Athens
Annual Town Meeting takes place at 10 a.m. at the elementary school.
• Maintaining the Meetinghouse: Voters will consider spending $10,000 to maintain and stabilize the Athens Meetinghouse.
• School funding: Voters will be asked whether to approve the Athens/Grafton joint contract budget of $1,298,313 for K-6 expenses for the 2019-20 school year, and $1,093,985 for the Athens School District ($17,906 per pupil, a 9.4 percent increase from the current year).
• Town budget: Voters will consider what sum of money will be needed for the town's expenses.
• No more trash collection?: Voters will be asked to decide whether to discontinue townwide curbside trash pickup, effective June 30, 2019.
Brattleboro
• Elections: Town and school district elections will take place at American Legion Post 5, 32 Linden St., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by Australian ballot.
• Representative Town Meeting takes place Saturday, March 23, at 8:30 a.m., in the Brattleboro Union High School gymnasium.
Brookline
Town Meeting takes place at 9 a.m. in the multipurpose room downstairs at the Sunny Lane Day Care building.
• Elections: After nominating a town moderator, voters will elect town officers, including town clerk, town treasurer, and collector of delinquent taxes from the floor.
• Town budget and taxes: Voters will be asked to approve $125,230 for the General Fund and $158,270 for the Highway Fund, then to decide the dates to collect town taxes.
• Social services: Voters will be asked to approve $6,136 to support 20 nonprofit organizations serving the town.
• Miscellany: Voters will consider the purchase of a used wheeled excavator at a cost not to exceed $94,000, to appropriate up to $18,000 to cover recycling costs, to seek a grant from the Vermont Arts Council to add insulation and heat to the Brookline Meetinghouse, and to move Town Meeting Day to the Monday preceding the first Tuesday in March.
Dover
The Annual Town Meeting and Town School District Meeting are set for Dover Town Hall, 189 Taft Brook Road, at 10 a.m.
• Australian ballot voting: The polls are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Budgets: Voters will consider a proposed general fund budget of $2,286,519 and a highway budget of $1,551,686. They will also be asked to add $650,000 for the capital paving fund, $250,000 for the capital equipment fund, and $80,000 for the capital building improvement fund.
Dummerston
Town Meeting begins at 10 a.m. at Dummerston School.
• Election: Polls are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Gravel pit vote: Voters will be asked whether the town wants to take out a bond so that Dummerston can enter an agreement with Putney to split the cost of buying the Renaud Gravel Pit for $2 million. That will be done by Australian ballot.
• Money matters: Voters will decide whether to raise $170,000 through taxes for the Capital Fund. Voters will also consider total Fiscal Year 2020 general fund expenditures of $469,506. For the highway budget, voters will decide whether to approve $524,992.
• New dump truck: Voters will consider buying a new dump truck and plow for $160,000, to be financed by the Capital Fund.
• Fixing up the town offices: Voters will consider spending $10,000 to buy and install heat pumps for the Town Offices, and $5,000 for exterior painting.
• Property-tax exemptions: Voters will decide whether to grant one-year tax exemptions to the Evening Star Grange and the Green Mountain Camp, and a five-year exemption to the West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department.
• School budget: Voters will consider a $3,067,500 school budget for FY20, which will result in equalized per-pupil spending of $18,837, 5.8 percent lower than the current year.
Grafton
Annual Town Meeting begins at Grafton Elementary School at 10 a.m. Polls are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• School budget: Voters will be asked to consider $1,298,313 for Athens/Grafton K–6 expenses and $971,147 for the Grafton Town School District. Spending per equalized pupil ($16,289) represents a 1.67 percent increase.
• Town expenses: Voters will consider $149,000 for capital expenses, $540,400 for highways, $281,318 for the Selectboard's budget, $39,500 for emergency services, and $9,741 for social-service agencies.
Guilford
Annual Town Meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the Guilford Central School gymnasium. Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Town expenses: Voters will decide whether to approve General Fund expenditures of $897,532 and Highway Fund expenditures of $997,047.
• Fire budget: Voters will consider a request of $230,063 for the Guilford Volunteer Fire Department.
