Think it’s far-fetched that a soapy television character like Bobby Ewing could step into a shower and turn back time, washing away a nightmarish past as if it was all a bad dream?
Tell that to LaDonna Dunn. The municipal clerk for the 534 residents of Westfield is set to return to the annual tradition of Vermont Town Meeting after a two-year pandemic pause.
“Like Covid never happened,” Dunn said in her Northeast Kingdom hamlet.
Some 75% of the state’s municipalities (listed at the end of this story) are bringing back shoulder-to-shoulder decision-making this week on local spending, leaders, charter changes and, in one case, $60,000 for bear-proof trash cans, according to a VTDigger survey.
Communities from northernmost Alburgh to southernmost Vernon last gathered just before the global pandemic hit in 2020, with most moving to Covid-safe mailable ballots or warm-weather outdoor proceedings in 2021 and 2022.
This year, Vermonters are set to vote on almost $200 million for infrastructure upgrades to fix everything from sidewalks to sewer pipes, with the state’s 28 biggest municipalities proposing half of those one-time-only bond requests.
Their 219 counterparts with populations of less than 5,000 people aren’t considering nearly as many special above-and-beyond items — in part, because many regular budgets are rising.
Peacham, for example, will debate a $1.78 million plan that’s up 26.6%.
“Nothing particular,” Peacham Town Clerk Thomas Galinat said when asked what has sparked his community’s increase. “Cost of living, mud season preparedness, diesel, etc.”
In Morristown, a $10 million proposed budget is about 30% higher than current spending.
“Balancing the needs of the community and providing services we’ve all come to count on has proven a difficult financial task,” Morristown Administrator Eric Dodge said in the annual report. “None of us are pleased with the size of the proposed increase.”
All told, this month’s seemingly quaint tableaux of local politics and potlucks will decide nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars in spending requests — one-third the size of the state government’s $2.3 billion general fund, according to the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.
“One of the largest responsibilities voters have at Town Meeting — and one of the ones that makes Vermont’s democracy somewhat unique — is that they have the say on how they raise the money their town needs to conduct business, who should pay, and who shouldn’t,” Ted Brady, the League’s executive director, wrote in a preview of what’s coming.
“While anecdotal evidence suggests municipal leaders are putting budgets forward that reflect the realities of wage and material inflation,” he said, “many have found a way to offset the budget increases and avoid corresponding tax increases by applying reserve funds, using surpluses from 2022-2023, and tightening belts.”
Bonds and big-ticket items
Some $55.5 million of this month’s infrastructure items would improve water systems, with more than half of that figure designated for South Burlington, which is seeking $33.8 million in waste treatment facility work.
Other communities proposing water projects include Bennington at $5.8 million, Rutland City at $4.35 million, Middlebury at $3.5 million, Springfield at $3.4 million, Bethel at $2.5 million, Brattleboro at $2 million, Richmond at $1.9 million, Shaftsbury at $1.78 million, St. Johnsbury at $1.6 million and Shelburne at $1.1 million.
Killington will vote on a $47 million bond for municipal water improvements, a redesigned and rebuilt access road for its namesake resort, workforce housing and a Six Peaks Ski Village.
Calais is seeking $450,000 to renovate its nearly 150-year-old Curtis Pond dam — a plan for which supporters have raised nearly $230,000 in supplemental funds.
In other big-ticket items, South Burlington will vote on $14.5 million for school construction as well as $15 million in improvements to its new city center and Williston Road, and installation of a bike and pedestrian bridge over Interstate 89.
Rutland City, in the same vein, will weigh $3.5 million for street and sidewalk repairs.
Colchester will cast ballots on a $6.9 million bond for a proposed $15.9 million recreation center with a gymnasium, elevated track, cardio/weight room and supplementary spaces.
Similarly, Brattleboro will consider $4.1 million in facility upgrades to the town’s main recreational area, Living Memorial Park.
Several towns will weigh repairing or replacing municipal buildings, with Killington seeking $1.6 million, Londonderry $1.3 million, Windsor $1 million, Wilmington $260,000 and Walden $100,000.
