I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of January 9th

I-91

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.

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Monday, January 16th (MLK Day) from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM (I-91 will remain open). Traffic conditions on both I-91 and through the town will be monitored closely throughout the day. Should traffic congestion become an issue, the ramps may be re-opened until traffic conditions improve. This will be managed actively throughout the day until peak traffic volumes have passed.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: The FY18 5 Cent Tax Increase Discussion, and Gartenstein Not Seeking Re-Election

David Gartenstein will end six years of Selectboard service at the end of his current term. He announced his intentions not to seek re-election at the start of a long, first Selectboard meeting of 2017.

Most of the meeting was spent discussing budget loose ends and lingering questions regarding the FY18 budget. The board also heard about facilities project updates, had a late-evening welcome for our new Town Clerk and took up a few matters related to Representative Town Meeting.


Brattleboro Parking Lot Snow Removal Friday

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from the parking lots in the downtown area this evening.

Parked vehicles in the downtown parking lots must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 3, 2017

The Brattleboro Selectboard will convene for the first time in 2017 on Tuesday at the Municipal Center to take up a short but interesting agenda. The board will hear about the FY218 budget again, proposed solar panels at the landfill, and a grant for housing improvements. The new Town Clerk will be welcomed, articles for Representative Town Meeting will be considered, and a contract for Town Attorney will be approved.

You can bring up other new, exciting 2017 items not already on the agenda during Public Participation.


Brattleboro Downtown District Snow Removal Friday Night

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from the streets in the downtown area this evening.

Parked vehicles in the downtown district must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.


Snow/Roof Shoveling

With all of this snow, don’t forget to have your roof cleared from the snow, preventive maintenance that saves a lot of money. If you need any snow Shoveling/Blowing done please give me a call. I have some openings on my schedule and would love to be of service.

Serving the following areas in VT:


I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of December 26th

I-91

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.

Route 30

The speed limit on Route 30 near the work zone has been reduced to 40 mph. Project-related truck activity on Route 30 will continue. Route 30 may be reduced to a single lane intermittently, with flaggers regulating traffic within the work zone.


Brattleboro Committee Vacancies

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

Agricultural Advisory Board
Arts Committee
Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC)
Conservation Commission
Development Review Board
Development Review Board (Alternate)
Energy Committee
Fence Viewers (by statute, must be legal voters of the Town)
Honor Roll
Planning Commission
Senior Solutions Advisory Council
SEVCA Board


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Police Price, Parking Planning, and Paving

The Brattleboro Selectboard approved a guaranteed maximum price for the police station at their last regular meeting of 2016 Tuesday night. With all three facility project prices locked in, the total project remains very close to the estimated cost originally anticipated, even with some additions of new work.

Westgate received funding to move forward with restructuring, the board reviewed a number of FY18 budget loose ends, and parking, parking, parking!


Mary Shiminsky is Back

Maybe I just don’t get out enough but today I noticed the name “Mary Shiminski” in white letters back up on the rusty Bratt-Chesterfield border railroad overpass. I thought, we have such literate, history-loving grafitti artists. For background:


Brattleboro Holiday Closures

In observance of the Christmas holiday:

All Brattleboro Town offices will close at 12:00 noon on Friday, December 23, and will be closed through Monday, December 26, 2016, with the exception of emergency services.

Brooks Memorial Library will be open for regular hours on Friday, December 23. It will be closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, December 24 through December 26.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, December 24 through December 26. All other violations will be enforced.

Trash, recycling and composting will be delayed one day all week.

In observance of the New Year holiday:


Brattleboro Town Clerk Retirement

Brattleboro Town Clerk Annette Cappy will retire after 28 years of exemplary service to the Town of Brattleboro. An open house is scheduled on Thursday, December 29, 2016 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm in the Town Clerk’s Office. Light refreshments will be served. All are invited to attend and extend their best wishes and gratitude for all of Annette’s contributions and accomplishments throughout her career.

Incoming Town Clerk Hilary Francis will be officially sworn in on Friday, December 30, 2016, at 1:00pm in the Town Clerk’s Office. The public is invited to attend. She will be formally appointed as Town Clerk by the Selectboard at its meeting on Tuesday, January 3, 2017, subject to ratification by Representative Town Meeting on Saturday, March 25, 2017.


Snow Removal Monday Night in Brattleboro

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from the streets in the downtown area this evening.

Parked vehicles in the downtown district must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.

If vehicles are going to remain in Town overnight they should park in the Brattleboro Transportation Center. If you use the Transportation Center, do not park in a Reserved Permit space without a permit. Pay and Display is in effect after 9:00 a.m.

Contact the Brattleboro Police Department at 257-7950 for any questions.


Brattleboro Snow Removal Saturday Night

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from the parking lots in the downtown area this evening.

Parked vehicles in the downtown parking lots must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.

If vehicles are going to remain in Town overnight they should park in the Brattleboro Transportation Center. If you use the Transportation Center, do not park in a Reserved Permit space without a permit. Pay and Display is in effect after 9:00 a.m.

Contact the Brattleboro Police Department at 257-7950 for any questions.


Brattleboro Winter Farmers’ Market

Hello Market Fans,

Yes, we are a hardy bunch! The Brattleboro Winter Farmers’ Market is NOT cancelling today!

The Market will open as scheduled at 10 AM. However, weather conditions may warrant closing ahead of schedule so best to get there before 1 pm.

Be safe out there…but we hope to see you at the market!


The Cost of Things

Following on the thread here at iBratt concerning energy efficiency at the West Brattleboro fire station, this article is on life-cycle cost analysis as an alternative, many would say better, decision making tool for major capital expenses like fire stations.  Versions of this should appear in the Reformer and Commons soon as well.  Info on assumptions, modeling tools, etc. will be added in the comments section.

The (truer) Cost of Things (like buildings)

When a large building is built the owner usually bends over backwards to keep construction costs as low as possible.  What would happen if the primary objective were not to minimize up-front costs but rather to keep the cost of operating the building over its lifetime as low as possible?  This is called a life-cycle cost analysis.  Let’s apply it to the West Brattleboro fire station that is currently under construction, in particular its heating energy use.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – December 20, 2016

At their next Tuesday meeting at the Municipal Center, the Brattleboro Selectboard will likely approve of the $2,773,336 guaranteed maximum price for the work to be done for the new police station.

Ten more areas of the FY18 budget will be reviewed, a downtown parking study will get underway, parking lots will be discussed, and single stream transition issues will be reviewed.

All this and more, and you can attend and participate! Bring up anything else not already on the agenda during Public Participation.