It’s budget season and local boards and the Harwood Unified Union School District Board are working on their budgets for the upcoming year in advance of Town Meeting.
The chance to comment on municipal spending is now. The chance to weigh in on school district spending is now. Many local boards receive little to no public input during the budgeting process only to get push back well after the process has been completed and the proposed budget presented in the town report that has to go to the printer by the end of the month.
Planning for Town Meeting also means that it’s time for those considering running for office to put forth their candidacies and file their intentions to run with their local town clerk by 5 p.m. on Monday, January 29.
This year, there are openings on the Harwood Unified Union School District Board, and an opening on the Warren Select Board and the Fayston Select Board are already known. Longtime Fayston Select Board chair JaredCadwell has announced that he won’t be seeking reelection and Bob Ackland, former chair and vice chair of the Warren Select Board is not seeking reelection.
Both of these local leaders have also served on the Mad River Valley Planning District’s steering committee for many, many years. Thanks for that gents!
After January 29, we will know which incumbents are running for reelection and who is throwing their hat in the ring.
Public service on volunteer municipal and school boards is not always a walk in the park. It’s a lot of responsibility, a lot of time and a lot of work during and before and after meetings.
It’s often not dramatic work or even exciting, but it is impactful. It is important and it is critical. Self-governance takes work on the part of those doing the governing but also, critically, on the part of those being governed. It is our responsibility to pay attention to, comment on, and participate in local government. And as a community, we need community members to step up and fill these important roles on our town and school boards.
Thanks to all who have served, currently serve and are willing to serve.
