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Resident raises diversity concerns; board discusses candidate recruitment and remote access
Summary
A community member, Heather Stephenson, read a statement criticizing the Selectboard’s lack of diversity and asked for proactive recruitment and guidelines. The board discussed candidate nights, hybrid meeting capability if funded, and the process to move to Australian Ballot voting.
Heather Stephenson read a statement to the Selectboard saying the board lacks diversity and that board culture and meeting access discourage candidates—particularly women—from stepping forward. She asked the board to adopt recruitment guidelines and proactively recruit more diverse candidates.
Selectboard Chair Tom Cavanagh responded that “anyone can step up and be elected,” stressing the board cannot directly control who runs. Town Administrator Aileen Tulloch said hybrid meetings increase access but add complexity; she said she has experience as a Selectboard chair with hybrid meetings and expects hybrid options to become more common if budgeted equipment is approved at Town Meeting. Melissa Brown and other residents raised reinstating candidate nights and using social media and the town website to publicize open positions. Tulloch offered to create a checklist of Selectboard responsibilities and to speak with prospective candidates.
Board members and residents also discussed that moving voting to Australian Ballot would require a Town Meeting article and could not take effect this year.
