Here’s a Video highlight of October’s Gallery Walk: “CONVERSATION STATION” where local youth talk with adults from the community about all kinds of things – Many insights, much laughing and some surprises……..Featuring Samirah Evans, Johnny Swing, Curtiss Reed, Jr., Steffen Gillom, “Woody” Woodworth and more.
This 2020-21 year, the Brattleboro Women’s Chorus celebrates 25 years of singing with online musical events on the 25th day of the month. All singers (not just women!) are welcome to join us on Zoom.
Our final (and biggest) online singing finale celebrating 25 years of the BWC will take place on Tuesday, May 25 at 7:00 pm via Zoom.
Director Becky Graber welcomes a number of guest conductors connected to the BWC in some way to come lead a song in honor of our 25th anniversary year. Artists include Peggo Horstmann Hodes, Peter and MaryAlice Amidon, Kristen Carmichael-Bowers, Andy Davis, Jane Lowey, Lisa McCormick and Julian McBrowne.
The Brattleboro Women’s Chorus will perform their spring “Singalong Finale” via Zoom on Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 9 at 4 pm.
As we finish our 25th anniversary year, the chorus will be singing songs led by Director Becky Graber and some guests as well! Some of the songs are very easy to join along with, and Becky will teach a song or two to all. Singalong-goers can register online via Zoom and pay for a ticket using the links on our website.
Singers will be muted, though we will hear harmonized vocal tracks, so feel free to sing along in the comfort of your homes, if you wish.
Town Clerk Hilary Francis swore in newly-elected members of the Brattleboro Selectboard Monday evening.
Ian Goodnow, Daniel Quipp, and new member Jessica Gelter took their oath of office and joined Tim Wessel and Elizabeth McLoughlin to form the next selectboard. New signed Oaths of Office will be arranged at a later date.
They all affirmed that they will faithfully execute the duties of selectboard member for the Town of Brattleboro, doing equal rights and justice to all people, in the best of their judgement and ability, according to law under the pain and penalties of perjury.
And then there was 1…just 1 more chance to order for curbside pick up from the15th season of the Brattleboro Winter Farmers’ Market – a season unlike any others!
Go to our online store, open now through Thursday morning at 9AM! Place an order for your weekly provisions like beets, carrots, greens, garlic, eggs, meat, cheese and bread, special treats, handmade soaps along with lovely handcrafted gifts. There’s also seeds for your gardens, preserves, teas, syrups, tinctures and more!
The Brattleboro Women’s Chorus welcomes new members to help us celebrate our 25th Anniversary year by singing together weekly via Zoom. We will be singing on Thursdays via Zoom this spring starting Thursday, March 4 from either 10 – 11:30 am OR 7 – 8:30 pm until our Singalong performance on Mother’s Day, May 9.
The chosen music is an eclectic mix from around the world that is spirited, uplifting and easy to learn during these challenging times. Recordings and some videos are available to practice with between rehearsals.
I had a good time discussing local issues with candidates for the Brattleboro Selectboard. We talked about governing and representation, community safety, infrastructure, climate, and more.
BCTV recorded it and you can watch anytime:
Coco Love Alcorn joins Brattleboro Women’s Chorus for 25th Anniversary Virtual Sing
This 2020-21 year, the Brattleboro Women’s Chorus celebrates our 25 years of singing with online musical events on the 25th day of the month through May. All singers (not just women!) are welcome to join us for most of these events hosted on Zoom.
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.
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.
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.
NOTICE is hereby given that the Brattleboro Town Auditor’s Report for fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, is available and posted on the Town’s website (www.brattleboro.org). It is available upon request by contacting the Brattleboro Town Clerk’s Office, 230 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or calling (802) 251-8157. It is also available by utilizing the curbside service at the Brooks Memorial Library. Please call (802) 254-5290 for information on this service.
The Brattleboro Selectboard is likely to add a Charter Amendment to the Town Meeting Warning that would eliminate the need for future Charter changes to approved by the state legislature.
The board will hear an update on the Water Treatment facility project, continue finalizing their FY22 budget for RTM consideration, and will continue their discussion of the Community Safety Review Committee’s recommendations. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during Public Participation.
As I continue to ponder Representative Town Meeting system used by Brattleboro, I find myself coming to the same conclusion: it either needs to be reformed, or it needs to go.
The biggest problem is representation. While voters can elect “representatives” to participate in Representative Town Meeting, there is almost no representation going on. Unlike selectboard candidates, reps rarely state to voters what they stand for. Reps rarely hold district meetings to discuss issues. Voting records of reps aren’t tallied or made public. And almost all the information reps take to Representative Town Meeting is given to them by town officials, not constituents.
Voters, despite picking names on district ballots, often don’t know who represents them, how to reach them, or how those reps have voted. Writing in names of people better known to a voter has been eliminated, unless that person is deemed “official” through registering as a candidate. Sometimes reps get slots through the caucus process, under the radar of most district voters.
There is almost no accountability in this system.
The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the following committees and boards:
Agricultural Advisory Board
ADA Advisory Board
Arts Committee
Conservation Commission
Visit the Winter Farmers’ Market Online Shop at https://openfoodnetwork.net/brattleboro-winter-farmers-market/shop#/shop today!
Orders can be placed from 9AM Monday morning through 9 AM Thursday morning for a Saturday Curbside Pick up from the Market, every Saturday through March at the C.F. Church Building, 80 Flat St. Downtown Brattleboro.
SNAP/EBT customers can turn $10 into $40 each week through January with market match coupons thanks to grants from NOFA-VT, C&S Wholesale Grocers, New England Grassroots Fund, Brattleboro Savings & Loan, and individual gifts from caring community members.
The recent situation with COVID has resulted in some hard truths for the Brattleboro VFW. Clubs have taken a beating financially, along with a lot of other businesses.
We have had to cancel all our functions since March. No dinner/dances, birthday parties, wedding receptions, regular bingos, cancer or Brattleboro Firefighter’s fundraising bingos, banquets, holiday parties, etc. etc.
We had to shut down completely for three months starting in March, but still the bills came in. Some grants from the government helped pay some, but not all of those bills.
Shall the voters of Brattleboro be allowed to vote to opt-in to retail sales of cannabis? The Brattleboro Selectboard will decide it the question will be asked on March 2 ballots at their next special meeting.
They’ll also accept a planning grant and continue with their review of the FY22 budget, which is a great time for Representative Town Meeting Reps to pay attention and report back to all of us about what the budget will contain.
As you may know, the Brattleboro Winter Farmers’ Market is currently 100% online pre-orders for Curbside Pick up. To effectively manage the volume of orders and items that our market producers need to make, bake, pick, pack and label for your Saturday Pick up, and so our Curbside Team can better serve you at pick up time, we are making a few changes:
1. Market orders will close at 9 AM on Thursday starting this week. This will be especially helpful as we have two Friday holidays in a row coming up! So shop early!
The Brattleboro Community Safety Review Committee will meet on Monday, December 7, 2020, at 6:00pm using Zoom (with no physical location due to the ongoing social distancing requirements of COVID-19). The attached agenda contains information about how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”
