Repairs of Churches

V.S.A. tit. 11, ch. 13, subch. 1

in effect

11 V.S.A. § 1471 Notice of meeting to provide for repairs

1471. Notice of meeting to provide for repairs When a building owned and used as a house of public worship needs repairs, and the owners are not a corporation or incorporated association, or have not the power by their charter or articles of association to repair such building, any three persons who are owners of such house may call a meeting of those who are proprietors or pew owners. At least 15 days before such meeting, such owners shall post a notice upon the door of such house, setting forth the time when it will be held and the business to be transacted, and they shall also cause such notice to be published three weeks successively in a newspaper circulating in the town where such house of worship is situated, the last of which publications shall be at least two weeks prior to such meeting.

11 V.S.A. § 1472 Organization of meeting

1472. Organization of meeting At the time appointed, such meeting shall be organized by the election of a chair and a secretary. Amended 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 72.

11 V.S.A. § 1473 Voting and assessment

1473. Voting and assessment Owners of pews shall have one vote for each pew. At the meeting, a committee of three shall be elected by ballot, who shall appraise each interest and establish the proportion each interest shall bear to the whole. The charges for such repairs shall be assessed upon the interest of each proprietor agreeably to such proportion.

11 V.S.A. § 1474 Assessment of pews

1474. Assessment of pews At such meeting, the majority of such owners or proprietors may assess the pews in such house for defraying the expenses of repairing the house, and direct and make such repairs as the majority deem necessary.

11 V.S.A. § 1475 Sale of pews for nonpayment

1475. Sale of pews for nonpayment When the owner or occupant of a pew so assessed does not pay the assessment to the person authorized by the meeting to collect the same, upon three weeks’ notice and demand made after the completion of the repairs, which notice and demand shall be made either in person or by publishing the same for three weeks successively in some daily or weekly newspaper of general circulation in the town where such house of public worship is situated, such collector may sell the pew of such delinquent person at public auction to the highest bidder, upon giving notice thereof as is provided in section 1471 of this title. The balance of the proceeds arising from the sale, if any, after the payment of assessments, expenses of advertising, and fees equal to those allowed by law for the collection of an execution, shall be paid to the owner of the pew so sold.

11 V.S.A. § 1476 Redemption

1476. Redemption Within six months after the sale, the owner or occupant may redeem the property by paying to the person entitled to receive the same, the purchase price with accrued interest. If such property is not redeemed, the collector shall thereupon execute and deliver to the purchaser a deed of such pew, which deed, when recorded, shall convey to the purchaser a title thereto.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/11/013Fetched: 10/21/2026