Officers

V.S.A. tit. 24 Appendix, ch. 123, subch. 3

in effect

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 301 Generally

301. Generally The officers of the Town of Hardwick shall be those provided by law for towns, except as otherwise provided by this charter. Such officers shall have all the powers and duties necessary to carry out the provisions of this charter as well as those provided by law.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 302 Elective officers

302. Elective officers (a) The officers elected and their compensation fixed by the Town at its annual meeting shall be: (1) five Selectboard members; (2) Town Meeting Moderator; (3)-(4) [Repealed.] (5) Town Clerk and Treasurer; (6)-(7) [Repealed.] (8) cemetery trustees; (9) library trustees; (10) Fire Department officers; (11) a First Constable, and a Second Constable, if needed; (12) [Repealed.] (13) a Tree Warden; (14) [Repealed.] (15) one or more grand jurors. (b) All elected officers shall be chosen from the legally qualified voters of the Town and shall hold office for the terms hereafter specified and until their successors are elected and qualified. (c) All Selectboard members shall be elected by Australian ballot. (d) When an elected officer specified in subsection (a) of this section resigns, makes another Town his or her residence, dies, or becomes incapacitated, the office shall become vacant and the Selectboard shall appoint an eligible person to fill the vacancy until the next annual meeting. The person elected shall at the annual meeting serve until the predecessor’s term expires. Incapacity shall include the failure of a Selectboard member to attend 50 percent of the meetings of the Board in any calendar year. Amended 2019, No. 84 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; 2021, No. M-17 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 7, 2022.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 303 Terms of office; Selectboard members

303. Terms of office; Selectboard members (a) Three Selectboard members shall be elected for a three-year term and two Selectboard members for a one-year term. (b) All Selectboard members shall be elected at large. The persons with the largest number of votes for office of equal terms shall be elected to those offices. If there are Selectboard offices with different terms, each candidate shall specify the term for which he or she seeks election. No person shall seek election to concurrent terms for the office of Selectboard member.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 304 Other elective offices

304. Other elective offices (a) [Repealed.] (b) The Town Meeting Moderator shall be elected and shall perform those duties prescribed by the general law of this State. (c) The Town Clerk and Treasurer shall be elected for a three-year term and shall carry out the duties of the town clerk and treasurer as specified by statute and by this charter and shall: (1) promptly deposit funds in the depositories as may be designated by the Selectboard; (2) invest Town funds in the manner designated by statute; (3) keep books and accounts as may be required by the Selectboard or the Town Manager in addition to those required by law; (4) make reports to the Selectboard or the Town Manager monthly or at other times as they may require showing the condition of the Town’s finances; and (5) perform other duties with respect to the Town’s finances as the Selectboard may request. Amended 2021, No. M-17 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 7, 2022.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 306 Appointed officers

306. Appointed officers (a) The Selectboard may appoint any officers required by the Town’s personnel regulations or this charter. (b) The Town Manager shall function as the personnel officer of the Town. (1) The Zoning Administrator shall be appointed in accordance with 24 V.S.A. § 4448. Upon appointment, the Zoning Administrator shall be under the direction of the Town Manager for faithful performance of the Zoning Administrator duties as prescribed in the Vermont statutes and this charter. (2) A Civil Defense Director whose powers and duties shall be established by law. (3) A Town Service Officer whose powers and duties shall be as established by law. (4) A Town Recreation Committee. (5) Planning commissioners/Zoning Development Review Board whose powers and duties shall be those established by law. (6) Representative to the Regional Planning Commission whose powers and duties shall be as those established by law. (7) Town Energy Coordinator. (8) Dog Warden. (9) [Repealed.] (10) Health Officer. Amended 2021, No. M-17 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 7, 2022.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 307 Vacancies and appointments

307. Vacancies and appointments (a) When the term of any member of the Development Review Board, the Planning Commission, or any other Town board, commission, or formal committee expires, or when the term of any officer appointed by the Selectboard or the Town Manager expires, or when there is a vacancy in any board, commission, committee, or office, the Town Manager may cause to be published, in a newspaper or digital news forum of general local circulation or availability, and on the Town website, a notice of the vacancy or the expiration of the term. (b) Any qualified voter of the Town, within 10 days of the publication, may submit their own name to the Town Manager as an applicant for the vacant or expired office. At the expiration or 10 days from the date of publication, the names of all persons being considered shall be entered in the Selectboard minutes. The Selectboard shall not fill the vacancy or expired term until after at least seven days from the date the names of the applicants are entered in the minutes. Amended 2021, No. M-17 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 7, 2022.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 308 Bonding of officers

308. Bonding of officers All officers of the Town required to be bonded by State law shall be so bonded.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 309 Oath of office

309. Oath of office All elective officials and all municipal police officers of the Town shall, before assuming office, take, subscribe, and file with the Town Clerk and Treasurer the following oath: “I, ______ , solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of ______ of the Town of Hardwick to the best of my judgment and abilities, according to law, so help me God (or I so affirm).” Amended 2021, No. M-17 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 7, 2022.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 310 Town Clerk and Treasurer

310. Town Clerk and Treasurer The Clerk, auditors, and Treasurer of the Town shall perform those duties imposed upon them by the general law of this State.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 123, § 311 Recall of elected officials

311. Recall of elected officials (a) Any elected Town officer may be removed from office as follows: A petition signed by not less than 25 percent of the registered voters shall be filed with the Selectboard, requesting a vote on whether the elected officer shall be removed from office. The date of signing by each voter shall be indicated in the petition and such date shall not be earlier than 30 days prior to the filing of the petition. The Selectboard shall call a special Town meeting, to be held within 45 days of receiving the petition, to vote on whether the elected town officer shall be removed. The officer 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 the number of votes is cast for removal. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or of this charter to the contrary, any vote on a recall petition shall be by the Australian ballot system. (b) If the Town votes for removal of an elected officer, the office shall thereupon become vacant, and the Selectboard shall call a special meeting, to be held within 45 days of the vote for removal, to fill the vacancy until the term of the officer so removed expires. The office shall remain vacant until the next annual Town meeting if such special meeting would fall within 75 days prior to the annual Town meeting.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24APPENDIX/123Fetched: 10/21/2026