News & Information

News and information sections, from near to far

Dark Hallowe’en On Cedar Street

by Lise | Town News

This year’s hallowe’en celebration was our darkest ever — at a little before 6 o’clock, some heard a bang, others saw a flash, and then, lights out.  Meanwhile, the street filled with cars and kids, out for hallowe’en treats, most of them hardly noticing that the reason our street was so spooky was that no one had power.  

We decorated the front hall with candles (safely stowed in holders) and an old storm lantern that nicely showed off the giant spider shadows on the back wall.  Meanwhile, hundreds of kids made their way through the gloom and rain, with glowing pumpkins and lighted walking sticks to guide their way.  

Building a Better Brattleboro Membership Meeting – Thursday, November 7, 2013

by Not Signed In | Business

Building a Better Brattleboro will hold a meeting of its membership on Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden. BaBB will present its FY 2015 work plan and budget. Following the presentation the membership will vote on whether to approve the budget in accordance with Chapter 15 of Brattleboro’s Code of Ordinances.

BaBB’s membership, as well as the public, is encouraged to attend.

Building a Better Brattleboro
babb@sover.net

Elliot Street Fire Relief Fund Established

by JohnWilmerding | News & Information

Just when the weather is getting pretty cold, . The Elliot Street Fire Fund has been established at TD Bank to help these folks.

While emergency relief agencies have seen to their immediate survival needs, there are also needs that won’t be filled because of limits to those agencies work programs and resources. Click the story title, above, for details.

Encouraging Smart Commuting: Energy Committee Works With Local Businesses to Promote Alternative Transportation

by Not Signed In | Town News

Alternative transportation can be a tough sell in a rural state like Vermont, where residents often have to travel long distances to get to work and shopping. Brattleboro’s main streets are often choked with traffic, creating headaches for motorists along with air pollution that can cause health problems.

The Brattleboro Energy Committee has been working for several years to address this issue. In 2010, the Committee organized the Brattleboro Business Transportation Roundtable, made up of representatives from Brattleboro-area businesses and institutions such as the Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, and Landmark College. The Roundtable has been working to promote alternative commuting such as biking, walking, carpooling, and taking the bus among its employees through programs such as the Way To Go Commuter Challenge.

Windham Region Organizations Testify to 2 Million Dollars in Immediate Needs Due To VY Closure

by Not Signed In | State News

VERNON – On Monday October 28th, the Vermont House Commerce and House Natural Resources and Energy Committees held a joint hearing in Windham County to hear about community and economic impacts expected from the date certain closure of Vermont Yankee.

The Windham Regional Commission (WRC), Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC), southeastern Vermont’s regional development corporation, and the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) testified about the need for full decommissioning, urgent economic development needs, and the plans they have developed to meet those needs, in the Windham Region. All three organizations are poised to work on the rebuilding of the Windham regional economy in the face of the loss of jobs, payroll and business activity resulting from the closure. The regional organizations estimate their immediate mitigation financial needs at 2.3 million dollars.

Brattleboro Selectboard Special Meeting – Revised Agenda

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 3:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 3:15pm to discuss a personnel matter.

REVISED AGENDA ATTACHED.

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

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast – October 18, 2013 – Notes from – Gun Sense VT: a sensible approach?

by RobertOeser | State News

Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast, October 18, 2013, Gibson-Aiken Center – Brattleboro VT

Notes from – Gun Sense VT: a sensible approach?

Presenter:  Ann Braden –  

 

“The District of Vermont’s efforts to combat firearms violence in the state are shaped by two realities. First, federal law enforcement has a unique responsibility to combat the acquisition and possession of firearms by criminals in Vermont because the state has no laws prohibiting the possession of firearms by persons prohibited under federal law. Second, the most pervasive form of violent crime in the state results from domestic disputes.”

SeVEDS and BDCC To Testify On Economic Impacts With Date Certain VY Closure

by Not Signed In | Business

Public testimony from 5-7 pm in Vernon

On Monday October 28th, the Vermont House Commerce and House Natural Resource and Energy Committees will hold a joint hearing in Windham County to hear about community and economic impacts expected from the date certain closure of Vermont Yankee. The hearing is scheduled from 1:30 to 4:30 for regional organizations, municipalities and others to testify with an open time for public testimony from 5-7 pm at the Vernon Elementary School.

