Brattleboro Committee & Board Vacancies
The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:
ADA Committee
Arts Committee
Cemetery Committee
Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC)
News & Information
News and information sections, from near to far
Selectboard Meeting Notes – Defund the Police, and Other Matters
There were many big issues at Tuesday’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard but the biggest of them all was an extended discussion about dismantling a racist system by defunding the Brattleboro Police. Citizens were rather clear and consistent in asking that the General Fund budget be voted down, and that funding for the police be reassigned to social services.
The system moves slowly, they were told, and their attention should be placed on next year’s budget process. The board committed to making a re-evaluation of community safety a priority in the near future, but passed the budget by a 3-2 split vote.
Brattleboro Parking Enforcement Resumes July 1, 2020
The Town of Brattleboro will resume Parking Enforcement operations on July 1, 2020. Parking meters and kiosks will once again require payment for parking in the downtown. This includes all regulated surface parking lots and all on-street metered parking spaces.
Parking enforcement was halted on March 17, in response to Covid-19. Now that Vermont is beginning to reopen for business, it is time to resume regular parking enforcement activities. To protect the public health, all meter and kiosk push buttons will receive a regular wipe down two times each day, Monday through Saturday, to disinfect the frequently touched surfaces.
Space Force Base Proposal
Proposal: Motioning contracting a Space Force base in Brattleboro by direct democratic public vote
Reasoning: In empathetic awareness to both the current local populaces’ needs and sensitive to futures’ quality of life benefits from now initiating negotiations on how to ethically manage a Municipal Space Station for universal peace, travel, resource sharing, and developing Earth conservation sciences which are conscientious of and cooperative with world interests. People employed by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation would be appropriate business liaisons mediating between the military, government, and labor unions. Base investors will comply by funding planting for 1 and 1/5 edible (non apple) trees into orchards for every tree cut down for base & orchard construction.
VT Governor Scott Extends State of Emergency
Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today signed an executive order to update and extend the State of Emergency in Vermont to July 15. The latest order reflects all current re-openings and eased restrictions, which have been underway since late April to account for the State’s low case counts and continued slow growth rate.
State data and modeling shows overall spread of COVID-19 continues to be limited, even as the state has seen an isolated outbreak with 84 related cases in the Winooski area.
Governor Scott also detailed how a robust testing and tracing program; better knowledge of the virus; greater public awareness of, and adherence to, preventive measures; health and safety requirements across sectors; and increased stock of critical healthcare supplies, the state is much better positioned to track, manage and box in outbreaks and slow spread, which is critical to managing this virus until there is a vaccine.
Brattleboro Selectboard – Agenda and Notes, June 16, 2020
Brattleboro utility rates will be going up at the next virtual meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New water and sewer rates, the parking and general fund budgets, and salary increases will be approved.
The Town Manager will give a COVID-19 update, Brattleboro will consider joining a communications district, the Municipal Center renovations will inch forward, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda, of course, during public participations.
Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee Virtual Meeting Agenda
The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Tuesday, June 18, 2020 at 8:00am via GoToMeeting. In keeping with Governor Scott’s “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order, this meeting will be held with no physical location using GoToMeeting. A copy of the agenda is attached and it contains information about how to access the meeting remotely.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
Brattleboro COVID-19 Update 6/11/20 – What’s New
TODAY’S NEW INFORMATION + IMPORTANT REMINDER
• Police Chief Michael Fitzgerald will hold a community forum on The Common on Wednesday, June 17, at 5:30pm, to discuss policing in Brattleboro and beyond. If this forum can’t be held on June 17 because of rain, then it will be held the next evening on Thursday, June 18, at 5:30.
• Brooks Memorial Library is providing limited delivery service of materials to Brattleboro residents who are unable to come to the library, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, noon-1pm.
United Way of Windham County Ceases All 2020 VITA Services
The United Way of Windham County ceases all 2020 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services. In spite of the newly relaxed restrictions on businesses and social distancing and the new tax filing deadline of July 15, 2020, United Way of Windham County will not be able to reengage its VITA programming. For alternative methods of preparing your 2019 income taxes you can visit these online services: https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free and https://www.myfreetaxes.com/.
Brattleboro COVID-19 Update – June 10, 2020
TODAY’S NEW INFORMATION + IMPORTANT REMINDER
• Reminder: A second State-organized food distribution will be held in Brattleboro tomorrow, June 11, from 10am to 2pm. This time, you must pre-register to be able to receive food. (This helps the organizers better plan for both the amount of food to distribute and the safety and efficiency of the distribution process.) Appointments are clustered every 15 minutes. As with last time, no personally identifying or financial questions will be asked. Please use this link to register: https://humanresources.vermont.gov/food-help.
• On June 15, the softball fields at Living Memorial Park and West River Park will reopen for team practices. Use is limited to one team at a time and a maximum of 25 people. No games or scrimmages. A list of other limitations on this use has been distributed by the Recreation and Parks Department to the organizers of local softball leagues.
