Town News

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 28 and 29, 2013, with the exception of emergency services.

Brooks Memorial Library will close at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 27, and will be closed on Thursday, November 28. It will be open for regular hours on Friday and Saturday, November 29 and 30.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Thursday and Friday, November 28 and 29. Parking will resume regular enforcement hours on Saturday, November 30.

All other violations, including extended parking, will be enforced.

The Brattleboro Energy Committee has received an award for its successful efforts to advance and implement clean energy measures around town.

The committee received the award from the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network.

Specifically, the Brattleboro Energy Committee has helped advance energy efficiency goals by helping the Town convert streetlights to LED fixtures, working to establish a PACE district for residential energy financing, promoting weatherization of Town buildings and participating in the Vermont Home Energy Challenge.

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 at 8:30am in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, November 25, 2013 at 5:30pm at the Brooks Memorial Library in the community room.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 at 4:30pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Human Services Review Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 at 6:30pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Monday, November 25, 2013 at 7:30am in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

To keep the town services the same as last year and pay our obligations, the property tax rate would need to go up by 16 cents. It’s a major problem that the Brattleboro Selectboard shared with the public at Tuesday night’s meeting as they pondered how much of a tax increase Brattleboro could handle, and discussed various options for cuts and revenue generation.

The town’s search for a new Town Manager was a bust, and the process will begin again in the near future.

The Plan for Red Clover Commons took a step forward with the board supporting Brattleboro Housing Authority’s need to formally “dispose” (an HUD term) of the Melrose property and buildings to enable the upcoming move to new developments.

Much of the rest of the meeting was dedicated to Brattleboro citizens who like to skate. The skating rink got the go-ahead for a series of improvements to improve the refrigeration and preserve the compressors. And now the Town of Brattleboro has an official skatepark site selection committee.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Capital Grants Review Board will meet on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 at 10:30am 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 Facility Building Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at 4:30pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at 6:30pm at 175 South Main Street.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The Brattleboro Housing Authority will make an appearance at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. They will be presenting plans for the Red Clover Common, one of two new developments planned to relocate residents of Melrose Terrace, and asking the board for support.

The Skating Rink Committee will offer up suggestions for the refrigeration system at the rink, we’ll get an update on the search for a new Town Manager, and the Selectboard will have an easily-watchable discussion of the town budget plan for the first time in many years. If there’s something not on the agenda, you can bring it up during public participation.

Attend in person or watch on BCTV, and check here for the recap.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 7:00am in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 7:00am to discuss a personnel matter.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The second installment of the 2013 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on November 15th, 2013. Payments made after November 15th, 2013 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The utility billing is also due on November 15th, 2013. Payments made after November 15th, 2013 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

This just in from the Brattleboro Police Department]: The Brattleboro Police Department is trying to identify the suspect in the attached image.

He is a suspect associated in the theft of a backpack from a motor vehicle on Western Ave in Brattleboro. The theft of the backpack occurred on the afternoon of October 12, 2013.

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 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, November 12, 2013 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 4:30pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100

On Thursday, November 14, 6:00-7:30 pm, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will hold its monthly meeting at The New England House, 254 Marlboro Road. The Association will have a final wrap-up on the success of their Columbus Day Weekend Chicken Barbecue held Saturday, October 12, in addition to a report of their treasury given by new association treasurer, Tim Cuthbertson.

The group will also have a quick review of the various projects undertaken by the WBA including traffic safety, bulb plantings, signage, police/fire facilities, and the status of the Neighborhoods Project.

A new Brattleboro Skatepark Site Selection Committee is taking applications. The Brattleboro Selectboard voted Tuesday evening to form the committee at the request of the town skatepark committee, BASIC, but not before ample discussion.

The board announced that Brattleboro faces budget challenges to keep tax increases to a minimum. Expect cuts to services and more discussion of a 1% sales tax as possible solutions being offered.

Brattleboro has new restaurants downtown and in West Brattleboro (with liquor licenses), ALDI opens in January (selling beer and wine), and the town bought a backhoe.

All this in more below the fold.

In observance of Veterans’ Day, all Brattleboro town offices will be closed on Monday, November 11, 2013, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday. All other violations, including extended parking, will be enforced.