Officers

V.S.A. tit. 24 Appendix, ch. 117, subch. 2

in effect

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 201 Officers generally

201. Officers generally The elected officers of the Town of Essex shall be Selectboard members and Moderator. These officers shall have all the powers and duties necessary to carry out the provisions of this charter as well as those provided by law. The terms of the officers shall commence on the first day of the month following the month of election.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 202 Selectboard — Number, terms of office, election

202. Selectboard — Number, terms of office, election (a) There shall be a Selectboard consisting of five members. (b) The terms of office of Selectboard members shall be for three years. (c) Unless necessary to fill a vacancy, no more than two Selectboard members shall be elected at any annual meeting. Notwithstanding, the terms of the presently elected Selectboard members shall not be modified by this section. (d) All Selectboard members shall be elected at large.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 203 Compensation of Selectboard; appointees

203. Compensation of Selectboard; appointees (a) Compensation paid to the Selectboard members shall be set by the voters at the annual meeting, with a minimum of $500.00 a year each. Selectboard members’ salaries must be set forth as a separate item in the annual budget presented to the meeting. (b) The Selectboard shall fix the compensation of all officers and employees, except as otherwise provided in this charter. Renumbered from 24A V.S.A. § 117-208 by 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Mar. 29, 2024.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 204 Organization

204. Organization (a) As soon as practicable after the first day of the month following annual Town meeting, the Selectboard shall organize and elect a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Clerk by a majority vote of the entire Selectboard and shall file a certificate of the election for record in the office of the Town Clerk. (b) The Chairperson of the Selectboard, or, in the Chairperson’s absence, the Vice Chairperson, shall preside at all meetings of the Selectboard and shall be recognized as the head of the Town government for all ceremonial purposes. (c) In the event of death, resignation, change of residence outside the Town, or incapacity of any Selectboard member, the remaining members of the Selectboard may appoint a person eligible to fill that position until the next annual or special meeting. If the Selectboard is unable to agree upon an interim replacement until the next annual or special meeting, a special election shall be held forthwith to fill the position. Incapacity shall include the failure by any member of the Selectboard to attend at least 50 percent of the meetings of the Selectboard in any calendar year. (d) The Town Moderator shall perform duties as prescribed by law and shall preside at all Town meetings, but in the Moderator’s absence, the Town Clerk shall call the meeting to order, and the first order of business shall be the election of a Moderator Pro Tempore to preside for the duration of the meeting. The Moderator shall conduct every meeting according to this charter or the laws of the State of Vermont. The Moderator shall preserve order in the conduct of the business of the meeting and in all things shall preserve the principles of fairness and openness in Town government. In the event of the death, resignation, or change of residence to a location outside the Town, the Selectboard may appoint a person eligible to fill that position until the next annual or special Town meeting. If the Selectboard is unable to agree upon an interim replacement until the next annual or special meeting, a special election shall be held forthwith to fill the position. Renumbered from 24A V.S.A. § 117-203 by 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Mar. 29, 2024; amended 2025, No. M-6 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 16, 2026.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 205 Meetings

205. Meetings (a) As soon as possible after the election of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, the Selectboard shall fix the time and place of its regular meetings and such meetings shall be held at least once a month. (b) The Selectboard shall determine its own rules and order of business. (c) The presence of three members shall constitute a quorum. (d) All meetings of the Selectboard shall be open to the public unless, by an affirmative vote of the majority of the members present, the Selectboard shall vote that any particular session shall be an executive session in accordance with 1 V.S.A. § 313. Renumbered from 24A V.S.A. § 117-204 by 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Mar. 29, 2024; amended 2025, No. M-6 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 16, 2026.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 206 Record of proceedings

206. Record of proceedings (a) An official record of the proceedings of the Selectboard shall be kept by its Clerk, who need not be a member of the Selectboard, which shall be kept in the office of the Town Clerk and shall be open for public inspection. The Town Clerk shall keep the official record of the proceedings of all special and annual Town meetings. (b) The minutes of each meeting shall be approved by the Selectboard as soon as is reasonably possible and the official copy authenticated by the signature of the Clerk of the Selectboard. Renumbered from 24A V.S.A. § 117-205 by 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Mar. 29, 2024; amended 2025, No. M-6 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 16, 2026.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 207 Powers and duties

