Recent heavy rainfall has resulted in widespread minor to moderate damage to town roadways. Currently, all roads are passable. In the event of road closures due to future rain, up to date closures can be viewed at https://www.mapsonline.net/brattleborovt/index.html. Crews will be completing assessments, prioritizing, and making repairs in the coming days. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Department of Public Works at 802-254-4255.
During the week of July 3rd, the Town of Brattleboro began to receive information regarding multiple strong storm cells entering Vermont during the weekend. Further information collected from the Vermont Emergency Management and information from the National Weather Service indicated a strong possibility for localized flooding throughout the State of Vermont with a heightened focus on counties north of Windham County for the evening hours of July 9, 2023, through July 11, 2023.
The Town of Brattleboro began to prepare for an emergency response to these weather conditions with a strong focus on the Brattleboro Fire Department and Department of Public Works to marginalize any water-related events.
The Town of Brattleboro has been very fortunate compared to some of our neighboring communities in both Vermont and New Hampshire. Currently, the following roads have been impacted the most by the weather conditions:
– Mountain Home Trailer Park (Tri-Park)
– Ames Hill
– Marlboro Road
– George F. Miller Drive
Here are the Guilford Town Meeting Australian Ballot unofficial vote totals, from the Board of Civil Authority:
Selectboard 3 Year: Verandah Porche 413; Jason Herron 91. Selectboard 2 Year: Jaime Durham 52, Tara Cheney 379, Jason Herron 75. Town Clerk: Danielle Latulippe 454. Treasurer Ellen (Elly) Majonen 454. Auditor: Lesley C. Malouin 420.
Windham Southeast School District Directors (Note: This is the Guilford Count Only; Votes from All Four Towns Will Be Combined to Determine Those Elected):
WSESD Director – Brattleboro 3 Year: Kimberly Price 234, Jaci Reynolds 111; WSESD Director – Brattleboro 2 Year: Robin Morgan 306; Rikki Risatti 47; WSESD Director – Dummerston 3 Year: Michelle Luetjen Green 178; Eva Nolan 179; WSESD Director – Putney 3 Year: Ruby McAdoo 309.
Please see attached for Brattleboro’s Unofficial Town Meeting Day election results. These are the results from the ballot tallies, not including write-in votes, and not including other towns’ results for the WSESD races.
We had a total of 2070 ballots cast, with 656 of those voting absentee.
Thanks to the amazing poll workers and the American Legion who made today possible! Considering our number of absentee voters, we had a lot of voters coming through the doors, and high voter participation for a Town Meeting Day election. The day was smooth and safe!
Rikki Risatti is running for a one year seat on the school board.
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running for the school board?
I hope time with school administration may enable more respect of students, guardians, and residents practicing self-governance and nourishing quality food access together.
Why not secure alternative funding for learning (like food, tutoring, college exams, internet) so we don’t ask for invasive income verification?
Why not pay and accredit students to host the candidate election debate forums and post the timer on the screen for all to see?
The 2023 Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee Report on the Town FY24 Budget is currently available online on the Town website, Brattleboro.org. Paper copies are also available at the Town Manager’s Office at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Suite 208).
Peter “Fish” Case is running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running this year for a 1 year seat?
My name is Peter “Fish” Case and I’m running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard. I’m running because… I want to. Serving the town and people of Brattleboro is nothing new to me it’s something I’ve done for the entire time I’ve lived here (30 plus years) and I would welcome the opportunity to do it as the select board level.
Robin Morgan is running for the Brattleboro one year seat on the school board.
Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running for the school board?
I am a musician and music teacher and I am also engaged in the joyful and challenging work of raising three kids, all of whom attend WSESD schools. I served on the Brattleboro Town School board from 2017 until it was dissolved in 2019. I believe that schools where all students can become fulfilled, engaged learners and critical thinkers are an important part of making this world a better and more just place. I want to make sure teachers and students all have the support and opportunities they need to meet those goals. In this particular moment I also want to be a part of helping the district navigate some difficult issues such as the sexual abuse investigation.
Jessica Gelter is an incumbant running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running this year for a 1 year seat?
I’m Jessica Gelter, a theater artist, nonprofit executive, and mother. I have served the last two years on the Brattleboro Selectboard, after serving 4 years on the Town Planning Commission. I am running again because I don’t like to leave things unfinished and our Selectboard has many important conversations underway: Determining the future of EMS services in town, setting up our new Town Manager for success, and engaging the community to develop safety solutions including funding projects with the Community Safety Fund. Beyond the work that has already begun, I intend to work with the new Town Manager to create a long-term facilities maintenance and investment plan so that Brattleboro’s infrastructure is properly cared for and improved in the most fiscally responsible manner.
