BRATTLEBORO — People living in Windham County who are disgusted with the news they hear coming from their TV can stop yelling at the screen.
Even if you aren't exactly yelling at the TV but still are wondering what this world is coming to, there is some good news.
You can do something about your distress right here and right now in Windham County, and join with other like-minded voters to help the Republican Party organize your town's GOP Committee to help bring balance back to Montpelier.
Did you know that as few as three registered voters in a town can officially organize a Town Republican Party Committee that will be recognized by the state of Vermont and the Vermont Republican Party?
That means that one couple and a neighbor or family member can take a concrete step to influence the makeup of the state Legislature and the direction of the Vermont Republican Party.
What are your hot issues? Unconscionable waste? Burdensome taxes? Guns? An incompetent executive branch? A non-representative Legislature wasting time and money? Massive deficits? Respect for life at any stage of development? Religious liberty?
Be a community organizer for your issues, your concerns, and your point of view. As a citizen of the United States and a Vermonter, this is your right.
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How? By law, every two years in September, all parties must reorganize their political committees; 2015 is the year, and this is the month.
The first step is to hold a town GOP caucus. The caucus meets to select GOP town committee officers and delegates to the Windham County GOP Committee.
Interested? First, check if your town already has a GOP Committee. By law, meeting notices must be posted in the Town Clerk's office.
Is one there already? Great! Go to the meeting. Listen, speak, vote, and become an officer.
If there is no meeting planned, then you can plan one.
Yes, little ole you!
Select a public location like a library (but a home is OK, too). Select a time and a date between Sept. 10 and Sept. 30. Write up and post two notices in town; one of those places must be your town clerk's office.
While at the town clerk's office, ask for instructions for holding a political caucus.
Then, call and invite like-minded people to come.
The meeting process is simple.
1) Start the meeting.
2) Vote to select a moderator of the caucus. (You, perhaps?)
3) Select a temporary secretary to record your caucus.
4) Elect a town chair, who then leads the rest of the meeting.
5) Elect the rest of the town officers: vice-chair, secretary, treasurer.
6) Elect delegates and alternates to serve on the Windham County Republican Committee.
7) Write down names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses for all those elected to any position.
After the first meeting, keep copies of your meeting minutes and officer information. Check with your town clerk to determine who gets copies. Send the copies to the appropriate recipients.
Congratulations! You have just formed your town's new Republican Town Committee.