Have A Heart
A photo of downtown, in the Whetstone Brook near the Coop. (below)
A photo of downtown, in the Whetstone Brook near the Coop. (below)
The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 5:30pm and is expected to enter immediately into executive session to discuss contracts and labor relations agreements with employees. The Selectboard will reconvene the business part of the meeting at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room at the Brattleboro Municipal Center at 230 Main Street. 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.” ASL interpreters will be available for deaf and hard-of-hearing community members.
The Brattleboro Selectboard held one of their longer meetings in some time. The public was active! Complaints about downtown crime, lack of action on climate change, and open meetings kept the board busy until after 10:30pm.
Of note, the Town acknowledged their violation of open meeting protocols and adopted a new two-part process to make sure it won’t happen again. This wasn’t enough for most people, who wanted a more detailed accounting of the EMS decision making process.
The board changed RTM districts to conform with state updates, adopted Utility and Parking budgets, and poured luke-warm water on a suggestion to bring back the electric trolley.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will emerge from another Executive Session to do something that isn’t done very often – update the boundaries of the voting districts in town, which will change representation at Representative Town meeting. This update is to conform with adjustments recently made by the state.
The board will also take up the Utility Fund, Parking Fund Budget, raises, and the Depot Street parking lot project. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
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.