The Brattleboro Selectboard will be approving a range of new contracts for police officers, firefighters, and other unionized employees at their next regular meeting.
Union Station will be handed over to the BMAC, the board will hear a sustainability update, they’ll review their goals, Selectboard meetings will be moved to Central Fire Station, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participations.
The Brattleboro Selectboard met on the last evening of summer, and heard big news. Steve Barrett, long-time employee of the Town, will be retiring and Dan Tyler will be taking his place. The switch happens in December.
There was discussion of racism in the community, COVID safety at the Stone Church, stormwater plans, designs for and objections to a new bridge on Western Ave, and more.
A new bridge near Melrose Street will be one focus of attention for the Brattleboro Selectboard at their next meeting. VTrans reps will be on hand to explain the details and answer questions.
The board will also hear more about the creation of a stormwater utility and master plan for the town, will renegotiate tax payments for the Retreat, explore grants for a health program and for a water and sewer capacity study, and more. You can always bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
Brattleboro ~ Meet and greet Police Chief Norma Hardy at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St. this Wednesday, August 18 from 5-7. Drop by and get acquainted at an outdoor reception to welcome the newest member of the Town of Brattleboro team.
Everyone is invited and refreshments will be served.
The Brattleboro Selectboard returned from summer break to take up issues such as refugees and a new police chief. BDCC explained why they think the refugee program is a must, ECDC explained what their program was, and Brattleboro can look forward to up to 75 refugees a year and the anticipated financial and housing challenges, as well as the hoped-for benefits to the community and economy.
The board also swore-in new Police Chief Norma Hardy. The entire department showed up in support.
The Brattleboro Selectboard returns from their summer break to take up issues of new people in the community. They will swear in our new Police Chief Norma Hardy in a welcoming ceremony. They’ll also hear a presentation about the possibility of welcoming refugees to the area.
The Solid Waste Fund’s final transfer from the General Fund occurs, liquor permits will be given out, water and sewer repairs will be considered, and committee members will be appointed. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
Norma Hardy will become Brattleboro’s next Police Chief on Wednesday, July 28, 2021.
Hardy had a distinguished 26-year career with the Police Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. After 10 years of service as a Police Officer serving at a variety of Port Authority facilities, she was promoted to Construction Sergeant at the World Trade Center site in 2002, to Executive Officer at the World Trade Center site in 2006, to Police Captain and commanding officer at the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels in 2008, to Police Inspector and Northern Zone Commander in 2011, and to Chief of Port Authority Bridges, Tunnels, and New Jersey Airports in 2013.
She received numerous internal commendations and external awards during her career with the Port Authority, including the 2014 Officer of the Year Award from the International Association of Women Police and the 2016 Trailblazer Award from the National Organization of Black Women in Law Enforcement. Hardy attended the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York and also has completed advanced training in law enforcement leadership, personnel and finance administration, security assessment, and emergency response management.
Many people want police officers (SRO) removed from schools across Vermont, and there is state legislation pending about it. At last night’s (Tuesday March 16) meeting WSESU school directors heard public comments about the officer in the high school located in Brattleboro.
School administrations and other advocates cling to the SRO’s as high-power hall monitors and deterrents to school shooters and terrorists, while opponents like BCS and most notably Youth for Change, want students to feel safe and not intimidated at school. BCS is proposing a compromise: following the BCS S.A.F.E. policing disarmament plan the police could continue their SRO function without their pistols (or other non-lethal weapons).
I’m attaching two PDF files here that are part of the upcoming Brattleboro Selectboard meeting.
The first is Town Manager Peter Elwell’s memo to the board regarding implementing the community safety recommendations. He gives some background information, acknowledges harm and a commitment to reckoning and collaboration, has some notes about the pace and timeframe of changes, accountability, and a bit about the way they annotated the recommendations.
The second is the list of the recommendations, now annotated by the Town with remarks. Of the 41 recommendations, 30 are marked with a “Yes” indicating that the Town can take unilateral action to accomplish the goal. Those marked “No” aren’t out of the question, but they are out of the Town’s direct control. State or federal changes would be required.
Brattleboro Civilian Police Review Board Proposal in 2004 and now in 2021?
Presented by the Steering Committee for the Brattleboro Civilian Police Review Board
Submitted: April 2004 to the Brattleboro Selectboard
TEN PRINCIPLES FOR AN EFFECTIVE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD
The Brattleboro Selectboard accepted the report of the Community Safety Review Committee with a unanimous 5-0 vote and sent the document to Town staff. Staff will annotate and organize the recommendations for the board, evaluating the legality and logistics for each recommendation.
The board also heard about plans for a new water treatment plant at a new estimated cost of $12.5 million. They approved of a charter change amendment to be put to voters on March 2. And they recommend to Town meeting representatives that the police training budget remain at $27,000 rather than be increased to $40,000.
The Brattleboro Selectboard approved of a few items for their FY22 budget recommendations, raising the amount for paving and agreeing to the increases for BCTV and Human Services. They also continued their discussion of the community safety report, and will continue to continue that discussion next week and in the future.
Here’s the Executive Summary from the Community Safety Review report, followed by a pdf of the full report. You can also download this and other related materials on the Town of Brattleboro website. This report will be reviewed and discussed at the next meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, using Zoom (with no physical location due to the ongoing social distancing requirements of COVID-19). The Board will convene at 5:15pm and is expected to enter into executive session to discuss the negotiating or securing of real estate purchase or lease options and the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee, and to enter into deliberative session to deliberate on the Hinsdale Bridge takings and eminent domain matter involving the lands of Tullius on Left Bank Way. The Board will reconvene at 6:15pm for the business portion of the meeting. The attached agenda contains information about how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.” Information about how to connect to the meeting is also posted on the homepage of the Town’s website. ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, September 28, 2020, at 5:30pm by 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.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held a special meeting to accept the recommendation of Representative Town Meeting and increase the Human Services budget, giving every applying organization extra money.
They spent the bulk of the meeting interviewing prospective candidates for the Community Safety Review Committee, then voting on them. The Committee is now formed.
The Brattleboro Selectboard approved a proposal for a Community Safety Review facilitation team. They chose a local proposal, created a committee, and decided on how much to pay for stipends.
Other issues before the board involved the Department of Public Works, some grants, and gathering data on housing to aid town planning.
Five proposals for community safety review facilitation have been received, twenty six applications to be on the committee are in hand, and the perhaps re-organized Brattleboro Selectboard will decide next steps at their next Tuesday meeting. Committee members will be interviewed and appointed at a special meeting.
Grants and bid awards are also on the agenda, as is the purchase of a new salt shed. You can add other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Citizen Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, August 24, 2020 at 5:30pm via GoToMeeting (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.
Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
The Brattleboro Selectboard approved an edited version of the community RFP for police review and public safety at their Tuesday meeting. The Town-edited proposal was discussed at length and a few final tweaks were made before it was unanimously approved. Next steps: facilitator proposals and the formation of a committee.
