Union Municipal Districts

V.S.A. tit. 24, ch. 121, subch. 3

in effect

24 V.S.A. § 4861 Authorization

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 municipality. Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1973, No. 250 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.

24 V.S.A. § 4862 Contents of agreement

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 thereby, with the powers delegated thereto. (3) Its purposes. (4) The manner of election or designation of officers of the district, and the powers and duties thereof. (5) The means of establishing a budget and financing the union municipal district, and the method, if so provided, for assessing the member municipalities or the taxpayers thereof for the expenses of the district. (6) The permissible method or methods to be employed in accomplishing the partial or complete termination of the agreement and for disposing of property thereon. (7) The manner in which the agreement may be amended or renewed, where applicable. (8) The conditions and procedure under which a municipality may withdraw from a union municipal district or join a district already in operation. (9) Any other necessary and proper matters. Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1973, No. 250 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.

24 V.S.A. § 4863 Approval of agreement

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 agreement shall be by printed ballot substantially as follows: Shall the (name of municipality) enter into an agreement for the formation of a union municipal district to be known as “ ”. (c) All elections in the separate municipalities shall be held on the same day. The vote shall be by Australian ballot as provided for in 17 V.S.A. chapter 55, subchapter 3. (d) Where three or more municipalities are concerned in the voting, and at least two approve the agreement, rejection of the agreement by one or more shall not defeat the creation of a district composed of the municipalities voting affirmatively on the question, if the joint survey committee decides that it is feasible or practical to continue the district as a geographic unit, unless the agreement as proposed expressly provides that specific participating municipalities or a minimum number of participating municipalities shall approve the agreement. Members from municipalities rejecting the agreement may take no part in the decision of the joint survey committee, or in any subsequent matters relating to the agreement rejected by the municipalities they represent. (e) The governing body of the district may authorize the inclusion of additional municipalities outside of the district. Any authorized municipality may take action to enter into the district according to the approval procedures contained herein. (f) A municipality which is a member of a union municipal district may vote to withdraw from the union municipal district if one year has elapsed since said union municipal district has become a body politic and corporate as provided in section 4865 of this title and if the union municipal district has not voted to bond for construction and improvements as provided in section 4866 of this title. (g) When a majority of the voters of a member municipality present and voting at a meeting of such municipality duly warned for that purpose shall vote to withdraw from a union municipal district, the vote shall be certified by the clerk of that municipality to the governing body of the union municipal district. Thereafter, the governing body of the union municipal district shall give notice to the remaining member municipalities of the vote to withdraw and such body shall hold a meeting to determine whether it is in the best interests of the district to continue to exist. Representatives of the member municipalities shall be given an opportunity to be heard at such meeting together with any other interested persons. After such meeting, the governing body may declare the district dissolved immediately or as soon thereafter as each member municipality’s financial obligations have been satisfied, or it may declare that the district shall continue to exist despite the withdrawal of the member municipality. (h) A vote of withdrawal taken after a union municipal district has become a body politic and corporate but less than one year after that date shall be null and void. A vote of withdrawal taken after the union municipal district has voted to bond itself for construction and improvements shall likewise be null and void. (i) The membership of the withdrawing municipality shall terminate as of one year following the vote to withdraw or as soon after such one year period as the financial obligations of said withdrawing municipality have been paid to the union municipal district. Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1973, No. 250 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2001, No. 6, § 12(c), eff. April 10, 2001; 2003, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 85h.

24 V.S.A. § 4864 Employee organizations; police employees; State Labor Relations Board

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 purpose of providing services currently provided by these employees, any questions of unit determination or representation involving these employees shall be resolved by the State Labor Relations Board pursuant to 21 V.S.A. chapter 22. Added 2003, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 85i.

24 V.S.A. § 4865 Organization

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 be known by the name given in the agreement, by that name may sue and be sued, and may hold and convey real and personal estate for the use of the district. Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1973, No. 250 (Adj. Sess.), § 4.

24 V.S.A. § 4866 Powers and duties

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 services. (4) Contract with any participating municipality for the services of any officers or employees of that municipality useful to it. (5) Contract with a county sheriff to provide law enforcement services to the union district. (6) Promote cooperative arrangements and coordinated action among its participating municipalities. (7) Make recommendations for review and action to its participating municipalities and other public agencies which perform functions within the region in which its participating municipalities are located. (8) Exercise any other powers which are exercised or are capable of exercise by any of its participating municipalities, and necessary or desirable for dealing with problems of mutual concern. (9) Borrow money and issue evidence of indebtedness as provided by chapter 53 of this title. Obligations incurred under such chapter shall be the joint and several obligations of the district and of each member municipality but shall not affect any limitation on indebtedness of a member municipality. The cost of debt service shall be included in the annual budget of the district, and shall be allocated among the member municipalities as provided in the agreement for the allocation of the assessment for the ordinary expenses of the district. Where voter approval is required pursuant to chapter 53 of this title, the governing body of the district shall determine the number and location of polling places, and when a majority of all the voters present and voting on the question from all of the member municipalities at such meeting vote to authorize the issuance of bonds, the district shall be authorized to issue the bonds as provided in said chapter. The counting of ballots shall be conducted by the governing board of the district together with the town or city clerk from each member municipality or his or her designee. Added 1969, No. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1973, No. 250 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2003, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 85j.

24 V.S.A. § 4867 Cooperation with other agencies

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. 197 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.

24 V.S.A. § 4868 Reports

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. Sess.), § 1.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24/121Fetched: 10/21/2026