Comments | 4

  • Submitted by cgrotke on October 15, 2024 at 6:30 pm

    Preliminaries

    Knock knock. Who’s there on time? Not the Selectboard… (they start late again).

    6:20

    Chair Daniel Quipp – and then we’ll get started. Where is my… okay, zoom screen ready? I can see that it isn’t. BCTV will be with you in a minute. Nice. Alright.

    Quipp – reminder about rules with this meeting. Raise your hand to be recognized, state your name and where you are from, you can have up to 3 minutes. I would urge civility, and that means listening to one another. That goes for all of us. That’s about it. I saw downtown. There was an impromptu brass band and people handing out clothing and other basic needs. It was a nice positive environment that felt very Brattleboro.

    Town Manager John Potter – there will be a DPW Open House on Oct 19. Tomorrow on Wednesday there is a syringe cleanup day at 29 Flat Street at noon to 2 pm. Learn how and do some clean-up. Human Services Review applications due next Wed by 5pm. Gibson Aiken will be open for afterschool and evening events soon. The skating rink opens Oct 26th. If you haven’t received a ballot contact the Town Clerk. Vote, then return your ballot before 7pm on Nov 5th. …vote American Legion from 7am to 7 pm on Election day.

    Peter Case – we lost Annie Richards – a delightful person. No one championed the community more than she.

    Franz Reichsman – I’m leaving town – so no office hours this week. Back next week.

    Public –

    Dick Degray – I’d ask you to consider moving the Nov 5th meeting since it is a big election day and you have a big first showing of the budget. Maybe move it to Wednesday or Monday?

    Daniel – we’ve been considering it, but not planning it.

    Starr LaTronica – I want to remind everyone that it is the Brattleboro Literary Festival this weekend – over 40 authors and it is all free. I hope everyone turns out. Also, a day of action, to oppose book bans. Take you picture with a favorite banned book.

    Liz McCloughlin – I went to the Lit Fest schedule and picked out lots of things to do.

  • Submitted by cgrotke on October 15, 2024 at 6:32 pm

    Consent Agenda

    A. Use of Global Warming Solutions Fund for Chevrolet EV Purchase

    B. Houle’s Wine LLC First and Second Class Liquor License – Approve

    C. Heart Rose Club First and Third Class Liquor License and Outside Consumption Renewal – Approve

    D. Center for Technical and Civic Life Grant – Ratify Acceptance of $10,000 Grant

    E. Blue Cross Blue Shield CY25 Medical Plan Renewal – Approve

    F. Capital Project Grant Funding for Public Libraries – Ratify Town Manager’s Acceptance of $1,650,073.50 Grant

    G. FY25 Fuel Oil – Ratify $2.6275/Gallon Bid

    H. Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired Parade Permit – Ratify

    I. VBike Gallery Walk Parade Permit – Ratify

    Consent is decreed throughout the land!

  • Submitted by cgrotke on October 15, 2024 at 7:02 pm

    Human Services Review Committee

    Quipp – the Human Services update. David, come to the table…

    David Miner, the Chair of the Human Services Review Committee (plus other members of the committee – ?, Tara O., Sara T.) come up.

    Quipp this is a committee of RTM and have been invited to talk about their process.

