Town News

For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.

Brattleboro VTrans Paving Project Construction Update 7/25/2025

by Not Signed In | Town News

Nighttime single-lane closures will be in place Sunday night through Friday morning from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Work will continue on U.S. Route 5 (Canal Street), Vermont Route 9 (Western Avenue and High Street), and begin on U.S. Route 5 (Main Street). Flaggers will be present to direct one-way alternating traffic through the work zones. Parking restrictions will be enforced during working hours. Motorcyclists should watch for grooved and uneven surfaces and all motorists should be aware of raised utility structures in the travel lanes and shoulders.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Summer Is Fines & The Living is Fee-zy

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard july 22 2025

The second regular meeting of July for the Brattleboro Selectboard was focused on properties. How much should we fine owners of vacant properties, can we ask the pesky, service-sucking non-profits in town to cough up some cold hard cash every quarter, and how much should we raise water and sewer rates?  

The former Home Depot building eyesore, however, is exempt and not vacant according to the way the Town wrote the ordinance. And some questioned why the Town RTM would give money, then ask for it back.

And, there was more discussion of Henry George at a public meeting than there has been in perhaps over a century. : )

Brattleboro Parking Enforcement Office to Close July 30-31, Reopen in Municipal Center Aug. 1

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Parking Enforcement Office will be temporarily relocating this summer from the Transportation Center to the Brattleboro Municipal Center to make way for renovations.

The Parking Enforcement Office will be closed on Wednesday, July 30 and Thursday, July 31, 2025. During this time, the public will not be able to make transactions at the window. Online payment for parking fees will still be available at Brattleboro.gov, and travel permits will be available to purchase at the Brattleboro Police Station at 62 Black Mountain Road, #101.

Brattleboro VTrans Paving Project Construction Update 7/18/2025

by Not Signed In | Town News

Nighttime single-lane closures will be in place Monday night through Friday morning from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Work will begin on Vermont Route 9 (Western Avenue and High Street) and continue on Vermont Route 142 (Vernon Street) through U.S. Route 5 (Canal Street) toward the Exit 1 Interstate 91 interchange. Flaggers will be present to direct one-way alternating traffic through the work zones. Motorcycles should watch for grooved and uneven surfaces.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda & Notes – July 22, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Town would like to increase pressure on tax exempt properties to pay some taxes. The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear about options at their next regular meeting.

They’ll also hear from Green Mountain Power about the Ames Hill project, they’ll vote to increase water & sewer rates, they’ll get a report on May finances (yes, May,) will adopt fees for vacant building violations, and will hear a quarterly report from the Fire Department, and will listen to other items not on the agenda that you bring up during public participation.

Elliot Street Closure

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Utilities Division will continue with a sewer line repair project on Elliot Street, Monday, July 21, through Wednesday, July 23. Elliot Street will be closed between the entrance to Harmony Lot and Church Street between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm. 

The Transportation Center’s Elliot Street Entrance will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, and the Flat Street entrance will remain open. All pedestrian access to the parking Garage will remain open throughout the project. The Harmony Parking Lot will remain open and on-street parking will be limited during this work. 

Whetstone Pathway to Close for Resealing

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Department of Public Works announces that the Whetstone Pathway, located adjacent to the Brattleboro Food CoOp and along the Whetstone Brook corridor, will be temporarily closed from Monday, July 21 through Wednesday, July 23, 2025. This brief closure will allow crews to complete necessary resealing work aimed at improving safety, accessibility, and pathway longevity.

Brattleboro Selectboard  Special Meeting – Tri-Park

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom.

The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required passcode. Please note that the Zoom credentials have changed as of this meeting. 

Brattleboro Property Taxes and Utility Bills Due August 15, 2025

by Not Signed In | Town News

The first installment of the 2025 Brattleboro Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due by 5 p.m. on August 15, 2025. Payments made after August 15, 2025, 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 August 15, 2025. Payments made after August 15, 2025, will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

Town Charter Revision Commission & Open Town Meeting

by RobertOeser | Town News

The next Charter Revision Commission [1] will meet Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and also on Zoom (the agenda [2] contains the Zoom link) Meetings are also being planned for August.

As you may be aware the Charter Revision Commission is recommending that the Brattleboro form of government be changed from Representative Town Meeting (RTM) to Open Town Meeting (OTM). A survey, the results of which are available online with percentages [3] show a preference for OTM [173 to 84].

At its June 4, 2025 meeting, the Commission voted 6-0 to approve a motion “that the Commission is committed to developing a plan to replace Representative Town Meeting with a system that would include an Open Town Meeting.”

Brattleboro VTrans Paving Project Construction Update 7/11/2025

by Not Signed In | Town News

Nighttime single-lane closures will be in place Monday, July 14th through Friday morning from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Work will begin on Vermont Route 142 (Vernon Street) and continue on U.S. Route 5 (Canal Street) toward the Exit 1 Interstate 91 interchange. Flaggers will be present to direct one-way alternating traffic through the work zone. Motorcycles should watch for grooved and uneven surfaces.

PARKING IMPACTS:

Street side parking will be unavailable on Canal Street from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday night through Friday morning. Please see the infographic below for locations on parking restrictions and alternative lots available. For more information regarding rates and hours visit https://brattleboro.gov/parking.

Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 7:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room and over Zoom.

The Charter Revision Commission will meet on Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and over Zoom.

Church Street Closure

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Utilities Division will be continuing work replacing a sewer line on Church Street on Monday, July 14 and Tuesday, July 15.  Church Street will be closed from 6:00am to 5:00pm for this replacement.  There will be no parking on Church Street during this time and motorists should plan alternative routes .  

Brattleboro Press Release – Overgrown Vegetation

by Not Signed In | Town News

Please be advised. Property owners are responsible for trimming and maintaining vegetation on their property if it may interfere with the public right of way. Overgrown vegetation creates an unsafe situation for pedestrians who may have to walk in the roadway to get by. It also impacts the sight distance for vehicular traffic. Please inspect and trim your vegetation accordingly. The town ordinance reads as follows:

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Bridge Over Troubled Island, Charter Changes

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard july 8 2025

The Brattleboro Selectboard learned what the Brattleboro Charter Commission has been working on regarding the form of town governance and other possible changes to the Charter. The Commission has put over two years of work into this and the Chair seemed quite interested in being able to edit whatever they present, such as the form of town government, when it comes before the board again in September.

The next big discussion was about the old Hinsdale bridges. Hinsdale sent some semi-unanticipated reps to read Brattleboro the riot act. They seemed to take special glee in pointing out just how terrible Brattleboro’s problems are, and wanted to know if the town would agree that the bridges should be destroyed or sold.  A split vote at the end of the discussion means Brattleboro does not surrender in the battle

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – July 8, 2025

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard starts July with a big meeting on the 8th. They’ll spend almost a half million dollars on DPW vehicles, authorize tax collectors going after local businesses, pay for a new $476k retaining wall, and that’s just in the consent agenda. (They’ll also retroactively consider a parade permit – if it fails, do the participants need to march backwards?)

Once the meeting gets going in full, the board will hear from the Charter Revision Commission, receive an update on the old Hinsdale bridges, set a property tax rate of $1.5835 per $100, hear about increases to water and sewer rates, spend over $500k on space for police and bathrooms downtown, and more.

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