Brattleboro Select Board Special Budget Listening Session - September 12, 2025

The Brattleboro Select Board held a special listening session on September 12, 2025, at Brooks Memorial Library to gather public input for the development of the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) general fund budget. The meeting began with a brief opening statement from the board chair clarifying that last year's municipal tax rate increase was 8.9%, but when combined with the school tax, the total property tax increase was only 2.7%. The board presented a draft schedule for the budget development process, and members of the public offered a wide range of comments on budget priorities, values, and specific concerns. No formal votes were taken.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jim (community member): Expressed disappointment in recent charter discussions, saying that some political figures were condescending to community members by suggesting they couldn't understand the process. He urged the board to let residents vote based on what they think is best, not on fear-mongering.
• Nile K. Wade (literary artist and educator): Described his work with the Legacies, Reckoning and Resilience program and asked the board to consider allowing him to present a grant opportunity for which municipalities and libraries are eligible, to support community bridging projects.
• Neil Matthews (District 7): Thanked the board for the meeting but urged more proactive outreach to community organizations (e.g., Elks, Lions, senior housing, high school) to increase public engagement. He recommended strict budget restraint, avoiding last-minute amendments at Town Meeting, and suggested eliminating the human resources fund (approx. $500,000 in donations) entirely, or at least reducing it.
• Ken Faye (District 8): Thanked the library for hosting and asked that the library budget be protected. He also questioned whether there are metrics to determine when the downtown public safety emergency ends, as hundreds of thousands were allocated for that purpose.
• Randy Blatchett: Expressed concern about escalating taxes, small business challenges, and the need for a 0% budget increase. He advocated for discontinuing the solid waste curbside collection contract, proposing residents find their own waste disposal methods. He suggested alternative revenue measures: a 2-3 cent per gallon gasoline tax, EV charger tax, diesel fuel tax, full 1% sales tax for the town, tax on Airbnb rentals, increased fees for basic services, water sales, leasing/selling town properties, and reducing staff through attrition. He identified fire, EMS, DPW, and police as essential services, calling others "Cadillac services."
• Eric Karen (District 7): Criticized the board's three-question framework (values, changes, protected services) as unhelpful and divisive, arguing it pits community members against each other and stifles creativity. He cited the purchase of a new fire car instead of repairing an old one for $12,000 as an example of unnecessary spending. He called for fiscal responsibility and transparency.
• Susan Belleville (District 8): Emphasized getting back to basics: public safety, emergency services, infrastructure, water/sewer, safe sidewalks, and good roads. She noted that fines for code violations and EMS bills are not being collected and urged the town to pursue collections. She called for managing community expectations to avoid trying to appease everyone.
• Tom Franks (District 9): Identified essential services as health and safety (fire, EMS, police, DPW) plus the library as essential for education and information. He commended the board's openness and proactive listening.
• Ann Wright (formerly District 3, now District 9): Suggested considering wage freezes or cuts for town staff, as she has experienced personally. She noted that rising taxes force small landlords to raise rents, contributing to unaffordability of housing, and asked the board to keep that in mind.
• Dick DeGreg (former board member): Urged the board to have "courage" in making cuts, noting past examples where public pressure restored cuts to the library and arts funding. He argued the arts are elective and should be cut if needed. He disputed the idea that paying more retains staff, saying "if you don't want to be here, leave." He opposed subsidized trash pickup, saying it is subsidized by commercial properties and apartments with 5+ units. He wanted to hear each board member's thoughts.
• Dina Chadwitz (District 9): Like Ann Wright, she keeps rent low but may have to raise it if taxes increase. She suggested exploring revenue sources that don't raise taxes, such as town-wide internet (like Chester). She also proposed leasing town land for 55+ housing to generate ongoing revenue.
• Jacob (community member): Did not speak on record.
• Richard Davis (co-runner of Windham County Heat Fund): Warned that federal LIHEAP funding for fuel assistance is uncertain because the administration fired staff in the department that distributes the money. He said if funds don't come through, people in Brattleboro could die. He also noted that 45,000 Vermonters may lose Medicaid, which could reduce EMS reimbursement revenue. He urged proactive measures and announced a fundraiser for the Heat Fund on Sunday at Heart Roads Club.

Discussion Items

• FY27 Budget Development Schedule Presentation (Town Manager John) : The town manager presented a draft schedule:
  • Tonight: First listening session.
  • November 4/6: Initial draft budget presentation to select board, including five-year projection and 25-year capital improvement plan.
  • November 12: Second listening session after draft release.
  • November 18: Fire and police budget presentation.
  • December 2: DPW, library, recreation and parks budget presentation.
  • December 16: All other departments (clerks, assessors, finance, town manager) Q&A.
  • January 6: Board discussion on budget revisions.
  • January 20: Board approval of FY27 general fund budget. The schedule is flexible for additional meetings if needed.
• Board member reflections and reactions : Several board members commented after public testimony:
  • Amanda (board member): Clarified factual corrections: the arts fund was eliminated entirely in the previous budget, not cut by $15,000; this board restored $10,000. The library has an endowment, but departments cannot be expected to fund themselves personally. She appreciated Neil Matthews' outreach suggestions and acknowledged Eric Karen's concern about being able to share values safely. She noted themes of financial responsibility, frugality, and concerns about federal cuts.
  • Chair (who asked not to validate comments at this time): Expressed discomfort with individual validation during the meeting, preferring the board digest comments collectively. Later, she summarized hearing a theme of interest in avoiding significant tax increases and in creative revenue options (gas tax, selling/leasing land, etc.).
  • Isaac (board member): Said he has no fixed thoughts yet; hopes the draft budget will look better than expected. He noted that town staff run a tight ship and there are no obvious easy changes, as every service has a constituency. He encouraged ongoing dialogue.
  • Peter (board member): Refused to participate in cuts, focusing instead on generating revenue. He supported ideas like a gas tax, town Wi-Fi service, selling/leasing land, and taxing Airbnbs to pull money from non-residents who use town services.

Key Outcomes

• No formal decisions or votes were taken. The board will use public input to inform the FY27 budget development.
• Next steps include a second listening session after the draft budget is released in early November.
• The draft budget and five-year projection are expected to be presented to the select board on November 4 or 6, 2025.
• Individual department budget presentations will occur on November 18, December 2, and December 16, 2025.
• Final approval of the FY27 general fund budget is scheduled for January 20, 2026.

Note: The meeting transcript indicates a speaker said "today is September 11th," but the provided date for this meeting is September 12, 2025. The agenda and minutes were not available.