BRATTLEBORO-As a lifelong Brattleboro resident and current Representative Town Meeting (RTM) member, homeowner, and downtown building owner, and as a former chairman of the Selectboard, I feel compelled to address the town regarding the budget challenges it now faces.
My takeaway on Town Meeting was that the representatives stressed downtown safety and financial control. Last year's board made many good-faith initiatives to improve safety but lost control of the financial end by tapping town reserve funds and hiring many new employees.
The results of their efforts were a safer downtown and an anticipated tax increase which was unpalatable to RTM.
Now the board is faced with creating a new budget with two possible courses of action: funding current actions with incremental additional cuts, or taking a more meaningful route, which is a reduction in staff.
In my letter regarding Brattleboro's EMS project, I listed some incorrect costs, and I strongly believe that I have an obligation to clarify things and do apologize for not doing my due diligence. After a conversation with Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland, I am able to speak on two...
I have been silent on the Selectboard's termination of the Rescue Inc. contract in favor of the town taking over EMS, but it is now time for me to speak on the issue. This was a shortsighted and horrendously wrong decision, because the numbers just do not make sense.
Tip O'Neil said that “all politics is local.” Brattleboro has a very important local election coming up on Tuesday, March 7 regarding the Selectboard. I am writing to show my support for Dick DeGray, Peter “Fish” Case, and Franz Reichsman. All three are longtime residents who will demonstrate allegiance to Brattleboro practices and traditions. They are thorough and not afraid to ask the tough financial questions to insure fiscal responsibility. Finally, they are involved in the community in many ways...
Here are some issues to think about prior to Brattleboro's Annual Representative Town Meeting coming up on Saturday, March 23. To make rational decisions about spending, one must carefully consider the municipality's ability to generate revenue. Brattleboro has a Grand List that has been relatively stagnant in recent years because we are limited geographically and because we have high taxes - two factors that chill expansion and development. But even more important, Brattleboro is a hub town with a population...
The Brattleboro Selectboard's vote to endorse a plan to relocate the police station from the Municipal Center to Black Mountain Road with the purchase of the Reformer Building is a bad idea, for a number of reasons. First, one Selectboard member was quoted in the Reformer, stating that it, ultimately, would be cheaper to move than stay. Initially, maybe, but this point of view totally ignores the enormous fit-up costs that would be necessary to again rent the vacated Municipal...