When an issue is discussed for a long time, one might experience fatigue. Or, as a prominent member of this community wrote to me, "Can we drop this issue? It happened. Let's please move on."
But as Yogi Berra accurately predicted: "It ain't over till it's over."
In point of fact, the Selectboard still needs to make a decision in about a month - on Tuesday, Sept. 19 - as to how emergency medical services will be delivered in Brattleboro.
If you've been studying this, a few points are clear:...
The currently sitting Selectboard in Brattleboro has unfinished business ... and it cannot be accomplished by the currently sitting members. For there to be honest and real “transparency,” three members of the board must change. Richard “Dick” DeGray stands out first as someone who speaks his mind and -
This op-ed poses a question that seems logical on its face - until one does a bit of research. The “compelling state interest” test has been a part of Supreme Court case law since 1963 (Sherbert v. Verner) and 1972 (Wisconsin v. Yoder), where religious freedom was upheld in...
I am not commenting about the merits of the decision on EMS but solely on the decision-making process. Many problems with the process bear repeating and beg for further analysis and reflection ... hopefully, this board and administration agrees: It appears a position was articulated at the Feb. 9 meeting. That decision resulted in frustration. Now information is being disclosed via the media. I invite the board to reflect on what happened and even bring in a neutral third party...
Soon it will be Tuesday, March 2: Prepare to vote in the Town Meeting Day and Windham Southeast School District elections. • First, register to vote or make sure you are registered. You can do that online by using the online voter registration page at olvr.vermont.gov and request your ballots at My Voter Page, mvp.vermont.gov. If you encounter problems logging in, please contact your town clerk. For the Brattleboro Town Clerk, phone 802-251-8157 or email [email protected]. Strongly consider voting by...
An open letter to Rep. Brian Smith (R-Derby) regarding his participation in the lawsuit Martel v. Condos, filed in United States District Court in Vermont: Rather than becoming part of the problem by engaging with two out-of-state lawyers to obstruct Vermont's voting by absentee, it would be preferable that you would work with your fellow legislators and the people of this state to ensure a successful vote in the upcoming election. Vote-by-mail significantly increased turnout while decreasing on-site voting during...
There's a story told about the late Tim Corcoran, town clerk of Bennington and so-called “mayor” of that town. I don't know if it is true, but maybe a reader will know. He's described as a champion of absentee voting in Vermont and said to have wanted to expand that opportunity because people would come into the office and suggest they would vote for him or for others but they were people that normally would not come to the polls.
The Scene: Presidential primary election, March 3 in Vermont. Election official: “Which ballot do you want? Democratic or Republican?” Vermont voter: “Why do I need to tell you which ballot I want?” “Well, umm, it's the law .â—Š.â—Š.â—Š.“ “Really?” Yes, it is! As was enacted in 1979: “A person voting at the primary shall be required to ask for the ballot of the party in which the voter wishes to vote and an election official shall record the voter's choice...