reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
24 V.S.A. § 1690
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 51 - Finances; Accounts and Audits|§ 1690. Certified or public accountant to audit town accounts; warning; form

§ 1690. Certified or public accountant to audit town accounts; warning; form|(a) The legislative body of a city, town, or incorporated village may upon its own motion contract with a public accountant, licensed in this State, to perform an annual financial audit of all funds of the town; or upon petition in writing of legal voters equal to five percent of the legal voters of the town or village, the legislative body shall insert in the warning for any annual meeting, or in the warning for a special meeting, which shall be called upon such petition, an article in substantially the following form:"To see if the [city, town, or village] will vote to instruct the [legislative body] to employ a certified public accountant or public accountant licensed in this State, to perform an annual financial audit of all funds of the [city, town, or village]."(b) Audits performed by a public accountant under this section shall be conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards, including the issuance of a report on internal control over financial reporting that shall be provided to recipients of the financial statements. When there are material weaknesses or significant deficiencies found in the internal control over financial reporting or the auditor's or public accountant's opinion is qualified, adverse, or disclaimed:  (1) the auditor or public accountant shall present the findings or opinion to the legislative body of the town and explain those material weaknesses or significant deficiencies or his or her opinion at a meeting duly warned for the purpose; (2) after the audit report is delivered to the legislative body of a municipality, the notice for the next meeting of the legislative body shall also notify the voters of the availability of the audit report and the accompanying report on internal control over financial reporting; (3) the next published annual report of the town shall include a summary of material weaknesses or significant deficiencies found in the internal controls over financial reporting or a statement that the audit report sets forth an opinion that is qualified, adverse, or disclaimed; and (4) the legislative body shall post the audit report and the accompanying report on internal control over financial reporting on the municipality's website, if the municipality has a website. (Amended 1985, No. 196 (Adj. Sess.), § 14; 2009, No. 95 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
24 V.S.A. § 1691
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 51 - Finances; Accounts and Audits|§ 1691. Terms of employment

§ 1691. Terms of employment|At an annual or special meeting warned as provided in section 1690 of this title, a town or incorporated village may authorize the employment of a certified public accountant or a public accountant and fix the terms of such employment. Nothing herein shall be construed to relieve a town or incorporated village of the duty to elect town or village auditors as provided by law.
24 V.S.A. § 1751
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1751. Definitions

§ 1751. Definitions|As used in this chapter:  (1) "Municipal corporation" shall include a city, town, village, town school district, graded school district, or other incorporated, union, or unified school district or any entity providing educational services which is eligible to receive State aid under 16 V.S.A. chapter 123, a fire district, a union municipal district created under an intermunicipal agreement entered into and approved as provided in subchapter 3 of chapter 121 of this title, a regional mass transportation authority created under chapter 127 of this title, a local housing authority created under section 4003 of this title, a consolidated water or sewer district created under chapter 91 or chapter 105 of this title, or the unified towns and gores of Essex County. (2) "Legislative branch" shall mean the mayor and board of aldermen of a city, the selectboard of a town, the trustees of a village, the board of school directors of a school district, the trustees or prudential committee of a graded school or fire district, and the Board of Governors of the unified towns and gores of Essex County, and, with respect to other municipal corporations, the governing body designated by statute. (3) "Improvement" shall include, apart from its ordinary signification:  (A) The acquiring of land for municipal purposes, the construction of, extension of, additions to, or remodeling of buildings or other improvements thereto, also furnishings, equipment, or apparatus to be used for or in connection with any existing or new improvement, work, department, or other corporate purpose, and also shall include the purchase or acquisition of other capital assets, including licenses and permits, in connection with any existing or new improvement benefiting the municipal corporation, and all costs incurred by the municipality in connection with the construction or acquisition of the improvement and the financing thereof, including capitalized interest, underwriters discount, the funding of reserves, and the payment of contributions to establish eligibility and participation with respect to loans made from any State revolving fund, to the extent such payment is consistent with federal law. (B) Pursuant to subchapter 2 of chapter 87 of this title, projects relating to renewable energy, as defined in 30 V.S.A. § 8002(17), or to eligible energy efficiency projects undertaken by owners of real property within the boundaries of the town, city, or incorporated village. Energy efficiency projects shall be those that are eligible under section 3267 of this title. (Amended 1989, No. 111, § 1, eff. June 22, 1989; 1997, No. 62, § 61, eff. June 26, 1997; 2007, No. 4, § 2; 2009, No. 45, § 15f, eff. May 27, 2009; 2013, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 72.)
24 V.S.A. § 1752
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1752. Bonds; issuance

