Officers

V.S.A. tit. 24 Appendix, ch. 13, subch. 3

in effect

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 301 Officers; general provisions

301. Officers; general provisions The officers of the City of South Burlington shall be those provided by law for towns, except as otherwise provided by this charter. The 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 offices of Fence Viewer, Weigher of Coal, and Inspector of Lumber shall be abolished. (1) The officers of the South Burlington School District shall be those provided by law for school or school districts, except as otherwise provided by this charter; provided, however, that the School Directors shall hold no other School District or City office with the exception of the Board of Civil Authority, the Board of Abatement, and as provided otherwise in this charter. When a vacancy occurs on the Board of School Directors, the remaining members of the Board may fill the vacancy until the next annual meeting when the School District shall fill the vacancy. (2) The Council by majority vote of all its members shall appoint annually the City Treasurer, whose office shall be no longer elective, and the City Attorney, Zoning Administrator, Auditor, First and Second Constable, Grand Juror, and Trustee of Public Funds. (3) [Repealed.] Amended 2019, No. 84 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2023, No. M-28 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 4, 2024.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 302 City Council; number; terms of office; election

302. City Council; number; terms of office; election (a) There shall be a City Council consisting of five members. (b) Three members shall have terms of office of three years; two members shall have terms of office of two years. (c) All present Selectboard members shall serve as Council members until the expiration of their terms and their successors have been duly elected and have qualified. (d) All Council members shall be elected at large, and shall hold no other City or School District office, except as provided otherwise in this charter.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 303 Organization

303. Organization (a) Forthwith after its election and qualification, the Council shall organize and elect a Chair, a Vice Chair and a Clerk by a majority vote of the entire Council and file a certificate of such election for record in the Office Of the City Clerk. (b) The Chair of the Council or, in his or her absence, the Vice Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Council and shall be recognized as the head of the City government for all ceremonial purposes. (c) Agenda for regular meetings. (1) The Chair of the Council or, in his or her absence, the Vice Chair with the City Manager, shall prepare a written agenda for each regular meeting of the Council. The Chair may, and upon written petition of 15 voters shall, add to the agenda any items requested by persons not members of the Council, subject to the time limitations of subdivision (2) of this subsection. (2) The agenda shall be posted in at least three public places in the City, and shall be related to the local news media, at least 24 hours prior to the time of the meeting. (3) Any member of the Council may add times of business to the written agenda upon commencement of the meeting, provided that all of the Council members present at such meeting vote to add such items to the agenda. (4) Any irregularities or defects in the notice for, or conduct of any meeting of the Council may be cured at any subsequent regular meeting of the Council by resolution for that purpose adopted by majority vote of all its members, provided that such resolution is included in the agenda for such subsequent meeting. (d) Special meetings of the Council may be called at any time by the Chair or, in his or her absence, the Vice Chair. Notice of special meetings shall be served on the members of the Council, unless service thereof shall be waived in writing by all Council members, by delivering to each member at least 24 hours previous to the time of the meeting a written notice of such meeting stating the time, place, and purpose thereof or by leaving such notice 24 hours prior to the meeting at the place of his or her usual abode. Notice of the special meeting shall be released to the local news media.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 304 Vacancies

304. Vacancies When a vacancy occurs on the City Council, the remaining members may fill the vacancy until the next annual meeting when the City shall fill the vacancy.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 305 Meetings

305. Meetings (a) As soon as possible after the election of the Chair and Vice Chair, the Council shall fix the time and place of its regular meetings, and such meetings shall be held at least twice a month. (b) The Council shall determine its own rules and order of business. (c) The presence of three members shall constitute a quorum. (d) All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public unless by an affirmative vote of the majority of the members present the Council shall vote that any particular session shall be an executive session in accordance with 1 V.S.A. § 313. (e) As appropriate, the City Council shall strive to meet twice a year in each elementary school within the School District.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 306 Records of proceedings

306. Records of proceedings (a) It shall be the duty of the City Council to keep an official record of its proceedings, which shall be open for public inspection. (b) The minutes of each meeting shall be approved by the Council at the next meeting and official copy authenticated by the signature of the Clerk.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 307 Appointments

307. Appointments (a) The Council shall appoint and may remove the members of the following commissions and boards provided for in this charter or by State laws: (1) Development Review Board. (2) Planning Commission. (3) Board of Library Trustees, but in no event shall one-half or more of the members of such Board be at any one time from the Board of School Directors or employees of the South Burlington School District. (4) Annually, such additional boards, commissions, committees, or similar bodies as the Council feels to be in the best interests of the City or required by this charter or by State law, except for the Board of School Directors, and except where specifically provided otherwise in this charter. (b) In making any appointment under this section, notice of the position or positions to be filled shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the City, or by electronic means, at least 15 days prior to the appointment. Amended 1997, No. M-15 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1999, No. M-4, § 2, eff. Aug. 1, 1999.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 308 Jurisdiction over other officers or employees

