Noticed Around Brattleboro – December 2015 Edition

Lots of little changes going on around town, and it is time for us to catalog them. Here are a few to get us started:

– Robert at Zephyr Designs on Main Street is retiring, according to a sign in the window.

– Main Street has some nice, large lit stars on display at night in addition to all the decorated windows. They look to be about 8 or 10 feet across, each.


Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of December 6

Brattleboro Time Trade:   Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time.  See below for more exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade can do for you!

How Time Trade Works: You do something for someone and earn time credits for your “bank,” which you can then put towards someone else doing something for you! It’s that simple – and amazing!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from the first nighta:

OFFERS (i.e. things people could do for you):

Meditation/ Visualizations etc.
Yard Work
New Parent Support
Dog Sitting in Our Home
Spanish for Travelers Class
Help with Fall and Winter Chore’s – Many T.T Reference’s
KidsPLAYce, Come and PLAY!
Vegan Raw Cookbook
Use of Dehydrator
Use of Pottery Studio by Experienced Ceramist


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda & Notes – December 8, 2015

Say goodbye to the Vermont Yankee emergency warning sirens. The Brattleboro Selectboard plans to endorse the idea of removing them at their next regular special meeting.

They will also recap their latest impressions and feelings about the Police Fire Facilities meetings, will review departmental FY17 budgets for the Library, Assessors, Town Clerk, Finance, Fire and Planning departments, and will again discuss postponing their Windham Solid Waste Management District Budget vote. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.

Watch on BCTV and read all about it here after the meeting.


Brattleboro Committee Meetings and Agendas

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, December 7, 2015 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.


West Brattleboro Association Holiday Party Is December 14th

On Monday, December 14, at 6:00 pm, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will host its annual Holiday Party at The New England House, 254 Marlboro Road. This is a time for people and businesses in West Brattleboro to get together socially and to celebrate the Association’s numerous accomplishments in this past year. The evening will feature a cash bar with hors d’oeuvres prepared by the restaurant. The WBA suggests a voluntary donation of $5 toward the food, although no one will be turned away.

 In addition to this being a time to enjoy each other at this festive season, there will be a couple of short presentations.  The Association’s board president Michael Bosworth will give a brief “state of the Association” report after which the group will present the West Brattleboro Community Leader of the Year to a deserving person or entity. Come to our party to help us celebrate this worthy recipient! Previous winners have been Bill and Judy Daley of the Vermont Country Deli,  Ahmad and Kat Rashed of Rashed’s Garden Center, the staff and board of the Brattleboro Housing Authority, and Todd Darrah of the Chelsea Royal Diner, each for their many contributions to our community.


Brattleboro Committee Vacancies

The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:

Agricultural Advisory Board
ADA Advisory Committee
Arts Committee
Citizens Police Communications Committee (CPCC)
Conservation Commission
Development Review Board Alternate


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Single Stream Savings Dry Up, Precision Stabilization Offered

Major changes to Brattleboro’s trash and recycling were discussed, but decisions were delayed in order to gather more information from the public and solid waste district. And the prospect of savings from a switch to single stream recycling proved elusive.

BDCC and GS Precision received a decade of tax breaks along with loans and some property adjustments as a reward for staying in town, keeping and creating many good-paying jobs, and and supplying grandlist enhancing facilities.

Grants, an emergency compressor, committee vacancies, and more were also up for discussion.


Brattleboro Winter Parking 2015-2016

The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to advise everyone that the winter parking ban will go into effect, starting Saturday, December 5, 2015. Overnight parking is forbidden on all streets in the town of Brattleboro. Vehicles parked for longer than one (1) hour between 11:00pm and 07:00am may be ticketed and towed at the owners expense.


I-91 To Close Tuesday Dec 8 and Wednesday Dec 9 at Exit 2 and 3

I-91 between Exits 2 and 3 will be closed to complete preventative maintenance before the winter season begins in earnest.

On Tuesday, December 8, I-91 SOUTHBOUND will be closed between exits 3 & 2 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.

On Wednesday, December 9, I-91 NORTHBOUND will be closed between exits 2 & 3 from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.


Happy Thanksgiving

I’m thankful for all of you, your thoughts, views, opinions, news, ideas, jokes, and so on. Have a great Thanskgiving Day.

Making anything good that we should all stop over and try?


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – December 1, 2015

Ready to go to every other week garbage collection? How about single stream recycling? The Brattleboro Selectboard will take up these and other waste-y issues at their regular Tuesday meeting on Dec. 1.

Tax stabilization, loans, and land transactions with BDCC and G.S. Precision will be discussed and approved, the DPW will buys some vehicles, Elliot Street bridge repairs will be discussed, and more. Watch on BCTV or attend in person, and read about it here after the meeting.


Brattleboro Selectboard Schedules Two More Police Fire Info Sessions

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting and public information session on Monday, November 30, 2015 at 6:00pm in the Academy School gymnasium. This is the second of three public information meetings to present information and hear public comment about the proposed alternatives for the Police-Fire Facilities Project. This meeting will be taped and rebroadcast by BCTV. ASL interpreters will be available for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Notes – FY17 Departments and Police-Fire Update

Brattleboro Selectboard Chair David Gartenstein wished everyone a happy, good,and safe Thanksgiving at the start of the board’s Tuesday night special meeting.

Police Fire Facilities

Gartenstein announced that they would be putting the Police and Fire Facilities Project on every agenda in the foreseeable future, to give time for updates, questions, and special topics of discussion. He named four issues for the board to consider at upcoming meetings: how funding the project relates to the general fund budget, how the project fits with our long-term capital needs, how moving the police to Putney Road would impact the use of the Municipal Center,  and the public impact and public good of moving police to Putney Road.


Brattleboro Thanksgiving Closings

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27, 2015, with the exception of emergency services.

Brooks Memorial Library will close at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 25, and will be closed on Thursday, November 26. It will be open for regular hours on Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28.


I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of November 22

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Sunday, November 29 (Thanksgiving weekend) from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I-91 will remain open.

I-91

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Sunday, November 29 (Thanksgiving weekend) from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I-91 will remain open.

Northbound I-91 traffic has been relocated onto the southbound bridge. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the new bridge. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting – FY17 Budget with Police, DPW, Rec & Parks

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, November 24, 2015 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:15pm to discuss contracts, and will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm.

ALS interpreters will be available for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100


Rt 30 Closure

This is a reminder that Rt 30 under I91 will be closed tomorrow, Friday 11/ 20, from approximately 5AM to 8PM to ensure public safety.

Cindy Cook
Principal, Adamant Accord, Inc.
Past Vice President, Association for Conflict Resolution


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting at Green Street School

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting and public information session on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 9:00am in the Green Street School gymnasium. This is the first of three public information meetings to present information and hear public comment about the proposed alternatives for the Police-Fire Facilities Project.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100


Selectboard Meeting Notes: New Era Of Land Use Begins, Option Agreement Signed For Reformer Property

The Brattleboro Selectboard approved new land use and zoning regulations for the town after making some minor amendments to the much-discussed document. Not much has changed from last week, unless you had plans for an easy kennel empire in a rural district.

Brattleboro is entering into an option agreement to have a chance to purchase the property on Black Mountain Road currently in use by the Reformer. The agreement buys some time to fully consider a proposal to move the police to the north end of town.

Farms, finances, and energy consumption rounded out the evening. Read on for details.