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Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Notes – Ladder Truck Ordered, $32.5m Dairy Processing Plant Coming, Skatepark Update

by cgrotke | Town News

It was a night of big things for the Brattleboro Selectboard – a big, new fire truck was ordered, and plans for a possible big $32.5m dairy processing facility were presented.

The board got an update on skatepark finances and schedule, tires in the wetlands will be cleaned up next fall, a letter about Act 46 stalled, the leaf pickup schedule is being re-examined, and goals and plans for the coming year were discussed. The board discussed energy matters, compassion, and diversity.

Oh, and for anyone seeking to get a message to Board Chair, don’t send email…

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Permits, Plans, and Policies

by cgrotke | Town News
Brattleboro Selectboard

Permits, plans, and policies dominated the first regular meeting of the newly-formed Brattleboro Selectboard. 

Flood plain models and measurements were at issue for a significant portion of the meeting, with little that could be done except make a federal case of the matter. In the end, an agreement to reach an agreement with a property owner was agreeable enough to allow the board to acknowledge the project they have no say in. It was that sort of an evening.

The skatepark approaches, but has not crossed, the fundraising finish line. A revised Town Plan is nearing completion, a re-application for the Downtown Improvement District relies on the Town Plan being approved, and the Heifers have permits to go strolling again this year.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Firefighters Retroactive Raise, Final Meeting For John Allen

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard approved a new contract with Brattleboro firefighters Tuesday evening. Negotiations began in 2016, stalled, resumed, and just recently wrapped up. Firefighters will be getting a retroactive raise going back to when the process began.

Liquor licenses, a finance report, a grant for bulletproof vests, and an update on Windham Regional Commission were all punctuated by news that this meeting was John Allen’s final regular selectboard meeting.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Winter Roads and Education Taxes

by cgrotke | Town News

The board had a discussion of winter road conditions, causes of potholes, methods of repairing potholes, and specific reasons why Western Avenue has so many of them.

The board considered a letter to state education officials asking to support the results of the vote against a school district merger, as it would negatively impact Brattleboro taxes. The Brewer’s Fest permit was approved, Brattleboro Words are being explored and celebrated, and a pile of tires near the Marina is a problem for plants and animals in the vicinity.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Municipal Broadband, A Rebellious Abatement, Potholes, and More

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard held a meeting full of exciting twists and turns. From a sudden interest in municipal broadband to a re-examination of requiring write-in candidates to pre-register, the meeting was full of surprises.

There were the scheduled issues as well with liquor licenses renewed, an animal control officer appointed, grants accepted, and so on, but even these provided curious side paths.  Consider, for example, that the board decided to willingly challenge what they felt was an unfair ordinance, all in the name of compassion.  Or the matter of the fly in need of rescue…  In short, it was an eventful meeting.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – FY19 Budget Decisions Continue, New Bank Account, NECCA Loan

by cgrotke | Town News

The first meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard in 2018 was almost entirely about money. They continued their discussion of remaining FY19 budget issues, narrowing the list of undecided items by saying yes to some and maybe to others. It makes for a rather high potential tax increase, but many decisions remain that could bring the proposed rates down again. More budget meetings are planned.

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Plastic Bag Ban Thickness Increased, FY19 Budget Overview

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard decided to revise their proposed plastic bag ban ordinance bag thickness, increasing it from 1 mil to 2.25 mil. This came after some special demonstrations and displays were presented and comments taken.

They also got a peek at the FY19 budget, with a review by the Town Manager that sets a course for in-depth analysis at a series of upcoming meetings. The board learned of continued steps in the realm of diversity, inclusion and equity. Groundworks received grant funds for operation of their new shelter, and results of the panhandling survey were reviewed. 

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Panhandling Sign Defeated, Budget Season Approaches

by cgrotke | Town News

There will be no Town panhandling sign. That was the split decision of the Brattleboro Selectboard Tuesday evening.

The board had an active and long night. Much of it had to do with financial matters and planning, such as approving a letter of intent to rent space in the Municipal Center, reviewing long term financial plans, buying a fire truck, debating the thickness of single use plastic bags, and contemplating energy issues.  

Budget season starts officially at the next meeting, but it peeked its head in and said hello this week.

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, Signs, & Climate

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro’s Town Manager revealed the results of his summer explorations of issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity. He got generally good reviews for the summary of his report, but more than a few requested some additional specifics be included. Brattleboro seems to be in a good position to make progress over the long term, but benchmarks and budgets might help.

The pesky panhandling sign returned in a semi-uncertain form, with wording in question and sponsoring organizations and services asking for their logos to be removed. The private effort was to be a collaboration, but appears to have offended a few too many.

The board also signed a statement in support of other climate agreements being signed around the globe.  (For Kate O’Connor’s sake, I’ll say here that Brattleboro has been working on climate issues for a long time, is committed to action, and will continue to be so.)

All this, and possibly more.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Energy, Diversity, Plastic Bags, and New Trails

by cgrotke | Town News

The energy of the Brattleboro Selectboard was spent on many issues of energy – from a demonstration of carbon use during a fuel oil purchase to appointing, oddly, multiple weighers of coal. Energy improvements were contemplated, but not firm enough to take hold quite yet.

The conversation about diversity continued, with a status report and a plan to survey experts and others in the community before jumping in with decided plans. Green Street and surrounding areas will get a new network of trails. And the board asked for an ordinance to ban single use plastic bags from retail outlets.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Diversity Discussion and Emergency Repairs

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard held an extensive discussion of diversity, both in Town hiring practices and the community at large. It was a start and step toward something probably positive, though the goals and steps to get there remain to be more fully developed.

Emergency repairs at the pool and the Harris parking lot were the other big items on the agenda, but the long diversity discussion made for quick summaries of these and other smaller matters due to a late hour.