The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 24 : Municipal and County Government

Chapter 138 : Rural Economic Development Infrastructure Districts

• § 5704. Governing board; composition; meetings; report

  (a) Governing board. The legislative power and authority of a district and the administration and the general supervision of all fiscal, prudential, and governmental affairs of a district shall be vested in a governing board, except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter.

  (b) Composition. The governing board of the district shall consist of members appointed in equal numbers by the legislative bodies of the underlying municipalities. The board shall draft the district’s bylaws specifying the size, composition, quorum requirements, and manner of appointing and removing members to the board, including nonvoting, at-large board members. The bylaws shall require that the legislative bodies of the underlying municipalities appoint board members and fill board member vacancies. Board members appointed by the underlying municipalities may appoint additional, nonvoting, at-large board members and fill at-large board member vacancies. Board members, including at-large members, are not required to be residents of an underlying municipality. However, a majority of the board shall be residents of an underlying municipality. Board members shall serve staggered, three-year terms and shall be eligible to serve successive terms. At-large board members shall serve one-year terms, and shall be eligible to serve successive terms. Any bylaws developed by the governing board under this subsection shall be submitted for approval to the legislative bodies of the municipalities within the district and shall be considered duly adopted 45 days after the date of submission, provided none of the legislative bodies disapprove the bylaws.

  (c) First meeting. The first meeting of the district shall be called upon 30 days’ posted and published notice by a presiding officer of a legislative body in which the district is located. The board shall elect from among its members a chair, vice chair, clerk, and treasurer. The board shall establish the fiscal year of the district and shall adopt rules of parliamentary procedure. Prior to assuming their offices, officers may be required to post bond in such amounts as determined by resolution of the board. The cost of such bond shall be borne by the district.

  (d) Annual and special meetings. Unless otherwise established by the voters, the annual district meeting shall be held on the second Monday in January and shall be warned by the clerk or, in the clerk’s absence or neglect, by a member of the board. Special meetings shall be warned in the same manner on application in writing by five percent of the voters of the district. A warning for a district meeting shall state the business to be transacted. The time and place of holding the meeting shall be posted in two or more public places in the district not more than 40 days nor less than 30 days before the meeting and recorded in the office of the clerk before the same is posted.

  (e) Annual report. The district shall report annually to the legislative bodies and the citizens of the municipalities in which the district is located on the results of its activities in support of economic growth, job creation, improved community efficiency, and any other benefits incident to its activities.

  (f) Definition. For purposes of this section and section 5709 of this chapter, after a district has been established pursuant to section 5702 of this chapter, “voter” means a board member or subscriber or customer of a service provided by the district. “Voter” does not mean an at-large board member unless the vote is taken at an annual or special meeting and the at-large board member is a subscriber or customer of a service provided by the district. (Added 2017, No. 69, § B.1, eff. June 28, 2017; amended 2017, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 22.)