MONTAGUE — Remote Town Meetings may be a new option for towns whose normal Annual Town Meetings are disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A bill allowing Town Meetings to happen by video conference is being discussed in the state House of Representatives as an emergency measure to allow town governments’ business to continue in case the health crisis lasts longer than anticipated. The bill, which was filed on April 10, is in its earliest phase.
The Montague Selectboard agreed to endorse the basic idea of allowing remote Town Meetings, but also agreed that holding Town Meeting by video conference would entail logistical difficulties, and would likely be a last resort.
“I foresee massive issues having 82 people, or whatever our number is, trying to ‘Zoom in,’” said Selectboard member Mike Nelson, referring to Zoom, a video conference system used by businesses and, more recently, governments.
The bill in its current form requires the town moderator to ensure that all essential functions of the Town Meeting would still be possible through whatever video conference software the town would use. The major points include determining whether a quorum is present, recognizing and allowing members to speak, making the meeting accessible for non-voting observers and recording the meeting.
Montague has not considered specific options for holding its Annual Town Meeting remotely, but Selectboard members and Town Administrator Steve Ellis noted that, before committing to anything, they would probably poll voting members to see what they are comfortable with.
Ellis said the town basically has three options, of which a remote meeting would probably be the third. First would be holding Town Meeting as usual. Second would be holding it in a modified setting to allow for greater distance between voters, such as in a large tent outdoors.
“It’s a little too soon because we don’t know what all our options are,” Ellis said, “and we don’t know what necessity is going to require of us.”
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.