Vermont Legislature SmartTranscripts:

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: Are

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: we all set?

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Yep. Have some. Start hearing in picture. Lash isn't blue and they can't see us, but they can probably hear us. Clap three times if you hear us. That was Dawn. The group Dawn.

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: You're alive,

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: ladies and gentlemen. And they came to the Rutland Fair, but they got lost of landing at Rutland Airport, and they were, like, four hours late. They never performed. Anyway, good afternoon Welcome. That was Tony Orlando and Don, ladies and gentlemen, if you're listening. This is the Senate Committee on Government Operations meeting of 05/26/2026. We have two items still up for consideration, both our charters. We did take some earlier testimony about the charter of the town of Stowe. Does anyone feel the need? I didn't wanna rush it because we were right up against floor time. If there are other senators that wanna have more information, more testimony, certainly could do that. But if not, I'm ready to move that bill, and then we will take out from Williston. And Alison Clarkson has volunteered. No. She hasn't. She has volunteered to report the Williston. Thank you.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: The Williston? Yeah. By all star, I think.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Does anyone want to Yeah. Move

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: I'm happy to move it.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: The snow chart? Yes. Okay. This is nine fifty four, and we are gonna vote whether to accept the as passed by the House version of this chart. What's your motion? Is your motion to accept and vote on favorably? Or is

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: your motion to

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: what's your motion?

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: Well, this is my one question is we did get an proposal to potentially change this bill, but my understanding is that the votes on this will not fall in favor of it, so I

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: don't think it's worth going through the process of looking at a change since it will likely I believe I'm the sole yes vote. I think you may be, but more importantly I mean, other than that is is I might also under my understanding is that the we don't wanna lose their 1%. So is there a five point this chartered down, would we jeopardize their 1%?

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: If we pass this charter and for some reason, they I don't know how it would not happen, but if we pass this charter, they could lose their 1% if there was some strange course of events because it oversees it. But if we don't pass it, nothing happens.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: If don't you pass it, nothing happens. If you do pass this charter, still nothing automatically happens. There needs to be an affirmative step taken by the select board Okay. To impose that 2%.

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: And if for some reason they did not, they would lose their 1%.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: If they would not.

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: So let's say we did vote yes. This is, I think, Sandra Clarkson's question. We did vote yes. We don't make the changes recommended from the exchange that happened. Okay. And then this LIBOR does not move forward. They would also lose their 1%. No.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: Oh. This wouldn't really take effect until they take that affirmative step. Sorry.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Oh.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: The effect is so the subsection c, which I think is everybody's No. We left off speaking to, which reads the local option tax authorized by this section supersedes any local option tax previously adopted and approved by the town. So the local option tax authorized can only 23 facts if we turn back to subsection a if the select board authorizes to impose that. If they don't, nothing changes, and so the 1% in there continues. If they did vote, the select board that is, to impose a 2% tax, then it would be superseded, which 1% would then be annulled, voided, to be ill and clean. Senator Vyhovsky?

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Just if they then, at a later point, voted to eliminate the 2% tax, would it then revert to zero instead of 1%? Yes. If that's okay.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: But those are and I appreciate the three senators, except for senator Morley and me. The other three senators questioned about this because I had the same question. Yeah. If we didn't vote this out, I didn't wanna put Stowe in a position where all of a sudden they don't have even the 1% because that's already in law, in statute.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: Correct that if this committee takes no action on the votes to not adopt this, still continue to have Okay. Local option taxes as they are new. Yep. And I should just introduce nuance to senator Vyhovsky's point or question that, you know, there's various options where they can bring subsequent questions to bring it back to one. Depends on a

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: lot of different parties.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Would that have to go through the charter change process again to bring it back to one?

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: If they wanted to bring it back to one, if, assuming that this passes, and then they go on and they, it's like a war, impose the two. If the charter is dissolved, they could go and pass the 1% again under Title 24 BSA 138, the general provision.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: We don't need a charter change for that anymore. Well,

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: charter change, if they didn't repeal the charter change, there's an issue of, okay, which one, which aspect the law controls, the specific chartered language or the general, and I'll defer to the lawyers of the municipality, but there's case law on here about basically the controlling statute be the most more recent and or the more particular municipal defaults. So if the language is imposed a 2% tax, it seems to be that would be the only thing the Select Board can do until the Charter

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: of the Commissioner change. Okay, so just to recap your motion, we are gonna vote to approve the amendment to the charter of the town of Stowe. Correct? So a yes vote would mean that we are approving it. A no vote will mean we are not approving it.

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: Yes. Okay. That is my understanding of the motion.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Critical call to all six. Senator Clarkson? No. Senator Morley? No. Senator Bahovsky?

