In Vermont, ‘Town Meeting’ is democracy embodied. What can the rest of the country learn from it? [Video]

Brent Hosking checks the fire burning in his sugarhouse while boiling a batch of sap to make maple syrup Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Elmore, Vt. Hosking helped start the fire department in 1983 after locals tired of paying neighboring towns to extinguish fires. Being involved has helped foster a sense of community, Hosking says. Town Meeting helps foster that sense of community, he says. It’s a time to get to know your neighbor, he says, which is important in a small town.(AP Photo/David Goldman)