The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 24: Municipal and County Government

Chapter 003: Property and Equipment

• Subchapter 001: County Buildings and Lands

• § 71. Repealed. 1993, No. 233 (Adj. Sess.), § 45a, eff. June 21, 1994.

• § 71a. Courthouses

  (a) Except as provided herein, each county shall provide and own a suitable courthouse, pay all utility and custodial services, and keep such courthouse suitably furnished and equipped for use by the Superior Court, together with suitable offices for the county clerk, assistant judges, and Probate judges. Office space for the Probate Division of the Superior Court may be provided elsewhere by the county. The county shall provide at least the facilities for judicial operations that it provided on July 1, 2009.

  (b) If all judicial operations in a county are contained in one court building owned by the State, the county clerk and assistant judges may also be located in the same building. The Court Administrator and the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services shall be the superintendents of the building. They shall make decisions regarding building construction, space allocations, and use of the facility after consulting with the Superior Court presiding judge and the assistant judges. The county shall no longer be required to maintain a courthouse.

  (c) The Court Administrator, in consultation with the presiding judge of the Superior Court, shall determine what judicial operations will occur in the county courthouse. (Added 1993, No. 233 (Adj. Sess.), § 45, eff. June 21, 1994; amended 1995, No. 62, § 41, eff. April 26, 1995; 1995, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 4(c)(1), eff. May 6, 1996; 1995, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; 1997, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 16; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 163; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 163a, eff. Feb. 1, 2011.)

• § 71b. Repealed. 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 238a(a)(4), eff. February 1, 2011.

• § 72. Expenses of the Superior Court

  The expenses connected with the Superior Court, unless otherwise provided, shall be paid by the State. (Amended 1959, No. 328 (Adj. Sess.), § 8(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1983, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 5(b); 1987, No. 243 (Adj. Sess.), § 28, eff. June 13, 1988; 1995, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 8; 1999, No. 135 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 164.)

• § 73. Support of sheriff’s department

  (a) The county shall provide the sheriff with an adequate bond, a suitable office, office equipment and supplies, and adequate telephone service. The sheriff’s department shall also be provided with law enforcement equipment, supplies, insurance, and funds for maintaining and operating such equipment as the assistant judges consider necessary to ensure that the department operates in a safe, accountable, and professional manner. The county shall also provide reasonable secretarial assistance and bookkeeping assistance. The county shall also provide funds necessary for department personnel to comply with basic and in-service training requirements established by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council; funds to provide the matching share for grants from federal, State, or private sources; and funds to pay the liability insurance premiums for the sheriff and sheriff’s deputies.

  (b) From revenues derived from a contract, the sheriff’s department shall provide salaries, equipment, and other funds necessary to carry out that contract. (Amended 1967, No. 345 (Adj. Sess.), § 15, eff. April 1, 1969; 1971, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), eff. Feb. 3, 1972; 1977, No. 218 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1987, No. 262 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)

• § 74. Repealed. 1995, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 15.

• § 75. Telephone

  Each county shall provide adequate telephone service for the county courthouse, the offices of the county clerk, and the sheriff. (Amended 1967, No. 345 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. April 1, 1969; 1969, No. 266 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. July 1, 1971; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 165, eff. Feb. 1, 2011.)

• § 76. County law library

  Each county may maintain a complete set of Vermont Reports including the digest thereof in the county clerk’s office and in each Probate office. The county may maintain in the courthouse or elsewhere such additional law books as in the opinion of the assistant judges are needful for the judges and officials having offices in the county. (Amended 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 165a.)

• § 77. County lands; purchase; condemnation

  (a) Each county may acquire and own such lands and rights in lands as in the opinion of the assistant judges are needful for county purposes.

  (b) A county may condemn land in situations similar to those in which a municipality may condemn under section 2805 of this title by complying with the procedures established in sections 2805 through 2812 of this title, with the assistant judges performing the duties assigned by those sections to the selectboard.

  (c) In any proceeding brought by a county under subsection (b) of this section, the assistant judges shall be disqualified, and the proceeding shall be heard by the presiding judge sitting alone. (Amended 1979, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 6, 1980; 2009, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 166; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 72.)

• Subchapter 002: Capital Construction

• § 81. Preliminary cost estimates

  (a) The assistant judges of a county may authorize the preparation of preliminary plans and cost estimates for capital construction. For this purpose, the assistant judges may employ or retain architects, engineers, and such other personnel as in their discretion are required.

  (b) Upon completion of the preliminary plans and cost estimates authorized by subsection (a) of this section, the assistant judges shall determine the amount to be assessed against the equalized grand list of the county. (Added 1971, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 12.)

• § 82. Submission to voters

  (a) Debt may be incurred and bonds issued pursuant to the limitations of this chapter for the amount of funds necessary for capital construction.

  (b) Any bond issue pursuant to this chapter for capital construction shall be passed by a majority of the votes of those voting. The issue shall be submitted to the voters of the county at the first general or annual municipal election scheduled at least 90 days after the completion of the preliminary construction plans and cost estimates.

  (c) The assistant judges shall not submit to the voters more than twice the same proposition of incurring a bonded debt to pay for the cost of any particular capital construction project. If the first submission to the voters fails, the proposition may be resubmitted a second time at least 90 days but less than 180 days following the first submission.

  (d) Warnings of election, notification and conduct of meeting if required, and validation of bond issuance shall, insofar as applicable, be governed by the provisions of subchapter 1 of chapter 53 of this title relating to the issuance of municipal bonds. (Added 1971, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 12; amended 2003, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 47, eff. June 8, 2004.)

• § 83. Form, denominations, certification, and cancellation of bonds

  Insofar as applicable, the provisions of subchapter 1 of chapter 53 of this title relating to the form, denominations, certification, cancellation, and other matters affecting the issuance of municipal bonds shall govern bonds issued pursuant to this chapter. (Added 1971, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 12.)