Charter Change

Is Not Needed

Presently, one of our selectmen is leading the charge to have Granville adopt a town charter simply because our elected Town Clerk of a few years ago (who did do a good job) moved out of town. The person who was elected, unopposed, for the remainder of the term, resigned after several months before the term ended and we had to scramble to find a person willing to take on the position until next town meeting day. This was accomplished in a matter of days and we are now back on track. Our interim town clerk, who was found among our own population in Granville, is doing a terrific job with a minimum of training.

Because of all this, our selectboard’s chair decided we should open the position to non-residents of Granville since there were apparently no qualified residents for the job. This opinion was based on the fact that we had only one candidate for the job last March.

It turns out the budgeted salary for the position of Town Clerk was too low for some other likely candidates to consider. This was recognized as a problem and is currently being addressed. We do, in fact, have many intelligent, qualified residents among our own population! We found two persons interested in the interim position and on very short notice.

There are many towns in Vermont with small populations. In those towns, as in ours, candidates have often been elected after running for office unopposed. Even in the absence of a full slate of candidates, we have always found residents willing to step up to the plate. This new charter would make it possible for non-residents of Granville to run for our Town Clerk and Treasurer’s position. Why limit it to these positions? Why not be able to elect our selectmen from outside our ranks as well, for example?

One of the many wonderful aspects of living in Vermont is that we know our neighbors. Our post office will often deliver mail with a minimal address because they know the people. We all help delivery trucks find out of the way addresses when they are lost.

A town clerk who knows the townspeople can pick up the phone to call with a question as well as hand-deliver Town Reports to save on postage. This person knows the population and can help lawyers and other officials to find information on local properties because of local knowledge.

The town clerks represent our towns. They are our face to the world. Do we want someone who is just "doing their job" in this position? A non-resident Town Clerk might respond to an individual with (what has become) the standard "I don’t know." I hope not.

The creation of a charter which permits candidates for elected positions to be non-residents of the town may indeed be a good idea. However, do we initiate a lengthy and costly charter revision process every time there is a perceived need to widen the field of candidates for any town office?

I urge Granville voters to turn down this charter proposal on January 9, 2007. There appears to be no need to rush into something as important as a charter creation until it can be discussed at Town Meeting for further study by committee. The fear of being unable to adequately fill the vacant Town Clerk’s position, which prompted this charter process in the first place, was proven to be unfounded.

Vivian Branschofsky

Granville