Michael Hoffman

Brattleboro race: reach out to wisdom, youth, and culture

I write to share one person's opinion regarding the upcoming Brattleboard Selectboard March 5 election.

My opinion is as an "interested neutral." While we still maintain our town home, we now live in the Pioneer Valley.

We love Brattleboro and Windham County. At this precarious time, it really needs intelligent, compassionate stewardship from its leaders.

Fortunately, in looking around Brattleboro's areas of leadership, I've observed that the very best station of leadership where the integrity is both wide and deep is the Selectboard. And the race for the three seats is truly competitive in the best sense - having enthusiastic devoted town leaders vying for seats civilly, like civic musical chairs.

Read More

The high road, the low road and — soon — the no road

In Brattleboro, we are oblivious, insane, or selfish when it comes to prioritizing the maintainance of our roads and the safety of our drivers, our bicyclists, and our pedestrians

You take the high road, and I'll take the low. May we all get to Bratt's village, safely, in the morning. Seriously, now. I just had the experience - by myself, with our friends, and with visiting family from afar - of dealing with our roads. I'm not referring...

Read More

A member reflects on Annual Representative Town Meeting in Brattleboro

I write as a three-year member of Representative Town Meeting and a four-year Brattleboro resident. Reading Kevin O'Connor's accurate summary of our 2022 Annual Representative Town Meeting prompted me to comment. To be an RTM member is an honor - a meaningful role in the small town where I...

Read More

More

A special conversation raises funds for local Chabad, relief for Ukraine

Warm appreciation to everyone who joined Rabbi Avram Raskin and me in making for a very special evening, as 94-year-old Holocaust survivor Elly Gotz shared his life story and life lessons with wisdom, grace, and humility. Two years ago, Elly came to visit us in Brattleboro and southern Vermont. At that time, he spoke before several different groups to people of all ages and backgrounds. He came to our Heartstorm Farmstead joining Rabbi and Chaya Raskin and Kimberly and me,

Read More

No medals here — just beer

I write to share one person's perspective on the proposed brewery/distillery, and the likely final death knell of the Maple Valley Ski Area. At a time of supposedly increased community and personal awareness for agritourism, health, nature, creativity, innovation, and community, the “Vermont brand” bar is set extremely low. We're getting a focus on more booze, a place without any apparent positive contribution other than $250,000 to an otherwise-quiet town's coffers, and what appears to be very little vision or...

Read More

Town would be wise to get Heller on board to the Board

While Oscar Heller is relatively young and has lived here a relatively short period time (since 2014), he is an ideal candidate to guide the town. He has a long-term view, in that he has declared that if it's at all possible, he wants to live the rest of his life here. He has paid his dues, serving as town meeting rep, leading the Brattleboro Energy Committee and taking his turn running for Selectboard. Importantly, Oscar is intelligent and thoughtful.

Read More