Franz Reichsman is running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running this year for a 1 year seat?
Hello, iBrattleboro. I first came to Brattleboro in 1970 when I was 20 years old. My life trajectory developed in such a way that after medical school and residency in Brooklyn I was able to move here permanently in 1986. I bought my house on Chestnut Street (the old Sauer’s Market) in 1987 and I have lived here since then. I was an emergency room doctor for 30 years, including 28 years at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene. For seven of those years I was the medical director for all ambulance services and rescue squads in the 23 towns of Cheshire County.
I’ve been interested in politics since I was young. At age 14 I made a cardboard sign reading “Young Citizens for Johnson-Humphrey” and stood alongside it in front of a local candy store. I collected $2.41 which I sent to Lyndon Johnson’s election campaign. (Nonetheless I do not claim full credit for his landslide victory that year.) Unhappily, a year later I was protesting against the war in Viet Nam.
Elizabeth McLoughlin is an incumbent running for a three year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running again this year for a 3 year seat?
Elizabeth “Liz” McLoughlin. I am running for reelection to the Selectboard. I have been on the Selectboard for the past 4 years.
I moved to Brattleboro fifteen years ago, after visiting family here for over twenty years. I am a wife, mother and a new grandmother. One of our daughters attended BUHS, and the other was a substitute teacher here. My husband and I each own a small business. Brattleboro is a great place to live and work and I see my Selectboard service as a way to give back and support our beloved Town. We have a vibrant arts culture and an exceptional park and recreation program. We are welcoming to all, our community includes people from across the country and the world, as well as families who have been here for generations. We are a vibrant New England town.
Spoon Agave is running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running this year for a 1 year seat?
During my 34 years living in Brattleboro I have served on almost every major Board, Committee and Commission including Selectboard, School Board, Planning Commission, Development Review Board, Traffic and Safety Committee, the Town Finance Committee, and most importantly the last Charter Revision Commission where I studied diligently and in great depth the structure of municipal government and its relationship and embodiment within a democracy. I chaired several of these groups including Charter Revision. I have been a Town Meeting Representative for nearly 25 years.
Jaci Reynolds is running for a 3 year Brattleboro seat on the School Board.
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running for the school board?
I’m Jaci Reynolds. I own two local small businesses and I have children at two district schools. I served on this board in 2021 and 2022 and we got some important work done. After a year away, I have gained more insight from lots of community members on what their expectations of our board are and I will bring that back with me.
Samuel Stevens is running for a 1 year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running this year for a 1 year seat?
I’m a lifelong resident of Brattleboro and someone who really cares about this community. Having completed my B.A. in Political Science at the University of Vermont, I returned to my hometown of Brattleboro resolved to put my newfound knowledge and skills to good use in the service of my community. Since that time, I’ve been a town meeting member, served on town committees, and also become a union steward at my place of work.
Richard “Dick” DeGray is running for a three year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
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Introduce yourself – who are you and why are you running?
My name on the ballot will be Richard Dick DeGray. Many of you know me as the Flower Guy, something I take great pride in doing for our community. I have been active for over thirty years in our community. RTM rep, former BUHS board member and most importantly former eight-year select board member. Several of those years serving as vice chair and chair. I am running for a couple of reasons: first, no one challenged any of the incumbents in last year’s election. I don’t think that is healthy for the town. The other is the way Rescue/ BFF was handled, along with safety issues in our town.
Selectboard and school board candidates in Brattleboro have collected their signatures and campaigns are getting underway.
For the Selectboard 3 year seat, Dick DeGray will be running against Liz McLoughlin. Voters can elect one.
For the Selectboard 1 year seat, Spoon Agave, Peter Case, Jessica Gelter, Franz Reichsman and Samuel Stevens have all declared themselves as candidates. Voters can elect two.
Petitions for Brattleboro Town Officers, Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Board Members, and Town Meeting Members are now available at the Town Clerk’s office. Town elections will be Tuesday, March 7 at the American Legion, located at 32 Linden St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
Annual Representative Town Meeting will begin on Saturday, March 25, 2023. The location and format will be announced at a later date.
Petitions for Town Officers and WSESD Board Members must contain at least 30 valid signatures of registered Brattleboro voters and be filed in the clerk’s office no later than Monday, January 30 at 5 P.M. to have their name placed on the ballot.
