Take the Annual Town Meeting Survey
The Brattleboro Charter Revision Commission (CRC) is considering whether to recommend a change in the form of Brattleboro's annual Town Meeting. The CRC is seeking broad public input before deciding what to recommend. Whatever the CRC recommends later this year will be subject to approval by either Representative Town Meeting (RTM) or Townwide vote, and then further subject to approval by the Governor and the State Legislature in 2026. The survey is part of the information gathering process and is advisory only.
Background Information
Brattleboro’s Charter Revision Commission (CRC) is considering whether to recommend a change in the form of Brattleboro’s annual Town Meeting. The CRC is seeking broad public input before deciding what to recommend. Whatever the CRC recommends later this year will be subject to approval by either Representative Town Meeting (RTM) or a Townwide vote, and then further subject to approval by the State Legislature and the Governor in 2026.
The CRC is considering this change because Brattleboro is the only town in Vermont that has an RTM and for the past decade (or more) residents have expressed many complaints about RTM. One alternative is to make some changes to RTM, but a simpler solution may be to switch to Open Town Meeting (OTM), which is the standard form of Town Meeting established by Vermont law and is the system in place for most Vermont towns.
In Representative Town Meeting, registered voters in each of three districts elect peers to serve as their district’s representatives and only the elected representatives are allowed to vote at Town Meeting. This ensures geographic balance in the distribution of Town Meeting participants. It also is intended to promote a seriousness and diligence on the part of the elected RTM members who have the privilege of representing their fellow residents in approving the Town’s annual budget and making other significant Town governance decisions. There has been active and ongoing debate in Brattleboro about whether the limited access of RTM actually results in a level of seriousness and diligence greater than OTM participation in other towns. Also, for the past decade or more, there have rarely been more candidates than available RTM seats. This results either in a de facto OTM (where all who want to participate are able to participate) or in some registered voters being “caucused in” as representatives by a vote of only the existing RTM members, not by a vote of all the registered voters.
In Open Town Meeting, any registered voter may participate and vote at Town Meeting. There is no in-between step of voters electing district representatives. This enables broader participation and avoids the concerns related to the process of “caucusing in” to fill vacant seats, but it also eliminates the assurance of balanced geographical distribution of Town Meeting participants. Some people have expressed concern that OTM also allows groups of people who are interested in one or two particular matters (rather than being more broadly interested in overall Town governance) to “pack” a Town Meeting with organized support for those limited matters.
There is a third option: Australian Ballot. In that system, some or all “Town Meeting” decisions are made by paper ballot and any registered voter may vote. The CRC is considering this alternative, too, but is focusing primarily on RTM+OTM because they involve discussion, engagement, and collaboration among the voters and the potential of amendments. When deciding matters by Australian Ballot, there sometimes (not always) is an informational meeting prior to the vote, but not all voters are required to participate in or even observe the pre-vote discussion. All questions to be voted on that ballot have been determined in advance.
Join the Conversation
Email members of the Charter Revision Commission at [email protected].
The public is invited to join the CRC's regular meetings, which are generally held on the first and third Thursday of each month at 6:15 p.m. in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. Please confirm dates and times on the Town calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following FAQ section provides background information about the Commission's work to date.
What is the Charter Revision Commission (CRC or Commission)? Pursuant to Article 4, Section 5.H of the Brattleboro Charter, the Selectboard appoints a Charter Revision Commission every fifteen years to review the town Charter and propose amendments.
Who is on the Commission? Kate O’Connor (Chair); Maya Hasegawa (Vice Chair); Hannah Clarisse; Peter Elwell; Denise Glover; and Joy Tournoux.
How long has the Commission been working? The current Commission was appointed by the Selectboard in December 2022. Official meetings and work began in the beginning of 2023. The Commission has met regularly since its creation. Meeting agendas, recordings, and supporting documents can be found on the CRC's webpage.
When will the Commission finish its work? The Commission’s plan is to finish its work so that any recommendations can be considered in the fall of 2025 and forwarded to the Legislature for consideration during the 2026 session.
When and where are Charter Revision Commission meetings? Meetings are legally posted, warned, and can be found on the town’s website. Generally, meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. Please confirm the date, time, location, and agenda for any particular meeting by visiting the CRC's webpage.
Are we trying to get rid of Representative Town Meeting (RTM)? No. The Commission wants to explore and discuss to determine if we should keep Representative Town Meeting.
What is the charter revision process? The Charter Revision Commission may recommend changes to the charter. Any changes will need to be approved by Representative Town Meeting or a Townwide vote and then forwarded to the Vermont Legislature for approval and the Governor for signature.
Is this a discussion about having a Mayor? No. We are only discussing the forms of Town Meeting.
What happens to Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Committees if the form of annual Town Meeting changes? Committees can still be elected or appointed by the Selectboard or by Open Town Meeting or Australian Ballot.
Where can you read the Brattleboro Town Charter? The current version of the Charter is available online. Hard copies are available at the Town Manager’s Office - 230 Main St #208, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
What form of town meeting does Brattleboro have now? Brattleboro is the only town in Vermont to hold a Representative Town Meeting (“RTM”).There are 150 voting members at RTM, including up to 140 elected town meeting representatives, in addition to ex-officio members including the Selectboard, Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, Moderator, and State Representatives and State Senators that reside in Brattleboro. The total number of town meeting representatives is based on the number of registered voters per district. Representative Town Meeting members discuss, debate, and vote on all matters noticed for the annual town meeting. Most other towns in Vermont allow all registered voters to attend and vote at the annual town meeting, which is known as an open town meeting, or to vote by anonymous ballot, also known as the Australian ballot system.
For more information, you may read this two-part series on the history of RTM in Brattleboro: Part 1, Part 2
What happens at the annual town meeting, regardless of form? This is a simple list, please refer to the Charter for a more complete and detailed list of current activities.
● Approve and confirm: town treasurer, town clerk and town attorney.
● Elect/appoint members to: Town Finance Committee, Human Services Committee, Brooks Memorial Library Trustees.
● Authorize the Selectboard to borrow money in anticipation of taxes, grants, and other revenue.
● Raise and appropriate funds for: Mountain Home Park, special assessments, human services, levy local taxes.
How can you get in contact with the Charter Revision Commission? You can email the Charter Revision Commission at [email protected], or attend an upcoming meeting. The Commission’s meeting schedule and additional information is available on the CRC's webpage.
What if you have an idea or concern about another part of the Charter? The Commission encourages participation in the charter revision process. Please check the Commission’s website for meeting agendas, minutes and supporting documents to see what, if any, discussions or decisions have been made on the same topic. Generally, meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month at 6:15pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room and on Zoom. Please confirm the date, time, location, and agenda for any particular meeting by visiting the CRC's webpage.