• Tax exemptions: The Guilford Volunteer Fire Department, Guilford Fair Association, and Guilford Recreation Club all seek a five-year property tax exemption.
• Social services: Voters will be asked to approve $15,880 to support 13 nonprofit organizations serving the town.
• Other expenses: Voters will consider spending $4,951 for membership in the Windham Regional Commission, $6,363 for Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies, $6,000 for Guilford Cares, $3,000 for Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, Inc., $5,000 for the Broad Brook Community Center for use as a polling place and other Town purposes, and $3,200 for mowing and maintenance of the Guilford Natural Playscape on Carpenter Hill Road.
Halifax
Voters will meet at 10 a.m. in the multipurpose room at Halifax Elementary School in West Halifax.
• Elections: Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition to electing town officers, voters will be asked to consider a ballot question on whether to adopt the revised town plan.
• Town expenses: Voters will decide whether to approve Selectboard and highway expenditures of $1,375,358, of which $1,189,858 shall be raised by taxes and $185,500 by non-tax revenues.
• Social services: Voters will decide whether to appropriate $19,890 for local social-service agencies, the Whitingham Free Public Library, Halifax EMS, and the Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice.
Jamaica
Town Meeting begins at 10 a.m. at Jamaica Town Hall on Route 30. Polls are open for Australian ballot from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Elections: Voters will elect a moderator, hear the report of the professional auditors, and elect a Selectboard member for a term of three years (by ballot); two Selectboard members for a term of one year (by ballot); lister for a term of three years (by ballot); first constable; second constable; town grand juror; town agent; trustee of public funds; agent to deed land; and four library trustees.
• Town budget: Voters will consider what sum of money will be needed for the town's expenses. Last year, voters approved a town budget of $1,352,462.
• School meeting: Voters will elect two Jamaica School District Officers and two West River Modified Education District Officers.
Londonderry
Voters will meet at the Town Hall, 139 Middletown Rd., South Londonderry, at 9:30 a.m.
• Policing: Voters are asked whether to fund $40,000 for contracting with the Vermont State Police for policing the town.
• Highway equipment: Voters are asked whether to approve raising $120,000 for the highway equipment reserve fund.
• Reserve fund: Voters are asked to approve $100,000 for the Town Buildings Reserve Fund.
• Organizations and associations: Shall the town vote to raise $20,000 for Champion Fire Company No. 5? $10,000 for the South Londonderry Library Association? $5,000 for the Mountain Valley Medical Clinic? $5,307 for Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies? A combined $29,445 for 19 other social service organizations?
Marlboro
Town Meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Town House. The School district meeting begins at 9:10 a.m.
• Australian ballot: Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Town Office.
• Town expenses: The town seeks $275,000 for the general fund, $360,000 for highways and their maintenance, $24,188 for emergency services, $3,000 for the Marlboro Mixer newsletter, and $3,234 for SeVEDS.
• School expenses: The town seeks $2,707,703 for the next fiscal year, or $17,748 per equalized pupil. This figure represents a 2.18 percent increase over FY 2019.
• Social services: Voters will consider $9,429 in spending for 12 agencies.
Newfane
Town Meeting is at Williamsville Hall, 35 Dover Rd., beginning at 9 a.m. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Budget: The proposed FY20 Newfane budget for town and highway operational expenditures is $1,435,734.
• Money matters: Voters will consider adding $100,000 to the Capital Reserve Fund, borrowing $32,000 and raising $199,100 for capital needs, and authorizing capital fund expenditures of $511,466 as proposed in the Capital Needs Plan for fiscal year 2020.
Putney
Meeting begins at 10 a.m. at Putney Central School, 182 Westminster Road. Town articles will be heard first, then school articles. Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Gravel pit vote: Voters will be asked whether the town wants to take out a bond so that Putney can enter an agreement with Dummerston to split the cost of buying the Renaud Gravel Pit for $2 million. That will be done by Australian ballot.
• Budget: The proposed FY20 budget for General Fund expenditures is $1,475,102, and $1,490,436 for Highway Fund expenditures.
• School spending: The town seeks $3,403,070 for the next fiscal year, or $17,752 per equalized pupil. This figure represents a 1 percent increase over FY 2019.
