This week at the WRC: 4/6 - 4/10
- April 7, 6:00 pm: Project Review Committee, WRC Conference Room CANCELLED
- April 8, 8:00 am: Finance Committee, WRC Conference Room CANCELLED
- April 9, 5:30 pm: Community Development Committee, WRC Conference Room CANCELLED
Full Meetings and Events Calendar, and Warnings | Current Newsletter | January 2020 Staff Report
From the Director, Spring 2020: WRC COVID-19 Response Update
The following is a brief summary of WRC activities related to COVID-19, and our operations during this State of Emergency. We used to develop similar summaries in the wake of Irene and they were considered helpful. I welcome your feedback. So as to make effective use of everyone’s time I’ll pull these together as there is new news to share. In between summaries you can assume we’re in the same operational situation and performing the same or similar tasks. If you use Facebook I encourage you to follow us at https://www.facebook.com/windhamregional. Please let me know if you have any questions, and feel free to share this with anyone you think would be interested.
From the Chair & Director: WRC Operations During COVID-19 Social Distancing
The Windham Regional Commission stands ready to assist the towns of the Windham Region with their needs during this time of global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the immediate term we have provided the town contacts that we have to the local Department of Health districts so they have a direct line of communication with you, and we have sent towns information about continuity of operations planning. The following is an update.
COVID-19 Information and Support for the Businesses & Economy of the Windham Region
The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, the regional development corporation for the Windham Region, is coordinating the regional response to the economic impacts of the pandemic. The BDCC has formed the COVID-19 Windham Economic Resiliency Team, which includes the WRC, and is serving as a conduit of information to and from the region’s business community.
For more information visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/covid-19/.
Coordination of Volunteers in Response to COVID-19
Volunteer coorination in response to COVID-19 is happening at the state level and regionally. The State of Vermont is looking for volunteers in a variety of areas and professions to help in communities across the State that have been affected by COVID-19. The state's volunteer website directs residents with health care training to register with regional Medical Reserve Corps units. Those teams can supplement local health care providers if hospitals get overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases. Volunteers are also being sought with other skills, among them drivers, food service workers and construction workers. To sign up go to: https://www.vermont.gov/volunteer
Internet Connectivity Resources During COVID-19 State of Emergency
The Vermont Department of Public Service has developed a map of libraries, local and state buildings, and schools offering free, open Wi-Fi internet access. They also have information about what cable, telephone, and mobile carriers are doing to assist consumers, including those with low income, and places where consumers can find internet access and be updated as new information becomes available. Here’s the link:
Regional Broadband Project Begins; Kick-off Meeting Presentation Available
The Windham Regional Commission (WRC) held a region-wide meeting on Thursday, January 9th, 2020 to kick-off the new Windham Region Broadband Project. The presentation from that meeting, which describes the elements of this project in detail, is available here. A video of the meeting is available here.
The next meeting will be held February 6th (February 13th snow date) at 6 p.m. at the Newbrook Fire Department in Newfane and will focus on the administration of the broadband survey.
WRC Mourns Loss of Our Friend and Colleague, Mike Shaughnessy
On Thursday, July 11th we learned of the unexpected death of our friend and colleague, Mike Shaughnessy. Mike had worked at WRC as finance manager since he was 21 years old, and for more than 30 years was central to the operation of the Commission and our strong financial integrity. He was a resource for our towns and a leader among the regional planning commission financial managers.
Windham Wood Heat Projects Gain Spotlight Across State Lines
Two advanced wood heat projects in Windham County funded in part by the Windham Wood Heat Initiative have been highlighted in the four-state effort to positively message automated wood heat. The Green Street School in Brattleboro (right) and the Windham and Windsor Housing Trust development Putney Landing in Putney are both featured as "Stoked Stories" on Feel Good Heat's website.
WRC Project Showcased at the 2019 Leahy Summit at the ECHO Center
On Friday, April 5th, 2019, staff planner Emily Davis lead a panel discussion with her project partners at the 2019 Leahy Center Environmental Summit at the ECHO Center in Burlington. Hosted by the VT Clean Water Network, the Leahy Summit is a biennial clean water networking event designed to pull together clean water partners involved with community resilience, policy, funding, project development, and clean water implementation. Starting in response to the need for a more holistic approach to watershed planning following Tropical Storm Irene, each Leahy Summit has a theme. The theme for 2019 was: "The Alchemy of Arts & Science."
Windham Regional Commission Receives $300,000 Brownfields Grant
WRC was selected as one of six organizations in Vermont selected to receive a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for environmental assessment work. The $300,000 grant will cover five site assessments, five cleanup plans and the development of an area-wide plan. This work will be targeted in the communities with the most need, Brattleboro, Bellows Falls and Wilmington, although brownfields projects throughout the region are eligible. “The Windham Regional Commission is pleased to be able to help more communities and property owners clean up and redevelop contaminated sites in Southern Vermont”, said WRC Senior Planner Susan Westa.
New Brattleboro Road Map Now Available
WRC has completed a large version of a Brattleboro road map, with every named road and street in town, public and private, on one page, with no insets. The map also includes a name index to help you locate those streets you’ve never heard of before. Lisa Donnelly of the WRC staff gets much of the credit for being the cartographic contortionist, fitting nearly 340 road names into Brattleboro’s very non-linear street network. Interested in a smaller size? WRC also has an 11x17-inch version, on two pages with insets.
PDFs of both maps are available on the WRC web site here. Anyone can take the PDFs to a commercial establishment for printing, or WRC can print out copies of the large map for a small fee. Thanks to the Brattleboro Planning Services Department for reviewing the map.
