News

Town Meeting Day is Tuesday, March 1

A summary of the agendas for Windham County towns as democracy continues in another year turned upside down

Athens

Annual Town Meeting will be held by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 1 when polls at the elementary school will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Contest for moderator: The warrant includes a race for moderator between David Bemis and Candace Damon .

• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve a $578,429 General Fund.

• Selectboard expansion and duties: Voters will decide whether to expand the board from 3 to 5 members and eliminate the post of Road Commissioners in lieu of having the Selectboard now perform those duties.

• More information: athensvt.com

Brattleboro

Annual Representative Town Meeting will be held Saturday, March 19 and, if necessary, Sunday, March 20, via Zoom. (Articles not acted upon by 5 p.m. on Saturday will be moved to Sunday at 8:30 a.m. unless the meeting votes to continue.)

The public can view the meeting at bit.ly/ratm22-brattleboro. For more information, visit brattleboro.org. The meeting will also be carried live on BCTV.

The customary information session for Town Meeting representatives is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 9.

• Election of town officers (including Representative Town Meeting members) and members of Windham Southeast School District will take place on Tuesday, March 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 a.m., at American Legion Post 5, 32 Linden St.

The one contested race on the ballot is for moderator (Kurt Daims and David Gartenstein).

• Museum property transfer: All town voters will also consider a request to transfer the Brattleboro Union Station Museum building and associated land to the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, Inc. for $1.

• More information: brattleboro.org.

Brookline

Annual Town Meeting will be held by Australian ballot vote on Monday, Feb. 28 in the Town Office (736 Grassy Brook Rd.) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Elections: No contests.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve $145,667 for the General Fund and $232,367 for the Highway Fund, for total of $ 378,034. Voters will then decide about collecting taxes quarterly on Aug. 16, Nov. 15, Feb. 16, and May 16.

• More information: brooklinevt.com/news/annual-town-meeting-info-2022

Dover

The Annual Town Meeting date has not been set as of press time.

Dummerston

Annual Town Meeting will take place by Australian ballot at the Town Office (1523 Middle Rd.) on Tuesday, March 1, when polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Selectboard will hold an informational meeting via Zoom at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23, regarding the articles to be voted on.

• Election: Voters will elect town officials.

• Financial: Voters will consider total General Fund expenditures of $500,758, of which $279,769 is to be raised by taxes and $220,989 by non-tax revenues for the period of July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.

• Fair and impartial policing: Voters will consider a non-binding referendum question urging the Windham County Sheriff's Office to enact changes to its Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.

• More information: dummerston.org.

Grafton

On Tuesday, March 1, polls will be open for Australian ballot voting for all warrant articles and offices at Town Hall (117 Main St.) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A pre–Town Meeting to discuss town and school articles will take place over Microsoft Teams at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24. A candidates forum will follow.

• Financial: Voters will decide whether to pay property taxes quarterly and whether to levy a 1 percent per month interest charge on all delinquent taxes for the first three months then 1.5 percent per month.

Voters will also consider putting $16,000 in the fire truck fund and authorizing $147,392 for highway equipment, as well as $246,248 as the Selectboard budget, and $10,681 for humanitarian expenses for 15 charities.

• More information: graftonvt.org.

Guilford

Annual Town Meeting by Australian ballot will take place Tuesday, March 1, when polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Guilford Central School parking lot, 374 School Rd. You can get your ballot early by calling or going to the town office (236 School Rd.).

A pre-Town Meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. via Zoom at bit.ly/atm22-guilford-info.

• Elections: Contested elections this year include a three-year seat on the Selectboard (Michael Becker, incumbent, and Jason Herron) and a two-year seat (Zon Eastes, incumbent, and Lynn Latulippe King).

• Financial: Voters will consider appropriating $860,162 to the General Fund.

Voters will also be asked to consider a $1,013,300 renovation to the Guilford Free Library and to help pay for it with a loan of up to $205,000, not to exceed a 30-year payback, and to also reallocate for this project $195,000 in money currently on deposit at the Vermont Bond Bank that was originally allocated to a water project paid for by other means.

