Brattleboro Select Board Approves Recommendations for Human Services Funding

The Human Services Committee revised its original recommendations to reflect a diminished funding scope, which dropped funded organizations from 33 to 29.

Funding for local human services has been officially established following a recent meeting of the Select Board. The Board gave its approval to new recommendations put forth by the Town Human Services Committee, which emerged after an initial proposal for zero funding this fiscal year was made. In April, during the Town Meeting, residents voted to allocate $350,000 starting from July 1.

After the decision to discontinue the Representative Town Meeting in March, the Select Board reinstated the members of the former Human Services Committee to adapt to the new structure. The Town Manager noted that these appointees were well-versed in the processes involved, and could respond effectively to the updated directives.

The Human Services Committee subsequently revised its recommendations to reflect a diminished funding scope, dropping the number of funded organizations from 33 to 29. Each recipient organization faced a decrease in funding, driven by various factors including the quality of their applications, organizational sustainability, and specific service offerings to the community. A letter from the committee highlighted that some programs were deemed crucial, while others, although beneficial, were considered less essential.

Committee Chair David Miner shared that the group dedicated over 27 hours to meetings and evaluated more than 14,175 pages of application documents. He remarked that this effort did not account for the additional time each member spent reviewing the materials independently. In previous discussions held by the last Select Board, funding support was eliminated entirely, prompting the committee's renewed mobilization in response to this unexpected outcome.

Miner mentioned that the committee organized a forum involving various organizations to emphasize the importance of the services they provide to the community, leveraging social media and local press to amplify their message. He noted that this year’s funding process was markedly more complex and time-consuming compared to previous years.

During the Select Board meeting, comments regarding the recommendations were quick, with one board member expressing the belief that the community had clearly articulated its priorities during the Town Meeting. Another member praised the committee for their diligent work and the transparency of the decision-making process. 

For those interested in specifics, a detailed breakdown of the funding allocations is available on the town's official website.