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BELLOWS FALLS-The improvisational collective Sunburned Hand of the Man will play Stage 33 Live, 33 Bridge St., on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m.
Sunburned Hand of the Man has a large discography and frequent personnel changes. Their improvisations incorporate elements of free jazz, space rock, psych-rock, hypno krautrock, drone, folk, funk, punk, and dirty synth.
"Their live shows are a surprise every time - even to them, usually - ranging from wild freak-outs to more coherently sculpted material careening from unsettling to hypnotic to mellow," organizers wrote in a news release.
According to Sean Kitching, writing in The Quietus, "Sunburned at their best were capable of taking the listener on a shamanic, boogie-fueled trip outside of quotidian reality. Live shows blended monstrous tectonics of rhythm, caustic guitar, echoing phased vocals, insect electronics and kitchen sink instrumentation that collided in an unholy, ecstatic racket."...
College news • Community College of Vermont honored the following local students for academic achievement during the fall 2025 semester. Named to the President’s List were Kaylie Severance, Rebecca Therieau, and Shi Yu Yang of Brattleboro, Lily McGillion of East Dummerston, Kylie Jarvis of Guilford, Cameron Misnick and Jada...
WILMINGTON-Bartleby's Books will host a book reading and signing event with local author Paul Scheufele Saturday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. He will read from his new novel, Damaged Goods. Scheufele creates "character-driven stories that explore ethical dilemmas, family secrets, and the quiet choices that can change everything," according...
Learn how to spot online scamsBRATTLEBORO - Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., will host a guided discussion on identifying features of online scams during the monthly drop-in "Talking About Tech" program, in which technology users bring their questions and their advice. This month's gathering will take place Saturday, Feb. 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon in Meeting Room D. Matthew Wojcik, the library's electronic services specialist, will be on hand to provide expert help. These sessions are intended as...
SAXTONS RIVER-Main Street Arts of Saxtons River invites young artists ages 5–13 to explore their creativity through a lineup of summer camps designed to "spark imagination, build confidence, and foster community," representatives wrote in a news release. "Creating with Clay" kicks off the summer season from July 6–10. The camp is directed by Whitney Barrett at the Vermont Academy Clay Studio from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Designed for ages 7–10, this hands-on camp offers students the opportunity to explore...
BRATTLEBORO-Sarasa Ensemble explores the musical influence of Bologna, Italy, Friday, February 27, at the Brattleboro Music Center. The program, titled "alla Bolognese," notes that Bologna is not only renowned for its famous ragù, but it was also a hot spot for many pioneering 17th-century musicians who paved the way for the flowering of instrumental music in Europe. The 7 p.m. concert will include works for cornetto, violin, cello, and organ by Leonarda, Cazzati, Arresti, Gabrielli, Bononcini, Torelli, Antonii and Montalbano.
BRATTLEBORO-In celebration of African American History month, Brooks Memorial Library and the Windham County NAACP are co-sponsoring "A Legacy of Courage: Poetry and Book Readings" for the whole community on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m., featuring the words of poets and writers over the last 200 years. "We will hear the powerful words of Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., June Jordan, Howard Thurman, Nikki Giovanni, and many more," said organizers in a news release.
BRATTLEBORO-This spring, after three decades of creating harmonies together, Brattleboro Harmonia (formerly the Brattleboro Women's Chorus) enters a new chapter. The chorus' 30th Anniversary spring semester marks both a rebrand and a heartfelt farewell to founder Becky Graber, who celebrates her final season as musical director. To honor these milestones, Brattleboro Harmonia invites new singers to join the chorus for this once-in-a-lifetime spring season. Rehearsals begin Thursday, March 5. The first one is open to new singers to see if...
BRATTLEBORO-In the Special Focus Issue containing many thoughts on the upcoming ballot questions as to town governance, democracy is sometimes stated as (but is more often tacitly assumed to be) an underlying goal to which we all ascribe. And so it should be. However, it must be noted that as a component of a desirable governing structure, democracy is necessary, but not sufficient. Look at the result of democracy at the national level. Restrictions on government powers are also necessary.
