Opinion

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iBrattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Jessica Gelter

by cgrotke | Politics

Jessica Gelter is an incumbent running for a one year seat.

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Tell us a bit about yourself and why you are running for a one year seat…

I’m a nonprofit business leader, a townie, an artist, and a mom. I’m running again because the work that fired me up and inspired me to run last year is still underway, and I would like to be accountable and follow through on some of the decisions I helped make last year, like hiring new town manager Yoshi Manale.

What did you think of your first budget season?  Enjoy the overview of Town Operations?

I keep saying, it felt like a love fest! It was really surprising. Peter and the staff handed us a budget that was really easy to understand and say yes to, with some minor tweaks and alterations to make sure the tax rate didn’t jump up significantly again. I certainly learned a lot about the various functions of the Town departments, and all the equipment we own!

iBrattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Tim Wessel

by cgrotke | Politics
Tim Wessel

Tim Wessel is an incumbent running for a one year seat.

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Is there anything special you are still trying to accomplish? Why keep doing this?

As you know I’ve been on the board for five years, and I do feel I’ve been on the board long enough and have accomplished much in that time. I’ve decided to continue for another year for two reasons: 1. I saw no one who I thought was capable stepping up as a candidate, and 2. I think it will be good for Brattleboro to have some consistency as our new Town Manager Yoshi Manale gets settled into his role with consistent board leadership. I’m also interested in continuing efforts around housing in Brattleboro and have an influence in the ARPA funds conversation going forward.

RTM increased compensation to make it easier for more people to serve, yet you are running unopposed. Did RTM make a mistake? Increasing compensation did not increase candidates…

I think RTM did make a mistake, and I said so at the time. More money does not equal a better Selectboard. Of course, one year does not close the debate on this, but one does have to wonder what impact effectively doubling the compensation has had. It is appreciated by the sitting board of course, and did influence my decision to continue this year. 

iBrattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Daniel Quipp

by cgrotke | Politics

Daniel Quipp is an incumbent running for a three year seat.

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you are running for a three year seat…

Hello iBrattleboro! I’ve been on the board for the last three years and have decided to take the plunge for the 3-year seat. I’m proud of the work we have done in the last three years and am up for the challenge of the next three. Hopefully we’ll finally move out of the pandemic and into a period of recovery for all people. There are many opportunities ahead and with a new town manager at the helm, I’m excited to see what we can accomplish for the good of the town.

RTM increased compensation to make it easier for more people to serve, yet you are running unopposed. Did RTM make a mistake? Increasing compensation did not increase candidates…

Running unopposed certainly feels quite strange. In my previous three elections I think the smallest field was four candidates vying for two seats. Whether the lack of candidates is related to compensation, I cannot say. The $8000 stipend did not really figure in my decision to run again. I think the work of being on the board for the last two years might not have looked super appealing and with all of the incumbents choosing to run again perhaps potential candidates decided to wait until next year? 

2022 Brattleboro Election Information

by cgrotke | Politics

We sent out interviews to all the Selectboard candidates, as we always do, almost a month ago. None have returned them yet. (Why bother when there is no competition, eh?)

We sent out interview questions to candidates for Representative Town Meeting Moderator.  David Gartenstein returned his and you can find it here. (Update:) Kurt Daims’ answers are here.

Brattleboro Election Information for March 1 Voting

by Not Signed In | Politics

Below is information that might be helpful to know for March 1st local elections. The Windham Southeast School District vote will be held in addition to the Annual Town Meeting Day elections.

The polling places for all three districts in Brattleboro is the American Legion, 32 Linden St., from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm.

Due to COVID-19, CDC approved masks will be required (and provided if needed) to enter the American Legion for voting, and hand sanitizer or gloves will also be provided. If you are unable to wear a mask and did not vote absentee, there will be a space outdoors for you to vote. Due to social distancing and reduced capacity indoors, please be prepared for potential wait times.

Super Bowl USA Murders Afghani Children Stealing Their Food Money After 20 Year Defeat by Taliban Gov.

by jay janson | Op/Ed

Before kick off at the Super Bowl, a moment of silence for the Afghani children that have been starved to death by the American government impounding their food money would have been appropriate. It would have shown that Americans care and wish their government would unfreeze the more than 9 $billion so Afghani children can be fed and go on living. Some US Congressmen and women spoken out.

Brattleboro Absentee Ballots Available for Town & School Elections

by Not Signed In | Politics

Absentee ballots for the Brattleboro Annual Town Meeting and Windham Southeast School District vote to be held March 1, are now available. Due to the pandemic, voters are encouraged to vote absentee.  Absentee ballots for these two elections must be requested. Anyone wishing to vote absentee may apply for an absentee ballot until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 28, although we recommend doing so as soon as possible for mail time purposes.

Absentee ballots may be mailed to the voter by the Clerk’s office, picked up by the voter, or if a voter is in need can be delivered outside of the voter’s location by two Justices of the Peace.  All voted ballots must be received by the Clerk before the polls close on election day in order to be counted.  For more information or to request an absentee ballot call 251-8157.

Finding Common Ground

by Lise | Op/Ed, Opinion

My father was always conservative. Although never a registered Republican — he preferred to see himself as an Independent — his views were decidedly to the right. For my part, I too saw myself as independent but took the opposite road politically, becoming what he would call “a liberal.” Consequently, we rarely saw eye to eye about political matters, although it never came to blows.

But somewhere in the early 21st century, my dad retired from his job and began to have more time on his hands. Having moved to rural Rhode Island and having no friends in the area or work to keep him occupied, he acquired the unfortunate habit of listening to talk radio. Rush Limbaugh was his favorite show. As a frequent visitor to the new family homestead, I became the target of his right-wing ire. After all, it’s no fun being angry if you have no one to attack over it.

