To: Board of Selectmen
From: Peter Bragdon, Selectman Candidate
Re: Warrant / Town Meeting
I am requesting the selectmen reconsider the vote to have the town meeting held by ballot. I understand and agree that safety is the top priority. With that said I feel we should hold off and have the town meeting in person at a later date. Pownal and Yarmouth have scheduled their town meetings later in July. Due to emergency legislation, towns are allowed to hold their town meetings after the start of the fiscal year – July 1st. It is understood our current budget would stay in place until a new one is voted in. We are already going past the start of the fiscal year with the ballot proposal, thus waiting for the town meeting will not change that.
It was stated at the last selectmen’s meeting that the town meeting had to happen on town property. I don’t believe that is the case. Generally town meetings have been held at the AMVETs Hall and the Memorial School which are both not owned by the town. If this is true, I believe there are several locations throughout the town that may work. Even if there is an expense I believe it is worth it. I think you will find that the cost of printing and mailing the ballot is going to be significant especially with the points noted below.
The town meeting is the long standing form of government for our small town, the only night many folks get together and debate the topics of the town. Motions are made to approve the printed amount, amendments are made to a lower amount, or articles fail to pass. With having a ballot this process is gone. There are no discussions. There are no amendments and as currently written, there is no way to vote no.
The way the ballot is proposed also does not allow the voter to vote down just one department. For example, code enforcement and planning are on the same question. If the planning budget is voted down the code enforcement is also voted down. There could be unnecessary damage from this set up. The other down side is if each line is a separate question you would be looking at over 50 questions for people to vote on.
Again, I understand and appreciate the board worrying about everyone’s safety. I also think we need to consider people’s rights that they are accustomed to here in New Gloucester. I encourage you as a board to schedule a date later in the summer for the town meeting. If that is not possible, then at a minimum please vote to wait and have the meeting in person.
I had reached out to the town manager asking for input on how this process would work. I think it is important to know about working off the current budget until one is adopted and how tax commitment would work as tax bills are not due until October. She responded that the decision has already been made and there was no need to research this. I agree the decision has been made but the points noted above were not considered and I think they change the whole process. I also think they are important as we are going past June 30th either way we have the town meeting.
I appreciate your consideration of this matter. Please do what is right and find a way to safely have the town meeting at a later date.
