Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-02-17
MAKES SWEEPING CHANGE.
Selectmen Should Study New Law
Before Issuing Warning for
Coming Town Meetings.

Before Issuing Warning for
Coming Town Meetings.
With the nearing of the date for the
town meetings throughout the state the
various boards of selectmen in making
out the warnings should take into con.
sideration new law passed at the re-
cent session of the Legislature which is
really made sweeping in its effects and
changes.
The particular features of the law
are First, it will be observed the first
sentence that hereafter town officers will
be elected from among the illegal vot-
ers". The law previously stated that
they should be elected from among the
"inhabitants", which of course includes
foreigners, or, in other words, "inhabi-
tants" is more inclusive than "citizens'
and "citizens" more inclusive than
"voters" A second fact to be observed
is the arrangement of town officers.
The election of school director in the
previous order of officers was toward the
last. As he hereafter will not enter up
on his duties until July first, he is
elected Immediately after the town
clerk and this will insure a better
consideration of the candidate than
previously.
Returning to the list of officers, it
will be observed that the four financial
officers, collector, trustee, treasurer,
aud auditors) are grouped and the three
legal officers, (grand jurors, constable,
and agenD are also grouped.
The new law reads:
Sec. /. Section 1926 of the Public
Statutes as amended by section l o.
No. 80 of the Acts of 1908 is hereby
amended so as to read as follows
Sec. 1926. At the annual meeting {
town shall choose from among the lega
voters thereof the following town off
GERS, who shall serve until the mex
annual meeting and until others ar
chosen, unless otherwise provided b.
law or herein specified:
l A moderator.
2 A town clerk.
3 One school director for term o
three years.
4 One lister for a term of thre
years.
One or two road commissioner
who shall be elected by ballot, unles
appointed by the selectmen as herein
after provided
An overseer of the poor.
8 A collector of taxes, if the tow
so orders.
8 One or more trustees of publ
money.
10 A town treasurer
IL Three auditors.
IL One or more grand Jurors.
13 A first constable, and, if necessary
second constable
IA An agent to prosecute and defen'
suits in which the town is interested.
Is And may elect tree warden.
Each town shall have three selectmen
three school directors, and three listers
and such selectmen, school directors ant
listers as are in office at the time of tn,
passage of this act shall continue il
Office until the terms for which the,
were respectively elected shall expire
At each annual meeting one selectmau
one school director and one lister shal
be elected, the term of Office of whor
shall be three years, but, in towns s
voting, one or two additional listers, O
one or two additional selectmen, ma
be elected for term of one year eact
Any vacancy in the Office of selectmer
school director or lister, shall be file
at the next annual meeting after tn
occurrence of such vacancy, or at
meeting legally warned and held for tn
purpose of filling such vacancy.
A town shall at each annual meetin
vote whether or not the selectmen sha
be empowered and authorized to a,
point one or two road commissioner
the number to be determined by IL
town, and an article enabling town
to empower and authorize the selec
men shall be inserted in the warning Fl
such meeting. If town votes to
authorize and empower the selectme
said selectmen shall appoint one or tv
road commissioners, according to i
structions by the town, but no ctize
if resident of an incorporated villa
within such town, shall vote in toy
meeting on the question as to wheth
the road commissioners shall be a