Local Government

Weekly Buzz | Now is Your Chance to Join Town Meeting

Filling a vacant seat will give you a feel for our town's legislative body

Nicci Kadilak

— 4 min read
Weekly Buzz | Now is Your Chance to Join Town Meeting

Hello, Neighbors,

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend, despite the weather—or maybe because of it!

I mentioned earlier this week that September is Town Meeting season, and today I bring you both an explanation of Town Meeting and an opportunity to test the waters.

There are three Town Meeting vacancies that need to be filled before the next meeting, scheduled to begin (and maybe end!) September 27. If you live in Precinct 2 or Precinct 7 (check here to see), you can join the 123 current Town Meeting members to fill out the body. We only have two meetings (September and January) before the April election, and this will be a wonderful opportunity for a new Burlington citizen to get a feel for how the town’s legislative body works.

There are two forms of Town Meeting: Open and Representative. In an Open Town Meeting, any registered of the town can show up, participate in the conversation, and vote. In a Representative Town Meeting, which is what Burlington has, the town is divided into precincts, each of which is represented by an equal number of Town Meeting Members (TMMs). These Members are elected by voters in their precinct. Here in Burlington, we have 7 precincts, each represented by 18 Town Meeting Members serving three-year terms*. That makes for 126 Town Meeting Members, one-third of which are elected each April by their neighbors.

Once elected, TMMs attend three meetings each year: the May meeting, where the town’s budget is reviewed and approved; the September meeting, and the January meeting. Town Meeting typically begins on a Monday and, if more than one night is needed (as is the case with May meetings and sometimes others), will spill over into Wednesday of the same week and Mondays and Wednesdays until complete.

During this meeting, articles are presented to the body for discussion and a vote. These articles are compiled in a Warrant, which has two parts: the Warrant, which contains the text of the proposal, and the Warrant Backup, which has background information designed to help explain the proponent’s reasoning for the request. Most articles are either financial or bylaw (general or zoning) in nature. The September Town Meeting Warrant and Backup are posted in draft form on the town website. Take a look and see what we will be voting on this time around. (I’ll summarize the articles and backup in a later issue.)

Read more about Town Meeting.

*When a member does not complete their term, the seat opens and the Town Meeting Members in that precinct appoint a TMM to serve until the next local election, which happens each April. The remaining term for that seat must be voted on at that time, which is why you sometimes see 1- or 2-year terms on the ballot.

Currently, Precinct 2 has one vacancy and Precinct 7 has two vacancies. If you live in either of these precincts and wish to seek appointment to the vacant seats until the next local election, read more here and contact the current precinct representatives (list linked in the article) to introduce yourself and state your interest.

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This Week in Burlington

Municipal Meetings and Community Events

Monday, September 11

Tuesday, September 12

Wednesday, September 13

Thursday, September 14

Friday, September 15

Saturday, September 16

  • Rahanis Park Open Tennis Tournament
  • 9:15 AM - Free Saturday morning yoga on the Green at 3rd Ave.
  • 10:30 AM - ABC Spanish in Motion (Library event; Register)
  • 5:00 PM - Live music on the Green at 3rd Ave. - Moose Juice
  • 8:00 PM - Burlington Players: Ripcord at The Park Playhouse, 1 Edgemere Ave. Tickets here.

Sunday, September 17

Sports and Activities

There is a full complement of fall sports this week, as our combined Woburn/Burlington swim team and cross country are both on the calendar. Check in with your Daily Buzz for more detailed information.

Thanks for reading today. I’ll see you tomorrow!

Nicci

Share this Buzz with a friend in Precinct 2 or 7 who would like to become more involved in town!

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