I. Call to order: 5:00 PM
II. Committee Structure: Needs further discussion but possibly rotating the chair and clerk positions.
III. Committee Focus / Items for Discussion
A. Food service in the district
AGENDA – 10/9/2024
I. Approval of Minutes from 9/25/24
II. Review of F21 Policy on the Use of Restraint and Seclusion (2:00)
Invited Attendees: Tate Erickson, Matt Schibley, Liz Adams, Seth O’Connor
Review of F29 English Learners / Multilingual Learners (2:20)
Invited Attendees: Deb Coombs, Jen Course
Beginning in October 2024 Support for Those Going Through Life-Altering Illnesses
The Serious Illness Program was created to offer support, solace, and assistance to people going through a life-altering serious illness, one that may or may not have a terminal prognosis. The program offers one-on-one volunteer services, support groups with others who have a serious illness, as well as opportunities to learn more about what resources are available in the community.
Our Peer Support Groups are a place where folks can get together and openly share their experiences with others who truly understand. We offer a safe space to share personal experiences, feelings, coping strategies, and also allow for shared learning. Support groups are both online and in-person.
6:15 – 7:30 2026 Town Plan
Planning Commission activity to define values within Town Plan subject areas. The activity will serve as both Planning Commission input and testing potential activity to do with the public.
November election ballots arrived in the mail and there are some candidates that are lesser known. I know many of you are going to vote for one of the two major party candidates, but it doesn’t hurt to see what those other folks would like to do. Here’s your guide to the other names and parties on the ballot, and issues they care about.
Claudia de la Cruz and Karina Garcia, Socialism & Liberation
“End Capitalism before it ends us. We will end the rule of the billionaires once and for all” is the big message of the “Vote Socialist” campaign site homepage. Their plan:
The Brattleboro Listers will meet on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 11:30am in Suite 101 of the Municipal Center (230 Main Street).
A seemingly tone-deaf Brattleboro Selectboard pushed forward on multiple options for a multimillion dollar swimming pool project, as well as a messaging campaign directed by Town staff with catchy slogans to discourage being generous. This came after many objections by meeting-goers.
A dry month with rain on only 4 days at my location totaling 1.19″. The NOAA average for September is 4.21″. This also marks the end of the Water year or hydrologic year that runs Oct 1 – Sept. 30. My total for this period is 51.32″ compared to the normal of 47.54″.
Talked to a Town employee last week and the town reservoir (Pleasant Valley) was only down 8 inches at the time so no water shortage. I can remember the reservoir being down 6 or more feet with the old road across showing. This is opinion that I try to stay away from, but I enjoyed this past month with drier than normal weather and temps not too hot or too cold on average.
Summary
● Policy Review and Accountability: The Board discussed the requests for self-reflection and accountability regarding response to comments from the Dummerston Leadership Council, but an amended motion to direct the Policy and Amendment Committee for review did not pass. Original motion tabled.
● Leadership Council Updates: Leadership Councils provided updates on community engagement efforts and the importance of tools and support for effective communication and collaboration, including recording meetings for accuracy.
● Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP): The Board adopted the district’s proposed CIP goals.
● Panorama Survey Process: The Panorama Task Force outlined a new approach to administering climate surveys in both Fall and Spring, emphasizing student input to enhance school safety and support.
● Budget Considerations: The board reviewed budget reduction strategies presented at the Annual Meeting and their implications for student support services
When I first read the report “Act 167 Community Engagement: Recommendations”, I almost laughed because I had a pretty good idea of how hospitals would react. The passage of Act 167 was a recognition that Vermont’s health care system needs serious change if it is to survive and this report was commissioned to find out what to do. It focused on the state’s hospitals.
Many of the recommendations make sense, but what I find difficult to understand is how all of the affected hospitals could possibly make the changes called for in the report. They talk about regional centers of excellence where only certain hospitals would do specific procedures. There could be fewer hospitals doing joint replacements and those who continue would become more expert at the procedures.
There is also a call for hospitals to share staff. That makes sense from an intellectual perspective, but how many nurses are going to want to travel an extra hour or more to work each day just to fulfill the aims of systemic restructuring?
Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present an evening of traditional and contemporary Scottish and fiddle music by duos Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas and San Miguel Fraser (Galen Fraser & Maria San Miguel) on Sunday, October 20 at 7:00 pm at Next Stage.
The musical partnership between consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, “the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling,” and brilliant Californian cellist, Natalie Haas, spans the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Over the last 16 years of creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across the world, they have truly set the standard for fiddle and cello in traditional music. This seemingly unlikely pairing of instruments is the fulfillment of a long-standing musical dream for Fraser. His search eventually led him to find a cellist who could help return the cello to its historical role at the rhythmic heart of Scottish dance music, where it stood for hundreds of years before being relegated to the orchestra. Alasdair and Natalie blend a profound understanding of the Scottish tradition with cutting-edge string explorations. In addition to performing, they both have motivated generations of string players through their teaching at fiddle camps across the globe.
