Selectboard

Reflections On Retirement

by RDavis | Living

I have had over eight years to learn something about the stage of life that is called retirement. Sadly, in this country retirement is almost totally a financial issue and not everyone has the means to be able to set a date when they will no longer work for a living. The numbers have to work and living solely on Social Security is pretty close to impossible in today’s economy.

According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, half of all Americans would have to lower their standard of living in order to retire. That means that those 50% of Americans have no retirement savings and they face the prospect of having to have an income from work for the rest of their lives.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – January 16, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

At their next regular meeting , the Brattleboro Selectboard will approve budgets for FY25 to send along to Representative Town Meeting, including their plans to use what remains of ARPA funds.

The board will also hear from the Downtown Alliance and Chamber of Commerce  (two of several organizations that foster economic growth, attract new business, and enhance the overall economic well-being of the community) for new funding to pay for someone to “foster economic growth, attract new business, and enhance the overall economic well-being of the community.”

You can bring up other items not on the agenda, if the Chair allows, during Public Participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting – Dettman Drive

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Friday, January 5, 2024 at 3:30pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Municipal Center (230 Main Street, Room 212). The public may also participate in the meeting over Zoom. The attached agenda contains information on how to access the meeting remotely, including the required “passcode.”  Either ASL interpreters or closed captioning will be available for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

Selectboard Meeting Notes: The Last UDAG

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard jan 2 2024

The Brattleboro Selectboard were, until Tuesday night, the last keepers in the United States of something called an Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) Program grant. Before them was $2.3 million that has matured, and the board voted to transfer all of it away from UDAG into the Town’s Revolving Loan Fund.

The board was also pleased with their progress on a number of issues, and happy to hear the monthly fire department report.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – January 2, 2024

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard kicks off the new year with another error. The paving project was under-estimated by 3211 tons of asphalt. Oops, and $32,000.

The Fire Department will read their monthly report – for November of last year, the board will revisit their retreat and goal-setting, and the Town Manager will request a transfer of over $2 million to the Revolving Loan Fund.  You can attempt to bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation if the Chair deems you worthy.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – December 19, 2023

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will take up reviewing the revised FY25 budgets at the final regular meeting of the year. They will be examining the general fund, the capital fund, and the ARPA budgets – the only agenda item they plan to discuss in detail.

The consent agenda, however, has some interesting items. Notice the small grant to add EV charging stations to town properties, the grand list errors, and 47 lost land record binders, among other things.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Greg Worden on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Arts

Greg Worden is a mainstay of downtown Brattleboro, bringing beauty and ingenuity through art and crafts at Vermont Artisan Designs. A tireless advocate for Brattleboro, Greg serves the community with heart, insight and experience.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Hey Buddy, Can You Spare A Sign?

by cgrotke | Town News
dec 5 brattleboro selectboard

The Brattleboro Selectboard bravely took no action against a non-existent problem at their most recent meeting. Panhandling isn’t a problem to be solved, and existing laws cover any other potential issues.  Perhaps we will make… a sign!

The Library has a strategic plan, housing development is lackluster, the town might get McNeill’s property to pay off demolition of his building, the public wondered about unusually large raises for department heads given an expected increase in property taxes, and an exhaustive search led the Town to hire Golden Cross’s billing service for EMS billing.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – Dec 1, 2023

by cgrotke | Town News

Ooops. A “previously overlooked item” will require an estimated base increase in Brattleboro property taxes for FY25 of 3.6%. It’s on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard.

The Brattleboro Fire Department would like $3000 a month to pay an outside company for EMS billing services. Doing everything in-house is no longer an option.

The board will also hear about a strategic plan for Brooks Memorial Library, and update on how their housing plan has been going, talk of acquiring the McNeill’s property in exchange for the demolition costs, and another discussion of things that can be done about panhandling.

You can bring up almost anything else during public participation unless it is some issue the Chair doesn’t want discussed in public.

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting – Agenda and Notes – Nov 21, 2023

by cgrotke | Town News

Budget season is underway at the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Reports and budget requests from BDCC, SeVEDS, and the DBA are scheduled, as is the draft FY25 budget. There will also be ordinance changes, software explanations, and an update from the fire department.

You can bring up other issues not on the agenda during public participation. (Except that one issue, whatever it is, that the Chair will not allow discussion of at the meeting.)

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Discusses Big Issues with State Delegation

by cgrotke | Town News
Repeat Offenders

The Brattleboro Selectboard held an extended conversation with members of the state legislative delegation, handing them a long list of things that Brattleboro would like help with – money, staff, changes to laws, and so on.

Reps said they were working on many items already, but were eager to stay involved and work together to find solutions to housing, justice, addiction, mental health, crime, and other issues plaguing the ‘boro.

