GREAT BARRE SERVICES STUDY COMMITTEE

On November 7, 2000 Barre Town held a special town meeting (election) coinciding with the national general election. Town voters were asked if they approved of the Selectboard forming a joint study committee with Barre City for the purpose of identifying ways to improve cooperative services which may include merger of the two communities. Town voters approved the non-binding question, and City voters approved an identical question.

Over the winter the Selectboard and City Council formed a plan for a committee. Advertising for volunteer citizen members began in March 2001. Each governing body appointed nine residents of their community to the committee. In July 2001, the Selectboard and City Council met with the committee to explain the committee's mission and limited resources. The committee began meeting monthly in September 2001.

The study committee, using information from Town and City department heads, will determine what resources exist, what departments need for current operations, and what new services could be offered. The committee's purpose is to make recommendations for matching department resources with department needs and for cooperating on possible new services. The goal of this study is determining what, if any, additional Town-City cooperation will save money, improve services, or make new services affordable.

Elected officials pictured an 18-month study period, but the committee was not given a definite deadline for submitting its recommendations. The members will remain with the committee until its task is completed. Then the Greater Barre Services Study Committee will be disbanded.

The committee's regularly scheduled monthly meetings are at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday. The committee meets in the Aldrich Library's Milne Community Room. Meetings are open to the public.

For more information about the GBSSC, contact the Town Manager at crogers@barretown.org or 802-479-9331.