For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.
The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 24, 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, September 23, 2013 at 5:30pm in the Brooks Memorial Library community room
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
WATER MAIN FLUSHING TO START
Utilities Division crews will start Fall Flushing of the Town water mains on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013 at 10:00 p.m. and continue through Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013.
NOTE!! Some daytime flushing will continue throughout the weeks of Oct. 15 and 21, 2013
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 5:30 a.m.. Daytime flushing will occur from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m..
A Schedule of Water Main Flushing Follows:
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
Honor Roll Committee
Inspector, Lumber Shingles & Wood
Senior Solutions Representative
SEVCA Representative
Town Manager Search Citizen Committee
Town Service Officer
Tree Advisory Committee
The night belonged to the Department of Public Works. From project updates and truck purchases to the spotlight of a departmental presentation, Steve Barrett and Hannah O’Connell had their hands full with budgets, outlines, explanations, and answers.
The Selectboard was informed that Brattleboro’s FY13 budget has been completed and the town ended up with a small surplus in the General Fund.
And of over 60 applications received, we learn that only four women applied for the job of Brattleboro Town Manager. A new citizen committee of an indeterminate number of members will help with the second round of interviews.
Spring has long been the time when Vermonters Green Up, and this fall, for the first time, Vermonters will be encouraged to “Button Up.” On Saturday, October 5th, Vermonters have a powerful opportunity to participate in a local effort — or start one! — and lend a few hours to help friends and neighbors take actions to lower their energy bills this winter.
Modeled after Vermont’s successful “Green Up Day” and building on the familiar Button Up brand, this will be the first ever grassroots day of action on weatherization in Vermont. The day is being spearheaded by the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN), in partnership with Efficiency Vermont and Vermont Home Energy Challenge Coordinators, and is aimed at mobilizing as many volunteers as possible in communities throughout the state to take steps — large and small — to help Vermonters stop wasting energy and money and reduce our contribution to climate change. There is still plenty of time for towns to sign on to the effort, and VECAN will provide support and guidance to help make participating as easy as possible.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear the year end financial report for FY13 at their next Tuesday meeting at the Municipal Center oin Main Street. You are welcome to attend in person or watch on BCTV.
If you do, you’ll hear an update on work at the Waste Water Treatment Plant and pump stations, learn of new fees for mobile food carts, get a departmental report from the Department of Public Works, watch as grants and bids are approved, hear an update on the search for a new Town Manager, and more. You can bring up other issues that aren’t on the agenda during public participation.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect for the Brattleboro area until 7:00pm. Rain is expected to continue throughout the overnight hours. Rainfall is expected to be heavy at times. We ask that you continue to monitor the National Weather Service for the latest weather information.
Damage from this afternoon’s storms has been identified at:
Elm Street, Between Canal and Flat – This section of Elm Street will remain closed until further notice. A significant washout occurred near to the corner of Canal and Elm, which may take several days to complete the repair.
Minor scarring and washouts have occurred on Bridge Street, Maple Street near Canal, and on Canal Street near Maple.
The Brattleboro area continues to be in line for a series of very strong thunderstorms, and we continue to be under a severe thunderstorm watch from the National Weather Service. Several areas of minor to moderate damage have occurred across town. Elm Street between Flat and Canal is closed, with a significant washout near the intersection of Canal Street. A section of Guilford Street near Frog Hill Road is covered with water due to plugged culverts. A small wash out has occurred near Bridge Street, the area is blocked off with barrels and the road is not closed at this time.
We ask that you pay close attention to the weather and monitor WTSA and the National Weather Service for future statements. Please report any significant damages to Brattleboro Central Dispatch at 257-7946.
The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 10, 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 Energy Committee will meet on Monday, September 9, 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
The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 10, 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 Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 10, 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 ADA Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, September 13, 2013 at 10:00am at Marlboro College Graduate Center in the VCIL conference room.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
At the invitation of Building a Better Brattleboro (BaBB), the Brattleboro Selectboard will meet with representatives from BaBB and VT Department of Housing and Community Development on Monday, September 9, 2013 at 9:00am at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden to discuss the Brattleboro Downtown.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Friday, September 13, 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 3:00pm to discuss a personnel matter, and that no business will be conducted.
On Thursday, September 12, 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 review the treasury, traffic
safety including the new bollards on the stretch of Route 9 from Academy School to Greenleaf Street, the ‘Neighborhoods Project’, and any news regarding Glen Park and Mountain Home Park.
In addition, Association members will review the work plan for the remainder of the year starting with Columbus Day weekend Chicken Barbecue to be held near the West Brattleboro common in front of the First
Congregational Church. The group will discuss quantities of chicken and baked beans to be made for the event and ways to publicize it.
Conjuring visions of budgets past, the Brattleboro Selectboard discussed pay As You Throw and the 1% local sales tax as possible revenue-raisers for the town. This was in reaction to Tuesday evening’s dire forecasts for the FY15 budget and associated taxes that property owners will likely encounter.
ASL interpreters gave an account of the meeting to the hearing impaired for the first time, both the Planning Services and Library department reports were presented to the board, Strand Avenue will eventually be repaired, and the cost for using a tower on Wantastiquet jumps from $10 to $12,000 per year. And, of course, much more.
Two departmental reports are scheduled for the first September meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Planning Services’s Rod Francis and Brooks Memorial Library’s Jerry Carbone will update the board and the public about their respective departments and answer the question of what they would do with a 5% increase or decrease in their budgets.
ASL interpreters will begin translating each meeting beginning Tuesaday evening. This will allow even more members of the public to find out about repairs to Williams Street and the Cooke Road Bridge, preliminary budget discussions, the communications tower on Wantastiquet, the Town Manager search, and more.
You can attend in person at the Municipal Center or watch on BCTV via cable or stream, or read about it here the next day. Feel free to bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.
In observance of Labor Day, all Town offices will be closed on Monday, September 2, 2013, with the exception of emergency services.
The Brattleboro Treasurer’s office will also be closed for renovations on Tuesday, September 3. Anyone wanting to make a payment will be asked to see the Finance Director in Suite 208 on the second floor of the Municipal Center.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday, September 1 and 2, 2013. All other violations, including extended parking, will be enforced.
Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Sunday and Monday, September 1 and 2, 2013.
Trash, recycling and composting WILL NOT be picked up on Monday, September 2, 2013. All pick-ups will be delayed by one day all week.
The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Tuesday, August 27, 2013. There will be a site visit at the intersection of Putney Road and Harris Avenue at 8:00am. Following the site visit, the regular business meeting will reconvene at approximately 8:30am in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100