Brattleboro Selectboard – Agenda and Notes – November 7, 2023

by cgrotke | Town News

Downtown Brattleboro surveillance is on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. New $45,000 police cameras will be purchased for the intersection of High and Main so that the Town can watch everything you do there, in addition to watching everything you do at the Transportation Center. Some local stores will join in and add their cameras to the surveillance system, too.

Brattleboro’s sludge removal has become more expensive and the board will approve nearly $45,000 contract increase for just six months of disposal costs.  The board will also discuss their new Legislative Agenda (things they want the State to help fix), a bike path proposal for Rt. 5, discontinuing part of Melrose Street, ordinance changes, and more.

You can request other items not on the agenda during public participation, as long as you don’t bring up something that annoys the Chair.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – We Said We Wanted Public Input on ARPA Funds, But Not Really

by cgrotke | Town News
brattleboro selectboard oct 23

The board discussed many things Tuesday but their extended ARPA discussion seemed more like an extended discussion about problems they had with public input on ARPA possibilities.

“I don’t care what the public thinks or the town staff think,” declared Franz Reichsman. “I have a problem having this list from the public be our starting point,” said Liz McLoughlin repeatedly.  Chair Ian Goodnow tried in vain to remind them that they had promised an open public process.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – October 3, 2023

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will delay Town work on Community Safety Review items until the state completes work on Phil Scott’s public safety initiative during their next regular meeting.

They’ll hear about their new website, buy winter sand, plan to realign Melrose Street, consult with the school board, announce committee vacancies, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda as long as the Chair doesn’t decide to cut you off as you begin talking.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Fire Department Gets Their EMS Service

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard sept 19 2023

The Brattleboro Selectboard will be using $1.3+ million of ARPA funds to set up a municipal EMS system. The vote was unanimous to give the emergency medical services ‘contract’ to the Brattleboro Fire Department.

The Town Manager told the board why municipal EMS would be best, the board told the public their decisions as to why they would vote in favor, and then the public was allowed to weigh in with comments.

Questions for Sep 19 Brattleboro SelectBoard Meeting

by RobertOeser | Questions & Answers

The SelectBoard meeting scheduled for Tue, Sep. 19 promises to be of great significance … Details regarding attendance are here: https://www.brattleboro.org/

The Sep. 5 SelectBoard meeting recessed to Sep. 7 due to technical difficulties. Near the end of the meeting which lasted beyond 11:00pm SelectBoard member Elizabeth “McLoughlin motioned to have a discussion of the transition of care and intergovernmental coordination, interagency coordination by the town staff in recognition of consultation with the town attorney.” “McLoughlin discussed rescinding her motion. The motion was not rescinded” and the “motion passed, as presented. 3-2 (Goodnow and Reichsman opposed)” Case, Quipp and McLoughlin in favor. Minutes pp. 10-11 in the Backup Materials

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – September 19, 2023

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard has one item on the agenda for discussion at their next regular meeting: whether or not to accept the recommendation of Town staff to proceed with a municipal EMS system, or to support a regional system favored by others in the community. During last week’s public forum, the public was encouraged to attend and comment at this selectboard meeting.

You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Brattleboro Selectboard’s EMS Surprise

by cgrotke | Op/Ed

Thursday’s delayed Brattleboro Selectboard meeting almost seemed like a last-minute confessional. In the movie version it would have gone like this:

Board: “Forgive us, voting public, for we have committed the sin of omission.  When we said it was about the one letter from Rescue, it wasn’t the full story…”  (Cue ominous music)

…..

I’m not sure if it was the late hour, or a lack of air conditioning on a hot evening, or an impending sense of guilt, but moments before the the meeting was to wrap up, (with the next steps being a public information session then a board vote on EMS services,) board members revealed that they had other, important information that they have been keeping from the public.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Former Chair Decides Now Is Time To Reveal Longstanding Fire-Rescue Relationship Issues

by cgrotke | Town News
sb sept 7

Well, well, well. The Brattleboro Selectboard has decided at the last moment that it would be good for them to explain to the public all the secret EMS BFD Rescue relationship information they have known about, information the public has asked them about for over a year and half and the board has remained steadily tight-lipped about. Until now.

Former Chair Liz McLoughlin cracked and said she wouldn’t let Rescue, Inc. control the narrative anymore, and that she wanted a meeting to reveal everything the board knows that the public has been kept in the dark about by her and her fellow board members. Chair Ian Goodnow warned the board that the town attorney told them they should not discuss these secrets with the public, but they voted to hold a special meeting anyway. The plan is to let the public know all the reasons that Rescue and BFD don’t get along.

This throws the public forum and decision-making meeting dates into question.