Unlike last year, when the citizens of Chester, Deep River, and Essex did not vote on the fiscal year 2020–’21 (‘21) town budgets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the towns will inch closer to a return to the customary process. Municipal officials in each of the three towns are now planning to hold hybrid town meetings for citizens to vote on the town budgets for fiscal year 2021–’22 (‘22).

A hybrid town meeting is one in which members of the public can attend the meeting and place his or her vote either in person or online. Municipalities are required to follow state public health guidance that includes capacity limits for the in-person format.

Chester, Deep River, and Essex are empowered to hold hybrid meetings through an executive order of Governor Lamont (9H) that was extended to May 20, along with other orders, when the state legislature passed Special Act 21-2 in late March.

The governor’s most recent executive order (10E), issued on April 6, pertains to voting during a referendum, and expands eligibility for absentee voting until May 20. The executive order also allows for modifying the budget adoption timeline for either a municipal or regional board of education budget.

If a timeline were to be adjusted, the vote to approve the change would need to take place prior to May 20, with the first meeting or referendum for approval on the budget to take place before June 30.

Chester

The town meeting vote on the proposed ‘22 budget for Chester was discussed at the regular meeting of the Chester Board of Selectmen (BOS) on April 14.

“I would like to do as much of an in-person budget meeting as possible, but it will probably by necessity end up being a hybrid meeting,” Chester First Selectman Lauren Gister said at the meeting.

Discussions are underway regarding how registrars confirm eligibility for voting.

“I’ve been talking…to registrars about whether we allow people to pre-register, [or register] in the meeting, so that they are vetted by registrars and then they get a voting ticket number or what have you,” said Gister.

“I think many people will come in person, which means we’re not going to do it on the second floor of Town Hall,” she continued, adding later that other options include the Meeting House or elementary school gymnasium.

“Some people will want to…vote remotely and we need to allow for that,” said Gister.

The annual town meeting budget vote is planned for Wednesday, May 19, after the public hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 29 at 7 p.m. The public hearing on the draft budget will take place online by Zoom. A copy of the proposed ‘22 budget is available in the Board of Finance section of the town website at www.chesterct.org.

Deep River

An annual town meeting in Deep River, which is scheduled for Monday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m., will be held using a hybrid format, according to First Selectman Angus McDonald.

Details of the plan are currently being worked out, but McDonald said citizens will have the ability to participate virtually and in-person, with those attending in person having the option to arrive early to confidentially verify eligibility with registrars.

The in-person vote will take place by roll call, verbally, with options currently being explored by municipal officials for electronic voting to take place using the chat box on Zoom.

With the last budget workshop in Deep River scheduled for April 20, McDonald said the ‘22 budget is “a work in progress. We are not completed yet.”

Once finalized, a copy of the ‘22 budget proposal in Deep River will be posted to the town website at www.deepriverct.us. A public hearing on the budget, the date for which was not available as of press time, will also be held in a hybrid format.

Essex

The Town of Essex will model the annual ‘22 budget town meeting, which is currently scheduled for Monday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m., on the hybrid town meeting held last year to combine the Planning and Zoning commissions.

“What we did last year worked fine for the planning and zoning where we had in-person voting,” said Norman Needleman, Essex First Selectman, speaking at the April 7 BOS meeting in Essex.

“I suspect that by the time that [the annual town meeting] comes up, we’ll have a little more density [allowed by the state]. So, we’ll probably have a higher number of people that we can put in the auditorium, especially if they are vaccinated. And anybody who is uncomfortable coming could vote online,” he continued.

A public hearing on the ‘22 budget in Essex is set for Thursday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m., which will take place virtually by Zoom and in the auditorium at Essex Town Hall, 29 West Avenue. A copy of the proposed ‘22 budget is available on the town website at www.essexct.gov/board-of-finance.