News and information sections, from near to far
In observance of the Christmas holiday:
Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Friday, December 24, 2021.
Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25, 2021.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Friday, December 24, and on Saturday, December 25, 2021. All other violations will be enforced.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear highlights from the last three months of work on the Community Safety Review Recommendations from Town Manager Peter Elwell this evening. Here is his latest memo outlining what he plans to present. (I’d love to cover this special meeting but other plans intrude).
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This memorandum, the attached updated implementation table, and the presentation I will make at the December 14 Selectboard meeting comprise Town staff’s second status report to the Selectboard and the community regarding our implementation of recommendations from the 2020 community safety review.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street). Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 1:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”
The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 5:30pm at the Brattleboro Food Co-op Café.
Agenda (start time / minutes = 120)
• Call to order
• Agenda review (6:00 / 5)
• Approve last meeting minutes (6:05 / 5)
• Action items from last meeting (6:10 / 5)
• Announcements (6:15 / 5)
The Brattleboro Selectboard learned about housing issues and possible strategies for addressing some serious housing needs during their first regular meeting of December . 500 housing units is the low estimate of what Brattleboro needs, now, and the selectboard is eager to make it an actual goal.
The board also approved corrections and updates to a Civil War monument, preserving the original but annotating it with a new plaque and information about the people of color and lower classes of soldiers not named on the original. They won’t name them on the new plaque, but will be directed to further information.
Traffic safety and recommendations for improvements to the Representative Town Meeting will be discussed at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New bike lanes, LED stop signs, and a request for a crosswalk are all in the mix for Tuesday.
The board will continue to provide free operating space for some local businesses who’d like to have larger establishments, and they’ll approve a correction to a very old piece of Town information.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Department of Public Works will hold a public meeting regarding a project which will connect the sidewalk between Royal Road and Downtown. ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard of hearing community members.
The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 1:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street).
The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 5:30pm at the Brooks Memorial Library Mezzanine Level Meeting Room.
Useless Trivia Dept.
Nottingham, England (pronounced “Nottingum”) was originally named “Snotingham” in honor of its founder, a Saxon chieftain named Snot. (You can’t make this stuff up).
1. Agenda Amendments
2. Announcements
6:10 -6:15 Approve Minutes of November 1, 2021
6:15 – 6:45 Discussion of RTM Article to stabilize municipal tax of specific solar & other renewable energy plants
Potential Motion: To approve the Memorandum to the Selectboard recommending the insertion of its stated article and recommending certain criteria for stated tax stabilization program.
The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 6:30pm in the Co-op Meeting Room.
AGENDA
1. Welcome
2. Review minutes form last meeting
3. Discuss Rubric scoring process
4. Make application assignments
The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at 6:15pm at the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station, 103 Elliot Street. Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
At its November 23 meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard passed a resolution that established a rule requiring that face coverings be worn by all employees, customers, and visitors in any store, office, or other indoor setting where the public is invited. The adoption of this rule was made possible by the State of Vermont authorizing municipal legislative bodies to adopt rules requiring individuals to wear face coverings while indoors at locations open to the public. The Vermont Legislature passed a bill to that effect in special session on November 22 and Governor Scott signed the bill into law on November 23.
A public meeting regarding sidewalks and traffic signal improvements at Vernon Street and Royal Road will be held on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 5:30 pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom.
The Brattleboro Selectboard has again implemented a mask mandate for indoor public spaces around town, including bars and restaurants.
They also voted to invite the public to attend their meetings at Central Fire Station rather than from across town at the Municipal Center.
The Town of Brattleboro is looking for feedback as we redesign our website. If you are interested in being a part of a focus group to discuss items such as website navigation, content, and design please submit your name to Sue Fillion, Planning Director at sfillion@brattleboro.org or call 802-251-8112. The focus group will be 1.5 hours long and take place during the month of December. Participants will be able to participate on Zoom or in person at the Municipal Center. Focus group participants will receive a small stipend for their time.
The Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office will be closing from 9:30am to 10:30am on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 for a staff meeting. All other offices in the Municipal Center will remain open during normal business hours.
In Observance of Thanksgiving all Town Offices will be closed on Thursday, November 25, 2021, and Friday, November 26, 2021, with the exception of emergency services.
Brooks Memorial Library will close at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. They will be closed on Thursday, November 25, 2021, but will remain open during normal business hours on Friday, November 26, 2021.
Trash and recycling WILL NOT be picked up on Thursday, November 25, 2021. All trash and recycling pick-up will be delayed by one day all week.
