It's mid-May already, and many people are looking forward to short sleeves, long evenings, and a summer full of outdoor activities. This issue of VLCT Journal has plenty of ideas to brighten your work — and a few to enhance your play!
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Which bylaws to apply to a zoning application during the bylaw amendment process can be confusing. In this article, Kail Romanoff, VLCT Staff Attorney, provides a summary and tips to help anyone involved in the process. Discover how.
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Infrastructure Law Playbook for Rural Communities + opportunities for small towns.
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Ten key findings about Vermont's Tax Increment Financing program.
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Help us feed the pipeline for future municipal talent!
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Open enrollment for this cost-saving program is now. Changes made now take effect July 1.
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Offer this popular workplace benefit to your employees!
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Create inclusive and vibrant public places with this funding and the support that comes with it.
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Join one of VLCT's policy committees to share your voice and help create the policies that guide VLCT's advocacy in the legislature. Policy Committee members are valuable members of our advocacy team, providing a direct voice from municipalities about the legislation that affects them and their colleagues every day. Focused on five primary areas, the committees meet the summer before each new biennium to discuss recent legislative action and recommend policy platforms and priorities that are submitted to the VLCT Board of Directors. Find out more.
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In today's job market, desirable benefits can help you land and keep good employees! You'll get the highest quality benefits at a competitive rate through our partnership with Northeast Delta Dental. Open Enrollment is underway now for members that already offer it, and there's still time if your municipality hasn't joined yet. There are multiple plan options and an optional orthodontic rider.
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Yes. Towns do have the authority to eliminate the office of the town auditor. But, as usual, there are details you need to be aware of. Some of those details include the specific procedure for the vote and the statutory duties the selectboard has to assume if the office is eliminated and a licensed public accountant is hired.
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During a routine tree marking in early 2020, State Lands Forester Dan Singleton noticed ash trees exhibiting the classic signs of emerald ash borer infestation. Deep in the forest, he was surprised to find the beetle established among native trees. Jon Cherico, State Forest Health Specialist, concurred: “Finding EAB out here is not where we thought we would start this work.” Now the state is taking extra steps to control the spread and population of this invasive beetle.
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Are you considering building a new playground or refreshing an older one? Over the last 20 years significant improvements have been made to the manufacturing and installation of playground equipment. There are also new accessibility options and requirements to ensure the space is usable and welcoming for all. Review these tips for grounds and surfacing, equipment, and planning for new playgrounds.
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Fair Haven's successful Pet Mayor program began four years ago. "The pet mayor program is intended to help get kids interested in local politics," said Town Manager Joe Gunter. "The original goal was to get our younger residents interested in and accustomed to voting." The project also serves as a fundraiser, helping to raise more than $30,000 for playground equipment, the Fur Haven Dog Park, and more.
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Three millennials share lessons learned on how you can attract millennial talent to help fill the employment gap as older generations retire — and how you can foster that talent to prepare newer employees to step into management roles. This article from ICMA gives municipal employers insight into strategies that can help you fill positions and keep them filled.
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NLC is holding three summer events for local officials. The NLC Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO) constituency group will host a leadership retreat in San Juan Puerto Rico June 5-8. The NLC National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials will host their summer conference July 21-23 in Nashville, TN. And the NLC Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) will meet in Sacramento, CA for their summer conference August 10-12. You can learn more about these constituency groups, view their event agendas, and register on NLC's website. Or visit our website for a summary of all three.
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Take the quiz, then scroll below for answers!
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What is the biggest benefit of a state league risk pool?*
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Responsive to evolving member needs
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About interactions, not just transactions
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As you prioritize ARPA projects in your town, Efficiency Vermont can help you identify the most impactful opportunities, provide technical support, connect you with service providers, and provide incentives and rebates.
Efficiency Vermont is offering free consultations for municipalities. The consultation will leave you with resources to take the next steps on your project and help plan how to maximize your ARPA funding. Energy efficiency can make your community more resilient – now is a great time to get started.
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Six of Vermont’s state-owned historic sites will open for the season on Saturday, May 28, 2022. In this month's Vermontscapes we travel to Addison, Bennington, Hubbardton, Orwell, Plymouth, and Strafford to see the permanent exhibitions on display as well as the ones focused on specialized subjects. The six sites include places known for their military importance, an early settlement, and two that recognize important historical figures. Scroll through the images and learn about each historical site.
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Monday, May 23 @ 11:00 AM
Join Karen Horn and Gwynn Zakov for their last advocacy chat of the biennium. They'll review what was signed into law, what's still hanging on the wall, and what might trigger a special veto session. Register here.
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Tuesday, May 24 @ 10:00 AM
This training will orient you to what retail cannabis operations entail. Representatives from the Cannabis Control board will review their role, describe the municipal authority to regulate cannabis establishments, and more. Register here.
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Thursday and Friday, October 6-7
Save the date for Town Fair 2022! We will return to a fully in-person event at the Killington Grand Hotel this fall. From practical advice to visionary insight, Town Fair 2022 is your opportunity to connect with colleagues, learn about new products and services, win exciting prizes, and hear from topic experts about the issues most important to municipalities right now. Save the date.
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Thursday and Friday, June 2-3
Get helpful municipal information about safety, regulation, and best practices in Vermont's short-term rental industry. Hosted by VT Short-Term Rental Alliance. Register here.
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Saturday and Sunday, June 18-19
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery and marks our country's second independence day. In 2021 it officially became a federal holiday. Communities around Vermont will celebrate this important occasion in a variety of ways. Find an Event.
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Please complete our 2022 Municipal Compensation and Benefits Survey as soon as you can! Each year we ask you to share your municipality's information with us, then we compile it into a report so you can see how your pay and benefits compare to other Vermont towns, cities, and villages. You can use the report to craft competitive job offers and to attract and retain employees. But first please make sure to fill out the survey – it's really easy this year – so we'll have plenty of good data for the report! The more members that participate, the more useful the report becomes for you. Answer the survey.
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KnowBe4 helps train employees to be alert for emails that can put your organization at risk for a cyber breach or theft of funds. Local governments are often preferred targets for phishing and email scams. PACIF members will have until November 7 to be reimbursed for buying KnowBe4 services at our preferred rate. Reduce your cybersecurity risks.
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Bevan Quinn and Lisa Walker of Guilford, and Stowe, respectively, knew that on May 16, 2012, Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law H.464, a bill that banned both the practice of fracking and the collection, storage, or treatment of fracking wastewater in Vermont – the first U.S. state to do so. This month's trivia question is our seventh Now And Again Municipality Triviality Motoring Team (NAAMTMT) adventure. Can you follow the directions and find the places? Start your engines.
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Everyone who was subscribed to the print edition of VLCT News is now subscribed to VLCT Journal. Find all issues at vlct.org/journal.
As always, be sure to follow us on social media and regularly check the updated home page of our website for breaking news and announcements.
Please contact us at vlctnews@vlct.org with any comments or suggestions for upcoming content.
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* PACIF POP QUIZ ANSWERS
There's no right answer as to which is best! We hope you enjoy these and all the additional benefits inherent in belonging to a municipal risk pool. Learn more by reading The Power of Pooling. (Psst... Make sure to share this doc with new officials who may not be familiar with risk pools.)
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