Days before Governor Phil Scott issued the Stay Home, Stay Safe order, Moretown resident Neil Nussbaum took to the streets of Moretown, collecting signatures for a petition asking the Moretown Select Board to consider withdrawing Moretown Elementary School (MES) from the consolidated school district. Although his efforts were cut short by the government-sanctioned social-distancing order, Nussbaum managed to collect over 90 signatures endorsing withdrawal.
At a meeting on April 6, the select board agreed that in August it would commence discussion regarding Moretown’s withdrawal. “Hopefully we can have a physical meeting in August sometime to discuss it,” said Tom Martin, select board chair, referring to the current public meeting restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Then we can have a vote in November. We have a town election in November this year and that would be an opportunity to get the whole town together to vote on something.”
Nussbaum explained that in order to withdraw from the Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD), first, the town would have to hold a meeting in which over 50 percent of Moretown residents at the meeting vote in favor of withdrawal. Next, the Vermont secretary of state would schedule an election for the remaining five towns and, in order to ratify withdrawal, a majority of residents from each of the five towns would have to vote in favor of it. “It’s a difficult process,” said Nussbaum.
The recent history of contention between the school district and Moretown residents revolves around the board’s last budget, which required the consolidation of middle school students at Crossett Brook Middle School (CBMS) including fifth- and sixth-grade students from MES. Many Moretown residents did not want their students transferred to CBMS. However, since the consolidation-based budget was voted down on March 3, the board is now considering three new budgets that do not require middle school consolidation.
Whether Moretown residents still want to leave the school district without required consolidation will become apparent in August when withdrawal discussions commence. Until then, the board’s most recent clashes with Moretown residents continue to loom. “I do think based on everything that’s going on it makes sense for Moretown to move forward on this meeting,” said Nussbaum.
