For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, all Brattleboro Town Offices will be closed on Monday, January 17, 2022, with the exception of emergency services.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Monday, January 17. All other violations will be enforced.
NOTICE is hereby given that the Brattleboro Town Auditors’ Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, is available upon request and may be picked up at the Brattleboro Town Clerk’s Office, 230 Main Street, Brattleboro, Vermont.
The Auditors’ Report will also be available as part of the Town Annual Report which will be available at the Town Clerk’s Office no later than February 19, 2022.
The Brattleboro Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 5:30pm in the Brattleboro Co-op Community Meeting Room.
Jessica Sticklor (she/her)
Executive Assistant
Town of Brattleboro
Agenda
• Call to order
• Agenda review
• Approve last meeting minutes
• Robert’s Rules training pilot with Andy, followed by feedback and discussion
(approximately 60-90 minutes)
Add the little things you’ve noticed around town in the comments below. No experience necessary!
• It’s January 6 and there are still no ice huts on the Retreat meadows.
The Brattleboro Selectboard began 2022 with new Town Manager Octavian Yoshi Manale at the helm. He remained relatively quiet, letting staff do most of the explaining while he adjusted to the new surroundings.
The board made a few FY’23 decisions, punted a few others to another meeting, and helped approve some articles to go before RTM at what they cautioned might be another virtual town meeting.
Two folks who have made huge contributions to our town are stepping down from their jobs : PETER ELWELL as our Town Manager, and SABINE RHYNE as General Manager of the Brattleboro Food Coop are moving on to their next adventures.
Each was a guest on “Here We Are” and we thought it would be nice to re-post their shows as way of saying Farewell and Thank You!
The first regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard in 2022 is also the start of Yoshi Manale’s tenure as Town Manager. Welcome, Yoshi!
Changes to the Agricultural Land Preservation Fund will be discussed. The board will also consider feeding and providing childcare for Representative Town Meeting, they’ll review goals, and consider some traffic safety items. And, as always, you can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, January 6, 2022 at the 6:30pm at the Brattleboro Co-op Community Room.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street) and over Zoom. Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The Board will convene at 6:15pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session. It is expected that the public portions of this meeting (before and after the executive session) will be very brief. However, as noted on the agenda, the Selectboard may take action upon adjourning the executive session and resuming the public session. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”
It’s the final regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard for 2021, (if any meeting this year could be called “regular.”)
The board reconsidered the mask mandate, reviewed FY’23 matters, looked at annual audit results, considered financial reports, and bought some trucks and equipment repairs. More interesting to me, though, was that this was the last “regular” meeting for outgoing Town Manager Peter Elwell. That’s kind of where my thoughts are tonight, more than on budgets and such.
And, for that reason, I don’t plan to transcribe everything word for word tonight. Instead some thoughts…and a bit of the meeting.
• Proposals and possible motions
o Clarification with passed motion for funding lunch, with regard to committee position on BUHS fundraiser lunch. Request for clarity from the BUHS principal, from this committee.
o … to endorse continued support for BUHS in providing RTM lunch.
o …to amend this committee’s original 2021 proposal to include and welcome ex-officio members.
o …to end committee meetings for this RTM year and for members to use the time to execute the work that has been agreed.
It’s the final regular meeting of the Brattlboro Selectboard for 2021 and the last regular meeting for outgoing Town Manager Peter Elwell. They’ll take up issues of mask mandate exemptions, financial audits, and more FY23 budget planning. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation, and you are probably welcome to bring holiday cookies as well.
In observance of the Christmas holiday:
Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Friday, December 24, 2021.
Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25, 2021.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Friday, December 24, and on Saturday, December 25, 2021. All other violations will be enforced.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear highlights from the last three months of work on the Community Safety Review Recommendations from Town Manager Peter Elwell this evening. Here is his latest memo outlining what he plans to present. (I’d love to cover this special meeting but other plans intrude).
…….
This memorandum, the attached updated implementation table, and the presentation I will make at the December 14 Selectboard meeting comprise Town staff’s second status report to the Selectboard and the community regarding our implementation of recommendations from the 2020 community safety review.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at 6:15pm in the Second Floor Meeting Room at the Central Fire Station (103 Elliot Street). Everyone will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance. The public is encouraged to participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 1:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”
The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 5:30pm at the Brattleboro Food Co-op Café.
Agenda (start time / minutes = 120)
• Call to order
• Agenda review (6:00 / 5)
• Approve last meeting minutes (6:05 / 5)
• Action items from last meeting (6:10 / 5)
• Announcements (6:15 / 5)
The Brattleboro Selectboard learned about housing issues and possible strategies for addressing some serious housing needs during their first regular meeting of December . 500 housing units is the low estimate of what Brattleboro needs, now, and the selectboard is eager to make it an actual goal.
The board also approved corrections and updates to a Civil War monument, preserving the original but annotating it with a new plaque and information about the people of color and lower classes of soldiers not named on the original. They won’t name them on the new plaque, but will be directed to further information.
Traffic safety and recommendations for improvements to the Representative Town Meeting will be discussed at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New bike lanes, LED stop signs, and a request for a crosswalk are all in the mix for Tuesday.
The board will continue to provide free operating space for some local businesses who’d like to have larger establishments, and they’ll approve a correction to a very old piece of Town information.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
