Chesterville Select Board members discuss plans for the 2025 annual town meeting during their Dec. 5 meeting, addressing ways to boost community participation and preserve traditions in Chesterville. Submitted Photo

CHESTERVILLE — The Select Board on Thursday, Dec. 5, finalized plans for the 2025 annual town meeting, maintaining its traditional Monday evening format while opening voting earlier amid discussions about ways to boost community participation in future years.

Voting will be Friday, March 14, from noon to 6 p.m., followed by the business session Monday, March 17, at 7 p.m. Nomination papers are available and must be returned by Jan. 14, Town Clerk Melissa Letarte said.

This year’s open positions include a three-year school board seat. School Board Chairperson Dorothy “Dee” Robinson announced she will not seek reelection.

Select Board Chairperson Eric Hilton noted the declining attendance at Monday evening annual town meetings, stating, “People’s concern about [weekend meetings] is that people will get drunk as they used to back in the day, but our attendance hasn’t been good. We need input.”

While Hilton suggested considering a weekend meeting to improve participation, Treasurer Erin Norton recommended maintaining the Monday tradition for now and allowing voters to decide on a change for 2026. “Some people in town like the tradition of Monday night and won’t want to see a change,” she said. “They’ll have some criticism if the board decides to change.”

An attendee noted that the town had previously voted on changing the annual town meeting from Monday to Saturday, but the proposal was rejected.

The board agreed to revisit the idea of a Saturday meeting in future years.

“If we had more participants, things could change and motivate more people to be involved in our community,” Hilton said.

Norton suggested that voter trust might explain the low turnout. “When meetings aren’t heavily attended, it’s often because there’s trust in municipal government,” she said.

Norton raised logistical concerns about future weekend meetings, saying she attends meetings in multiple towns. She asked that if Chesterville eventually moves to Saturday meetings, the chosen date not conflict with those of other towns she serves.

Discussion of historical town meetings brought up colorful anecdotes about the past.

“There have been stories about the old days of town meetings where the drinking was out of control and the fighting took place, and it wasn’t fun,” Norton said.

The next Select Board meeting is Dec. 19.