Title 24APPENDIX, Title 24APPENDIX: Municipal Charters

§ 501. City meetings (a)(1) On the first Tuesday of March in each year, a meeting of the voters of the City shall be held as designated on the warning for such meeting, at a place or places to be appointed by the City Council, and a warning shall be posted in accordance with Stat…

§ 502. Publishing and posting of articles When questions involving authorization of public improvements and the incurring of debt to pay for the same are to be referred to the voters at an annual or special City meeting, the articles of the warning for the meeting shall be posted…

§ 503. Special City meetings; special meetings to authorize improvements and incur debt (a)(1) The City Clerk, when directed by the City Council or when requested in writing by 10 percent of the voters to do so, shall call a special meeting of the voters of the City in the same m…

§ 504. Election of officers (a) All officers shall be elected by Australian ballot, according to general laws of the State, except when otherwise provided in this charter. (b) Candidates’ names shall appear in order on the ballot as shall be drawn by lot under the direction of th…

§ 505. Conduct of elections The City Clerk and Board of Civil Authority shall conduct elections in accordance with general laws of the State. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 20, 2014.)

§ 506. Voter checklists The City Clerk and Board of Civil Authority shall manage voter qualification, registration, checklist, and absentee balloting in accordance with general laws of the State. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 20, 2014.)

§ 509. Election of City officers (a) At the annual meeting, Montpelier voters shall elect from among the City voters a Mayor for a term of two years, a City Clerk for a term of three years, a City Council member from each district for a term of two years, and other elective City …

§ 510. Certificates of nomination (a) Certificates of nomination for City offices to be filled at annual City meetings shall be filed in accordance with the general laws of the State. (b) A candidate running for City Council needs a certificate signed by 25 or more voters from th…

§ 511. Canvassing of ballots (a) At the close of the balloting at any City election or annual or special City meeting, the City Clerk and the Board of Civil Authority, and such other election officers as may be designated by the Board of Civil Authority, shall canvass the ballots…

§ 512. Vacancies in City offices (a) A vacancy in an elective office occurs upon the death or resignation of the office holder, inability to serve, removal from the City, and in the case of a Council member, removal from the district. (b) Vacancies occurring in an elective office…

§ 514. Reconsideration and rescission (a) Action taken on a warned article at an annual or special meeting may be submitted to the voters at a subsequent annual or special meeting on motion of the City Council or pursuant to a petition requesting reconsideration or rescission sig…

§ 701. Council authority The City Council may adopt, amend, repeal, and enforce any bylaw, regulation, or ordinance that it may deem necessary and proper for carrying into execution the powers granted by this charter and State law or for the well-being of the City in accordance w…

§ 702. Ordinance adoption, notice, and effective date (a) A proposed bylaw, regulation, or ordinance shall be adopted upon completion of the process that includes public notification and public hearing prior to passage by the City Council. (b) The adoption or amendment of an ordi…

§ 704. Record of ordinances The City Clerk shall prepare and keep in the City Clerk’s office the ordinances passed by the Council, with a complete index of the ordinances according to subject matter. City ordinances shall be available on the City website. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 …

§ 705. Violation of an ordinance The violation of an ordinance shall be enforced according to State statute. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 20, 2014.)

§ 706. Actions in tort In addition to any fine and other punishment provided for violation of a bylaw, regulation, or ordinance, the City of Montpelier may have and maintain an action in tort founded on this statute against any person damaging or destroying City property, or inju…

§ 707. Public nuisances In prosecutions for public nuisances, possible relief for the City may include damages and injunction relief, as well as orders to authorize the City to remedy the nuisance, if possible, and charge the offending party. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.),…

§ 801. Green Mount Cemetery Commission (a) The Green Mount Cemetery Commission shall have charge of all public cemeteries and burial grounds in the City with the same power and authority as similar officials in towns. (b)(1) Commissioners of the Green Mount Cemetery shall be elec…

§ 802. Parks Commission (a) The Parks Commission shall consist of five members, one of whom shall be elected at each annual meeting for a five-year term. (b) Vacancies in the Commission shall be filled by the remaining commissioners until the next annual meeting of the City. (c) …

§ 803. Board of Civil Authority (a) The City Council, City Clerk, and the justices of the peace resident in the City shall constitute the Board of Civil Authority that shall perform all the duties imposed by law upon such boards in towns, except as otherwise provided in this char…

§ 804. Board for Abatement of Taxes (a) The Board for Abatement of Taxes, consisting of the Board of Civil Authority, the City Assessor, and the City Treasurer, shall be governed by the general laws of the State in respect to abatement of taxes. (b)(1) The Board for Abatement of …

§ 805. Planning Commission The Planning Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the City Council for two-year terms in accordance with 24 V.S.A. §§ 4322-4323, as may be amended from time to time. On October 1, 2018, the City Council shall appoint four members to tw…

§ 806. Development Review Board (a) The Development Review Board shall consist of seven regular members and two alternate members, appointed by the City Council in accordance with 24 V.S.A. § 4460, as may be amended from time to time. (b) On May 1, 2018 the City Council shall app…