• More information: guilfordvt.com.

Halifax

Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, May 3.

Jamaica

Annual Town Meeting will be held Saturday, April 2.

Londonderry

Annual Town Meeting has been rescheduled from Tuesday, March 1 to Saturday, April 30.

Marlboro

Annual Town Meeting will be held via Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 1. All active voters should have received ballots in the mail with postage paid to return it in the mail.

Ballots can also be placed in the drop box outside the town office (510 South Rd.), or hand-delivered to the office by calling ahead to ensure that an officer will be there to receive the ballot.

In-person voting will be conducted on March 1 in the Town House, 13 Town Hill Rd., next to town office. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A pre-Town Meeting informational meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m., via Zoom at bit.ly/atm22-marlboro-info.

• Election: All positions are uncontested.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve $3,300 for Selectboard stipends; $420,000 each for highway expenses and the General Fund; $3,000 for the Marlboro Mixer newsletter; $3,000 for the Marlboro Community Center; and $500 for the town library.

Voters will be asked to approve $88,500 in two articles for the Marlboro Volunteer Fire Co. and to authorize a property tax exemption for five years for the organization.

The electorate will consider several articles for funding of human services and emergency services.

• Cannabis: The electorate will debate whether to authorize cannabis retailers in town under the procedures of a new state law.

• Fair and Impartial Policing Policy: A nonbinding article, if passed, would urge the Windham County Sheriff's Office to adopt the state's Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.

• Schools: Voters will also consider a $3,714,000 operating budget for the Marlboro School District.

• More information: marlborovt.us/2022-marlboro-town-school-meeting

Newfane

Annual Town Meeting will take place via Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 1 when polls at Town Office (555 Vt-30) will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A pre-Town Meeting informational session took place Feb. 22 at the Selectboard meeting, which will be available at brattleborotv.org.

• Elections: A three-way contested race for two Selectboard seats is on the ballot. Voters will decide among Jeffrey Chevalier, Katy Johnson-Alpin, and Christine A. White. Voters will choose between Peter Broussard and Emily Long for unified school director.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve General Fund expenses for town and highway of $1,599,996, and approve a Capital Expense Fund of $316,345.

Multiple articles will decide appropriations of $39,753 to human service agencies and other charities.

• More information: newfanevt.com.

Putney

Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 1 via Australian ballot when polls will be open at the fire station, 21 Carl Snyder Drive, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

An informational meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. via Zoom.

• Elections: Voters will decide a three-way race for a three-year seat on the Selectboard (Eric McGowan, Timothy S. Morris, and Charles Raubicheck).

• Selectboard structure: Voters will be asked to consider increasing the Selectboard from three to five members.

• Cannabis: The electorate will debate whether to authorize cannabis retailers in town under the procedures of a new state law.

• Financial: Voters will consider whether to approve a $1,475,193 General Fund, buy a new highway department truck for up to $175,000, to exempt the East Putney Community Club from municipal and educational taxes for five years, and to rescind a 2014 Annual Meeting vote to exempt alternate energy sources from property taxes.

• Fair and Impartial Policing: Voters will also consider a citizens' petition article urging the Sheriff's department to adopt the state's Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.

• More information: bit.ly/atm22-putney-info

Rockingham

Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 1 by Australian ballot at the Masonic Temple (61 Westminster St.) and via Zoom starting at 8 a.m.

An informational meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Lower Theater at the Bellows Falls Opera House, and via Zoom.

• Election: Rick Cowan, Will Crowther, Stefan A. Golec, and Elijah Zimmer are in a four-way race for two one-year seats on the Selectboard.

Christopher Kibbe and Priscilla Lambert are competing for a three-year term as Rockingham School District director.

• Cannabis: The electorate will debate whether to authorize cannabis retailers in town under the procedures of a new state law.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to raise $6,345,252 for town and highway expenses, to approve spending up to $150,000 for a new highway department truck and plow, and to spend $75,000 to pay for the town's portion to buy the Bellows Falls Train Station to ultimately preserve it.

