Government Operations

This bill approves amendments to the Town of Williston's charter that remove the elected position of lister and replace it with a professionally qualified assessor who may be hired or contracted by the town. The change allows the town to employ an assessor who does not need to be a resident of Williston, while ensuring the new role carries the same powers, duties, and liabilities as the previous lister position. Current listers will see their terms expire within 45 days of the bill's passage or once an assessor is hired, whichever happens later.

H 902 approves charter amendments for the City of Barre that allow the City Manager or councilors (with City Council approval) to authorize the sale of city property. It also changes rules for the city's unspent funds, limiting how much can be kept as an undesignated balance to 5% of the general fund budget. Any funds exceeding this 5% threshold must be used to reduce the tax rate in the next budget. These changes follow voter approval on May 13, 2025, and take effect upon passage.

This bill approves a charter amendment for the Town of Panton that establishes a formal process for residents to recall elected town officers. To initiate a recall, a petition signed by at least 15% of registered voters must be filed with the Selectboard and Town Clerk, triggering a vote at either a regular or special town meeting. The officer is removed only if a majority of votes cast support the recall and the number of votes equals or exceeds the turnout of the officer's most recent election, or at least one-third of all registered voters participate. Additionally, the law prevents recall petitions from being filed against the same individual more than once within a 12-month period.

This bill approves a charter amendment for the City of Burlington to create a permanent Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. The new office will be led by a Director who reports to the Mayor and works with City departments to develop strategies for diversity and antiracism. The Director will have the authority to recommend policy changes and improve representation for underserved communities in city government. The office will also coordinate public engagement efforts to make city interactions more inclusive.

This bill approves a charter amendment for the Town of Stowe that authorizes the town to impose a two percent local option tax on sales, rooms, meals, and alcoholic beverages. The legislation confirms that voters approved this proposal on March 3, 2026, and directs the Department of Taxes to collect and administer the new tax. Additionally, the bill states that this new tax replaces any previous local option taxes the town may have had in place.