MONTAGUE — Plans to hold Annual Town Meeting safely during the coronavirus crisis are being ironed out, with an option for a remote virtual meeting being weighed against holding the meeting in a location more spacious than the usual Turners Falls High School auditorium.
Already, Annual Town Meeting has been delayed to June 13 from its usual time in early May, as an accommodation to the coronavirus crisis. The June date will allow the town to establish an operating budget in time for the July start of the next fiscal year.
The Selectboard’s reasoning for potentially relocating the meeting is that seats in the auditorium are close together, and it would be difficult to gather all Town Meeting members while still practicing social distancing. Selectboard members also noted that fear over meeting in a relatively confined space would likely discourage attendance.
The alternatives being considered are to either hold the meeting in a more open space, possibly a large tent or the school gymnasium, or to hold it remotely, via a video conference program designed for large meetings.
“I would prefer to do an in-person meeting,” said Selectboard Chair Rich Kuklewicz. “One of the good things about Town Meeting is you interact with people in a very personal way. … But these are different times and we need to think differently.”
A bill that would allow remote Annual Town Meetings is being discussed in the state House of Representatives, in response to the coronavirus crisis. The Montague Selectboard has communicated its support for the idea to Montague’s representative, Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Sunderland.
Based on a survey recently sent to Town Meeting members and town officials, the option of holding the meeting remotely was viewed positively by 60 percent of respondents; the option of a large tent was viewed positively by 46 percent; and the option of using the auditorium was viewed positively by 39 percent, according to Town Administrator Steve Ellis.
However, Ellis noted the results so far may not be totally representative of the surveyed population. The survey was sent only recently, and of the 94 people surveyed, only 28 have responded so far.
Kuklewicz said he knows a company that facilitates large remote meetings in which participants can make statements and ask questions, but he added that a remote meeting is probably inherently less interactive than a meeting in a real place.
A remote meeting would also require voters to have access to a computer or other device with video and audio conference capability, the board noted.
On the other hand, meeting in a physical location would mean attendees would have to stay at least 6 feet apart, said Montague Public Health Director Daniel Wasiuk.
“It’s totally feasible,” he commented.
In that case, the option of holding the meeting in the school gym — which has air conditioning — was favored by the Selectboard, rather than renting a tent and holding the meeting at Unity Park. Town Accountant Carolyn Olsen noted if the town is going to rent a tent, she needs to know definitively by next week.
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.