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: No. Senator White? Yes. Senator Calamore? No.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: One, four, zero. Oh, that is distinction. That's okay.

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: I think I think if you vote for it as a community

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Yeah. It should be allowed No. They did not vote to send that money to transportation. So

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: that was why oh. Just

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: So that one will die on the wall on the wall. We don't have to bring anything up to anybody. It's just we didn't pass it on to me. So if folks are ready, we can move on to nine fifty seven, which is an amendment to the County of Williston Chart. Attorney Gebelin, as promised, will walk us through this in two minutes. K. Two time. Without any questions. But I'm reporting it, so I

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: better ask the questions. Good. Like, you know, what the vote count was? Who's I

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: don't know that he will know that. The representative Burkhart of South Burlington, Arsenal of Williston, and Brady of Williston are the three sponsors. So you could ask any of them what the vote of time meeting was on.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: Actually, Senator Clarkson, I can send you the package.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I'll do what time is this.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: Who get the floor report? I presume it was Chad. A of the Burkhart? I don't remember. I think it was, right?

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I've done one.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: I'm trying

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: to get

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: I'll ask Chad. Sure.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Okay, okay.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: So let's see. Section one is the boilerplate language that we have in all charter amendments, just officially approving the change to the charter, and then noting that the issuance of the funds, the charge third, $20.20 cents. Section two is the meat of the changes to the letter itself, and many of this would be in out 20 of twenty four four, appendices, chapter 171, where we have all the current provisions of the town of St. Augustine. In essence, what it does is amend sections fourteen and fifteen to strip out any reference to listers, which are the elected officers, and then insert a new section 21, adopting an assessor provision. It's very much in line, really strictly in line with the other general statutes that all municipalities follow if they do not have listers and found in title 32. And so the real section here of significance related, they're not speaking, but of the most important is title section 21 stating that the town shall employer contract with one more professional higher assessors following double 32. And then the assessors will have the same powers and duties as found elsewhere in the same contract.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: The assessors will have the same power in their case as enlistors. Yeah.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: And then section three is transitory, sort of transitionary and revisions. And just a bit of session law there, saying that the term of office of in blister, or in office, that is, shall expire in forty five days passage of this action, or upon the date in which the assessor is employed or contracted, whichever person will act. That effective date is just upon passing the assessment.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Excellent job. Two minutes, I've timed it. We will need to get the vote total at town meeting for Alison, but I don't think we need to do much else. It seems pretty straightforward. Fair. They're not gonna elect a lister anymore. They're going to No. They're just gonna appoint them

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: just like any other towns. And there are some transition provisions.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Your floor report could actually be faster than Tim's Well, proper

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: it depends

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: on And by the way, while we're being discussing for Representative Burkhart, do you think she's

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: I don't know, she's not responding. Is it a she? Oh, maybe it is. It is. Okay. Bridget.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: I do have the vote totals actually. Oh. So of the total vote, total vote was 2,403. Wait a minute. Total vote was two thousand two thousand four hundred ninety six. Let's see. Article 17, which had to these, that was guest votes being 1,560, no votes being 727. That's according to the packet of the journalists the town being Right?

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Yes. Yes. This past. Yeah.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: That's what the town provided to the secretary of state, which then the floor does all.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: So while we have two minutes in case we are joined by any of the sponsors.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Oh, they just went off. They just went off.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Yeah, I did note that I had solved. I did want to congratulate and appreciate, in my view, the best floor report this committee had this year. It lasted about thirty seven seconds. And it was two sentences long, and it was so well done that everybody went

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Great. So

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: senator Vyhovsky was very well.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Thank you.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Beanie. Beanie. We sidestepped the veto in many ways because that's what Yeah.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: It was all about. Well, it was great that the House was able to fix it so quickly.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Yeah. And Mike White Rock did a great job, and we did a great job concurring. And, again, we saved the Governor some time and ink.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Well, and get the sister state program off and running. It's even more important.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I'd hate to just do the vote without hearing from anybody from the other body, but I

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: think It's such a straightforward

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I believe it is think true. This is fine.

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: My only question is I was slightly surprised that representative Lipsky had not been offered to testify on that did that did surprise me. Do we know if in the house? Rex Burkhart? Was that what it is? For Wilson or for Thank you. Did they get to testify?

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Because there were three reps.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: The representative representative Burkhart, I remember being in the room.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: I left it for Okay.

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: Testimony. They they

[Senator Rebecca "Becca" White (Member)]: were there. I just would wanna right that wrong again, I said. But it sounds like they at least are presidents.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Yeah. Good morning. Yeah.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Was a bummer. Just checking that. Oh.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I'm going. There you are.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: And you are so speedy.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: I was right next door.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: So

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Oh, you could but weren't you able to

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: see it?