207. Powers and duties (a) The members of the Selectboard shall constitute the legislative body of the Town of Essex for all purposes required by statute and shall have all powers and authority given to and perform all duties required of town legislative bodies or selectboards under the Vermont Statutes Annotated. (b) Within the limitations of the foregoing, the Selectboard shall have the power to: (1) appoint and remove the Town Manager and supervise, create, change, and abolish offices, commissions, or departments other than the offices, commissions, or departments established by this charter; (2) appoint the members of all boards, commissions, committees, or similar bodies unless specifically provided otherwise by this charter; (3) provide for an independent audit by a registered or certified public accountant; (4) inquire into the conduct of any officer, commission, or department and investigate any and all municipal affairs; (5) exercise each and every other power that is not specifically set forth in this charter but that is granted to the Selectboard by the Vermont Statutes Annotated. Renumbered from 24A V.S.A. § 117-209 by 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Mar. 29, 2024; amended 2025, No. M-6 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 16, 2026.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 208 Appointments by Selectboard

208. Appointments by Selectboard (a) The Selectboard shall appoint the members of the following permanent Commissions and positions: (1) [Repealed.] (2) Planning Commission; (3) Town Attorney; (4) Town Manager; (5) Development Review Board; and (6) Cemetery Commission. (b) The Selectboard may appoint additional boards, commissions, and committees as they feel to be in the best interest of the Town and all other appointive or elective officers authorized by the Vermont Statutes Annotated. (c) The terms of all appointments shall commence on the day after the day of appointment unless the appointment is to fill a vacancy in an office, in which case the term shall commence at the time of appointment. Renumbered from 24A V.S.A. § 117-206 by 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. Mar. 29, 2024; amended 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; amended 2025, No. M-6 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 16, 2026.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 209 Jurisdiction over other officers or employees

209. Jurisdiction over other officers or employees Neither the Selectboard nor any of its members shall direct or request the appointment, by any other officer or employee of the Town, of any person to office or employment, or his or her suspension or removal therefrom, or in any manner take part in the appointment, discipline, or removal of subordinates and employees of the Town, except as otherwise provided in this charter. The Selectboard and its members shall deal with that portion of the service of the Town for which the Manager is responsible solely through the Manager. This shall not be construed to prohibit the Selectboard from recommending to the Town Manager a prospective employee for his or her consideration, or bringing to the attention of the Manager any complaint concerning the actions of any officer or employee of the Town. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the review by the Selectboard of actions by the Manager or hearings brought to the Selectboard by employees pursuant to appellate rights granted them by the Vermont Statutes Annotated or contract. Renumbered from 24A V.S.A. § 117-207 by 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Mar. 29, 2024; amended 2025, No. M-6 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 16, 2026.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 117, § 210 Recall of Selectboard members

210. Recall of Selectboard members (a) A petition signed by 15 percent of the registered voters of the municipality, based upon the total number of registered voters at the last preceding municipal election, demanding the recall of the Selectboard member or members cited in the petition, shall be filed with the Town Clerk. (b) Within 60 days after receiving a valid petition, the Selectboard shall call a special meeting or, if the annual meeting is within 60 days, include a question on the annual Town meeting ballot to vote on whether the elected officer shall be removed. The vote shall be held by Australian ballot. (c) The Selectboard member shall be removed only if at least as many registered voters of the Town vote as voted in the election wherein the officer was elected or at least one-third of the registered voters of the Town vote, whichever is greater, and a majority of that number vote for removal. The Selectboard member or members shall be removed from office immediately, and the Selectboard shall then name a successor in accordance with the replacement provisions of this charter. (d) A recall petition shall not be brought against an individual more than once within 12 months. Added 2023, No. M-19 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 29, 2024; amended 2025, No. M-6 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Mar. 16, 2026.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24APPENDIX/117Fetched: 10/21/2026