[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6187676,"mediaKeyId","5064854-294e6293dfa75412fd5a4aa33b18e2cf","parentId",5064854,"title","Small subgroup offers options for hybrid meeting equipment, training and state support","audioSeconds",1325,"startMs",3735000,"endMs",5060000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064854-294e6293dfa75412fd5a4aa33b18e2cf&start=3735&end=5060","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064854-294e6293dfa75412fd5a4aa33b18e2cf/thumbnail_3735000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6187676/Vermont/Small-subgroup-offers-options-for-hybrid-meeting-equipment-training-and-state-support","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187676-3b1f2cb20b666dd929ce32fed3fb4816/orig.mp4?Expires=1772845578&Signature=Nqh-11hzatxu70ui7Yol-wd4A5XMu3wtwUC6RaRXp~UT~cyugzchtd4ywh7NBFczp2WHH6waThwwv9lWQ6WH7dq2~8vGP-aEucvv1dby-e-~3jzPeX5OZcDVgSVaaTv6o4cAKXs9z6x~gCLsfWsyR6q0qCs6OT5SO8WOv6AEmON1Oa1xEcVXX~AYKzWyzAnlR89GPX8em6x8wEsRBr3DIpDxbR-HeabTPcFQXDKX1H88NNqOiBp1PTh8WgWrsMhKkIQIZE4ZE0a4qI1HssOiuDjADUS0IKSocsYYdGurZ2017HDC5Lxzi2E0CpX5NnchB34l9oIGl~YJbGaAnhkLWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Vermont Secretary of State","date","2025-06-19T18:20:44Z","article","A Secretary of State working-group subgroup described options for the technical assistance, equipment and training municipalities would need to run hybrid public meetings and proposed compiling price points to support grant requests.

The discussion matters because the panel is charged under Act 133 to recommend the technical support needed for municipalities to run effective, inclusive remote and hybrid public meetings; the subgroup proposed a staged menu of options and recommended a state-supported resource to lower local burdens.

Meghan O'Rourke, a producer with CCTV Town Meeting Television in Burlington, summarized the subgroup’s work. She said the team had outlined a range of hybrid setups, from the simplest phone-in option to more sophisticated built-in audio-video rigs, and the goal was to identify price points that could justify grant funding. \"Our goal is to come up with some price points so that if we are going to request or recommend as part of our working group, a grant that there is some... logical drive behind that grant recommendation,\" she said.

Panel participants stressed that hybrid must mean two-way participation: people joining remotely must be able to hear and be heard. The group noted existing statutory language requires interactive access for members participating electronically and that merely livestreaming a meeting without a way to participate does not meet the hybrid standard. Several participants recommended that telephone call-in access remain a supported option because some residents lack broadband or devices that handle video.

Accessibility and archival concerns were also raised. The federal GSA Section 508 resource and the Universal Design Project were cited as existing guidance; Frank (planning commission member and energy coordinator) pointed to GSA guidance on creating accessible meetings. Members discussed options to make interpreter and captioning services available via a centralized state resource or shared vendor pool to reduce turnaround time and cost for small towns.

Subgroup members also flagged human-capacity risks: hybrid meetings place new facilitation demands on clerks and volunteers and can require redundancy (trained backup operators) so a meeting does not depend on a single technical lead. The group discussed facilitation training and suggested standard scripts and rules of procedure to help reduce disruption and increase clarity for participants.

