§ 10 — Emergency powers

(a) Declaration of public emergency. The Selectboard may, upon a two-thirds vote with at least three members present, declare a state of public emergency that threatens life, property, or the public health or welfare.
(b) Condemnation; eminent domain. In the event of a declared public emergency that threatens life, property, the public health or welfare, duly declared by Selectboard meeting warned in accordance with State statute, the Selectboard, by a minimum of three affirmative votes and not more than one dissenting vote, may exercise powers of eminent domain and condemnation and take real property or personal property, after notice to the owner and the fixing of fair compensation. An aggrieved party may appeal to Superior Court.
(c) Civil preparedness. The Town Manager shall be the designated civil preparedness Chair and shall be duty bound to exercise the powers afforded by statute and any powers and functions outlined by the Selectboard in a declared emergency. On an annual basis, the Selectboard shall adopt an emergency preparedness plan that shall go into effect upon declaration of a public emergency. (Amended 2021, No. M-13 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 16, 2022.)