Title 24APPENDIX, Title 24APPENDIX: Municipal Charters

§ 191. Political activity restricted No person while an officer or other member of the regular police force of the City shall publicly endorse any candidate for political office, serve as a campaign assistant on behalf of any candidate for political office, or perform any public …

§ 192. Authority to appoint; defined; powers (a) In addition to the regular police force hereinbefore provided for, the Chief, with the approval of the Board of Police Commissioners, may appoint for a term not to exceed one year such limited and special police officers as he or s…

§ 193. Service and process; fees allowed All police officers shall have authority to serve anywhere within the State and return process in criminal causes returnable within the City; and for such duties there shall be taxed and allowed the fees provided by law for a sheriff, for …

§ 194. Police to have same powers as constables; jurisdiction limited The said police officers shall have the power of constables in all matters arising under the criminal and police laws of the State and the ordinances and police regulations of the City, except that the jurisdic…

§ 195. Compensation to be set by Council The compensation of all police officers, including that of the Chief of Police, shall be fixed by the City Council, and all fees accruing to them under the laws of the State or the provisions of this charter shall belong to said City and s…

§ 195a. Authority of University of Vermont police officers University of Vermont police officers are hereby empowered to enforce City of Burlington municipal ordinances and to issue citations for the violation thereof. (Amended 2003, No. M-14 (Adj. Sess.), § 8.)

§ 196. Composition (a) The Board of Fire Commissioners shall consist of five legal voters of the City, to be appointed by the City Council with Mayor presiding, to serve for three years and until their successors are appointed and qualified, except as herein otherwise provided. (…

§ 197. Authority to establish rules and regulations for Fire Department The City Council may make and establish all proper and necessary rules and regulations for the management and guidance of the Fire Department and for the control and regulation of the fire protection of the C…

§ 198. Fire Department; created; members; appointment There shall be a paid Fire Department for said City, which shall consist of the following members, to wit: One Chief Engineer, and such subordinate positions as the City Council may authorize from time to time. The members of …

§ 199. Department to be under supervision of Chief Engineer Said Department shall be at all times under special and immediate care and practical supervision of the Chief Engineer, subject to the authority of the Mayor as Chief Executive Officer and the ordinances and orders of th…

§ 2. Election boundaries (a) City districts described. For the annual meeting of 2024 and all City elections thereafter, the City of Burlington is divided into four electoral districts, constituted as follows: (1) East District. The East District shall include all that part of sa…

§ 20. Ward clerk to keep records; certificates of election to be furnished successful candidates; election results to be published It shall be the duty of the clerk of each ward subject to supervision by the Chief Administrative Officer as presiding officer for City and ward and …

§ 200. Powers of fire commissioners The Board of Fire Commissioners may exercise such of the referenced powers relating to the Fire Department as may be delegated from time to time by resolution of the City Council.

§ 201. Powers relating to Fire Department The City Council shall have full power to try and determine all complaints against any member of said Department, and to remove them, or any of them summarily, or on conviction of insubordination, neglect of duty, incompetency, or violati…

§ 202. Political activity restricted No person while an officer or other member of the Fire Department of the City shall publicly endorse any candidate for political office, serve as a campaign assistant on behalf of any candidate for political office, or perform any public campa…

§ 203. Commissioners to manage parks; composition of Board The public parks of the City of Burlington now in existence, and those that may hereafter be established, together with all park property that may be acquired and all public recreational activities hereafter sponsored by …

§ 204. Records to be kept; annual reports to City Council required The Parks and Recreation Department shall keep an accurate record and books of account, and shall annually transmit to the City Council a full and detailed report and statement of all its acts and doings, together…

§ 205. Parks and Recreation Department; appointment of Superintendent, and engineer The Superintendent shall prescribe and assign the respective duties, powers, and authority, and shall, subject to the approval of the City Council, fix and regulate the compensation to be paid to …

§ 206. Establishment and maintenance of athletic activities authorized; charging admission fees permitted Said Department may establish, manage, and promote athletic and recreational activities in the parks and other appropriate buildings and places; and in the management and pro…

§ 207. Authorization to establish and alter rules for park operation The City Council shall have power to make and alter from time to time, all needful rules and regulations for the maintenance of order, safety, and decency in said parks and for said Recreational Program and to f…

§ 208. Determination of location of sewers, water pipes, wires, etc The City Council shall have sole power to determine the places in said parks where sewers, gas, and water pipes shall be laid; and no trench, for these purposes, shall be opened until the City Council has designa…

§ 209. Regulation of planting and care of trees in parks The City Council shall have authority to direct and regulate the planting and preservation of shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery in the streets and in the public grounds of said City; and to appoint a City Forester to…

§ 21. Duties of election inspectors It shall be the duty of their inspectors of election to be present, preside, and preserve order at all elections in their respective wards, to decide all questions relative to the right of any person to vote at such election, to sort and count …

