Join your Brattleboro Representatives tomorrow morning to hear updates and talk about what matters to you. We're holding these events weekly so if you can't join tomorrow, there is always next week! (I'm sorry to say that I actually won't be there tomorrow but Mollie and Tristan will valiantly continue on without me.)
To connect on a computer or tablet: https://zoom.us/j/8916240279?fbclid=IwAR3DZT3NFS2OBwZWu48-XLEcE6FzUNWBNjDTs4mgpiASPNFUG-OOX3xMfTg
Meeting ID: 891 624 0279, Password: brattle
One tap mobile +16465588656,,8916240279#,,#,760540#
Dial Directly +1 646 558 8656, Meeting ID: 891 624 0279, Password: 760540
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MESSAGE TO CONSTITUENTS FROM WINDHAM COUNTY DELEGATION
Dear Windham County residents,
We, your Windham County Legislators, want you to know that during this difficult and challenging time we are available to assist you. We recognize that this is a stressful time for our community, families, and businesses. With information coming from many directions it can be hard to keep track of it all. A new COVID-19 resource guide, aimed at individuals living in southeastern Vermont, is now available from Windham Regional Commission. The resource can be found on the Windham Regional Commission's website by visiting http://www.windhamregional.org/.
The Governor pledged that the backlog at the Department of Labor for unemployment assistance was to be cleared by Saturday April 18th night or $1200 advance checks will be issued. For self-employed, independent contractors and sole proprietors, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance is expected to begin this week. A separate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Line for the self-employed has been established. Updates to the PAU program can be accessed by calling (877)660-7782.
While the "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order in Vermont has been extended to May 15th, the Work Smart & Stay Safe -Restart VT: Phase I has also been issued effective April 20th and sets the health and safety requirements for employers currently operating and those who will eventually be operating during the state of emergency. This includes a requirement to maintain social distancing, wear masks, provide soap and water and allow no more than two employees to occupy a vehicle. Guidance will be issued which allows outdoor work and construction work in unoccupied structures to resume, and supporting operations utilizing curbside pickup and delivery to also resume. Services operating with a single worker like real estate, municipal clerks, attorneys and property managers are allowed to resume one on one operations with no more than two persons participating in that operation. All other businesses, nonprofits and government entities are asked to continue to support work from home as much as possible.
Guidance for reopening Farmers Markets on May 1st will be issued by the Agency of Agriculture. While social distancing requirements may affect the sense of community at the markets, we are pleased that fresh fruit and vegetables and Vermont products will be available for sale.
We want to make sure you are aware that activity on bringing broadband to the last mile remains a priority to us and significant progress is continuing to happen in Windham County. The Windham Regional Commission received over 4200 responses to their broadband survey and are nearing completion on a feasibility study for optimal Communications Union District (CUD) development and operation with their partners. That feasibility study will be used to develop a business plan for bringing the internet to the last mile and the business plan will be used by the CUD to develop a request for proposals from potential internet service providers.
A Windham County CUD has formed with townwide votes from Wilmington, Halifax, Whitingham, Marlboro and Stratton. New towns are eligible to join the CUD by vote of their selectboard and agreement of the CUD board. The towns of Readsboro and Wardsboro have joined by vote of their selectboards. Windham Regional and Marlboro's Steven John are able to provide information to other towns about how they can participate.
As of Wednesday, April 8, Windham County had the second lowest census response rate (24.9%) in the state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into our community, county, and state every year for the next decade.
Sen. Jeanette White. Jwhite@leg.state.VT.us. 802-387-4379
Sen. Becca Balint. Bbalint@leg.state.VT.us. 802-365-1060
Windham 2-1: Brattleboro
Emilie Kornheiser. Ekornheiser@leg.state.VT.us. 802-246-1213
Windham 2-2: Brattleboro
Mollie Burke, Mburke@leg.state.VT.us 802-734-3519
Windham 2-3: Brattleboro
Tristan Toleno, Ttoleno@leg.state.VT.us 802-579-5511
Dec 19, 2024, 4 to 4:45 PM
New Gaza Monologues at NEYT Dec. 21Dec 21, 2024, 5 to 9 PM
Zen Meditation in Saxtons RiverDec 25, 2024, 7 to 8 PM