New Town Rep Candidates Badly Needed!

Alert! More candidates needed for Representative Town Meeting!

If you read the paper, you know that Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting is woefully short of candidates for the Town Election next week (Tuesday, March 3).

So we are putting out an appeal to all Town residents to consider running as write-in candidates for any uncontested (currently having NO candidates) seats at Representative Town Meeting.


Brattleboro Town Clerk Election Hours

The Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office will be open Saturday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon for early voting in Brattleboro’s Annual local elections. The Town Clerk’s office will be closed Tuesday, March 3 as staff will be conducting elections in the Municipal Center, room 212. Polling hours are 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: PAYT, Union Hill, Low Bids, And The End Of An Era

There will be no mailing of Selectboard concerns regarding the Charter change proposals. The media, it was deemed, will be enough of a loudspeaker for the board’s concerns.

Much of the upcoming Pay As You Throw system was voted into being, though the issue of who will be educating the public remains to be decided, while Moss Kahler and Waste Zero discuss the possibility working together.  

The Department of Public Works has a plan to save significant funds by doing the Union Hill intersection improvements in-house, a question of local-but-not-lowest bids delayed the awarding of a bid for a snack bar, and the calendar of events will no longer be read by the board.


Brattleboro Snow Removal Continues

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from Western Ave this evening. If they have enough time then they will work on Main St and the North Bridge Down.

Parked vehicles in the downtown area must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.


Brattleboro Snow Removal Tonight

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from the parking lots in the downtown area this evening.

Parked vehicles in the downtown parking lots must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.


February Tax & Utility Payments Due in Brattleboro

The third installment of the 2014 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on February 17th, 2015. Payments made after February 17th, 2015 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The utility billing is also due on February 17th, 2015. Payments made after February 17th, 2015 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

The Treasurer’s Office will be closed on February 16, 2015 in observance of President’s Day.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – February 17, 2015

The Brattleboro Selectboard will take action on a number of issues related to the implementation of Pay As You Throw at their next regular Tuesday meeting. The decisions were delayed to this meeting in part to give the public time to weigh in.

The board will take up the matter of their special mailing to all residents in opposition to proposed Charter change amendments on the March ballot, learn about the Union Hill improvements at the Western Ave intersection, approve homeland security and terrorism prevention grants, and more.

You can attend in person at the Municipal Center, even participate in the meeting, or watch on BCTV and read about it here when it is over. If you are really ambitious, you can do all of those things.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting: Pay As You Throw

An abbreviated Brattleboro Selectboard had an extended special meeting to primarily discuss Pay As You Throw. Donna Macomber was absent, and David Schoales left midway through.

New information revealed that our new trash bags will be color coded (colors undisclosed) with drawstring enclosures at top.

Also new, that bags will be sold about town in packs of five or ten. A 5-pack of small, 15 gallon bags will cost, at $2 each, ten dollars. For the larger 32 gallon bags, a 5-pack will cost, at $3 each, fifteen dollars. Ten packs will then cost $20 and $30.

Individual bags will be sold at the Municipal Center and at the Gibson-Aiken Center.


Brattleboro Closures for Presidents’ Day

In observance of President’s Day, all Town offices will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2015, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday, February 15 and February 16. All other violations, including extended parking will be enforced.

Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Sunday and Monday, February 15 and February 16, 2015.


Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee Meeting Cancelled

The Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee meeting previously scheduled on February 13 is cancelled due to the expected extreme cold and difficult travel conditions. The next scheduled meeting is 03/13/2015.

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


Downtown Brattleboro Snow Removal

This evening (February 10, 2015) starting at 10:30 pm, the town will begin snow removal operations in the downtown area to improve pedestrian access, sight visibility, and open up parking spaces.

Please remember that per the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances, that overnight parking is prohibited on all streets within the Town limits. Vehicles parked for longer than one (1) hour between 11:00 pm and 07:00 am may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. Vehicles may be towed at any time if they are hampering snow plowing or snow removal. Please refer to Chapter 16 in the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances for further information.


Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast – Notes from a Breakfast with the Brattleboro Chief of Police Michael Fitzgerald

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast   
January 23,  2015      
Gibson-Aiken Center                                                                                           

Breakfast with the Brattleboro Chief of Police Michael Fitzgerald
     (802) 257-7950

Chief Michael Fitzgerald spoke about the vision he has for the Brattleboro PD as it relates to the community. “No one is immune from the impact” of the recent events in Ferguson, MO. What is needed is that we all sit down and have a candid and in depth conversation with the community.


Brooks Memorial Library Closing At 6 P.M.

The Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro will be closing today (Monday, 2/9) at 6:00pm due to the weather. The bookdrop will be open and the Library will re-open tomorrow at 10:00am.

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


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Nothing Ado About Much

The Brattleboro Selectboard had a non-controversial, almost-dull meeting Tuesday night. If you are looking for fireworks, there are none to report.

Interesting things were accomplished, however. Things you need to know about. Things that will change the way of life as we know it in this town. A major sidewalk renovation will be underway later this year, there are new zoning regulations being developed, and Representative Town Meeting informational meetings for Town Representatives are being planned.

There was no decision regarding opposing the Charter change questions, other than to prepare informational materials, in case the board decides to send a statement.