Title 24APPENDIX, Title 24APPENDIX: Municipal Charters

§ 10.5. Resignation or disqualification of members; vacancies; how filled (a) A Town Meeting member may resign by filing a written resignation with the Town Clerk, and such resignation shall take effect on the date of such filing. A Town Meeting member who removes from the Town s…

§ 10.6. Voting; members to receive no compensation; quorum; warning (a) At any Town Meeting held after the acceptance of this subchapter, the right to vote on all articles in the warning, except for matters voted on by all voters of the Town by Australian ballot, shall be limited…

§ 10.7. Articles in warning; action on The articles in the warning for every Town Meeting so far as they relate to the election of officers and to referenda and all matters to be acted upon by Australian ballot shall be so acted upon by the voters of the Town. All other articles …

§ 10.8. Referendum No article in the warning shall at any Representative Town Meeting be finally disposed of by a vote to pass over, to lay upon the table, to postpone indefinitely, or take no action thereon. No vote passed at any Representative Town Meeting under any article in …

§ 10.9. Interpretation of Town acts The Town, after the acceptance of this subchapter, shall continue to have the capacity to act through and to be bound by its Town Meeting members, who shall, when convened from time to time, constitute Representative Town Meetings; and the Repr…

§ 10.10. Limitation This subchapter shall not be deemed to abridge the right of the inhabitants of the Town to assembly and hold general meetings; nor shall this subchapter confer upon any Representative Town Meeting the power finally to commit the Town to any measure affecting i…

§§ 10.11-10.12. [Transitional provisions.]

§ 11.1. Description of officers, officials, boards, commissions, and committees (a) The officers, officials, boards, commissions, and committees described in this addendum are those that were in existence when this charter was written. These descriptions are included for purposes…

§ 11.2. Bus Service Advisory Committee Bus Service Advisory Committee. “Five” unlimited terms. The Committee oversees the operation of the Town-subsidized bus service and makes recommendations to the Selectboard regarding Town bus service. It meets monthly. (Added 2003, No. M-21 …

§ 2.1. Definitions (a) “General Town Meeting” shall mean a meeting of the voters of the Town of Brattleboro, the Town School District, or both, to act on matters of election of all officers, referenda, and matters to be acted upon by Australian ballot. (b) “Representative Town Me…

§ 2.2. Elected officers On the first Tuesday in March, the voters and youth voters of the Town shall elect by Australian ballot the following: (1) Representative Town Meeting members, by district, in accordance with 1959 Acts and Resolves No. 302, § 4. The size of the Representat…

§ 2.3. Manner of election (a) Representative Town Meeting members: Representative Town Meeting members shall be elected by Australian ballot on the first Tuesday in March of each year. Voters and youth voters in each district shall elect, for staggered terms, three members for ev…

§ 2.3a. Early voting (a)(1) A voter choosing to vote early by Australian ballot in the Town Clerk’s office shall vote in the same manner as those voting on election day, provided that the voter completes a “Request for Early Voter Absentee Ballot and Certification” form stating t…

§ 2.4. Representative Town Meeting (a) Description: (1) In the event of a discrepancy between this section of the charter and 1959 Acts and Resolves No. 302, the provisions set forth in this charter shall prevail. (2) The Representative Town Meeting consists of up to 140 elected …

§ 2.5. Selectboard The Selectboard is a legislative body of five persons elected at large by the voters and youth voters of the Town. The Selectboard directs the affairs of the Town within areas specified in subchapter 4 of this charter. (Amended 2023, No. M-15, § 2, eff. June 20…

§ 2.6. Board of School Directors The Board of School Directors is a body of five persons elected at large by the voters of the Town School District. The school directors direct the affairs of the School District within areas specified in subchapter 6 of this charter. (Amended 200…

§ 2.7. Board of Library Trustees (a) The library of the Town of Brattleboro, the Brooks Memorial Library, is incorporated under 22 V.S.A. chapter 3. It is also a Town department. (b) The Board of Library Trustees is a body of nine persons serving three-year terms. Three trustees …

§ 2.8. Consolidation of services The Selectboard and the school directors may negotiate for the establishment of regional departments of public service, schools, or like regional organizations. No regional affiliation shall be established, however, without the consent of the Repr…

§ 2.9. Conflict of interest No member of any Town or Town School District board, commission, or committee shall vote on any matter where there is a direct or indirect financial or personal interest. It is expected that any member of any Town or Town School District board, commiss…

§ 2.10. Limits on terms of office A member of any appointed commission or committee shall not serve for more than nine consecutive years or two consecutive terms, whichever is longer, and shall thereafter be ineligible for one year to serve in such office. This section does not a…

§ 2.11. Elected youth voter; authority A youth voter who is elected to a Town office shall be capable of performing all duties and exercising all powers of that office, including the formation and execution of contracts relating to the office or official duties. (Added 2023, No. …

§ 3.1. Powers (a) In addition to the powers granted under this charter, the Town shall have all powers conferred upon towns by the Constitution and laws of the State. Enumeration of particular powers in this charter shall not be construed as limiting the general powers of the Tow…

