Vermont § 1303 - Water commissioners and water works

§ 1303. Water commissioners and water works

• (a) The Village shall have three water commissioners who may be elected by ballot if the
  Village has so ordered; otherwise they shall be appointed by the trustees. Of those
  commissioners first elected or appointed, one shall have a term of one year, one a
  term of two years, and one a term of three years. (b) The trustees may remove from office a commissioner appointed by them for just cause
  after due notice and hearing. The trustees may appoint members of their own Board
  to serve as water commissioners. The Village shall have such powers, and the commissioners
  shall have such duties, with reference to any waterworks that are in existence or
  established as set forth in 24 V.S.A. chapter 89, or any amendments thereto. (c) Without limiting the generality of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, commissioners
  shall have the supervision of the Municipal Water Department and shall make and establish
  all needful water rates, rules, and regulations for its control and operation. (d) The water commissioners shall hire a person to superintend the physical operation
  of the water system, provide him or her with written guidelines of the Superintendent’s
  duties, and this Superintendent shall be responsible for the proper and efficient
  maintenance of the system in accordance with the guidelines. (e) The Superintendent shall report once each month to the water commissioners and once
  each year shall make a written report to them. The written report shall be included
  in the water commissioners annual report to the Village. (f) The books and bank accounts of the water system shall be kept separate from the other
  books and accounts of the Village. The rents and receipts for the use of municipal
  water shall only be used and applied to pay the interest upon the Water Department
  bonds, the expense of repairs, improvements, and management of the Water Department,
  and in payment of the Municipal Water Department bonds. The money received from the
  operation of the Municipal Water Department shall not be used for any other purposes
  until all bonds, notes, or other certificates of indebtedness have been paid. (g) Any improvements to the system costing more than $7,000.00 shall require the approval
  of a majority of the legally qualified voters of the Village present and voting, at
  either an annual or special meeting called for that purpose. (h) From the income of the system an emergency fund, not to exceed $10,000.00, may be
  created by the water commissioners. Emergency funds shall be expended only in case
  of an emergency and the nature of the emergency recorded by the Clerk as declared
  by the water commissioners. (i) Any extension of the main lines of the system as the lines exist on the effective
  day of this charter shall require a two-thirds vote of the qualified voters, present
  and voting, of the Village of Newbury at either an annual or special meeting called
  for that purpose. (Amended 2007, No. M-6.)