NOTICE AND AGENDA
Town of Worcester Annual Meeting
Public Informational Hearing
Monday, February 22, 2021
The legal voters of the Town of Worcester are hereby notified and warned that the Selectboard for the Town of Worcester will hold a public informational hearing on Monday, February 22th at 6:30 pm.
The purpose of this public informational hearing is to review and discuss Articles 2 -8 as presented on the 2021 Town of Worcester Annual Meeting Warning. Voting on all Articles presented on the Warning, including the election of officers, will take place by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. For information on the Annual Meeting and Australian ballot voting, please see the Warning and Notice to Voters posted herewith.
This public informational hearing will be conducted remotely via electronic means. Instructions for online connection are below the Agenda.
Click on the link below to access the Town Report.
–AGENDA–
Call to order.
ARTICLE 2.
Shall the voters of the town of Worcester have all property taxes paid to the Treasurer a the Town Clerk’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on or before Wednesday, September 15, 2021 (Town Tax) and on or before Monday, November 15, 2021 (School Tax) regardless of postmark and, to charge a one-time penalty of 8% and interest at 1% per month or any part of a month on overdue taxes from the due date of the tax, as provided by law?
ARTICLE 3.
Shall the voters of the town of Worcester approve a town budget of $ $737,396.75
ARTICLE 4.
Shall the voters of the town of Worcester approve an appropriation in the total amount of $9,898.00, as follows:
American Legion: $150
Central Vermont Adult Basic Education: $575
Central Vermont Council on Aging: $600
Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice: $2,000
Circle: $375
Family Center of Washington County: $400
Good Beginnings of Central Vermont: $300
Meals on Wheels of Lamoille County: $800
Montpelier Senior Activity Center: $2,500
Mosaic: $300
Our House: $250
People’s Health & Wellness Clinic: $700
Vermont Center for Independent Living: $200
Washington County Youth Service Bureau: $200
Green Mountain Transit: $548
ARTICLE 5.
Shall the voters of the town of Worcester approve an appropriation for the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in the amount of $16,677.00 for the calendar year of 2021?
ARTICLE 6.
Shall the voters of the town of Worcester authorize that the sum total of Articles 3 through 5 receiving positive votes, be raised on the Grand List of 2021 to pay the expenses and indebtedness of the Town?
ARTICLE 7.
Shall the voters of the town of Worcester increase the Veterans’ Exemption (for disabled veterans per the Veterans Administration) in the amount of $10,000 to the amount of $20,000, said exemption amount to be voted on every year?
ARTICLE 8.
Shall the voters of the town of Worcester authorize to hold any audited fund balance as of December 31, 2020 in capital reserve funds to be expended under the control and direction of the Selectboard for the purpose of operating the town?
HOW TO CONNECT:
Topic: Worcester Town Meeting – Public Informational Hearing
Time: Feb 22, 2021 6:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please test your software in advance of the meeting to ensure a proper connection.
Join Zoom Meeting Connecting by Computer:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7722544134?pwd=aTd0Y2x2KzlUUVZObVVCRkZQQ0ZFQT09
Meeting ID: 772 254 4134 By Phone:+1 (646) 558-8656
NOTICE TO VOTERS FOR TOWN MEETING MARCH 2, 2021
BEFORE TOWN MEETING DAY:
VOTER CHECKLIST POSTED HERE Entrance Checklist and at Worcester Town Office by January 31, 2021. If your name is not on the checklist, then you must register to vote. SAMPLE BALLOTS will be posted by February 10, 2021.
HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE:
There is no deadline to register to vote. You will be able to register to vote on the day of the election. You can register prior by contacting the Worcester Town Office 223-6942 or going online to olvr.sec.state.vt.us.
REQUEST EARLY or ABSENTEE BALLOTS:
All voters on the Worcester checklist as of January 31, 2021 who are not challenged, will be mailed an absentee ballot to the address listed on the checklist. You or a family member can request early or absentee ballots at any time during the year of the election in person, in writing, by telephone, email, or online at mvp.sec.state.vt.us. The latest you can request ballots for the Town Meeting Election is the close of the Worcester Town Office on Monday. March 1, 2021 by 4 pm. (Any other person authorized by you who is not a family member must apply in writing or in person for a ballot for you.)
WAYS TO VOTE YOUR EARLY BALLOT:
- Due to COVID, you may NOT vote in the Worcester Town Office before the deadline.
- Voter may have ballots mailed, and mail or deliver it back to the Worcester Town Office before Town Meeting Day or to the polling place (Town Office) before 7:00 p.m. on Town Meeting Day.
- If you are sick or disabled, you may request an electronically delivered ballot before Town Meeting Day or ask the town clerk to have two justices of the peace bring a ballot to you at your home only if it is possible to comply with COVID protocol. (Ballots can be delivered on any of the eight days preceding the day of the election or on the day of election.)
ON ELECTION DAY:
If your name was dropped from the checklist in error, or has not been added even though you submitted a timely application for addition to the checklist, you can fill out a new registration form.
- If the clerk or Board of Civil Authority does not add your name, you can appeal the decision to a superior court judge, who will settle the matter on Election Day. Call the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-439-VOTE (439-8683) for more information.
If you are a first-time voter who submitted your application to the checklist individually by mail and did not submit the required document, you must provide a current and valid photo identification, or a bank statement, utility bill, or government document that contains your name/current address.
