Most voters throughout the county will assemble on Town Meeting Day on Tuesday, March 4. Voters in Athens, Brattleboro, Brookline, Rockingham, Vernon, Windham, and Westminster will convene on their own respective timetables, and Marlboro voters won't meet at all, with voters making all decisions by Australian ballot.
According to the Vermont Secretary of State's office, "Vermont law makes Town Meeting a holiday for employees of the state government."
State law "also gives an employee the right to take unpaid leave from work to attend his or her Annual Town Meeting, subject to the essential operation of the business or government. An employee must give the employer at least seven days notice if he or she wants to take advantage of this right to attend Town Meeting."
Windham County towns are listed here with the election information that was available by press time.
Athens
• Annual Town Meeting/Election: Town Meeting will be held Monday, March 3, at the Athens Community Center (former elementary school) at 6 p.m. All voting for town officers will occur on Tuesday, March 4, by Australian ballot. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Athens Town Office.
• Budget: Voters will be asked to vote on a $754,729.42 general budget.
• Financial contributions: Voters will be asked whether the town should raise and appropriate $15,000 to replenish emergency highway material reserves for future environmental events impacting infrastructure. Voters will also vote on the $3,480,129 River Valley Technical Center School District assessment.
• More information: athensvt.com.
Brattleboro
• Annual Representative Town Meeting members will gather Saturday, March 22, at 8:30 a.m. in the Brattleboro Union High School gymnasium. Warrant articles not acted upon by 5 p.m. will be moved to Sunday, March 23, at 8:30 a.m. unless the body votes to continue past 5 p.m.
• Election: Election of town officers, Representative Town Meeting members, and Windham Southeast School District school board members will take place on Tuesday, March 4, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at American Legion Post 5 (32 Linden St.). Absentee ballots for this election are by request only. There is an eight-way contest for two seats on the Selectboard on the ballot.
In several nonbinding resolution articles, voters will decide whether to:
-adopt a pledge condemning apartheid and supporting Palestine
-advise the state Legislature that any designation in the town as a safe injection site should be subject to voter approval
-enact an ordinance governing acceptable behavior in the downtown area
-charge property owners where a high level of law enforcement (i.e., domestic violence calls) is required
Voters will also determine what percentage - if any - of the town budget should be allocated to human services.
• Financial contributions: Voters will be asked to support a proposed $25,184,081 operating and capital budget. Voters will also consider whether the town should:
-raise $80,000 through special assessments in the Downtown Improvement District to pay for capital and operating expenses of the downtown organization
-use $851,836 from the Unassigned Fund balance to help pay for new waste removal services and Downtown Safety Action Plan.
Voters will also determine how much - if anything - to allocate to human services.
• More information: brattleboro.org.
Brookline
• Annual Town Meeting will be held in the multipurpose room at the former Brookline School building (624 Grassy Brook Road) on Monday, March 3, at 6 p.m.
• Election: Voters will elect town officers on the meeting floor.
• Financial: Voters will consider allocating $225,254 to the general fund and $364,300 for the highway fund and spending $46,500 from surplus "free" cash to reduce taxes.
• Other: Voters will consider allowing residents of the state, but not the town, to serve in town offices other than on the Selectboard and as justice of the peace.
• Humanitarian expenditures: Spending $11,896 to support local and regional social service organizations will be considered.
• More information: brooklinevt.com.
Dover
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at Dover Town Hall, 189 Taft Brook Road.
• Election: Polls will be open at Town Hall for Australian ballot voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Financial: Voters will be asked to authorize a general fund expenditure of $2,768,818.01 and an $1,945,435.90 from the highway department fund.
• More information: doververmont.com.
Dummerston
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. in the Dummerston School gymnasium.
• Elections: Polls will be open at the school from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. No one took out papers to run for a three-year term on the Selectboard and thus there is no name on the ballot for that seat.