IFOs – Identified Flying Objects

by tomaidh | Op/Ed

Identified Flying Objects

I spent much of yesterday devouring UFO stuff. In this morning’s reverie, it all came together.

Why have governments devoted enormous resources to denying their existence?

• They are afraid that we’d “panic”. Yeah, right!

iBrattleboro Representative Town Meeting Moderator Interview – David Gartenstein

by cgrotke | Politics

David Gartenstein is running for Moderator for Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting.

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Tell us about yourself and why you’d like to be Moderator of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting.

I’d like to serve the public good by moderating Town Meeting in a way that is fair to all, with governing procedures followed, all persons having a chance to engage, and decisions made after full debate and consideration of all available information.  

No Challengers For Brattleboro Selectboard

by cgrotke | Politics

Everyone in Brattleboro who planned on running for Selectboard has returned petitions to the Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office. The big surprise this year? No surprises at all. All the names are familiar incumbents.

Daniel Quipp will run for a three year seat. Jessica Gelter and Tim Wessel will run for one year seats.

How To Unify The Country

by Lise | Politics

When divisions reign between the people, and there are sides, and each side hates the other, things can get very heated.  Consider the old truism that the worst feuds are family feuds.  Well, here in America, we used to be Americans but now we’re Good Americans and Bad Americans, and, if news media is any indication, we despise each other.  Moreover, we have had four straight years of this hatred.  I lived through the entire 1960s, but even during that similarly divided time, I never feared for the Republic.  Today, people are evoking the Civil War as a comparable period. 

Now cynics know that America’s current division does not have to lead to civil strife.  Our hatred for each other could be united into hatred for a third party somewhere else — a Russia, for instance, which Americans are accustomed to hating from at least the time of the Bolshevik Revolution, if not before.

Brattleboro Candidate Petitions Due

by Not Signed In | Politics

The Brattleboro Town Clerk’s office would like to remind those interested in running for Brattleboro Town Officers, Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Board Members, and Town Meeting Members, that Consent of Candidate forms are available at our office. Please call or email our office to request the form. Due to the pandemic, petition requirements were recently waived for candidates to have their names placed on the ballots for this election. Town elections will be Tuesday, March 1 at the American Legion – 32 Linden Street, and the Annual Representative Town Meeting , Saturday, March 19, location and format will be announced at a later date. Consent of Candidate forms must be filed in the clerk’s office no later than 5:00 P.M. on Monday, January 24 in order to have their name placed on the ballot.

If USA Were Reminded of 1967 Headlines! King Calls U.S.“Greatest Purveyor Of Violence In The World”

by jay janson | Op/Ed

If, during the three day Martin Luther King birthday holiday, a world attention getting source, for example, a Chinese government spokesperson, would point out that the government of the United States of America was condemned as the most violent in the world by America’s own idol, this writer believes it would be a sensation, and a most difficult moment for the U.S. government and America’s wars supporting mainstream media.

“What If It Was Your Family Starving To Death?” UN World Food Program Director Asked Musk and Bezo

by jay janson | Op/Ed

“Our lives are now shaped by the pursuits, products and priorities of the world’s wealthiest people.” … “Like it or not, we are now in Musk’s world.”

TIME Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief

TIME Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief in his explanation of why Elon Musk was chosen as TIME’s 2021 Person of the Year mentions quite insightfully that to Musk

“steering capital allocation away from the government to those who will be good stewards of it, is progress.

Robert’s Rules of Order: A primer for Representative Town Meeting (RTM)

by Not Signed In | Politics

Robert’s Rules is the most widely used set of parliamentary procedures in the United States. It
offers a fair and structured method of decision-making in diverse organizations of all sizes.
Andy Davis is an educator who joined RTM in 2009. Andy will review the basics of how Robert’s
Rules function in Brattleboro’s annual Representative Town Meeting and understanding these
basics will help members of RTM to participate effectively. This session is open to all, including
past present and future “town reps”.

No USA Christmas Charity for Afghani Venezuelans Cubans Syrians Iranians North Koreans

by jay janson | Op/Ed

This Christmas season, as always, CIA controlled mainstream media is filled with unctuous images of the hungry homeless in America being charitably served food by private citizens and institutions. It has long become an American tradition of kindness during the season celebrating the birth of all loving Jesus along with gift giving Santa Claus, and along with the encouragement and participation of churches, this tradition often receives government support .

The Christmas time Christian tradition of charitable feeding of the hungry homeless in capitalist USA never extends to include those millions of men, women and children made hungry by heartless US sanctions on countries overseas. The hard hearted Deep State investors in war of the Military Industrial Complex would never allow any of its captive US presidents to be gracious to the hungry in sanctioned nations at Christmas time.

The Campaign Season Has Begun

by RDavis | Op/Ed

When Senator Patrick Leahy announced his retirement recently he set off a political chain of events that marked the start of the campaign season. Leahy served almost 50 years in the Senate and he proved to be one of Vermont’s best political assets.

Rep. Peter Welch has served Vermont in Washington since 2007. He is the heir apparent to Leahy’s seat. There will be contenders for the office but it is clear that Welch will be the frontrunner and the person most prepared to represent Vermont in the Senate.

20 Years Unable to Defeat Taliban Now USA Freezes Afghanistan’s $9B Bank Deposits Causing Starvation

by jay janson | Op/Ed

In freezing Afghanistan’s money the government of the United States of America is committing genocide in Afghanistan and trying to have its CIA controlled Western media portray those dying as the fault of the Taliban government, which the US 2001 invasion overthrew but which easily and quickly reinstated itself when the American military withdrew 20 years later in August of 2021.

Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. The Afghan central bank had $9.4 billion in reserve assets as of April, according to the International Monetary Fund, which is equivalent to about a third of the country’s yearly economic output.