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Selectboard Meeting Notes – 100% Renewable? Maybe Later…Soon. Really.

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard feb 2021

An extended discussion about Brattleboro becoming the largest purchaser of Cow Power ended with explanations of feelings and confusions, but no purchase agreement. The Brattleboro Selectboard was saved from making a decision by Town Manager Elwell’s suggestion to gather more data.

Lots of water and sewer improvements and activity, a thank you from Boys & Girls, and a new name for a short street rounded things out.

A Statement from the Brattleboro Planning Commission Regarding Retail Cannabis and Zoning

by planning | Town Plan

In October 2020, S.54, Act 164 became law. This legislation outlines how Vermont will establish retail cannabis sales. The implementation of the legislation is still very much a work in progress. The Act empowers communities to create a local cannabis control commission and for such commission to condition issuance of a local license on any zoning bylaw adopted pursuant to 24 V.S.A §4414.

The purpose of this memo is to provide information on what zoning controls are authorized under the legislation. Many details have been left to be decided on by the State Cannabis Control Board which will be formed in 2021. As currently written, the law allows the following types of zoning regulations:

BCTV Schedules – Week of February 15, 2021

by BCTVProg | Media

BCTV Channel 8 / 1075 schedule for the week of 2/15/21

Monday, February 15, 2021

5:30 am The News Project – Press Pass – 1/25/21 – Greg Sukiennik
6:00 am The News Project – In Studio – Pandemic Lessons Learned Part 4
6:30 am Groundworks Collaborative – Brattleboro Area Homelessness Awareness Day Vigil 2021
7:52 am Stuck in Vermont – Building Beds for Kids
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast
9:00 am Brattleboro Rotary Club Speaker Series – Ep 26 – Archer Mayor

Vermont Jazz Center Live Streams: Jonathan Barber and Vision Ahead

by vtjazz | Music

Jonathan Barber’s star has been on the rise since his auspicious 2018 debut, Vision Ahead, and a 2019 tour in Pat Metheny’s trio… an abundance of heightened energy and new ideas executed with pristine precision by the bandleader and his future-facing ensemble.

Bill Milkowski, Downbeat Magazine

Vermont Jazz Center Presents Drummer Jonathan Barber and Vision Ahead in a Live Stream Performance on Saturday, February 20th at 8:00 PM

On February 20th at 8:00 PM, drummer Jonathan Barber’s Vision Ahead will perform a livestream concert at the Vermont Jazz Center which will be viewable on line at www.vtjazz.org

Town Arts Fund Grantees Announced

by cgrotke | Arts

The Arts Council of Windham County announced some recent grantees and the projects that are being funded:

“The 2021 TAF Grantees include:

Puppet Companions (Shoshana Bass, Sandglass Theater) Sandglass Theater and Garden Path Elder Living team up to combat loneliness, promote creativity, and inspire story telling in residential care facilities through the magic of puppetry. Sandglass will create a collection of inviting puppets and accessories, along with a series of guided play suggestions for residents at Holton Home and Bradley House. Puppet makers will also bring Sandglass puppeteers and puppets for window visits with residents.

Reverse Rummage Sale To Benefit Asylum Seekers

by NewsWriter | Activism

The Windham County Democratic Committee is looking for donations to its Reverse Rummage Sale to support families in the Community Asylum Seekers Project who are living in the area while they await asylum hearings.

The WCDC has set up a website with sign-up opportunities, including for two pickup trucks to gather and deliver the donated items the weekend of February 20-21 as well as a Spanish interpreter.

Other items on the list include kitchen bowls, small televisions, a bedroom dresser, twin bed frame, electric iron, blender for fruit juice, microwave oven, men’s winter gloves in size large, bed linens and mattress pad and four curtain panels in 63-inch length.

Brattleboro Selectboard Candidate Interview – Daniel Quipp

by cgrotke | Politics
daniel quipp

Daniel Quipp is an incumbent and running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.

Tell us about yourself….

I’m a 42 year old person with a funny accent who has lived in Brattleboro since 2015. My wife is from Newfane and I’ve been coming here since 2004. I work at SEVCA where I run our community solar program, help people get connected to resources, do work with our data and reporting system and assist people in getting health insurance (p.s. If you don’t currently have insurance email me at dquipp@sevca.org or call 802 254 2795). I’ve been on the Selectboard for the last two years and am hopeful you’ll allow me to serve the town for another year.

