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Otis Selectboard responds to failed Town Meeting articles, urges better outreach
Summary
Selectboard members said voters showed little appetite to spend after the highway garage addition and poultry farm purchase failed at Town Meeting; members discussed improving information and turnout and suggested social media outreach.
Members of the Town of Otis Selectboard expressed disappointment on May 28 after two significant items failed at the recent Town Meeting: a proposed addition to the Highway garage and the purchase of a local Poultry Farm.
Selectboard member Brandi Page said the results indicate voters have little appetite for increased spending and that residents may not understand the value of town services. Terry Gould and other members agreed. Resident concerns included the lack of a Highway Department representative speaking in favor of the garage addition and insufficient time or information for voters to understand the Poultry Farm purchase.
The board discussed outreach options to improve voter understanding and turnout; Stacey Schultze suggested using social media to distribute information. No formal motion to revisit the proposals or to put a new funding question on a future warrant was recorded. Board members said they will consider next steps for the Highway garage project.
The minutes show board members want more public attendance at informational meetings and encouraged staff to explore additional outreach tactics before any new vote.
