Since August, most town meeting members, like myself, started re-familiarizing ourselves with the town articles that still needed to be voted on.
Due to COVID-19, Annual Representative Town Meeting was, for the most part, put on hold last March. When it was rescheduled on Sept. 12, its venue was on Zoom - a whole new frontier for many, a true labor of love, and a team effort.
I want to thank and praise my fellow Town Meeting members who managed to keep the quorum for over 13{1/2} hours - including a three-hour test run on Sept. 5 - and vote on all articles.
A special thank you to Starr Latronica, Matt Wojcik, and the staff at Brooks Memorial Library for providing updated software and technical support for both sessions for those (like myself) who were in need of it.
We relish the early signs of spring in this area - robins and crocuses, to name a few. One indicator for myself, and a number of others, was José Cordero in his motored cart, sitting in front of the Samuel Elliott Apartments in downtown Brattleboro. He would greet you...
For well over a decade now, I've enjoyed regular strolls along the West River Trail. Until recently, it was very common in the spring and early summer to see turtles crossing the trail, going off to lay their eggs. Unfortunately, I only saw two turtles this year, and both...
We recently lost a wonderful member of the community, Mary Dunham. I first met her and her husband Phil, who died in 2011, through the Brattleboro After School Ski Program, which they organized and started. The first thing on their agenda was fitting boots and skis on kids who would otherwise never get this opportunity. They stored all these skis, poles, and boots in their own barn, and we'd get down on our hands and knees, making sure each child...
I'm writing to thank Richard Henke for his article on my March/April art exhibit at the West Village Meeting House in Brattleboro [Arts, March 20]. I'm very proud of my heritage and vision in my artistic quest, which I think Mr. Henke covered beautifully. I did find, however, what I thought were some very misleading claims. I work with children and, because the creative process is so important for all children, I just want readers to know that as a...
Please allow me to comment on Phil Innes's June 15 article on pit bulls and dogs in general [“The pit bull quandary,” Viewpoint, June 13]. There are so many people these days who love the idea of owning a big, beautiful canine with little awareness of the commitment and consistency required in owning such a pet. Pure breeds, and pure-breed mixes, such as pit bulls, rottweilers, dobermans, and German shepherds to name a few, particularly need proper training and discipline...
Regarding Olga Peters' May 9 article, “Brattleboro citizens decry dog shooting”: While I thought the article was well-balanced, she obviously misinterpreted very relevant areas of what I understood as a conversation. Please allow me to offer some clarification. My personal experience with interacting with local law enforcement has historically been quite positive. You do, understandably, often have to chase them down, but I've always appreciated the respectful, forthright dialogue when sitting face-to-face and discussing an issue. What has changed is...
When my father passed away on Sept. 11, his obituary was sent to various newspapers, with the understanding that some do charge for publication. I had understood sometime ago that the Reformer resumed offering it free as a local service, so I was surprised to find that it not only charged but that it was the most costly, more than some larger publications. To inquire about doing some basic editing so I could bring down the expense, I assumed a...