For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.
The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at 5:30pm in the community room at the Brooks Memorial Library. Note the date change for this meeting.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
LIONS CHARTER NEW CLUB IN BRATTLEBORO
A new Lions club has been established in Brattleboro! The Brattleboro Area Lions Club will meet on the first and third Mondays of every month at 6:30 P.M. at the Austine School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. For more information or to get involved, please contact Jim Zoller at 802-579-6899
Lions club members work together to identify needs in their community and address those needs. The new Lions Club will conduct fundraising events to support programs for deaf, hearing-impaired, blind, and sight-impaired individuals. There are plans to get involved with other charitable organizations and fundraising projects.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold special meetings on May 15, 2014 at 12:00 noon and May 16, 2014 at 8:00am am in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at both meetings to discuss personnel matters. The Town regrets that this warning is not made with the full time required under the statute.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
Two sets of budget numbers were prepared at the request of the Brattleboro Selectboard since their last FY15 budget meeting. One involves specific cuts the Selectboard was considering; the other takes a look at a 1% across-the-board cut for all departments.
At Tuesday’s somewhat heated meeting, the board considered and voted on which cuts to include in their revised budget for presentation to town meeting representatives on June 2, ending up with a combination of the two approaches. Members of the public also weighed in, sometimes with great passion. Accusations were thrown, apologies offered, and and ideas were suggested.
By the end, the board had a list of requests for the Interim Town Manager to include in a revised budget that they hope to adopt and have ready for representatives in June.
The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:
Agricultural Advisory Board
Arts Committee
BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark Is Coming)
BCTV (Brattleboro Community Television)
Brattleboro Housing Authority
CPCC (Citizen Police Communications Committee)
The Clean Energy Development Board will be holding a public hearing to receive comments regarding the $2.6 million that the Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF) received (see press release below) for clean energy development activities in or for the benefit of Windham County. The public is also welcome to provide comment on the deployment of the $2.6 million to be spent state-wide by the CEDF and on the performance of the Clean Energy Development Fund Manager. Here are the details of the public hearing:
When: Wednesday, May 14 2014 at 5:30 PM
Where: Brattleboro Union High School. In the “multi-purpose” room
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:45pm to discuss personnel and contractual matters, and reconvene the special meeting at 6:15pm.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
The Brattleboro Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at 7:00pm at 9 Southern Avenue (257-1164). NOTE: new location for this meeting only.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
The fourth installment of the 2013 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on May 15, 2014 by 5:00 PM. Payments made after May 15, 2014 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.
The utility billing is also due on May 15, 2014 by 5:00 PM. Payments made after May 15, 2014 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.
Friends of the West River Trail has re-routed the section of the trail between the southern trailhead near the Marina Restaurant and the I-91 bridge. The new section of trail passes under the interstate on the hill just below the bridge abutment, offering a great vantage point to watch the bridge construction.
From the southern trailhead, the trail extends for 3.5 miles north to Rice Farm Road in Dummerston and is open to the public for walking, bicycling, fishing, and nature study. Wildflowers are abundant, and now is a great time to enjoy the trail!
The FY15 budget was again the focus of discussion for the Brattleboro Selectboard. At their regular Tuesday meeting they refined their positions on what cuts to aim for, and instructed the Interim Town Manager to prepare and bring options to their next special meeting to discuss and decide on the budget. This, despite significant disagreement amongst board members over which way to proceed.
In other news, work will begin on a plan to implement some sort of Pay As You Throw system to comply with state law. The board decided to hire a consultant, quite likely Moss Kahler, to assist.
There was also ample discussion of heifers, bridges, the parking budget and more.
Strolling of the Heifers … Slow Living Summit . . . . and the River Garden!
The “Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast” will take place on Friday, May 16, 2014 at the Gibson Aiken Center, downstairs, hosted by Senior Meals. Doors open at 7:30am.
We plan to hear from Orly Munzing , Strolling of the Heifers Founder and Executive Director who will talk about the Strolling, the Slow Living Summit and the River Garden and invite questions and suggestions.
The next monthly meeting of the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will be held at the New England House
on Thursday, May 8th at 6:00 PM. The guests are Pat Moulton Powden and Laura Sibilia of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation/BDCC and the Southeast Vermont Economic Development Strategies/SeVEDS. Their discussion will likely focus on the recently published regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy/CEDS plan.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will return to the discussion of what to do about the FY15 budget at their next regular Tuesday meeting at the Municipal Center. You can attend in person or watch on BCTV.
The board will also take first steps toward a state-mandated Pay As You Throw system, the Planning Department will receive grant money for a rewrite of the zoning regulations, there will be discussion and approval of a Parking budget, the Heifers will get a parade permit, and more. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.
I am hoping that people bring their cameras to Brattleboro tonight.
We are mere hours away from the arrival of the UFO, and ir would be a shame to not have it be well documented.
The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, May 5, 2014 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
The Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, May 9, 2014 at 10:00am at the Marlboro College Graduate Center in the VCIL conference room.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
The Brattleboro Selectboard held their special meeting to continue discussion of the FY15 budget on Thursday with a large crowd in attendance that included many town meeting representatives and town staff, along with others including some that rarely attend public meetings of any sort.
No decisions were made, but the Selectboard seemed to be sticking to their previously announced views, a 3-2 majority favoring significant cuts beyond the elimination of the second bond.
The public seemed divided as well, with some insisting they could afford increases and would like the same budget as before, while others expressed real issues with tax increases and asked for relief.