BDCC, southeastern Vermont’s regional development corporation, and SeVEDS (Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies) will testify at 2:15 PM about the pressing economic development needs, and the plans they have developed to meet those needs, in the Windham Region.

Brattleboro Committee Meetings Scheduled

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) will meet on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 5:30pm in the community room at the Brooks Memorial Library.

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee will meet and hold an Informational Meeting on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 6:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. Human Service Agency funding applications and information is posted on the Brattleboro website.

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

Brattleboro Selectboard and Town Manager Search Citizen Committee – Meetings and Executive Sessions

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will hold a special meeting on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 3:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Board will enter into executive session at 3:15pm to discuss a personnel matter.

The Brattleboro Town Manager Search Citizen Committee will hold a meeting on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 3:15pm in the Hanna Cosman/Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center. It is anticipated that the Committee will enter into executive session at 3:20pm to discuss a personnel matter and meet with the Selectboard.

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

2nd Annual Vermont Vision for a Multicultural Future Conference Registration Open

by Not Signed In | State News

Brattleboro – Vermont Partnership for Fairness & Diversity has opened the general registration for the 2nd Annual Vermont Vision for a Multicultural Future Conference. Individuals interested in attending this strategy-sharing event may register on-line at www.vermontpartnership.org .

Beginning at 1:00pm on Thursday, November 7th, Vermont Partnership will convene its signature conference at the Grand Summit Resort Hotel & Conference Center at Mount Snow in Dover, VT. The one and a half day conference will bring together Vermont leaders and interested parties who are working to strengthen business and institutional practices for an increasingly diverse marketplace within the state and beyond. The conference will close at 5:00pm on November 8th.

Washington Street Closed for Three Weeks

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

Washington Street will be closed to through traffic from Highland Street to Prospect Street for three weeks starting Monday, October 28, 2013. Renaud Bros. will be working with the Department of Public Works to replace the failed retaining wall. Motorists should plan to use alternate routes.

If there are questions or concerns, please contact the Department of Public Works at 254-4255.

-Department of Public Works

Award-Winning Game Designer Comes to Southern Vermont

by Not Signed In | Other

Kathryn Blume, co-founder and Executive Director of Vermontivate!, an award-winning sustainability game, will be coming to Brattleboro on Wednesday, November 6th hosted by the Brattleboro Energy Committee. She’ll be sharing the story of creating a frolicsome on-line/real-world competition which infuses joy and creativity into the serious and important work of tackling the global climate crisis.

Launched in May 2012, Vermontivate! has had players from towns all over the state racking up points for everything from changing lightbulbs and starting compost piles to writing energy-related poetry, decorating bicycles and reaching out to people around the world who’ve been affected by climate change.

Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee is Accepting Applications

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting Human Services Review Committee is accepting applications for FY15 Human Services Funding. The Application, as well as Instructions and Guidelines, are on the Brattleboro website – www.brattleboro.org. The Human Services Review Committee Informational Meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 6:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center. The deadline to submit applications to the Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office is Monday, November 18, 2013 at 4:00pm. For information regarding the application process, contact Jan Anderson in the Brattleboro Town Manager’s at 802-251-8151

Upcoming Windham Regional Plan Public Forums: We’ve Got Questions

by Not Signed In | Town Plan

The Windham Regional Commission (WRC) is approximately halfway through the two-year update process for the 2014 Windham Regional Plan. The Plan reflects shared values and concerns of the people who live in the 27-towns and discusses current and future issues facing the Region. The Windham Region consists of the 23 towns of Windham County, Readsboro, Searsburg and Winhall in Bennington County, and Weston in Windsor County. The Windham Regional Plan is updated on an eight year cycle during which the information and statistics presented in the Plan, the Plan text which describes both historical and developing trends and values, and the resulting Plan policies will be reviewed and updated based on current information and conditions.

Brattleboro Town Manager Citizen Search Committee Meeting and Agenda

by Not Signed In | Town News

The Brattleboro Town Manager Citizen Search Committee will meet on Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 4:00pm in the Selectboard meeting room at the Municipal Center.  It is anticipated that the Committee will enter into executive session at 4:00pm to discuss a personnel matter.

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