Town News

The Brattleboro Water Department has experienced some slightly discolored water complaints from customers of the Brattleboro Water System. Because of drought conditions and the replacement of a one million gallon storage tank we were unable to conduct fall water main flushing. Flushing normally occurs spring & fall and removes organics and minerals from the water distribution system.

Naturally occurring minerals (primarily iron) are typically to blame for water discoloration. These minerals, which are heavier than water, settle in water pipelines and may be stirred up from increased water flows in our system.

The discolored water poses no health hazards and the Brattleboro Water System is in full compliance with public water supply standards.

Should Brattleboro ban single use plastic bags in retail stores? It is one of many issues the selectboard will take up at their next regular meeting, Tuesday at the Municipal Center.

Brattleboro’s selectboard will also get a first look at the proposed budget for FY18, see the lease agreement with The Reformer, help with some refinancing of business loans, apply for a grant to buy a new fire truck, learn of two new mural proposals for downtown, buy winter sand, talk more about pedestrian safety measures to implement, and more.

You can attend and participate, and also bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 1, 2016, at 4:30pm in the Brattleboro Food Co-Op community room.

The Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, November 4, 2016 at 10:00am in the Hanna Cosman 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, October 24, 2016 at 5:30pm in the Brooks Memorial Library community room.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 at 4:30pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The excitement over a new Town Clerk, a maximum price set for Central Fire Station, and completed plans for the Police Station was somewhat tempered by the news that a longtime friend of Town government and volunteerism, James Banslaben, had passed away. The board offered heartfelt memories and was genuinely moved by the unexpected news.

Late fees and penalties due to the Town’s scheduling of Water & Sewer bills will not be abated, garbage is good, and child victims may gain an advocate.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will appoint a new Town Clerk at their next regular meeting at the Municipal Center. You are always invited to attend and participate.

If you do, you’ll learn of facility project updates, town finances, loans, garbage, grants and more. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 5:30pm in the Youth Services Meeting Room, located at 32 Walnut Street.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at 7:00pm in the community room at the Brattleboro Food Co-Op.

The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 8:00am in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.

Town offices are closed on Monday, October 10, 2016.

The Brattleboro Arts Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 11, 2016, 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will hold a special meeting on Friday, October 14, 2016 at 9:00am in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. This meeting is in addition to the regular meeting being held on October 11.

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

The next monthly meeting of the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will be held on Thursday, October 13^th at 6:00 PM at the Hayes Court Community Room on Garfield Drive.

After a review of the treasury report and recent chicken barbecue, members of the association will get and give updates on various topics including the status of the welcome letter initiative, the Neighborhoods Fund progress, and recent economic development which includes a report on BizUp and West B commercial spaces.

Notification of hearings to abutters, an ongoing issue, with be taken up at the Association’s meeting on November 10^th.

In observance of Columbus Day, all Town offices will be closed on Monday, October 10, 2016, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday, October 9 and 10, 2016. All other violations will be enforced.

Given a chance to make a statement in favor of Native People’s Day, the Brattleboro Selectboard decided 3-2 that there may be some reasonable opposition to the idea in the community and felt it would be better to have signatures be collected to put the matter before voters or Representative Town Meeting members at a later date. Next Monday officially remains Columbus Day in Brattleboro.

The selectboard also heard much about long term plans for the town, from the review of town operations to financial plans, plans for downtown studies, police and fire facility plans, and more.

Brattleboro’s Town Manager Peter Elwell has graciously agreed to a series of three interviews about himself, towns in general, and the future of Brattleboro. In this first installment, we ask about growing up in Brattleboro, his time away from Brattleboro, and his return to his home town.

Tell us about growing up in Brattleboro…

I had a happy “normal” childhood. So happy that no matter where else I ever lived, Brattleboro was always “home.” There were dozens of kids in my neighborhood (including my 3 older sisters) and we had friends all over town. We rode our bikes everywhere. Although it was the 1970s, it had the feel of an earlier era. In the summers and on weekends, we would leave home in the morning and go out and about, usually with just the admonition to “be back by dark.”

We played a lot of sports, usually in synch with whatever professional sports season was active at that time and only rarely organized by adults. On summer evenings, we played “cops and robbers” (a large scale game of hide+seek played by teams) throughout all the yards (and some of the garages) in our neighborhood. I walked to Green Street School and rode the bus to the junior high (now BAMS) and BUHS.

Those of us who were growing up here at that time definitely had a sense that the Town was changing, becoming more diverse and more artsy, but we were mostly focused on the things any other kids in other settings would focus on … school, friends, music, sports, etc.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be discussing things at their next regular meeting, They will discuss the Comprehensive Review of Town Operations. They will discuss the Long Range Financial Plan, the Windham Solid Waste District Assessment, the Police and Fire projects, and more.

They also might act to do a few things. They might proclaim Indigenous People’s Day. They will likely loan Cultural Intrigue $70,000, schedule a new process for evaluating Bittersweet Lane, and accept money for the planned dog park at Living Memorial Park.

You can attend, participate, and bring up other items not on the agenda. It’s at the Municipal Center on Tuesday, as usual.

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, October 3, 2016 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

that long-time Brattleboro Energy Coordinator Paul Cameron has resigned as is moving to North Carolina to be closer to family.

His work on climate protection and energy issues for the town over the years has been substantial, and the Energy Committee frequently cites his participation as essential.  The small amount allocated by Representative Town Meeting each year toward his work has reaped significant savings in energy costs, helping to keep property taxes down and efficiency up.

On top of that, he’s a really nice guy, too.  Definitely will be missed.

The Brattleboro Conservation Commission will meet on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at 5:15 PM in the Hanna Cosman Room at the Municipal Center.

Rita Johnson
Planning Clerk & E911 Coordinator
Town of Brattleboro
230 Main Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
planning@brattleboro.org

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, September 26, 2016 at 5:30pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. NOTE the new location for this meeting only.

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

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee is accepting applications for FY18 Human Services Funding. The Application, as well as Instructions and Guidelines, will be posted on the Brattleboro website – www.brattleboro.org. The deadline to submit applications to the Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office is Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 12:00pm.

The information session regarding human services funding is scheduled on Thursday, September 29, 2016 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. Applicants are encouraged to attend. For more information regarding the application process, contact Jan Anderson in the Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office at 802-251-8151.