§ 3.2. Initiative The voters of the Town shall have the power to: (1) Petition for inclusion in the warning of an article to reflect public sentiment and to be advisory only. (A) Such petition, stating that it is advisory only, shall be signed by at least five percent of the vote…

§ 3.4. Referendum The voters of the Town may petition for a referendum, by Australian ballot of all voters of the Town, on a final vote on a warned article taken by Representative Town Meeting. Such petition shall be filed within 10 days after adjournment of the meeting. (1) A pe…

§ 3.5. Recall (a) The voters of the Town may recall any of the elected Town or Town School District officers listed in subchapter 2, section 2.1 of this charter. (b) A recall petition, signed by at least 25 percent of the legal voters of the Town, and bearing their addresses, sha…

§ 4.1. Composition; eligibility; elections; terms (a) The Selectboard shall be elected at large by the voters and youth voters of the Town from among their number, and newly elected Selectboard members’ terms shall begin on the first Monday following the final adjournment of the …

§ 4.2. Compensation The annual Representative Town Meeting shall fix the compensation of the Selectboard. (Amended 2003, No. M-6, § 2; 2011, No. M-10 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 27, 2012.)

§ 4.3. Prohibitions (a) Except where authorized by law, a member of the Selectboard shall not be employed by the Town and shall not be a voting member of any committee to which all members are appointed by the Selectboard. A former member of the Selectboard shall not hold any app…

§ 4.4. Vacancies (a) When a member of the Selectboard resigns, is removed from office, ceases to be a resident of the Town, dies, or if his or her name is removed from the checklist, the office shall become vacant. (b) A member of the Selectboard shall forfeit office if qualifica…

§ 4.5. Appointments (a) At the first meeting after their election and qualification, the Selectboard shall elect a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Clerk. (b) The Chair shall preside at meetings of the Board, shall represent the Town government for ceremonial purposes, but he or she sh…

§ 4.6. General powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Selectboard The Selectboard shall have the general oversight of the affairs and property of the Town not committed by law to the care of any particular officer, including the following powers, duties, and responsibilities…

§ 5.1. General powers; duties; responsibilities of the Town Manager Subject to the provisions of law and under the supervision of the Selectboard, the Town Manager shall have the authority: (1) to cause duties required by law or by the Selectboard or school directors, and not com…

§ 6.1. Composition; eligibility; elections; terms (a) The Board of School Directors shall be elected at large by the voters of the School District from among their number, and newly elected school directors’ terms shall begin on the first Monday following the final adjournment of…

§ 6.2. Compensation The annual Representative Town Meeting shall fix the compensation of the school directors. (Amended 2011, No. M-10 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 27, 2012.)

§ 6.3. Prohibitions (a) Except when authorized by law, a school director shall not be employed by the School District and shall not be a voting member of any committee to which all members are appointed by the school directors. No former school director shall hold any appointive …

§ 6.4. Vacancies (a) When a school director resigns, is removed from office, dies, or his or her name is removed from the checklist, the office shall become vacant. (b) A school director shall forfeit his or her office if qualifications for the office prescribed by this charter o…

§ 6.5. Appointments Forthwith after their election and qualification, the School Directors shall elect a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Clerk. (Amended 2003, No. M-6, § 2.)

§ 6.6. General powers and responsibilities of the School Directors The School Directors are responsible for the administration and maintenance of the public schools and, in addition to other duties specifically assigned by law (See 16 V.S.A. § 563), shall: (1) determine the educa…

§ 7.1. Capital expenditures (a) The Selectboard and the school directors shall submit to the annual Representative Town Meeting a list of possible capital expenditures for the next five years for the guidance and information of Representative Town Meeting, which shall not be bind…

§ 7.2. Capital Grant Review Board A Capital Grant Review Board shall be established to study and evaluate all requests made on behalf of the Town or its boards for grants or loans for capital expenditures. The Board shall consist of two representatives appointed annually by the S…

§ 7.3. Revenue (a) The Town may levy local taxes in such form as authorized by the General Assembly. Any such taxes must first be considered by the Selectboard or the school directors and then approved by the Representative Town Meeting. (b) Special tax districts, for the purpose…

§ 7.4. Reappraisal of property Taxable property within the Town may be reappraised from time to time as may be deemed expedient by the Representative Town Meeting on recommendation of the Selectboard when advised by the Board of Listers that the State Division of Property Valuati…

§ 7.5. Lapse of appropriation Every appropriation, except for a capital expenditure, shall lapse at the close of the fiscal year following the appropriation to the extent it has not been expended or encumbered. An appropriation for a capital expenditure shall not lapse until its …

§ 7.6. Independent audit The Selectboard and the school directors shall provide for an independent audit of all Town and Town School District accounts when necessary or as directed by Representative Town Meeting. Such audit shall be made by a certified public accountant or firm o…

§ 7.7. Borrowing in anticipation of taxes The Selectboard and the school directors may borrow money, at the most favorable rate of interest they can obtain, in anticipation of Town and School District revenues to be collected within the fiscal year. (Amended 2003, No. M-6, § 2.)

§ 7.8. Office of Assessment (a) Taxable property within the Town may be reappraised from time to time as may be deemed expedient by the Representative Town Meeting pursuant to a duly warned article. (b) There shall be an Office of Assessment headed by a professionally qualified a…