Milford Town Meeting Member Wants Remote Option Due To Virus

MILFORD, MA — The Milford spring Town Meeting is coming up at the end of June, but one meeting member is trying to rally support for a remote option due to the coronavirus.

Last week, Precinct 5 meeting member Lauren Wilton sent a letter to Moderator Michael Noferi asking for a remote option. There simply isn't enough room for all 255 Town Meeting members to meet while allowing appropriate social distancing space, she said.

"Why jeopardize health, diminish participation, and possibly require contact tracing after the fact, when the meeting can be held in an alternative way that presents zero or lower risk?" Wilton wrote.

Ideally, Milford would offer a remote voting option over the phone or internet, she said. Absent those options, the town should consider holding the meeting at a large outdoor space — the town of South Hadley used a drive-in, and there's one nearby in Mendon, she wrote.

Patch as reached out to Noferi about his thoughts on Wilton's request. We will update this story if we hear back.

Other local towns have offered a virtual option. In late May, the Brookline moderator opened up a virtual option "after careful deliberation about the continuing rapid spread of the disease, lack of effective containment, and risk to vulnerable populations inherent in public gatherings." Milton and Lexington have made similar moves.

As of Wednesday, Milford had counted 631 coronavirus cases over the course of the pandemic.

The spring Town Meeting is set to begin June 29 at 7 p.m. at the Milford High School auditorium.