The Colchester Governance Committee will present its recommended Colchester Charter changes to the
Selectboard at the board’s Tuesday, July 8th Meeting. The suggested changes may appear on the
November ballot. The report can be found at:
http://clerkshq.com/content/Attachments/Colchester-vt/140708_11a.pdf
The recommendations are:
1. Change the Town Clerk/Treasurer to appointed rather than elected positions.
2. Remove the following positions: Grand Juror, Fence Viewer, Constable, and Tax Collector. Defer
to State statute regarding the Fire Warden.
3. Remove the paragraph referring the snow plowing of some private roads.
4. Revise the charter as follows:
a. Instead of a set 8% late charge for taxes due, that rate should be determined by the
Selectboard in policy.
b. Remove the reference in the Charter to a 7:30 start time for the annual meeting. Enable
the Selectboard to set the time.
c. Remove the requirement that the Town Manager attend every Selectboard meeting
d. Delete comma in Section 603 to clarify the timing of budget re-votes.
e. Remove charter defined penalties for ordinance violations. The ordinances themselves
should define a penalty.
5. Revise Chapter One of the charter with a number of small editing adjustments.
6. Replace the portion of Chapter One pertaining to ordinance proposal, adoption, amendment
and repeal.
7. Place the day-to-day operation and maintenance of cemetery lots under the control of the Town
Manager instead of an elected Cemetery Commission and institute a Cemetery Advisory
Committee appointed by the Town Manager to advise the Town Manager on matters relating to
the Town’s cemeteries.
8. Consider a Local Option Tax. The Governance Committee makes no recommendation for or
against.
Details and explanations for these recommendations are contained in the report.
Interested Colchester citizens are urged to attend this Selectboard meeting. Charter changes require a
vote by the Selectboard, public hearings, a Town wide vote and approval by the State legislature.
Selectboard at the board’s Tuesday, July 8th Meeting. The suggested changes may appear on the
November ballot. The report can be found at:
http://clerkshq.com/content/Attachments/Colchester-vt/140708_11a.pdf
The recommendations are:
1. Change the Town Clerk/Treasurer to appointed rather than elected positions.
2. Remove the following positions: Grand Juror, Fence Viewer, Constable, and Tax Collector. Defer
to State statute regarding the Fire Warden.
3. Remove the paragraph referring the snow plowing of some private roads.
4. Revise the charter as follows:
a. Instead of a set 8% late charge for taxes due, that rate should be determined by the
Selectboard in policy.
b. Remove the reference in the Charter to a 7:30 start time for the annual meeting. Enable
the Selectboard to set the time.
c. Remove the requirement that the Town Manager attend every Selectboard meeting
d. Delete comma in Section 603 to clarify the timing of budget re-votes.
e. Remove charter defined penalties for ordinance violations. The ordinances themselves
should define a penalty.
5. Revise Chapter One of the charter with a number of small editing adjustments.
6. Replace the portion of Chapter One pertaining to ordinance proposal, adoption, amendment
and repeal.
7. Place the day-to-day operation and maintenance of cemetery lots under the control of the Town
Manager instead of an elected Cemetery Commission and institute a Cemetery Advisory
Committee appointed by the Town Manager to advise the Town Manager on matters relating to
the Town’s cemeteries.
8. Consider a Local Option Tax. The Governance Committee makes no recommendation for or
against.
Details and explanations for these recommendations are contained in the report.
Interested Colchester citizens are urged to attend this Selectboard meeting. Charter changes require a
vote by the Selectboard, public hearings, a Town wide vote and approval by the State legislature.
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