The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 24 Appendix : Municipal Charters
Chapter 149 : Town of Springfield
Subchapter 002 : ELECTIONS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS
(Cite as: 24 App. V.S.A. ch. 149, § 24)-
§ 24. Appointed nonadministrative officials
(a) General provisions applying to all appointed positions.
(1) The appointed positions herein shall all be appointed by a majority vote of the Selectboard.
(2) Terms of appointment shall begin immediately upon Selectboard action and run for a period as specified herein.
(3) All appointees shall be administered the oath of office in the form as provided for by statute, if applicable.
(4) Appointees may be afforded compensation or reimbursement for expenses as determined by the Selectboard.
(5) [Repealed.]
(6) To the highest degree possible, the Selectboard shall strive for a balance of opinion on all appointive positions, boards, and commissions.
(7) Although operating independently, all appointive boards and commissions shall be required to cooperate with the Selectboard in the exercise of their duties in the pursuit of the public good. They shall be required to file an annual report for inclusion in the Town report, and also to file any other reports requested by the Selectboard, and attend any meeting so requested by the Selectboard.
(8) If an appointed official misses three consecutive regularly scheduled meetings of the appointed body, the chair of that board or commission shall report to the Selectboard, who may then declare that position vacant.
(9) Elected officials shall serve in appointed positions, boards, and commissions if the specific membership of the board or commission calls for their service, subject to the limits outlined herein.
(10) Town employees may serve in appointive positions as limited by charter but may not vote on any issue directly affecting their position or conditions of employment.
(b) Appointed positions.
(1) The functions of the following positions are governed by the applicable State statute, as limited by charter or ordinance:
(A) [Repealed.]
(B) [Repealed.]
(C) Tree Warden;
(D) [Repealed.]
(E) Pound Keeper;
(F) Town Clerk;
(G) Town Attorney;
(H) Town Treasurer;
(I) [Repealed.]
(J) Delinquent Tax Collector.
(K) Town Constable.
(i) The Selectboard shall appoint the Town Constable, who shall serve a one-year term.
(ii) The Constable shall be responsible for assisting the Town Clerk in the regulation and licensing of dogs.
(iii) The Constable shall be in attendance at all Town meetings and shall serve as sergeant at arms to assist the moderator as necessary in the maintenance of order.
(iv) The Selectboard may assign additional responsibilities to the Constable as necessary or convenient.
(v) A vacancy in the Office of the Constable shall be filled by a majority vote of the Selectboard.
(c) Appointed boards and commissions established by charter.
(1) Planning Commission.
(A) The Selectboard shall appoint the members of the Planning Commission in accordance with State statute. All members shall be registered voters of the Town.
(B) [Repealed.]
(2) Development Review Board.
(A) The Selectboard shall appoint the members of the Development Review Board in accordance with State statute. All members shall be registered voters of the Town.
(B) [Repealed.]
(3) Housing Authority.
(A) The Selectboard shall appoint members of the Housing Authority established pursuant to 24 V.S.A. chapter 113.
(B) [Repealed.]
(C) The Housing Authority shall also advise the Selectboard on housing issues generally when so requested.
(4) Airport Commission.
(A) Provided that there is a regional, State-owned airport in the Town, the Selectboard shall appoint an Airport Commission, the number of members to be decided by the Selectboard.
(B) The purpose of the Airport Commission shall be to advise the Selectboard on airport-related matters.
(C) The Airport Commission shall serve as the Airport Advisory Committee as prescribed by State statute.
(d) Boards, commissions, committees created by Selectboard action.
(1) The Selectboard may, at any time, in response to a perceived need, create, by ordinance or resolution, a board, commission, or committee.
(2) In doing so, the action must clearly state the reason for the creation of the body.
(3) Any body created under this subsection shall not have an effective life of more than three years. At the end of that period, the mandate creating the committee shall terminate and the Selectboard shall be required to review the reason for the body’s existence and may act to reconstitute the body. (Amended 2021, No. M-13 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 16, 2022.)
