I. Approval of Minutes and confirmation of next meeting date
The minutes of 9/5/23 meeting approved by assent.
The next meeting for the Policy and Amendments Committee is scheduled for: Tuesday, Oct 3, 2023.
DS amended agenda to add Policy C9 (Board Commitment to Non -Discrimination) to the discussion, as there is a reference to C9 in D11 (Public Complaints About Personnel).
The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:
Agricultural Advisory Board
ADA Committee
Arts Committee
Cemetery Committee
Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC)
Design Review Board (Alternate)
Development Review Board (Alternate)
It’s time for your chance to make note of small things you’ve seen around town recently that might not warrant a full story but are interesting nonetheless. Add your observations below.
The WSESD Programmatic & Performance Equity Committee will meet from 2:00-3:00pm on Sunday, October 1, 2023. The meeting will take place in the Conference Room of Putney Central School, 182 Westminster West Road, Putney. Access the building via the side entrance (glass hallway).
Sept 25 Baked Ziti w/Meat Sauce
Green Beans
Carrots
Honeydew Melon
On Sunday September 24, a large oak tree fell on Union Hill near the intersection of Beech Street. Crews from the Highway division of Public Works identified that a second tree was damaged when the first tree came down. The second tree is a hazard to anyone traveling on Union Hill and the road is now closed.
On Monday September 25, Crews from Public Works, Renaud Tree Service, Green Mountain Power, Consolidated Communication, and Xfinity will be working on to remove the tree and repair wires. Union Hill will remain closed throughout the day.
Hey Poet!
You don’t understand metaphors?
And you love walls,
Where you can take refuge,
And write of your unremitting pain,
Over rejection and separation?
The Brattleboro Arts committee will meet on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 5:00pm at The Brooks Memorial Library (224 Main Street).
The Citizens Police Communications Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at 5:30pm at the Brooks Memorial Library (224 Main Street).
The RTM Human Services Committee will meet on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street) and over Zoom.
Jessica Sticklor (she/her/hers)
Executive Assistant
Town of Brattleboro
I. Call to Order [6:00 to 6:05]
II. Student Issues [6:05 to 6:15]
III. Introduction to New Student Representatives [6:15 to 6:20]
Asian Cultural Center of Vermont (ACCVT) presents the 23nd annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival (Zhongqiu Jie) which is celebrated in China, Korea, Vietnam and other places around the world. Celebrate the Autumn Moon Festival with crafts, songs, food, taiji, paper lanterns, Chinese exercises, the Korean rope tug and more. Hear the story of The Goddess of the Moon, Chang’e; the great archer Hou-Yi; and the Elixir of Immortality. Then watch the harvest moon rise. The celebration will start with a pot-luck (bring a dish to share).
Fine grading the new slopes on either side of the road continues. Seeding and mulching of those slopes is set to be completed this week, allowing grass to grow this season. Fine grading of ditches will be done after the granite curbing is installed the first week of October. Fence and guardrail installation is also on hold pending the installation of the curbing.
Moment slab work has been paused to allow this work to be done without congesting the corridor further now that traffic is moving through, and to allow crews to focus on critical tasks that prepare the area for winter.
On Wednesday, September 20 there was a structure fire in Vernon that drew a large response from area fire departments. Fire apparatus drew a large amount of water from one of the hydrants on Route 142. This stirred up sediment in the water mains and has resulted in discolored water in several areas throughout Brattleboro. Residents experiencing discolored water are advised to run the cold water faucet until the water clears.
Bi-annual water main flushing is scheduled to start tomorrow, Friday, September 22.
KY announced that a third Executive Session is being added for 1 VSA §313(a)(1)(F), confidential attorney-client communications. It will happen in-between the two Executive Sessions on the agenda.
Course offerings 2023-24
Career Fair
Reality Fair
BMH Job Shadows
Business Administrator Frank Rucker shared and reviewed a document, “WSESD FY2023 Expense Summary, dated 9/11/23”, for the twelve month period ending June 30, 2023. Highlights included:
• There are many transactions this time of year, and most of them are things that happen beyond the District’s control, such as government receivables. These receivables are reconciled before presenting the final document to the auditors at the end of September.
At its 2023 meeting, RTM approved a motion calling on “the Selectboard to develop and implement a dedicated community engagement process for allocating [ARPA} funds before any further funds are spent.” Before that meeting and since, and during Selectboard meetings, members of the public have asked—really, begged—the board not to obligate ARPA funds until there was a systematic effort to ascertain public preferences for the spending of those monies, and we were given assurances that such a public process would occur before drawing on ARPA funds. The Selectboard’s vote last night to draw on 51% of the ARPA balance, without promised public deliberation, can only be seen as evidence of its bad faith.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will be using $1.3+ million of ARPA funds to set up a municipal EMS system. The vote was unanimous to give the emergency medical services ‘contract’ to the Brattleboro Fire Department.
The Town Manager told the board why municipal EMS would be best, the board told the public their decisions as to why they would vote in favor, and then the public was allowed to weigh in with comments.
On Wednesday, September 20, Utilities Crews will be working to repair a road box at the intersection of High ST and Bullock ST. The work will take place between 7:00am and 11:00am. During this time, Bullock ST will be closed and motorists should plan to use alternate routes.
One of the light poles on the back side of the HighGrove lot was struck by a vehicle and had to be removed. Due to this damage all lights along the back wall of the lot are out of order. Local electricians will be working to secure and install replacement parts. Expect the lights to be out and the lot to be unlit until further notice.
