Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 19, 2021

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be approving a range of new contracts for police officers, firefighters, and other unionized employees at their next regular meeting. 

Union Station will be handed over to the BMAC, the board will hear a sustainability update, they’ll review their goals, Selectboard meetings will be moved to Central Fire Station, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participations.


Shopping Day at Swap Shop

Another SHOPPING ONLY DAY at Swap Shop at WSWMD on Old Ferry Road, Brattleboro on Saturday, October 16, 8:30 am to noon. ALL ITEMS ARE FREE. Many new donated items were added last Saturday.  Photos of some available items are posted on Facebook’s Brattleboro, Vermont group page.  Many Christmas decorations!

SCHEDULE & HOURS:
Shopping Days- 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month
Donation Days- 2nd & 4th Saturdays of the month


Yoshi Manale Selected as Brattleboro Town Manager

Brattleboro, VT—The Brattleboro Selectboard has chosen Octavian Y. (Yoshi) Manale as the
new Town Manager. Mr. Manale will assume his new responsibilities on January 1, 2022, after
working on transition matters with the retiring Town Manager, Peter Elwell.

“On behalf of the Brattleboro Selectboard, I congratulate Yoshi Manale on being selected as our new Town Manager” said Elizabeth McLoughlin, Selectboard Chair. “We considered many well qualified candidates during our nationwide search. The Selectboard conducted this process with care and diligence, and we are very pleased with the result. We are confident that Yoshi Manale has an enthusiasm for good governance and for Brattleboro that will lead us to a future that we can all embrace. We look forward to working with Yoshi for the benefit of the people of Brattleboro.”


Upcoming Woodworking Classes at HatchSpace

Classes for beginners and experienced woodworkers. Financial aid may be available – contact info@hatchspace.org for information.

More details, more classes and registration at https://www.hatchspace.org/ClassCalendar

Refresher for Woodworkers: Build a Cutting Board, with Doug Finkel


Town of Brattleboro Halloween Event

The Town of Brattleboro Recreation and Parks Department in collaboration with the Brooks Memorial Library is excited to announce we will be hosting a drive-thru and walk-thru Trick-or-Treating at the Municipal Center Parking Lot. This event will be held on Sunday October 31ST between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. We ask all ghouls and goblins to enter the Municipal Center Parking Lot from the Grove Street entrance. We will have designated walking lanes and driving lanes for participants to follow. Vehicle trunks will be decorated, and volunteers and staff will be handing out goodies while supplies last.


Bullock Street Closure

On Wednesday, October 13, Utilities Crews will be working to repair a sink hole on Bullock ST.  The work will begin at 7:00 am and will continue through approximately noon.  

Motorists should plan to use alternate routes during this time period.

If you have questions or concerns please contact the Department of Public Works at (802) 254-4255.   


BCTV Schedules – Week of October 11, 2021

BCTV Channel 1085 schedule for the week of 10/11/21

Monday, October 11, 2021

4:30 am Vermont State House – Pension Benefits, Design, and Funding Task Force Pt3 8/25/21
5:00 am Windham Central Supervisory Union – WCSU Bd and Exec. Comm. Mtg 9/29/21
7:30 am Vernon Selectboard – Vernon SB Mtg 10/5/21
8:00 am The David Pakman Show – The David Pakman Show – Weekly Broadcast
9:00 am Energy Week with George Harvey – Energy Week #439 – 10/7/2021


Carving with Computers?

Yes! This hands-on workshop is designed high school students and adults to learn the basics of design for the X-Carve, a computer numerical controlled machine (CNC) for carving on wood, plastic and other materials.  No woodworking experience required.  Learn more at Digital Design for the X-Carve with Gail Fletcher, at HatchSpace, Saturday, October 16, 9 am – noon; $60


Climate Not Christmas, Sharing Not Shopping – Scientists Say Get Real

Recent research shows children around the world are highly anxious and depressed — not just about the climate, but about their parents and governments doing nothing about it. Isn’t it weird to talk about it and see it looking so calm and harmless in a screen or paper? If you really think about it, you can get very very upset in a few moments. As a serious active work it will make you anxious and depressed. And now we know, when we do nothing, children feel betrayed. Belief in the science of climate change is not enough… Scientists have been demanding radical, drastic, unprecedented action.

The crisis is unthinkable. But doing nothing is NOT an option. We must act.


The Simple Gift of Open Mic

We live in a world that pushes for bigger and better where other people try to determine what is best for us. In our little corner of the world in southern Vermont most of us know better and we determine our own standards on our own terms. That is especially true in the town of Brattleboro.

Music provides a good example of what I am talking about. Our area is blessed with an abundance of gifted musicians. Some have risen to the level of star status, but most are happy to live life on their own terms in a place that they feel welcomes them.


Foreseen! A Celebrities Led Movement To Halt USA Nuclear War Preparations

USA Congress plans to spend a $1.5 trillion on improved nuclear weapons! [1]

“If We Don’t End War, War Will End US,” [2]

Twenty years after the end of the Cold War there are at least 23,000 nuclear warheads still in existence, with a combined blast capacity equivalent to 150,000 Hiroshima bombs. The U.S. and Russia together have over 22,000, and France, the UK, China, India, Pakistan and Israel around 1,000 between them.


Windham County Heat Fund Update

It’s the time of year again when the Windham County Heat Fund reminds all of the generous people in the county that our less fortunate friends and neighbors will need your help once again as we approach another heating season.

The Windham County Heat Fund was created in 2005 by Richard Davis and me to help people in Windham County Vermont who were not able to buy enough heating fuel to make it through the winter. In 2010 the Heat Fund was incorporated as an IRS 501 C 3 non-profit entity. At the time, oil prices were escalating and we thought our efforts would only be needed for a year or two.


Cannabis is Coming – Will Town Taxpayers be the Losers?

cannabis

As some may already know, I was appointed by the Vermont Senate to represent municipalities’ interests on the Cannabis Control Board’s Advisory Committee. While I wouldn’t claim to have the level of “expertise in municipal issues” that some other longer-serving Selectboard members in Vermont might have, I feel that my past work advocating for the rights of towns, cities and villages does give me some insights, and I’m doing my best to represent local taxpayers during many rapid deliberations over the shape of the upcoming retail cannabis marketplace.

I want to make very clear my opposition to a hastily made decision by one of our sub-committees, the Market Structure, Licensing, Taxes and Fees Sub-Committee, without reasonable input taken and considered from the Vermont municipalities. This committee has evidently already voted to “cap” what local town clerks can charge for a cannabis license to $100 yearly, a laughable amount considering the fact that the state portion of yearly fees being currently considered are between $5,000 and $10,000.