For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.
In Observance of Thanksgiving all Town Offices will be closed on Thursday, November 28, 2024, and Friday, November 29, 2024, with the exception of emergency services.
Brooks Memorial Library will close at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. They will be closed on Thursday, November 28, 2024 and open on Friday, November 29, 2024 from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
After much discussion, the Brattleboro Selectboard chose the only serious solid waste option presented to them: to have a 5 year contract with Casella to haul trash, recycling and compost for the Town. This decision added a significant amount to the budget and to Brattleboro property taxes.
The board told Town staff that the budget was too large now that the costs of their decisions this year have been factored in and asked to see a version reduced by 10%. This punted any significant FY26 decision-making away from the board until mid December.
Just about everyone had complaints for the Windham and Windsor Housing Trust and their planned “Chalet” development of affordable housing units.
At their Tuesday evening regular meeting, Brattleboro Selectboard will make a solid waste decision. The board will choose the number 2 option, suggested by Town staff, and the costs associated will be officially dumped into the FY26 budget under review.
Review of FY26 budget open house feedback and budget alternatives will discussed. The board will also hear about the West Brattleboro (Dalem’s) Chalet Project from the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, will announce committee vacancies. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to advise everyone that the winter parking ban will go into effect, starting Friday, November 15, 2024. Overnight parking is forbidden on all streets in the town of Brattleboro. Vehicles parked for longer than one (1) hour between 11:00pm and 07:00am may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.
THIS BAN IS IN EFFECT EVEN IF THERE IS NO SNOW ON TOWN STREETS.
Expanding on a practice of the last several years, Bob Oeser and David Levenbach have planned to host two forums for District 9 (formerly District 3) residents, the first once the Town Manager has issued a budget proposal for consideration by the Selectboard and the second shortly before Representative Town Meeting after the Selectboard has approved a recommended budget and the other warned items are known.
Town Manager Potter discussed the Administration’s “base budget” proposal at the Nov 5 Selectboard meeting (a base budget involves no new services and no new staff positions but does include normal adjustments for inflation, contract obligations for unionized employees, capital expenditures for equipment and projects, and lesser things). Funding that proposal would necessitate a 14% increase in property taxes. This base budget did not include municipal expenses associated with the new waste management program, an issue still to be resolved, but the Selectboard told Administration that it wanted the most costly possible outcome (to the tune of $1.4 million) included in the base budget. That would mean potentially a 22% increase in property taxes.
The Town of Brattleboro will be transitioning to a new parking system beginning November 21, 2024, marking a significant shift in how parking is managed. Key features include:
– A Pay by Plate system, eliminating the former Pay and Display method
– The removal of all on-street parking meters
– The installation of parking kiosks throughout the downtown area
– A Pay by Text option, in addition to the existing mobile app
– New signage throughout town that will display instructions, including how to use the app and text service
On Monday November 18th, Green Mountain Power will be relocating an overhead power line to be buried under Melchen Road. Crews will start at the top of Melchen Road and work their way down towards Hinesburg Road. A full closure is expected within their working area from 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday the 18th through Friday the 22nd. Residents should plan accordingly and seek alternate routes. Emergency services are aware of this closure and will implement a plan to continue to provide any services needed beyond this closure.
The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:
ADA Committee
Arts Committee
Conservation Commission
Design Review Board (Alternate)
Brattleboro, VT — The southbound lane of Canal Street will be closed from South Main Street to Elm Street on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, from 09:30 to 12:30. The closure will facilitate ongoing debris removal following the recent fire at 45 Canal Street. Demolition crews will be on-site throughout the day to safely clear the affected area which could create traffic delays in the area.
Southbound traffic on Canal Street will be detoured via Flat & Elm Streets or South Main & Washington Streets. The northbound lane will remain open, but drivers should anticipate periodic delays to accommodate trucks and equipment entering and exiting the site.
Brattleboro, VT — The southbound lane of Canal Street will be closed from South Main Street to Elm Street on Monday, November 11, 2024, due to ongoing debris removal following the recent fire at 45 Canal Street. Demolition crews will be on-site throughout most of the day to safely clear the affected area.
Southbound traffic on Canal Street will be detoured via Flat & Elm Streets or South Main & Washington Streets. The northbound lane will remain open, but drivers should anticipate periodic delays to accommodate trucks and equipment entering and exiting the site.
As the budget process gets going, Town staff will ask the Brattleboro Selectboard to approve a $700,000 police substation at a special meeting on November 12. The board will also be asked to put the Esteyville Gazebo project out to bid, and will tinker with the Parking Ordinance.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
• Approve minutes from previous meetings
• Review of grant applications.
• Revise the Town Charter Commission Suggestion for Inclusion of the Human Services Review Committee.
In observance of Veterans’ Day, all Brattleboro Town Offices will be closed on Monday, November 11, 2024, with the exception of emergency services.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Monday, November 11. All other violations will be enforced.
Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Monday, November 11, 2024.
The second installment of the 2024 Brattleboro Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due by 5 p.m. on November 15, 2024. Payments made after November 15, 2024 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.
The Town of Brattleboro utility bills are also due by 5 p.m. on November 15, 2024. Payments made after November 15, 2024 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.
The Brattleboro Selectboard discussed the “base budget” – a budget with no changes to services from current levels – at Tuesday’s Election Night meeting. As is, they said, it would be a 22% increase. Board members agreed it was a difficult budget, but none had any big ideas for getting the increase to a more manageable level.
Citizens attending had ideas – eliminate raises, cut Municipal Center hours to 32 hours a week for most employees, cut positions, and throw it all out and build up from what is truly necessary were suggested. Personnel costs, they noted, were the big numbers.
In a flashback to the era of Barb Sondag we heard the Town Manager ask the board to simply tell him what services they’d like to cut from the people of Brattleboro…
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at 5:50pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room.
Here are some excerpts from the Town Manager’s memo to the Brattleboro Selectboard regarding their enormous FY’26 budget. I’ve left out some of the tables mentioned to make it easier for me to format. Go view the full document to see them.
At the start, they anticipate a 14% increase in property taxes, but this does not yet include any solid waste disposal costs, which staff say may add another 5-8%.
Get yourself a drink so you can spit it out in amazement as you read the details.
While the rest of the world is concerned with election day and results, the Brattleboro Selectboard will be presenting the an overview of the draft budget for the FY26. They will also continue with their approval of liquor and entertainment licenses for a new business in the former River Garden public space. You can bring up other items not on the agenda, during public participation.
The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street) and over Zoom on Monday, November 4, 2024 at 6:00pm.
The Charter Revision Commission will meet in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street) and over Zoom on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 6:15pm.
The Tree Advisory Committee will meet in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street) on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 4:15pm.
The RTM Finance Committee will meet in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room (230 Main Street) on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at 5:45pm.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 6:00pm at the New England Youth Theater Meeting Room (100 Flat Street).
