Title 24, Title 24: Municipal and County Government

§ 4785. Liability against default Under no circumstance shall the State become responsible for owning or operating a clean water project when the loan recipient defaults on a loan obligation or abandons the project. (Added 2017, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. May 28, 2018.)

§ 4786. Action for receivership Upon default of a loan, VEDA shall have the right to petition the Superior Court in the county in which the clean water project is located, or the Public Utility Commission for projects subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission, to appoint a re…

§ 4787. Loan consolidation Loans, or the outstanding balance of loans, made for the purpose of preparing engineering plans for a project may be consolidated with any subsequent loans for construction. (Added 2017, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. May 28, 2018.)

§ 4801. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Municipality” shall mean “municipality” as defined in 1 V.S.A. § 126. (2) “Legislative branch” shall mean “legislative branch” as defined in subdivision 1751(2) of this title. (Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)

§ 4802. Approval of plan (a) Every agreement for a union municipal district under this chapter shall be submitted to the Attorney General before being presented to the voters for acceptance or rejection. The Attorney General shall determine whether the agreement is in proper form…

§ 4803. Powers as supplementary The powers granted to municipalities by this chapter are supplementary to any other powers heretofore or hereafter granted by any other statute for the same or similar purposes. (Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)

§ 4831. Creation of committee The legislative branch of any two or more municipalities may by agreement create a joint municipal survey committee to plan for the strengthening of local governments and to promote plans for more efficient and economical operation of local governmen…

§ 4832. Powers and duties The committee shall have the following powers for any of the purposes authorized by charter or general statute: (1) To make surveys and studies and conduct research programs to enable municipalities to make the most efficient use of their powers by coope…

§ 4833. Officers The members of a joint municipal survey committee shall consist of an equal number of representatives from each municipality designated by the legislative branch. Members of the legislative branch of a municipality may serve as members of the committee. The commi…

§ 4861. Authorization If a joint municipal survey committee approves the creation of a union municipal district, it shall prepare an agreement for the formation of the district and shall file a copy with the legislative body, planning commission, and clerk of each participating m…

§ 4862. Contents of agreement Any agreement for the creation of a union municipal district shall specify the following: (1) Its duration, if it is to be limited in time. (2) The precise organization, composition, and nature of any separate legal or administrative entity created t…

§ 4863. Approval of agreement (a) Any participating municipality may enter into the agreement for the formation of the union municipal district at any annual or special meeting of such municipality duly warned for such purpose. (b) The vote on the question of accepting the agreem…

§ 4864. Employee organizations; police employees; State Labor Relations Board If an employee organization is the exclusive bargaining representative of employees in one or more participating municipalities in a proposed agreement to create a union municipal district for the purpo…

§ 4865. Organization Upon the approval of the agreement by the required number of municipalities as provided in section 4863 of this title, the union municipal district shall become a body politic and corporate with the powers incident to a public corporation. The district shall …

§ 4866. Powers and duties A union municipal district may: (1) Hire and fix the compensation of employees. (2) Contract with consultants and other experts for services. (3) Contract with the State of Vermont or the federal government, or any agency or department thereof, for servi…

§ 4867. Cooperation with other agencies Whenever a union municipal district intends to operate in a geographical area which may involve other governmental agencies acting in a regional capacity, it shall notify that governmental agency of its plans and intentions. (Added 1969, No…

§ 4868. Reports Each union municipal district shall prepare an annual report of its activities, including a financial statement, to be distributed to its member municipal units, and shall prepare and distribute any other reports required by its by-laws. (Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj.…

§ 4901. Authorization (a) Any one or more municipalities may contract with any one or more other municipalities to perform any governmental service, activity, or undertaking which each municipality entering into the contract is authorized by law to perform, provided that the legi…

§ 4902. Contents of contract (a) The contract shall set forth fully the purposes, powers, rights, and objectives, and responsibilities of the contracting parties. (b) The contract may provide: (1) That one person shall hold the same office or offices in the participating municipa…

§ 4931. Source of funds Any union municipal district may accept, receive, and disburse in furtherance of the duties and functions, any funds, grants, and services made available by the State of Vermont and its agencies, the federal government and its agencies, any municipality or…

§ 4932. Technical assistance The State and all departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, and other agencies thereof are hereby authorized and empowered, within the limitations of the constitution, to furnish and make available services, assistance, funds, property, and other inc…

§ 4933. Municipal contributions Each municipality that is a party to an interlocal contract shall have authority to appropriate funds for the purpose of the contract and may also levy taxes and issue bonds for the payment of the appropriation as a special purpose. Services of per…

§ 4941. Definitions As used in this subchapter: (1) “Association” shall mean an association, compact, or corporation, any of which shall be organized not for profit, and formed for the purpose of entering into intermunicipal insurance agreements under this subchapter. (2) “Munici…

