BRATTLEBORO-I am writing to clarify some misconceptions regarding the Australian ballot system.
Contrary to recent claims, this system does not limit or disallow discussion or amendments. In fact, while neither the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) nor the open Town Meeting (OTM) have statutory requirements for informational deliberations prior to voting, Australian ballot voting specifically requires the representative body to hold a public informational hearing, as per 17 V.S.A. section 2680(h).
If the Selectboard prepares the budget in a timely manner, an informational meeting can be held prior to the 30-day warning. This provides interested parties the opportunity to discuss the proposal and suggest amendments.
The budget can then be modified to accommodate those amendments before it is finalized and balloted after the 30-day warning.
The Australian ballot ensures everyone can participate in the process: discuss, amend, and vote.
Regarding the upcoming articles, my positions are as follows: Article 2, yes; Article 3, yes; Article 4, no.
Neil Manders
Brattleboro
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