Editor’s note: This commentary is by Don Keelan, a certified public accountant and resident of Arlington. The piece first appeared in the Bennington Banner.
[I]t is not uncommon among nonprofit organizations once they have put on an event to have a recap meeting soon after to review how to improve things for a subsequent event. I have often wondered if towns and villages throughout Vermont give any thought to this once they get through their municipality’s Town Meeting Day. Or are they content that the day has come and gone until next year?
For my hometown, Arlington, it might prove to be useful if a recap of this year’s Town Meeting Day was undertaken, and for several reasons.
I am assuming that Arlington might be typical of many of Vermont’s towns and villages when it comes to town meeting. Ours took place on the evening of March 3 at the town’s high school gym. The gym has a seating capacity of around 500, absent any chairs placed upon the gym’s floor. According to town officials, this year’s attendance at town meeting was 80 residents for the town portion, and 60 stayed on for the school presentation.
To place these figures in perspective, Arlington has a population of approximately 2,400, of which 1,743 are registered voters. To complete the statistical analysis, the next day saw 330 residents cast their votes — a paltry 19 percent of registered voters. Nonetheless, this percentage was much better than the 5 and 3 percent attendance at the town and school information meetings the night before.
And for the purposes of full disclosure, I did not attend the evening meeting — concluding that it was too cold and windy to go out. I did, however, cast my vote the next day.
This year’s school district’s budget is $7.143 million for 437 students, or $16,300 per student. Why the apathy?
So why is it that this once landmark tradition, Town Meeting Day, has been reduced to what it has become today? That tradition, in 1943, was memorialized by another Arlington resident, Norman Rockwell. His painting, Freedom of Speech, defined the importance of town meeting.
There are many reasons, I suspect, for the low turnout. One such reason — and it applies to the school portion of the hearing — is that the majority of the folks in Arlington are not terribly concerned about the size of the school budget. This year’s school district’s budget is $7.143 million for 437 students, or $16,300 per student. Why the apathy? In part, because most taxpayers are on income sensitivity and have their school taxes reduced by the state. In any event, where were the parents of school-age children?
Another possible reason is the fact that there is so little say over cost that can be controlled locally — so much has become mandated by state or federal government regulations.
Of course, interest in the town and school’s affairs might have attracted more attention if the voters would have received the town and school reports in the mail, as was the case in years gone by — cost of printing and online availability are now the catch phrases used to justify the change.
I suppose that the introduction of the Australian ballot has removed much of the suspense and interest in Town Meeting Day as well. Even this change has not removed the repetition of voting on so many articles — with many being so inconsequential — about 40 or so ranging in size from $7.1 million to $295 — for the Vermont Center of Independent Living.
And then there is the local public access television that broadcasts town meeting live. Is it any wonder folks will stay home? Why bother braving the elements when one can be nestled up in his/her favorite armchair and witness the proceedings?
The question becomes, would it be worthwhile looking to do a recap of the town meeting? It will depend on whether the voters believe that their voices will be heard and can bring about change.