The Death of Democracy

by RDavis | Politics

As the second Trump impeachment trial comes to an end it is clear that the Republican party has put the final nail in the coffin of democracy. The Democrats share a lot of the blame, but it is the Republicans who have made it clear that the pursuit of truth is no longer a guiding principle of the American form of government and that justice is an ideal that is not attainable.

Politics has always been a dirty business and most people have been willing to accept a high level of bullshit, lying and corruption over the decades and centuries. But we are now at a point where it has become clear that this country has not dealt with what is wrong with the way government works for far too long. The political process is beyond repair.

When a president is allowed to break the law at will and openly trash the constitution then it is impossible for our form of government to have any credibility in the eyes of fair-minded people in this country and around the world.

Guilford Pre-Town Meeting via Zoom Feb 18

by DonInGuilford | Town News

Broad Brook Grange will hold its annual Pre-Town Meeting on Thursday, February 18, 7:00 pm. This year’s event will be online, via Zoom. Info on how to join the meeting is on the websites of Broad Brook Community Center, and on the Town of Guilford site, which have links below.

Town Meeting will be different this year, due to COVID, with no actual meeting. Instead, voting on articles will be by Australian ballot on Town Meeting Day.

Thus, this traditional Pre-Town Meeting — and an official informational meeting to be held by the selectboard online a week later — are the only opportunities for voters to hear details of the articles which will be voted on March 2, and to meet and discuss issues with the selectboard in advance of voting.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – February 16, 2021

by cgrotke | Town News

There will be an emergency discussion of a Muffin Monster at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. They’ll also discuss a new Cow Power agreement, water treatment facility funding and security, and hear an update about Brattleboro’s Boys and Girls Club operations during COVID.

The board will wrap up their meeting with a renaming of a portion of Elm Street in honor of Stanley Lynde, the well-know motorcycle shop owner. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

What I Don’t Understand About the Impeachment Indictment

by SK-B | Politics

The single impeachment allegation is inciting insurrection. Trump’s case is that, several times, he asked his followers to be peaceful.

This allows his supporters to argue that responsibility for the insurrection is solely that of the rioters, not Trump. This ends up in a quarrel about the true intent and impact of Trump’s conduct.

What I do not understand, is why there was not a second allegation of criminal breach of duty for watching the invasion of the Capitol Building on TV for a couple of hours, while failing to activate the National Guard, or take any measure to protect the Capitol and protect Congress.

Brattleboro Selectboard Candidates Forum February 23, 2021 at 6 PM

by cgrotke | Politics

Brattleboro voters are encouraged to watch the Brattleboro Selectboard Candidates Forum on Tuesday, February 23 from 6-8 PM to learn about this year’s slate of candidates. The event is being presented by iBrattleboro.com and BCTV and will be live streamed to Comcast channel 1085 and BCTV’s Facebook page. 

It’s a virtual forum this year, held via Zoom.

Brattleboro Taxes & Utilities Due

by Not Signed In | Town News

The third installment of the 2020 Brattleboro Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due on February 16, 2021.  Payments made after February 16, 2021 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.

The Town of Brattleboro utility bills are also due on February 16, 2021. Payments made after February 16, 2021 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty, added to the unpaid balance.

Brattleboro Absentee Ballots Available

by Not Signed In | Politics

Absentee ballots for the Brattleboro Annual Town Meeting and Windham Southeast School District vote to be held March 2, are now available. Due to the pandemic, the doors to the Municipal Center are locked to the public and there will be NO IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING this year.  Absentee ballots for these two elections must be requested. Anyone wishing to vote absentee may apply for an absentee ballot until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 1, although we recommend doing so as soon as possible for mail time purposes.

Absentee ballots may be mailed to the voter by the Clerk’s office, picked up by the voter, or if a voter is in need can be delivered outside of the voter’s residence by two Justices of the Peace.  All voted ballots must be received by the Clerk before the polls close on election day in order to be counted.  For more information or to request an absentee ballot call 251-8157.