Town News

Does anybody know what is going on with the icy roads this morning?

My wife just came back from trying unsuccessfully to get up to Marlboro. She reported that east bound traffic was creeping along with lights flashing and that the road was wall to wall ice. She turned around at the bottom of Starks curve and came back to town. At the State Police barracks she stopped to ask what was going on, but all the doors were locked and the place appeared desserted. I would assume they’re all out dealing with emergencies.

On our street there are a 1 to 2 inches of new ice and the town did come by and scrape at it with their plows a couple times to rough up the surface.

The town’s budget will be discussed at the first regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard on Tuesday evening. You can attend in person at the Municipal Center or watch on BCTV.

They will also take up issues such as whether any “savings” in this year’s budget could pay for energy audits of municipal buildings, new communication tower locations for Fire and Police departments, grants and an open CRT board position.

You can bring up other issues not on the agenda during public participation.

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, January 6, 2014 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 ADA Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, January 10, 2014 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

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Friday, January 10, 2014 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

Petitions for Brattleboro Town and Town School District Officers and Town Meeting Members are now available at the Town Clerk’s office. Town elections will be Tuesday, March 4, and the Annual Representative Town Meeting, Saturday, March 22.

Petitions for Town Officers must contain at least 30 valid signatures of registered Brattleboro voters and be filed in the clerk’s office no later that 5:00 P.M. on Monday, January 27 in order to have their name placed on the ballot.

Once again Brattleboro’s Last Night Committee presents a fun filled, substance free day of celebration on Tuesday, December 31st for New Year’s Eve. The day kicks off with the wonderful Senior Potluck Luncheon at the Brattleboro Senior Center from 11:30-1PM. Sponsored by River Valley Credit Union, this year’s featured guests are “Sing, Sing, Swing” featuring Scott Sizer, Lynn Lovell and Rob Fletcher.

From 1 to 4PM folks can enjoy sleigh and hay rides at Fairwinds Farm on Upper Dummerston Road (no pets please). Adults are $8 and children up to 12 years are $4.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Friday, January 3, 2014 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

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee will meet on Friday, January 3, 2014 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

In observance of New Year’s Day, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Wednesday, January 1, 2014, with the exception of emergency services.

Offices will be open for regular hours on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 and will reopen for regular hours on Thursday, January 2, 2014.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Wednesday, January 1. All other violations, including extended parking, will be enforced.

Brooks Memorial Library will close at 6:00pm on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, and will be closed all day Wednesday, January 1, 2013. It will reopen for regular hours on Thursday, January 2, 2014.

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, December 23, 2013 at 5:30pm in the Brooks Memorial Library community room.

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

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 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 Selectboard announced on December 3, 2013, that it is seeking a volunteer citizen to serve as the Town’s representative on the Connecticut River Transit (now The Current) Board of Directors. The seat is a one-year term with the term expiring on June 30 each year.

Anyone interested in being appointed to the CRT Board and becoming involved with the bus service in and around Town must submit an application to the Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office by Thursday, January 2, 2014 at 5:00pm. The Selectboard will appoint the CRT Representative at its January 7, 2014 business meeting and, if necessary, conduct interviews immediately preceding the meeting.

Another full moon fire called in around 2:30 a.m. I’m looking at large waves of smoke rolling over the Samual Elliot Building and across town. 3alarm fire with numerous fire depts. staging on Spring St., School St. & Green St.

Braving snow, ice, treacherous roads, and cold weather in the meeting room, the Brattleboro Selectboard pressed on to carry out the business of the town. By the end of the night, almost all in attendance were wearing some form of hat, coats, sweater, scarf, or gloves. Everyone except John Allen, who sat in short sleeves all evening.

The board again warned of a rise in property taxes. They reviewed the slow pace of the PACE program progress and noted the many hurdles that still remain. The Red Clover Commons preliminary plans got a nod of approval, they learned the cost of the Elm Street bridge repairs, and approved planning grants.

And what will seem like a rare gift from the board, they voted to refund money to taxpayers fined for late Homestead Declarations last year.

On Thursday evening, December 12 at The New England House, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) announced its third annual ‘Community Leader of the Year’ at its holiday party.  Ahmad and Kat Rashed were bestowed that honor by the Association president Michael Bosworth amidst a crowd of agreeing onlookers, many of whom have patronized Rashed’s Garden Center in West Brattleboro throughout the last 22 years. The Rasheds, including their sons, provide all manner of plants and shrubbery during the growing season. But their work doesn’t stop there. Every year they direct proceeds from their sales of pumpkins and Christmas trees to local non-profits.   The WBA thanked them for this excellent above-and-beyond community service.

Property owners within certain areas in and near downtown are reminded that snow and ice must be removed from sidewalks within 48 hours of accumulation. Following is an excerpt from Chapter 14 of Brattleboro’s Code of Ordinances: 

Sec. 14-4. Removal of snow from sidewalks on certain streets – Required. 

A truck has broken down on I-91 Southbound between Exits 2 and 3.  All southbound traffic is stopped.  State police are responding, and will get traffic flowing again asap.

Cindy Cook
Principal, Adamant Accord, Inc.
Past Vice President, Association for Conflict Resolution
Affiliate, RESOLVE

For the final regular Brattleboro Selectboard meeting of 2013, the board plans to continue their discussion of a PACE Energy District in town, and the legal and accounting hurdles that remain.

The board will also hear about the cost of Elm Street Bridge repairs, discuss penalties for late Homestead Declarations, consider grants for zoning rewrites and brownfield remediation, and evaluate a request for a Planned Unit Development for Red Clover Commons.

You can attend in person or watch on BCTV. You may also bring up other items for discussion during Public participation.

The Brattleboro Police-Fire Facility Building Committee will meet on Thursday, December 19, 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