§ 807. Recreation governance (a) The City may establish, maintain, and conduct a system of public recreation including playgrounds; may set apart for such use any land or buildings owned or leased by the City; may acquire land, buildings, and recreational facilities by gift or pu…

§ 809. Council authority over boards and commissions (a) The City Council has the authority to create new boards and commissions. The City Council also has the authority to consolidate or eliminate any City boards and commissions not required by law. (b) Upon approval of two-thir…

§ 810. Youth members The City Council may appoint nonvoting youth members to City boards and commissions, in addition to the regular appointed members. Youth members shall be enrolled in a secondary school at the time of appointment. Appointments shall last one year, commencing i…

§ 901. Fiscal year The fiscal year shall begin the first day of July and end the 30th day of June each year or as otherwise authorized by the voters of the City. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 20, 2014.)

§ 902. Annual City budget The City Manager shall prepare and submit a proposed fiscal budget to the City Council in December or in compliance with their agreed-upon schedule. The Council shall have the authority to set the budget submission date. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 (Adj. Ses…

§ 903. Council action on the budget The City Council shall review the annual City budget as submitted by the City Manager at budget meetings established by the Council. The meetings of the City Council upon the budget shall be open to the public. During its review of the proposed…

§ 904. Administrative officers The administrative officers of the City shall be those provided by law for towns except as otherwise provided by this charter. Officers shall have all the powers and duties necessary to carry out the provisions of this charter as well as those provi…

§ 905. Election and tenure of City Clerk The City Clerk shall be elected by the voters of Montpelier for a term of three years. Following his or her election, the City Clerk may appoint one or more assistant City clerks. In the event of a vacancy in the Office of City Clerk, the …

§ 906. Appointment of City Treasurer The City Treasurer shall be appointed by the City Council. The Treasurer shall serve as an officer and employee of the City under the City Manager’s administrative control. (Amended 2013, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 20, 2014.)

§ 907. Personnel administration and benefits The City Council may adopt rules relating to personnel administration, including the following: job classification, tenure, retirement, pensions, leaves of absence, vacation, holidays, hours of work, group insurance, salaries, layoffs,…

§ 909. Annual City report A full record of expenditures shall be kept and a clear statement of all receipts and disbursements of City money and of the affairs of the City generally, together with the report of other City officials, shall be annually published under the direction …

§ 910. Officers’ bonds All officers from whom the City Manager may require bonds, or as required by State statute, shall annually give bonds to the City, to the satisfaction of the City Manager, for the faithful discharge of their respective trusts. Such bond shall be given befor…

§ 1. Establishment of City Out of the territory heretofore existing within the limits of the Towns of Newport and Derby is established the City of Newport, embracing all the territory included within the limits described in this charter; and the remainder of the territory of the …

§ 10. Mayoral approval and Board of Aldermen reconsideration of vetoed actions The action of the Board of Aldermen shall require the approval of the Mayor, except as herein otherwise provided, for the enacting of all ordinances and bylaws and the awarding of any contracts, the ap…

§ 11. Police officers All police officers shall have authority to serve anywhere within the State, and return process in criminal causes returnable within the State, and shall have the power of constables in all matters arising under the criminal and police laws of the State and …

§ 12. Board of Civil Authority and Board of Abatement The City Council, City Clerk, and the justices of the peace residing in the City shall constitute the Board of Civil Authority for the City, and, in conjunction with the listers, shall constitute a Board for the Abatement of T…

§ 13. City Clerk The City Clerk shall perform for the City the same duties devolving by law upon town clerks, except so far as the same are rendered unnecessary by this charter, and shall receive the same fees therefor, or shall receive such compensation from the City for his or …

§ 14. City Treasurer The City Treasurer shall have the same powers and be subject to the same liabilities as are prescribed by law for town treasurers. The City Clerk shall be eligible to hold the office of City Treasurer. It shall be the duty of said Treasurer, upon the receipt …

§ 14a. Collector of Taxes The Collector of Taxes shall have the same powers and be subject to the same liabilities in and for the City as collectors of town taxes in the State have by law and are subject to, and shall proceed in the performances of his or her duties as such colle…

§ 15. Constable The Constable shall have the same powers and be under the same duties and liabilities as are prescribed by law for the constables of towns, except for the collection of taxes, and said Constable and all special police officers shall have the same powers as sheriff…

§ 16. Department of Assessment There shall be a Department of Assessment, which shall consist of a Chief Assessor and such assistants as are deemed to be necessary by the City Council. The Chief Assessor and assistants shall be appointed and may be removed by the City Council. Th…

§ 17. Auditors The auditors shall examine and adjust the accounts of the Treasurer and all other City officers, and report the accounts so settled with the items thereof, and also the state of the Treasury; and the reports shall be printed, together with those of the other City o…

§ 18. City grand jurors The City grand jurors shall be complaining officers and shall have the same powers and be subject to the same liabilities in said City as are conferred and imposed by law upon grand jurors.