Brattleboro’s Police Budget
There is a current call across the nation to defund the police and to use that money for other things such as human services or education:
“Community groups advocating for defunding have put forward differing strategies, some merely opposing police budget increases, others advocating mass reductions, and some fighting for full defunding as a step toward abolishing police forces. Some initiatives are tied to the fight to close prisons. All are pushing for a reinvestment of those dollars in services.”
What does Brattleboro’s police budget look like?
VT Governor Scott – Limited Seating at Restaurants Allowed and New Travel Rules
Montpelier, Vt. – As state data and expanded testing and tracing capacity continue to support reopening, Governor Phil Scott today announced the resumption of limited indoor seating at restaurants and bars and a data-driven approach to allow travel to and from designated areas without a 14-day quarantine requirement.
“One of the many things that Vermont is so well known for is our great local food and craft brews, so I know how important this sector is to our economy,” said Governor Scott. “I know we still have a very long way to go to help our restaurants get back on their feet but we’ve got to start somewhere and we’ll be able to build on this progress if our numbers continue to move in the right direction.”
Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting Agenda
The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at 6:15pm. It is anticipated that the Board will enter Executive Session at that time. In keeping with Governor Scott’s “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order, this meeting will be held with no physical location using GoToMeeting. The attached agenda contains information about how to access the meeting remotely.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
Vermont Governor and Attorney General Statements on Protests
“Protests have been an important part of our democracy, driving change throughout our history. The peaceful protests we’ve seen in Vermont are an important outlet for our communities to express their sadness, anger and frustrations, and to call for change. This is a critical moment in our history, and it is our responsibility, as public servants, to listen and allow for these protests to safely continue. I thank Vermonters for their commitment to protecting each other, both through the change we are trying to seek and how we are seeking it.” – Governor Phil Scott
Selectboard Meeting Notes – Budgets, Parklets, and RTM Possibilities
The Brattleboro Selectboard held another virtual meeting Tuesday night. Utility rates are set to rise, the General Fund end-of-year looks pretty good, the FY21 Parking and Solid Waste budgets were discussed, preliminary options for holding Representative Town Meeting were presented, and dogs were warned of their illegality. Read on for the details.
King Tide at Miami Beach
With tides higher than they have been in decades, many of south Florida’s drainage systems and seawalls are no longer sufficient. Here’s a photo of a King tide at a residential neighborhood in Miami Beach. Some of those cars are “toast”.
Miami has the most to lose in terms of financial assets of any coastal city in the world, just above Guangzhou, China and New York City.
Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – June 2, 2020
The Brattleboro Selectboard will approve their own budget for the first time, due to a special act of the Vermont legislature to bypass Town Meeting Representatives this year in an effort to get the budget approved prior to the new fiscal year on July 1. The board will also discuss options for convening a Representative Town Meeting at some point.
Water and sewer rates will be raised, downtown parklets for businesses will be purchased, the Solid Waste Fund will be discussed and might be folded into the General Fund, another COVID-19 update will be given, and even more will happen during this packed agenda. Prediction: watch as Selectboard members mention that they hate the dog warrant language again this year! “It’s the owners, not the animals…” You can bring up other items and animals not on the agenda during Public Participation. Just don’t ask your questions in the chat room of the virtual meeting.
Town of Brattleboro COVID-19 Response Status – May 29, 2020
WHAT IS NEW TODAY
Two big announcements today!
From the Recreation and Parks Department:
The Living Memorial Park Swimming Pool and Rotary Water Playground will be opening for the season on Saturday, June 20th, 2020, at 1pm. Space will be limited to 25 patrons and staff inside the gated area at any one time. Daily reservations may be made by calling the pool at 802-254-6700. Priority will be given to Brattleboro Residents.
Due to COVID-19, the pool schedule, fees, and procedures have been updated for the Summer of 2020:
Vermont Updates Stay Safe Order – Gatherings, Summer Camps, Close Contact Businesses
Vermont is again “opening the spigot” to allow gatherings of up to 25 people if certain rules are followed. There are new guidelines for close contact businesses (you can get your hair cut again) and summer camps and college programs, as well. Pick your own agriculture has a green light to get going, as do flea markets, gyms, libraries, massage parlors, museums, tattoo parlors, theaters, nail salons, and the similar.
None of this looks particularly easy or fun, and there are a lot of hoops to jump through to gather and work correctly. Masks and distancing rules still apply. Participants must give up contact information. Curbside pickup remains encouraged. Still, if your goal is to get out and about, here are the new guidelines for you to follow:
Brattleboro Committee Virtual Meeting Warnings
The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, June 4, 2020, at 5:00pm. In keeping with Governor Scott’s “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order, this meeting will be held with no physical location using GoToMeeting. A copy of the agenda is attached and it contains information about how to access the meeting remotely.
The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, June 1, 2020, at 5:30pm. In keeping with Governor Scott’s “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order, this meeting will be held with no physical location using GoToMeeting. A copy of the agenda is attached and it contains information about how to access the meeting remotely.
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