Benton officials have devised a creative way to conduct the annual Town Meeting during the coronavirus pandemic by holding virtual discussions for residents on warrant articles this week and having them vote on those articles by secret ballot March 27 at the town office or by absentee ballot.

Doug Dixon, chairman of the town’s Select Board, said Tuesday that town officials considered holding an in-person meeting at the Benton Elementary School or grange hall, but decided too many people may turn up to be able to safely social distance. Last year, the town went ahead with its annual meeting outside in a parking lot, as the scope of the pandemic came into focus and lockdowns began.

So, they decided to host conference calls and virtual forums at 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday this week on the warrant articles so voters can ask questions and give input. Residents then may go to the town office March 27 to vote on all the articles by secret ballot or ask for absentee ballots and submit their completed ballots to the town office. Voting will be 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 27.

“We wanted to make sure everyone got the same, exact information,” Dixon said.

Information for residents who want to tune into the virtual forum should go to the town of Benton website for login details.

Dixon said officials worked hard to avoid increasing the current tax rate of $15.70 per $1,000 worth of valuation this year and if all articles on the warrant are approved, there will be no increase.

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“We did a lot of cuts in our budget,” Dixon said. “We cut our paving way back this year.”

Warrant articles 3-41 include requests for $336,028 for general government; $300,754 for public safety; $205,234 for winter roads; $91,996 for the transfer station; $61,704 for public sewer; and $76,273 for highway maintenance.

Articles 42-45 include requests for approving a general government ordinance adoption and language to be included in that ordinance. The proposed language deals with political activity, board membership and conflict of interest issues. For instance, proposed language says town employees may seek or accept nomination or election to any office in town government provided they not hold elective office while employed by the town. So, an employee elected to a position must resign prior to taking office.

Also being proposed is language that says a person serving on a town board may not hold another office that is incompatible with the position. Two offices are considered incompatible if “the duties of each are so inconsistent or conflicting that one person holding both would not be able to perform the duties of each with undivided loyalty,” according to the proposed language.

Also, town boards may not have members who are immediate family, or individuals living in a member’s household. No selectperson may simultaneously be an employee of the town or hold any other position for which the town pays compensation.

Residents last year postponed voting on the ordinance issues.

Meanwhile, elections on March 27 will be wrapped into the four-page ballot that includes warrant articles, according to Town Clerk Melanie Alexander.

Dixon is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Select Board, she said. No one is running for a one-year term as road commissioner, but write-ins for that office will be accepted. Former Road Commissioner Todd Littlefield resigned from the seat, according to Alexander.

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