Chamber Newsletter

News & Happenings!!!


Visit our awesome Chamber businesses 

The Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce and Colette tours are excited to bring you an adventure across the pond in merry old England. 


British Landscapes tour featuring England, Scotland and Wales   September 14 — September 23, 2025 • 10 Days 


Informational ZOOM meeting Feb 19th 6:00pm

  

Click here for complete trip information

CANDIDATE FORUM TONIGHT 6:30PM AT THE TOWN HALL.

Elections and budgets voting dates and info

 

Key dates & times:

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Chamber Candidates Forum

  • Thursday Feb. 13th 6:30 pm- Town Hall-
  • Chamber of Commerce Brandon candidates forum for contested selectboard races.

The Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a forum for the candidates running for the contested seat for Brandon Select board.

  • 1- 3 year term
  • 2- 1 year terms

Early voting requires early info!! 

Candidates will have an opportunity to introduce themselves, share their ideas, and answer questions from the public. For more information contact the Chamber at 802-247-6401 or email info@brandon.org

 

We have two CONTESTED RACES this year. We hope the voters will get a feel for the candidates and what they’re all about as we prepare to vote over the next couple weeks.

 

Chamber Candidates Forum 2025   Contested Races  SELECTBOARD

 

SELECT BOARD, 3 YEARS ISAIAH WEBB

SELECT BOARD, 3 YEARS RALPH ETHIER

SELECT BOARD, 1 YEAR CECIL RENICHE-SMITH

SELECT BOARD, 1 YEAR RAY MARCOUX

SELECT BOARD, 1 YEAR VICKI DISORDA

SELECT BOARD, 1 YEAR JEFF HAYLON

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OVUU School Board annual meeting


  • OVUU School Board annual meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26th at 6:30 p.m. at Otter Valley Union High School.

Also voting will take place at this meeting,

not at the polls, on the "Valley Community

Recreation Center" proposal.


A very informative article on the proposed recreation center was in the recent Reporter newspaper. We have their permission to share it here in our newsletter.


BY STEVEN JUPITER- The Reporter


BRANDON—The OVUU School Board has voted to hold a floor vote on transfer of land for the proposed “Valley Community Center” VCC at its annual meeting on Wednesday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Otter Valley Union High School.


VCC would provide indoor recreation space to all the towns that feed into the RNESU school district. According to the plan, these seven communities—Brandon, Pittsford, Sudbury, Leicester, Whiting, Goshen, and Chittenden—would share an indoor recreation and exercise complex that would provide residents with recreational opportunities that the area currently lacks. 


VCC would be centrally located on the Otter Valley campus, on land granted by the district, and would be managed by a nonprofit created specifically for the purpose, whose board would comprise members from each participating town. VCC would encompass an indoor gymnasium with basketball and pickleball courts, a walking track, weight and cardio rooms, a snack stand, first-aid station, and a flexible, multi-use meeting room.


When the idea was first proposed last October, the OVUU Board decided to leave the decision whether to grant permission to use the district’s land to the voters in the district. The assumption on the Board was that the question could be placed on the Australian ballot on Town Meeting Day along with the proposed school budget.


However, at last week’s OVUU Board meeting, the Board was informed by RNESU Business Director Brenda Fleming that the only questions permitted by law to appear on the Australian ballot were those relating to the budget or to the election of the School Board. Any question relating to the grant of land to VCC would have to be conducted as a floor vote at OVUU’s annual meeting on February 26. 


This raised concerns among the Board that an important decision could be left to the historically small number of people who attend the district’s annual meeting. The Board feared that however the vote went, a significant segment of the community would end up feeling like they had not had a say in the decision.


The land in question is a 10-acre parcel along the western side of Route 7 on the southern end of the OV campus, past the last driveway into the OV parking lot. OVUU Chair Laurie Bertrand said last Tuesday that the parcel didn’t have any real value to OV but that it wasn’t the Board’s to give away; the decision had to come from the voters.       

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Brandon Town Meeting and voting info


  • Brandon Town Meeting 3/3/2025 Town Hall- 7:00pm

Click here for info and links


  • Voting 3/4/2025 American Legion- 7:00am-7:00pm

Click here for info and links



Winter at the Riverbend 2025

music concerts !!

We have some exciting news

to take care of your winter Blues!

Your hard-working summer concert series committee decided to work overtime to find 3 fun and entertaining venues to host three of the bands that were rained out during the 2024 season.

Here's a note from the committee talent coordinator Wade Davis with information that will make you run to the closet and dig out those dancing shoes!


Greetings Brandon Community!

The members of the Brandon Summer Concert Series Committee have a trio of wintertime surprises for you! Because several performances were cancelled due to weather in 2024, we've invited some of those performers back for Winter at the Riverbend 2025!


Our first "make-up" concert with Deb Brisson and the Hay Burners was a success!

We had a great turnout with over 150 folks attending!


Saturday, February 22nd

Extra Stout will be warming us up for St. Patrick's Day at the Brandon Inn from 6-8 PM. Vermont's premier Irish band will have you tapping your toes as you finish off a pint or a hot toddy. The Pub in The Brandon Inn will be open.


Saturday, March 29th

The Whiskey River Band will round out our special Winter Concert Series playing at the American Legion from 6-8 PM. If you like country music -- such as favorite songs from Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Alan Jackson, Johnny Cash, Zac Brown and more -- you won't want to miss this show!