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Certainly. Weren't you on the floor?

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: No. I was in the I've been monitoring the transportation bill for the conference, and then just wrapping it up. So I was there.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Do you know everybody in the committee?

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: I think I've been introduced to everyone.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: But I you know, I'm not sure if I've actually ever been introduced. I know now who you are. That's Bridget. But I I actually because this is your first biennial.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: It is. Yeah. It was my first biennial.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Well, why don't we just quickly run around this John Morley, Williams District.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: Hi. Nice to meet you.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: I'm Alison Clarkson, Windsor District.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Brian Collamore representing the Rutland District. This is Lynn Jakobauskas. Been emailing you.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: Yes. Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Tanya Vyhovsky, Chittenden Central District.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: And Rebecca White also puts in.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: So, you represent Chittenden.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: Yes. Bridget Burkhart. I represent Chittenden 8, is part of South Burlington and part of Williston, which is why I'm here on the Williston Charter Change. So, it's you

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: and Angela and And Erin Brady. And Erin.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: Yes. Exactly.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: So, how did this come about?

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: It's a pretty basic charter change. It's actually already in the Williston Charter that at some point in the future, they may decide to do away with their listeners and go to an assessor model as long as everyone approves. They did at town meeting day vote to do that. I believe the vote was fifteen sixty to seven twenty one to do away with a lister position and just go with the assessor. They already have an assessor's office set up that's doing a lot of the work. Only two out of their three lister positions are currently filled. They've had trouble getting folks to want to do the work. Part of the reason that's become a challenge is that I think all of you are probably a little familiar with Williston, that it has really been growing and changing. Are a lot more complicated appeals as there are more big apartment developments, more industrial developments, and the listers are just sort of feeling like this is usually a sort of side project for them. This is not usually their full time gig and the new education requirements that the legislature has put in place, it's a lot for them to comply with those. Even with those, they said even if we did all that extra education, it's getting more and more challenging for us to handle appeals. And so the listers were all for doing away with the lister position. The town voted to go ahead and do it. And so, really, it's as simple as that. Okay. Have any questions.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Very much. Yeah.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Do we have a question?

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Yeah. I do have a question. Because I mean so I'm just curious. Everyone was so eager not to be a lister yet anymore, but are assessors full time and paid accordingly? I mean, are they being paid better than the listers? I mean, all of them I mean, they're taking on this rapidly growing city. Is an So I mean, not complaining about their work.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: There is an assessor's office. I'm I'm out of my depths in telling you exactly how many full time and part time staff they have. Know there's at least one paid assessor there. I don't know what

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: their salary is. Well, as opposed to three part time Yeah. Blisters, it's now several.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: I don't know exactly how many people are in this exercise, but if you want me to track that down before you, I would be happy to do that, but I don't know.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Okay, Representative Burkhart, thank you so much, we appreciate you too.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: Yeah, thank you for the introduction. Well, it's lovely. And thank you for taking this off. Oh, I'm last guest of the session.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: So I will move that the committee vote favorably H957 with no amendments. Senator Clarkson? Yes. Senator Morley, yes. Senator Bahulski? Yep.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Senator White? Yes. Senator Calamore? Yes.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: All right, Janet.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Wonderful. Thank you so much, I

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: appreciate it. We're trying to get it on the calendar tomorrow.

[Representative Bridget Burkhart (Chittenden-8, South Burlington/Williston)]: Thank you so much.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Thank you. Here is a clean copy of the bill. Thank you. Here's And the don't forget, breakfast tomorrow.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: 08:00. Yeah. They'll all they'll all show up for I'm sure they won't. So I wanted to go.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: It'll be a very boring breakfast. We're gonna talk about decimal points for an hour. Right. Okay.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Sorry. You're the reporter? Yeah. Because Yes. They're both the same thing. Yeah. I don't

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: know which one. I just Right. I have to sign. K? Well, I I already signed that one. I think she'll have a

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: This is the original with the red ink on it. Okay.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Is there anything else, Wendy, that we should pick up?

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: The weather tomorrow. Not gonna be quite as warm, but it

[Attorney Gebelin (Legislative Counsel)]: was a

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: beautiful day today. Spring is springing.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: Beautiful. With that in mind, let's adjourn for the day. We may not see you again because I'm not planning on meeting again unless we have something Maybe something bad. Said that the other day.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Yeah. You said it. Tomorrow.

[Senator Brian Collamore (Chair)]: I'm not even expecting either. But if we do, could be we'll see all of you tomorrow.

[Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (Vice Chair)]: Melissa said we have just a couple minutes.