Hundreds of protestors in Brattleboro on Sunday joined in the nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd.
Lining Main Street from one end to the other on both sides of the streets, were social-distanced people with masks and signs, chanting and singing. This crowd was probably as big if not bigger than the Iraq War protests in 2003.
A sampling of signs:
Black Lives matter
Justice for Floyd
Quote: “I’m no economist, but when I hear about downtown businesses blaming their financial woes on the presence of people on the sidewalk asking for spare change, I’m left scratching my head. It seems like if you’re going to run a business, you’d want to know the basics of supply and demand… Like, if you want to make money, you need to offer goods and services that people want at a price they can pay. Sell things people need and can afford. Three-thousand-dollar rugs not flying off the shelves? Rethink your business strategy. I can buy an 80-dollar bouquet of flowers downtown, but I have to drive somewhere else to buy a pair of underwear.”
Strolling of the Heifers has announced the schedule for its Brown Bag Lunch at the River Garden series for the week of Mon. 7/29– Fri. 8/02. This week, join us for a discussion of Emotional Wellness and Diabetes Prevention, The Wonder and Gift of Reiki ,What We Can Learn From Horses, music with Mr. Blair, a group sing along with Rich Grumbine and more!
All Brown Bag Lunch events take place from noon to 1 p.m. at the Robert H Gibson River Garden, 157 Main St., Brattleboro, and are free and open to the public.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will be reviewing a number of budgets at their next meeting. FY20 approaches with talk of Utilities, Parking, and Solid Waste budgets.
The contract with Rescue Inc. is up for renewal, a new handicapped parking space is set for approval, the board will continue to discuss goals for the coming year, the battle against knotweed will continue, and you will be asked to volunteer for the Town. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity in the world and evolved out of the stonemason trade guilds that went back to Biblical times. After the Renaissance, and with the start of the Reformation, and during the Age of Enlightenment, more individuals of learning, business people, and those from the nobility wanted to consider alternative ideas in philosophy, science, and government that were not considered acceptable topics for public discourse. They found tiled lodges of fraternal Freemasonry excellent venues for presenting papers on different subjects and receiving feedback regarding the thesis they advanced.
The Brattleboro Selectboard was reduced to four members for their meeting Tuesday, and Tim Wessel sat in as Chair for the evening. They managed to get through a long agenda with relative efficiency.
A new goal to examine the impact of the opioid epidemic in Brattleboro is being considered, as is a new handicap parking space on the east side of Main Street. The state may have programs that might eventually help Brattleboro with broadband issues, Brattleboro is paving streets in Esteyville and buying a new dump truck, and much more.
The Brattleboro Department of Public Works Utilities Crew will be conducting work in front of 181-183 Main Street beginning today, April 9th, 2019, in order to install a new water main gate valve. The order of events will proceed as follows:
April 9th, 2019 – 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. – Saw cuts will be made in the northbound lane of Main Street to prepare for excavation
April 10th, 2019 – 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. – Utilities Crew will dig trench necessary for valve installation. Steel plates will be placed over the trench until the following day.
Work on the Main Street water line replacement project will be starting Tuesday April 9thwith pavement marking and cutting. Parking will be prohibited on the east side of Main Street between 133 and 167 Main Street starting at 6:00 a.m. during this pavement cutting period. Traffic will be restricted in the area.
The Town of Brattleboro has contracted with Zaluzny Excavation from Vernon, Vermont to replace a portion of the water main on the easterly side of Main Street between Elliot and High Street. Construction will occur on the easterly side of Main Street starting at 133 Main Street and proceeding north to High Street.
Construction preparations will be starting Monday, April 8, 2019. Construction is expected to be completed no later than May 17, 2019.
The first meeting of the new configuration of the Brattleboro Selectboard went off without difficulty. New members Daniel Quipp and Elizabeth McCloughlin were initiated with a fill agenda including actions as Liquor Commissioners as well as Water & Sewer Commissioners.
The board considered issues raised at Representative Town Meeting, approved grants for a slight expansion to Red Clover Commons, helped renegotiate some loans due to the Town, and more.
The Brattleboro Selectboard met on Town Meeting Day 2019 and spent most of the time discussing issues of water and sewer.
This included a rather substantial presentation by an apartment owner requesting a reduction in an abnormally high water bill, some discussion of the Hinsdale Bridge, some notes on odors and energy, and a hint that water and sewer ates may hold steady for a year.
Water & Sewer issues will be the bulk of the Brattleboro Selectboard’s next meeting. They’ll talk about rates, repairs, reservoirs, energy use, odors, and improvements.
They’ll also approve liquor licenses, announce committee vacancies, apply for a grant and more. You can add other items during Public Participation.
Yesterday large water leak in Downtown Brattleboro caused a considerable amountof damage to sidewalk and traffic island at the intersection of Main Street and High Street. Water service and electrical power were turned off for several hours until Utilities Crews contained the leak. The Utilities Crew finished the emergency repair around three o’clock this morning.
The crew discovered a broken sprinkler valve to 167 Main Street was the cause of the leak. The Utilities Division estimates approximately 160,000 gallons of water was discharge from the broken sprinkler valve.
On Wednesday, October 24, Utilities Crews will be working in the junction of lower Main Street and Canal Street. The work will begin at 10:00 pm and continue through 5:00 am Thursday morning, October 25. Traffic will be restricted in that area during the scheduled time while the Utilities Division works to replace a valve nut in the middle of the roadway.
Motorists should plan to use alternate routes during this time period.
The “We Celebrate Democracy/Civil Rights For All” banner will be raised over Main Street in Brattleboro by the Fire Department for one week on Sunday the 24th of June at 8 a.m. or a little later. This is the 7th time the banner has flown over Main Street. You are invited.
Light A Candle For Democracy vigil
At 8 to 9 a.m. On the morning of Sunday, April 8th the Brattleboro fire department will hang the We Celebrate Democracy / Civil Rights For All main street banner over Main St. at High St. in downtown Brattleboro.
On the night of the 8th at 7 pm we have organized a “Light A Candle For Democracy” candlelight vigil for democracy under the banner (rain date the 9th).
Democracy is the light of the world, but the Dark Force is trying to put it out. Stand up for Democracy. Bring yourself and friends and family with candles to light for Democracy. We will light our candles at 7:25 (sunset). Pliny Park has been reserved for this event. Best parking is in the High Grove Lot. Bring a candle to light, bring a song to sing, bring words to speak, for Democracy. We need more people who want to speak up for Democracy. Please contact us.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a mostly happy meeting Tuesday night. Most seemed happy that their budget meetings were behind them, John Allen was happy he only had a few meetings left on the board, and all were very happy by somewhat surprising news of a very large grant to help pay for the waste water treatment plant.