The subgroup agreed to post its draft spreadsheet and notes publicly and to share them with the working group. Members asked staff to include the subgroup’s hybrid-setup options in a draft report to the legislature, and to describe equipment, training needs and possible grant funding approaches. The working group will review the subgroup’s spreadsheet and pricing options at upcoming meetings and will continue developing best-practice guidance for hybrid meetings and polling-site accessibility.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","June 6 Accessibility of Municipal Public Meetings and Elections- 06/20/2025","oneSentenceSummary","A technical subgroup presented draft options for hybrid meeting setups, from phone-only access to in-room built-in systems, and proposed price points and grant targets to help municipalities implement interactive hybrid meetings that meet open-meeting requirements.","taxTitle","Secretary of State, Executive Offices, Executive , Vermont","taxId",80375,"location","Vermont","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6187681,"Vermont accessibility panel debates ‘universal design’ standard for public meetings",3374,326000,3700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064854-294e6293dfa75412fd5a4aa33b18e2cf&start=326&end=3700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064854-294e6293dfa75412fd5a4aa33b18e2cf/thumbnail_326000.jpg","/articles/6187681/Vermont/Vermont-accessibility-panel-debates-universal-design-standard-for-public-meetings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187681-2384a35cbf2695209b1954d39b2e8aa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1772845578&Signature=R0d5S3FnQn37SeCZPzCd9KBNsUJ5woqLfXbXVHlpI5ZqSBntk8ZAVPtUXq8lGv2D9YukvL3kEWkOsI6CbjA6FgdJNoUQp~YYV6mKLbkcM5NMEechCEUxcDcFJEbUhTqtGuaqTdFAyyBCN9A0PEqRL7VgQEuH~J0Z3qZlAlIznG0GalYVZq7lwLZsUXooIQVXIZ7wXrrFhTyf7od0tCqFEhwSnq0EKcstouaeA0D7lATEPfydpMBFXIDutqWy~tlPcixhKR-aYBCr-FsJQtOiyUMycs4TkM1R-vVc-qgDBT2cqanXpnC5qusjSn6pWvS0~mHYOh~k0FYycjIlVjp1fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of a Secretary of State working group spent the meeting examining how to apply universal-design principles to municipal public meetings and annual meetings, focusing on what towns can do proactively so people do not have to request accommodations.

The discussion matters because the panel was convened under Act 133 to recommend best practices for “running effective, inclusive meetings,” including use of universal design, training on open-meeting law and guidance on recording and posting meeting materials. The group agreed it will compile resources and draft language the legislature or towns could use.

Sean Sheehan, elections director at the Secretary of State’s office, opened the meeting and framed the group’s charge to recommend best practices for accessibility and inclusive public engagement. “We have the best practices guide that we're working on, which includes universal design,” he said, noting the group also must identify equipment and training municipalities need.

Advocates and disability-policy experts cautioned the panel that universal design is not a single solution for every person. Laura Cushman, an attorney at Disability Rights Vermont, warned that even an extensive list of universal-design methods will not reach every individual and said the guide should include a fallback process for private requests. \"There will still be people who are gonna fall through those cracks,\" Cushman said.

Kate LaRose of the Vermont Center for Independent Living emphasized the variety of needs and urged the group to treat universal design as an approach that benefits “everyone,” not only people with identified disabilities. \"One of the things... is that there's no one-size-fits-all approach,\" LaRose said, recommending that the panel incorporate both universal elements and procedures to handle individual accommodation requests.

Participants suggested concrete, low-barrier items to recommend immediately: routinely enabling live captioning for virtual meetings; providing meeting materials in advance in accessible formats; and maintaining a town website where agendas and minutes are posted. Several members said training for town clerks and select-board members on recognizing and implementing accommodation requests is critical.

Legal obligations and remedies came up repeatedly. Panel members noted that Vermont’s open-meeting law requires public bodies to allow public participation in certain circumstances and that federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and public-accommodations rules apply. The group also discussed recent federal guidance on accessible meetings (GSA Section 508) and existing universal-design resources such as universaldesign.org and materials from the University of Washington.

Members acknowledged trade-offs between an inclusive ideal and municipal capacity. Some participants urged the panel to recommend state-level technical and financial supports — including a centralized list of interpreters, captioning services and shared equipment — to lower the burden on volunteer municipal officials. Others stressed that framing guidance as optional “best practices” could be read as permissive; they urged clarity about what is legally required versus recommended.

The panel agreed to compile existing resources, draft a framework for a best-practices guide and return to the universal-design topic at a future meeting. Jenny (last name not specified), the group convenor from the Secretary of State’s office, said staff will gather materials and propose a structure for the guide before the next meeting.

The group set a follow-up discussion on universal design for its next scheduled meeting and asked participants to send resources and examples to staff so the working draft can reflect both legal minimums and practical guidance for towns.","A Secretary of State working group discussed applying universal-design principles to make town and municipal meetings more accessible, weighing practical limits, legal obligations and training needs and agreeing to compile resources and language for a best-practices guide.","actionData","errors"]

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Small subgroup offers options for hybrid meeting equipment, training and state support

Vermont accessibility panel debates ‘universal design’ standard for public meetings