Gina Tron
Barre voters heading to the polls this month will decide several local issues, including a second vote on the school budget after its recent defeat and a mayoral contest shaped by competing visions for Barre’s future.
The School District Re-Vote
The Barre Unified Union School District is asking voters to approve a revised $57.4 million budget on May 12, after the original proposal was voted down on Town Meeting Day. The new proposal is roughly $350,000 lower than the version rejected in March.
“It’s really important for us to pass this budget because the Barre School Board has been in a reactive mode the last few years instead of a proactive way of operating,” Garrett Grant, chair of the Barre Unified Union School Board, told The Bridge.
Grant said the board is trying to maintain basic operations while balancing taxpayer concerns with the needs of a student population that includes higher-than-average poverty rates and significant special education demands. He described the revised proposal as a compromise that preserves existing programs while accounting for declining enrollment.
The revised budget represents a 2.73% increase — the lowest proposed increase the district has put forward in five years. The prior budget, which failed in March by a vote of 603–317, proposed a 3.36% increase.
“It’s lower than the rate of inflation,” Grant said. “It’s lower than the average increase from other Vermont school districts across the state that already approved their budgets, and it follows the governor’s guidance to keep local spending low.”
He noted the March ballot painted a confusing picture for taxpayers. Under Vermont law, Barre must list the per-pupil spending increase on the ballot, a figure different from the overall budget increase.
“When you go to vote, you’re going to see that per pupil spending increases 11%, a double-digit number, and in March, people were shocked,” he said. “They thought that’s what the budget was increasing by, or what their property taxes were going up by.”
He warned that another failed vote could result in deep cuts to extracurricular programs and student opportunities.
“I understand school budgets are a rare area where people actually have some control with their vote, so they are trying to cut their costs,” Grant said. “We hear them, and we really worked hard to put forward a budget that we feel is a good compromise.”
The Mayoral Race: Experience vs. A New Direction
This year’s mayoral race pits longtime Republican Mayor Thom Lauzon against political newcomer Bern Rose, whose Democratic campaign began with a dream of inspiring more people to vote — almost literally. She woke up in the middle of the night with the idea to run.
Speaking during a candidate forum at the Barre Social Club on May 6, Rose said the initial thought made her “laugh out loud.” Rose explained the thought was sparked by disappointment over recent low voter turnout. In March, only roughly 11% of the city’s population participated in the vote.
“I think it’s time for Barre, whether it be me or the next person, to have a woman leader who brings to the table a collaborative working style and who is a community engager,” Rose told The Bridge.
Rose would make history and become Barre’s first female mayor if elected.
Rose, 74, has long been involved in community service efforts throughout Barre. She volunteers weekly at the People’s Health and Wellness Clinic and has volunteered at Capstone Community Action’s food shelf. She previously served on the city’s Americans with Disabilities (ADA) committee and on the board of Washington County Mental Health Services. After being diagnosed with Lyme disease, she advocated for legislation, resulting in a 2014 bill that gives doctors more flexibility to treat long-term symptoms.
Rose acknowledged she does not have Lauzon’s political experience but argued that effective leadership depends on collaboration and trust in city staff and local experts.
“I don’t have to know everything,” Rose, who has never run for office before, told The Bridge. “We have a great city manager. We have terrific heads of departments. Our people who work here are phenomenal, and my biggest job is to support them in their work.”
Rose hopes to inspire more voter participation, include stakeholders in decisions, and evaluate Barre’s actions for justice, equity, and diversity. Her campaign website features her in front of an LGBTQ+ pride flag.
Meanwhile, Lauzon has centered his campaign on his experience and long-standing relationships in state and local government. Lauzon, 64, served as Barre’s mayor from 2006 to 2018, then returned to local politics following the 2023 flooding. After winning a Ward 1 council seat, he was elected mayor again in 2024, defeating Samn Stockwell 902–645.
Lauzon has never lost an election and describes himself as hard-working, honest, and someone “who doesn’t take cheap shots.” After all these years, he told The Bridge he is still passionate about civic duty, noting he “still gets butterflies” about the work and says when that stops, it’s time for him to.
A senior partner at an accounting firm and Barre’s most prominent property owner and developer, Lauzon argued during the candidate forum that “genuine experience is invaluable and irreplaceable.” He compared the position to hiring a contractor or doctor, arguing that people facing major challenges would trust someone with proven experience. He told The Bridge that Barre needs his expertise to continue its upward trajectory.
“There are times when you can go with someone less experienced because we want them to gain that experience, but I think there are times when it’s more appropriate to lean into someone with experience,” he said.
Lauzon said Barre’s ongoing flood recovery efforts, road issues, housing challenges, and infrastructure projects require established relationships at the state level and familiarity with complex funding systems.
“The job isn’t done,” he said, citing projects he already started involving road repairs and Prospect Heights, a major residential development aimed at addressing the region’s housing crisis. He also pointed to Barre’s North End, a low-lying residential and industrial neighborhood along the Stevens Branch and U.S. Route 302, which has been at the center of recovery efforts focused on FEMA buyouts, flood mitigation, and plans for new flood-resilient housing. Progress has stalled because of funding denials and the challenge of balancing flood safety with the city’s housing shortage.
“I know the levers to pull,” Lauzon said. “I know every secretary, every commissioner, and the current administration.”
With both candidates emphasizing different strengths, voters will decide whether Barre’s next chapter is marked by a break from tradition with its first female mayor or continuity through long-standing experience in city leadership.
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