iBrattleboro Representative Town Meeting Moderator Interview – Kurt Daims

Kurt Daims is running for Moderator for Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting.

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Tell us about yourself and why you’d like to be Moderator of Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting…

What sort of moderating experience would you bring, if elected? What’s your style?

Tell us your thoughts on Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting form of governing.

How/why is a Representative Town Meeting better than a regular Town Meeting?

How effective do you feel Representative Town Meeting Representatives are in being representative to their respective districts?

It seems like one measure of a town meeting moderator in Brattleboro is how well they handle very long meetings, especially in when it comes to transacting any other lawful business at the end. How is your stamina, 

endurance and patience for what can be a long day of moderating?

This year’s meeting could again be virtual. What are your thoughts on in-person vs. virtual meetings?

Does Brattleboro’s Representative Town Meeting need any new committees, in your view? How about changes to the Town Charter?

Have any secret methods for keeping track of multiple amendments and motions from the floor?

Have any other comments you’d like to share with voters?

Thanks for the chance, Chris.

I’m sorry.  I don’t have time to think about the questions.  

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I’m sorry for the delay.  Please also forgive that I am still in a hurry.

Just now it occurs to me, there is a connection to the need for RTM.  We have many emergencies and problems.   Democracy and people’s brains are essential resources.  RTM is one of the few places to make and use them, and we must get down to work

Here are my credits as a prospective moderator.  Reading these, you surely see I deserve your endorsement.  My opponent has shown no interest in RTM in ten years, and that’s a fact.  I stand on successful work in RTM and improving RTM. 

• Served since 2008 (except 2019)

• First offered a charter amendment to equalize the membership in 2011.  The amendment was approved

• Negotiated with the selectboard to take the selectboard down from its elevated platform

• Negotiated to arrange friendlier circular seating 

• Promoted term limits for RTM in 2015 to allow more newcomers on RTM

• Consistently advocated for an active RTM in public media and in the Steering committee

• Proposed new charter amendments for reform of RTM (2021)

• Proposed at RTM an educational booklet on municipal finance for RTM members (the proposal was approved)

• Advocated for recognition of rules of procedure

• Chair of RTM Agenda subcommittee, advocating rules and education of RTM members, chair of many small meetings.  Practiced organized meetings since teenage.

• Proposed in RTM educational subcommittee a packet of educational materials including the town charter, rules of procedure and the municipal finance booklet. (pending approval) 

• promoted the Youth Vote amendment, (recently approved by the VT Statehouse) to allow younger people to serve on RTM

An administrator at corporate Home Depot is helping to broker an agreement to use their Putney Road property for in-person RTM 2023 (Maybe even 2022).  I have informal approval from the Department of Health designating RTM as an educational pod for an in-person meeting; formal committee approval is pending. 

Zoom 5:15 PM Monday, February 28, 2022   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89714925598

What’s the best way for people to bring meeting-related matters to your attention?

info@BrattleboroCommonSense.org

brmse.org

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