An informal poll for the forum members...

[Julie & 6pt Dave]

Please take the quick minute to respond to this poll. It is completely informal. Others just might curious how everyone feels about Fairfax's Town Meeting Day.

[David Shea]

Julie,

It would be great if you also had a comment section on your survey.

My comment would be that I have gone to town meeting the past 3 years.  I am not able to stay for the entire meeting & my wife or myself ( depending on who stays home ) is not able to go, since one of us needs to stay home with our kids.

Town meeting should be used to discuss issues, but voting should happen in the voting booth.

My personal opinion is that all large monetary expenses should be voted on by ballot on not at town meeting.  Last year 155 people who went to town meeting, give or take, authorized spending in access of 250,000.00 for warned items.  The number of registered voters in town is appox 1700.  In my opinion 9% of the population is not representative sample to authorize spending of this magnitude.

[trussell]

Dave, that's a very good point and I think I agree.  With absentee ballots, plus a full 12 hrs of poll availability, it makes ballot voting accessable to almost everyone.  I know several towns already do it that way.

[David Shea]

Trevor,

I plan on filing a petition to the registered voters of Fairfax to approve a change to require the voting of large monetary expenditures by australian ballot vs an open floor vote at town meeting.   I have informally spoken with several people about this idea and the general consensus is that most people are in favor of this form of governmental spending of tax procedes.

I will be sure to see you when I have made the petition.  Are there other members of this forum who agree that large ticket items should be approved by ballot vs 155 people or 9% of the registered voters?  If  so please reply to this thread. 

Thanks in advance
David Shea

[Henry]

I mention this almost every year, but have been unsuccessful.  I don't know all the ins an outs, but the vote on this I believe takes place at the town meeting from the floor and usually gets voted down.  I am behind you Dave.  Austrailian Ballot on these items is the way to go.  50 people at this open meeting can vote in just about anything they want.

[trussell]

Yep, feel free to contact me.  I think you should define "large" though- to some, $10,000 would be a large expense but simone else might be thinking $100k... I don't really have a particular number in mind though.  I believe an item needs to be voted on a year before it hoes into effect though... So now you're looking at 2012 before it happens.

And Henry, i believe that with the proper number of signatures, anyone can get an item on the ballot instead of just a warned item. I may be mistaken though.

[Henry]

That would be interesting to find out, because whenever I brought it up it had to go on the warning and got kicked out before it got to the ballot the next year.  Anybody with the official word on that??

[greenek]

David,

I agree with you that large expenditures should be voted on by Australian ballot, and not on town meeting day.

Kevin

[cestreet]

I agree with the idea that all large sums should be voted by Australian ballot.  I also think more people should go to Town Meeting.  It drives me nuts when people who don't attend act all victimized because "such a small portion of the voters make these big decisions without any say from the rest of us."

Just my 2 cents.

Clarice Streets

[ASDuling]

I think a good question is "why" if people are not attending town meeting day for reasons other than non-resident. It may help get more people involved. For example, I've heard child care is an issue for a few people.

[Julie & 6pt Dave]

David, I would add a comment section if I could, but the poll feature doesn't allow it. Comments to the post is the way to go and was hoping it would generate some discussion.

I agree that big ticket money should be voted on by Australian ballot. Voter turnout is low as it is and even Australian ballot isn't a true consensus of how the town feels. And I also wonder if it means that the Vermont Town Meeting in Fairfax will eventually die out. I never see a big turn out at the Saturday meeting as it is. I am always amazed at the lack of interest (from the community at large) at the actual presentation of the Town and School budgets and am even more astounded at the low numbers of citizens who actually turn out to vote. Has Fairfax outgrown that small town feel where everyone feels they have a say in the town? Is it truly a bedroom community where people don't really care what happens? Are people just to busy to bother nowadays? Is childcare an issue? Just wondering...

[cestreet]

While childcare may be a reason for many people, the REAL reason child care issues get in the way (in my opinion) of attendance is a question of priorities.  If people felt it were important enough, they would make child care arrangements.  There is plenty of notice, and somehow we find a way to have our child care needs met if there is something we consider important going on... A trip to Jamaica, a weekend away without the kids, etc.  We collectively don't consider this event important enough to do that kind of planning.  I think it's sad, and I hope it doesn't end up dying out.

Clarice Streets

[Julie & 6pt Dave]

In the past, the Girl Scouts have provided this opportunity to residents right there at the school FOR NO CHARGE . It was a community service activity for the troop. I was a leader and did this with my troop for a number of years a few years back, and I have to say, we didn't have that much business. I don't think that lack of childcare is anything but an excuse for a lot of people.

[gpdvt]

I agree that any tax dollars that are going to be spent should be done at the voting booth. As for why people don't show up, one possiblity might be that many people who relocate here(myself included) come from places where "town meeting day" means going to a polling place. There may be confusion as to what happens at "town meeting" vs voting booth, so perhaps some think the real important things are done at the voting booth, thus they don't bother with the "town meeting".

[JKandBoys]

This year we will be out of town so I can't attend. However my husband is staying behind so he will be there. In years past childcare was an issue for us. We don't have a babysitter who we use on any occasion, so it is not merely a question of where our priorities lie. If there was childcare available we would definitely use it and appreciate it.. (Perhaps it could be used as an  opportunity for babysitters to connect with families for future jobs.) I also agree that large expenditures should be voted on at the polling booth.