Good evening,
Please see attached and the below link for the “unofficial results” for Brattleboro Town Meeting. The attached is formatted to show the unofficial winners for each race in bold. These are the results from the ballot tallies, not including write-in votes.
https://www.brattleboro.org/(click on “Unofficial Results 3-5-2019 Election” on the right hand side).
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.
Another in our series of 2019 selectboard candidate interviews, this time with Oscar Heller who is running for a one-year seat.
Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?
Hi! I’m Oscar.
I was born in New York, but when I was 14 my parents picked a summer camp at random off the internet. That camp was Camp Waubanong in Brattleboro. I spent most of the next dozen summers in Vermont. In 2014 I moved here for good. I live on Elliot Street, just before the park, with my girlfriend Jessie and our two cats.
We continue our series of interviews with candidates for Selectboard, this time with Tim Wessel, the only incumbent and a three-year seat candidate.
Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?
Hi, I’m Tim! I’m a father to a 29 year old AND a 13 month old, which is crazy and strange and pretty darned wonderful too. I work for myself running Vermont Films, a video production company here in Brattleboro, and I spend my work life shooting and editing films for many different clients, both local and national. Many people saw my appearance on House Hunters on HGTV a few years back, and I also work in production for that show about once a month, usually traveling to do so. My wife and I just celebrated our second wedding anniversary, and the first birthday of our son.
On Tuesday, March 5th’s Brattleboro town ballot (on the back side) is a ballot measure – “Article II” – that will grant 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote on town issues and candidates, be elected to and serve on local school boards (up to 2 on each), and be elected as Town Representatives. The measure has received the endorsement of Brattleboro resident and Senator Becca Balint, and Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman.
Lt. Governor Zuckerman endorsed the measure last Summer, before it had even gotten on the ballot. Writing an endorsement for the campaign’s website, he said “Engaging youth in local decisions is a great way to instill a commitment to their community, bring in new ideas and energy, and to recognize the value they add to the region.”
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.
Next in our series of interview with Brattleboro Selectboard candidates is Daniel Quipp, running for a one-year seat.
Give us a brief biography – who are you? What do you do?
I’m originally from Wales and married to a person who grew up in Newfane. I have been coming to Brattleboro since 2004 and have lived here since 2014. I’m currently a crisis fuel worker with SEVCA and just started a new job with Vermont Interfaith Action working in Windham and Bennington counties.
Hi!
My name is Oscar Heller, and I’m running for a 1-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
I’m a small business owner and the chair of the Brattleboro Energy Committee. I’ve been coming to Brattleboro for 17 years, and I’ve lived here since 2014. I’m thirty years old, and I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the Selectboard as a young business owner. My two primary areas of focus are bringing a modern, green economy to Brattleboro, and working to address homelessness and drug addiction in our community.
Will Brattleboro Town Manager Peter Elwell get a five year contract extension? Most likely, at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.
A hearing on modified parking, some VCDP grants, and the scheduling of informational meetings for Representative Town Meeting representatives will occur. There is also one item on the agenda purely for the sake of not having it on the agenda any longer. You can, as always, bring up other matters not on the agenda during public participation.
Brattleboro voters get a choice this year for all open Selectboard seats.
For the 3 year term, new candidate Ben Coplan will be running against incumbant Tim Wessel. Voters will be able to pick one.
For the 1 year term, four candidates have declared. Oscar Heller, Elizabeth McLoughlin, Daniel Quipp, and Franz Reichsman are the options. Voters can pick two.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hear their first request for an exemption from the relatively new Plastic Bag Ordinance. Zephyr Designs is making the request.
Culture Made Vermont will get lots of goodies, mileage will be certified, an EPA grant applied for, liquor permits approved, and nearly final FY20 budget thoughts presented. You can weigh in on spending Rooms & Meals taxes on promotions and the precedent it sets, or bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Selectboard took up FY18, FY20, financial audits, Whetstone hydrology, and many, many grants as part of their final meeting of 2018. January scheduling was also an issue that was resolved, sort of.
Hydrologic and hydraulic matters will be on the agenda at the next meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. It’s all part of the Tri-Park Housing Cooperative Master Plan.
The board will review FY18 finances, discuss FY20 budget final steps, and approve a number of grants. You can participate, of course, and bring up other itmes not on the agenda during public participation.
I’ve been watching Brattleboro budgets for quite a while, through multiple selectboards, three Town Managers and one Interim Town Manager. I’ve watched many Representative Town Meetings as well and participated in a few. That’s a lot of meetings.
While I’ve come to the conclusion that Representative Town Meeting doesn’t really work, I know that it has become cherished and it is unlikely that abolishing it will be on the ballot anytime soon. Therefore, it should be improved.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 5:30pm to discuss contracts, labor relations agreements with employees, the negotiating or securing of real estate purchase or lease options, and the appointment or employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. The Board will reconvene the special business meeting at 6:15pm. ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
Read on for coverage of the Brattleboro Selectboard’s regular December 4th meeting. The mini-trial in the middle of the meeting regarding Dozer the Dangerous Dog took a turn when the owner made claims that it was not Dozer, but Buddy, her other dog. This led to much confusion in the courtroom.
In more substantial and long term news, the Department of Public Works got the go-ahead to do a feasibility study to see what new facilities would entail. Nothing will be built anytime soon.
Is Dozer a dangerous dog? Must Dozer be contained, leashed and muzzled? The Chief of Police says yes, the owner says no, and the Brattleboro Selectboard will get to decide at their next regular meeting on Tuesday.
The DPW will begin looking at options for improvements to their facilities on Fairground Road, the shiny discs on the parking garage will become a permanent installation, SeVEDS will review their year and ask for money, the Assessor’s Office will talk FY20 budget, and the board will approve some grants. You can bring up other items, of course, during public participation.
At Tuesday’s special meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard discussed adding a 1% Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) to items purchased in the ‘boro. Adding this additional revenue stream to the Town coffers has been attempted before. Most recently it barely passed as an advisory vote, but was ultimately rejected.
The main argument in favor of the tax usually involves the expected revenue. In 2015, the estimate was $600,000. This, in theory, could offset property taxes by that amount.
But, taxpayers have seen these property tax reducing “deals” many times before, and property taxes do not go down. Spending rises to meet the new income.
A full meeting for the Brattleboro Selectboard just prior to Thanksgiving. Discussions of the FY20 Budget, the Downtown Alliance, affordable housing, downstairs tenants driving someone nuts, and more took place, plus there was the introduction of a new 25 year plan for replacing town equipment, as well as a new suggestion to put some money aside, like a layaway plan, to buy future fire trucks.
It’s the return of the 1% Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) at the next Brattleboro Selectboard meeting. The board will try once again to convince residents and businesses to add a 1% sales tax to purchases in the ‘boro, despite competition from online shopping and nearby states.
The Downtown Brattleboro Alliance will give their semi-annual report and present a budget for the coming year, a private drive will be named, finances reviewed, and the board will discuss housing, and economic & community development.
You can bring up other items not on the agenda, or a side dish, by attending the meeting at the Municipal Center on Tuesday.
