Mayoral Proposal vs Selectboard Governance 3/1/20

On March 3, voters will be asked to vote Yes or No to this proposal: "Shall the voters of the Town of Brattleboro advise the Select Board to amend the Brattleboro Town Charter to replace the Select Board form of governance with that of a mayoral form of governance?" A yes vs no answer to this proposal wording may seem like a simple question to vote on, but understanding the future impact, is not simple. If Brattleboro changes to a mayoral system, the effect on the people of Brattleboro will be major and long-lasting, so it is important to understand. This public forum will seek to shed some light on what this proposal means, in advance of the March 3rd ballot vote. The event will consist of a facilitated panel of speakers, who have a variety of perspectives and knowledge on the topic. There will be chances for people to ask questions of the panel, and time for people to mingle and talk after. Panelists include David Gartenstein, former Select Board Chairman for Brattleboro; Spoon Agave, expert on Brattleboro democratic functions including service on Select and other Boards, and Chair of the last Town Charter Review Commission; Marshall Wheelock, native Brattleboroian and long time Town Meeting member.