Town News

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.

Safer town roads in Brattleboro will be a major focus of the next regular Brattleboro Selectboard meeting. A traffic calming plan is up for adoption, the intersection at Western Ave will get some attention, and the Safe Streets program will get a small grant.

The board will again take up the issue of the request to reduce the size and scope of the skatepark, and will decide whether to discharge a $150,000 lien between BaBB and the Town for the River Garden. There will be liquor licenses, loans, and grants to deal with, and we’ll get an update on the soon-to-be-ending search for a new Town Manager.

Watch on BCTV or attend in person and participate. You can bring up items that aren’t on the agenda during public participation.

The Agricultural Advisory Committee will be meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 in the Hanna Cosman Room of the Municipal Center.

The agenda is attached.

The Brattleboro Police-Fire Facility Building Committee will meet on Thursday, November 7, 2013 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 Energy Committee will meet on Monday, November 4, 2013 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

This year’s hallowe’en celebration was our darkest ever — at a little before 6 o’clock, some heard a bang, others saw a flash, and then, lights out.  Meanwhile, the street filled with cars and kids, out for hallowe’en treats, most of them hardly noticing that the reason our street was so spooky was that no one had power.  

We decorated the front hall with candles (safely stowed in holders) and an old storm lantern that nicely showed off the giant spider shadows on the back wall.  Meanwhile, hundreds of kids made their way through the gloom and rain, with glowing pumpkins and lighted walking sticks to guide their way.  

Alternative transportation can be a tough sell in a rural state like Vermont, where residents often have to travel long distances to get to work and shopping. Brattleboro’s main streets are often choked with traffic, creating headaches for motorists along with air pollution that can cause health problems.

The Brattleboro Energy Committee has been working for several years to address this issue. In 2010, the Committee organized the Brattleboro Business Transportation Roundtable, made up of representatives from Brattleboro-area businesses and institutions such as the Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, and Landmark College. The Roundtable has been working to promote alternative commuting such as biking, walking, carpooling, and taking the bus among its employees through programs such as the Way To Go Commuter Challenge.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 3:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 3:15pm to discuss a personnel matter.

REVISED AGENDA ATTACHED.

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

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 5:30pm in the community room at the Brooks Memorial Library.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet and hold an Informational Meeting on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 6:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. Human Service Agency funding applications and information is posted on the Brattleboro website.

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

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 3:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 3:15pm to discuss a personnel matter.

The Brattleboro Town Manager Search Citizen Committee will hold a meeting on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 3:15pm in the Hanna Cosman/Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Committee will enter into executive session at 3:20pm to discuss a personnel matter and meet with the Selectboard.

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

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee is accepting applications for FY15 Human Services Funding. The Application, as well as Instructions and Guidelines, are on the Brattleboro website – www.brattleboro.org. The Human Services Review Committee Informational Meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 6:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. The deadline to submit applications to the Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office is Monday, November 18, 2013 at 4:00pm. For information regarding the application process, contact Jan Anderson in the Brattleboro Town Manager’s at 802-251-8151

The Brattleboro Town Manager Citizen Search Committee will meet on Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.  It is anticipated that the Committee will enter into executive session at 4:00pm to discuss a personnel matter.

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

The Brattleboro Police-Fire Facility Building Committee will meet on Thursday, October 24, 2013 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 Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at 4:30pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

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

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 22, 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 Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 5:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:00pm to discuss a personnel matter.

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

A portion of the first level of the parking garage will be closed for regular maintenance from Monday, October 21 at 3:00am thru Wednesday, October 23 at 3:00am. Entrances on Elliot Street and Flat Street will remain open; however, thru traffic will not be allowed.

Any questions please contact Carol at the Parking Department 257-2305 xt178

-Town Manager’s Office
230 Main Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 254-4541
FAX (802) 257-2322

The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:

Agricultural Advisory Board
Arts Committee
CPCC (Citizen Police Communications Committee)
Development Review Board Alternate
Energy Committee
Honor Roll Committee
Inspector, Lumber Shingles & Wood
Senior Solutions Representative
SEVCA Representative
Town Service Officer
Tree Advisory Committee

Courtesy of Paul Gardner: