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Postponement of Secret Ballot Election and Town Meeting

Date to be determined
Posted on: April 10, 2020 - 2:53pm
Town of Mount Desert Seal

At its April 6, 2020 meeting, the Board of Selectmen voted to postpone the Bi-furcated Town Meeting (Secret Ballot Election and Open-Floor meeting)  scheduled for May 4 and May 5 due to Governor Mills proclamation of a State of Civil Emergency to Further Protect Public Health issued on March 15 2020.  It is probable that many citizens who would normally attend town meeting will be reluctant to participate in a large public gathering where "social distancing" would not be practical.

The State Legislature has passed several bills providing state and local governments with the authority necessary to address COVID-19 related issues. These provisions do apply to Charter Communities such as Mount Desert.

Amongst these measures is LO 2167- An Act to Implement Provisions Necessary to the Health, Welfare, and Safety of the Citizens of Maine in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, in part:

MUNICIPAL BUDGETS & ELECTIONS (PART D)    In the event that town meetings are postponed, allows municipalities to continue to fund government operations at the same budget levels approved for the previous year and authorizes the municipal treasurer to disperse funds on the authority of the warrant signed by municipal officers outside of a public meeting. If the budget is not adopted and the assessor needs to commit taxes in a timely manner, the law allows the assessor to commit taxes based on the previous year's budget levels. It allows municipal officers to postpone the date of a scheduled municipal secret ballot election by posting notice in a public location at least two days prior to the election and to use previously printed ballots. These provisions apply retroactively to March 1, 2020 and are repealed on January 1, 2021.

The process to formally postpone the Annual town Meeting secret ballot election and open floor town meeting Involves posting notices at the Post Offices in Town as well as the Town Office.  These notices have been posted.

Once the current Civil Emergency has been lifted, the Board of Selectmen will reschedule the meeting to a date certain and the warrant will be posted according to Maine statutory law.