Brattleboro Committee and Board Vacancies

The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:

Agricultural Advisory Board
BASIC (Brattleboro Area Skatepark is Coming) – must be Brattleboro resident
Conservation Commission
Development Review Board
Development Review Board Alternate
Energy Committee


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Much Ado About Money

Brattleboro’s municipal budget, and how to pay for it, was the focus of the first regular meeting of the selectboard in 2015. Very few decisions were made – that’s being saved for their next meeting – but issues were discussed in detail and a few Town Meeting Representatives even joined in the debate.

Property taxes appear to be going up, the 1% Local Option Sales tax may or may not be re-voted, a decision on the Futures Committee has been put off until the future, and the town has a long list of necessary improvements to do.

Board members held differing views on when the public and representatives should be consulted via votes or discussions, and which issues should be reconsidered. 


Brattleboro Department of Public Works Tree Trimming

Weather permitting; the Department of Public Works crews will be working with a contractor to remove low hanging branches that pose a danger to vehicular traffic on several streets around town on January 12th and 13th. DPW personnel will continue trimming throughout the rest of the week as needed.

If you have any questions, please contact Hannah O’Connell, Town of Brattleboro Highway / Utility Superintendent at (802) 254 – 4255.


Town of Brattleboro
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
211 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
Tel: 802-254-4255 • Fax: 802-257-2316 • E-mail: brattdpw@sover.net


At the River Garden: “New England Through the Eyes of an Artist”

During January, the Gallery at the Garden features an exhibit entitled “New England Through the Eyes of an Artist,” presenting original watercolor paintings by Jane May Jones, with subjects ranging from fall in Vermont to summer on Cape Cod and everything in between.

The Gallery at the Garden is located at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden, home of Strolling of the Heifers, at 157 Main Street in Brattleboro. The show opens Friday evening, Jan. 2, with the gallery open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and continues through January 30.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 6, 2015

The Brattleboro Selectboard will discuss tax increases resulting from revised FY16 budget number at their first regular meeting of 2015. The increases come from the board’s recent decision to again try to get taxpayers to pay for the full Police-Fire facilities project. Money discussions will also include tapping the unassigned fund balance, necessary improvements required at the Municipal Center, and trying once again to pass a 1% local options sales tax.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant project might be completed in 2015. The board will receive an update on the project, learn more about the Windham Solid Waste Management District FY16 budget, and discuss charter change amendments that shift some deadlines, allow early ballots to be counted mechanically, and create a Futures Committee for Representative Town Meeting members.

You can participate, and bring up other items not already on the agenda during Public Participation if you so choose. Watch on BCTV, and read about it here after the meeting.


Petitions for Brattleboro Town and Town School District Officers and Town Meeting Members Now Available

Petitions for Brattleboro Town and Town School District Officers and Town Meeting Members are now available at the Town Clerk’s office.  Town elections will be Tuesday, March 3, in  the Selectboard Meeting Room of the Municipal Center and the Annual Representatives Town Meeting, Saturday, March 21, in the BAMS multi-purpose room.
 
Petitions for Town Officers must contain at least 30 valid signatures of registered Brattleboro voters and be filed in the clerk’s office no later than 5:00 P.M. on Monday, January 26 in order to have their name placed on the ballot.
 
Candidates for Town Meeting Member must file a nomination petition with at least 10 valid signatures of voters from the district where the candidate lives.  Petitions of new candidates must be filed no later than 5:00 P.M. on Monday, January 26 (same date as Town Officer petitions).  Incumbents for Town Meeting Member must return their Notice of Intent form no later than 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, January 20.


Brattleboro New Year’s Day Schedule

In observance of New Year’s Day, all Brattleboro Town offices will be closed on Thursday, January 1, 2015, with the exception of emergency services. Offices will be open regular hours on Wednesday, December 31, and Friday, January 2.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Thursday, January 1.All other violations, including extended parking, will be enforced.


Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at 7:00am in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at approximately 9:00am to discuss the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee.

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


Brattleboro Christmas Holiday Schedule

In observance of the Christmas holiday, all Brattleboro Town offices will close at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, December 24, and will be closed all day Thursday, December 25, 2014, with the exception of emergency services. The offices will resume normal hours on Friday, December 26.

Brooks Memorial Library will close at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, December 24 and will be closed on Thursday, December 25. It will resume normal hours on Friday, December 26.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: FY16 Budget Tossed; Taxpayers To Be Asked To Pay For Full Plan F

The Brattleboro Selectboard snatched defeat from the jaws of victory at Tuesday’s long, final regular meeting of the year. With a vote of 3-2, the board threw away their carefully-crafted and quite palatable FY16 budget that featured no cuts to services and no significant tax increase.

Instead, the split decision was to endorse going forward with all three Police and Fire facilites immediately, and to ask for a new budget that would include payments to do the full scope of work, potentially adding a significant amount to property taxes.  This sends the board back into budget meetings, and the spectre of service cuts and tax increases is now again on the horizon.

In other news,  a list of capital improvements that were to be added back in to the budget had to be sidelined, Brattleboro pays a somewhat arbitrary rate for solid waste removal, the board endorsed the use of the higher-priced bag system for PAYT, and a new union is recognized for town employees.

Sorry for the delay. I had this almost finished last night and the power went out.


Bridge of the Year

Roads & Bridges’ Top 10 Bridge awards, created in 2000, recognize the top projects in North America. Each year, nominations are submitted to the R&B editorial staff, which determines the Top 10 list based on project challenges, impact to region and scope of work.

In 2014 the top bridge chosen by Roads and Bridges is the I-91 bridge in Brattleboro over the West River.

You can read the article here on Roads and Bridge’s web site.

Roads and Bridges also made a site visit earlier in the year and produced a video that you can watch here.


WBA Names Daleys Community Leaders Of Year At Annual Holiday Party

The West Brattleboro Association (WBA) announced the Community Leader of the Year recipients during its annual Holiday Party on Thursday, December 11, at The New England House. The winners of this 4th annual award are Bill and Judy Daley, owners of the Vermont Country Deli as well as the associated, brand new Market next door.

After living for ten years in Central Vermont, the Daleys came to Brattleboro to purchase the ever-popular delicatessen in 2007. Bill grew up in Cleveland and met Judy, who grew up in Brattleboro, at Miami University (Ohio). She is the daughter of Sylvia and (the late) John Hunter who was president of the Vermont National Bank. Since buying the deli seven years ago, together the Daleys have made it thrive even more, adding many features including a quick-stop facility with extra parking next door.  The new market is in the process of becoming an official Vermont Ambassador Welcome Center, and will be adding an ATM in January. Both Bill and Judy work full time in their Deli.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – December 14, 2014

The Brattleboro Selectboard will receive their first official report on possible police facility locations at their final regular meeting of the year. You can attend in person at the Municipal Center, or watch on BCTV.

If you do, you can join talk of additions to the FY16 budget in the form of capital improvements and expenses, a discussion of the Windham Solid Waste District budget, a continued debate on a motion to incorporate life cycle costs considerations for town capital projects, an update from the Pay As You Throw Committee, a request by the Stroll for a permit for their June parade, and wishing a happy retirement to a long-time children’s librarian.

All this and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.


Brattleboro Pay-As-You-Throw Advisory Committee/Working Group Meeting Agenda

The Brattleboro Pay-As-You-Throw Committee (PAYT) will meet on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.  The Committee will then meet jointly with the Selectboard starting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

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