BRATTLEBORO — Representative Town Meeting members will vote on proposed changes to the Town Charter at a Special Town Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 22, at Academy School on Western Avenue, starting at 8:30 a.m.
The meeting is the culmination of three years of study and meetings by the town Charter Review Commission.
Some of the proposed changes include lowering the percentage of signatures needed to put forth a binding initiative on a town ballot from 20 percent down to 10 percent; expanding the Selectboard to seven members with four, two-year terms and three, three-year terms; and expanding the school board from five to seven members.
Once the representatives vote on the articles, the revised charter will be sent to Montpelier for approval by the Vermont Legislature.
State statute requires that all charters in Vermont be reviewed at least once every 15 years, though they may be amended at any time. The last official charter revision commission in Brattleboro was appointed in 1996, but no substantial changes were made to the charter at that time.
Although voting is limited to Town Meeting members, all residents are welcome and encouraged to attend in person and may be recognized to speak. The meeting will be taped by BCTV and aired the following week.
All meeting documents are posted on the town website: www.brattleboro.org.