§ 5 — Removal of elected Town officers

Any elected Town officer may be removed from office in the following manner:
(1) A petition must be filed with the Town Clerk seeking the removal of the elected Town officer or officers. The petition must be signed by at least 15 percent of registered voters.
(2) Within 15 days after receipt of the petition, the Selectboard shall warn a special Town meeting, or if the annual meeting is to occur within 90 days of the filing of the petition, the Selectboard shall include an article in the warning for the annual meeting, for the purpose of voting by Australian ballot on whether the officer or officers shall be removed from office.
(3) Removal shall only occur if a majority of the votes cast at the annual or special town meeting approve removal and the total of all votes cast on the removal question equals or exceeds the total of all votes that were cast to elect the officer.
(4) If an officer is removed, the officer shall immediately cease to hold office and the office shall become vacant. The vacancy shall be filled as provided by law.
(5) Only one petition for removal may be filed against any given elected officer during any 12-month period of his or her term of office. (Added 2013, No. M-20 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. June 3, 2014.)