The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-02-24
MAKES sWEEpINa eAANAs
seisstmen Should Study New Law
Before Calling Town Meetlndsl

Seleetmen Should Study New Law
Before Calling 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 consideration a 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, II will be observed In the
first sentence that hereafter town Of
ficers will be elected from among the
legal voters" The law previously
stated that they should be elected
from among the inhabitants" which
of course includes foreigners. or, in
other words, inhabitants" is more
inclusive than citizens" and "citi-
zens" 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 en-
ter upon his duties until July first. he
is elected Immediately after the town
clerk and this will insure better
consideration of the candidate than
previously.
Returning to the list of officers, 1t
will be observed that the four fiHan-
cial officers, collector, trustee. treas
urer, and auditors) are grouped and
the three legal officers (grand jurors
constable, and agent are also
grouped.
The new law reads;
Sec. /. Section 326 of the Public
Statute as amended by section OF
No. SO 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
legal voters thereof the following
town officers, who shall serve until
the next annual meeting and until
others are chosen, unless otherwise
provided by law or herein specified.
/. A moderator.
2. A town clerk.
3. One school director for term
of three years.
4. One lister for term OF three
years.
6. One or two road commissioners
who shall be elected by ballot, unless
appointed by the selectmen as here
Iinafter provided
7. An overseer of the poor.
s. A collector OF taxes, IL the town
so orders.
8. One or more trustees OF public
money.
10. A town treasurer.
IL. Three auditors.
IL. One or more grand jurors.
10. A first constable, and, II neces-
sary, a second constable.
IA. An agent to prosecute and de-
fend suits in which the town Is inter
tested.
Is. And may elect tree warden.
Each town shall have three select
men, 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 re-
spectively elected shall expire. Az
each annual meeting one selectman,
one school director and one lister
shall be elected, the term OF Office OF
each OF whom shall be three years,
but In towns so voting, one or two ad-
ditional listers, or one or two addit-
lonal selectmen. may be elected for
a term OF one year each. Any vacan-
cy in the Office OF selectman. school
director or lister, shall be filed at the
next annual meeting after the occur
renee OF such vacancy. or at a meet
ing legally warned and held for the
purpose OF filling such vacancy.
A town shall at each annual meet
ing vote whether or not the selectmen
shall be empowered and authorized to
appoint one or two road commission
ers, the number to be determined by
the town so to empower and author
ize the selectmen shall be inserted In
the warning for such meeting. II q
town votes 10 so authorize and en-
power the selectmen, and selectmen
shall appoint one or two road COM
mlssioners, according to instructions
by the town. but no cit.zen. IL resi-
dent OF an incorporated village with
in such town. shall vote In town
meeting on the question as to wheth-
er the road commissioners shall be
appointed by the selectmen unless at
least fifteen per cent OF the last high.
way tax OF such Incorporated village
has been paid to the town treasurer
to be expended upon the highways OF
the town outside of sch Incorporated
village; and. in case said town 30
authorizes and empowers the select
men, said selectmen shall forthwith
thereafter appoint one or two road
commissioners, according to instruc-
tons by the town. who shall serve
until the next annual meeting or un-
tll their successors are elected or ap-
pointed and qualified.
A road commissioner may after
hearing be removed from office by the
selectmen for cause.
Sec. 2. The se.ectmen shall with.
in five days after the annual meeting
organize and elect chairman from
among their members.
Sec. 3. This act shall take effect