Have you missed the town oversight of John Allen in the last week since the election? If so, you will be happy to see see his return this week as an appointee to the WWTP Oversight Committee. On Tuesday, at a public meeting you can attend and participate in at the Municipal Center on Main Street, Brattleboro's Selectboard will be making appointments and issuing licenses for liquor, tobacco, and entertainment.

The new board will also review the Rules of Conduct and monthly financial report, find out about the Google broadband contest, make a proclamation, assign members to read articles at Town Meeting, assign members to Town committees, and more.

If you'd like to speak about something that isn't on the agenda, it can be brought up during Public Participation. If you'd like to sit at home and watch, you can see what happens on BCTV.

Strolling of the Heifers has announced plans for the Farm, Food & Fiber Tour, on Sunday, June 6 as part of Strolling of the Heifers Weekend, and is looking for farms and other businesses to participate.

The Farm, Food & Fiber Tour is an expansion of the Farm Tour that Strolling has held in past years.

“This year we want to include not only farms open to the public, but also food processors and retailers of local foods,” said Raelene LaPlante, the tour’s coordinator.

Hi folks. Ken here from This Show is So Gay. I'm currently embarking on a fundraising challenge for AIDS/Lifecycle which brings together people from around the world to raise money to combat HIV/AIDS. I'm headed out there for the 2nd year this summer, and could not be more excited.

If you're in a position to do so, my fundraising goal is to get 500 people to donate $9 (not even $10) and it would mean a great deal to get the support of my local community.

Come experience the alchemy of music, movement & meditation on the Spring Equinox in the beautiful Marlboro Meetinghouse.

Kripalu YogaDance Instructor Kelly Salasin offers this afternoon of "Good Vibrations" to tap the energy of spring through our chakras.

Hi folks.

I strongly support PAYT. Many of my Brattleboro friends feel the same way.

What resonates most with me is that PAYT is a proven and effective community tool to increase recycling and reduce waste :)

Proven and Effective

The EPA website lays out a pretty good argument.

I'm wondering if anyone else, observing the current situation surrounding VT Yankee - Entergy, feels that the citizens of Vernon are exhibiting the symptoms of the "Stockholm symdrome" toward Entergy.

As defined by Wikipedia, "Stockholm syndrome is a term used to describe a paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express adulation and have positive feelings towards their captors that appear irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims."

Yes? No? Comments?

District 3 Reps:

You are my representation at Town Meeting. I am asking you to not support PAYT, nor any portion of it.

Recycling in this town is no where near a full enough program to make this feasible. Too many types of articles cannot be recycled. Lots of plastics- anything that stacks or cracks, as they say, goes in the dump. Pick up is every 2 weeks, making saving that much material a mess and if forgotten, a monstrous mound by the time a month's gone by.

A calendar that is updated weekly and focuses on live music happening within 1 hour of Brattleboro, VT.
You should probably call the venues to confirm before you drive anywhere!

NEWS: Miles Orgasmic (my band) @ Weathervane on Saturday w/ Patrick Coman opening

Friday, March 12:

Sunny Lowdown @ Adagios, Brattleboro, VT
Turn It Loose, 9:30pm, Colonels Cabin, Dummerston, VT, $5
Green Hornet, 9:30pm @ Nezbitts, Vernon, VT
Campfires with Clay & Aaron, 8pm @ Pleasant Valley Brewing, Saxtons River, VT
Northern Stone @ EF Lane, Keene, NH, $5

Oh, how I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in McConnell's underground lair when he got this missive:

"March 11, 2009

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Republican Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Leader McConnell:

I have a friend who needs a new place by the end of the month.

He's looking for a one person efficiency type apartment, low cost, close to downtown.

He's tried the Housing Trust and they have a 3 year waiting list for 1 and 2 person apartments.

Any ideas?

Live music by Mo Ambesa at the 4th annual Mudslide Madness Silent Auction and dessert cafe to benefit Green Valley School.

Friday, March 26, 6:00 - 9:30 PM. Putney Community Center, Christian Square, Downtown Putney.

Bid on treasures from surrounding communities, best area restaurants, unique crafts, body work, and more. All you can eat desserts, café, wine and mudslides.

Josh Werner, of Brattleboro, died on Tuesday, March 9.

When people die, sometimes people make an effort to only say good things about them, about what is like to be in their company.

For, Josh, no effort to select good memories needs to be made in this regard. Josh worked in Natalie Blakes' studio, where my wife Cynthia works. I used to hang around the studio longer than I would have somedays, when Cynthia wasn't there, just to laugh with Josh. Josh always offered good cheer and friendship.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will have a special meeting on Monday, March 15, 2010 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Room at the Municipal Center, 230 Main Street. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the FY11 Utility Budget.

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center, 230 Main Street. The agenda will be sent out under separate email.

Town Manager's Office
802.251.8100
802.257.2322, fax

Here's how I understand it. A line item in the Brattleboro town budget has been entered stating that the town of Brattleboro will adopt the pay as you throw system. For those of you not paying attention that would mean that for every bag of garbage you put by the curbside you would pay $2.00 per bag – which of course you’ll need to buy ahead of time in lots of 10 or 20. As opposed the "free/included in your astronomical property taxes" curbside pick-up you receive now. You would need to purchase these bags at some predetermined pickup point and use only those bags.

This system has been examined and actually voted down once. But our town select board (well, to be fair only three of them) have decided that they want it in the budget and they want it passed. If the budget passes, then pay as you throw passes. I have to say I'm not a fan. I pay what I consider to be an exorbitant tax rate and one of the things I enjoy for my money is dragging my stinky garbage to the curb ever Sunday night then taking my empty trash can back to it's rightful spot on my property. And I enjoy because don’t have to seek out a special trash bag and I don't have to pay $2.00 for that bag.