Barre City Council puts Vermont Granite Museum funding on ballot after museum asks for voter support

The Barre City Council voted to place a $15,000 funding request from the Vermont Granite Museum on the municipal ballot for voter approval.

Scott McLaughlin, executive director of the Vermont Granite Museum, gave an extended presentation describing the museum’s 30‑year history, recent growth in exhibits and programs and its role in local tourism following the closure of the Rock of Ages visitor center. McLaughlin said the museum has about 50 regular volunteers and has expanded programming to support school groups, nonprofits and visiting bus tours; he asked the council to include a $15,000 line item on the ballot to demonstrate community support and to improve prospects for outside fundraising and staffing.

Councilors discussed the request. Several said they supported placing the museum item on the ballot so voters could decide. One councilor asked whether the museum’s request would appear as a separate ballot line (it will). The council approved the motion to place the $15,000 item on the ballot; the motion carried after a voice vote of “Aye.”

What council approved: the decision places a single, voter‑approved appropriation of $15,000 for the museum on the city ballot for the next municipal election. Council and staff noted the museum seeks to use the local appropriation as a signal to potential funders and to help sustain operations as it manages increased tourism and program demand.

McLaughlin said the museum will pursue partnerships for merchandise and bus‑tour coordination and is exploring donations of visitor‑center inventory from other operators. Councilors and staff encouraged the museum to continue fundraising and community outreach, and confirmed that the ballot placement is the fastest route this year because the museum lacks time to gather petition signatures.