Outgoing Weathersfield TM Wants to Make Elected Listers into An Appointed Position.

And add it to Land Use Administrator duties with an increase in salary

At the select board meeting on Sept. 3, outgoing town manager Ed Morris presented his proposal to have the voters move from three elected listers to an appointed assessor position. He went on to propose this appointed position be combined with the current Land Use Administrator position with a part-time assistant. Stating that the cost to taxpayers would be about the same even with increasing the salary to $26 per hour.

Mr. Morris asked the Selectboard to consider increasing the current Land Use Administrator's salary to $23 an hour effective immediately.  He argued that $23 an hour was commensurate with other combined Planner/Zoning Administrator positions.

Discussion continued on the pros and cons of elected versus appointed listers especially during a grievance hearing. Select board member John Arrison asked to see a cost comparison and would like to hear comments from the current listers. Mr. Morris will ask the current Listers if they would like to comment at the next meeting. 

Dan Boyer made a motion to authorize the Town Manager to give a raise up to $23 an hour, effective immediately, for the Land Use Administrator position, the motion was seconded by Mike Todd. The motion passed with all present voting in favor.

In other news, the board approved the Town Manager job description, a recruitment brochure and copy for their position TM job advertisement. The board also approved the search committee make-up to be four (4) employees and five (5) citizens.

The board will meet next on September 16 at the Center Meeting House on Weathersfield Center RD.

Question-Does the town of Weathersfield have a Town Charter that provides for the "election or appointment of the office of lister", does anyone know?

Vermont State Statutes regarding Listers

Vermont Statutes Title 17 Sec. 2651c

§ 2651c. Lack of elected lister; appointment of lister; elimination of office

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary and except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, in the event the board of listers of a municipality falls below a majority and the selectboard is unable to find a person or persons to appoint as a lister or listers under the provisions of 24 V.S.A. § 963, the selectboard may appoint an assessor to perform the duties of a lister as set forth in 32 V.S.A. chapter 121, subchapter 2 until the next annual meeting. The appointed person need not be a resident of the municipality and shall have the same powers and be subject to the same duties and penalties as a duly elected lister for the municipality.

(b)(1) A town may vote by ballot at an annual meeting to eliminate the office of lister. If a town votes to eliminate the office of lister, the selectboard shall contract with or employ a professionally qualified assessor, who need not be a resident of the town. The assessor shall have the same powers, discharge the same duties, proceed in the discharge thereof in the same manner, and be subject to the same liabilities as are prescribed for listers or the board of listers under the provisions of Title 32.

(2) A vote to eliminate the office of lister shall remain in effect until rescinded by majority vote of the legal voters present and voting at an annual meeting warned for that purpose.

(3) The term of office of any lister in office on the date a town votes to eliminate that office shall expire on the 45th day after the vote or on the date upon which the selectboard appoints an assessor under this subsection, whichever occurs first.

(4) The authority to vote to eliminate the office of lister as provided in this subsection shall extend to all towns except those towns that have a charter that specifically provides for the election or appointment of the office of lister. (Added 2003, No. 125 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2013, No. 21, § 4.)