If you have physical disabilities, are visually impaired or can’t read, you may have assistance from any person of your choice. If any voters you know have disabilities let them know they can have assistance from any person of their choice
If you know voters who cannot get from the car into the polling place let them know that ballot(s) may be brought to their car by two election officials
If you have any questions or need assistance while voting, ask your town clerk or any election official for help.
NO PERSON SHALL:
- Vote more than once per election, either in the same town or in different towns.
- Mislead the board of civil authority about your own or another person’s true residency or other eligibility to vote.
- Hinder or impede a voter going into or from the polling place.
- Socialize in a manner that could disturb other voters in the polling place.
- Offer bribe, threaten or exercise undue influence to dictate or control the vote of another person.
FOR HELP OR INFORMATION: Call the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-439-VOTE (439-8683). (Accessible by TDD)
If you believe that any of your voting rights have been violated, you may file an Administrative Complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office, 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633.
If you believe you have witnessed efforts to commit any kind of fraud or corruption in the voting process, you may report this to your local United States Attorney’s Office.
If you have witnessed actual or attempted acts of discrimination or intimidation in the voting process, you may report this to the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice at (800) 253-3931.
THE WORCESTER TOWN OFFICE BUILDING IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
TOWN OFFICE STAFF STILL AVAILABLE TO ASSIST YOU BY PHONE, EMAIL AND ONLINE
Dear Worcester Residents and Those Who Do Business with the Worcester Town Office –
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Town Clerk and the Town Emergency Management Team are taking prompt action to mitigate the spread of the virus.
As a precaution, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Worcester Town Office is closed to the public effective immediately and until further notice. The Town Office staff will remain available to assist you by phone, email, and online.
Town Office hours remain the same, Monday 3:00 to 7 pm, Tuesday – Thursday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Friday 7 am to 10 am. To reach Worcester Town Office staff, call 802.223-6942,
or email:
– Town Clerk, Katie Winkeljohn worcestertclerk@comcast.net
All non-essential meetings have been removed from the Town Office calendar. If you question the scheduling or location of a meeting, please contact your Board/Committee/Commission Chair directly.
Only land record research which our Town Clerk deems necessary and essential may take place at the Town Office, by appointment only, and following safety protocols put into place by the Worcester Town Clerk.
Please go to healthvermont.gov/covid19 for the most up-to-date state information and guidance about COVID-19, including information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). You may call the VT Department of Health at 802.863-7240, or call community services information at 2-1-1.
We encourage everyone to follow CDC and U.S./VT Department of Health handwashing and social distancing recommendations.
However, keep in mind that social distancing also results in social isolation. This is an important time to be a good neighbor. With social distancing caution, please check in periodically with your neighbors and other community members who are homebound, frail, elderly, or subject to loneliness.
You may report any concern you have for Worcester resident by emailing worcestertclerk@comcast.net
Thank you for understanding that these are unusual times, requiring precautions for public safety and health. Many Worcester community members are in the high-risk group, and we believe taking these precautions will keep ourselves and our community members healthy.
Katie Winkeljohn, Town Clerk / Treasurer
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES DURING COVID-19
Updates and additional resources will be posted through the Worcester Neighbor Network (WNN) and the Town of Worcester’s Facebook page. Also on Front Porch Forum.
Please click here for a list of local available resources
Worcester Resources Availble During COVID-19
For an extensive list of resources please click here on Worcester Neighbor Network
Please go to healthvermont.gov/covid19 for the most up-to-date state information and guidance about COVID-19, including information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html . You may call the VT Department of Health at 802.863-7240, or call community services information at 2-1-1.
We encourage everyone to follow CDC and U.S./VT Department of Health handwashing and social distancing recommendations.
However, keep in mind that social distancing also results in social isolation. This is an important time to be a good neighbor. With social distancing caution, please check in periodically with your neighbors and other community members who are homebound, frail, elderly, or subject to loneliness.
A member from our community has kindly created two forms to help Worcester stay strong during the Covid-19 outbreak. There are two forms- one for volunteers who can help in a variety of ways and the second is for those who are requesting help at this time. Thank you for your support! We’re in this together!
Volunteer Form: https://docs.google.com/…/1HBrK1QB1W1ES2G2K6sdA51…/viewform…
Hep Request Form: https://docs.google.com/…/1i-ajw5xGi2ybiowBL1Uvzy…/viewform…
You may report any concern you have for Worcester resident by emailing worcestertclerk@comcast.net
Location
The Worcester Town Complex is located at 20 Worcester Village Road, Worcester, Vermont 05682. The Complex is home to the Town Clerk/Treasurer’s Office, the Delinquent Tax Collector’s office, the Volunteer Fire Department and the Listers’ Office. The Town mailing address is P.O. Box 161, Worcester, VT 05682
The Highway Department is located at 11 Maxham Drive.
Business Hours
Town Clerk/Treasurer/Delinquent Tax Collector’s regular office hours:
Monday: 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Tuesday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Thursday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Friday: 7:00 am – 10:00 am, and by appointment after 10:00 am
The Listers’ regular office hours are Mondays 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Phone and email
The Worcester Town Complex phone number is (802) 223-6942.
Katie Winkeljohn, Town Clerk/Treasurer/Delinquent Tax Collector-Extension 0
Listers’ Office-Extension 1
Will Sutton, Fire Chief-Extension 3
Brian Powers, Road Commissioner-223-6903
The Fax number is 229-5216
Office e-mail: worcestertclerk@comcast.net
For additional listings and contact information, please see the full Directory.