BRATTLEBORO- Brattleboro This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons. This piece, published in print in the Voices section or as a column in the news sections, represents the opinion of the writer. In the newspaper and on this website, we strive to ensure that opinions are based on fair expression of established fact. In the spirit of transparency and accountability, The Commons is reviewing and developing more precise policies about editing of opinions and our role and...
BRATTLEBORO-Since October 2025, questions at the state level have been raised about Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s financial viability. Now, after the loss of its two top executives, an influx of hospital administration experts, multiple budget revisions, and an energetic, ongoing top-to-bottom examination of costs and services, there won’t likely be many easy fixes for the hospital. And some of the difficult fixes might be very hard to take. “We’re kind of changing the tire as we roll down the road,” said...
The writer is former chair of the Brattleboro Town School Board and the Windham Southeast School District school board. BRATTLEBORO-Voters in Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, and Putney have an opportunity to elect two terrific new members to the Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) school board. Daniel Everlith has been on the Dummerston School Family Involvement Team since his son started preschool three years ago, and he has worked with the Vermont Learning Collaborative, providing behavioral support and counseling for at-risk students.
BRATTLEBORO-I have known Isaac Evans-Frantz since he was in high school. I have always admired his dedication to causes. I believed in him then and I still do. We need someone who will continue to bring the concerns of folks on the street, small businesses downtown, and the elderly to the Selectboard. Isaac has been listening and doing just that. We need someone who will dig down into the weeds for transparency on town issues, including the budget. Isaac has...
BRATTLEBORO-I strongly support Town Meeting form of government for Brattleboro, because it calls on we the people to join together, deliberate, and serve as a check on how the Selectboard proposes to operate the town. At Town Meeting, we listen carefully to each other. We respectfully consider what our neighbors have to say. We thoughtfully deliberate about what to do. Then we collectively decide about what best serves the public interest. Open Town Meeting is my preference over Representative Town...
The writer served on the Brattleboro Selectboard for six years, four as chair. BRATTLEBORO-The Selectboard should be about building bridges and community. It should be about inclusiveness, dialogue, and respect for constituents. It should be about delivering core municipal services in a cost-effective manner consistent with taxpayers’ ability to pay. I support Amanda Ellis-Thurber for the three-year Brattleboro Selectboard seat because she is committed to and working effectively to achieve these goals. David Gartenstein Brattleboro The writer served on the...
The writer represents District 8 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-It’s important that Brattleboro voters understand how giving up Town Meeting deliberations (whether open or representative) in favor of Australian ballot voting is giving up their voice. Yes, people can register approval or opposition with their vote, but they will be giving up the opportunity to persuade others of their view beyond the uncertain audiences of social and traditional media. And on the other side of the...
BRATTLEBORO-I will vote once again for Elizabeth McLoughlin for Brattleboro Selectboard. She has worked very hard for the town in various roles. She does not balk at dealing with challenging issues, and she does her best to consider everyone’s concerns. With challenging times and issues, I am uncomfortable with well-intentioned people who have “concepts of a plan” for how to approach problems but nothing solid. I want level-headed, rational governance. As a professional planner, Elizabeth approaches challenges methodically, thoroughly, and...
BRATTLEBORO-I enthusiastically support Elizabeth McLoughlin’s re-election to the Brattleboro Selectboard. I have lived and worked in the area for my entire adult life, and I care deeply about our community. As a clinical psychologist, I am especially concerned about the soul-sapping divisiveness that seems to accompany many of the daunting challenges we face — homelessness, substance abuse, domestic and community violence, climate change, and crime. These are complex social problems. If they were easy to solve, we would have solved...