• New dump truck: Voters will be asked to borrow $175,000 over a five-year period for a new dump truck for the Highway Department.
• Tax exemptions: The town will vote on whether to grant municipal and education taxation exemptions, beginning April 1, 2019, for Yellow Barn Music School, on the improvements and music studios on land owned by the Greenwood School on 15 Greenwood Lane.
Rockingham
Town Meeting begins Monday, March 4, at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium (Bellows Falls Opera House) to act upon all articles to be voted on the floor.
• Australian ballot: Voters go to the polls on March 5 at the Masonic Temple (61 Westminster St.) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to decide multiple school, local municipal, and town meeting articles by Australian ballot.
• Municipal budget: Voters will consider a budget of $6,213,867 of which $5,035,306 will be raised by taxes. Rockingham Free Public Library seeks $427,982 for operating expenses, with $379,250 to be raised by taxes.
• Schools: Rockingham School District voters will be asked to approve $9,776,950 in expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year, of which $16,781 is forecast to be spent per equalized student: a 3.09 percent decrease in spending over the current year.
• Social services: Voters will consider a request for $87,553 to be allocated to 16 local social-service agencies.
• Rainy day money: Voters will be asked to transfer money to reserve funds for highway improvements ($20,000), the Rockingham Meeting House ($20,000), and the Unsafe Buildings Reserve Fund ($50,000).
• New fire trucks for BFFD?: Voters will be asked to appropriate $550,000 as Rockingham's contribution toward a grant that would buy two pieces of fire apparatus for the Bellows Falls Fire Department for a period of up to five years.
Stratton
The Annual Town Meeting begins at 10 a.m. at the Town Hall, 688 Stratton-Arlington Rd. The Annual School District meeting follows at 11.
• Elections: Voters will decide elections from the floor for Selectboard (one three-year term, two one-year terms); Planning Commission (one four-year term, one one-year term to fill a vacancy); the lister, an auditor, the cemetery commissioner, a delinquent-tax collector, trustee of public funds, constable, grand juror, and the town agent.
• Budget: Voters are asked to raise and appropriate $848,219 for the general fund and $907,000 for the highway fund. Town officials also seek $39,833 to support 25 local service organizations and $52,150 for the Stratton Mountain Volunteer Fire Company.
• Tuition: Articles will include the annual 2019-20 tuition rate to the Mountain School at Winhall; the annual 2019-20 tuition rate to Burr & Burton Academy up to $17,490 per pupil for grades 9-12; and the annual respective K-6 and 7-12 tuition rates to all other private or approved independent schools up to the announced Vermont Union Elementary School tuition rate.
• Expenditures: District voters are asked to approve the School Board expending $1,023,476, “which is the amount the School Board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year.” It is estimated that the proposed school budget, if approved, will result in education spending of $15,835 per equalized pupil, which is 2.18 percent lower than spending for the current year.
Townshend
Voters are asked to meet at Town Hall on Route 30 at 9 a.m. The School District Annual Meeting is at 9:05 a.m., with the town portion to follow.
• Budget: Voters will be asked whether Townshend shall appropriate $536,360 to pay for the running expenses and liabilities of the town, $544,675 for the running expenses and liabilities of maintaining the town's roads, $52,345 to support the town library; $10,000 for a Fire Department capital expenditure fund for a future pumper; and $1,750 for the old cemetery fund.
• Social services: Voters will decide whether to raise $13,460 to support social services.
• New truck: Voters will decide whether to spend $170,000 for a new Highway Department truck.
• Bridge fix: Voters will consider setting aside $88,000 in a reserve account for repairs to the stone arch bridge on Back Windham Road, contingent on the successful award of grant funds.
Vernon
Vernon Town and Town School District Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 4, at the Vernon Elementary School cafeteria. The second night of Town Meeting, if needed, will take place there Wednesday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m.
• Elections: Voting takes place on Tuesday, March 5, in the downstairs of the Town Office building, and polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Town budget: Voters will choose whether to approve the $1,831,995 total general fund expenditure. Voters will also decide whether to appropriate $200,899 for the funding of items approved in the capital plan, as well as $100,000 for the Town Road Upgrading Fund, $40,000 for the Town Culvert Fund, and $10,000 for the Elderly Assistance Fund.
