In observance of the Christmas holiday:
Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Friday, December 24, 2021.
Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25, 2021.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Friday, December 24, and on Saturday, December 25, 2021. All other violations will be enforced.
Join Mara Williams as she tells stories about her adventures as Curator for the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, featuring Red Grooms, Wolf Kahn, Jim Dine and the many local luminaries who helped put BMAC on the map.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear highlights from the last three months of work on the Community Safety Review Recommendations from Town Manager Peter Elwell this evening. Here is his latest memo outlining what he plans to present. (I’d love to cover this special meeting but other plans intrude).
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This memorandum, the attached updated implementation table, and the presentation I will make at the December 14 Selectboard meeting comprise Town staff’s second status report to the Selectboard and the community regarding our implementation of recommendations from the 2020 community safety review.
Montpelier, VT— Vermont Senate President, Becca Balint, launched her campaign for United States Representative yesterday, Monday, December 13. The Balint campaign is proud to announce that in the first 24-hours of the campaign, Balint raised $125,051 – all from individual, grassroots donations – earning support from all 14 Vermont counties.
“I am astonished and overwhelmed with the level of support we received yesterday. This is a hard time for so many families and the fact that people chipped in where they could means so much to me. This is going to be a campaign powered by people and yesterday showed me just how many people that is,” Balint said. “I’m running because we face immense challenges, but I believe we cannot back away from fighting for each other. We have to deliver on some big promises for Vermont working families and that is going to take all of us. I’m ready for this fight.”
Agenda
Group Progress Report Back
-What information have you gathered?
-What is next?
-Where do you need support?
Our first local candidate for US Representative! Here’s the official announcement from Becca Balint. She joins Molly Gray in asking for your support and vote.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MENU
Dec. 13 Vegetable Frittata w/Ham
Roasted Red Potato
Mixed Vegetables
Mandarin Oranges
Monday, December 13, 2021
5:25 am Windham Elementary School Board – Windham Elementary School Bd Mtg 11/16/21
8:00 am The David Pakman Show – The David Pakman Show – Weekly Broadcast
9:00 am Energy Week with George Harvey – Energy Week #446 – 11/24/2021
10:00 am VT Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel – VT NDCAP – 12/6/21 Mtg
1:00 pm Newfane Selectboard – Newfane SB Mtg 12/6/21
Over the past 50 or more years we have heard just about every possible argument for and against abortion. In 1973 the issue seemed to be settled from a legal perspective when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, making abortion a constitutional right.
But the debate never ended and the anti-abortion forces have been patiently packing the courts with sympathetic judges with the hope of once again making abortion a criminal act. In 2021 we are now on the verge of having a country where abortion will no longer be a constitutional right. The Supreme Court could go further and turn pregnant women who have abortions into criminals.
When it comes to abortion and the law I have a simplistic view. The courts should not be telling a woman what she can and can’t do with her body. There are many other issues to consider and I will not rehash them.
We, the members of the WSESD School Board (the Board), are grateful for the opportunity to serve our community and, like you, are horrified by the revelations shared in Ms. Haskins-Rogers’ August 2021 article in the Commons and other information reported to us since then.
Our strong personal reactions made all of us open to taking many of the steps that were suggested by members of the community. In particular, we have been impacted by the open letter signed by 167 people which has called for, among other things, an open investigation and an assessment of the district’s present-day climate and functioning.
Since this letter, we have heard your concerns about the speed with which we have proceeded; frustrations we have also felt personally. But as quickly as we might wish to bring accountability and healing to what many of you have described as an institutional betrayal, we feel bound by our roles as elected officials to proceed with due diligence—a stepwise process, but one inspired by empathy for all those affected. We remain committed to a prudent process that:
The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street). Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 1:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”
The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 5:30pm at the Brattleboro Food Co-op Café.
Agenda (start time / minutes = 120)
• Call to order
• Agenda review (6:00 / 5)
• Approve last meeting minutes (6:05 / 5)
• Action items from last meeting (6:10 / 5)
• Announcements (6:15 / 5)
Vermont was featured on the national news last night. The PBS Newshour did a segment on Vermont and the pandemic. Our rising numbers contrast with our early successes and this makes for interesting news.
They said that Vermont’s numbers were up because 1) everyone got their shot early on so we’ve had a long time for the effects to weaken, and 2) variants are more contagious now.
People ending up in hospitals are mostly unvaccinated. People who are vaccinated are getting milder cases, but are transmitting it to those who are not vaccinated yet. Booster shots aren’t as popular as the first round of vaccinations, either.
Next Stage Arts, Yellow Barn, Vermont Jazz Center – Julian McBrowne, Audio Engineer extaordinaire brings great sound and harmony wherever he goes – from our local venues to world tours and even a Caribbean island. Take a listen!
Agenda
1. Approval of Minutes
2. FY23 Budget Planning & Development
• Secondary Programs
AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – David Schoales, Board Chair
II. CONSENT AGENDA
• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – November 9, November 16, November 19, November 30, December 9, 2021
III. Public Comment on Non-agenda Items (10 minutes)
Here are the official minutes from the special town meeting in Newfane on December 7 for the purpose of buying a sand and gravel pit. It passed, with some minor friendly amendments.
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December 7, 2021 Newfane Special Town Meeting Minutes
I had to laugh last night during the Selectboard meeting. Dick DeGray, a former board member, called in to suggest putting lights in a park to illuminate a monument at night. It’s a good idea – flags and monuments should be lit, in my view – but it reminded me of our sock puppet selectboard special in which the sock puppet board debates putting lights in a park.
Enjoy the memories:
The Brattleboro Selectboard learned about housing issues and possible strategies for addressing some serious housing needs during their first regular meeting of December . 500 housing units is the low estimate of what Brattleboro needs, now, and the selectboard is eager to make it an actual goal.
The board also approved corrections and updates to a Civil War monument, preserving the original but annotating it with a new plaque and information about the people of color and lower classes of soldiers not named on the original. They won’t name them on the new plaque, but will be directed to further information.
