Voters who want to participate in their town’s budgeting process in advance of Town Meeting on March 2 need to pay attention to the next few weeks of work by their select boards.
Fayston voters who want to participate in the budget discussion will need to attend the select board’s January 26 meeting (by Zoom) as the town expects to have the budget done by January 28 and have it sent to the printer with the rest of the Town Meeting annual report. That meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.
Waitsfield voters will have two more chances to participate in budget discussions. The first is the board’s regular January 18 meeting and the second is a January 25 public budget forum. Those will be remote and start at 6:30 p.m.
In Warren, voters can participate in two more budget discussions on January 19 and 26. The Warren Select Board is working on a video budget presentation to be available by January 18 on the town’s website as well. The next two budget discussions are part of he board’s regular 6 p.m. meetings. Look for remote links at the town website.
Duxbury voters who want to participate in budget discussion are attending a remote meeting of Duxbury Select Board’s on January 13 as The Valley Reporter goes to press. This is a special meeting to discuss the town’s final budget draft for 2022. Additionally, Duxbury town clerk Maureen Harvey recommends that Duxbury residents attend regular Duxbury Select Board meetings leading up to Town Meeting Day, as budget information will continue to be discussed.
Moretown will host a budget discussion at the same time as its pre-Town Meeting Day informational meeting, but the date of that meeting has yet to be determined.
In all Valley towns, absentee ballots will be available as of February 10 and people can call, stop by or email their town clerk to ask for (or pick up) an absentee ballot. In Fayston, this year, LHS, the company that makes the town’s vote tabulator, will print the ballots for Town Meeting. In Waitsfield, town clerk Jennifer Peterson said she will create the Town Meeting ballots as she always does. In Warren, town clerk Reta Goss will print the ballots.
Voters in all Valley towns can mail the ballots or drop them off on or before Town Meeting on March 2. Ballots be returned by 7 p.m. that night. Polls are open throughout The Valley from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., although Moretown officials are still clarifying plans for Town Meeting Day.
Fayston will hold its pre-Town Meeting informational meeting, remotely, on February 23. The town is working on how to accommodate people who cannot attend the remote meeting at the town offices. Details on how to access that meeting will be forthcoming. Waitsfield will hold its pre-Town Meeting on March 1 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. For those without computer access, Waitsfield will use a local bridge conference call number for people to participate. Warren will hold its pre-Town Meeting on February 23 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.
Duxbury will hold its pre-Town Meeting on February 26 at 6 p.m. The informational meeting will take place over Zoom, but the Duxbury Select Board is also considering opening up the Crossett Brook Middle School gym to those who want to attend the informational meeting in person.
Check town websites for agendas and links to remote meetings.
Other notable dates include January 14 which is the last day to receive petitions for an article to be placed on the Town Meeting warning. January 25 is the last day for candidates for elected offices to submit consent forms to the town clerk. This year, petitions that usually accompany this form are waived due to COVID.
Most town’s annual report will be back from the printer and available in mid-February.
Please see www.valleyreporter.com for a list of elected positions to be voted by Australian ballot on Town Meeting Day, March 2
Or
Here are the elected positions that will be voted via Australian ballot:
Fayston
Moderator, one-year term; town clerk, one-year term; town treasurer, one-year term; delinquent tax collector, one-year term; select board member, three-year term; lister, three-year term; lister, two-year term; second constable, one-year term; cemetery commissioner, three-year term; grand juror, one-year term; town agent, one-year term; HUUSD school director, three-year term.
Waitsfield
Three select board members, one- two- and three-year terms; lister, three-year term; delinquent tax collector, one-year term; library trustee, five-year term; town agent, one-year term; two cemetery commissioner, a five-year term and a one-year term to fill an unexpired five-year term; trustee of cemetery funds, three-year term; moderator, one-year term.
Duxbury
Moderator, one-year term; three select board members for two one-year terms and a three-year term; lister, three-year term; auditor, three-year term; two members for the budget committee, a five-year term and one year remaining of a five-year term; cemetery commission, three-year term; first constable, one-year term; delinquent tax collector, one-year term; agent to prosecute and defend suits and grand juror, one-year term; second constable, one-year term; school board representative, two-years remaining of a three-year term.
Moretown
Select board, three-year term; first constable, two-year term; lister, three-year term; auditor; three-year term; cemetery commissioner, three-year term; HUUSD representative, three-year term; library trustee, one-year term.
Warren
Town moderator, one-year term; select board member, two-year term; town clerk, three-year term; HUUSD Board representative, three-year term; delinquent tax collector, three-year term; cemetery commission, five-year term; Warren Library commission, two seats at three-year terms each; lister, three-year term.
