The Killington Selectboard
posted
May 2, 2012
Will the town vote to keep the Town Manager Form of
Government?
On Monday May 7, 2012 Killington will hold a vote by Australian
Ballot at the Killington Town Offices between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to
consider the single petitioned article:
"Will the town vote to take advantage of the provisions of chapter
37 of Title 24 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated, and authorize the
selectmen to employ a town manager?"
Simply translated, this question asks, "Will the town vote to keep
in effect the Town Manager Form of Government?" The actual language
in the article comes directly from the Vermont statutes and the
question is required by law to be in this form. Because of the
wording of the petitioned article and the major impact the vote
would have on the Town and the way we govern ourselves, the
Selectboard is issuing this letter to clarify the article and the
potential outcomes of the vote.
• A "YES" vote would reaffirm and continue the Town Manager form of
government we currently have.
• A "NO" vote would revoke the Town Manager form of
government.
What is Town Manager Form of Government? It's important to
understand the answer to this question to realize the potential
impact of this article on the Town. In Killington we have had the
Town Manager Form of Government for over 30 years. The Town Manager
is recognized by Vermont Statutes in Title 24 Chapter 37.
Summarized by VLCT (the Vermont League of Cities and Towns), "the
Town Manager is charged by law with the efficient administration of
the affairs of the town. He or she supervises all appointed staff
and departments, manages all town finances, develops and
administers the budget, and serves as the general manager of the
Town.
The manager is also responsible for the hiring and firing of all
personnel and overseeing all town buildings, facilities, and
infrastructure. In sum, the relationship between the Selectboard
and the manager is best compared to that of a corporate board of
directors and the chief executive officer. The directors establish
policy, but entrust everyday operations to the executive." In
Killington, the Town Manager also acts as the tax collector, and
the statutory commissions on delinquent taxes (currently 8 percent)
are paid into the Town treasury.
Additionally, our Town Manager (unlike most other towns) is also is
responsible for the Golf Course and the Department of Economic
Development and Tourism and oversight of the heads of these
departments.
If the Town Manager Form of Government were revoked, the Town would
have 30 days to transition to a new form of governance. The
Selectboard would assume all responsibility for the general affairs
of the town and would have to be involved in the everyday
management of the Town. By law, the Treasurer would assume all
responsibility for finance and accounting functions. The office of
tax collector would become vacant, and, until the town voted to
elect a tax collector, the responsibility for delinquent tax
collection would be delegated to the first constable. As
compensation for his or her time and expenses, the first constable
would receive all delinquent tax penalties and interest which
currently count as revenue to the general fund.
There will be an Informational Meeting on the above petitioned
article on Wednesday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at the Killington Town
Offices.
We hope this letter is helpful. Thank you,
The Killington Selectboard
J. Christopher Bianchi, Jim Haff, Bernard Rome
Tagged:
The Killington Selectboard, Letter to Editor
