Selectboard Meeting Notes – What Services Would You Like To Cut?

selectboard nov 5 2024

The Brattleboro Selectboard discussed the “base budget” – a budget with no changes to services from current levels – at Tuesday’s Election Night meeting. As is, they said, it would be a 22% increase. Board members agreed it was a difficult budget, but none had any big ideas for getting the increase to a more manageable level.

Citizens attending had ideas – eliminate raises, cut Municipal Center hours to 32 hours a week for most employees, cut positions, and throw it all out and build up from what is truly necessary were suggested.  Personnel costs, they noted, were the big numbers.

In a flashback to the era of Barb Sondag we heard the Town Manager ask the board to simply tell him what services they’d like to cut from the people of Brattleboro…


WSESD Special Board Meeting Minutes – October 29, 2024

Summary

● The Board voted to have Superintendent Speno to engage in a process to review the notation of class rank on student transcripts.

AGENDA

I. Call to Order

DS called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm

DS read the hybrid meeting statement

DS amended the agenda to transition this meeting from an Executive Session to an Open Public Meeting.

DS requested acknowledgement of community parents that they recognize that their anonymity cannot be protected as this is an open public meeting.

Parents acknowledged verbally.


A Fraudster Defeated

We hear a lot of stories about people who were cheated out of their life savings or were scammed by so-called home improvement companies that collected money and never did the work. They all seem to have a sad ending. Well, I want to tell you a story with a happy ending.

My wife and I agreed to have our house painted and we found a person who had advertised himself on social media. He came to our house and he seemed very charming. From the start, my wife didn’t trust him. She kept saying she had a bad feeling about this guy, partly because he did not have any of the credentials of a businessman.


Brattleboro Fire Chief Leonard Howard to Retire on Dec. 31

The Town of Brattleboro is announcing the retirement of Fire Chief Leonard Howard III, whose dedication to the Brattleboro Fire Department and the community it serves extends back to the 1980s. Chief Howard’s retirement becomes effective on Dec. 31, 2024.

“I’m proud to be in the fire service. It’s been the best job in the world,” said Chief Howard. “I’ve enjoyed helping people, and seeing my staff progress and be successful. I think they’re in a good place, and they have a good future ahead of them.”

Chief Howard joined the Brattleboro Fire Department in 1987 as a member of its call staff, a role in which he served for a decade. When he joined, Howard was among about 30 volunteers who helped support career firefighters during major events. Starting in 1988, days after graduating high school, Howard took a job at the Brattleboro Public Works’ Utilities Division.


Brattleboro Property Tax – Proposed Increase of 14%, Plus Maybe 5-8% More for Solid Waste

Here are some excerpts from the Town Manager’s memo to the Brattleboro Selectboard regarding their enormous FY’26 budget. I’ve left out some of the tables mentioned to make it easier for me to format. Go view the full document to see them.

At the start, they anticipate a 14% increase in property taxes, but this does not yet include any solid waste disposal costs, which staff say may add another 5-8%.

Get yourself a drink so you can spit it out in amazement as you read the details.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – November 5, 2024

While the rest of the world is concerned with election day and results, the Brattleboro Selectboard will be presenting the an overview of the draft budget for the FY26. They will also continue with their approval of liquor and entertainment licenses for a new business in the former River Garden public space.  You can bring up other items not on the agenda, during public participation.


Brattleboro Committee Meeting Warnings

The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street) and over Zoom on Monday, November 4, 2024 at 6:00pm.

The Charter Revision Commission will meet in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street) and over Zoom on Thursday, November 7, 2024  at 6:15pm.

The Tree Advisory Committee will meet in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street) on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 4:15pm.

The RTM Finance Committee will meet in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street) on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 5:45pm.  


Brattleboro October Precipitation

Continued dry with only 2 rain events during the month totaling 1.38″.  Normal rain for October is 4.77″. For the calendar year the total is now 38.67″ compared to the NOAA average of 39.71″.  At the end of August the calendar year total was a +5.37″ and now we are over an inch below normal.  It has been enjoyable weather.

Across Windham County, CoCoRaHs stations reported a high of 2.71″ and a low of 0.73″ for the month of October.  I did see a few snowflakes in the air one day this month.  All my numbers are from a rain gauge located in the S.E. corner of Brattleboro.


Lantern Walk hosted by Brattleboro Area Hospice

Brattleboro Area Hospice will hold its 2nd Annual Lantern Walk on Thursday November 7th, 5:30-7pm.

Location: The walk will start and end on the Common on Park Place. The route will walk down Main St., turning around at Elliot St. and returning to the Common for a short remembrance service.

We will start gathering at 5pm and begin walking at 5:30pm. Lanterns will be provided or you may bring your own. It will be dark by 5:30 so a flashlight is recommended.


WSESD Board Meeting Minutes October 22, 2024

Summary
● Updates were presented from the Leadership Councils now that the school year is well underway.
● Discussed maintaining the privacy of students related to the review of district-wide and individual school data related to behavioral incidences, use of restraint, health and safety.
● Presentation was given regarding Family Engagement efforts across the district.


Hayley Reardon, Sam Robbins, and Emily Margaret at Next Stage

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present a triple bill of contemporary folk singer/songwriters – Hayley Reardon, Sam Robbins, and Emily Margaret – on Friday, November 29 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage.

Hayley Reardon is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter and a storyteller in the truest sense of the word. Her songs serve as postcards from an artist brave enough to take the road less traveled. Hayley dove head first into music at the young age of 15, and has spent much of the past decade writing, recording, and performing music around the world. With more than 85 original songs released to date, Reardon’s music has been featured on multiple Spotify and Apple Music editorial playlists, boasting more than 7 million streams on Apple Music alone.

Raised in a coastal Massachusetts town north of Boston, Hayley spent three years based in Nashville followed by six years carrying her songs and stories all over the globe. She has played nearly 300 shows across Europe, and was awarded a six-month artist-in-residency program in Dachau, Germany. She has shared the stage with renowned artists including Lori McKenna, Rodney Crowell, Dar Williams, and Anaïs Mitchell, and was nominated as 2023 Vocalist of the Year by the Boston Music Awards.


Renee Woliver on “Here We Are”

SENIOR SOLUTIONS has so many !  And RENEE WOLIVER tells us what’s readily available for local folks over 60. Renee also talks about her life-long work in communication, non-profits….. and women’s hockey!


Brattleboro Community Safety Fair & Forum

The public is invited to attend the second annual Community Safety Fair & Forum. This event will be held on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the New England Youth Theatre, located at 100 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301. This event is free and open to the public.

During this event, local organizations will share information and resources with the public, while providing an opportunity for continued dialogue and solution sharing. The evening will include an open house with tabling, a panel discussion, Selectboard office hours, and healing.


Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 in the Selectboard Meeting Room.

The Brattleboro Board of Listers will meet on Monday, October 28, 2024 at 1:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room.