Town Meeting 2021: Ballots, reports, forums, info meetings
February 15, 2021 | By Lisa Scagliotti With Town Meeting Day around the corner and the COVID-19 pandemic still a reality, Vermont town clerks are ready with ballots to mail early and local officials are prepping for online informational meetings instead of the traditional in-person gatherings.
Candidate forums this week
The Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition has organized two online candidate forums for this week featuring candidates for Waterbury Select Board and the Harwood Unified Union School District School Board.
Maroni Minter will moderate both sessions that are described as opportunities for the candidates to share their views and answer questions pertaining to race and social justice in our community.
The first is Tuesday at 7 p.m. featuring school board candidates seeking to represent Waterbury and several other communities in the school district. Its Zoom link is: us02web.zoom.us/j/86705581807.
The second is Wednesday at 7 p.m. with candidates for Waterbury Select Board candidates. Its Zoom link is: us02web.zoom.us/j/86273862860.
Waterbury town meeting
In Waterbury, Town Clerk Carla Lawrence issued a message last week with a reminder to voters to take part despite the lack of a floor meeting this year. “Town Meeting Day is a treasured Vermont tradition It will be a little different this year, but you can still stay informed and vote!” she said.
Some important details:
In-person voting will still happen from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 2 at Thatcher Brook Primary School in Waterbury and outside the town office in Duxbury. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
The town report is posted on the town website, waterburyvt.com under the Town Clerk section. Lawrence will mail copies by request. Otherwise, hard copies were to be available by Feb. 18 to pick up from the Municipal Center lobby and at these locations in town: Maplewood's Convenience Store, Northfield Savings Bank, Vermont State Employees Credit Union, Community National Bank, Waterbury Public Library, People’s United Bank, Waterbury True Value and Billings Mobil.
To receive town and school district ballots by mail, contact Lawrence by Feb. 24. Ballots may be returned by mail or dropped off at the town offices in the drop box by the main entrance until March 1, or returned at the polls on March 2. Sample town and school ballots and the town meeting warning are on the town website under Voting and Elections in the Town Clerk section: waterburyvt.com/departments/clerk/voting.
Voting in person will be held on March 2 with requirements to wear masks and keep distance from others. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Thatcher Brook Primary School.
An online informational meeting to discuss items on the warning including the proposed town budget is scheduled for Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. The Waterbury Select Board will host the meeting using Zoom video conference. Details on how to join by video and audio will be posted on the town website under select board agendas: waterburyvt.com/boards/selectboard.
For ballots, town reports by mail or any questions, contact the town clerk’s office by calling 244-8447 or emailing clawrence@waterburyvt.com.
Duxbury town meeting details
Ballots: Duxbury voters may request their ballots early by calling or emailing Town Clerk Maureen Harvey at 244-6660 or DuxTC@myfairpoint.net. Voters can return ballots before election day in person to the town office (drop box outside if the office is closed) or by mail; or in person on Town Meeting Day, March 2.
Voting in person: Those who prefer to vote on March 2 can do so between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. using a drive-in setup in front of the town office and garage on Rt. 100. Voters may return their marked ballots that they received in the mail or get a ballot on the spot, pull over to mark it, and then turn it in.
The town report is posted online on the town website, duxburyvermont.org. There is a link on the homepage to the report. It’s also accessible from the Town Clerk section of the website where voters also can find the town meeting warning, sample ballots, and information on the proposed town budget; duxburyvermont.org/townclerk. Hard copies of the town report also will be mailed to voters in envelopes.
An informational meeting will be held before the election at 6 p.m. on Feb. 26. The Duxbury Selectboard will host using Zoom. People can join using audio or video. To dial in by phone, call 1-929-205-6099; enter the meeting number 242-764-3402 and the password 456789. Using the Zoom application, enter the meeting number and password. Instructions are also on the town meeting warning.
School ballot details
The annual report for the Harwood Unified Union School District is available online on the school district’s website, huudsd.org. Hard copies are available by mail. Call 583-7953 to request one.
The proposed $40.39 million school budget for 2021-22 on the March 2 ballot represents an increase of 1.6% from last year. Voters also will be asked a second question: whether to allocate $1 million of a fiscal year 2020 surplus to the maintenance reserve fund with an additional $615,456 set aside to be used for future operating budgets.
Details on the budget including a Q/A video presentation are also online on the district’s website.
An online informational meeting on the budget is scheduled for March 1 at 6 p.m. Details for that meeting are on the warning contained in the annual report and posted on the HUUSD website home page.
Voters requesting ballots from their town clerks early will receive a school ballot automatically. Voting on the school budget will also be done in person on March 2 at each town’s polling place.