fall of 2023 and will be led by the Town’s contracted design consultant team. 


Cantrip at Next Stage

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of Celtic music by high-energy bagpipes/fiddle/guitar quartet Cantrip at Next Stage on Friday, July 5 at 7:30 pm. 

From the strong base of its Celtic roots, Cantrip branches out into the music of other European cultures. With swirling border pipes, raging fiddle, thunderous guitar, and three rich voices, Dan Houghton, Jon Bews, Eric McDonald, and Alasdair White take audiences on a cultural journey, putting their own spin on each musical style. Known for their innovative arrangements, high-energy songs and tunes, and dry wit, Cantrip has toured throughout Scotland and the US, expanding the boundaries of Celtic music along the way. 


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Water & Sewer Rates Up, Parking Meters To Come Down But Rates Likely To Rise

brattleboro selectboard june 4 2024

The first meeting of June for the Brattleboro Selectboard and they decided your Water & Sewer Rates are going up 5%. 

The board spent quite a bit of time, though, talking about raising your parking rates, too.  Remember the great meter system that the Town staff insisted be purchased a few years back? Fast forward a bit and now the Town staff wants to cut down every meter and replace them with a handful of credit card powered kiosks. They’d like to get rid of any coins or cash in the system. And Town staff suggested merely doubling current rates.


Putney Central School Leadership Council Meeting May 9, 2024

Teacher appreciation week- PTO keeping staff room stocked with food and drinks and snacks for staff
-PCS Principals Awards- Acts of kindness, positive influences on our community, Partnered with Coop to give selected students awards.
-Teachers nominate students monthly, announced at all school assemblies. Is there a way to publish this publicly for the community?


Windham Southeast School District Board Meeting Minutes – May 28, 2024

Summary
● Recognized the Unifed Basketball Team for winning the State Championship
● Discussed the idea of holding special meetings during the hiring season to meet the need of approving hires in a timely manner
● The recipient of the Darrow Scholarship was selected during Executive Session, and approved via vote.
● Three resignations were accepted and four new hires were approved for the 2024-2025 school year.
● The Board approved amendments to the meeting notes from 5/14/24, and approved the consent agenda.
● Five policies were presented for a first reading.
● Policy F26 Participation of Home Study Students in School Programs and Activities was re-adopted by the board.


The Most Important Vote Ever

The November presidential election will be the most consequential election in the history of the American republic. We’ve heard that before, but this time it’s for real. If a convicted felon, who also happens to be a deranged egomaniac intent upon turning this country into a dictatorship, wins this election the United States will head into uncharted territory.

Those who support the orange maniac don’t see any problem with this new direction. It is clear to me and many others that those who follow Trump are the worst kind of cult followers. It still confounds me how the U.S. congress Republican majority still supports him. They have made it clear that all they care about is votes and they have decided that following him is their best bet for grabbing more power.


“Brattleboro Goes Fourth” Seek Independence Day Parade Entries

“By the People: Brattleboro Goes Fourth” is seeking parade participants as it prepares to celebrate the town’s 51st Independence Day event on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

The all-volunteer citizens committee will begin the day at 10 a.m. with a parade from Flat Street to Main Street and the Common. The shorter route comes after requests from older marchers and challenges finding enough volunteers and public safety patrols to monitor a longer distance.


May 2024 Precipitation Report

A dry month for a change with 3.32″ measured compared to the NOAA normal of 3.64 inches. Much of the month was even dryer until the last 6 days when just over half of the month’s total fell. For the calendar year still well above average with 24.32″ measured compared to the NOAA average of 17.81 inches. All numbers from my location in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro and can very considerably from location to another.

Gary


Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – June 4, 2024

Newly increased water rates will be adopted and the FY25 Parking Fund will be presented for approval at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Part of the discussion will be the adoption of a grant for downtown parking system improvements. A slightly more unusual part will be to choose between parking fund revenues of $654,500 or $1,029,500, which most likely means a decision about raising parking rates.

There will be a small affordable housing grant for BAAH, and an application for a grant to improve sidewalks and add a path to the backside of the Common. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Construction Update Brattleboro-Hinsdale Bridge – May 30, 2024

Last week’s operations of installing deck panels, forms for drainage scuppers within the deck, and brackets and forms for overhangs continue to progress westerly to reach the Vermont abutment. Tensioning of the bolts on cross-braces and steel diaphragms is being finalized. Cleaning and removal of the components of the water treatment system used at Pier 1 remains on hold.


Brattleboro Parking Garage Construction Scheduled

On Monday June 3, the Transportation Center will have a partial closure of the third-floor deck from 07:00am to 2:00pm to allow for construction. This affects all parking spaces on the Flat Street side and area of the west stairwell on the third-floor deck. Motorists should plan on using alternate parking during the closure.