We all know that February is a short month. This year the Town Meetings are slated for March 7th. While that sounds like a long way off, it is really just around the corner. Do you know who is running for office in your town? Are you registered to vote? Vermont’s Town Meetings are a unique opportunity for each and every voter to have a voice. This is especially important for Older Vermonters. We don’t have schoolteachers and administrators or parents to speak up for us. Additionally, some of us don’t feel comfortable reaching out to our state and federal legislators. The Town Meeting venue is a great place to raise issues that you feel are important to making Vermont a great place to grow older in.
While most of the Town Meeting discussions concern the budget articles for our towns, it is also a great time to speak up if you have a concern that may impact others in your community. If you are not comfortable speaking in public, then find out if you can talk with your town manager in his or her office. In addition, many of our local state representatives and senators attend these meetings and are always anxious to hear what their constituents have on their minds. You truly are not bothering them. They love to hear what our lives are like, so they know how to vote on certain bills. If we don’t share our experiences – how will they know how to shape our state budget and laws. So, let’s help them by communicating what we want and need as we age!