Hope to see you for this one-time-only Brandon Winter at the Riverbend Music Series. A sure-fire cure for cabin fever!!



In the 2025 summer concert series (and for the foreseeable future), 'weather challenged' shows will take place at Brandon's Historic Town Hall. No more cancelled Music at the Riverbend! The shows will go on, rain or shine, all summer long!


Deepest thanks to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Brandon for the collaboration that makes all of this possible. 


And thanks to all of you, businesses and individuals, who give large and small amounts to keep live music playing in Brandon every summer!


  Click here to Donate for the 2025 season via PayPal


Your Brandon Summer Music Series Committee Members,

Stacey, Wade, Bill, Bernie, & George

Lilac Inn is serving a prix fixe dinner for Valentine's day on Friday the 14th.

Two seatings: 6pm & 8pm.

$95 per person including a glass of bubbly, not including tax and tip.

Email us at innkeeper@lilacinn or call us at 802.247.5463 to make your reservation.

Please include party size & seating time (6:00pm or 8:00pm).

 

MENU

First Course: Shrimp Bisque or Minestrone

Second Course: Winter Citrus Salad or Roasted Beet & Carrot Burrata Salad

Third Course: Filet Mignon, Garlic Crouton, Herb Fingerlings, Creamed Spinach, Wild Mushroom Demi or Pan Seared Scallops, Lemon-Herb Risotto, Chiffonade Kale, Blistered Tomatoes, Creamy Pink Peppercorn Sauce

Fourth Course: Chocolate Pot de Creme, or Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake

 

Sit & Knit knitting nights

at the Lilac Inn


A club for those who would rather be indoors during stick season! Join the fun.

Tuesdays from 6-8pm

Downtown Brandon Alliance news

The Downtown Brandon Alliance is committed to fostering Brandon’s growth as a vibrant economic and cultural hub. We strive to enhance the quality of life for residents, support local businesses, and engage the community through

various initiatives. 

Chamber new members

2023 and 2024

Welcome our new Chamber businesses!!

Go to brandon.org

for more info

2024


EmRose Luxury Cabins

Kamil Jablonsky

1246 Franklin St.


Laced In Lavender Massage Therapy

Savanna Montoya

109 Smalley Road


EVermont Shuttle Rides-Uber

Dorothea Langevin

802-558-1847


22 Park Eatery & Scoop Shop

Ken & Heather Lee

22 Park St.


Blooming Bungalow

Allie Walter

22 Center St.


Kaleidoscope Art Supply

Raven Crispino

37 Center St 2nd Fl.

Rutland, VT 05701


Vermont Covered Bridge Society

PO Box 83

Brandon, VT 05733


Blueberry Hill Inn

Shari Brown

1245 Goshen Ripton Road

Goshen, VT 05733


Camp Thorpe

Shelly Hudson 

680 Capen Hill Drive

Goshen, VT 05733


SugarplumCrossing

Peggy & Jon Rishel

41 Kennedy Road


Country Blossoms Honey

(formerly Busy Bee Honey)

Fred Putnam & Shan Ko

179 Town Farm Road


Fisher Electric LLC

Tim & Kammie Fisher

2417 Franklin St

Our new

Individuals & Couples!!

2024


Stephanie & Joe Choma

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Lois Jackson

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Lisa & Mike Peluso

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Doug & Dawn Bailey

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Nancy Kusner & Graham Kresfelder

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Todd & Aida Nielsen

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Rene Sanchez

RNESU superintendent

~

Lyla Fuller

Employment opportunities from our Chamber businesses

The Brandon Museum is hiring a Steward to begin work in February or March of 2025.

The Museum helps to interpret Brandon’s unique history by bringing the past to life via exhibits, education, events, and the preservation of Stephen A. Douglas birthplace and artifacts.



Candidates should have excellent communication and organizational skills, the ability to recruit supporters and volunteers, be comfortable interacting across public and social situations, be effective with service vendors, and collaborate successfully with other organizations. The Steward is the welcoming, effective, and enthusiastic public face of the Museum.

Duties: Museum/grounds maintenance; recruitment/support of the volunteer team; reporting to the board of directors via written monthly report and board meetings; maximizing knowledge of exhibits to educate others; working with the board on new initiatives and program development; managing the Visitor Center in the building and answering questions about the area; cleaning the Museum; and other tasks as necessary. Building and grounds maintenance/repair is a mix of tasks the Steward is able to perform and using contractors. 

Workload will average 18 hrs/month, with more in the summer and fewer in the winter.

Please send a cover letter and resume to info@brandon.org or by mail to: The Brandon Museum, PO Box 246, Brandon, VT 05733.

Questions answered by calling 802-779-5825

Deadline to apply is Feb. 3, 2025. The Brandon Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Hourly wage approx. $17-19/hr., depending on skills and experience

Safer Society Foundation

Seeking Administrative Associate (Up to 25 Hrs/Week)

Sarah Snow • Park St, Brandon


Safer Society Press is a non-profit publisher in Brandon, VT specializing in publications and other resources to aid in the prevention and treatment of sexual violence. We are looking for an energetic self-starter with critical thinking skills and a dedicated work ethic to join our team as an Administrative Associate!


Click here for more info

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Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 267, Brandon, VT 05733
802-247-6401 info@brandon.org