News and information sections, from near to far
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a special meeting to continue their discussion of the proposed FY2018 town budget. In the very short meeting we learned of two big announcements – a first mention of a $2 million DPW facility being pencilled in as a placeholder in the 2021 budget, and news that Brattleboro’s downtown crosswalks and intersections would be cleared of snow by the DPW this winter.
Today is “Giving Tuesday”. It follows “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday”.
What will tomorrow be?
On Thursday, December 8th, at 5:30 pm, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will host its annual Holiday Party at Dalem’s Chalet, 78 South Street. 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.
The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, November 28, 2016 at 5:30pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.
The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 4:30pm in the Brattleboro Food Co-Op community room.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 5:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. NOTE the revised time of the meeting.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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 Sunday, November 27th (Sunday after Thanksgiving) 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.
The Brattleboro Selectboard, sans John Allen, held a special meeting regarding the FY18 budget, focusing on the numbers for the Police and Fire departments.
With no preliminary announcements, the meeting got right down to business.
Rich Holschuh returned to the Selectboard with a petition signed by 540 voters, over 5% of the registered voters in town. The petition asks to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day in Brattleboro, and for the question to be placed on the 2016 Representative Town Meeting warning for a vote.
Tonight we will be presenting to the Brattleboro Selectboard, at their 5:30 meeting, a full complement of signed petitions to place an article on the 2016 RTM Warning for a permanent changein the Town from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Following the action at the Board’s Oct. 4th meeting, at which they (through a failed motion) declined to take direct action themselves on such an initiative, the remaining course of action was a petition drive. Five percent of the registered voter list is required, currently at about 8,760, thus 438 signatures are needed. While procedurally the signatures will be proofed by the Town Clerk, we are taking the step of formally notifying the Selectboard that we have reached the threshold and followed through on the original intention.
In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 24 and 25, 2016, with the exception of emergency services.
Brooks Memorial Library will close at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 23, and will be closed on Thursday, November 24. It will be open for regular hours on Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 26.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, November 22, 2016, at 5:30pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. Note the revised time of the meeting. ASL interpreters will NOT be available at this meeting.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
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 Sunday, November 27th (Sunday after Thanksgiving) 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.
The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to advise everyone that the winter parking ban will go into effect, starting Friday, November 18, 2016. 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.
David Schoales’ recent vote as Brattleboro’s representative to the Windham Solid Waste District was called into question by fellow board members who were shocked to learn that he had voted in favor of something the Brattleboro Selectboard had recently resolved to be against. His vote has now been scheduled as a discussion topic for a December meeting, and he may be facing removal from his position as representative.
FY18 budget revenues, projects and expenses were the kick-off topics in the annual budget setting process. The board is learning what town staff propose, and are beginning to question and push back on items. Do we really need to replace the fire truck that failed inspection? Budget meetings will continue into January.
The skatepark and dog park projects were approved by the state, with permits granted for work to get underway. Brattleboro may have some permanent micro housing for the homeless, and the new West Brattleboro fire station walls will have better moisture control thanks in part to someone noticing and asking questions.
Brattleboro. Tyrelle Appleton has joined Vermont Partnership as Interim Director of Marketing for its Vermont African American Heritage Trail Initiative. “Appleton brings crucial expertise in the field of social media to promote the heritage trail to the multicultural marketplace,” notes Curtiss Reed, Jr., executive director of Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity.
Here is a photo of Brattleboro from high in sky taken by my brother from his small plane. Enjoy! I had two more photos that I wanted to share here but they are too big to be shown here.
Brattleboro’s budget season kicks off in earnest at the next regular Tuesday night meeting of the selectboard at the Municipal Center. They begin with a discussion of revenues as well as capital projects and equipment planned for FY18.
A facilities project update, October finances, a permanenent housing project, a liquor license for Dollar General, and business loans and grants will also be on the agenda. You can also bring up other items during public participation.
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.
The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.
The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 at 7:00pm at the Brattleboro Food Co-Op in the community room.
The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.
The second installment of the 2016 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on November 15th, 2016 by 5:00 PM. Payments made after November 15th, 2016 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.
The utility billing is also due on November 15th, 2016 by 5:00 PM. Payments made after November 15th, 2016 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.
Payments can be mailed to the Town of Brattleboro, 230 Main Street, Suite 111, Brattleboro VT 05301. An official postmark of November 15th, 2016 will be considered as an on time payment. Please include the quarterly payment stub to ensure your payment is applied properly.
John Podesta is the chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. He previously served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and Counselor to President Barack Obama.
On October 7, 2016, WikiLeaks started to publish thousands of emails reportedly retrieved from Podesta’s private Gmail account. Podesta and the Clinton campaign did not confirm or deny the authenticity of the emails and along with others have stated that the Russian government is behind the leaks. The New York Times reported that when
asked, president Putin replied that Russia was being falsely accused. “The hysteria is merely caused by the fact that somebody needs to divert the attention of the American people from the essence of what was exposed by the hackers.”
