Brattleboro Budget Rejected

Brattleboro voters rejected the proposed budget Tuesday.

478 voted in favor, but 771 voted against, sending the Brattleboro Selectboard back to work on another version.

1249 people participated by voting. 554 of those were by absentee ballot. Results are for the entire town; votes were not counted by district.


The Bondville Boys at the River Garden, Friday Night

As a reminder, southern Vermont’s best-loved bluegrass group, the Bondville Boys (“some of them are from Bondville, and some of them are boys”) will rock the River Garden this Friday night, the 18th, from 7 to 10:30, presented by Strolling of the Heifers. Tickets $10 at the door, $30 family cap. 

As a preview, here’s a video of one of their recent appearances:


Strolling of the Heifers presents Maple ‘n Mud Fest at the River Garden

In another sign of spring, Strolling of the Heifers will host its Maple ‘n Mud Fest on Saturday April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden, downtown Brattleboro.

The festival celebrates the changing of the seasons with an array of participating farmers and maple product producers. This community event is free and open to the public at the new home of the Strolling of the Heifers.

The official grades of maple syrup are being renamed in Vermont to provide the general public with a little more clarity on what each grade is best suited. Visitors can see, and then taste the differences at an exhibit presented by Hidden Springs Maple.


Brattleboro Spring 2014 Water Main Flushing To Begin – Complete DPW Schedule

Utilities Division crews will start Spring Flushing of the Town water mains on Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 10:00 p.m. and continue through Saturday, May 10, 2014. 

NOTE!!  Some daytime flushing will continue throughout the weeks of May 12 and 19, 2014

Please note that water main flushing will occur at night and also during the day.

Customers are asked to check the flushing schedule closely as flushing causes water discoloration, low water pressure, and in some areas intervals of no water.

Night flushing will occur from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m..  Day flushing will occur from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m..


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Deficits, Donations, Arts, Power and PACE

Brattleboro will end the year with a deficit according to a memo from the Town Finance Director. Most of it was expected and all of it was approved, but it isn’t especially good financial news. Especially given the fact that the Brattleboro Selectboard learned that the DPW would exceed the road maintenance budget for the year.

Perhaps someone would like to make a donation to cover the cost overruns. Such was the suggestion of Chris Chapman, who told the board of a plan to let people give money to the town because they like us and want to be charitable.

The Selectboard wasn’t interested in forming a new committee to investigate generating electricity and heat locally, but supported the idea of forming a sub-committee of the Energy Committee to take up the task.


Trash Pickup To Resume on Gravel Roads

Trash and recycling pick up will resume on the gravel roads this week as normally scheduled.

If you have any questions, please contact Calista, Brattleboro’s Trash and Recycling Coordinator, at (802) 254 – 4541 ext. 1103.

Town of Brattleboro
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
211 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
Tel: 802-254-4255 • Fax: 802-257-2316 • E-mail: brattdpw@sover.net


Brattleboro Spring Leaf Pickup Schedule

The following dates have been scheduled for Brattleboro’s curbside Spring Leaf Collection. Whereas in the past leaf pickup was determined by scheduled day of rubbish pickup, all locations will be picked up each Friday:

Leaf Pick Up Date

ALL RESIDENTS Friday, April 25, 2014

ALL RESIDENTS Friday, May 9, 2014

All leaves and clippings must be in brown paper leaf bags and at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on scheduled leaf collection days. Acceptable waste…leaves, grass, clippings, garden waste, twigs, no branches larger than 1″ in diameter and 2 feet long. No other household trash is to be included.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – April 15, 2014

Citizen suggestions for town improvements will be center stage at the next regular Tuesday Meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Former board member Chris Chapman would like the town to consider taking donations, and George Harvey would like a committee to investigate generation of local electric power.

The board will also hear from the Arts Committee, approve whiskey drinking for the Stroll, review staffing of Police and Planning departments, get a PACE update, buy a new police car, and more.

You can attend and participate in person, or watch on BCTV. Full coverage here afterward.


Brattleboro Water Quality

Brattleboro’s 2014 Water Quality Report is now available. Once again we are proud to report no violations and few contaminants detected in the water we supply. This Federally mandated report contains information and test results on the water supplied to Brattleboro residents during the past year. It also includes general information about your water supply and its sources and a little water department news on upcoming projects.

Customers receiving a bill will find a web address at the bottom where they can go to read the report online. The address is . You may also go to , click on departments and then Public Works, Water Supply page, where there is a link to the report.


Brattleboro Special Referendum Informational Meeting on Budget and Police-Fire Project

Brattleboro Selectboard Chair David Gartenstein led an informational meeting at Oak Grove School Wednesday night. The topic was the special referendum vote on April 17, the town budget, and the Police and Fire Facility project. Not counting Town staff, Selectpersons, and Town Meeting Reps, about 36 members of the public attended.

Gartenstein first gave an overview of the proposed budget and the work that went into creating it, all familiar to regular readers of Selectboard Meeting Notes. His main point was that it was a lean, level-service budget, with most of it going to pay staff and benefits.

He also said the town’s basic, core services were police, fire, roads, parks & recreation, and the library.


Mud Season Trash Pickup

Due to the difficult mud season this year, there will be no trash and recycling pick-up on the following gravel roads on Wednesday, April 9th or Thursday, April 10th, 2014:

Pleasant Valley Road:
Gibson Road
East Orchard Street
Orchard Street
Pleasant Valley Road
Meadowbrook Road
Wickopee Hill Road


Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee Meeting

The Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, April 11, 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


Informational Meeting for Brattleboro Special Referendum

Brattleboro Town Selectboard will hold an informational meeting on Wednesday, April 9 at Oak Grove School beginning at 6:30 PM. The public is invited to review the Town budget and ask questions prior to the referendum vote.

The referendum will be held on April 17 and will be by Australian ballot. All registered voters in the Town are eligible to vote.


Bondville Boys in Concert/Dance at the River Garden

The Bondville Boys, an eclectic, edgy bluegrass band, will play a concert and dance at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden in downtown Brattleboro on Friday, April 18 from 7 to 10:30 p.m.

The concert is a benefit for Strolling of the Heifers, which has established its headquarters at the River Garden and is raising funds for renovations and improvements including air-conditioning and a demonstration kitchen.

The Bondville Boys, so named because “some of us are from Bondville, and some of us are boys,” consists of Jake Geppert (banjo, guitar and vocals), Tom Morris (guitar and banjo), Laura Molinelli (guitar and vocals), Dennis Fink (bass and vocals) and Ben Campbell (guitars, mandolin and vocals).

Popular throughout western New England since 1990, the Bondville Boys have shared stages with Del McCoury, the Nashville Bluegrass Band, Buddy Cage, and the Gibson Brothers, among others. 


Brattleboro Board of Civil Authority Meeting Scheduled

The Brattleboro BCA will meet on Tues, April 8 at 12 noon in the Town Clerk’s office to discuss details of the upcoming Town Budget re-vote.

Annette L. Cappy
Brattleboro Town Clerk
230 Main Street, Suite 108
Brattleboro. VT 05301
acappy@brattleboro.org
ph 802-251-8129
fax 802-257-2312