In 2025, the Selectboard will be hosting Waterbury's first "Have Your Say Day." This will be an opportunity for neighbors to informally gather, hear updates about the Town budget, including the proposed uses of the new Local Options Tax, and weigh in on the proposed budget for Town Meeting in March. Please save the dates and attend!
What: An opportunity to hear about the proposed 2025 Town of Waterbury budget and provide your input.
When and Where: Two opportunities: Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 10 am at the American Legion (16 Stowe St.) and Monday, January 13, 2025 at 7 pm at the Grange Hall Cultural Center (317 Howard Ave., Waterbury Center). Zoom options will also be available.
Why: To provide opportunities to hear about the proposed 2025 Town budget and provide your input in an informal manner BEFORE Town Meeting Day. Input received will be used to inform the budget presented to voters at Town Meeting Day in March.
What Else: The Saturday meeting will have a pie potluck- please bring a pie to share if you are able.
Questions: Contact Tom Leitz at (802) 999-6450 or Alyssa Johnson at Alyssa.Johnson@waterburyvt.com
>> Materials for review in advance of the meeting will be posted on this page on 01/08/2025.
Additional Information About Town Meeting:
The “Have Your Say Day” model is taken directly from our neighbors in Duxbury, where the community has transitioned to hosting “Have Your Say Day”, and has transitioned their Town Meeting format to Australian ballot.
Waterbury’s Town Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 4. After much deliberation, the Selectboard has decided to place an item on the warning at the 2025 town meeting that, if approved by voters at the meeting, would eliminate future town meetings in favor of Australian ballot voting for all articles. Vermont law requires this vote to be held in person. In the event that voters choose to eliminate town meeting day in favor of Australian ballot voting, the selectboard would continue to host “Have Your Say Day” to ensure the board gives the community a chance to weigh in on important matters.
The Selectboard recognizes that town meeting is a great tradition, and has served us well over the years. At the 2022 and 2023 Town Meeting Days, there were informative discussions regarding the future of Town Meeting. Residents noted the desire to maintain the town meeting tradition, while others recognized that attending a mid-week, daytime meeting in person can be challenging, and that the overall amount of voters participating in Town Meeting increased during the COVID years when all voting on the Town Meeting was via Australian ballot. Residents wishing to weigh in on this issue can do so at Have Your Say Day, and in person at Town Meeting on March 4.
For more information about Town Meeting, click here: https://www.waterburyvt.com/departments/clerk/voting