BRATTLEBORO-On Tuesday, March 3, I will be voting to preserve the institution of Representative Town Meeting, and if that vote fails I will be supporting an open Town Meeting. Australian ballot does make voting to approve our budget accessible to more people, but it also completely silences the power of the people to add or subtract money from the budget, or to advise the Selectboard about our areas of concern if we vote not to approve the budget. All you...
BRATTLEBORO-A recent post to a Brattleboro forum asked, “Do I dare vote ‘yes’ on Town Meeting and ‘yes’ on Australian ballot?” The thought behind this was to achieve a “synthesis proposal so that we get both/and rather than either/or.” The short answer is that voting this way would not get what the writer wants. There is no hybrid option on the ballot. A “yes” vote for both Australian ballot and open Town Meeting does not create a blended system; it...
The writer represents District 8 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. She also serves on the town Planning Commission. BRATTLEBORO-For the entire period of my life on this Earth, neoliberalism has been the dominant ideology in American society. We have watched for half a century as the politics of divide and conquer has hollowed out our nation, and our community here in Brattleboro is no exception. It is long past time for that to change. We in Brattleboro...
GUILFORD-I am so glad that Tammy Sargent is running to serve on the Selectboard in Guilford. She is a very civic-minded citizen and has worked tirelessly to become familiar with the workings of our town. She has spent many hours poring over the books on her own time. She has regularly attended Selectboard meetings for all the years that I have known her. When she speaks she knows what she's talking about. She doesn't talk without having done her research.
DUMMERSTON-Please join me in voting for Daniel Everlith for Dummerston’s representative on the Windham Southeast School District School Board. I am very happy to be able to vote for a younger and very-well-qualified candidate, one who is involved in the school and the community. Daniel was previously working within WSESD as a school counselor for the Vermont Learning Collaborative, providing behavioral support for students, assisting them to be able to return to their regular classrooms. Daniel’s background is in family...
Michael Szostak, of Stage Road in Guilford, is seeking re-election to a two-year seat on the Selectboard. GUILFORD-I'm running for re-election to the two-year seat on the Guilford Selectboard. Patty and I moved here from Pennsylvania 26 years ago, primarily so she could live her dream of having a team of draft horses and sugaring with them. For me, my dream was working in a hardware store. I landed a job at Brown & Roberts, and Patty was able to...
BRATTLEBORO-Brattleboro Selectboard Chair Elizabeth McLoughlin’s primary intent with this commentary seemed to be to attack Peter Elwell, in response to his letter criticizing her performance and track record. I do not find such a spat, and such a public one at that, to be helpful to the town. I also, however, hope to be fair in my assessments. Has Elizabeth done some good things for Brattleboro? Yes, I think she has, and for some time now. Are the skills she...
This letter, submitted by Christie Herbert, was co-signed by Bill Conley, Dede Cummings, Steve Carmichael, John Ungerleider, Elizabeth Ungerleider, Linda Whelihan, and Sharon Snider. DUMMERSTON-In the face of public attacks on her person and personality, we, the close friends of Liz McLoughlin, feel compelled to speak out on her behalf, just as Peter Case did so eloquently in his Reformer column this week. We know Liz to be funny, kind, and competent. Her passionate commitment to working on behalf of Brattleboro is genuine...
BELLOWS FALLS-On Feb. 20, U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, got to do what he says is "a part of my job that I love, talking to regular Vermonters." His morning meeting with over a dozen "regular Vermonters" at the Bellows Falls Municipal Fire Station had the added bonus of Welch handing over $598,000 to aid the Rockingham Municipal Fire Department build a new fire station with expanded emergency services in Saxtons River. Welch is the ranking member of the Senate...
BRATTLEBORO-Amanda Ellis-Thurber started on the Selectboard a year ago and brought with her a history rooted in this town. She and her husband, Ross, have operated the Thurber family’s dairy farm, along with Ross’s parents, and their children were raised here. She has been involved with many local organizations and knew many of her constituents already and certainly was up to date on the complex issues here. Since joining the board, she has been an active participant in meetings with...