• Library: Voters will consider a total Library Fund expenditure of $82,855 for the Vernon Free Library, as well as elect three library trustees.
• Garbage time: Voters will decide whether to appropriate $15,162 in tax money for the Windham Solid Waste District Assessment, and $63,000 for municipal refuse, recycling and compost disposal.
• Farmland protection: Voters will be asked to authorize the Selectboard to spend $110,000 from the Farmland Protection Fund to pay a portion of the costs that will permanently conserve 146 acres on Route 142 owned by Whitney Elms LLC.
• School budget: Voters will decide, by Australian ballot, whether to approve a proposed school budget of $5,963,450. The proposed FY 20 school budget, if approved, will result in education spending of $16,239 per equalized pupil, which is 6.1 percent lower than spending for the current year.
Wardsboro
Annual Town Meeting is set for Tuesday, March 5, at 9 a.m. at Town Hall.
• Town budget: Voters will consider what sum of money will be needed for the town's expenses.
• Local Option Tax: Voters will be asked whether the town should implement a 1 percent Local Option Room Tax on “all short term rentals as a means to raise additional town revenue. This revenue will be used for capital projects or by local organizations for community activities and events.”
• Social services: Voters will decide whether to raise $114,126 to support social services, including Wardsboro Fire & Rescue and the Wardsboro Public Library.
Westminster
Annual Town and School Meeting takes place Saturday, March 2, at 10 a.m., at the Bellows Falls Union High School auditorium. If necessary, any remaining articles from the Saturday session will be taken up there on Tuesday, March 5, at 8 p.m.
• Elections: Elections take place by Australian ballot Tuesday, March 6, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Westminster Institute on Route 5.
• Budget: Voters will consider a town budget of $2,025,130 as well as spending $130,000 for the Town Equipment Reserve Fund; $15,000 for the Bridge Reserve Fund; $9,534 for SeVEDS workforce and economic development coordination, and $8,400 for the Westminster West Public Library.
• School budget: Voters will consider $4,890,882 in FY20 spending for the Town School District, or $17,887 per equalized pupil, an 5.7 percent increase over FY19.
Whitingham
Town Meeting starts at 10 a.m. at the Whitingham Municipal Center on Route 100 in Jacksonville, followed by the School District Meeting to discuss any business other than two ballot questions.
• Australian ballot: Polls are open for elections and school district Australian ballot questions (on school district officers and the school budget) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Financial matters: Voters will consider $581,945 for general use, $8,004 for upkeep of the Town Hill Common, $80,284 for the Town Fire Department, $20,000 for the Fire Department Equipment Fund, $1,325,795 for highways, $85,000 for the Highway Equipment Fund, $81,140 for the library, $10,000 for the Municipal Facilities Fund,and $10,000 for Deerfield Valley Rescue.
• Town Lister question: Voters will consider whether to eliminate the position of Town Lister and replace the position with a “professionally qualified assessor.”
Wilmington
Town Meeting begins at 10 a.m. at Twin Valley Elementary School on Route 100.
• Australian ballot/elections: The Australian ballot portion of Annual Town Meeting takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Town finances: Voters will consider a $2,028,917 general fund budget and a $1,482,962 road budget.
• Funding existing funds: Voters will be asked to appropriate $230,000 for the highway equipment capital fund and $125,000 for the fire department. Other articles will address capital fund needs for bridges ($35,000), Memorial Hall ($20,000), the library ($12,000), the firehouse ($5,000), and the Town Hall ($20,000).
Windham
Annual Town Meeting begins 10 a.m. in the Meetinghouse at 25 Harrington Rd.
• Schools: Voters will consider a $450,039 budget for FY20 for the Windham Elementary School District which, if approved, will result in education spending of $24,648 per equalized pupil, which is 39 percent higher than spending for the current year.
• Budget items: Voters will debate spending $180,566 for the General Fund, $497,084 for road maintenance, and $105,000 for repaving and bridge repair.
• Tax exemption: Voters will consider making the property owned by Windham Volunteer Fire and Rescue exempt from property taxes for the next three years.