Selectboard Meeting Notes: Are Essential Municipal Center Repairs Worth It?

The Brattleboro Selectboard began a preliminary discussion of the future of the Municipal Center, somewhat unintentionally, while discussing necessary repairs to bring the building up to current fire safety codes. It began with John Allen questioning the large investment in the structure, meandered through talk of responsibility and stewardship, and ended with a plan to spend the necessary funds one way or another.

Parking ordinance changes were approved. Most of the rest of the evening involved discussions of money. 


BS&L Introduces New Branch to the North End with ‘Brattorama’ Game

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. – To celebrate its new solar-powered branch on Putney Road, Brattleboro Savings & Loan has launched Brattorama, a community-based game that charges area residents with collecting game pieces from various businesses to win prizes, now through Wednesday, Sept. 23.

The new location in Black Mountain Square on Putney Road, Brattleboro opened on Monday, Aug. 31, and is the latest entirely solar-powered bank branch operated by BS&L, which became the first completely solar-powered bank in Vermont earlier this year.


I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of September 13

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

Night work adjacent to Route 30 will continue this week, but will not affect traffic.

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 will be reduced to a single lane intermittently both day and night, with flaggers regulating traffic within the work zone.


Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of September 13

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 a celebration of the New Year:

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

Hand Readings
Homeschooling Support
Therapeutic Yoga
Support for Waldorf-inspired homeschoolers
Therapeutic Massage


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 15, 2015

The next phase of Municipal Center repairs will get some attention at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

The board will have a second hearing and approval of parking ordinance changes, examine some financial reports for the year and month, and will do their utmost to protect you, dear citizens, from terrorists in our midst with the approval of a mobile data terminal for a police car.

All this and more. Watch on BCTV and read about it here.


Main Street Sidewalk Update #7

Although we had a short work week, extremely hot temperatures, and even some rain, we made great progress on the new sidewalks! We were able to pour several new sections of sidewalks between High Street and Harris Place and poured the new driveway access between Key Bank and Centre Congregational Church. You might be asking yourself why the new sidewalks are so narrow. This project includes a brick strip in between the granite curbing and the new sidewalk that is not only a decorative element but will also allow easy access to the underground conduits that are being installed.


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, September 12, 2015, to discuss the progress of the bridge project. The talk 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 Garrett Hoffman, Design Manager for FIGG (bridge designer).

Interested participants should meet the PCL+FIGG Team at the West River Trail trailhead on Saturday, September 12, 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.


Let’s Play Brattorama!

Brattorama has BEGUN! Grab your gameboard from last week’s Commons, today’s Reformer, Baker’s Hallmark, or The Marina! You can also stop in to our new Putney Rd brach in Black Mtn. Square, see our newest solar powered digs and pick one up!

Grab a sticker from five different gameboard businesses, and you will be entered to win a gift card to a Putney Road business. Collect 15 stickers and be entered to win a $1,000 BS&L 12 month CD! Keep an eye out on our facebook page for news about a different featured Brattorama buiness each day. Game ends on September 23rd, drop your gameboards off at either BS&L branch.

Let the games begin!


Brattleboro Tree Committee Meeting Agenda

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

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


Main Street Sidewalk Update #6

Good morning! We have seen some big changes since our last update! On Thursday a subcontractor came in and installed all the new curb from Walnut Street to High Street. Green Mountain Power came in on Wednesday and installed two of our new street lights at the Walnut Street intersection and they look GREAT! To date, the contractor has completed all the sidewalk removal and electrical conduit installation from Walnut Street to High Street. The driveway crossings and many of the pedestrian ADA ramps have been installed.

Next week (there will be no work on Monday for Labor Day) the sidewalk subcontractor will be onsite to get all the new sidewalks installed from Walnut Street to High Street!


I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of September 6

To reduce congestion on I-91, both Exit 3 on ramps will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, September 7 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. I-91 will remain open.

I-91

See above re closure of the Exit 3 on ramps on Labor Day.

The blasting on the north side of the new bridge has been completed.

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.


Brattleboro Labor Day Closings

In observance of Labor Day, all Town offices will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2015, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday, September 6, and Monday, September 7. All other violations will be enforced.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: A Million Dollar Gamble, a Resource Center, and an Imposing Tower

Major industrial development near Exit 1 got a hearty endorsement from the Brattleboro Selectboard on Tuesday evening. Over $1 million in loans and grants have been approved to be spent on an effort to convince a local employer to keep good paying jobs in Brattleboro. There are good odds that G. S. Precision will stay, but plans are not yet final.

A proposed Putney Road telecommunications tower was found to be objectionable enough to trigger a letter of concern to the Public Service Board, Groundworks collaborative will be moving forward to help the homeless with food and shelter through a planned resource center downtown, the Our Town grant selection committee was appointed, and more.


First Public Hearing on the Draft Brattleboro Land Use Regulations

Monday, August 31, 6 p.m.
Brattleboro Municipal Center, Selectboard Meeting Room

This will be the first of two public hearings the Planning Commission will hold on the draft Brattleboro Land Use Regulations. The second hearing will be on Wednesday, September 9, also at 6 p.m. in the Selectboard Meeting Room.

The revised draft is available for review online and at the Brattleboro Planning Services Department, Town Clerk’s Office and the Brooks Memorial Library.This is an entirely new set of land use regulations that will affect the entire town, replacing the current Brattleboro Zoning Ordinance and Brattleboro Subdivision Regulations.