Town Meetings

V.S.A. tit. 24 Appendix, ch. 113, subch. 3

in effect

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 113, § 301 Application of general laws

301. Application of general laws Provisions of the laws of the State of Vermont relating to the qualifications of voters, the manner of voting, the duties of election officers, and all other particulars respective to preparation for, conduct, and management of elections, so far as they may be applicable, shall govern all municipal elections, and all general and special meetings, except as otherwise provided in this charter.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 113, § 302 Time of holding

302. Time of holding (a) An annual Town meeting for the consideration of the budget and other Town business shall be held on the first Tuesday in March unless otherwise legally warned by the Selectboard. However, all business that may be decided without Australian ballot shall take place on the evening before the first Tuesday in March and shall be adjourned when all matters have been decided. The time shall be established by policy of the Selectboard at its annual organizational meeting in consultation with the Colchester School District. (b) The election of officers and the voting on all other questions to be decided by the Australian ballot system shall take place on the first Tuesday in March. The ballot boxes shall be open between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. or as shall be determined and warned by the Selectboard. (c) The Selectboard shall determine which articles are to be voted upon by Australian ballot and which articles are to be voted upon by other methods, and it shall indicate in the warning the questions to be voted by Australian ballot. Amended 2015, No. M-1, § 2, eff. Jan. 27, 2015.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 113, § 303 Eligible voters

303. Eligible voters A means for the identification and designation of the eligible voters in Town meeting shall be devised and enforced by the Board of Civil Authority.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 113, § 304 Budget

304. Budget An annual Town budget exclusive of school district budget shall become effective after adoption at Town meeting by the vote of the majority of those eligible to vote present at such meeting. After such budget has been adopted, the Selectboard may make emergency appropriations totaling not in excess of four percent of the aggregate budget appropriations, following an opportunity for public comment on the matter. Such emergency appropriations shall be reported to the next Town meeting. Any appropriation in excess of such four percent shall require prior approval of a special Town meeting. Amended 2015, No. M-1, § 2, eff. Jan. 27, 2015; 2017, No. M-5, § 2, eff. May 17, 2017.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 113, § 305 Overrule of ordinances

305. Overrule of ordinances All ordinances shall be subject to overrule by a special Town meeting, as follows; if, within 20 days after final passage by the Selectboard of any such ordinance, a petition signed by voters of the Town not less in number than 10 percent of the largest number of votes cast by Australian ballot at the last annual Town meeting is filed with the Town Clerk requesting its reference to a special Town meeting, the Selectboard shall fix the time and place of such meeting, which shall be not less than 30 nor more than 40 days after the filing of the petition and notice thereof shall be given in the manner provided by law in the calling of a special Town meeting. An ordinance so referred shall become effective upon the conclusion of such meeting unless voters not less in number than 10 percent of the largest number of votes cast by Australian ballot at the last annual Town meeting and constituting a majority of those voting thereon, shall have voted against the ordinance. Amended 2015, No. M-1, § 2, eff. Jan. 27, 2015.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 113, § 306 Petition for enactment of ordinance; special meeting

306. Petition for enactment of ordinance; special meeting (a) Subject to the provisions of section 305 of this charter, voters of the Town may at any time petition in the same manner as in section 305 for the enactment of any proposed lawful ordinance by filing such petition, including the text of such ordinance, with the Town Clerk. The Selectboard shall call a special Town meeting to be held not less than 30 nor more than 40 days after the date of such filing, unless prior to such meeting such ordinance is enacted by the Selectboard. The warning for such meeting shall state the proposed ordinance in full and shall provide for an aye and nay vote as to its enactment. Such ordinance shall take effect on the 10th day after the conclusion of such meeting provided that the voters as qualified in section 305 of this charter, constituting a majority of those voting thereon, shall have voted in the affirmative. (b) Any proposed ordinance shall be examined by the Town Attorney before being submitted to the special Town meeting. The Town Attorney is authorized subject to the approval of the Selectboard to correct such ordinance so as to avoid repetitions, illegalities, and unconstitutional provisions, and to ensure accuracy in its text and references, and clearness and preciseness in its phraseology, but the Attorney shall not materially change its meaning and effect. (c) This section shall not apply to appointments of officers, members of commissions, or boards made by the Selectboard or to the appointment or designation of Selectboard members, or to rules governing the procedure of the Selectboard. Amended 2015, No. M-1, § 2, eff. Jan. 27, 2015.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24APPENDIX/113Fetched: 10/21/2026