    David Miner – we wanted to give some background about what we’ve done over the years and how we’ve gotten here today. Our application guidance and instructions and process and procedures is given to applicants. The grant locations are a longstanding tradition – food and finial security, homes, substance abuse, harm reduction, child, LGBTQ, immigrant support and safety. The objective was to allow a committee to review applications and recommend to RTM suggestions at RTM. Last year we had 900 pages to read and discussed over 30 hours. RTM usually accepts the recommendations without debate. Happy to invite anyone to join who is interested. Happy to have you on board. Applications are due next week then we’ll hit the ground running. It is an open committee. If you are interested, voice your interest. Our funding history – 10 years ago we allocated $120k to 21 organization. 5 Years ago 190k to 26 orgs. For 2022, RTM implemented a 1.4% grant limit – a welcome change. That first year we provided 33 grants to $260k+. Two years later we granted 36 grants $280k. This year we have a 2% allocation. WE did grant 38 applications for $367k. We can use up to the 2%. We rely on the applications and provide grants based on the requests. Each application is reviewed. Last year allocation – with 53% went to drugs, mental health and housing … children… 9% food,… applicants cover each of those areas. A non profit with or without official status that supplies human services to the town can apply. May ask for general operating expenses or a project. Will be given out in one lump sum. WE focus on the services are provided to Brattleboro residents. Committee can deny any application that doesn’t meet criteria. They get read and scored based on string fiscal management, impacting the population, monitoring needs, to what degree is this for Brattleboro. We are responsible to the voters of Brattleboro. WE have 8 people on the committee this year. We’ll begin to review applications a week after the deadline. You must meet the deadline. Wed Oct 23 at 5 pm. Applicants can request to meet with the committee.

    Quipp – thanks. No motion – just information. Questions?

    Liz – thanks for your work. It is a benefit to the town as a whole. Have to be in RTM to be on the committee?

    David – no – but from Brattleboro.

    Franz – I don’t understand the limits of the questioning.

    Quipp – I attended the first meeting and you were already putting thoughtful work into the process . It is a lot of work, and you have nearly half a million dollars to work with. Some things I’m curious about – what’s your goal? Thought on how to make the most impact with the money ?

    David – we outlined our goals – we rely on the organizations that apply to identify the populations and the need. The food banks – some will focus on total population, and some focus on different population groups in the community. We are looking for groups that have identified a need and how they provide that service. It is somewhat reactionary, but I think that the needs of the tow are being served and served by a number of different organizations. It’s overall … we ave 8 members and the members of the committee all have different interests and focus, so as we review the applications, we get not one the opinions and focus of the applicant but also the committee. We make decisions together.

    Quipp – how to be most impactful?

    David – to identify need. The organizations are identifying the need. We are hitting a cross section of the community and I think it is important we don’t simply define as a committee the one area we think we need to serve. That’s operating with blinders on. WE need to have an open mind to what we are seeing and what is proposed.

    Richard Davis – I appreciate the level of accountablity of the applicants – it is a great model of how to use taxpayer’s money.

    Franz – by having so many recipients is the effect diluted? Have you had discussion on this? Fewer larger grants?

    David – if you look at who is applying, they are making impacts through different sectors. If we focus on something, you are getting us to make a decision about the needs of the community. I probably couldn’t guess. That’s the value of what we do. If you look at the $120k we gave years ago, it was a pittance. Now, we can make meaningful contributions to a number of organizations. WE don’t supply 100% of the budget to any organization. We ask what other funding sources they have. It is interesting to see what they have found. Not all going down the same rabbit hole.

    Sara – the ask about the degree to which organizations collaborate with one another. That’s something we consider. And is the committee chose what to focus on, that would be setting policy. That’s your job, or RTM. Some organizations deal with the big issues in town – $400k on one or two organizations would leave a lot of others out in the cold. This is the bare minimum to be giving to these organizations. If that’s a concern, then that is a question for budgeting season.

    Quipp – we’ll write the warning for RTM and we can put a question on it about what is the appropriate level of funding. Are there other questions that should be asked?

    David – we’ll have a better sense of what our needs are after we see applications.

    Quipp – if you have a question for RTM we can put it on the warning for you.

    Degray – thanks. I remember when this fell under the purview of the selectboard. Joerg Mayer did some research and found it didn’t belong with the selectboard and needed to be a committee. The tax impact, as more money is given by RTM impacts taxes, and that’s a concern to me. Some people receiving money are paying taxes, so I’m hopeful that RTM is considerate of that. AS the number exponentially grows, I hope everyone is concordat of it. I think you are doing an excellent job. There isn’t a duplication of services, and you hold back if you don’ need to spend it all every year. Be mindful of the larger number.

