From Brattleboro to Burlington, VTDigger’s reporters and photographers were all over the state covering the first in-person Town Meeting Day since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Find all of our 2023 Town Meeting Day stories below. This post will be updated through Wednesday, March 8.
- Strafford opts to move from floor meeting to ballot voting next year — In approving town and school budgets and electing officials, voters might have been doing so for the last time at a traditional Town Meeting. (March 8, 2:58 p.m.)
- So far, all but 2 Vermont school budgets have passed — As of Wednesday morning, of the 108 school budgets decided on or before Town Meeting Day, only two — in Alburgh and Barre — failed. Results for seven other budgets were not yet available. (March 8, 2:09 p.m.)
- Burlington Democrats expand city council plurality — The party previously held five of the Queen City council’s 12 seats and will now hold six. Progressives will control four seats and independents two. (March 7, 11:19 p.m.)
- Alderman Michael Doenges beats incumbent in Rutland mayor’s race — In a campaign season that cast a spotlight on Rutland’s rising crime, lack of housing and population decline, Doenges unseated three-term mayor David Allaire on Tuesday, according to unofficial city election results.(March 7, 10:29 p.m.)
- Voters around Vermont sign off on upgrades to wastewater and stormwater projects — Vermonters on Tuesday approved tens of millions of dollars in upgrades to address aging infrastructure problems. (March 7, 10:16 p.m.)
- South Burlington voters approve 3 major funding requests, pick among 10 candidates on Town Meeting Day — With a turnout of 21%, it was business as usual in South Burlington, according to City Manager Jessie Baker. (March 7, 10:14 p.m.)
- 5 more Vermont towns pass new or expanded local option taxes — Stowe, Jamaica, Londonderry, Rutland and Shelburne all approved Town Meeting questions on whether to impose local taxes on meals and alcohol, rooms, or sales. (March 7, 9:59 p.m.)
- Newbury voters express strong opposition to state’s plan to house a secure youth treatment facility — In a ballot measure, residents fought the plan to convert a former bed-and-breakfast site to a high-security detention facility. The effect of the non-binding vote remains to be seen. (March 7, 9:43 p.m.)
- Burlington votes down police control board, ‘prop zero’ charter changes — Other questions on the ballot were approved, including charter changes allowing non-citizen legal residents to vote, an expansion of ranked choice, a carbon impact fee and others. (March 7, 9:16 p.m.)
- Criticized for spending too little on students, Barre school district budget fails — The Barre Unified Union School District’s controversial budget proposal would have increased spending by just 1.5%, leaving the district with one of the lowest per-pupil spending levels in the state. (March 7, 9:10 p.m.)
- Colchester residents approve recreation center — The capital project outlines a nearly 30,000-square-foot multigenerational facility to be built on a centrally located 14-acre site the town already owns on East Lakeshore Drive, which was bought with voter approval in 2004. (March 7, 9:08 p.m.)
- Jack McCullough wins Montpelier’s mayoral election — The capital’s three-way race focused on water woes, road repairs and housing issues. (March 7, 8:55 p.m.)
- Morristown rejects budget that called for 30% increase in spending — Town voters shot down the budget, which was estimated to raise municipal property taxes by 25%. The vote was 391-1,441. (March 7, 8:49 p.m.)
- ‘Just cause’ eviction proposals pass in Essex and Winooski, fail in Brattleboro — Tenants and activists have argued that “just cause” rights are necessary protections against profit-driven or retaliatory evictions in a white-hot housing market. Some landlords have argued that troublesome tenants are already too difficult to evict. (March 7, 8:26 p.m.)
- Essex town voters overwhelmingly approve 22% local tax increase — The $15.4 million budget is a nominal decrease from last year’s budget but will be supported by a significantly smaller tax base than previous years, after Essex Junction split off from the town. (March 7, 8:15 p.m.)
- Killington voters give TIF thumbs up at the polls — Voters gave the town approval to take on up to $47 million in debt, which will help pay for water and road upgrades. Town officials hope those upgrades will allow the town to grow and welcome residents at all income levels. (March 7, 8:13 p.m.)
- Equity policy supporters win in Milton school board elections — Incumbents Jeremy Metcalf and Melinda Young fended off challengers Allison Duquette and Nicholas Smith. (March 7, 8:01 p.m.)
- Winooski elects historic slate of all-LGBTQ+ city councilors — The Winooski City Council will be the first in state history, and likely among the first in the country, to have all openly LGBTQ+ councilors. (March 7, 7:59 p.m.)
- PHOTOS: Take a look at Vermont’s Town Meeting Day 2023 — As Vermonters gathered with neighbors for the first in-person Town Meeting Day in years, VTDigger photographer Glenn Russell was there to capture the action. (March 7, 6:19 p.m.)
- Vermont Town Meetings are back. But for how long? — As some 75% of the state’s 247 cities and towns gather again after a Covid-19 pandemic pause, a growing number are debating whether to switch to ballot voting. (March 7, 1:52 p.m.)
