For stories pertaining to the town of Brattleboro at large and its government.
The Brattleboro Selectboard has one final chance to cut their FY26 spending at Tuesday night’s regular meeting. More likely it will be approved as is.
The board will also take a third look at the ordinance governing the downtown improvement district. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 6:15 in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room.
The Brattleboro Human Services Allocations are ready. The Human Services Allocation spreadsheet can be found at the Town website: https://brattleboro.gov/representative-town-meeting.
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, all Brattleboro Town Offices will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, with the exception of emergency services.
Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Monday, January 20. All other violations will be enforced.
The Brattleboro Town Auditor’s report is currently available at the Town Manager’s Office at the Brattleboro Municipal Center (230 Main Street) and on the Town’s website, Brattleboro.gov
The third installment of the 2024 Brattleboro Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes will be due by 5 p.m. on February 17, 2025. Payments made after February 17, 2025 will have an additional 1% interest added to the unpaid balance.
The Town of Brattleboro utility bills are also due by 5 p.m. on February 17, 2025. Payments made after February 17, 2025 will have an additional 1% interest, as well as an 8% penalty added to the unpaid balance.
The Brattleboro Traffic Safety Committee will meet on Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 8:00am in the Selectboard Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Rm. 212) and over Zoom.
The Brattleboro Charter Revision Commission will meet on Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Board Meeting Room (230 Main Street, Rm. 212) and over Zoom.
On Wednesday, Isaac Evans-Frantz submitted to the Brattleboro Town Clerk 120 petition signatures to appear on the ballot for Brattleboro Selectboard. That is 4 times the amount needed by law to get on the ballot. By the end of the day the town clerk had confirmed that Isaac will in fact appear on the ballot for a one-year position. The election is March 4 at the American Legion.
“Brattleboro faces major nationwide challenges – an opioid crisis, a housing shortage, a growing gap between the wealthiest and poorest people, and a climate emergency,” Isaac said. “Brattleboro needs a new leader who will help make our town safe, affordable, and welcoming for all.”
The Brattleboro Selectboard approved their revised FY26 budget with a 12% property tax increase without further changes, ignoring a great deal of feedback from the Finance Committee and members of the public that there were other items to consider and concerns that root problems were being put off for future years.
The board agreed that no cuts to staff will be considered. Staff positions in Brattleboro are seemingly guaranteed forever.
The board also asked that the community be more respectful when taking about municipal affairs, and laughed at Liz’s serious suggestion to tax cats.
The first regular meeting of the new year for the Brattleboro Selectboard…. and I’m not really sure what happened beyond the first few minutes. Gophers were nibbling on the internet tubes or something.
The Brattleboro Human Services Committee will meet on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 5:00pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room.
The Brattleboro Selectboard will be taking another look at the FY26 budget at the first regular meeting of 2025. They made some cuts to services at their last meeting and will review the impact of their decisions thus far. Will they do more?
The board will hold a second reading of changes to the ordinance governing the Downtown Improvement District. If everyone likes it, it will be approved as well. You can bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.
The Brattleboro RTM Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Brooks Memorial Library, Mezzanine Room.
The Tree Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 4:15pm in the Hanna Cosman Meeting Room.
The Charter Revision Commission will meet on Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and over Zoom.
The Finance Committee of Representative Town Meeting approved the following resolution at its 18 December meeting:
The Finance Committee is concerned that the Selectboard was unwilling to consider staff cuts during its December 17 discussion for reducing the FY26 budget, relying instead on cuts to services and deferrals to FY27. The Finance Committee calls upon the Selectboard to instruct the Town Manager to present to the Selectboard a list of potential staff cuts to consider for FY26 at its next meeting. We recognize that the concept of staff cuts is painful, but we believe that considering it is an essential part of the responsible management of the Town.
Here’s your seasonal spot to write up little things that might be worth a sentence. What have you noticed recently in the Brattleboro area?
Winter has kicked off with most of the late autumn snow and ice melting away. It is Dec 30 and near 50 degrees.
RTM Human Services Committee
Monday, December 30, 2024
6:00-9:00pm
Selectboard Meeting Room (RM 212) The Municipal Center 230 Main Street and Zoom
Agenda
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82025368613
• Approve minutes from previous meetings
• Complete review of grant applications.
• Go into deliberative session to discuss rubric scores of applications
The Brattleboro Town Manager’s Office will be closed from Thursday, December 26, 2024 to Thursday, January 2, 2025
In observance of the Christmas holiday:
Brattleboro Town offices will close at 12:00pm (noon) on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.
Brooks Memorial Library will close at 1:00pm on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.
In observance of the Christmas holiday all Town Offices will be closed Wednesday, December 25, 2024, except emergency services. .
The Town of Brattleboro is offering free parking downtown during the final two weekends of the year. Parking will be free on Dec. 20, 21 and 22, 2024, and again on Dec. 27, 28 and 29 to coincide with the busy holiday season.
Since launching the new parking system in late November, Town staff have been making improvements to it based on public feedback. Several upgrades are currently in development, including additional signage, step-by-step instructions displayed on the sides of the parking kiosks, revisions to the parking zone/kiosk map, and the creation of a “how-to” video that will guide drivers through the three parking methods available downtown.
T’was the week before Christmas and all through the town, not a creature was stirring except for the Brattleboro Selectboard discussing FY26.
The board used Town staff suggestions and assumptions as a starting point. They boldy saved items from being cut but also agreed on cuts worth close to $2 million. Police will get new uniforms, for example, but snow cleanup, arts, and human services will see cuts. Members of the public cautioned that these were superficial, one-time, unsustainable cuts and told the board they pushing taxpayers over a cliff in years to come.