    Sara – I appreciate that and we are thoughtful of money we don’t need to spend. The organization contribute to the well being of the community so some dividends are paid back. A little push and pull, I’d say.

  • Submitted by cgrotke on October 15, 2024 at 7:40 pm

    Marigold First and Third Class Liquor License, Outside Consumption Permit, and Annual Entertainment License

    Quipp – Marigold in former River Garden. Recommendation is to approve! Glenn Alper is the applicant .

    Glenn Alper – my intention is to have a bit of a community for people who come – local artists, performers, a cafe, beer garden, live music during day and evenings.

    No one makes a motion.

    Liz – thanks for offering to open a business sin town. MY concern is the 1 am ending time. Quite different from other bars and restaurants downtown and several neighbors are concerned. Residences. How have you considered that, and have you thought of an earlier end time.

    Glenn – people linger, the arts take a while to get out – a firm cut off time, not a time for events to go that late. I’m not planning on it being loud. Volume moderate and doors closed after a certain point. I know that in the past. I’m good communicating as concerns arise. less confrontational and more cooperative. I’m not seeing loud music in there, and know no one wants to hear loud music late at night.

    Liz – early to have an earlier end time. If it were more consisnetant with th other bars and restaurants. many think they close too early, but this seems exaggeratedly late.

    Glenn – I would like to encourage nightlife in Brattleboro. Not a late night club but a place for evening events. It doesn’t need to be 1 am, but night time events – if it starts at 8 or 9, things go to 11:30 or 12, then people have to get out of there. Don’t want to rush people out at the end of the night. A little wiggle room at the other end.

    Liz – let’s hear from the public.

    Richard – if we say 1 am, does he have to shut at 1 am or the music end at 1 am. I hear he doesn’t plan to have the music until 1. What does the license cover?

    John Potter – the question there is about the time and I’m trying to find what you put down in here… the event would be covered for anywhere in that period. Couldn’t perform beyond 1 am.

    Glenn – I don’t want people performing at 1am… just some wiggle room.

    Quipp – the license says estimated time for alcohol, then outside consumption end time…. maybe we need to get the info from Hillary? The application says 11 to 1am.

    Richard – close at 1?

    Liz – 1am for the whole shebang.

    Quipp – there are three things – two kinds of licenses.

    Richard – why not say entertainment to 11am and the rest until 1am?

    Potter – we should do research on this and come back.

    Peter Case – how does this differ?

    Quipp – I believe it differs in hours.

    Liz – I am similarly rusty but it wasn’t 1 am…probably 10 or 11. It was contentious. There were differences for weeknights and weekends.

    Potter – previous owners had til 11pm.

    Quipp – I’m in favor of more activity downtown and more active spaces are great. You are willing to be flexible. Consideration of neighbors is appropriate. The public wishes to speak as well. Nothing here makes me I don’t want to approve this. I’d like to give this a chance and we take the license back or impose limitations. The previous operation – no complaints about noise. I’d hope this business can do that as well.

    Liz – I would be supportive if it operated in the same congenial manner until 11pm.

    Public

    Asst Chief Evans – for historical noise enforcement, pre-COVID. We had several loud bars downtown. We focused on keeping doors shut and windows closed. Not long term problems.

    Potter – all town departments reviewed this.

    Degray – the outside consumption – a time for that? So a question would be what time for shutting the outside consumption… that back deck, which is in a neighborhood and that’s a huge concern. There was a spot in the Harmony lot and there were apartments above. That would be a concern. What would be a good time to shut that down.

    Quipp – want to answer that? Time isn’t in the application.

    Potter -f or the open hours.

    Glenn – doors open have noise from the space. We could end outside consumption at 11. Doors will be closed more often that not because of the weather. I do want to be flexible. I want happy neighbors. I have a club in Easthampton. I tend to be more conservative. It’s not a huge space. If you can’t hear others talk it is too loud.

