Tag: Annual Town Meeting

Before CoronaTime, I tried to imagine a system that took advantage of modern technology, of expanded broadband, and computers and smartphones to extend and expand our ability to discuss the issues before us. So here are several suggestions about how we can liberate town meeting from the past and meet the challenge of COVID-19.

Hawver was a commercial banker for 23 years and, after retirement, ran a bed and breakfast in Sheffield with her late husband, Cliff. She now runs her own tax preparation business out of her Park Lane home.

Town moderator Michael Wise said he thought it was important that the budget be passed by Tuesday, June 30, even if the other items of the annual town meeting warrant were pushed aside until restrictions on large gatherings were lifted.

Selectboard Chair Steve Bannon tried to reassure everyone that town government was functioning and that elected officials were active and town employees were still reporting to work.

When selectboard Chair Steve Bannon opened the floor to comments from the audience, most seemed to agree that, in addition to placing restrictions on the stores, the larger question remains about what kind of image the tourism-minded town wants to project.

In a letter to the editor, Jonathan Hankin writes, "The Trust has a binding purchase and sale agreement that is contingent upon approval of the funding for the purchase by the May Annual Town Meeting."

Our intent with this column and the radio broadcast is to describe the issues and how they do or do not get solved so that we, all voters and taxpayers, can be part of the process. So please, keep the comments coming.

Every decision that every board makes is made at an open meeting that any citizen may attend. Every meeting of every board includes an opportunity for any citizen to speak.

The forum will consider how to encourage participation and how to improve the way the town meeting works.

Town Moderator Michael Wise will organize a forum this fall to discuss the Annual Town Meeting format, to seek ideas and consider changes, or possibly to just leave it alone. Please stay tuned to the program for a date.

After about an hour of debate and argument over procedure, the show of hands against the repeal was overwhelming.

Monday night’s resounding vote in favor of naming the middle school after Du Bois perhaps signals that Great Barrington is a different town than it was 15 years ago.

In his letter Steve Farina writes: “Our little town's ban that this is nothing more than a means to raise awareness of a global plastic problem.”

Minus the education side, the proposed town budget itself will rise from $11.37 million to $11.55 million, for an increase of only 1.6 percent.

Most of our plastic waste gets packed into landfills, burned, or ends up in the environment as litter and in waterways and oceans.

Participating parents should sign in near the check-in table at the meeting entrance; a student will escort children to the preschool room in the building.