§ 1752. Bonds; issuance|Debt may be incurred and bonds issued under this subchapter for any improvement, but no bonds shall be issued for the purpose of providing funds for ordinary expenses of any municipal corporation, except as otherwise provided.
24 V.S.A. § 1752a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1752a. Privately owned municipality-supported libraries

§ 1752a. Privately owned municipality-supported libraries|By a majority vote of those present and voting at an annual or special meeting warned for the purpose, a municipality may issue municipal bonds under this chapter for the cost of capital improvements to any privately owned municipality-supported library situated within the municipality for use of residents of the municipality; and such improvements shall be considered "improvements" for the purposes of this chapter. (Added 1987, No. 56, eff. May 15, 1987.)
24 V.S.A. § 1753
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1753. Use of bond proceeds

§ 1753. Use of bond proceeds|(a) If after bonds have been issued and no expenditure of the proceeds has been made for the purpose or purposes for which the debt was incurred, or if a balance remains after the completion of the project or projects for which the debt was authorized, a municipal corporation by a majority of the voters present and voting on the question at a meeting or meetings of such municipal corporation held for that purpose, may authorize the expenditure of the proceeds or portion thereof for any purpose or purposes for which bonds may be issued; provided, however, that if the proceeds obtained from the issuance of bonds or any balance thereof, is not appropriated as aforesaid, then the same shall be used to pay the principal of the loan as it matures.(b) The warning calling the meeting provided in this section shall state the amount of the proceeds and the purpose for which they are to be used, and shall fix the place where and the date on which the meeting shall be held and the hours of opening and closing of the polls. Notice of the meeting shall conform to section 1756 of this title, and the conduct of the meeting and the qualifications of voters shall conform to section 1758 of this title. (Added 1969, No. 104, eff. April 19, 1969.)
24 V.S.A. § 1754
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1754. Validation

§ 1754. Validation|All outstanding bonds and notes of a municipal corporation issued prior to June 1, 1935, are hereby declared legal and binding obligations in accordance with the terms thereof.
24 V.S.A. § 1755
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1755. Submission to voters

§ 1755. Submission to voters|(a)(1) On a petition signed by at least ten percent of the voters of a municipal corporation the proposition of incurring a bonded debt to pay for public improvements shall be submitted to the qualified voters thereof at any annual or special meeting to be held for that purpose, or, when the legislative branch of a municipal corporation at a regular or special meeting called for such purpose shall determine by resolution passed by a vote of a majority of those members present and voting, that the public interest or necessity demands improvements, and that the cost of the same will be too great to be paid out of the ordinary annual income and revenue, by vote of a majority of those members present and voting, it may order the submission of the proposition of incurring a bonded debt to pay for public improvements to the qualified voters of such municipal corporation at a meeting to be held for that purpose.  (2) The warning calling the meeting shall state the object and purpose for which the indebtedness is proposed to be incurred, the estimated cost of the improvements, and the amount of bonds proposed to be issued, and shall fix the place where and the date on which the meeting shall be held and the hours of opening and closing the polls.   (b) A municipal corporation may not submit to the voters more than twice in any one-year period the proposition of incurring a bonded debt to pay for the same or a similar public improvement, except that a proposition voted on for the first time at an annual meeting that is reconsidered may be voted on in the subsequent annual meeting. (Amended 1969, No. 58, § 2, eff. April 14, 1969; 1971, No. 89, § 1; 1973, No. 235 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2017, No. 50, § 53.)
24 V.S.A. § 1756
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1756. Notice of meeting; authorization

§ 1756. Notice of meeting; authorization|(a)(1) The clerk of the municipal corporation shall cause notice of such meeting to be published in a newspaper of known circulation in such municipality once a week for three consecutive weeks on the same day of the week, the last publication to be not less than five nor more than ten days before such meeting.  (2) Notice of such meeting shall also be posted in five public places within such municipality for two weeks immediately preceding such meeting.   (b) When a majority of all the voters present and voting on the question at such meeting vote to authorize the issuance of bonds for said public improvements, the legislative branch shall be authorized to make such public improvements and issue bonds as hereinafter provided. Blank and defective ballots shall not be counted in determining the question. (Amended 1969, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
24 V.S.A. § 1757
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1757. Validation

