Town Officers Responsible to Citizens: Town Meetings

V.S.A. tit. 24 Appendix, ch. 173, subch. 1

in effect

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 173, § 1 Authority of citizens

1. Authority of citizens All governmental authority of the Town of Windsor rests with the citizens of the Town, who exercise their powers at Town meeting, and to whom the elected and appointed officers of the Town are ultimately responsible.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 173, § 2 Town meetings

2. Town meetings (a) An annual Town meeting for the consideration of the budget and other Town business shall be held according to State law except as hereinafter provided. (b) A special Town meeting: (1) may be called by a majority of the Selectboard; or (2) shall be called by the Town Clerk upon receipt by the clerk of a petition signed by at least five percent of the voters, specifying the business to be transacted at the meeting. (c) Whenever an issue or election is to be decided by Australian ballot, the ballot boxes shall be opened no earlier than 6:00 a.m., but no later than 10:00 a.m., as determined by the Board of Civil Authority as provided in Vermont Statutes Annotated, and shall close at 7:00 p.m. Amended 2005, No. M-13 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 17, 2006.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 173, § 3 Postponement and combining of Town meetings

3. Postponement and combining of Town meetings (a) The Selectboard may postpone the vote on any question to be voted at a special meeting to the annual meeting or November federal elections if the special meeting would fall within 75 days of the annual meeting or November federal elections. (b) If a special Town meeting falls within 45 days of a later special Town meeting called by petition, the Selectboard may warn the question to be voted at the Town meeting and may by resolution rescind the call of the earlier meeting. Amended 1999, No. M-12 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 9, 2000.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 173, § 4 Australian ballots

4. Australian ballots At any annual or special Town meeting, the Selectboard may cause any question to be decided by Australian ballot, provided that the warning for the meeting specifies the questions to be decided in that manner. A meeting at which any question is to be decided by Australian ballot shall be preceded by a public hearing for discussion. The warning for the meeting shall include a notice of the time and place of the public hearing.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 173, § 6 Conduct

6. Conduct (a) The Moderator 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, the laws of the State of Vermont, and Roberts’ Rules of Order, Newly Revised, when not in conflict with 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 preserve the principles of fairness and openness in Town government. (b) The Town Clerk shall be the presiding officer at all Town elections by Australian ballots and shall cooperate with the Board of Civil Authority to assure that all laws relating to elections are faithfully observed. While the polls are open, the Town Clerk may rule on all questions concerning the conduct of the election and shall not be disqualified from performing any duties by reason of his or her own candidacy for any office. In the Town Clerk’s absence, the members of the Board of Civil Authority who are present may designate one of their members to perform the Town Clerk’s duties under this section.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 173, § 7 Reconsideration of actions taken

7. Reconsideration of actions taken A question considered at any Town meeting or election may not be submitted to the voters for reconsideration or rescission except at a subsequent annual or special meeting or election, specifically warned for the purpose and called by the Selectboard by resolution or by the Town Clerk pursuant to a petition requesting reconsideration or rescission. The petition must be signed by not less than 10 percent of the voters and filed with the Town Clerk within 30 days following the date of the meeting or election at which the question was first considered. The Clerk shall call for a vote in accordance with the petition within 60 days of the date of filing. The manner of reconsideration shall be the same manner by which the question was originally considered. A question voted on or considered shall not be presented for reconsideration or rescission more than one time; provided, however, that after the passing of at least eight months from the date of any such reconsideration or rescission, the same or a similar question may be newly submitted for consideration. Unless rescinded as provided in this section, any vote or action lawfully taken at a Town meeting or election shall remain in effect indefinitely. A vote to reconsider or rescind shall not be effective unless the number of votes cast in favor of reconsid- eration or rescission exceeds 90 percent of the number of votes cast for the prevailing side at the original meeting.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 173, § 9 Nomination of candidates

9. Nomination of candidates All Town elections shall be nonpartisan and no party designation or slogan shall be printed on any Town ballot or petition. Amended 2005, No. M-13 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. May 17, 2006.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24APPENDIX/173Fetched: 10/21/2026