Most voters throughout Windham County will assemble on Town Meeting Day on Tuesday, March 3. Voters in Athens, Brattleboro, Brookline, Rockingham, Vernon, Westminster, Windham, and several other towns will convene on their own respective timetables, and Marlboro voters will make all decisions by Australian ballot. According to the Vermont Secretary of State’s office, Vermont law makes Town Meeting Day a holiday for employees of state government. State law also gives an employee the right to take unpaid leave from work...
MONTPELIER-On Town Meeting Day, the first Tuesday in March, citizens across Vermont come together in their communities to discuss the business of their towns. For over 200 years, Town Meeting Day has been an important political event as Vermonters elect local officers and vote on budgets. It has also been a time for neighbors to discuss the civic issues of their community, state, and nation. This piece is designed to help you learn about Vermont’s Town Meeting Day, its history,
BRATTLEBORO-Voters in Brattleboro heading to the polls on Tuesday, March 3, will face a crowded field of Selectboard candidates for three seats this year. Current Selectboard Chair Elizabeth McLoughlin is being challenged for the three-year seat she now holds by current board member Amanda Ellis-Thurber, who is completing her first one-year term on the board, and political outsider Ken Fay. In a second race, incumbent first-year board member Isaac Evans-Frantz is running along with newcomers Randall “Randy” Blodgett, Deena Chadwick,
-Combine a game between a local rival with Senior Night, and you get a night with a little more energy and emotion than the other games on the schedule, especially for the home team. The Brattleboro Bears girls’ basketball drew from that energy and defeated a strong Bellows Falls team with a 53-44 victory at the BUHS gym on Feb. 17. Bellows Falls entered the game as one of the top teams in Division III, while Brattleboro is in the...
BROOKLINE-It's finally time for us Americans to wake up to something that has long been obvious to even casual observers in other countries. We are being governed by a madman: • A madman who believes he has absolute power to act out his wildest impulses regardless of our own laws or international law. • A madman who will stop at nothing to expand and cement his power over all aspects of American life, and over other countries he perceives as...
-Most Vermonters tap March Town Meetings to chew over proposed local spending and, on occasion, a potluck lunch. But residents in Newfane, population 1,645, have bit into a smorgasbord of larger issues, be it calls to ban genetically modified foods in 2002, impeach President George W. Bush in 2006, oppose the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in 2024 or pledge to be “an apartheid-free community” in 2025. “When Vermont Town Meetings speak, the nation and the world listens,” resident Dan DeWalt,
BRATTLEBORO-Real friends are not those who populate the lists of your various social media accounts. They are the ones who are there for you when things unexpectedly get difficult for you. This sort of friendship doesn’t result from some acquaintance noticing that you posted something clever. It is cultivated, sometimes naturally over decades of living in the same community or starting from a shared interest that brings people together. Sometimes it happens more intentionally, such as when someone goes and...
BRATTLEBORO-Please vote to save in-person Town Meeting in Brattleboro. We have the rare privilege of coming together as a community to discuss and address the major challenges and opportunities facing our town. Voluntarily surrendering that privilege would be a shame. To ensure we can continue to meet in-person — whether in Representative Town Meeting or in open Town Meeting — we need to vote: no on Article 2, no on Article 3, and yes on Article 4 on our town...
Angela Lawrence was elected high bailiff for Windham County in 2022. BRATTLEBORO-As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, honoring the history and contributions of the Black communities, let’s together let’s celebrate the beauty of diversity and honor the richness of Black heritage. Let’s empower Black voices and create a world where everyone feels valued and respected. As we face the coming election here in Vermont, with the primary election just six months away, the weight of the current political...
The writer represents District 9 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-I’ve been confused by the push to switch Brattleboro to voting only by Australian ballot. I think that is a terrible idea for our town and for democracy in general. Getting rid of Town Meeting would put much more power in the hands of Selectboard. The people who are very actively advocating for purely Australian ballot are local conservative activists who have spoken up loudly in recent...