§ 1757. Validation|(a) Whenever the qualified voters of a municipal corporation, as defined in this subchapter, have voted by the requisite majority to authorize issuance of bonds to pay for any public improvement, and such proceedings are defective because of failure to comply with any of the statutory requirements therefor, although the required length of notice and notice of the purpose of such meeting has been had, such omissions may be cured by a resolution of such legislative branch by a vote of two-thirds of all its members at a regular or a special meeting called for that purpose, stating that the defect was the result of oversight, inadvertence, or mistake of law or fact.(b) When such omission has been so supplied by such resolution, all bonds or other financing within the terms of the action of the qualified voters shall be as valid as if the statutory requirement had been complied with.
24 V.S.A. § 1757a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1757a. Validation of consolidated water or sewer districts and bonds voted for construction

§ 1757a. Validation of consolidated water or sewer districts and bonds voted for construction|(a) No action shall be brought directly or indirectly attacking, questioning, or in any manner contesting the legality of the formation, or the existence as a body corporate and politic, of any consolidated water or sewer district created pursuant to chapter 91 or 105, respectively, of this title, after six months from the date of the recording in the office of the Secretary of State of the certificate required by section 3342 or 3673 of this title, as the case may be; nor shall any action be brought directly or indirectly attacking, questioning, or in any manner contesting the legality or validity of bonds, issued or unissued, voted by any such district or by any other municipal corporate entity, after six months from the date upon which voters in any such district or other municipal corporate entity met pursuant to warning and voted affirmatively to issue bonds to defray costs of sewer or water improvements or upon vote of a question of recission thereof whichever occurs later.(b) This section shall be liberally construed to effect the legislative purpose to validate and make certain the legal existence of all consolidated water or sewer districts in this State and the validity of bonds issued or authorized by consolidated or other municipal corporate entities for water or sewer purposes, and to bar every right to question in any manner the existence of any such district or other municipal corporate entity or the validity of a bond voted by it for water or sewer purposes, and to bar every remedy therefor notwithstanding any defects or irregularities, jurisdictional or otherwise, after expiration of the six-month period. (Added 1975, No. 57, § 1, eff. April 18, 1975.)
24 V.S.A. § 1759
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1759. Denominations; payments; interest

§ 1759. Denominations; payments; interest|(a)(1) Any bond issued under this subchapter shall draw interest at a rate not to exceed the rate approved by the voters of the municipal corporation in accordance with section 1758 of this title, or if no rate is specified in the vote under that section, at a rate approved by the legislative branch of the municipal corporation, such interest to be payable semiannually. Such bonds or bond shall be payable serially, the first payment to be deferred not later than from one to five years after the issuance of the bonds and subsequent payments to be continued annually in equal or diminishing amounts so that the entire debt will be paid in not more than 20 years from the date of issue.  (2) In the case of bonds issued for the purchase or development of a municipal forest, the first payment may be deferred not more than 30 years from the date of issuance thereof. Thereafter such bonds or bond shall be payable annually in equal or diminishing amounts so that the entire debt will be paid in not more than 60 years from the date of issue. (3) In the case of bonds issued for any capital project that has a useful life of at least 30 years, the entire debt will be paid in not more than 30 years from the date of issue.   (b) General obligation bonds authorized under this subchapter for the purpose of financing the improvement, construction, acquisition, repair, renovation, and replacement of a municipal plant as defined in 30 V.S.A. § 2901 shall be paid serially, the first payment to be deferred not later than from one to five years after the issuance of the bonds, and subsequent payments to be continued annually so that the entire debt will be paid over a term equal to the useful life of the financed improvements, but not more than 40 years from the date of issue, and may be so arranged that beginning with the first year in which principal is payable, the amount of principal and interest in any year shall be as nearly equal as is practicable according to the denomination in which such bonds are issued, notwithstanding other permissible payment schedules authorized by this section. (Amended 1963, No. 136; 1969, No. 58, § 1, eff. April 14, 1969; 1969, No. 177 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 5, 1970; 1979, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.); 1985, No. 123 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 18, 1986; 2007, No. 75, § 41; 2013, No. 50, § E.131.2.)
24 V.S.A. § 1760
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1760. Bonds validated- Over five percent

§ 1760. Bonds validated- Over five percent|Notwithstanding the interest rate limitation set forth in section 1759 of this title prior to April 14, 1969, if any municipal corporation has prior to that date authorized bonds to bear interest at a rate of interest in excess of five percent, but not more than six percent, the authorization so voted is hereby ratified and confirmed and declared to be legal and valid, and such municipal corporation may issue such bonds at a rate of interest not exceeding the rate stated in the vote authorizing the issuance of the bonds. (Added 1969, No. 58, § 4, eff. April 14, 1969.)
24 V.S.A. § 1761
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1761. Higher rates

