News about the Town of Killington

News about the Town of Killington

Monday night Killington voters made history! A broad coalition of voters, for the second time in as many months, decided to change how future matters of town government will be decided.... by the ballot box.

Killington, like all towns in Vermont, is governed by a Town Meeting concept. Since being incorporated 250 years ago, Killington has held an annual town meeting where citizens get together and discuss/vote on town issues. Votes were taken "from the floor". A citizen needed to be in attendance, otherwise they could not vote. It did not matter if you were a fireman out saving someone's life, a member of the military defending people lives, or just some working adult trying to make a living. If you were not in attendance, you did not have the right to vote on any town issue.

And now that has all changed.

Over a series of 3 floor votes taken in the gymnasium of the Killington Elementary School, citizens of the town decided that future votes on the town budget, articles/initiatives up for consideration at town meeting, and elected officials will now all be done using an "Australian Ballot" , better know as "Secret Ballot", system.

At a special town meeting in May, Killington voters had initially approved using an Australian Ballot to decide future town issues. However, as allowed by Vermont Statutes, that vote was formally challenged by 48 voters, who petitioned Killington's Selectboard to bring the decision up for reconsideration. As the number of citizens requesting reconsideration was greater than 5% of the registered voters in town, and since the matter was one of town governance, the Selectboard was required to call a separate special town meeting to reconsider the matter.

Once again, the majority of town voters in attendance agreed that changing the way voting is conducted in Killington was the right and proper thing to do. By a vote of 164 to 79, voters agreed that town budgets should be approved based upon Australian Ballot. By a vote of 162 to 69, voters agreed that all public questions should be decided by Australian Ballot. By the time the 3rd vote took place, the moderator called for a voice vote which approved future elections of town officials to be conducted by Australian Ballot.

The vote was historic for a number of reasons. Clearly, changing how voting is conducted makes history. But also, the tenor of the town as exemplified by those who attended the meeting was one of moderation. A broad coalition of working people, business people, and retired people all came together to do the right thing and make sure that every citizen in Killington has the right to vote on town governance. How that right will be exercised in the next 250 years of Killington is anyones guess. But at least Killington residents are now truly free to participate as full town citizens, no matter where they may be on town meeting day.

Where ever you may be, keep it in the fairway, and don't forget your sun screen!