The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 24 Appendix: Municipal Charters

Chapter 129F: Town of Panton

• § 1 Corporate existence retained

  (a) Pursuant to the authority granted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont, there is hereby enacted a charter to govern the organization and operation of local government in the Town of Panton, Vermont.

  (b) The inhabitants of the Town of Panton, within the geographical limits as now established, shall continue to be a municipal corporation by the name of Panton, Vermont. (Added 2013, No. M-12 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 2, 2014.)

• § 2 General provisions

  (a) Except when changed, enlarged, or modified by the provisions of this charter, all provisions of the statutes of the State of Vermont relating to municipalities shall apply to the Town of Panton.

  (b) The Town of Panton shall have all the powers granted to towns and municipal corporations by the Constitution and laws of the State of Vermont and this charter, together with all the implied powers necessary to carry into execution all the powers granted. The Town of Panton may enact ordinances not inconsistent with the Constitution of the State of Vermont, laws of the State of Vermont, or this charter, and impose penalties for violation thereof.

  (c) In this charter, any mention of a particular power shall not be construed to restrict the scope of the powers that the Town would have if the particular power were not mentioned, unless this charter otherwise provides.

  (d) Nothing in this charter shall be construed to in any way limit the powers and functions conferred on the Town of Panton, the Selectboard of the Town, or its elected or appointed officers by general or special enactment of State statutes or regulations in force or effect or hereafter enacted, and the powers and functions conferred by this charter shall be cumulative and in addition to the provisions of the general or special enactment unless this charter otherwise provides. (Added 2013, No. M-12 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 2, 2014.)

• § 3 Appointed officers

  (a) In addition to all other offices that may be filled by appointment by the Selectboard pursuant to State law or this charter, the Selectboard shall appoint the following Town officers, who shall serve for such terms as the Selectboard may establish in its act of appointment or until the office otherwise becomes vacant:

  (1) A Town Treasurer who shall not simultaneously hold any elective office within Town government. The Town Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of current taxes. The Town Treasurer shall be paid an hourly wage.

  (2) A Town Clerk who shall not simultaneously hold any elective office within Town government. The Town Clerk shall be paid an hourly wage.

  (3) A Collector of Delinquent Taxes. Unless the Town shall vote under 24 V.S.A. § 1530 to pay the Collector of Delinquent Taxes a salary in lieu of fees and commissions, the Collector shall be compensated by the eight-percent commission on delinquent taxes set forth in 32 V.S.A. § 1674(2), or such other percentage as may be set by a majority of voters present and voting at an annual or special meeting in accordance with 32 V.S.A. § 1674(3).

  (b) The Selectboard shall adopt, and revise from time to time, a general statement of the qualifications necessary to perform the duties and responsibilities of each of these appointed Town offices and a job description of those offices. These appointed officers shall exercise all the powers and duties necessary to carry out the provisions of this charter as well as those provided by State law generally.

  (c) These appointed officers shall be employees of the Town of Panton, subject to all personnel and employment rules, regulations, and policies of the Town. An officer appointed hereunder shall be eligible to apply for reappointment at the expiration of his or her term of office but failure by the Selectboard to make such reappointment shall not be construed as discharge from employment.

  (d) Persons appointed to the positions of Clerk, Treasurer, or Collector of Delinquent Taxes need not be a resident or voter of the Town of Panton. (Added 2013, No. M-12 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 2, 2014.)

• § 4 Separability

  If any provision of this charter is held invalid, the other provisions of the charter shall not be affected thereby. (Added 2013, No. M-12 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 2, 2014.)

• § 5. Recall of elected town officers

  (a) Any elected Town officer may be removed from office subject to the following conditions and procedures:

  (1) A written petition, signed by not less than 15 percent of the registered voters of the Town, seeking the removal of a Town officer and requesting a vote of the Town at a regular or special Town meeting called for the purpose, shall be filed with the Selectboard and the Town Clerk.

  (2) If the petition is filed not more than 60 days and not less than 47 days before the next regular Town meeting, the Selectboard shall place the question of whether the elected officer shall be removed on the warning for the next regular Town meeting. Otherwise, the Selectboard shall call a special Town meeting, to be held within 45 days after receiving the petition, to vote on whether the elected officer shall be removed. In either case, the recall vote shall be held by Australian ballot.

  (3) When the petitioned removal is approved by a majority of the votes cast at the regular or special Town meeting, the Town officer named in the petition shall cease to hold office.

  (4) The officer shall be removed only if at least as many registered voters of the Town vote to approve the petition as voted to elect said officer in the most recent election wherein the officer was elected, or at least one-third of the registered voters of the Town vote, whichever is fewer.

  (b) A vacancy resulting from the recall of an officer shall be filled in the manner prescribed by law.

  (c) A recall petition shall not be brought against an individual more than once within any 12-month period. (Added 2025, No. M-11 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 8, 2026.)