Editor’s note: Olga Peters is a staff writer for The Commons. This article was first published in The Commons.
BRATTLEBORO—“We’ll do all we can,” said Congressman Peter Welch.
That was the Vermont Democrat’s message as he took time from his budget priorities tour on Thursday to meet with local officials in the aftermath of the April 17 Brooks House fire.
A five-alarm electrical fire late Sunday night rendered the 140-year old Brooks House uninhabitable. The blaze displaced as many as 60 residents and 10 businesses.
Welch has been touring the state to hear from Vermonters who are concerned about fiscal year 2012 federal budget cuts that have been proposed by President Barack Obama and Republican members of the House of Representatives.
The congressman spoke with town officials, municipal employees and community leaders at the River Garden about federal financial support he and Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders are pursuing for the Brooks House and downtown Brattleboro.
Several sources of federal funding that in past years would have been a good bet — congressional earmarks and/or federal housing grants — are no longer a sure thing. As part of a deal struck with Obama and the U.S. Senate to avoid a government shut down earlier this month, the U.S. House pushed to cut funding for Community Development Block Grants and Housing and Urban Development grants in the fiscal year 2011 budget as part of $38.6 billion in reductions. As part of that belt-tightening exercise, Congress has eliminated earmarks, which could have been a possible source of funding for the project.
Welch described some of the federal budget reductions as “misguided” because they “cut everything.” The U.S. sends “several billion a month” to fight a war in Afghanistan, said Welch. He said it was better to spend money on rebuilding community infrastructure in this country.
Welch said Vermont’s congressional delegation will pursue federal money to rebuild the Brooks House. Welch expects to obtain funding from HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) or rural development grants.
The congressman acknowledged the financial pressures on Brattleboro as a result of this “blow.” “This downtown is the envy of Vermont,” Welch said.
Welch also expressed concern about federal budget cuts depleting the ability of towns to maintain crucial services like fire departments. He praised the town’s emergency response that he characterized as an example of “excellent training.”
“As citizens we take municipal services for granted until we need them,” said Welch. After a tour of the building, Welch told the press that the Brooks House represented the type “anchor building” that contributes to a “shining downtown.” “Mixed use” buildings — properties that combine commercial and residential space — attract people to a downtown and “are what we need” in Vermont, said Welch.
Jonathan Chase, the owner of Brooks House, said he discovered the structure was on fire about a half-hour after he had returned from an extended trip.
Chase said his goal for Brooks House is to rebuild the “old gal” and “have her dancing” again.