• Schools: Voters considering the Bellows Falls Union High School budget will be asked to approve a $7,310,950 operating budget and a $3,019,676 River Valley Technical Center School operating budget.

• More information: rockinghamvt.org

Stratton

Annual Town Meeting will be held in Town Hall (9 W. Jamaica Rd.) on Tuesday, March 1 starting at 10 a.m.

Voters will be asked to elect town officials.

• Cannabis: The electorate will debate whether to authorize cannabis retailers in town under the procedures of a new state law.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve a $954,671 General Fund, $65,500 for the fire department, and $1.008 million for roads.

Voters will be asked to approve $40,633 for 27 human service organizations and other charities.

• Schools: Voters in the Stratton School District will be asked to approve a $1,379,648 operating budget.

• More information: bit.ly/atm22-stratton-info

Townshend

Annual Town Meeting will be held by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Town Hall.

An informational meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. via Zoom (bit.ly/atm22-townshend-info; passcode 517905).

• Town officials: Voters will elect town officials.

• Financial: Voters will set the fiscal 2023 budget, which includes $592,963 for the town budget and $711,925 for the highway budget.

Voters will consider $76,261 in salaries.

• Radar speed control signs: Voters will decide whether to authorize $10,000.

• Back Windham Road: The electorate will consider whether to reserve $50,000 for the repair of the stone arch bridge on Back Windham Road contingent on upon successful award of grant funds.

Vernon

Annual Town Meeting will be held in two parts. The first, by Australian ballot, will take place Tuesday, March 1, when polls will be open in the town office building (567 Governor Hunt Rd.) downstairs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The meeting will continue on Sunday, May 1, at 2 p.m., at Vernon Elementary School's outdoor pavilion.

On the ballot on Tuesday:

• Elections: Voters will decide the election of town officials. On the ballot for Selectboard: Kenneth Bloom and Sandra Harris (three-year term) and Katherine Baldwin, Kenneth Bloom, and Thomas Guerino (one-yeaer term).

• School budget: Voters approval of the school district's $7,137,725 budget.

Wardsboro

Annual Town Meeting will be held Saturday, May 21.

Westminster

Voters will consider election of town officials and some school spending warrant articles on Tuesday, March 1 and decide the rest on April 30, meeting inside a bay of its fire station, or in a backyard across the street, depending on the weather.

• Elections: None contested.

Whitingham

Annual Town Meeting will be held by Australian ballot only on Tuesday, March 1 at the Whitingham Municipal Center, 2948 VT Route 100, Jacksonville, when polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

An informational meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m., in person or via Zoom at bit.ly/atm22-whitingham-info.

• Elections: A contest for Selectboard (two years) between Craig Hammer and James Weber.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to authorize a General Fund of $674,939 and put $50,000 toward the highway garage restoration/replacement.

A total of $11,003 appears on the ballot to 11 human service organizations and other charities.

Among the financial articles is $2,000 toward Old Home Week in 2026.

• More information: townofwhitingham-vt.org.

Wilmington

Annual Town Meeting will be held by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 1, when polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Old School Community Center, 1 School St.

• Election: No contests.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve a $2,679,221 General Fund, establish a Water Capital Fund, add three Justice of the Peace positions,

• Listers: An article proposes discontinuing two lister posts, for a total of three.

• Cannabis: The electorate will debate whether to authorize cannabis retailers in town under the procedures of a new state law.

• More information: wilmingtonvermont.us/town-meeting-information/

Windham

Annual Town Meeting will be held by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 1, when polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Meeting House (26 Harrington Rd.).

A Feb. 19 special Selectboard meeting offered information about the Town Meeting took place. Video: bit.ly/atm22-windham-info.

• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve a General Fund of $236,413 and to establish a maintenance and improvement fund for the Meeting House.

• Schools: Voters in the Windham School District will be asked to approve a $434,000 operating budget.

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