BRATTLEBORO-I’m writing to urge a “yes” vote to continue Representative Town Meeting. And to encourage those who wish to discontinue it to instead run to be a representative! It is a truly democratic process, one of the very few we still have. Issues are thoroughly discussed — sometimes at great length. There have been times when through those discussions, I learned enough new (to me) facts or a different perspective to convince me to change my vote. However, I can...
BRATTLEBORO-I have lived in small towns with open Town Meeting and in towns with Representative Town Meeting. In these two scenarios, due to life circumstance, my vote has not counted, and I have not been represented. I am a well-informed voter who deserves the opportunity to vote through direct democracy: one person, one vote. Open Town Meeting is exclusionary, with not all voters being able to attend due to restrictions or circumstance. Should this become the option, Brattleboro must be...
GUILFORD-Peter Elwell just wrote the kind of commentary he would never have wanted to read about himself when he worked for Brattleboro. He asks voters to value civility, collaboration, and respectful governance. Yet when he turned to Elizabeth McLoughlin, that tone disappeared. The other candidates were evaluated in terms of governance, their commitment to process, and their public record. Ms. McLoughlin was described in personal terms — demeaning, bullying, dysfunction, and divisiveness. That is personal targeting, not a professional critique.
Amanda Ellis-Thurber, who is completing a one-year term on the Brattleboro Selectboard, is a candidate for a three-year seat in the annual elections on Tuesday, March 3. She lives in District 7, where she farms with her family. BRATTLEBORO-Why am I running for the three-year seat on the Selectboard? Why now? I see the next three years as critical. Leadership is critical. I have a proven track record. Through my work on the Selectboard, I have made efforts to make...
The writer represents District 9 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-Randy Blodgett is ready to serve our town with experience, preparation, and steady leadership. Running a business is not new to Randy. He understands firsthand what it takes to manage budgets, meet payroll, assess risk, and make tough decisions responsibly. His years of business experience are exactly why the town manager selected him to serve as economic development consultant — recognizing his strategic thinking and commitment to...
WESTMINSTER-I support rescinding the town manager form of government in Westminster because I believe a town administrator model would better serve the town's needs. Under Vermont law, the authority of a town manager derives directly from state statute and operates with a high degree of independence from the Selectboard. By contrast, a town administrator works at the direction of and in closer partnership with the Selectboard, allowing elected officials to remain actively involved in operational decision-making when they choose to...
BRATTLEBORO-During the approximately 30 years that I served as a member of Brattleboro Representative Town Meeting, there were times when I was frustrated by exceedingly long discussions about relatively minor matters. There were times when I was angry about self-serving, narrow-minded speeches. But I never thought that Representative Town Meeting was not worth it. I think that RTM is a beautiful expression of that most messy institution — democracy. Each year I reviewed the Annual Town Report, read opinion pieces...
BRATTLEBORO-Incumbent Kimberly “Kim” Price is vying with Richard “Rich” Leavy for a three-year seat representing Brattleboro on the Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) school board, and newcomers Daniel Everlith and Paul Smith are competing for a three-year term representing Dummerston on the board. Incumbent Putney representative Ruby McAdoo is running unopposed for another three-year term. She joined the board in 2023. The election is Tuesday, March 3. Voters from all district member towns — Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, and Putney —
ALSTEAD, N.H.-Can you stand it? Can you stand it any longer? A young single mother, attempting to get away from a terrifying moment, was murdered by an ICE agent. There are too many cell phone video recordings capturing the scene to think that what we're seeing is created by artificial intelligence or is "fake news." And yet, we see the princess of Homeland Security strutting up to her lectern to tell us that what we saw wasn't true. That what...