Sept. 30 Baked Ham w/Raisin Sauce
Mashed Potato
Peas, Carrots & Onions
Peach
Next Stage Arts presents Ize Trio, performing music from their debut album, The Global Suites on Friday, October 25 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage. Members of the Trio will present a free workshop focused on Middle Eastern percussion and rhythmic cycles on Friday afternoon, from 3:00 to 4:30pm.
“Global sounds from Palestine, Cyprus, and the US, this trio has been here in various iterations – every single time commanding an all-star performance and inspiring our community to ask us to book them again,” says Keith Marks, Executive Director of Next Stage Arts. “The trio is composed of three music professors who prioritize a global sound, mixing their jazz education with their cultural origins. This is the high water mark of performances, and we’re overjoyed to have them come to southern Vermont.”
Next Stage Arts screens “Family Matters: A Tour of Vermont Short Films” on Saturday, October 19 at 6:00 pm at Next Stage.
Presented by The Vermont Production Collective, a group of four award-winning filmmakers explore what it means to be a family in Vermont. The program features four short fiction films that offer a uniquely Vermont perspective on the pains and joys of being a family. The film screening will be followed by a filmmakers mixer in the Next Stage community room. All are welcome to join and build the Southern Vermont creative community.“Bloodroot” is a tender relationship portrait of two brothers, told over the course of their lives. In
“Bad Mother,” a mother copes with her husband’s confession of infidelity on the eve of a funeral. “I Guess It Might Be Selfish” is a poetic reflection on the clash between individual and family needs. “The Thaw” is a beautifully rendered 19th century Vermont horror story.
Next Stage Arts presents an evening of South Indian classical Carnatic music and contemporary American jazz by Brooklyn-based Arun Ramamurthy Trio (ART) on Friday, October 18 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage. ART is touring in support of their latest album, “New Moon,” released on September 20th.
Arun Ramamurthy Trio (ART) brings together South Indian classical Carnatic music and contemporary American jazz. Boundaries are blurred in this organic and seamless integration of styles as the group expands on traditional forms in explosive, improvisational flights of fancy. ART explores the kindred spirit of raga music and jazz, resulting in a deeply invigorating and spiritual experience. Their sound is driven by the dynamic rhythm section of drummer Sameer Gupta & and electric bassist Damon Banks. ART released their latest album “New Moon” on Greenleaf Music this September 20, 2024. New Moon reflects on the inspiration of ancestors, family and tradition, while embracing a spirit of creation and freedom.
The similarities between American Jazz and Indian Classical music can often be found within the spirit of the musicians themselves. The shared artistic pursuit of carefully crafting a fluent, spontaneous voice, and the deep reverence for artists who came before are just two common threads between the kindred traditions.
Good Energy Collective, the organization I work for, would like to invite Brattleboro residents to a series of paid workshops we’re hosting for residents of the towns neighboring the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant site. The workshops are part of a two-year Department of Energy (DOE) project to define a consent-based siting process for spent nuclear fuel in the U.S.—a process that DOE hopes to use to site one or more interim facilities that will store all of the nation’s commercial spent nuclear fuel until a permanent storage solution becomes available.
We are looking for 50 interested community members to participate in the workshops, which will be held on:
The Brattleboro Selectboard will continue their attempts to legislate downtown safety by discussing and implementing a campaign for “Acceptable Community Conduct” at their first meeting of October 2024.
They will be discussing swimming pool renovations at Living Memorial Park and how much the project is expected to cost. Staff are suggesting that this project possibly be put off to future budget years. The Planning Department will also give the board an update out housing permits and projects. You can bring up other items not already on the agenda during public participation.
Your regular space for things you notice as you walk, bike, skate, or even drive around Brattleboro that are worth noting. Add things in the comments all season long, such as:
The “Marketplace” sign on the River Garden has been taken down.
Construction vehicles are pretty much gone from the Humane Society lot now.
The committee decided to incorporate the following changes:
● Add to section 3: “The use of prone or supine restraint is strictly prohibited.”
o The definitions for prone and supine restraint were already in the policy, but there was no statement that their use was prohibited. The district does not use prone or supine restraint, and this edit will highlight that fact, stating it clearly in the policy.
Brattleboro, VT – Windham County Humane Society (WCHS) is excited to announce a special Pet Adoption and Food Drive Event in collaboration with Brattleboro Subaru, located at 1234 Putney Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301. The event will run from October 1, 2024, through November 1, 2024, as part of Subaru’s nationwide Subaru Loves Pets® initiative.
This month-long event aims to raise awareness of the importance of adopting shelter pets and support local animals in need. According to the ASPCA®, nearly 6.5 million companion animals have entered shelters nationwide last year, underscoring the critical need for adoption. WCHS is committed to finding loving homes for as many shelter pets as possible, and this partnership with Brattleboro Subaru will help drive that mission forward.
