Town Meeting

Photo by Ed Keagle

History of the Town Meeting

Vermont town meeting is a tradition dating back to before there was a Vermont. The first town meeting was held in Bennington in 1762, 15 years before Vermont was created. In the late 1700s, as today, town citizens in Vermont held meetings so that they could address the problems and issues they faced collectively. Popular matters of legislation in earlier town meetings included whether or not to let pigs run free or whether smallpox vaccinations should be allowed in the town (some thought vaccinations were dangerous). Voters also decided what goods or labor could be used as payment for taxes. Town Meeting also served a social function (as it does today), bringing people together who might not otherwise know each other. This can strengthen social ties within a town and help people work together to tackle community problems. (Source: VT Secretary of State’s A Citizen’s Guide to Vermont Town Meeting).

What is Town Meeting Day?

On the first Tuesday of March most Vermont towns hold a meeting to elect local officials, approve a budget for the following year and conduct other local business. Vermont town meetings (except for Brattleboro where a system of representative democracy is used) are the practice of direct democracy. That is, eligible citizens of the town may vote on specific issues that are announced through a warning. The Town Meeting warning tells us when and where Town Meeting will be held, and it lists all of the articles(topics) that are going to be discussed and voted on at the meeting. The warning must be publicized at least 30 days before the meeting. (Source: VT Secretary of State’s A Citizen’s Guide to Vermont Town Meeting).

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Town Meeting Information

Warning for Annual Meeting

The legal voters of the town of Addison are hereby notified and warned to meet at 7:00 pm on Monday, March 3, 2025, at the Addison Community Center gymnasium to transact the following business:

To accept the reports of the town officers
Shall the list of delinquent taxes be published in the town report
To transact any other business proper to be brought before the meeting

Warnings & Articles

Warning

The legal voters of the Town of Addison are hereby warned and notified to meet in the Addison Community Center gymnasium at 7:00 am on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, to vote by Australian ballot (between 7:00 am & 7:00 pm) on the following articles:

To elect all necessary town officers:
- Moderator (1 year)
- Town Clerk (3 year)
- Treasurer (3 year)
- Selectboard (2 year)
- Selectboard (3 year)
- Lister (3 year)
- Auditor (1 year)
- Auditor (2 year)
- Auditor (3 year)
- Water Commissioner (3 year)
- Cemetery Commissioner (2 year)
- Cemetery Commissioner (3 year)
- First Constable (1 year)
- Second Constable (1 year)
- Collector of Delinquent Taxes (1 year)
Shall the voters of the Town of Addison approve the sum of $788,653.50 for the Selectboard 2025 Proposed Budget ($248,451.33 the proposed amount to be raised in taxes).
Shall the voters in the Town of Addison approve the sum of $1,024,005.00 for the highway 2025 Proposed Budget ($868,804.00 the proposed amount to be raised in taxes).
Shall the voters of the Town of Addison approve the Selectboard or its agents to enter into leases of portions of the Addison Community Building for a maximum term of five (5) years with a right to renew for an additional five (5) years.
Shall the Town of Addison establish a reserve fund to be called the Addison Community Center Reserve Fund in accordance with 24 V.S.A. 2804 to be funded by the former Addison Central School Fund in the amount of $23,143.65 commencing March 4, 2025 with the future funding to be voter approved budget appropriations for the purposes of covering expenditures that cannot be supported by a regular budget.
Shall the voters of the Town of Addison approve or disapprove a sum requested from the following:

A. ADD CTY REST JUSTICE SVCS – $1,500.00
B. ADD CTY HOME HEALTH & HOSPICE – $1,500.00
C. ADD CTY HUMANE SOCIETY dba HOMEWARD BOUND – $1,000.00
D. ADD CTY PARENT CHILD CENTER – $1,300.00
E. ADD CTY READERS – $350.00
F. AGEWELL – $900.00
G. ATRIA COLLECTIVE INC formerly WOMENSAFE INC – $1,250.00
H. BIXBY MEMORIAL FREE LIBRARY – $30,162.00
I. BRIDPORT SENIORS – $700.00
J. CHARTER HOUSE COALITION – $1,275.00
K. COUNSELING SERVICE OF ADD CTY – $1,500.00
L. ELDERLY SERVICES/PROJECT INDEPENDENCE – $850.00
M. JOHN W GRAHAM EMERGENCY SHELTER – $1,250.00
N. GRANDVIEW CEMETERY ASSOCIATION – $1,500.00
O. HOPE – $1,500.00
P. LAKE VIEW CEMETERY ASSOCIATION – $1,500.00
Q. OPEN DOOR CLINIC – $2,500.00
R. RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (RSVP) – $250.00
S. TOWN LINE FIRST RESPONSE SQUAD – $10,000.00
T. TRI-VALLEY TRANSIT (ACTR) – $1,644.00
U. TURNING POINT CENTER OF ADD CTY – $1,000.00
V. VT ADULT LEARNING – $500.00

Elected Local Offices on the Ballot

The town of Addison votes by Australian ballot. Towns that elect officers by Australian ballot require candidates to submit a nominating petition signed by 30 voters or one percent of the checklist – whichever is less. The petition must clearly indicate the office and term length on the petition prior to circulating it for signatures. 17 V.S.A. §2681(b). The nominating petition must be filed with the municipal clerk by 5:00 p.m. on the sixth Monday preceding the day of the election.

Voter Information

Please refer to our Election and Voter Information page for information on registering to vote, early and absentee ballots, and a list of all Elected and Appointed Offices in the town of Addison.

Visit Election & Voter Info Page

Town Meeting Procedures

The Secretary of State’s Office has produced a great guide to Town Meeting Day, which describes the Town Meeting history, rules of procedure, who is allowed to participate, and information on what local matters are included on theTown Meeting ballot. We highly recommend downloading a PDF copy, which you can find here: VT Secretary of State’s A Citizen’s Guide to Vermont Town Meeting.