News & Information

News and information sections, from near to far

Selectboard Meeting Notes: Deficits, Donations, Arts, Power and PACE

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro will end the year with a deficit according to a memo from the Town Finance Director. Most of it was expected and all of it was approved, but it isn’t especially good financial news. Especially given the fact that the Brattleboro Selectboard learned that the DPW would exceed the road maintenance budget for the year.

Perhaps someone would like to make a donation to cover the cost overruns. Such was the suggestion of Chris Chapman, who told the board of a plan to let people give money to the town because they like us and want to be charitable.

The Selectboard wasn’t interested in forming a new committee to investigate generating electricity and heat locally, but supported the idea of forming a sub-committee of the Energy Committee to take up the task.

Trash Pickup To Resume on Gravel Roads

by Not Signed In | Town News

Trash and recycling pick up will resume on the gravel roads this week as normally scheduled.

If you have any questions, please contact Calista, Brattleboro’s Trash and Recycling Coordinator, at (802) 254 – 4541 ext. 1103.

Town of Brattleboro
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
211 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
Tel: 802-254-4255 • Fax: 802-257-2316 • E-mail: brattdpw@sover.net

Brattleboro Spring Leaf Pickup Schedule

by Not Signed In | Town News

The following dates have been scheduled for Brattleboro’s curbside Spring Leaf Collection. Whereas in the past leaf pickup was determined by scheduled day of rubbish pickup, all locations will be picked up each Friday:

Leaf Pick Up Date

ALL RESIDENTS Friday, April 25, 2014

ALL RESIDENTS Friday, May 9, 2014

All leaves and clippings must be in brown paper leaf bags and at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on scheduled leaf collection days. Acceptable waste…leaves, grass, clippings, garden waste, twigs, no branches larger than 1″ in diameter and 2 feet long. No other household trash is to be included.

I-91 Northbound Brattleboro Bridge Closure On Saturday, April 12, 2014 – Details

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

BRATTLEBORO, VT – April 14 – PCL Civil Constructors, Inc., in coordination with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, closed the I-91 bridge on Saturday, April 12 through Sunday, April 13 due to unexpected safety concerns. During the demolition of the I-91 northbound bridge, safety concerns were raised when the northbound bridge shifted during the removal of a portion of the structure. As a result, the contractor recommended that, in an abundance of caution, the adjacent I-91 southbound bridge structure be closed to traffic until the partially demolished northbound bridge could be inspected and adjustments could be made to ensure the safety of the traveling public. Contractor crews and engineers worked around the clock to rectify the situation and traffic was restored Sunday night.

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Replacement Project Update: Week of April 13

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

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 in the Fall of 2015.

Weather permitting, night work will be conducted Sunday night, April 13th through Saturday night, April 19th.

Route 30

The speed limit on Route 30 near the work zone has been reduced to 40 mph. This reduction will remain in effect through the Spring of 2016.

Project-related truck activity on Route 30 will continue. Route 30 will be reduced to a single lane intermittently both day and night, with flaggers regulating traffic within the work zone.

Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – April 15, 2014

by cgrotke | Town News

Citizen suggestions for town improvements will be center stage at the next regular Tuesday Meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Former board member Chris Chapman would like the town to consider taking donations, and George Harvey would like a committee to investigate generation of local electric power.

The board will also hear from the Arts Committee, approve whiskey drinking for the Stroll, review staffing of Police and Planning departments, get a PACE update, buy a new police car, and more.

You can attend and participate in person, or watch on BCTV. Full coverage here afterward.

Governor Shumlin Appoints BDCC’s Moulton As Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) Secretary

by Not Signed In | State News

GOV. SHUMLIN MAKES KEY STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS

MONTPELIER — April 10, 2014 — Gov. Peter Shumlin today announced two key staff appointments integral to his efforts to strengthen Vermont’s economy by growing jobs, helping to contain rising health care costs and reform health care delivery, and ushering in a universal, publicly-financed health care system in Vermont.

Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) Secretary Lawrence Miller will become Senior Advisor to the Governor and Chief of Health Care Reform. In this capacity, Miller will be tasked with overseeing the state’s health care reform efforts and transition to Green Mountain Care. He will report directly to the Governor.

Brattleboro Water Quality

by Not Signed In | Town News

Brattleboro’s 2014 Water Quality Report is now available. Once again we are proud to report no violations and few contaminants detected in the water we supply. This Federally mandated report contains information and test results on the water supplied to Brattleboro residents during the past year. It also includes general information about your water supply and its sources and a little water department news on upcoming projects.

Customers receiving a bill will find a web address at the bottom where they can go to read the report online. The address is . You may also go to , click on departments and then Public Works, Water Supply page, where there is a link to the report.

