What Are Voters Saying?

Having lived in the town for 30+ years and seen its ups and downs, we definitely need a town manager.  It is sad that our previous manager, despite her excellent track record and knowledge, obtaining grants and other worthwhile ventures, was pushed out by a minority.  Power struggles seem to prevail.  Without a town manager and their knowledge, I see the Town unable to move forward in positive ways that benefit its residents. -Judy Sullivan

The School Board and Administration are presenting a lean clean budget. We need to get behind them, our school, our kids. - Fred Griffin

I am writing in support of approving the school budget.

The school board is well aware of the our tax burden, and has done what it can to lower the budget without cutting services needed by our kids.

Our governor, and our senator Chris Mattos ran very hard on opposition to property tax increases.

Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and approve this school budget -- and trust that they will keep our property taxes down.

I urge you to vote Yes on Article 2. - Alex Katz

I am voting against rescinding the Town Manager form of governance. With the day-to-day decisions required to keep a Town functioning efficiently, I would be concerned about the bottleneck that would be created if the Selectboard needed to approve every decision that needs to be made. Rather than changing the form of government, I think it would be a more effective exercise to examine Town policies related to the authority of the Town Manager and make sure they are in line with what the staff, Selectboard and voting public are comfortable with. Establishing a clear job description and policies will provide the appropriate foundation for selecting the right person. -Brittany Tradup

I am voting NO on this article, there are enough shops in St. Albans, we don't need to bring it home!!! -Marie Bourdeau 

I plan to vote against Article 5. Let's keep the position of Town Manager in Fairfax!

I have lived in Fairfax for 18 years, and from what I can tell the town needs a town manager.

The Select Board cannot do all the tasks which the manager handles.

If you watch the Select Board meeting of February 3rd, and the presentation by VLCT (Vermont League of Cities and Towns), it is clear that Fairfax needs a Town Manager or a Town Administrator. The Town Manager is a more professional and a non-political position, and in my opinion more fitting for our town. Let's keep politics out of the day to day business of running our town. - Alex Katz

I am voting to keep the town manager. If a TM can bring in a couple hundred thousand dollars by writing grants that no one else has the time or expertise to write, they've more than paid for their salary, plus everything else they do for the town that volunteers just can't do. We need the kind of expertise that a good TM can bring. - Ken Copenhaver

I will be voting No on rescinding the Town Manager form of governance.  It doesn't seem feasible for the volunteer selectboard to make day-to-day decisions regarding operations and doing the work to obtain federal grants toward our needed infrastructure improvements.  Sarah Hadd did such a fine job that Gov. Scott appointed her to the Land Use Review Board. I look forward to the position being filled by someone of equal caliber ~ Nod to the Bullets ;-). -Charles Hazen

I will be voting against cannabis sales in Fairfax. I am not comfortable with there being a dispensary in our town while we have no police force. We have had a lot of issues with break-ins and even when the Dollar General was being built in town, the materials were all stolen during construction. with the dispensary in town and no police force. I feel this will make it an easy target, especially when there will be a long response time From out of town police officers. I am not against the legalization of marijuana or the retail sale. I am just not comfortable at this time until we have other issues addressed, including the high amounts of break-ins that are occurring in our town. - Karan S.

I plan to vote against Article 7. 

I understand that recreational use of cannabis is legal in Vermont.

And I support the right of any adult who wishes to do so, to purchase it for their use.

But I do not see the necessity to be able to purchase it right here, in town.

I am concerned that authorizing the sale of cannabis products within the Town limits implies some support for the use of cannabis. 

And this may send the wrong message to our kids.

While I support the right of any adult to choose to use cannabis, I see no need to support its use. Freedom of choice is enough. - Alex Katz