Addison County voters will make some long-awaited decisions on Town Meeting Day, March 2.
In addition to dealing with town and school budgets and electing municipal and school officials, residents will consider allowing cannabis retailers in their communities and whether Ripton can secede from the Addison Central School District.
Cannabis retailers
After Vermont legalized recreational marijuana sales last October, the decision of whether to permit cannabis retailers fell to individual towns. In Addison County, Middlebury, Salisbury, Brandon and Vergennes will vote on the issue next week.
The topic has, at times, been contentious. Proponents of allowing cannabis stores point to the potential economic benefits — marijuana sales will be subject to a 14% excise tax and 6% sales tax. The sales tax revenues statewide will go toward a universal after-school care program, and part of the excise tax revenues will be earmarked for drug abuse prevention programs.
Advocates also argue that cannabis stores will bring much-needed customers to their downtowns, where small, locally owned businesses are suffering under the rise of online shopping and big-box stores. These struggles have only been amplified under Covid.
“It’s become clear that in order for downtown to survive and thrive, it needs to provide either experiential retail or the kind of retail that cannot be provided online. Cannabis fits that bill,” said Dave Silberman, Addison County’s high bailiff and a supporter of the Midd Yes campaign, in an interview with VTDigger.
Opponents cite concerns about elevated crime rates, public drug use and mixed messages for teenagers, who may see recreational cannabis retailers as a sign that they, too, should partake in weed consumption.
Although few long-term studies have been done on the impact of THC — the intoxicant in marijuana — on developing brains, research has linked adolescent marijuana use to brain damage. Retailers would not be permitted to serve customers under age 21 years.
If towns vote to allow retailers, licenses could be issued in the fall of 2022.
Ripton secession
Ripton’s effort to secede from the Addison Central School District is attracting statewide attention.
Residents voted Jan. 12 to leave the district in hopes of saving their 50-student elementary school, which Addison Central was considering closing because of declining enrollment.
The other towns in the school district — Bridport, Cornwall, Middlebury, Salisbury, Shoreham and Weybridge — will vote Tuesday on whether to allow Ripton’s withdrawal.
Molly Witters of Ripton, an advocate for secession, appealed to Middlebury voters at a selectboard meeting on Monday, Feb. 22, to discuss the items on Middlebury’s ballot.
Because of Ripton Elementary’s small size and high per-student cost, its departure would have a tax-neutral effect on the district, according to Witters. Whether the school secedes or is shut down and forced to send students to other Addison Central schools, there will be tax savings for the rest of the district.
Shutting the school down may have marginally more savings — about 0.03% — but Witters asked Middlebury residents to prioritize the desires of Ripton over the potential economic benefit to themselves.
“We hope that you, as fellow Vermonters, will respect that our town has already voted to leave the district,” she said.
School board races
As the Addison Central school board deals with school consolidation, declining enrollment and budget issues, two school board members are being challenged for reelection.
This year, incumbent Peter Conlon faces competition from Chris Kramer for a seat representing Cornwall. In Middlebury, three candidates — incumbent Davina Desmarais, Mary Heather Noble and Lindsey Hescock — are competing for two school board seats. All other school board candidates are running unopposed.
School board elections involve open voting, so voters in every town of Addison Central can vote for candidates in every race.
In past years, town residents have gathered on the eve of voting day to discuss the issues. These meetings will not occur this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. Some towns, including Middlebury and Vergennes, will hold conversations over Zoom instead. Ballot voting can be by mail or in-person at the polls on Tuesday.
