The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-02-17
MAKES SWEEPING CHANGE.
Selectmen Should Study New Law Be
fore Calling Town Meetings.

With the nearing of the date for the
town meetings throughout the state
the various boards of selectmen in max
ing out the warnings, should take into
consideration new law passed at the
recent 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 in the first sen
| tence that hereafter town officers will be
elected from among the illegal voters
The law previously stated that they should
be elected from among the inhabitants
other words, inhabitants" is more in.
elusive 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 to.
ward the last. As he hereafter will not
enter upon his duties until July first, he
is elected Immediately after the town
clerk and this will insure better con.
sideration of the candidate than previously.
Returning to the list of officers, it will
collector, trustee, treasurer, and auditors
are grouped and the three legal officers
(grand jurors, constable and agent) are
also grouped.
The new law reads:
Sec. i. Section 1926 of the Public Stat
utes as amended by section | of No. 81
of the Acts of 1905 is hereby amended so
as to read as follows:
Sec. 1926. At the annual meeting a
town shall choose from among the legal
voters thereof the following town officers,
who shall serve until the next annual
meeting and until others are chosen, unless
hx,1 or
fed.
|. A moderator
2. A town clerk.
8. One school director for term Of
three years.
z. One lister for a term of three years
t.: One or two road commissioners who
shall be elected by ballot, unless appointed
by the. selectmen as hereinafter provided.
Z. An overseer of the poor
.. A collector of taxes, if the town so
orders.
D. One or more trustees of public money.
~ A town treasurer.
II. Three auditors.
II. One or more grand Jurors.
IL. A first constable, and, if necessary.
a second constable.
IA. An agent to prosecute and defend
suits in which the town is interested.
10. And may elect tree warden.
Each town shall have three selectmen.
three school directors and three listers, and
such selectmen, school directors and listers
as are in Office at the time of the passage
OF this act shall continue in Office until
the terms for which they were respectively
elected shall expire. At each annual meet.
ing one selectman, one school director and
one lister shall be elected, the term of
office of each of whom shall be three wears.
but, in towns so voting, one or two add.
tlonal listers, or one or two additional Sc.
lectmen, may be elected for a term nj
one year each. Any vacancy in the office
OF selectman, school director or lister. shall
be filled at the next annual meeting after
the occurrence of such vacancy. or at n
meeting legally warned and held for the
A town shall at each annual meeting
vote whether. or not the selectmen shall
be empowered and authorized to appoint
one or two road commissioners, the number