It's Your Turn: A Call to Local Office
Have you made any New Year's resolutions? What about getting involved in local government in 1998?
You might ask, "Why should I do that?"
First, your town needs you. There are over 5,000 local offices to be filled by election or appointment in Vermont's 237 towns, nine cities, 45 villages, and other varieties of local and regional government. Who do you think the people are who hold these jobs? They are residents, voters, taxpayers who felt an urge to serve and gave in to it.
What are some of these offices? Positions elected at Town Meeting include the Select Board, the School Board, the Town Clerk, Treasurer, listers, auditors, and others. Other positions are filled by appointment, usually in the weeks following Town Meeting. The Select Board makes such appointments, along with its other varied duties.
Select Boards have either three or five members, elected to one, two, or three year terms.
They are responsible for the basic administration of the town and authorize expenditures of voted budgets. They are bound, as all local boards are, to the open meeting and public records law.
The sheer variety of questions that come before a select board makes it one of the most interesting local offices. One week it's a neighbor who can't sleep because of a barking dog, the next it's a decision on whether to add a new highway to the town or trade in the town plow truck.
All homeowners know the listers (elected at Town Meeting) who come and appraise dwellings and land for the basis of property tax. If a taxpayer is unhappy with what the listers have done, there is a local appeal to the board of civil authority. That board consists of the town clerk, select board, and the justices of the peace.
Justices of the peace are elected at the General Election for a term of two years. JP's perform marriages, work in elections and tax appeals.
But perhaps you don't want to run for office. What about being appointed to a position? While most appointments are made soon after town meeting, during the year someone may resign, and a position will need to be filled. Talk to a few people in town and let them know you might be interested.
Appointive offices include the zoning administrator, planning commissioners (although some towns elect members to the planning commission), members of the zoning board of adjustment, the civil defense director. There are even dog wardens and tree wardens.
Each position has a little law to go with it, and a special responsibility to the citizens to do the job right.
Nobody can talk you into serving in local office, but there may come a time when somebody will ask you. Don't say no without thinking about the idea. Serve only a term, and then decide whether you like it.
The job can be challenging and rewarding. You may not change the world nor become a celebrity. But through your work you'll make a contribution to your community and feel good about it.
If you'd like to learn more about serving in local government, contact UVM Extension at 223-2389; RR 4, Box 2298, Montpelier, VT 05602. E-Mail lavery@sover.net and ask for the Vermont Institute for Government pamphlet called "It's Your Turn: A Call to Local Office."
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