BRATTLEBORO-Light pours in through ample glass surfaces at the newly opened Multicultural Community Center (MCC) at 28 Vernon St. On any given day, the MCC, a service sponsored by the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), welcomes new Vermonters of all ages from countries all over the world to the cozy and inviting community space, which is clean and sunny with cultural icons, bright wall hangings, and cheery carpets and furniture, most of which was donated. The organization intends to offer...
The writer represents District 7 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-As Brattleboro voters consider the future of our town governance, I support moving away from Representative Town Meeting (RTM) — not toward open Town Meeting, but instead toward conducting town business by Australian ballot, paired with strong public discussion and information sessions in advance of each vote. Much of the support for RTM rests on two commonly cited strengths: the ability to amend articles on the floor...
BRATTLEBORO-I am writing to clarify some misconceptions regarding the Australian ballot system. Contrary to recent claims, this system does not limit or disallow discussion or amendments. In fact, while neither the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) nor the open Town Meeting (OTM) have statutory requirements for informational deliberations prior to voting, Australian ballot voting specifically requires the representative body to hold a public informational hearing, as per 17 V.S.A. section 2680(h). If the Selectboard prepares the budget in a timely manner,
BRATTLEBORO-Representative Town Meeting is like that worn-out old coat you have in the closet: torn, full of holes, zipper’s not quite right, and it doesn’t really fit anymore. You know that there is a new model out there that will perform better. But you just can’t let the old one go, even though you know it needs to. Brattleboro held its first Representative Town Meeting (RTM) in 1961 with 24 articles. It took approximately four hours. In 2025, RTM had...
BRATTLEBORO-I was first elected as a member of Representative Town Meeting (RTM) in 2011, when I was 18. That first year, I walked into a room of people who came to participate in a challenging but worthy mission: to listen to others and deliberate to make the best decisions for our town. Since then, I have participated in both open Town Meetings in Westminster and Representative Town Meetings in Brattleboro, where I returned as a representative in 2021. In all...
BRATTLEBORO-The Feb. 10 panel regarding Representative Town Meeting and alternatives exemplified the benefits of coming together for an open, frank discussion, providing a forum for community members to inform and be informed, to listen and to learn. And yes, I heard new viewpoints and learned from them. As our current government relies on sound bites and polarization, dividing us for the purpose of creating discord and misunderstanding, I believe it is crucial that we maintain all opportunities for civil discourse,
GUILFORD-We are so pleased to hear that Tammy Sargent is running for Selectboard in Guilford. The Sargents have a long history of being generous with both their time and resources in the Guilford community. Tammy led the Boy Scouts for years and participated in many facets of the Guilford Historical Society's Plant and Bake Sale, as well as being a partner in the family's local wood delivery and maple sugaring business. Tammy is a hard working, fiscally prudent citizen who...
The writer represents District 9 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-Based on my own experiences as an RTM member of some years, I find that any assertions attempting to paint Representative Town Meeting as some noble enterprise, wherein members enter into deliberations without agendas, to be inaccurate and perhaps a tad disingenuous. Consider the upcoming/recent District 8 and District 9 informational sessions. In District 8, a meeting will feature keynote speakers Nell Mayo and Isaac Evans-Frantz (two...
BRATTLEBORO-Brattleboro faces no shortage of challenges. Our municipal-budget-to-population ratio puts us among the highest in the state. As a hub town to smaller surrounding towns, we shoulder burdens beyond our own. Brattleboro suffers from statewide and nationwide challenges: rising homelessness; housing and affordability issues; the effects of the motel program and its post-pandemic wind-down; federal funding losses and threats; downtown safety challenges, which have also negatively affected local businesses; and an aging population. Addressing these challenges and community needs requires...
The writer represents District 7 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-As someone who grew up here many years ago and recently returned, I see a town that needs revitalization while keeping the culture and charm that make it the Brattleboro we love. Brattleboro is quintessential Vermont, but it struggles with crime, a large homeless population, out-of-control property tax increases, limited housing options, and low economic development. As noted by Town Manager John Potter in his memo of...