• Financial: Voters will be asked to support a $662,890 general fund budget and highway expenses of $707,509. They will also be asked to buy a highway department truck for not more than $100,000 using capital fund money. The Lydia Taft Pratt Library is asking for an about $8,000 or a 36.4% increase and it is thought a further increase will be sought on Town Meeting floor.
• Other: Voters will be asked to exempt the Evening Star Grange and Green Mountain Camp from taxation for one year each.
• More information: dummerston.org.
Grafton
• Annual Town Meeting will take place Tuesday, March 4, at Grafton Elementary School (58 School St.) at 10 a.m. The polls will be open for voting by Australian ballot from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve a budget of $375,060 for the general (Selectboard) budget and $733,347 to maintain highways and bridges.
• Public safety: Voters will decide whether to spend $43,575 for emergency and public safety services (ambulance service, fire department, rescue squad).
• Humanitarian expenses: Voters will consider spending $12,231 to support 16 local and regional organizations.
• More information: graftonvt.org.
Guilford
• Annual Town Meeting will take place Saturday, March 1, at Guilford Central School gymnasium (374 School Road) at 10 a.m.
• Elections: The Guilford Town/School District Australian Ballot vote will be held Tuesday, March 4, at the Broad Brook Community Center when polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Financials: Voters will consider approving $805,776 for general fund expenses, $1,149,557 in highway fund expenses, $286,550 for fire department operating expenses, and $35,000 for the fire department capital improvement fund.
• Humanitarian spending: Voters will be asked to review spending $14,730 to support local and regional human and social service organizations.
Halifax
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at Halifax Elementary School (246 Branch Road). A pre-Town Meeting information hearing was held Feb. 25 and will likely be posted on the "Halifax VT Selectboard" YouTube channel.
• Elections: Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting is by Australian ballot. Edee Edwards and Lori Marchegiani are vying for a three-year seat on the Selectboard.
• Financial: Voters will consider approving $2,518,875 in Selectboard and highway expenditures. They will also vote whether to exempt the Halifax Community Club from taxes for five years.
• Humanitarian spending: Town Meeting will be asked to consider spending $15,574 in support of local and regional social service organizations.
• More information: halifaxvt.com.
Jamaica
• Annual Town Meeting will occur Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. in Town Hall.
• Elections: Voters will elect town officers on the meeting floor.
• Financial: Voters will decide whether to contribute general revenue and highway money raised in excess of what voters approved for 2023-24 ($518,913) to the flood recovery fund, and whether to increase Selectboard members' stipends by $1,500 to $8,500 in total.
• Other: Voters will also consider exempting Jamaica Volunteer Fire & Rescue Inc. land from taxation for five years.
• More information: jamaicavermont.org.
Londonderry
• Annual Town Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 4, in Town Hall (139 Middletown Road, South Londonderry) at 9:30 a.m.
• Election: Polls will be open at Town Hall from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
• Financial: Voters will determine how much to appropriate for the general fund on Town Meeting floor. They will also address whether to spend $44,222 to support health care/social service organizations.
• More information: londonderryvt.org.
Marlboro
• Annual Town Meeting: There will be no in-person Annual Town Meeting. Australian balloting takes place on Tuesday, March 4.
Ballots have been sent to all active voters and may be returned by mail, in the drop box outside town office, or hand-delivered at the office by calling ahead to ensure an officer is there to receive it.
In-person voting will be available March 4 at Marlboro Town House (13 Town Hill Road), where polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Town officials ask that voters bring mailed ballots.
• Financial: Voters will consider appropriating $736,650 for the general fund and $1,291,490 for town highways. Also to be voted on is spending:
-$35,000 to help defray fire department operating expenses
-$50,000 for fire department capital improvements
-$21,309.75 to pay Rescue Inc. for services
-$5,000 to pay Deerfield Valley Rescue for services
Voters will also be asked to spend $40,000 to remove the former first aid building at Hogback Mountain Conservation Area.
