Bill > H0516

This bill officially approves amendments to the charter of the Town of Essex, which were previously approved by voters on March 4, 2025, and it also repeals a section of the existing law related to town meetings. The amendments make various changes to how the town operates, including clarifying that references to "statutes of the State of Vermont" or "statutes" within the charter should now be understood as "Vermont Statutes Annotated" (VSA), which is a compilation of Vermont's laws. Key changes include updating procedures for Selectboard organization and vacancies, allowing for the appointment of a Fire Chief, adding a Cemetery Commission to the list of appointments made by the Selectboard, and modifying the process for distributing the annual town report and holding town meetings. The bill also clarifies the powers and duties of the Department of Assessment, which replaces the Department of Real Estate Appraisal, and ensures that the town's charter can be amended according to VSA procedures.