I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of October 11

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Monday, October 12 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I-91 will remain open. The Exit 3 on ramps will also be closed on Sunday October 18 to manage leaf-peeping traffic. The October 18 closure will be the last closure in October.

I-91

Please see above re weekend closures of Exit 3 on ramps.

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.


Main Street Sidewalk Project Update

Good morning! If you frequent Main Street, then you will have noticed that the sidewalk project is approaching completion and really winding down. At this time there are only two small portions of sidewalk that are not complete. The curbing and underground conduit is all installed. Green Mountain Power is expected to have all the new street lights installed, operational, and the old ones removed next week. The remaining work will be relatively low impact (items like finishing the sign installations, replacing the meters, etc.).

This morning, we did a ‘walk through’ with the crew to make sure that the site is neat, tidy, and welcoming for the upcoming holiday weekend. Any remaining items onsite are the bare necessities to ensure pedestrian safety.


3rd Annual SoVT Career Expo, Oct. 22, 1-5 pm, BUHS gym

Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Do you want to earn more money in a new career field with growth potential? Are you thinking about college or a future career?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you should stop the Brattleboro Union High School gym, Thursday Oct. 22, between 1 and 5 p.m. for the 3rd Annual Career Expo.

Thirty local employers will be on hand to talk to job seekers and students, alike, about career opportunities in health care, manufacturing, financial and professional services, hospitality, forestry, food, and other industry sectors. Several local colleges and career services agencies also will be there to help guide your career and education plans.


Brattleboro Columbus Day Closings

In observance of Columbus Day, all Town offices will be closed on Monday, October 12, 2015, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday, October 11 and 12, 2015. All other violations will be enforced.

Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Sunday and Monday, October 11 and 12, 2015.

Trash, recycling and composting will be picked up on the normal schedule. It is NOT affected by the holiday.


Public Invited to ‘Trail Talk’ To Be Held for I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Project

The PCL+FIGG Team will conduct the next on-site “trail talk” for the Public on Saturday, October 10, 2015. There has been a lot of progress at the I-91 Brattleboro Bridge project site, which will be shared with attendees. The talks will originate at the West River Trail near the marina. The trail talk will be led by Caleb Linn, Project Manager for PCL (lead contractor) and William Johnson, Senior Quality Engineer for FIGG (bridge designer).

Interested participants should meet the PCL+FIGG Team at the West River Trail trailhead on Saturday, October 10, 2015, at 8 a.m. and the talk will begin at 8:15 a.m. Participants will walk the trail to the I-91 bridge site, so please wear appropriate clothing and footwear.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro North End Police Station Discussion and Special Meetings Galore

The Brattleboro Selectboard had their first discussion of an option to buy the Reformer building on Black Mountain Road to use for a new police station, as well as the process to decide if the property should be purchased at all. Nothing specific was decided, except that public input was required before the Selectboard could feel confident to make a recommendation. Public comment is expected to come at special meetings to be scheduled, and via other informal feedback. 

The Our Town grant was awarded, other grants were accepted and applied for, and other special meetings requesting your input will be scheduled to focus on the FY17 budget and the adoption of new Land Use Regulations.


Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast Invitation

Restorative Justice

“Community … is made from conflict as much as from cooperation; the capacity to resolve conflict is what gives social relations their sinew.”  David Cayley, The Expanding Prison 1998 (quoting Nils Christie, “Conflicts as Property,” 1977)

The next Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast is planned for Friday, October 16, 2015 at the Gibson Aiken Center, downstairs, hosted by Senior Meals. Doors open at 7:30am.

We plan to hear from and meet with Darah  Kehnemuyi, the new Executive Director of the Brattleboro Community Justice Center.


Brattleboro To Consider Purchase of Reformer Building for Police Station

The north end “mystery property” has been revealed. According to documents on the town web site, Brattleboro will be considering an option to purchase the Brattleboro Reformer’s building at 62 Black Mountain Road to renovate as a police station.

The north end option would be secured initially through March 31 with a $20,000 payment. Total cost, if the town decides to make the purchase, would be just under $750,000. Total cost with renovations would be just over $4 million.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be discussing options for going forward with the Police and Fire facility upgrades at their regular meeting Tuesday night.


Vermonter Derails

“The news” is reporting that the Vermonter, our Amtrak connection, derailed about near Northfield/Roxbury, VT, 10 miles or so south of Montpelier. Minor injuries, no fatalities reported. 98 people on board. Brattleboro rescue folks going to help.


Building Flood Resiliency Through Better Land Management: An Upcoming Workshop

Landowners and land managers have a direct impact on flooding and the capacity of land to withstand storm events through their land management practices. Well managed lands help reduce flooding and its impacts by stabilizing soils, thereby minimizing erosion, and retaining water onsite, which reduces peak runoff and the damaging energy of floodwaters.

Join us for a land management workshop on Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 10am to 3pm to learn about best management practices (BMPs) for flood- and erosion-prone lands and the programs and resources that are available to help landowners conserve their properties. Designed for landowners, farmers, foresters, and other land-based professionals, this workshop will create a framework for understanding river dynamics, healthy vs. impacted streams, the essentials of managing forest and agricultural lands and the basics of riverbank restoration.


Selectboard Special Meeting Notes – NEA Our Town Winner and Almost A Police-Fire Update

After much work to reduce costs of the proposed Police and Fire facility projects, the new price tag for the three projects has a price range, depending on the path chosen, from $12.5 to $15 million. The options and corresponding price tags were previewed this week at the Brattleboro Selectboard’s special meeting, and will be discussed in more detail at their next meeting.

Brattleboro’s connection, or lack thereof, to the Connecticut River was the recommended art project chosen as the winner of the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town public art competition. “From the River, To the River” is a multi-artist, multi-media, multi-site installation with numerous opportunities for the community to become involved.


Do You Have Precious Things? Bubble Wrap At Everyone’s Books

Are you moving? Just need to pack stuff up?

Come on by Everyone’s Books and take all the bubble wrap! We have boxes and boxes of it, along with kraft paper and used (but free!) mailers and, of course, heaps of cardboard boxes. It’s all free, just stop by the front desk and ask for it! 

😀

Your friendly booksellers who really want to get rid of packing material…like, a lot. A lot, a lot, a lot. *puppy eyes*


Main Street Sidewalk Update #9

Once again, this has been a very busy week on the Main Street Sidewalk Replacement Project! Several of the new street lights on the northern end of the project are installed, functional, and the old ones next to them removed. They look great and work into the viewscape quite nicely. By the end of the day today, we will be finished removing sidewalk and the remainder of the curbing (from High Street to the south end of the project) will be installed. The concrete crew will continue to work their way south with the new sidewalks and we anticipate that operation to be complete by next Friday if the beautiful weather holds out for us.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda – NEA Our Town, Police-Fire Facilities

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, September 29, 2015 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.  It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:30pm to discuss contracts, pending or probable civil litigation to which the public body is or may be a party, and the negotiating or securing of real estate purchase or lease options.  The Board will reconvene for the business meeting at approximately 6:00pm.

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