Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee Vacancy Announced

On April 5, the Selectboard reconstituted the Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee and announced a vacancy on the committee. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please submit your application on-line, or send an e-mail to the Town Manager’s office – tmsecretary@brattleboro.org, or mail or deliver the application to: Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office, Attn: Police-Fire Committee, 230 Main Street, Suite 208, Brattleboro, VT 05301.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Police-Fire Next Steps, No Promo For Now

The Brattleboro Selectboard put off the formation of a new promotion committee. It was a suggestion of the Arts Committee and got mixed reactions from the board.

The Town Manager outlined a series of current and next steps for the police and fire facilities projects, currently moving full steam ahead. The board played a version of Match(ing Grant) Game with the Bradley House project, the end of weekly trash bag pickup was previewed, and more.


Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of April 3

Brattleboro Time Trade:  Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time. See below for more exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade can do for you!

How Time Trade Works: You do something for someone and earn
time credits for your “bank,” which you can then put towards someone else doing something for you! It’s that simple – and amazing!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from snowy spring:

Now anyone can see a listing of all our Offers and Requests: https://brattleboro.timebanks.org/ads?type=1

OFFERS (i.e. things people could do for you):

Pet Care, Dog Hiking
Fresh Exotic Sprouts, Grown Just for You!
One B&W Ad Per Year in The Commons for Each BTT Member
Organization
Dog Sitting in Our Home


I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of April 3

I-91

Northbound I-91 traffic has been relocated onto the southbound bridge. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the new bridge. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.

Route 30

The speed limit on Route 30 near the work zone has been reduced to 40 mph. Project-related truck activity on Route 30 will continue. Route 30 may be reduced to a single lane intermittently, with flaggers regulating traffic within the work zone.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – April 5, 2016

Dick DeGray will be sworn-in and the Brattleboro Selectboard will be discussing next steps for the Police and Fire facilities projects at the board’s next regular meeting on Tuesday.

They will also discuss Bradley House renovations and expansion plans, the possibility of forming a Town Promotion Committee. the upcoming change to every other week trash bag collection, numerous grants, and more. You can also bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation. Watch it all on BCTV, attend in person, or read about it here after it is over.


Brattleboro Committee Meetings and Agendas

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, April 4, 2016 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro ADA Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, April 8, 2016 at 11:15am at the Marlboro College Graduate Center in the VCIL conference room. PLEASE NOTE – This meeting will not begin at the usual time, the meeting will instead begin at 11:15am.


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Two-Thirds Sworn In, Black Mountain Road Purchase Goes Forward

Town Clerk Annette Cappy presided over the swearing in of two out of three newly-elected Brattleboro Selectboard candidates – David Gartenstein and Kate O’Connor.

The newly sworn-in board members, along with John Allen, chose officers for the coming year. They are the same as last year: David Gartenstein will Chair, Kate O’Connor will be Vice Chair, and David Schoales will be Clerk.

David Schoales was not in attendance. Neither was Dick DeGray. There was no explanation for anyone’s absence.


Upper Dummerston Road Work Postponed

The Upper Dummerston Road closure scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed to next week, because the project team needs consistent warm weather for concrete deck placement work.

Cindy Cook
Principal, Adamant Accord, Inc.
Past Vice President, Association for Conflict Resolution


Academy School and Esteyville First to Switch to Modern Wood Heat

Two school buildings stay warm with local, renewable heat from wood

BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT: The Academy and Esteyville school buildings in Brattleboro are the first public buildings to participate in the Windham Wood Heat Initiative by switching from fossil fuels to locally sourced wood pellets to heat their buildings. Academy School’s switch will reduce the school’s oil use by 15,000 gallons and generate $50,000 a year in positive economic impact for southern Vermont’s economy. Esteyville will cut oil consumption by 1,100 gallons and contribute $3,700 a year to the economy.

“We’ve got a quiet system providing an even heat and it’s been keeping our building warm,” said Andy Paciulli, principal of the 355-student elementary school.  “A bonus is that many of our students are learning about the importance of reducing our carbon footprint and decreasing our use of non-renewable resources. Heating with wood pellets has helped to deliver that lesson to our young learners. I expect we’ll realize the cost savings which should be significant for us and the taxpayer.”


