2005 Vermont Code - § 4323. — -Appointment, term and vacancy; rules

§ 4323. -Appointment, term and vacancy; rules

(a) Members of a planning commission shall be appointed and any vacancy filled by the legislative body of a municipality. The term of each member shall be for four years, except that the terms of the members first appointed shall be so fixed that for commissions of eight members or less no more than two shall be reappointed or replaced during any future calendar year, and for commissions of nine members, no more than three shall be so reappointed or replaced. Any member may be removed at any time by unanimous vote of the legislative body. Any appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term.

(b) A planning commission shall elect a chairman and a clerk, and at its organization meeting, shall adopt by majority vote of those members present and voting such other rules as it deems necessary and appropriate for the performance of its functions. A planning commission shall keep a record of its resolutions and transactions, which shall be maintained as a public record of the municipality.

(c) As an alternative to appointment under subsection (a) of this section, municipalities may choose to elect planning commissioners for terms of one to four years. The proposal to elect and the length of terms to be filled shall be determined pursuant to a duly warned article at an annual or special meeting of the municipality. If a municipality chooses to elect planning commissioners:

(1) The length and spacing of terms shall be decided by vote of the municipality.

(2) Elections shall occur only as terms are completed, or as vacancies occur, or as new planning commissions are created.

(3) Vacancies may be filled by appointment of the legislative body only until the next meeting of the municipality, at which time the voters shall elect a commissioner to fill the unexpired term.

(4) Elected commissioners may not be removed by action of the legislative body. (Added 1967, No. 334 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 23, 1968; 1989, No. 280 (Adj. Sess.), § 3a.)