The Brattleboro Selectboard will learn at their next meeting that their downtown safety decisions come with a substantial price tag – the starting cost is close to $800,000 per year for additional downtown policing.
The board will get an update on programs and news from Turning Point, and would like to again spend from the Community Safety Fund – this time to help pay for an “acceptable community conduct” campaign. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
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The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom. Prior to the regular meeting, at 5:15pm, the Board will convene and is expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss pending or probable civil litigation. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members. The backup materials for this meeting will be available on the town Website Brattleboro.gov/Selectboard by the end of today.
Jessica Sticklor (she/her/hers)
Executive Assistant
Town of Brattleboro
230 Main Street, Suite 208
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 251 – 8115
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BRATTLEBORO SELECTBOARD
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
EXECUTIVE SESSION – 5:15 PM
SELECTBOARD MEETING ROOM + ZOOM
REGULAR MEETING – 6:15 PM
The physical location for this meeting will be the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center
at 230 Main Street.
Selectboard Meeting materials can be found on the Town’s website, Brattleboro.gov/Selectboard.
If you join the meeting from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, please use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659
The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:
860 6789 2659
Passcode: 12261753
You also can call in using your telephone
by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States:
833-548-0282
877-853-5247
888-788-0099
833-548-0276
(*6 Mute/Unmute – *9 Raise Hand)
The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV:
On Cable TV: Channel 1079
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-1079-livestream
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv
AGENDA
(please note that all times are approximate)
1. CONVENE REGULAR MEETING (6:15 PM)
2. APPROVE MINUTES – September 3, 2024
3. CHAIR’S REMARKS
4. MANAGER’S COMMENTS
5. SELECTBOARD COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (6:25 PM)
7. CONSENT AGENDA (6:30 PM)
A. Municipal Energy Resilience Program Grant Application for Gibson Aiken Energy and Resiliency Improvements – Authorize $500,000 Grant Application
B. Broad Brook Wastewater Pump Repair – Ratify $35,174.20 Repair
C. Brattleboro Halloween Parade Permit Application – Approve
D. Hazard Mitigation Grant Applications – Approve
8. OLD BUSINESS (6:35 PM)
A. Acceptable Community Conduct Ordinance, Chapter 13 – Second Reading (6:35 PM)
9. NEW BUSINESS (7:20 PM)
A. Funding Downtown Safety Action Plan (7:20 PM)
B. Turning Point – Update and Initiatives (8:05 PM)
C. Consideration of an Acceptable Community Conduct Campaign (8:40 PM)
10. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants and Department Reports
11. MEETINGS
See Town Calendar
12. ADJOURNMENT (9:10 PM)
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MEMORANDUM
To: Selectboard
From: John Potter, Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: September 13, 2024
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The following will summarize the proposed motions for the regular Selectboard meeting on
Tuesday, September 17, 2024. The Board will convene the regular meeting at 6:15 pm in the
Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. All times listed below are approximate, and interested
parties should monitor the meeting if they do not want to miss an agenda item.
Join the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067892659
The “Meeting ID” for this meeting is:
860 6789 2659
Passcode: 12261753
You also can call in using your telephone
by dialing any of these toll-free numbers in the United States:
833-548-0282
877-853-5247
888-788-0099
833-548-0276
(use *6 to Mute/Unmute, *9 to raise Hand)
The meeting also will be carried live on BCTV:
On Cable TV: Channel 1079
Streaming Online: https://www.brattleborotv.org/channel-1079-livestream
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/brattleborotv
7. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Municipal Energy Resilience Program Grant Application for Gibson Aiken Energyand Resiliency Improvements – Authorize $500,000 Grant Application
B. Broad Brook Wastewater Pump Repair – Ratify $35,174.20 Repair
C. Brattleboro Halloween Parade Permit Application – Approve
D. Hazard Mitigation Grant Applications – Approve
In a memorandum dated September 5, 2024 Sustainability Coordinator Stephen Dotson discusses the Municipal Energy Resilience Program Grant, requests authorization to apply for a $500,000 grant, and discusses the proposed projects the Town would fund with this grant. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will authorize the Planning Services Department to apply to the State of Vermont’s Municipal Energy Resilience Program’s (MERP) Project Implementation Grant Program for the maximum amount ($500,000) to implement recommendations made in the MERP audit of the Gibson-Aiken Center.
In a memorandum dated September 6, 2024 Assistant Director of Public Works Pete Lynch discusses the recent failure of one of the pumps at the Broad Brook Wastewater Pump Station and the process to repair it. Because of the critical nature of the pump station, Public Works requested and received permission from the Town Manager to have the repairs made. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will ratify the decision to repair a wastewater pump at the Broad Brook Wastewater Pump Sation in the amount of $35,174.20 from the Utilities FY25 operating budget.
In a memorandum dated September 13, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the Brattleboro Recreation and Parks parade permit application for the Brattleboro Halloween Parade to be held on Thursday, October 31, 2024. The full width of the street will be closed for the parade. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve a parade permit for the Brattleboro Halloween Parade on Thursday, October 31, 2024 from 6:00pm to 6:15pm.
In a memorandum dated September 6, 2024 Zoning Coordinator Brian Bannon discusses five pre-applications for Hazard Mitigation Grants that the town is considering. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will support pre-application of five Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects including buyouts of 131 Williams Street at 234 Elliot Street.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS PRESENTED.
8. OLD BUSINESS
A. Acceptable Community Conduct Ordinance, Chapter 13 – Second Reading (6:35 PM)
In a memorandum dated September 13, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the changes made to the Brattleboro Corde of Ordinances, Chapter 13, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, Sections 13-400 – 13-440, Article IX Acceptable Community Conduct. This is a second reading. The Board is asked to consider and possibly adopt the changes to the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances, Chapter 13.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE CHANGES TO THE BRATTLEBORO CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 13, ARTICLE IX, ACCEPTABLE COMMUNITY CONDUCT, SECTION 13-400 THROUGH 13-440, AS PRESENTED.
9. NEW BUSINESS (4:35 pm)
A. Financing Downtown Safety Action Plan (7:20 PM)
In a memorandum dated September 9, 2024 Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland discusses funding the Downtown Safety Action Plan. This includes considerations for the costs related to the Brattleboro Response Assistance Team (BRAT), three additional patrol officers and a police substation.
POTENTIAL MOTION: MOVE TO DIRECT THE TOWN MANAGER TO CONTINUE IMPLEMENTING THE DOWNTOWN SAFETY ACTION PLAN AS PRESENTED WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $675,669 FOR THE EMERGENT UNBUDGETED EXPENDITURES IN FY25, AND WITH AN ESTIMATED $803,459 ADDED TO THE BASE BUDGET FOR FY26.
B. Turning Point – Update and Initiatives (8:05 PM)
In a memorandum dated September 13, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the update from Turning Point of Windham County. A representative from Turning Point will be in the meeting to provide an update and discuss their initiatives.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.
C. Consideration of an Acceptable Community Conduct Campaign (8:40 PM)
In a memorandum dated September 13, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the acceptable community conduct campaign and outlines several possible approaches.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO IMPLEMENT AN ACCEPTABLE COMMUNITY CONDUCT CAMPAIGN, AS PRESENTED BY FINDING WILLING PARTNERS WHO MAY LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AND USING UP TO $10,000 FROM THE COMMUNITY SAFETY FUND TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