New Haven wants to tap $140,000 from a reserve fund to repair its town hall and $70,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act money to buy 5 acres of land to relocate its fire station.
Several communities are seeking new fire trucks, with Shelburne requesting $980,000, Hinesburg $850,000, St. Albans City $835,000 and Dummerston $500,000.
Work on culverts (translation for visitors: they drain water under roads) will be considered in Cambridge (at $925,000), while major street fixes are on the ballot in Springfield (at $850,000) and Chester (at $420,000).
Hardwick will debate a $500,000 bond to buy a gravel pit in nearby Greensboro.
Alburgh will weigh $300,000 for the startup of a professional rescue squad.
And Stowe will vote on a $95,000 rehabilitation of the town-owned Community Church clock and $60,000 for bear-proof trash and recycling receptacles at local parks — the latter “to help prevent them from being an attractive nuisance,” according to the annual report.
Charter changes and other municipal matters
Many communities are proposing changes in their charters.
Vermont’s largest city, Burlington, will vote on allowing petitions to alter municipal ordinances, granting legal residents who are not U.S. citizens the right to cast ballots in local elections, giving leaders flexibility in locating polling places, and extending ranked choice voting to all city offices.
Burlington also will consider a carbon pollution impact fee and an independent community police department control board with expanded disciplinary powers.
Essex Town will weigh whether to allow the recall of selectboard members and replace the zoning board of adjustment with a development review board.
Votes to add or alter a 1% local option tax on such items as sales, rooms, meals and alcohol are set in Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Rutland City, Shelburne and Stowe.
Requests to protect residential tenants from evictions without “just cause” will be considered in Brattleboro, Essex Town and Winooski.
As for local leaders, Rutland City Mayor David Allaire will face a reelection challenge from Board of Aldermen President Mike Doenges, while Montpelier has a three-way mayor’s race to fill the seat recently vacated by new state Sen. Anne Watson.
Several towns will cast ballots on a growing trend to professionalize their governance structures.
Voters will consider 30 proposals to switch offices from elected to appointed, including:
For clerk: Brighton, Chester, Elmore, Hinesburg, Norwich, Saint George, Shoreham, Stockbridge and West Haven.
For treasurer: Alburgh, Brighton, Brookline, Chester, Elmore, Guilford, Hinesburg, Middlebury, Saint George, Shoreham, Stockbridge and West Haven.
For delinquent tax collector: Alburgh, Brookline, Chittenden, Craftsbury, Jay and Worcester.
For constable: Bolton, Londonderry and Pownal.
Voters will weigh 24 additional requests to eliminate certain offices, including:
For lister: Barton, Chittenden, Fairfield, Hyde Park, Jay, Norwich, Panton, Poultney, Sheldon and Wilmington.
For auditor: Fair Haven, Jay, Stamford and Troy.
For constable: Chittenden, Concord, Kirby, Mount Holly, Pownal, St. Johnsbury, Tinmouth, Royalton, Wells and Weston.
Royalton also will decide whether to hire a town manager.
Randolph will consider a proposal to reestablish a municipal police force to replace the dwindling staff of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department — a move that would raise the number of local units in Vermont to 53.
Five southern Vermont towns will vote on pooling resources to employ a shared recreation director, with Londonderry paying up to $95,386, Winhall $25,000, Peru $13,000, Weston $7,500 and Landgrove $3,900.
Barre City and Montpelier will decide whether to disband the Central Vermont Public Safety Authority union municipal district they created in the past in hopes of regionalizing those services.
Rounding out ballots, Danby and Dummerston will vote on an advisory article to join nearly 100 other Vermont communities by signing a Declaration of Inclusion in support of diversity and equity.
Newbury will consider an advisory article expressing local opposition to a proposed state-supported juvenile detention facility.
Jericho will weigh a resolution to establish a town commission “with the goal of increasing food self-sufficiency via the production, manufacture and distribution of local food.”
Royalton will vote on overturning its ordinance regulating where and when all-terrain vehicles can be operated.
Roxbury will decide whether to rescind its new guidelines on “the disposal of solid waste and the outdoor storage of junk and junk vehicles.”