The writer served as principal of Brattleboro Area Middle School and Academy School and was a longtime resident of Brattleboro. KEENE, N.H.-I’ve had the good fortune of having a very lengthy and successful career in education. By far the best years were the 33 years that I worked in Brattleboro and the WSESU. My greatest honor was to work with several thousand students. Equally satisfying has been to see former students succeed as adults. One former student that I am...
BRATTLEBORO-In listing the dozen voter groups who, for various reasons, cannot or will not participate in an open Town Meeting, Thomas Franks (Representative Town Meeting member, District 9), argues against himself in advocating for the Australian ballot. If all these voter groups so predictably fall victim to circumstances that prevent or preclude their participation, removing the informed guidance the RTM model provides its constituents would seem to distance voters further from achieving the informed consent that is desirable on matters...
BRATTLEBORO-I urge my neighbors to support Elizabeth McLoughlin for the Brattleboro Selectboard. As an environmental planning consultant with more than 30 years of expertise, Liz brings an invaluable perspective to our local government. Her training in city planning allows her to deeply understand local governance, fiscal policy, and long-range budgeting — skills that are essential for the challenges our town faces. I particularly agree with Liz’s stance on maintaining town-wide garbage collection. As she has noted, a town-supported system is...
BRATTLEBORO-For the past few weeks, many Representative Town Meeting (RTM) members have argued for restricting the vote. It’s not surprising: Power always wants to justify itself. They say they are better informed, more engaged, and represent those who cannot speak for themselves. I’ve even heard a few people say that others just don’t care as much as they do. These arguments are not only unconvincing — they are condescending. Brattleboro’s voters are fully capable of understanding the issues that affect...
The writer represents District 9 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-I am concerned that the discussion about Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting (RTM) is getting stuck in considerations of efficiency as a measure of good democracy. I agree that asking voters to read lengthy documents before the meeting, talk to their neighbors and discuss options, and then figure out a way to make time for a day-long meeting is asking a lot of people these days. But that...
COLCHESTER-As (until recently) a lifelong Brattleboro resident, I have seen many Selectboard decisions — both good and bad — that affect the town. I do not envy the board members, as they often have to make difficult choices. I do, however, appreciate the effort, time, and hard work that they all put in. With the removal of the paltry less-than-1% funding for social services for FY27, it seems that we need someone on the board that sees the significance of...
BRATTLEBORO-Peter Elwell’s commentary singled out Liz McLoughlin for doing exactly what a Brattleboro Selectboard member is elected to do: study the issues, understand the challenges facing our town, and work with others to craft responsible solutions. Liz has devoted years to this work, and Brattleboro is better for it. She has been forthright about the strain placed on our community by the disproportionate number of unhoused Vermonters sheltered in local motels. Rather than turning away from the problem, she has...
The writer represents District 7 as a member of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting. BRATTLEBORO-I was excited to be elected as a new member of Representative Town Meeting in 2025. I had no prior experience in town government but was disenchanted with, in my opinion, recent costly bad decisions, lack of planning, and unnecessary spending, culminating in excessive increases in property taxes. I am a retired caregiver for my 92-year-old mother and 78-year-old husband, a homeowner who is solely responsible for...
BRATTLEBORO-When I first met Deena Chadwick 12 years ago, I didn’t know who she was. We happened to be shopping at the same store when she recognized me from a connection through her dental hygienist. She walked up to me and said, “You’re Nicole, right? I understand you’re a runner?” When I said yes, she warmly encouraged me to come to the local track workouts. Because of her encouragement, I went — and through that experience I met an amazing...
Paul Beebe is running for a two-year seat on the Guilford Selectboard. GUILFORD-I've called Guilford home since 1993. My wife, Kerri, has lived here most of her life, and when we got married, we chose to stay in Guilford. Our two children live in Guilford, and my in-laws, my sister-in-law and her family, and extended family are also part of this community. I have worked in state law enforcement for 22 years. Like many in our town, I understand what...