External Issues Working Group Meeting
August 5, 5:00 pm
Outdoor patio at the Brattleboro Food Coop
The agenda is to review suggestions concerning items related to the lead-up and preparation for Representative Town Meeting.
The public is invited to attend this discussion on issues concerning Representative Town Meeting.
Why don’t we task the U.S. Navy with cleaning up the oceans?
The program is paid for, they have boats and people, and they are out in the oceans of the world all the time.
Okay, so you want some naval defense. Fine. If not 100%, why not 50%, or 10% of their assignment be ocean clean-up?
With a few last-minute glitches and a few hours late, the new issue of Blog88.org is online. The theme of this edition is:
The Word, “CRAZY!”
Featured as the lead article, is a powerful, first-person account of the horrendous, routine abuse of human beings in the guise of psychiatric care: CRAZY OR NOT, HERE I COME by Phoebe Sparrow Wagner.
According to the CDC’s website, 64.4% of the total population of Windham County has had at least one does of a COVID vaccine. 55.8% are fully vaccinated.
Keep this in mind as we crow about Vermont’s high vaccination rates. We haven’t hit 70% in Windham County yet. We’re much closer to “half way there” than the “almost 100%” people like to assume.
BCTV Channel 1075 schedule for the week of 8/2/21
Monday, August 2, 2021
4:35 am All Things LGBTQ – Interview Show 7/20/21
5:30 am Moccasin Tracks – Gluskabe and The Stone People 7/8/21
6:00 am The News Project – In Studio – Meredith Angwin and the Electric Grid
6:30 am HANDS in the Kitchen – Healthier Snacking 7/1/21
7:07 am Stuck in Vermont – Kitty Korner Café
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MENU
August 2 Baked Chicken
Roasted Potato
Broccoli
Watermelon
It’s August 2021, in case you’ve forgotten. We continue daily/limited-weekend COVID-19 dashboard numbers from the Vermont Department of Health, and MA and NH counties that surround Brattleboro. We’ve also added weekly Delta variant updates. Scroll down the new comments for the latest.
The Brattleboro Selectboard returns from their summer break to take up issues of new people in the community. They will swear in our new Police Chief Norma Hardy in a welcoming ceremony. They’ll also hear a presentation about the possibility of welcoming refugees to the area.
The Solid Waste Fund’s final transfer from the General Fund occurs, liquor permits will be given out, water and sewer repairs will be considered, and committee members will be appointed. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
Agenda items:
Approve minutes
Public participation
Planting sites
Guidelines for Memorial Trees
Maintenance Plan
There will be an interruption of water service on lower Oak ST and Chase ST from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, while Utilities personnel can replace valves in the intersection of Oak ST and Chase ST.
Work will begin on Monday, August 2, when the intersection will be closed for utilities crew to dig up the old valves and will remain closed until the work is completed on Tuesday, August 3. Residents at #6 – #26 Chase ST should use Forest ST for access and residents at #30 – #49 Chase ST will be able to use Linden ST for access in both directions.
Beginning Monday, August 2nd,the Brattleboro Senior Congregate Meal program will be operating five days a week (Monday – Friday).
Please note that there will be a limited capacity and reservations will be required. To make a reservation please call Cynthia at 802-267-1236. No later than 10 am.
In another disappointing blow to the jobs market in Brattleboro; M&T Bank (Formerly People’s United) has filed a WARN notice with the state that next year they intend to lay-off 51 employees at the Brattleboro Operation’s Center.
People’s United is the largest depositor in Vermont with 26% of the state’s total deposits. Perhaps this will kick off the discussion again about the possibility of establishing a state bank who’s charter is to serve the people of Vermont. Just an idea…
AGENDA
Call to Order
Review and Approve Minutes of previous meeting.
Review of Cases/Public Hearings to be reviewed under the Brattleboro Land Use Regulations.
2021-87 Paul Belogour for Vermont Re Development, LLC; Service Center District; appeal of a Zoning Administrator’s determination that a ground sign cannot be refaced as it is non-conforming for height, lighting, and area, and non-grandfathered at 580 Canal Street; Tax Map Parcel #00340035.000 Continued from July 21, 2021
I was sitting in the window the other day looking out into yet another summer shower when I noticed a moth flapping around between the inner pane and the outer storm window. As is typical for moths trapped in such situations, this one had flown all the way to the top of the window casing where it was beating itself against every surface trying to get out. I felt for it but couldn’t figure out a way to get at it to effect a bug rescue. As I pondered its dilemma, it occurred to me that the general tendency of most flying insects when trapped between window panes is exactly the wrong one for escaping that situation. They always fly up where there is no way for me to open the window and let them out.
Brattleboro Community TV is a vital community asset. Now, you can help it be even better by taking a short survey to ascertain how it is meeting the needs of the community as a public access TV station and community media center. Your responses will help shape the future of BCTV! Thank you.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/287PYPH
If you are choosing to not get the COVID vaccine then you need to accept complete responsibility for your behavior. That means acknowledging the fact that you may be responsible for the suffering and death of others. It means that you should make an effort to keep away from other people while you wear a mask. But your selfish behavior has made it clear you will not make the effort to protect others.
American society is putting a lot of effort and money into trying to convince the unvaccinated to get the shot, but those efforts are resulting in less than adequate outcomes. The time has come to give up on the unvaccinated and start punishing them for putting the rest of us in danger.
A trillion is a million million.1,000,000,000,000. That’s a 1 followed by 12 zeros. The entire US economy (GDP) is 21 trillion dollars.
On September 10, 2001, then U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld disclosed that his department was UNABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR roughly $2.3 TRILLION worth of transactions. The next day, the U.S. sustained the terrorist attacks that changed the world, and this startling revelation was forgotten.
On Wednesday, July 28, Utilities Crews will be working to repair a water valve on Chase Street at the intersection with Oak Street. The work will begin at 7:00 am and will continue though 5:00 pm.
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.
From the life of a 60’s radio DJ to acting in N.Y. and Next Stage, with a bit of lawyering at Vermont State House in the mix, JIM MAXWELL has enjoyed every endeavor – and you can hear his personal playlist on our own WVEW, community radio at it’s best.
https://www.brattleborotv.org/here-we-are/guest-jim-maxwell
It’s an ill wind that blows no good… Just kidding. As most of us are probably aware, there’s been a lot of smoke in the air recently, although what zephyr it blew in on I have no idea. We noticed it last night around sunset, and by the time we went to bed, we could see this strange fog enveloping the area, detectable even in the dark. The trees seemed really distant, we could only see one star, and when a car drove by, there was complete white-out and all the trees disappeared. Although the National Weather Service forecast was calling it “haze,” it seemed pretty smoky to me.
This morning, it cleared off, but after noon, it rolled back in like gangbusters. I was surprised to discover that not only can you see the smoke, you can smell and taste it too. I even noticed my eyes burning which is normal if you’re in a smoky environment, but frankly, you just don’t expect to be in a smoky environment as a result of a fire 2500 miles away.
Cutting to the chase, it’s worth noting that for this afternoon at least, out air quality puts us in an Orange zone as indicated on the EPA air quality web page; this means “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. If you cross the river to NH or drive over to NY, the adjacent areas there are Red zones — which is simply “unheathy air.” You can see the regions highlighted on the map at the link below.