North Hero will cast ballots on banning private landing strips for planes and helicopters.
And Bethel, Brighton and Castleton will consider whether to join some 70 Vermont communities that allow local retail sales of cannabis.
“This is the third time we’ve voted on it,” Brighton Town Clerk Teresa Potwin said. “They don’t want to take no for an answer.”
What about where, how and when?
Not all municipalities are resuming in-person Town Meetings. Some 60 communities will cast ballots, either because they always have or are tapping state legislation that extends pandemic-era voting options until July 1, 2024.
“We are usually a floor-vote town,” Pomfret Clerk Becky Fielder said, “but with recent local Covid outbreaks, the selectboard thought it prudent to postpone the in-person vote one more year.”
Morristown has a different argument for once again replacing a gathering that drew about 200 participants for ballots cast by some 2,000 people.
“Traditional town meeting attendance has been dwindling,” Morristown Selectboard Chair Bob Beeman said. “While I appreciate the importance and historical value, it seems much better to have a large group of our community make the decisions for the town’s future.”
Duxbury had a special Town Meeting in November so it could vote to cast ballots going forward. Similar proposals to partially or fully switch permanently are set for consideration this month in Bakersfield, Bethel, Bradford, Bridgewater, Coventry, Craftsbury, Danville, Essex Town, Franklin, Highgate, Ira, Jay, Lunenburg, Marlboro, Marshfield, Rockingham, Strafford, Williamstown and Wilmington.
Only a handful of communities are rescheduling proceedings until spring, down significantly from the up to 50 that did so the past two years. The current list includes Sheffield, Vershire, Wardsboro and Windham, all of which are postponing proceedings until May.
Communities set to hold a March Town Meeting that features some sort of floor vote:
Albany, Alburgh, Andover, Arlington, Athens, Bakersfield, Baltimore, Barnard, Barnet, Barton, Belvidere, Benson, Berlin, Bethel, Bloomfield, Bolton, Bradford, Braintree, Brattleboro, Bridgewater, Bridport, Brighton, Bristol, Brookfield, Brookline, Brownington, Cabot, Calais, Cambridge, Canaan,
Charleston, Chelsea, Chester, Chittenden, Corinth, Cornwall, Coventry, Craftsbury, Danby, Danville, Derby, Dorset, Dover, East Haven, East Montpelier, Eden, Elmore, Enosburgh, Essex Town, Fairfax, Fairfield, Fairlee, Fayston, Ferrisburgh, Fletcher, Franklin, Glover, Goshen, Grafton, Granby,
Granville, Greensboro, Groton, Guildhall, Guilford, Halifax, Hancock, Hardwick, Hartland, Highgate, Holland, Huntington, Hyde Park, Ira, Irasburg, Jamaica, Jay, Jericho, Johnson, Kirby, Landgrove, Lemington, Lincoln, Londonderry, Lowell, Ludlow, Lunenburg, Maidstone, Manchester, Marshfield,
Mendon, Middlebury, Monkton, Montgomery, Moretown, Morgan, Mount Tabor, New Haven, Newark, Newfane, Newport Town, Northfield, Norton, Orange, Orwell, Peacham, Peru, Pittsfield, Pittsford, Plainfield, Plymouth, Pownal, Proctor, Putney, Randolph, Readsboro, Richford, Richmond, Ripton, Rochester,
Rockingham, Roxbury, Rupert, Ryegate, St. George, Sandgate, Searsburg, Shaftsbury, Sharon, Sheldon, Shoreham, Stamford, Stannard, Starksboro, Stockbridge, Stowe, Strafford, Stratton, Sudbury, Sunderland, Sutton, Thetford, Topsham, Townshend, Troy, Tunbridge, Underhill, Vernon, Waitsfield, Walden,
Waltham, Warren, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Waterville, Weathersfield, West Fairlee, West Windsor, Westfield, Westminster, Westmore, Weston, Weybridge, Wheelock, Whiting, Whitingham, Williamstown, Wilmington, Winhall, Wolcott, Woodbury, Woodford, Woodstock and Worcester.
