Selectboard To Fix Voting Error In Fairfax

[Henry]

Selectboard to fix voting error in Fairfax

Auditor's elimination requires paper ballot

By LEE J. KAHRS – Messenger Staff Writer
Weekend Edition Of The St. Albans Messenger -- March 11, 2006

FAIRFAX --- The floor vote taken at Town Meeting here in favor of eliminating the office of Town Auditor may have been done incorrectly, but it's easy to fix.

State statute dictates that any town considering the elimination of the office of town auditor must vote by ballot at an annual meeting.

Last Saturday, Fairfax held Town Meeting votes from the floor on articles pertaining to issues other than town and school budgets and officers.  While the issue was warned properly under Article 8, voters approved of eliminating the office of town auditor by a very close floor vote, 36-31.

The selectboard instead wants to hire an independent outside accounting firm to perform the town audit. Although the auditors do not need to be eliminated in order to hire an outside accounting firm that is what voters
Decided

-Title 17, Chapter 55, § 2651b in state statute specifically address the legal process regarding the elimination of the office of auditor and the appointment of a public accountant.

"A town may vote by ballot at an annual meeting to eliminate the office of town auditor. A vote to eliminate the office of town auditor shall remain in effect until rescinded by majority vote of the legal voters present and voting, by ballot, at an annual meeting duly warned for that purpose."

Selectboard Chair Jeff Blake said Friday that he could not comment on 'the issue until he spoke with the entire board, but did say he was "quite sure business was handled correctly"

Secretary of State Deb Markowitz agreed, saying state law allows towns to fix mistakes like this.

"There is a place in the that allows selectboard to fix things that go wrong at Town Meeting' she said.  Markowitz did say a town resident could contest the error if they claim the error was made on prupose or for illegitimate reasons, but that does not seem to be the case in Fairfax.

“There is no real evidence that this was anything other than a mistake,” Markowitz said.

[JLB]

The Selectboard met March 13, 2006.  

The Selectboard members were given a draft of a resolution to ratify the voting of Article 8 at Town Meeting, March 4, 2006.   They were instructed to take it home, read it, think it over.   They would discuss it at the next meeting, March 20, 2006.   They was no discussion at the Board level.

For the ratification to pass, it will require 4 of 5 votes in favor of approving the floor vote as is.    If 2 members vote against, the Article fails.

[JLB]

At their regularly scheduled meeting March 20, 2006,  the Selectboard voted 0 to 5  to ratify the floor vote taken at Town Meeting on March 4, 2006 concerning Article 8.

So as of the end of today Article 8 is officially passed as in favor of Eliminating the Local Office of Auditor by a vote of 36 to 31 according to the Board of Civil Authority and the minutes as taken by the Town Clerk.



It has been an honor to serve.
 I sincerely mean that.    I certainly have a whole new appreciation for public service.    

 I encourage folks to communicate any concerns, thoughts, and/or suggestions to the Selectboard.  
Remember the Town Report can include requested material.