Vt. Senate gives nod to charter change for removal of select board members

ESSEX, Vt. (WCAX) – The Vermont Senate has given preliminary approval to a charter change allowing Essex to recall select board members.

Under the measure, 15% of registered voters in town would have to sign a petition and the select board would then have 60 days to hold a special election.

The select board member would only be removed if as many voters who voted in the previous Town Meeting Day or 30% percent of voters in town voted to remove them.

Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, P/D-Essex, says the charter change aims to strike a balance between building trust in government and maintaining confidence among people stepping up to serve. “There was a lot of concern of some of the impacts that it would be too easy to abuse if someone is mad at someone or doesn’t like something or is upset about a particular vote and not really allowing someone to remove someone for malfeasance,” Vyhovsky said.

The charter change comes during a period of increased scrutiny of local elected officials, with the only way to remove some being impeachment.

The bill needs one more vote before heading to the governor, who says he will sign it.