Brattleboro Planning Commission, Development Review Board, and Design Review Committee Joint Meeting

The Brattleboro Planning Commission, Development Review Board and Design Review Committee will hold a joint meeting on Wednesday,  September 26, 2018 at 5:00 PM in front of the Canal Street School at 112 Canal Street for the walking tour.  At 6:00 PM, they will reconvene in the Selectboard Meeting Room, at the Municipal Center.


Concerts Planned For Norm’s Marina – Planning Meeting

Norm’s Marina, Inc., located at 1349 Brattleboro Road in Hinsdale, NH, has applied to the Town of Hinsdale for a Minor Site Plan Development Review in order to host music concerts at the Marina. The Hinsdale Planning Board will meet tomorrow (Tuesday, September 18) at 6:30pm at the Hinsdale Town Hall to hear the matter (a copy of the agenda attached).


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 18, 2018

At their next regular meeting, the Brattleboro Selectboard will take some early steps toward work on the next Hinsdale Bridge. The new bridge begins with relocation of some utility lines near the project and some signing of agreements, at least as far as Vermont is concerned. NH is building it.

Vehicles for hire will again be on the agenda. New vehicles will be purchased, financial reports will be heard, litigation with Retreat Farm will be resolved, Hermit Thrush will get a break on loan payments due to their product recall, bulky waste collection will be discussed, and more. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.


Hurricanes and Explosions

They aren’t happening here, but a hurricane in the mid-Atlantic and a series of explosions near Andover are causing nightmares for many other people, including much of my family.

My aunt and uncle live in North Andover. They’re fine, Aunt Nancy reports, but had to evacuate. She said they are one town over, safe, but are worried about friends. They were having trouble reaching friends and neighbors last night.


Brattleboro Fall Line Striping Scheduled

On Sunday night, September 16, 2018, the Brattleboro Department of Public Works Highway Division will begin their annual fall line striping. Painting is planned for crosswalks in school zones and in the more traveled sections of Town as well as the double yellow lines on the freshly paved parts of Maple ST and Hinesburg Rd. The work is scheduled for Sunday through Thursday nights and is expected to take about two weeks to complete, contingent on the weather.


Third Annual Safer Streets Forum

Are you interested in the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists in Brattleboro? Are you interested in road projects that relate to pedestrians and bicyclists?

Come to the Safer Streets Forum in the Oak Grove School library on Thursday, September 27th from 5:30 -7:30 pm. Light snacks will be provided.


Small Fire at Groundworks Shelter Causes Relocation to Winter Shelter Dormitory

BRATTLEBORO –  Just before noon on Monday, September 10th, a small fire broke out in a clothes dryer at Groundworks Shelter (formerly Morningside Shelter) on Royal Road in Brattleboro. No one was hurt, but the fire resulted in extensive smoke damage to the Shelter.  

Staff mobilized quickly and have temporarily relocated residents of the Shelter to the dormitory that is used for the winter warming shelter – on the Winston Prouty (formerly Austine School) campus. There is potential that the relocation will last for up to two weeks while thorough cleaning of Groundworks Shelter occurs.


Brattleboro Water Main Flushing Schedule

WATER MAIN FLUSHING TO START

Utilities Divisioncrews will start Fall Flushing of the Town water mains on Thursday September 20, 2018 at 10:00 p.m. and continue through Saturday October 6, 2018

NOTE: Some daytime flushing will continue throughout the weeks of October 8thand 15th


Beware: Brattleboro Area Chamber Spoof/Scam

This morning I got a very official looking email from “Susan Walker” , who claims to be from the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce. The subject: “2018 Updated Business License.”

The message says “Please see attached for the new business License to carry out your daily business activities,failure to get new license will result in penalty on your business,thanks.” and is followed by “Susan Walker,” the Chamber’s mailing address, and the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce logo.


Environmental Justice & Nuclear Waste Speakers Tour

What will be the final fate of the 900 tons of Vermont Yankee’s high level nuclear waste currently stored on the banks of the Connecticut River in Vernon? It may be transported across the country on roads or railways to Texas. The Citizens Awareness Network (CAN) has organized a High-level Nuclear Waste (HLNW) Tour of speakers to discuss the issues of nuclear waste, federal policy, environmental justice and direct action, with a ‘mock’ high-level nuclear waste cask. The tour and cask will be in Brattleboro on Wednesday, September 19th at the Centre Congregational Church, 193 Main Street, at 6:00pm. The event is free and open to the public.


