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TMRi Taskforce to report survey findings to Selectboard after mixed feedback on reimagined Town Meeting
Summary
A 57-response survey found broad confidence in voting integrity and higher turnout but persistent concerns about publicity, clarity on what can be discussed, and the moderator’s role; co-chair Dave Barrington will draft a report for the Selectboard.
Co-chair Dave Barrington said the TMRi (Town Meeting Reimagined) Taskforce will prepare a comprehensive report to the Selectboard after reviewing a community survey that both praised recent voting improvements and flagged several procedural concerns.
The Taskforce reviewed results from 57 returned surveys. SJ summarized that about one-third of respondents had attended or watched the Kickoff meeting and 75% had attended the Budget Review meeting. The group noted a sharp increase in participation on March 3: “more than 1,200 ballots were cast,” compared with several hundred in prior years, a change respondents credited to clearer voting logistics and improved streaming.
But respondents also reported confusion about which items were open for discussion under the reimagined process and said materials were not provided early enough. “The $36,000 limit on what could be discussed at the meeting was a surprise and confusing,” said a survey respondent in a written comment; the dollar figure appeared variably in responses and meeting notes. Several respondents urged that any such parameters be spelled out in advance.
Survey comments emphasized three recurring problems: publicity, materials and process clarity. Many respondents said outreach relied too heavily on Front Porch Forum and recommended broader notice; others asked that draft budgets and handouts explaining major budget line items (for example, library and village wastewater) be distributed in advance. Multiple respondents said the moderator’s role and the parliamentary rules used to manage in-person and online participation should be clarified and simplified.
The Taskforce also recorded positive feedback. Respondents praised the ballot process’s transparency and the real-time visual display of amendments, writing that on-screen amendments and streamlined counting improved confidence in outcomes. One respondent called out online facilitation by a Taskforce member: “Sam was a great online leader.”
The meeting produced a clear next step: Dave Barrington agreed to draft a report to the Selectboard that will summarize the survey findings, the Taskforce’s debrief, and recommended operational changes — including clearer advance materials, improved publicity beyond Front Porch Forum, and a clarified moderator role. The Taskforce scheduled follow-up meetings for May 18 and June 8.
The report to the Selectboard will be the next formal opportunity for the Taskforce’s findings to inform whether and how the reimagined Town Meeting process is adjusted before future votes.
