MONTAGUE — Annual Town Meeting has already been postponed past its normal date of the first Saturday in May. But a new date for the meeting has not been set, and neither have many other aspects of the meeting, including whether it will be held in person or virtually.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Montague has had three Town Meetings, and three different types of Town Meetings, reflecting the changing situation of the pandemic. Most recently, in February, Montague held a Town Meeting online, the first in Franklin County and the third in Massachusetts. (This was possible because special state laws created amid the pandemic allow representative Town Meetings to be held remotely, but not the open Town Meetings that are more common in Franklin County.)
Looking ahead to Annual Town Meeting, the Selectboard is uncertain how to hold it, considering the public health situation is unpredictable.
“We have an evolving situation that has been, to our relief, evolving in a positive direction,” said Town Administrator Steve Ellis. “But we don’t know how we’ll feel in four weeks or eight weeks.”
The Selectboard on Monday decided to at least postpone the meeting past its normal date, which would have been the first Saturday of May.
At the earliest, the meeting might be June 5, board members said. But unlike last year, when many towns delayed their Town Meetings into the summer or even fall, Montague will aim to have its Town Meeting before the next fiscal year starts on July 1.
Beyond a loose timeframe, details of how the meeting will be held are undecided.
“We still don’t really know what exactly we should do,” said Selectboard Chair Rich Kuklewicz.
There are basically five options, Ellis said.
Holding the meeting at the normal location of the Turners Falls High School auditorium might be possible, depending on the status of the pandemic and whether there is enough space to distance people.
The meeting might also be held in a larger indoor space, such as the school gymnasium. The drawback of using a different location is that it may present unforeseen issues — like in the fall, when a Town Meeting in the Public Works building was more difficult than expected due to poor acoustic qualities.
An outdoor meeting, like last year’s Annual Town Meeting, is also an option, but would be weather dependent.
Renting a large tent for the meeting is possible, and would likely be reimbursable through the federal government’s pandemic support programs, Ellis said.
Lastly, the fifth option is to hold another virtual Town Meeting, like the one held in February.
“I have no problem doing it remotely,” said Town Moderator Chris Collins. “Even though things seem to be turning a corner, I don’t know how comfortable Town Meeting members are going to be meeting in person.”
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.