It is TOWN MEETING time in Henniker. All of the business of the town for the year is voted on by the legislative body (i.e., citizens) at this meeting. The Henniker Town Meeting is divided up into two activities; ballot voting and deliberation. The first involves voting for candidates as well as issues requiring the sanctity of private ballot results. The second is a deliberative exercise where we stand in front of our neighbors and voice dissension or support for operational budgets, specific expenditures, and creation of capital reserve funds. A show of hands is the primary vehicle for voting at the deliberative session (although secret ballots can be requested by voters by petition). Additionally, Henniker committees, department heads, and boards write a narrative that becomes part of the ANNUAL REPORT, the historic record of activities that occurred the prior year.
Town meeting. It’s the purest form of democracy,” says Secretary of State William Gardner. “Every year there was a period of time that people did their civic duty.” And while things have certainly changed, the town meeting still serves its purpose as a socio/political gathering.
How does Town Meeting impact the Tucker Free Library? At the 1903 Town Meeting, residents of Henniker voted to accept the gift of a library building from George Tucker. That same year, Town Meeting participants voted to form a building committee to guide the design and construction of our library. They also voted to form the library board of trustees, the governing body and sole authority over the operational decisions and budgets of the Tucker Free Library (a vote that is still in effect). Today, this same authority is codified in state laws, specifically RSA 202: A. The five Trustees of the Tucker Free Library are elected at Town Meeting and serve staggered three-year terms. Trustees have sought approval for special projects, permission to expend funds, and validation of our program through the affirmation of town in support of our operational budgets. The library staff and trustees also prepare an ANNUAL report to the Town, highlighting important developments, projects, and future goals.
(Source material; William Gardner quotes Town-Meeting-and-Other-NH-Relevant-Government-Relics/ and Photo of 2016 Henniker Town Meeting)