The Windham County Heat Fund – The Need Continues After 19 Years

by RDavis | Activism

If you live in the Northeast chances are pretty good you have been using oil, propane or wood to heat your home for a few weeks. There are some people that set a date for turning on their furnace and they suffer through until then, partly as a matter of principle and partly because of the cost of fuel.

Then there are those among us, a growing number, who struggle to heat their homes. They rely on federal and state fuel assistance programs which do not start until late November. The politics of that have always troubled me and politicians say they understand the timing is not realistic, but the allocation doesn’t happen until well after the need for heat starts.

This is where the Windham County Heat Fund comes in. We try to have a reserve of funds at the start of the heating season so we can fill that gap for people who rely on government fuel assistance to keep warm. Our busiest times are now until late November and near the end of the heating season when people have used up their fuel assistance allocations.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Citizens Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 5:30pm at the Brooks Memorial Library.

The Brattleboro Charter Review Commission will meet on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street) and over Zoom.

WSESD Board Meeting Minutes

by Not Signed In | Education

SUMMARY:
● Students expressed the need to increase attendance at Working Toward Justice Day.
● A new representative from Brattleboro, Matt Schibley, was appointed to the board by unanimous vote.
● The Superintendent gave a summary of the day’s professional development activities, which focused on executive function and student engagement.
● District Literacy Coaches gave a presentation on the science of reading and how that informs district practices.
● The Board adopted an updated policy on Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment and Background Checks.
● The board heard updates from the Academy School and BAMS Leadership Councils.

Construction Update Brattleboro-Hinsdale Bridge Update – October 19, 2023

by Not Signed In | Hinsdale

Backfilling, ditching, and fine grading slopes behind the new curb is complete, and seeding and mulching these areas should be finished this week.

The remaining beam guardrail runs are being installed this week. Related work that is not critical to preparing the road corridor for winter may be done next week, later this Fall as crews are available and the weather allows, or next year.

Recently constructed moment slabs are being cleaned and having waterproofing chemicals applied this week. While work on Pier 1 for the new bridge is getting underway in earnest between the railroad tracks and the Connecticut River, no other work is scheduled for the VT 142 road corridor for the next several weeks, so there will be no need for traffic control.

Regional Emergency Medical Services Coordination Study

by RobertOeser | State News

** Virtual Meeting – October 30, 2023 **

The State of Vermont, Department of Health, Division of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Injury Prevention has engaged Emergency Management Matters, LLC (EMM,) to design and implement a Regional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) coordination study culminating in a written report to be submitted to the Vermont State Legislature.

This study will focus on identifying issues and provide recommendations for legislative considerations that will sustain and improve the provision of EMS for Vermont. This includes but is not limited to:

WSESD Board Meeting Agenda

by Not Signed In | Education

AGENDA
I. Call to Order [6:00 to 6:05]
II. Student Matters [6:05 to 6:15]

III. Administrative Report [6:15 to 6:45]
– The budgetary process, how the Budget is built to meet the goals and established timeframes leading up to 03/2024. [25 Minutes]

Crime Research Group Study

by Not Signed In | Activism

Are you one of the 902?

We are working with Crime Research Group (CRG) on a study funded by the National Institute of Justice to help find people willing to participate in a study about the experiences of defendants of color in Southern Vermont criminal courts. Researchers are looking to speak with people over the age of 18 who have at least one closed criminal case since 2019 that was handled in Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and/or Windsor County. Participants will be interviewed about their experience before, during, and after court.

Michael Fuller on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Entertainment

From the early days of The Common Ground,  the Coop and communes, to the much lauded T.J. Buckley’s Uptown Dining, Michael Fuller’s Brattleboro stories are SO much fun! He’s still creating the best, most exquisite dinners ever – 40 years strong!

Sunset Lake Road Closure Update

by Not Signed In | Town News

Impending weather has forced the road closure to move to the rain dates. Please see below.

Beginning on Wednesday October 18, 2023, BELLCO Construction will be replacing a large culvert on Sunset Lake Road approximately 500 feet west of Kelly Road. The work is expected to take two weeks, and the road will be closed from 08:00am on Monday, October 23 through Tuesday, October 24 at 5:00pm. During the remainder of the project, expect one lane alternating traffic along with minor delays.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – We Said We Wanted Public Input on ARPA Funds, But Not Really

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard oct 23

The board discussed many things Tuesday but their extended ARPA discussion seemed more like an extended discussion about problems they had with public input on ARPA possibilities.

“I don’t care what the public thinks or the town staff think,” declared Franz Reichsman. “I have a problem having this list from the public be our starting point,” said Liz McLoughlin repeatedly.  Chair Ian Goodnow tried in vain to remind them that they had promised an open public process.

Poverty Row

by SK-B | Living

Poverty Row got its name as the historic location of the town’s poorhouse. But now it is a rather nice section with a number of private vacation homes.

In the mid 1980s we lived in a cabin without utilities, wore used clothing, and spend money freely only on wholesome, organic food. Before our son was born, I took whatever low-paying job I could get.

Sometimes a low-paying job brings you in contact with wealthy people.

BCTV Schedules – Week of October 16, 2023

by BCTVProg | Media

Monday, October 16, 2023

6:00 am Brooks Memorial Library – Tin Pan Alley Sing-Along 6/24/23

6:55 am Groundworks Collaborative – Empty Bowls 2023

7:00 am Stained Glass Windows of St. Michaels – Week 7: St. Catherine of Alexandria

8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro RTM Human Services Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at 4:30pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street) for a Q and A session with potential applications.

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee meeting will meet on Thursday, October 19, 2023 at 8:00am over Zoom.

Now It’s Personal

by RDavis | Op/Ed

For most of my life I have tried to keep an open mind about the perpetual conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. When there is a near-constant state of war both sides do things that oppress innocent people and make life difficult.

As a full-of-myself 20 year old I thought I had all the answers. It seemed black and white to me when I was in Israel in 1970. The Israelis had all the power and they were suppressing the Arab population. When I met my father’s cousins who had walked from Russia to Palestine in 1920 to escape the brutality of the Czar’s pogroms against Jews I told them I thought Israel was treating Arabs the same way that the Jews had been treated by the Nazis. They were outraged and didn’t speak to me for a few days. They decided to chalk up my remarks to youthful arrogance and innocence.

Over the past 54 years I have come to understand that this conflict is always in the grey area and I have tried to be sympathetic to both sides. But everything changed last week when Hamas attacked Israel.