Brattleboro Special Referendum Informational Meeting on Budget and Police-Fire Project

by cgrotke | Town News

Brattleboro Selectboard Chair David Gartenstein led an informational meeting at Oak Grove School Wednesday night. The topic was the special referendum vote on April 17, the town budget, and the Police and Fire Facility project. Not counting Town staff, Selectpersons, and Town Meeting Reps, about 36 members of the public attended.

Gartenstein first gave an overview of the proposed budget and the work that went into creating it, all familiar to regular readers of Selectboard Meeting Notes. His main point was that it was a lean, level-service budget, with most of it going to pay staff and benefits.

He also said the town’s basic, core services were police, fire, roads, parks & recreation, and the library.

I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Project Update: RT 30 Closure Delayed One Day

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The Project Team has delayed the closure of VT RT 30 by one day. As you might imagine, a project of this scope involves a huge number of variables. We are doing our very best to keep everyone apprised of changes, and appreciate your understanding and patience.

ROUTE 30 CLOSURE SCHEDULING CHANGE: Friday, April 11th to Friday, April 18th: The closure is now scheduled to begin Friday night, April 11th and will be complete by the afternoon of Friday, April 18th. The shearing of the steel of the bridge that is being demolished will be noisy, and will be limited to the hours of 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, so as to minimize the noise impacts on nearby residents. Once the closure begins, no through traffic will be permitted on VT Route 30 through the I-91 right-of-way.

Designated Agencies Opposing SSA Medicaid Funding Designation for Pathways Vermont

by Norsehorse | State News

(cross-posted to Green Mountain Daily, here; original version posted to Vermont Watch, here)

It was recently learned that Pathways Vermont, a housing first program currently serving six different regions within the state, is pursuing Specialized Service Agency (SSA) Medicaid funding designation status as a way to replace the federal grant funds the housing first program will be losing later this year, to the tune of $600,000.

Read the Pathways Vermont SSA designation application letter, here.

It is my understanding that this SSA designation status, if granted, would permit Pathways Vermont to receive medicaid funding the program currently does not have access to and of which the Designated Agencies (DA’s: i.e., Community Mental Health Centers: CMHC’s) basically have enjoyed what amounts to a virtual monopoly when it comes to these type of program and service funds.

Another Phone Scam

by annikee | Other

I’ve just heard of someone being scammed. A phone call from a “Live Technician” with a Las Vegas number and a Canadian billing address, scammed this elderly woman for several hundred dollars and wiped much of her laptop, iPad, and iPhone clean. The caller “knew” which devices she owned before she told him and she unwittingly gave him access to her devices. He was claiming that she needed to buy his company’s malware and that her computer was loaded with troubles. He wiped out whole programs she’d paid for, and supposedly installed their malware. Of course, all of her information and identity is now stolen.

Mud Season Trash Pickup

by Not Signed In | Town News

Due to the difficult mud season this year, there will be no trash and recycling pick-up on the following gravel roads on Wednesday, April 9th or Thursday, April 10th, 2014:

Pleasant Valley Road:
Gibson Road
East Orchard Street
Orchard Street
Pleasant Valley Road
Meadowbrook Road
Wickopee Hill Road

East Side of Main Street Closing April 10

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The Brattleboro Parking Enforcement Division would like to advise the public that on Thursday, April 10, the east side of Main Street will be closed for on-street parking beginning at 7:00am. Green Mountain Power will be performing a street light conversion on Main Street. The work is expected to be completed on Thursday and on-street parking will be returned into service as the conversion progresses.

Please contact the Parking Enforcement Division at 257-2305 with any questions.

Route 30 Closure Schedule Change – April 10 to 17th

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

ROUTE 30 CLOSURE SCHEDULING CHANGE: April 10th to 17th: The closure is now scheduled to begin Thursday night, April 10th and will be complete by the afternoon of Thursday, April 17th. The shearing of the steel of the bridge that is being demolished will be noisy, and will be limited to the hours of 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, so as to minimize the noise impacts on nearby residents. Once the closure begins, no through traffic will be permitted on VT Route 30 through the I-91 right-of-way.

Brattleboro Skatepark Site Selection – On Site Visits

by cgrotke | Town Plan

The Skatepark Site Selection Committee is starting site visits this Thursday (rain or shine). Here’s the agenda; come to part or all.

Thursday April 10, 2014
1. 5:15 P.M. Site Visit Elliot St. Park–190 Elliot St.
2. Recess
3. 5:45 P.M. Site Visit Elm Street Park Lot–At the Corner of Elm St & Flat St
4. Recess
5. 6:15 P.M. Meeting Gibson Aiken Center–207 Main St.
6. Public Input via E-Mail – skateparkideas@brattleboro.org
7. Report on Act250 Properties (Cedar St.)
8. Review Site Visits
9. Next Meeting Wednesday April 16, at 5:15 P.M.
10.Other business