    Mark Baxter – I’m in the Paramount building on the top floor in the back. A permit to operate until 1 am 7 days a week as it states is an incompatible space in the historic center of town. You have apartments abutting either side. paramount and HookerDunham for a horseshoe, and noises are amplified up and beyond in the rear. A dozen or more rentals, the Brooks House across the street. When the River garden first opened there was a controversy about noise… they agreed to stay open until 10 only 2 nights a week. This isn’t any casual restaurant or bar – it says it is an entertainment venue. He owns a similar bar in Mass. A newspaper said the bar was so loud the bartender can’t hear me, we have to shout to be heard, when the owner emerge we have to shout to converse. The permits filed here says music will be indoors. The back doors are propped ope routinely – people come in and out with applied music out the back of the property. I ask you to consider the abutters and deny the extended hours. Denny extended operating hours.

    Bonnie – I don’t live near the venue but I went there a lot as the Whetstone – they had open mic that shut down at 9pm. It wasn’t the same level of volume. I’m not sure you’ve looked into the demographics of Brattleboro – we are old,. Won’t be staying up til 1am. You want to stick this in a community. Reconsider the timeframe of that application.

    Becky D – I am familiar with the Whetstone and live down there. I’d like this approved with conditions – hours of the day and days of the week. 5 to 10 pm or 12 to 10 pm. Doors shut, limited hours, and two days a week closed.

    Glenn – we should be careful not to project previous experiences onto this. If you compare this to Easthampton – I see this as a cafe – not a concert hall – a gathering place with a reason to come out. My concern is with hours. I don’t need to be open 7 days a week. I hear you say 10pm, but nightlife happens after 10pm. I could see it stopping at 11 during the week and 12 on weekends. I need enough hours to run the place and recoup.

    Daniel – ready board?

    Peter Case – (makes motion to approve). I don’t want to tell someone when to open and close. A business downtown is an asset. But people also live downtown. Being open 5 hours a day is a non-starter. But I do want to make consideration of what’s been said tonight.

    Franz – I find myself somewhat confused about the limitations we approved. Do licenses specify different hours and days and purposes? It could get pretty complicated to be good enough for the business and neighbors. To just approve this with limitations of 11am to 1 am… it would be nice to have an actual discussion between interested parties. I’ve heard a little movement on both ends, but no full agreement. Are we going to try to tailor this to specific parameters? Days and hours? How far should we go.

    Quipp – the license would approve 11-1 7 days a week.

    Liz – I suggest closing liquor and entertainment at 11 on weeknights and Saturdays until midnight as Glenn said. Sundays it would close at 11.

    Glenn – can we say Friday at 12, too?

    Liz – I amend it to add Friday to midnight.

    Daniel – vote on the amended motion after discussion.

    Franz – would this apply to it closing at those hours, or just stop noisy entertainment.

    Liz – I propose the hours of operation – liquor and entertainment.

    Richard – we can always review the application based non what happens, and if there is a big demand for people who want to stay up later, we could go in that direction or the other direction.

    Liz – let’s wait to se if that happens.

    Richard – it cuts both ways.

    Peter – at some point should we ask if that fits his business plan?

    Glenn – my only confusion – can I have some time after to get people out the door?

    Potter – if you are stopping everything and cleaning the space…

    Liz – I would say if a place of business closes, it is closed, and people will leave, but we have to set a time for it to close.

    Peter – if this works for him it works for me.

    Glenn – I’d ask that if we stop alcohol or entertainment at those hours, I’d like a half hour buffer after to get people out the door.

    Potter – you can adjust the motion.

    Peter – I owned bars – if we had to close at 1 we’d start at 12:30…

    Liz – Keep it simple – close at 11 on weeknights and Friday and Sat at 12. I’m sure he can figure out how to get people out.

    Daniel – the amended motion vote – 4-1 (daniel no)

    Daniel – vote on the amended motion – 4-1 (daniel no)

    Thanks – you have your license.

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