308. Jurisdiction over other officers or employees Neither the City Council nor any of its members shall direct or request the appointment, by any other officer or employee of the City, 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 City, except as otherwise provided in this charter. The City Council and its members shall deal with that portion of the service of the City for which the Manager is responsible solely through the Manager, and neither the City Council nor any of its members shall give any orders to or request any action by any subordinate in office. This shall not be construed to prohibit the Council from recommending to the City Manager a prospective employee for his or her consideration.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 309 Compensation of Council members; appointees

309. Compensation of Council members; appointees (a) Compensation to be paid to the Council members shall be set forth in the proposed budget of the City. (b) The Council shall fix the compensation of all officers and employees, except as otherwise provided in this charter.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 310 Powers and duties

310. Powers and duties (a) The members of the Council shall be and constitute the legislative body of the City of South Burlington for all purposes required by statutes and except as otherwise herein specifically provided, shall have all powers and authority given to, and perform all duties required of, city legislative bodies under the laws of the State of Vermont. (b) Within the limitations of the foregoing, the Council shall have the power to: (1) Appoint and remove the City Manager and supervise, create, change, and abolish offices, commissions, or departments other than the offices, commissions, or departments established by this charter. (2) Assign additional duties to offices, commissions, or departments established by this charter, but may not discontinue or assign to any other office, commission, or department duties assigned to a particular office, commission, or department established by this charter. (3) Make, amend, and repeal ordinances. (4) Provide for an independent audit by a registered or certified public accountant who shall perform an annual audit of all City departments, including the Water Department. Said auditor shall also perform an annual audit of the South Burlington School District accounts. The elective Office of Auditor shall be abolished and the appointed auditor shall be responsible for and have all the powers and duties as are prescribed for town auditors under the laws of this State. (5) Adopt an official seal for the City. (6) Direct the City Treasurer to create and maintain a Special Reserve Fund for the City Fire Department to be used exclusively for the purchase or rebuilding of necessary vehicles and attendant equipment. The Council shall have the authority to purchase or rebuild such necessary vehicles and attendant equipment by utilizing the proceeds of the Special Reserve Fund and may partially fund any expenditure by incurring indebtedness in an amount not to exceed four times the amount of proceeds paid from the Special Reserve Fund for the purchase or rebuilding. Any indebtedness shall be paid within four years of the date it is originally incurred in as equal annual installments as possible. The funds appropriated to this Special Reserve Fund and the funds used to pay any indebtedness incurred shall be included in the allowable net cost of operations as specified in section 1309.1 of this charter. (7) The City Council and the School Board, by their own actions, may establish reserve funds to pay for public improvements, replacement of equipment, and planned or unplanned operating expenditures. Monies to be deposited in any fund shall be included in a City or School District budget and shall not be excluded in calculating the net cost of operation pursuant to subsection 1309(a) of this charter. Reserve funds shall be kept in separate accounts and invested in the same manner as other public funds. The City Council and the School Board may, from time to time, expend monies in those Funds for purposes for which they were established without voter approval. (8) Neighborhood forums. (A) Whenever the City Council or the School Board (either individually being the convening Board) shall determine that there has been a sufficient showing of interest or need to suggest that a public forum should be conducted in a neighborhood or neighborhoods within the City on a matter of public interest or concern, the convening Board may, in its discretion, issue a call for a neighborhood forum. The convening Board may make such a determination on the request of an interested citizen or citizens or on its own motion. (B) Promptly upon such a determination, the convening Board shall describe the neighborhood or neighborhoods having a community interest in the issue at hand; specify a date, time, and place for a neighborhood forum; describe the issues to be considered; appoint any suitable person as a temporary chair to convene the meeting; and issue a public warning of the meeting. The convening Board shall further specify the objective or objectives of the meeting, such as to: (1) share information with the residents of the specified community; (2) solicit information or opinions; (3) permit the residents to make recommendations relating to the issues; or (4) serve some other appropriate objective. The temporary chair shall begin the meeting as warned and shall assist the meeting in the election of a meeting chair. (c) The Council shall approve the budget of the City for submission to the voters, as provided herein. Amended 2007, No. M-14, § 2, eff. Nov. 11, 2007.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 13, § 311 Board of School Directors; number; terms of office; election

311. Board of School Directors; number; terms of office; election (a) There shall be a Board of School Directors consisting of seven members. (b) Four members shall have terms of office of three years; three members shall have terms of office of two years. (c) All present School Directors shall serve as Directors until the expiration of their terms and their successors have been duly elected and have qualified. (d) On the first Tuesday in March, 2025, the voters shall elect, from among the legal voters of the city, two members for terms of three years and two members for terms of two years. On the first Tuesday in March, 2026, one member for a term of three years and one member for a term of two years shall be elected. Thereafter, the election of school directors shall be for the length of the term of the member whose term is expiring. (e) All Board of School Directors shall be elected at large. Added 2023, No. M-28 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 4, 2024.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24APPENDIX/013Fetched: 10/21/2026