Jim Kenyon: Town Meeting without the meeting is a strange sight
Michael Hanitchak, of Strafford, Vt., drops his ballot into a box outside the town offices on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Town Meeting is very different this year for Vermont towns. The annual meeting is usually held at the Strafford Town House, in the background. ( Valley News - Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Selectboard member Mary Linehan, left, and Town Clerk Lisa Bragg wait for voters at the town offices in Strafford, Vt., during Town Meeting Day on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Most voters were dropping their ballots in a box outside the offices, but they could fill out their ballot inside if needed. Town Meeting is very different for Vermont towns this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Linehan and Bragg were discussing the possibilities of new town offices. (Valley News - Jennifer Hauck) Cop
Tekapo Springs general manager Jenny Koberstein said the event was a way to give back to the community that stood by the business through Covid-19. “Despite all the adversity, Kiwis have picked themselves up and shown tremendous support towards tourism businesses such as Tekapo Springs. “This support has ultimately allowed our business to continue to operate and we are just so thrilled that we have been able to retain all our team members,” Koberstein said.
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Children run through the Jumpernaught, a giant inflatable obstacle course at Tekapo Springs. Aotearoa New Zealand Canterbury Foodbank spokesperson Lisa Bragg said the 800 food cans donated “was an outstanding effort and will most certainly help an organisation that is under extreme pressure at this time of the year”.