Voters to reconsider Article 8. Date of the election remains uncertain due to coronavirus.

Norwich voters will have the opportunity to reconsider their decision in favor of Article 8 at a special election. Coronavirus concerns may push the date for that election out by several months.

Concerned Citizens of Norwich recently announced the completion of its successful petition drive to hold a special town meeting to reconsider Article 8. “We’re excited to share the good news that the petition—OUR PETITION—had the sufficient number of signatures (224 submitted on March 25^th and dozens more after that. Well exceeding the 162 minimum which is 5% of the voter roll),” said Doug Wilberding in an email to supporters of reconsideration. [Disclosure: I signed the petition and voted against the Article at Town Meeting.]

Article 8 authorized the issuance of a $2 million bond to finance energy efficiency upgrades to three buildings. However, the geothermal project at Tracy Hall comprises more than 90% of the cost. Article 8 passed by a mere 48 votes out of 1650 cast.

To overturn the Town Meeting vote “will require a total of 2/3 (two-thirds) of the previous “yes” votes which equals 561 NO votes on the new election day,” said the Wilberding email. “A majority of the votes, e.g., 561 vs. 560, will successfully overturn the March 3^rd results.”

Concerned Citizens of Norwich is a “group of concerned Norwich, Vermont citizens and registered voters who believe that fighting the climate crisis doesn’t have to cause a financial crisis.” The website is: https://www.norwich-energy.com/.

Election Date Uncertain

How and when the election will be conducted is not clear.

May 12 is the current date of the special election. However, Town Clerk Bonnie Munday recommendation is to move the election to August 11, 2020. That is the date of the State primary. “I am hoping at this time (August) things will be moving back to a slightly normal way of life,” she wrote in an email, included at page 25 of the Selectboard packet for April 8. “Even if it is not, this will give the Secretary of State’s Office and Governor time to work out the details to make our Elections safe [for] the public and prescribe ways to handle accountability,”

Legislation passed in response to coronavirus gives the Vermont Secretary of State broad discretion on election matters. Normally, an election on a petition for reconsideration must occur within 60 days of the petition. The Secretary of State extended the period to anytime in 2020.

The Selectboard will take the matter up at its April 8 regular meeting. Last week, the Selectboard sided with proponents of the project that are pushing to keep the project on schedule. At that meeting, the Board approved spending of $15,000, notwithstanding the pendency of the reconsideration vote. My post said the Selectboard “is gambling $15,000 on the outcome of the election.”

To keep to the construction schedule, the special election needs to happen in May. But, if the election happens in August, there is no reason to spend money now.

Help me feel important. Subscribe to my blog by entering your email in the box in the right hand column above. Then, click the subscribe button.