Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes – Nov 21, 2023

Budget season is underway at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Reports and budget requests from BDCC, SeVEDS, and the DBA are scheduled, as is the draft FY25 budget. There will also be ordinance changes, software explanations, and an update from the fire department.

You can bring up other issues not on the agenda during public participation. (Except that one issue, whatever it is, that the Chair will not allow discussion of at the meeting.)


Brattleboro Thanksgiving Closures

In Observance of Thanksgiving all Town Offices will be closed on Thursday, November 23, 2023, and Friday, November 24, 2023, with the exception of emergency services.

Brooks Memorial Library will close at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. They will be closed on Thursday, November 23, 2023 and open on Friday, November 24, 2023 from 10:00am to 6:00pm.


Brattleboro Winter Parking Ban Begins Wednesday

The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to advise everyone that the winter parking ban will go into effect, starting Wednesday, November 15, 2023. 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 owner’s expense.

THIS BAN IS IN EFFECT EVEN IF THERE IS NO SNOW ON TOWN STREETS.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Discusses Big Issues with State Delegation

Repeat Offenders

The Brattleboro Selectboard held an extended conversation with members of the state legislative delegation, handing them a long list of things that Brattleboro would like help with – money, staff, changes to laws, and so on.

Reps said they were working on many items already, but were eager to stay involved and work together to find solutions to housing, justice, addiction, mental health, crime, and other issues plaguing the ‘boro.


Brattleboro Taxes and Utilities Due November 15, 2023

The second installment of the 2023 Brattleboro Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due by 5 p.m. on November 15, 2023. Payments made after November 15, 2023 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The Town of Brattleboro utility bills are also due by 5 p.m. on November 15, 2023. Payments made after November 15, 2023 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.


Brattleboro Veterans’ Day Closings

In observance of Veterans’ Day, all Brattleboro Town Offices will be closed on Friday, November 10, 2023, with the exception of emergency services. Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Friday, November 10. All other violations will be enforced.

Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, November 10, 2023.


Brattleboro Selectboard – Agenda and Notes – November 7, 2023

Downtown Brattleboro surveillance is on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New $45,000 police cameras will be purchased for the intersection of High and Main so that the Town can watch everything you do there, in addition to watching everything you do at the Transportation Center. Some local stores will join in and add their cameras to the surveillance system, too.

Brattleboro’s sludge removal has become more expensive and the board will approve nearly $45,000 contract increase for just six months of disposal costs.  The board will also discuss their new Legislative Agenda (things they want the State to help fix), a bike path proposal for Rt. 5, discontinuing part of Melrose Street, ordinance changes, and more.

You can request other items not on the agenda during public participation, as long as you don’t bring up something that annoys the Chair.


High Street Utility Work 

Zaluzny Excavating will be replacing a sewer line at 188 High Street on Thursday, November 2 beginning at 7:00am.  During this work, on street parking will not be permitted on either side of High Street where indicated and there will be restricted one-lane alternating traffic in that area.  

If you have any questions, please contact Zaluzny Excavating at 802 254-5758.


November 15, 2023 Brattleboro Development Review Board Meeting Agenda

 2023-121              Jennifer Shay; Historic Resource Overlay District & Residential Neighborhood 3600; request for Design Review Approval to demolish a contributing structure in the Homestead Home Historic District at 198 Canal Street; Tax Map Parcel #325182.000

 2023-129              Wesley Babb & Stacy Salpietro-Babb; Residential Neighborhood District; request for Conditional Use Approval to construct an enclosure and keep a rehabbed raven at 31 Christie Lane; Tax Map Parcel #110326.220


Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

The Brattleboro RTM Human Services Committee will meet on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center, 230 Main Street, Suite 212.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 4:14 in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.


Pool Your Ideas… Continued!

The Brattleboro Recreation and Parks Department is inviting the community to participate in an interactive session to share ideas about improvements to the pool and aquatics facilities at Living Memorial Park.

The session will occur on Thursday, Nov. 2 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Brattleboro Municipal Center at 230 Main Street, Brattleboro, in the Selectboard Meeting Room.

This upcoming session, which will be led by the Town’s contracted design consultant team, builds upon the work of a previous session that took place during the summer of 2023.


Brattleboro’s Big Shift To… ???

Brattleboro is undergoing a major shift, with many long-running and well-known entities exiting stage left, and some new projects are bubbling up. Here are just a few examples:

– Sam’s closing. 

– MT Bank closing.

– Josh Davis leaving Groundworks.

– Cor Trowbridge leaving BCTV.

– Lee Bradford leaving Co-op.


Groundworks’ Director Josh Davis To Step Down – Leaving Strong Leadership To Carry The Transition

BRATTLEBORO—Josh Davis, Executive Director of Groundworks Collaborative for the past 11+ years, has announced that he will be leaving the organization in the coming weeks to become the Executive Director of SEVCA—Southeastern Vermont Community Action—at the start of the new year.

“Groundworks has been incredibly fortunate to have Josh at the helm for over a decade; during which the organization has grown tremendously to meet the increasing needs of our state and community,” said Board Chair Rita Ramirez. “Although this news is difficult and bittersweet, we are happy for Josh and excited about this next phase for Groundworks.  With the dedication of the Board and our Leadership Team and staff, we will move into this next phase from a position of calm and strength.”

“Josh is leaving Groundworks with a vibrant and impactful legacy, felt most deeply through the leadership and organizational culture he has built together with staff,” said Director of Development & Communications Libby Bennett. “We will miss Josh immensely, but his presence will always be felt here alongside evidence of all we’ve built together.”