2013 Vermont Statutes
Title 24 Appendix Municipal Charters
Chapter 105 TOWN OF BERLIN
§ 101 Governance

105-101. Governance

Decisions of the Town of Berlin shall be made using the following procedure:

(1) The Selectboard shall have sole and exclusive authority to make decisions affecting:

(A) the construction and maintenance of highways;

(B) personnel;

(C) proposed budgets;

(D) the use of space within municipal buildings and other property;

(E) short term borrowing; and

(F) other proprietary matters not within the jurisdiction of any other officer, board, or commission.

(2) The Sewer Commission shall have sole and exclusive authority to make decisions affecting:

(A) the construction and maintenance of the Town sewer system;

(B) rate setting;

(C) the adoption of policies relating to connections and disconnections to the system;

(D) the allocation of sewer capacity; and

(E) other questions relating to the operation of the sewer system.

(3)(A) The Selectboard shall make decisions affecting:

(i) the adoption of ordinances;

(ii) the laying out, reclassification, and discontinuance of highways;

(iii) the creation of new Town employee positions; and

(iv) financial matters including borrowing sums for longer than one year, following notice as provided in 24 V.S.A. 1972.

(B) The voters may petition the Selectboard to warn a special meeting to approve or disapprove decisions made under subdivision (A) of this subdivision (3) pursuant to 24 V.S.A. 1973.

(4) The Sewer Commission shall make decisions affecting the siting and laying out of new sewer lines, following notice as provided in 24 V.S.A. 1972. The voters may petition the Selectboard to warn a special meeting to approve or disapprove such decisions, pursuant to 24 V.S.A. 1973.

(5) Voters equal to or exceeding five percent of the checklist may petition the Selectboard for a special Town meeting or to add an article to the warning for an annual Town meeting to propose ordinances for adoption by Australian ballot or to vote on advisory, nonbinding articles directly affecting the Town, which questions shall be voted at the annual or special Town meeting.

(6) The sole and exclusive body authorized to make decisions relating to issues of statewide or national interest, including positions on pending legislation, shall be the voters of the Town at Town meeting. (Amended 2005, No. M-5, 5.)