§ 4942. Contents of agreement Two or more municipalities, by resolution of their respective legislative bodies or boards, may establish and enter into agreements for obtaining or effecting insurance by self-insurance, for obtaining or effecting insurance from any insurer authoriz…

§ 4943. Contributions Any contributions made to such association for the purpose of distributing, sharing, or pooling risks shall be made on an actuarially sound basis, and any such association shall have its books, records, and financial affairs audited annually by a certified p…

§ 4944. Approval of agreements (a) No association organized under this subchapter shall receive funds from any municipality for the purpose of distributing, sharing, or pooling any risk until a plan for the operation of the association together with all contracts, agreements, and…

§ 4945. Inapplicability of other laws The provisions of section 4863 of this title shall not apply to the formation of an association organized under this subchapter, nor to the participation therein by a municipality. (Added 1985, No. 237 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. June 3, 1986.)

§ 4946. Declaration of policy The General Assembly hereby finds and declares that the implementation of this subchapter by any municipality and the activity of any association organized pursuant to this subchapter shall constitute essential governmental functions. Participation b…

§ 4947. Health benefit plans offered to entities providing educational services (a) As used in this section: (1) “Health benefit association” means an association that offers one or more health benefit plans to school employers for coverage of their school employees. (2) “School …

§ 4951. Contract for joint municipal development (a) Any two or more municipalities, as provided in this chapter, may enter into contracts with each other, provided a vote of a majority of those voting at an annual or special meeting warned for that purpose grants authority to th…

§ 5001. Legislative findings The General Assembly finds: (1) There exist in the various municipalities numerous dwellings and dwelling premises that are substandard due to dilapidation, deterioration and disrepair, structural defects, uncleanliness, lack of adequate ventilation, …

§ 5002. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Board” means the board established or designated as the housing board of review. (2) “Dwelling” means any building or structure or part thereof, including hotels and rooming houses, that is used, occupied, or intended to be used o…

§ 5003. Powers of municipalities (a) For the purposes of promoting the public health, safety, morals, or general welfare, and for the purpose of making dwellings and dwelling premises safe, sanitary, and fit for human habitation, a municipality may adopt, amend, and revise an ord…

§ 5004. Establishment of enforcement agency If a municipality adopts an ordinance pursuant to section 5003 of this title it shall provide for the creation of such agencies, departments, divisions, and offices as may be required to administer the powers and duties authorized by th…

§ 5005. Housing board of review (a) If a municipality adopts an ordinance pursuant to section 5003 of this title, it shall provide for the selection and organization of a housing board of review consisting of five members who shall be appointed by the legislative body. The chair,…

§ 5006. Court review (a) Any person, including the enforcing officer, aggrieved by any decision of the board, may appeal to the Superior Court. The appeal shall not stay proceedings upon the decision appealed from, but the court may on application, upon notice to the board and on…

§ 5007. Penalties Municipalities may prescribe by ordinance penalties for any violation of any ordinance or regulation adopted under this chapter by a fine not to exceed $200.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, for each violation thereof. Each day’s failure …

§ 5008. Court proceedings If the enforcing officer finds that any person has failed to comply with any order issued by him or her within the time specified therein and that such person has failed to appeal such order within the time prescribed, he or she may notify the State’s At…

§ 5009. Construction This chapter shall be construed most favorably to municipalities, its intention being to give them the fullest and most complete powers possible concerning the subject matter hereof. (Added 1969, No. 270 (Adj. Sess.).)

§ 5010. Effect of previously adopted ordinances Ordinances, rules, and regulations adopted by any municipality under chapter 83 of this title shall not be affected or in any way invalidated by the provisions of this chapter. The provisions of this chapter and ordinances and regul…

§ 5051. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Accumulated contributions” means the sum of all the amounts deducted for Municipal Employees’ Retirement System purposes from the compensation of a member with interest thereon, as provided in subsection 5063(b) of this title. (2)…

§ 5052. Name and date of establishment The date of establishment of the Retirement System shall be July 1, 1975. The System shall be known as the “Vermont Municipal Employees’ Retirement System”, and by such name all of its business shall be transacted, all of its assets invested…

§ 5053. Members (a) An employee of an employer who joins the Vermont Municipal Employees’ System may become a member of the System on the effective date of participation of said employer or at a later date if he or she has completed three or more years of continuous service as an…

§ 5053a. Employees of a supervisory union (a) For purposes of this section, the term “transferred employee” means an employee under this chapter who transitioned from employment solely by a school district to employment, wholly or in part, by a supervisory union pursuant to 16 V.…

§ 5054. Creditable service (a) An employee who becomes a member on July 1, 1975 shall receive credit for all prior service as an employee since the employee’s most recent date of hire with his or her present employer, up to a maximum of 20 years. Any other person who becomes a me…

§ 5054a. Elective credits (a) Any member may elect to have included in the member’s creditable service, years of service as an employee of another municipality, as a State employee, or as a teacher in a public or private school, as defined by the Board, and years of service in th…