• School: Voters will consider a FY25 $4,088,434 proposed operating budget for the Marlboro School District, which represents a 1.94% decrease in per-pupil spending ($16,350) to this year.
• More information: marlborovt.us.
Newfane
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at Williamsville Hall at 9 a.m.
• Election: Australian ballot elections will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wannetta Powling and Darell Tibbles are competing for a one-year term as Town Clerk.
Samuel newfanevt.com.
Putney
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at the Putney Central School (182 Westminster Rd.) at 10 a.m.
• Election: Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Logan Sears and putneyvt.org.
Rockingham
• Annual Town Meeting will take place Saturday, March 1, at 2 p.m. at Bellows Falls Middle School auditorium (15 School St.) to act on all money articles.
• Election: Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, at the Masonic Temple (61 Westminster St.) at 8 a.m.
John Dunbar and Deborah Wright are vying for a three-year term on the Selectboard and David Barrett, Peter Golec, and Bonnie North are competing for the two one-year terms on the board.
Virginia Driscoll and Priscilla Clough Lambert are competing for one three-year seat as Union High School District 27 school director.
Christopher Kibbe is staging a write-in campaign against Priscilla Lambert for the three-year seat for Rockingham School District director.
Six candidates - Carol Blackwood, Ryan Coyne, Virginia "Ginger" Driscoll, Margo Ghia, Colin M. James, and Bonnie North - are vying for three seats on the board of library trustees.
• Financial: Voters will be asked to approve a proposed $6,817,593 appropriation for combined general and highway expenses, $436,700 for Rockingham Free Public Library operating expenses, and pay up to $137,500 in matching funds to clean asbestos and lead contamination and mitigate flood and vapor issues that are required to buy the Bellows Falls Trail Station from Green Mountain Railroad. Also under consideration is borrowing $375,000 for five years to replace Town Hall roof and drains.
• Other: Voters will decide whether to create a single municipal fire and rescue department with three stations and create a Transition Committee to develop a plan for the Selectboard to adopt by July 2026.
• Humanitarian spending: Voters will also consider spending $99,219 to support 17 humanitarian and community organizations.
• Schools: Voters will consider the proposed $11,249,089 Rockingham Town School District, a 6.3% increase in per pupil spending ($12,833.44) to this year.
• More information: rockinghamvt.org.
Stratton
• Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, March 4, will begin at 10 a.m. at the Town Hall (9 West Jamaica Road). Voters will consider the school budget at 11 a.m.
• Election: Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
• Financial: Voters will decide whether to raise and appropriate $1,080,047 for the general fund and $1,583,600 to the highway fund. They will also consider appropriating $84,315 for fire department operations.
• Humanitarian spending: Voters will consider allocating $49,596 to support 27 local and regional organizations.
• School budget: Voters will consider a $1,060,950 Stratton School District budget proposal, which represents a 18.61% increase to this year in per pupil spending ($11,571.65).
• More information: townofstrattonvt.com.
Townshend
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 9 a.m. at Leland & Gray Union Middle and High School's Dutton Gymnasium (2030 VT Route 30, next to Town Hall).
• Election: One three-year term and two one-year terms are open on the Selectboard. All nominations are from the floor the day of Town Meeting and so it is as yet unknown how many will vie for those seats.
• Financial: Voters will be asked to consider spending $646,435 for general expenditures and liabilities and $1,039,752 for town roads. In addition, they will consider adding $500,000 to the highway reserve fund for infrastructure and equipment and whether to keep the current trash collection system with an annual $100 transfer station hang tag and institute $4-per-bag town trash bag use. Voters will also decide whether to spend $22,388 for social services.
• Other: Voters will also consider authorizing the Selectboard to acquire land by gift or purchase for municipal forest to promote reforestation water conservation and good forestry practices.
• More information: unofficialtownshendvt.net.