Trans Canada Hopes To Sell Dams on Connecticut River

Valley News is reporting that Trans Canada is planning on selling dams along the Connecticut River:

“West Lebanon — As part of its effort to finance a new Houston-based natural gas acquisition, Trans Canada Hydro Northeast is looking to sell its New England power generation business, including its hydroelectric dams on the Connecticut River.

At stake are not only some of the most lucrative assets on the river, but control of a critical natural resource in the Twin States. The Wilder, Bellows Falls and Vernon, Vt. dams are among the assets Trans Canada plans to sell.”

. Seems like they see a future in pipelines instead.


Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of March 27

I-91

Northbound I-91 traffic has been relocated onto the southbound bridge. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the new bridge. The new bridge will be 104’ wide and is designed to carry all four lanes of traffic –two northbound and two southbound.

Route 30

The speed limit on Route 30 near the work zone has been reduced to 40 mph. Project-related truck activity on Route 30 will continue. Route 30 may be reduced to a single lane intermittently, with flaggers regulating traffic within the work zone.


Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of March 27

Brattleboro Time Trade:  Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time. See below for more exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade can do for you!

How Time Trade Works: You do something for someone and earn time credits for your “bank,” which you can then put towards someone else doing something for you! It’s that simple – and amazing!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from a sugar coma:

Now anyone can see a listing of all our Offers and Requests: https://brattleboro.timebanks.org/ads?type=1

OFFERS (i.e. things people could do for you):

Borrow My Chimney Brush
Carfax Reports (Use When Buying a Used Car)
Nail Art
Back Country XC (Telemark) Skis and Boots


Brattleboro Selectboard Organizational Meeting

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special organizational meeting on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 5:30pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office
(802) 251-8100


Brattleboro Time Trade Listings – Week of March 20

Brattleboro Time Trade:  Exchanging services, creating connections, strengthening communities, one hour at a time. See below for more exciting Upcoming Events and learn what Time Trade can do for you!

How Time Trade Works: You do something for someone and earn
time credits for your “bank,” which you can then put towards someone
else doing something for you! It’s that simple – and amazing!

This week’s fabulous listings, brought to you from an Equinoxian state of mind:

Now anyone can see a listing of all our Offers and Requests: https://brattleboro.timebanks.org/ads?type=1

OFFERS (i.e. things people could do for you):

Help with Spring and Summer Chore’s: Many T.T. References
Back Issues of “Nourishing Traditions” Magazine
Available
Seeds
Strawberry Plants


Brattleboro Rejects Columbus

In a stealth vote in the final moments of Representative Town Meeting today, fairly new RTM member Dylan Mackinnon of District Two proposed the following non-binding resolution:

“I move that the town change, in reference to the second Monday in October, as Indigenous People’s Day in place of Columbus Day.”

K. Daims attempted an amendment to have the Selectboard bring this proposal to a town-wide resolution, but the amendment was defeated 28 to 43.  The proposal passed overwhelmingly, though the exact vote was obscured by a vast WHOOSH! of indigenous spirits flooding the room with silent whoops and hollars.


Job Hunt Help at Brooks Library

Meet Job Hunt Helper Ben Howe! During March & April, CCV student intern Ben Howe will help library patrons use computer technology for job and career-related tasks. Stop by for help exploring online career and education tools, finding resume prep tools, and completing online applications. Make an appointment with Ben at the Reference Desk: (802) 254-5290 x109, or by emailing him at jobhuntbml@gmail.com.

He’ll also provide drop-in help on a first-come, first-served basis during his regular library hours: Tuesday evenings, 5:00-8:00 and Thursday afternoons, 1:00-4:00. Feel free to call ahead for info on his likely availability. 


Selectboard Meeting Notes – Brattleboro Creates New Health Plan With Employees

Brattleboro is restructuring the way town employees are compensated for health care. A new program to fill the gaps of higher deductibles might end up saving taxpayers $30,000 a year while continuing to provide a solid level of coverage for employees.

The decision of the recent special Representative Town Meeting to move the police station to Black Mountain Road has been incorporated into the budget to be presented at the regular Representative Town Meeting, Bradley House might be renovated and expanded if a new package of grants is approved, the town will buy new police cars, and Donna Macomber had a final regular meeting with the board.