Should Brattleboro end Representative Town Meeting? The Brattleboro Selectboard will decide if this question is allowed to be put to voters at their next regular meeting.
They will make changes to ordinances relating to parking, the downtown improvement district, and vacant buildings and will also hear the annual pleas from the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance and BDCC. 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, December 3, 2024 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212) and over Zoom. 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, DECEMBER 3, 2024
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 – November 12, 2024 and November 19, 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. First Class Liquor License – Royal Diner
B. 2024 Justice Assistance Grant – Accept and Appropriate $13,052 Grant
C. Parking for Holly Days – Authorize Request
D. Pleasant Valley Water Treatment Facility Change Order #7 – Authorize $6,956 Change Order
8. OLD BUSINESS (6:35 PM)
A. Appendix C Parking Ordinance Changes – Second Reading (6:35 PM)
B. Vacant Buildings Ordinance – Second Reading (6:55 PM)
9. NEW BUSINESS
A. BDCC/SeVEDS Update and Funding Request (7:15 PM)
B. Downtown Brattleboro Alliance Update (7:45 PM)
C. Chapter 15 Ordinance Changes (Downtown Improvement District) – First Reading (8:15 PM)
D. Charter Revision Commission Warning Request (8:35 PM)
10. CORRESPONDENCE/FYI
A. Warrants
11. MEETINGS
See Town Calendar
12. ADJOURNMENT (8:55 PM)
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MEMORANDUM
To: Selectboard
From: John Potter, Town Manager
Re: Administrative Report
Date: November 27, 2024
———————————————————————————————————————————–
The following will summarize the proposed motions for the regular Selectboard meeting on
Tuesday, December 3, 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. First Class Liquor License – Royal Diner
B. 2024 Justice Assistance Grant – Accept and Appropriate $13,052 Grant
C. Parking for Holly Days – Authorize Request
D. Pleasant Valley Water Treatment Facility Change Order #7 – Authorize $6,956 Change Order
In a memorandum dated December 3, 2024 Town Clerk Hilary Francis discusses the First Class Liquor License application for the Royal Diner, located at 487 Marlboro Road. Staff have reviewed and recommend approval of this license. Mr. Arthur Foard will be in the meeting to answer any questions, should this be pulled from the consent agenda. By Board would approve a First Class Liquor License for the Royal Diner located at 487 Marlboro Road.
In a memorandum dated November 25, 2024 Town Accountant Kim Ellison discusses the FY24 Justice Assistance Grant and asks the Board to accept and appropriate the $13,052 Grant. The funds will go toward the 2025 payment of the VirTra firearms simulation system. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will accept and appropriate a $13,052 Justice Assistance Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
In a memorandum dated November 29, 2024 Town Manager John Potter discusses the request for free downtown parking during the Holly Days event scheduled to take place from December 6 – December 8. The Board recently approved free parking for Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7, but did not authorize free parking for Sunday, December 8, as the town has only recently required parking fees for Sundays. The Chamber of Commerce now requests that the Board authorize free parking for Sunday, December 8, 2024 as well. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will authorize free parking downtown on Sunday, December 8, 2024 for the Holly Days event.
In a memorandum dated November 22, 2024 Public Works Director Dan Tyler discusses Change Order #7, a culmination of seven change order proposals and credits. Staff and the project engineer have reviewed and agree with the proposed changes. The additional cost will be covered by a portion of the remaining contingency. By approving the Consent Agenda, the Board will approve Change Order #7, for a sum of $6,956.20 and 143 contract days, for various cost increases and credits related to the Pleasant Valley Water Treatment Facility upgrade.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS PRESENTED.
8. OLD BUSINESS (6:35 PM)
A. Appendix C Parking Ordinance Changes – Second Reading
In a memorandum dated November 21, 2024 Planning Director Sue Fillion discusses the proposed ordinance changes to Appendix C, Parking Regulations. This is a second reading and the Board is asked to possibly approve this ordinance change.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE CHANGES TO THE BRATTLEBORO CODE OF ORDINANCES, APPENDIX C REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CONTROL OF TRAFFIC, ARTICLE II PARKING, SECTION 16-100 NO MARKING AREAS, AS PRESENTED.
B. Vacant Buildings Ordinance – Second Reading
In a memorandum dated November 21, 2024, Planning Technician Steve Hayes discusses the proposed changes to Chapter 8 of the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances, regarding vacant buildings. This is a second reading, and the Board is asked to possibly approve this ordinance change.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ADOPT THE CHANGES TO THE BRATTLEBORO CODE OF
ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 8, ARTICLE 6 VACANT BUILDINGS.
9. NEW BUSINESS (6:35 PM)
A. BDCC/SeVEDS Update and Funding Request
Representatives of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) will present BDCC’s annual request for a town funding contribution to Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS). The Selectboard’s backup materials include a letter dated August 15, 2024, in which BDCC Executive Director Adam Grinold asks the Selectboard to include $36,147 for SeVEDS in the Town’s FY26 budget. Included in the Board’s materials is an overview that discusses the work SeVEDS accomplished in 2024.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO ALLOCATE $36,147 FROM THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO SEVEDS FOR FY26.
B. Downtown Brattleboro Alliance Update
Representatives of the Downtown Brattleboro Alliance (DBA) will present the DBA’s annual budget and workplan and will ask the Selectboard to include the standard annual item on the warning for the 2025 Representative Town Meeting to authorize the collection of an assessment on properties in the Downtown District in the total amount of $80,000.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE WARNING FOR THE 2025 REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING TO AUTHORIZE THE COLLECTION OF AN ASSESSMENT ON PROPERTIES IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $80,000.
C. Chapter 15 Ordinance Changes (Downtown Improvement District) – First Reading
In a memorandum dated November 22, 2024, Planning Director Sue Fillion discusses the proposed changes to Chapter 15 of the Brattleboro Code of Ordinances. The Board is asked to consider the presentation and make recommendations, if any. This is a first reading.
POTENTIAL MOTION: NO MOTION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.
D. Charter Revision Commission Warning Request
In a memorandum dated November 27, 2024, Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland discusses a request from the Charter Revision Commission to place an advisory article on the 2025 Annual Town Meeting regarding whether or not to continue with RTM as it is.
POTENTIAL MOTION: TO DIRECT THE TOWN MANAGER TO ADD THE PROPOSED ARTICLE TO THE WARNING FOR THE MARCH 4, 2025 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING, AS PRESENTED.
Not tonight, dear
I’m skipping this one. It’s one of my least favorite meetings of the year. BDCC and DID praised/pummeled by the board.
Both come and make presentations about what they have done and what they plan to do. The board then praises them and gives them whatever they want, or they nitpick and take issue with all sorts of things and tell them to revise their budgets or crawl under a rock. Depends on the board and the year.
My guess is that this year’s request will be met with some resistance due to the large anticipated budget increase – we’re making cuts you make cuts, that sort of thing. Others might then argue that now is not the time to cut business growth or downtown promotions and events. This argument can take a while if it happens.
I am interested in the article to continue with RTM, so after tonight I may do an interview with Kate O’Connor who is chair of the Charter changing commission.
As for parking ordinances – the changes come fast and furious. Does anyone truly understand how to park downtown right now? You know, during the all-important holiday period? It is risky. One mistake and you might get a ticket!
(Feel free to impress others and write up this meeting in any way you like!)
Well?
Anything exciting happen? : )