§ 1761. Higher rates|If any municipal corporation has authorized bonds to bear interest at a rate of interest not in excess of six percent prior to March 5, 1970, and any of such bonds remain unsold on that date, the legislative branch of the municipal corporation may approve an increase in the rate of interest of such authorized but unsold bonds and the increase in such rate of interest is hereby declared to be legal and valid, and such municipal corporation may issue such bonds which shall bear interest at the rate of interest approved by the legislative branch which increased rate of interest is declared to be legal and valid. (Added 1969, No. 177 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. March 5, 1970.)
24 V.S.A. § 1762
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1762. Limits

§ 1762. Limits|(a) A municipal corporation shall not incur an indebtedness for public improvements which, with its previously contracted indebtedness, shall, in the aggregate, exceed ten times the amount of the last grand list of such municipal corporation. Bonds or obligations given or created in excess of the limit authorized by this subchapter and contrary to its provisions shall be void.(b) However, the provisions of this subchapter as to the debt limit shall not apply to bonds issued under section 1752 or 1754 of this title, relating to the ordinary expenses of a municipality. (Amended 2011, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 10.)
24 V.S.A. § 1763
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1763. Specifications

§ 1763. Specifications|The legislative branch shall determine the rate of interest or the manner of determining the same, the date, the denominations, the time and place of payment, and the form of bonds and notes to be used by the municipal corporation. The legislative branch may provide that the bonds be sold on bids fixing the rate of interest or the manner of determining the same from time to time for the period during which said bonds or notes shall remain outstanding, and if so sold, the accepted bid shall fix the rate of interest the bonds are to bear or the manner by which such rate of interest shall be determined periodically. When bonds are to be registered they shall be registered as provided by this chapter. (Amended 1985, No. 125 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 18, 1986.)
24 V.S.A. § 1764
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1764. Taxes to meet interest and payments

§ 1764. Taxes to meet interest and payments|At the time of assessing the general tax levy, in addition to all other taxes, the legislative branch shall provide annually for the assessment and collection each year, until such bonds are paid, of a tax sufficient to pay the interest on such bonds and such part of the principal as shall become due prior to the time the taxes are due in the next following year.
24 V.S.A. § 1765
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1765. Advertisement

§ 1765. Advertisement|(a)(1) Except as provided in section 4650 of this title, bonds issued under this subchapter shall be sold at par, premium, or discount, and accrued interest, after being advertised at least once not less than five nor more than 30 days before the date of sale in a newspaper published in the county or within 50 miles of the municipal corporation issuing the bonds and, in case of issues exceeding $1,000,000.00, also in some financial paper published in Boston, Massachusetts, or New York, New York.  (2) The advertisement shall state the amounts, date, and denominations of the bonds, dates of maturity, rate of interest, or that the bidding shall be based thereon, and the time and place where the bonds are to be sold.   (b)(1) The legislative branch may reject any and all bids.  (2) In case all bids are so rejected, they may advertise and call for new bids in the manner hereinbefore provided, or in case, after the bonds have been advertised for sale as provided in this subchapter, no bids have been received, or all bids have been rejected and the whole or any part of the bonds remain unsold, those unsold may, within 60 days from the date of the public sale, be sold by the legislative branch at private sale at not less than par and accrued interest.   (c) If no bids are received at the public sale, the legislative branch may at any time advertise and call for new bids or may sell the unsold bonds at private sale in the manner hereinbefore provided and may award the bonds bearing a rate of interest not in excess of the maximum rate provided in section 1759 of this title, notwithstanding any limit imposed by the voters at the meeting at which the bonds were authorized. (Amended 1969, No. 58, § 5, eff. April 14, 1969; 1989, No. 111, § 2, eff. June 22, 1989.)
24 V.S.A. § 1766
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 24 - Municipal and County Government|Chapter 53 - Indebtedness|§ 1766. Bonds; by whom signed

§ 1766. Bonds; by whom signed|Such bonds shall be signed by the mayor and treasurer of an incorporated city, by the treasurer and selectboard or trustees, as the case may be, of a town or village, by the treasurer and trustees or prudential committee, as the case may be, of an incorporated school district, lighting or fire district, and by the treasurer and board of school directors of a town school district. The coupons to such bonds shall be signed by or bear the facsimile signature of the treasurer. When such municipal corporation has a corporate seal, such seal shall be affixed to such bonds, otherwise such bonds need not be sealed.