For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.
The Brattleboro Selectboard discussed and pretty much decided on a way to hold Representative Town Meeting. It will be a 26 hour Zoom meeting. Well, perhaps not 26 hours, but there are concerns. They’ll make the meeting style and dates official at their next regular meeting.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, via GoToMeeting. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:30pm to discuss contracts and confidential attorney-client communications made for the purpose of providing professional legal services to the body. The Board will reconvene the business meeting at 6:15pm. In keeping with Governor Scott’s “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order, this meeting will be held with no physical location using GoToMeeting. The attached agenda contains information about how to access the meeting remotely. ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, July 27, 2020, at 5:30pm via GoToMeeting. In keeping with Governor Scott’s “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order, this meeting will be held with no physical location using GoToMeeting. The attached agenda contains information about how to access the meeting remotely.
Here’s the full text of the document discussed at the July 21, 2020 meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard:
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July, 21, 2020
Collaborative Community Statement Regarding the Brattleboro Policing/Community Safety Review Process
Summary Statement
We are seeking a review process focused on a comprehensive examination of community safety and policing in Brattleboro to determine whether the police force effectively meets the communities’ needs, and to determine how to best fund and support community safety.
Below you will find all of the comments from the Selectboard meeting chat box for Tuesday July 21, 2020. This conversation isn’t archived and doesn’t become part of the public record, but it does happen.
6:12 PM
Brandie to Everyone
I am on the phone so patrick will need to let me in..lol
There was just one topic for the Brattleboro Selectboard meeting this week: the police review process.
It took hours, but they approved a community-led writing of an RFP to detail a community safety program to be voted on in early August.
A special meeting to discuss Representative Town Meeting will occur next Tuesday.
WHAT IS NEW TODAY
• Here are links to 3 important COVID-19 financial relief programs offered by the State of Vermont for renters, landlords, and sole proprietor businesses:
o Emergency Mortgage Assistance- https://www.vhfa.org/documents/images/vt_map_flyer.pdf
o Rental Housing Stabilization Fund – https://www.vsha.org/rental-housing-stabilization-program/
o Vermont Sole Proprietor Stabilization Fund – https://www.vermont-cdbg-cv.com/
The next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard will be devoted to a single topic – the continued discussion of a potential police review process.
The previous conversation left off with two competing proposals – one from the board and one from community groups working with these issues – and a request that the selectboard’s proposal be withdrawn. The board wanted time to consider merging the two proposals.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
Handy Stations were the primary topic of a special virtual meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. The board approved spending $3,600 on three artistic devices to help people sanitize their hands downtown. If it works out, they may spend even more on keeping people safe.
It was admitted that some hand sanitizer taped to the wall might be significantly less expensive, but a motion-sensing, artist -decorated, musical hand sanitizing station to be adopted and maintained by businesses was the preferred idea. There was also an interesting discussion about the Civil War monument.
Hydrant Flow Testing in the Town of Brattleboro
On Thursday, July 16, beginning at 9:00pm through approximately 4:00am Friday, July 17, Utilities Crews will be conducting flow tests of the hydrants around town. Residents may see water in the roadway and/or have discolored water in their homes. If you experience water discoloration, you should run the cold water for a few minutes to flush your pipes which should take care of the issue.
The Brattleboro Selectboard is holding a special meeting to take care of the business not attended to at the last meeting. It looks like a short agenda, but who really knows?
You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Selectboard didn’t get to new business until after 11 pm. Old business of Representative Town Meeting scheduling, second thoughts on an already-approved budget, and competing proposals for police reforms filled the lengthy meeting.
In the end, no new RTM was set, the board was told the budget cannot be changed but can be ignored selectively, and competing proposals for police reforms will fill a new meeting schedule for July 21.
In observance of the July 4th holiday, all Town offices will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2020, with the exception of emergency services.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Saturday and Sunday, July 4 and July 5, 2020. All other violations will be enforced. Parking enforcement will resume on Monday, July 6, 2020.
Brooks Memorial Library curbside service will be closed from Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, 2020.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will consider a re-imagined, two-part Representative Town Meeting at their next regular virtual meeting. The plan calls for an online portion on one day, and voting by Australian ballot on another.
A “police review” process is being proposed to look at funding and whether social services might be able to relieve the police of some responsibilities, new bike lanes and pedestrian safety measures will be discussed for Putney Rd., a new Exit 2 to downtown bike lane possibility will be studied, the board will offer up thoughts on the rebuilding of Rt 9 to Wilmington, and you can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to remind everyone, starting July 1st, 2020, payment will once again be required at all street meters and kiosks in parking lots in the downtown area. If anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Carol at 257-2305.
It’s summer. It’s Brattleboro. Time to list the little things that grab your attention and share them with others.
Parklets are being set-up for some restaurants in town to serve outdoors. Cement barriers have been dropped in parking spaces to mark boundaries.
The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, June 22, 2020 at 5:30pm via GoToMeeting. In keeping with Governor Scott’s “Stay Home – Stay Safe” order, this meeting will be held with no physical location using GoToMeeting. A copy of the agenda is attached and it contains information about how to access the meeting remotely.
The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:
ADA Committee
Arts Committee
Cemetery Committee
Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC)
There were many big issues at Tuesday’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard but the biggest of them all was an extended discussion about dismantling a racist system by defunding the Brattleboro Police. Citizens were rather clear and consistent in asking that the General Fund budget be voted down, and that funding for the police be reassigned to social services.
The system moves slowly, they were told, and their attention should be placed on next year’s budget process. The board committed to making a re-evaluation of community safety a priority in the near future, but passed the budget by a 3-2 split vote.
The Town of Brattleboro will resume Parking Enforcement operations on July 1, 2020. Parking meters and kiosks will once again require payment for parking in the downtown. This includes all regulated surface parking lots and all on-street metered parking spaces.
Parking enforcement was halted on March 17, in response to Covid-19. Now that Vermont is beginning to reopen for business, it is time to resume regular parking enforcement activities. To protect the public health, all meter and kiosk push buttons will receive a regular wipe down two times each day, Monday through Saturday, to disinfect the frequently touched surfaces.
