District 1 Q&A and WBA Meeting

On Thursday, March 12th at 7:00 PM, in the Hayes Court Community Room on Garfield Drive, the West
Brattleboro Association is hosting a Q&A session with District 1 Town Meeting members.  All residents, most especially District 1 residents, are invited. The hour-plus meeting will be facilitated by Orion Barber.

Immediately preceding the Q&A, at 6 PM in the same community room, the WBA will be holding its regular monthly meeting. The primary topic will be the pursuit of both Vermont and federal non-profit-hood.  If time permits, there will also be discussion of safety issues related to Marlboro Road traffic and to recent break-ins..


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Changes In Property Taxes, Budgets, Planning, Zoning, Parks…

The Selectboard has found a way, they think, to keep the municipal tax rate the same as last year. A new dog park is anticipated to join the skatepark at the top of Living Memorial Park. There’s a new financial and budget plan in the works for the town, and new zoning is also underway.

The press, however, abandoned this meeting when there were election results to chase, leaving the board to lament a total lack of reporting, other than BCTV, of important issues.

Read on for the full report of the over four hour meeting.


Town Meeting Day – Brattleboro Election Results 2015

Once again, the voters of the Town of Brattleboro have weighed in.  Since all of the candidates were running unopposed, they all won. Turnout was not listed but it appears to be just under 1000 voters.

On the ballot questions, there were four, numbered 2 through 5.  All of the ballot questions failed, including and notably, the 1% sales tax.  John Allen suggested at tonight’s Selectboard meeting that with this vote (nearly 2-1 against), the Selectboard might want to give the 1% LOST tax a rest for a while.

Outside the snow is falling and Brattleboro snow plows are plowing.  Just another night in the town that spring forgot…on Town Meeting Day 2015. Read on for links to full results and ballots.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – March 3, 2015

A new dog park for Brattleboro? It will be up for discussion at the next regular Tuesday meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard, to be held in the BCTV studios to make room for Election Day activities on the second floor of the Municipal Center.

The board will hear legal opinions on bonds and bids, hear about the new zoning ordinances being planned, continue with decisons relating to Pay As You Throw, and will discuss assessing penalties and/or suing Brattleboro businesses to collect the business license fees.

You can participate by attending in person, or you can watch on BCTV. We’ll have the full account here the day after.


Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market Seeks New Members

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is now accepting applications for new members to vend their products at the Saturday and/or midweek markets. The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is the region’s largest and oldest open-air market and supports local agriculture, prepared foods and crafts. The market features over 50 diverse vendors from the local area and attracts thousands of visitors annually.

The Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Market is a not-for-profit membership organization and welcomes applications from those who grow and/or create their own high-quality products, especially those working with local ingredients/materials to bring variety to the market’s offerings.


New Town Rep Candidates Badly Needed!

Alert! More candidates needed for Representative Town Meeting!

If you read the paper, you know that Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting is woefully short of candidates for the Town Election next week (Tuesday, March 3).

So we are putting out an appeal to all Town residents to consider running as write-in candidates for any uncontested (currently having NO candidates) seats at Representative Town Meeting.


Brattleboro Town Clerk Election Hours

The Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office will be open Saturday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon for early voting in Brattleboro’s Annual local elections. The Town Clerk’s office will be closed Tuesday, March 3 as staff will be conducting elections in the Municipal Center, room 212. Polling hours are 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: PAYT, Union Hill, Low Bids, And The End Of An Era

There will be no mailing of Selectboard concerns regarding the Charter change proposals. The media, it was deemed, will be enough of a loudspeaker for the board’s concerns.

Much of the upcoming Pay As You Throw system was voted into being, though the issue of who will be educating the public remains to be decided, while Moss Kahler and Waste Zero discuss the possibility working together.  

The Department of Public Works has a plan to save significant funds by doing the Union Hill intersection improvements in-house, a question of local-but-not-lowest bids delayed the awarding of a bid for a snack bar, and the calendar of events will no longer be read by the board.


Brattleboro Snow Removal Continues

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from Western Ave this evening. If they have enough time then they will work on Main St and the North Bridge Down.

Parked vehicles in the downtown area must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.


Brattleboro Snow Removal Tonight

The Town of Brattleboro would like to remind everyone that the snow emergency ban is in effect.

Snow and ice will be removed from the parking lots in the downtown area this evening.

Parked vehicles in the downtown parking lots must be removed by 10:30pm or they will be towed at the owner’s expense.


February Tax & Utility Payments Due in Brattleboro

The third installment of the 2014 Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on February 17th, 2015. Payments made after February 17th, 2015 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The utility billing is also due on February 17th, 2015. Payments made after February 17th, 2015 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.

The Treasurer’s Office will be closed on February 16, 2015 in observance of President’s Day.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – February 17, 2015

The Brattleboro Selectboard will take action on a number of issues related to the implementation of Pay As You Throw at their next regular Tuesday meeting. The decisions were delayed to this meeting in part to give the public time to weigh in.

The board will take up the matter of their special mailing to all residents in opposition to proposed Charter change amendments on the March ballot, learn about the Union Hill improvements at the Western Ave intersection, approve homeland security and terrorism prevention grants, and more.

You can attend in person at the Municipal Center, even participate in the meeting, or watch on BCTV and read about it here when it is over. If you are really ambitious, you can do all of those things.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting: Pay As You Throw

An abbreviated Brattleboro Selectboard had an extended special meeting to primarily discuss Pay As You Throw. Donna Macomber was absent, and David Schoales left midway through.

New information revealed that our new trash bags will be color coded (colors undisclosed) with drawstring enclosures at top.

Also new, that bags will be sold about town in packs of five or ten. A 5-pack of small, 15 gallon bags will cost, at $2 each, ten dollars. For the larger 32 gallon bags, a 5-pack will cost, at $3 each, fifteen dollars. Ten packs will then cost $20 and $30.

Individual bags will be sold at the Municipal Center and at the Gibson-Aiken Center.


Brattleboro Closures for Presidents’ Day

In observance of President’s Day, all Town offices will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2015, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday, February 15 and February 16. All other violations, including extended parking will be enforced.

Brooks Memorial Library will be closed on Sunday and Monday, February 15 and February 16, 2015.