Brattleboro Committee Meeting Agendas

The Brattleboro Energy Committee will meet on Monday, September 10, 2018 at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room at the Municipal Center.

The Brattleboro Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at 6:30pm in the Mezzanine Meeting Room at the Brooks Memorial Library.

The Brattleboro Arts Committee meeting previously scheduled on September 13 has been CANCELLED.


Brattleboro Fire Department Members Recognized

The Brattleboro Fire Department would like to proudly announce that we have received notice from the NH Fire and Emergency Medical Services that four staff members are recipients, in part, of the 2018 EMS Unit Citation from the State of NH, for their actions taken in the extrication at a fatal accident in Hinsdale, NH on March 9, 2018.

At 10:07pm the Brattleboro Fire Department responded on a mutual aid request for extrication at the scene of a two vehicle, head on collision on Chesterfield Rd in Hinsdale. Lt. Josh Jones, FF Matt Hubbard, FF Ben Aither and FF Andrew Baldwin, all members of Platoon #3, performed the extrication of one patient from the back seat area of a vehicle.


Selectboard Meeting Notes : The Parking Garage, Safety, and a Pause on Vehicles For Hire

The parking garage, a.k.a. the Brattleboro Transportation Center, had center stage at Tuesday’s meeting of the Brattleboro Selectboard. Is it safe? Is it energy efficient? Is it bright enough? Should we add a permanent art project? How big is that ceiling? Is there something we can do instead of paying half a million for reflective paint? These are the issues of the day.

There was quite a bit of public discussion throughout, new energy projects were approved, and the vehicle for hire ordinance is on hold. But really, it was mostly about the parking garage.


Uber “An Odyssey For Our Odyssey”

It is with great pleasure to be a new member of the ibrattleboro community. Recently I relocated to Dummerston from Miami Beach, where I was driving for Uber full time. I now have almost 1,000 rides provided with Uber and over 1,200 rides with Lyft. I take pride in all I do, so I’m conscientious about your transportation needs. It will be a pleasurable experience and I am proud to say, I hold a 5 star rating. I have elected to assist other Uber drivers full time at providing transportation throughout the month of September.


Avenue Grocery Changing Hands

We will be selling the store to new owners on October 1. We have loved being a part of this community and getting to know all of you, having conversations at the counter, sharing soup, listening to live music, making art on grocery bags. We are proud to be part of the long history of neighborhood grocers on Western Avenue, and look forward to watching as the new owners carry on this tradition. As locally-owned businesses struggle to compete with the corporate chain stores, the decisions we all make about where to shop will shape the future of Brattleboro.


Flat Street Drainage Work Scheduled

Beginning on Tuesday, September 4, The Brattleboro Department of Public Works Highway Division will be working on Flat St. Crews will be installing new drainage on Flat ST in the area of the Boys and Girls Club. The work is estimated to take approximately two weeks to complete. During that time, the sidewalk on the north side of Flat ST (near Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters and the Boys and Girls Club) will be closed and the parking spaces on the other side of the street will be hooded off.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – September 4, 2018

The Brattleboro Selectboard will declare the Police-Fire Facilities project complete at their next regular meeting, even though more work may be done using bond funds.

The parking garage will get a wood pellet heating system, the library an upgrade to the air handling system, and an art project will become permanent. The big changes, though, are ordinance amendments merging the concept of taxi and vehicle for hire, and a discussion of changes to parking rates, rules, and safety.

You can, as always, participate by attending.


Town of Brattleboro Labor Day Closings

 In observance of Labor Day, all Town offices will be closed on 

Monday, September 3, 2018, with the exception of emergency services. 

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday, September 2, and Monday, September 3. All other violations will be enforced. 


Lots of Out of Town Plates

Just an observation. This summer it seems like we’ve had a lot of out of state visitors, judging by license plates.

I’ve seen South Carolina, Florida, all of new England, California, Kansas, Alaska, and even Hawaii. Many more, too.