BRATTLEBORO-As an elected member of Brattleboro's Representative Town Meeting (RTM), I consider it my responsibility to listen closely to the residents of my district and to represent their views with integrity. I am honored that my District 7 neighbors have entrusted me to vote on their behalf.
The responsibility and integrity of RTM members was put to the test during the 2025 vote on human services funding. In a general vote, the residents of Brattleboro were clear: 58% of voters advised that funding should be set at less than 2% of the budget. Yet when the matter came before RTM, the final vote approved a 2% allocation, with some members advocating for increases as high as 4%.
The clearly communicated preference of the voters of less than 2% was not just adjusted, it was ignored.
This unfortunate but expected outcome highlights a deeper and more troubling issue.
The RTM was designed to be a representative body, one that reflects the priorities and values of the community in which we all live. It has become increasingly disconnected from the very people it is meant to serve. Meetings that stretch beyond 10 hours without producing better representation is simply not the answer. These meetings aren't representative, as the name implies, but are forums for individual agendas and platforms.
Democracy depends not only on participation but on accountability. When the town votes to advise one course of action and the RTM proceeds in the opposite direction, the legitimacy and viability of the system needs to be questioned.
Brattleboro deserves and needs a system that values the voice of its voters directly and transparently. Adopting an Australian (secret) ballot system would give every voter a voice, strengthen participation, improve accountability, and restore confidence in our local governance.
I will vote to eliminate the "Representative" Town Meeting in Brattleboro on Tuesday, March 3 and to adopt the Australian ballot system. And I strongly urge you to do the same.
This is about more than meetings - this is about trust. And trust begins by listening to the voters.
Jessica Doleszny
Brattleboro
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