Selectboard

The Waitsfield Selectboard is responsible for the general supervision of the affairs of the town and "shall cause to be performed all duties required of the town not committed by law to the care of any particular officer."  24 V.S.A. § 872   More specifically, the Selectboard is charged with the following duties:

• May enact ordinances and rules regulating land use and nuisances;
• Warns all annual Town meetings and specifies the business to be conducted at the meeting, including proposing an annual budget;
• Sets the tax rate to raise the specific amount of funds voted at the Annual Town Meeting;
• Hires, fires, and directs almost all Town employees, sets salaries if voters do not do so at town meeting, and establishes and enforces personnel policies;
• Authorizes all Town expenditures by signing orders for the Treasurer to draw Town funds;.
• Is responsible for laying out, classifying, and discontinuing Town roads;
• Is responsible for all animal control;
• Is authorized to borrow money for periods of less than a year in anticipation of taxes;
• Fills all Town vacancies until an election is held;
• Appoints many Town Officer positions, such as Fence Viewers, Inspector of Lumber, Tree Warden, and others;
• Appoints and removes planning commissioners, unless the town has voted to elect them;
• Serves as ex-officio planning commission members in "rural towns." 24 V.S.A. § 4322.  (A "rural town" is a town with a population of less than 2,500 or a town with a population of at least 2,500 but less than 5,000 which has voted by Australian ballot to be considered a rural town. 24 V.S.A. § 4303(10).);
• Adopts the town plan unless the town votes to adopt it by Australian ballot (24 V.S.A. § 4385);
• Regulates and issues certificates for junkyards. 24 V.S.A. §§ 2241–2242;
• Purchases all insurance for the Town;
• Requires certain town officers to obtain a bond and sets the amount necessary. 24 V.S.A. § 832;
• Members serve as members of the Board of Civil Authority; and
• Has other miscellaneous regulatory powers.