North Stonington to hold hybrid town meeting April 5
North Stonington — A special town meeting to vote on seven items, including changing how selectmen are elected, will be held virtually and in person on Monday, April 5 at 6 pm.
Town officials are asking any residents with the capability to attend virtually to do so by using the link at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VLADRun4TIWBEycSVv_sgg. Those who will attend the meeting virtually must preregister no later than noon on April 5 so town officials can verify voter eligibility.
The registration link and a copy of the call for the meeting can be found at http://www.northstoningtonct.gov.
Each person wishing to vote must register and attend on their own electronic device as town officials will be conducting an electronic poll of virtual attendees on each of the seven questions and only one vote will be allowed per device.
Remote attendees must log in using www.zoom.com or the zoom app on a smart device. Those unable or uncomfortable attending remotely, will be allowed to attend the meeting in person at Wheeler School Gymnatorium at 297 Norwich-Westerly Road. The in-person meeting will follow U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Ledge Light Health District guidelines.
Among the items residents will be voting on is a proposal that would allow residents to vote for first selectman and cast two votes for the two selectmen positions. This will allow the Republican and Democratic town committees to each run two candidates for selectman and one for first selectman. This would ensure a contested election for both positions.
Currently, each party nominates a candidate for first selectman, which becomes a contested race, and one candidate for selectman. This means both selectman candidates run unopposed and get elected unless there is unaffiliated candidate.
Several years ago, voters here ended the practice in which the losing first selectman candidate then competed against the two selectman candidates for the two selectman positions.
Voters will also be asked to appropriate $35,000 for new radios for the volunteer fire department and $60,325 for financial software for the town.
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.