§ 210. Direction that trees be planted along public grounds and assess abutting land The City Council may in its discretion, cause suitable shade trees to be planted along and upon any street or any portion thereof, and upon any public grounds in said City; and may cause to be as…

§ 211. Authority to regulate parking The City Council shall have control of the parkings upon each street of said City, including the right to permit, regulate, or prohibit the placing of signs within and upon said parkings. Said parkings shall be understood and held to be the sp…

§ 212. Authority to declare weeds, underbrush, etc., a nuisance and direct removal The City Council shall have the power and authority to declare weeds, underbrush, or any unsightly or detrimental growth on any lot of land adjacent to any park or street in said City, a nuisance. …

§ 213. Issuance of bonds to provide funds for parks authorized For the purpose of providing necessary funds for the purchase or improvement of lands for park and recreational property, the City of Burlington is hereby authorized and empowered to issue its bonds in such manner and…

§ 214. Bills and expenses to be approved All bills and expenses for parks and recreation purposes shall be approved by the City Council and the Mayor’s warrant drawn upon the Chief Administrative Officer for the payment of the same.

§ 215. Definition of “park property” The term “park property” includes all parks, squares, and areas of land within the management of said Board; and all buildings, improvements, walks, drives, trees, plants, flowers, and other things thereon, and enclosures of the same; and all …

§ 217. Condemnation of land for park and/or recreational purposes authorized The City Council, on behalf of the City of Burlington, shall have power to take by condemnation land for park and/or recreational purposes; and if the City Council cannot for any cause agree with the own…

§ 218. Composition; appointment; terms The Board of Cemetery Commissioners shall consist of five legal voters of said City, who shall be appointed by the City Council with Mayor presiding, to serve for the term of three years and until their successors are appointed and qualified…

§ 219. Duties The City Council shall have such authority and responsibility relating to the management of the Cemetery Department, its services, and facilities, as provided by the general law of this State respecting cemeteries. The City Council may by resolution delegate all or …

§ 22. Ballots For all City or ward or City district elections, and also for the election of justices of the peace in the City, the Chief Administrative Officer shall prepare all official ballots, consistent with the requirements of any regulation adopted under section 5 of this c…

§ 220. Bylaws and regulations of Board to have force of ordinances The bylaws and regulations made by said Board as provided by law shall, when approved by the City Council and published as herein provided for ordinances, have the force of ordinances of said City.

§ 222. Duties The Director of Public Works shall have general management and control of the City water works, water pollution control plants, and solid waste disposal facilities as assigned by the Mayor or by resolution of the City Council, subject to any limitation and restricti…

§ 225. Powers of Board (a) The City Council shall, in addition to the other powers granted to it under this charter, have power to make all necessary repairs, extensions, or improvements to said works, and to provide new supply pipes within the City. (b) The City Council may pled…

§ 226. Composition; appointment; term The Board of Light Commissioners, which Board may also be properly referred to as the Board of Electric Commissioners, shall consist of five legal voters of said City, who shall be appointed by the City Council with Mayor presiding to serve f…

§ 227. Superintendent/General Manager; duties The Superintendent/General Manager shall have the special and immediate care and practical supervision of the said electric light plant and City property in connection therewith, but shall at all times be subject in respect thereto, t…

§ 228. Powers of City (a) The City shall have power to purchase, hire, construct, or otherwise acquire, or acquire an interest in, to maintain, operate, and to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any plant or system, located within or outside the State, for the production, distr…

§ 229. Authority to create; powers and duties The City Council may by ordinance provide for the creation and maintenance of a Harbor Commission or a single Harbor Commissioner, and for the appointment of a Superintendent of Harbors, and define and prescribe their powers and dutie…

§ 23. Retained ballots to be delivered to inspectors on demand In case the inspectors of election in any ward for any cause shall require the ballots so belonging to such ward or City district and retained by said Chief Administrative Officer, or any part thereof, they shall noti…

§ 231. Power and duties The City Council shall have the exclusive general management and control of the work on the City streets, sidewalks, sewers, and bridges and shall see that the same are properly constructed and kept in repair, and shall have the same powers in respect to r…

§ 234. Purposes and powers The City Council, except as herein otherwise provided, shall have the same power to lay out, alter, resurvey, and discontinue streets and highways as is vested by law in selectboards of towns; and all proceedings in respect to laying out, altering, resu…

§ 235. Council may lay out certain streets; owners’ petition Streets and highways in said City of less than three rods in width may be laid out, opened, accepted, established, and maintained whenever the City Council shall so provide by resolution or ordinance, provided the owner…

§ 236. Prior actions regarding streets ratified All streets or highways in said City of less than three rods in width heretofore deeded or dedicated to said City for public highways and heretofore accepted; and all such streets or highways laid out or opened by it, are hereby dec…

§ 237. Rights of property owners If any person owning or interested in lands through which a street or highway in said City is laid out, altered, or resurveyed by said City Council, is dissatisfied with the laying out, altering, or resurveying of said street or highway, or with t…