Vernon
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Monday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m. in the Vernon Elementary School gymnasium. Free child care will be available.
• Election: Polls will be open on Tuesday, March 4, downstairs at the town office from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Heidi Johnson-Clement, Ian Hefele, and Don Rosinski (write-in candidate) are vying for the post of town clerk for a three-year term and Marylynn Scherlin and Melissa Allen are competing for a one-year term as delinquent tax collector.
• Financial: Town Meeting voters will consider a proposed $2,403,759 general fund budget. They will also be asked to appropriate $506,837 for items in the capital plan, $150,000 for the town road upgrading plan, $150,000 for the professional services fund, $140,536 for the Vernon Free Library, and $16,007.85 for the solid waste district assessment to the town.
• More information: vernonvt.org.
Wardsboro
• Annual Town Meeting will take place Tuesday, March 4, at 9 a..m. in Town Hall.
• Election: Polls will be open at Town Hall to elect town officials from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Financial: Voter are being asked to appropriate $1,588,924 for total general and highway operational expenses for the coming year.
• More information: wardsborovt.gov.
Westminster
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Saturday, March 1, at 10 a.m. at Bellows Falls Union High School.
• Election: Polls are open Tuesday, March 4 at the Westminster Fire Station (Grout Avenue) from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the election of town and school officers. Emily Bragonier and Stephen Major are vying for a three-year term as school director. Craig Allen and Paul Banik are seeking one three-year seat on the Selectboard and Daniel Crocker and Charles Lawrence are vying for a two-year seat on the Selectboard.
• Financial: Voters will consider a $1,398,018 appropriation to the general fund and a highway fund operating expense of $1,774,500.
• Other: Voters will also consider eliminating the board of listers in favor of a professional assessing department and whether to sell North Westminster Community House to be used as residential housing.
• More information: westminstervt.org.
Whitingham
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. in the Twin Valley Middle/High School gymnasium (4299 VT Route 100).
• Election: Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Twin Valley Middle High School to elect school and town officials. There are no races on the ballot.
• Financial: Voters will be asked to consider general fund operating expenses of $821,444 and $1,681,683 for town roads. They will also take up spending $161,986 for fire department operations, $60,000 for fire department equipment, $103,290 to operate the library, and appropriating $50,000 to the highway garage renovation/replacement fund.
• More information: whitinghamvt.org.
Wilmington
• Annual Town Meeting will take place Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. in the Old School Community Center (OSEC) (1 School St.)
• Election: Polls will be open at OSEC from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Kathleen Nutter and Monique Johnson are vying for a five-year term as library trustee. Voters will also consider the ballot question of whether to rescind the operation on more licensed cannabis retailers being permitted.
• Financial: Voters will decide whether to approve a general fund of $3,625,986 and $1,847,744 for the road budget.
• Other: Voters will consider:
-spending $80,000 for construction and maintenance of the Lake Raponda dam
-authorizing property tax payments in two installments
-allowing a nonresident to be elected moderator
• More information: wilmingtonvermont.us.
Windham
• Annual Town Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at the Windham Meeting House.
• Financial: Voters will consider approving a general fund of $30,823 and a road budget of $584,821.
• Humanitarian expenditures: Voters will also decide whether to spend $8,535 to support 16 nonprofit organizations, as recommended by Windham Social Services.
• Other: Voters will consider:
-appropriating $32,000 to operate the Windham Schoolhouse for one year to be used if the town buys the schoolhouse and associated property, in which case the money would come from the FY24 budget "surplus" account;
-advising the Selectboard to develop and publicize a plan and method to inventory all town culverts and maintain a database of same
-offering standard health plans for the posts of town treasurer and town clerk
-Voters will also consider selling the school building to the town for $1, with certain provisos, and approve a school expenditure of $506,398 ($14,117 per pupil or a 4.46% increase).
• More information: townofwindhamvt.com.
This News item by Virginia Ray was written for The Commons.