From this wooden language in an old case there is a rule for conduct of all public officers. Any profit made while serving, which the town could earn, through the action of an officer, belongs to that town, and not the officer. This does not mean that no one may bid on a town contract, but if a benefit accrued to a public officer on account of his or her position, that benefit would belong to the town. What We Lack. Vermont does not have laws that define what constitutes a conflict of interest for local public officials.
General laws directing local officials in a code of conduct are nonexistent.
While the legislature has considered such legislation frequently in the past, there is still a general belief that Vermont towns should not be dictated to by the state in this matter. Perhaps such decisions should be made locally. The state also needs to look at several procedural problems. Suppose a majority of the members of a board has a conflict of interest. Suppose some go south for the winter.