The Essex Junction Trustees established the Village Advancement Committee to provide guidance for the Village government’s planning efforts, to provide assistance with those efforts, and to improve communication among Village citizens.

To fulfill its guidance role, the committee will design and administer a comprehensive survey of Village residents. The survey will gather opinions regarding the Village’s municipal charter, revenue obligations and expenditures, and development objectives The survey may also explore other subject areas selected by the committee.

The committee will also investigate and report on the statutory constraints on the Village municipal charter, and the opportunities and requirements for altering the charter to better serve the needs of Village citizens. This effort will include an assessment of the municipal charters of other Vermont villages with particular emphasis on their relationships with their associated towns.

To fulfill its communications improvement role, the committee will work with the Village office staff to enhance the Village’s Website and online interactive services This will include an exploration of linking the Village Website with existing online neighborhood networks within the Village, and helping to establish online neighborhoods, where practical.

If possible and timely, the committee will use the Website to support its efforts to survey Village residents.

If deemed appropriate and necessary by the trustees, the committee will use its resources and provide guidance to assist the Village government with any legislative initiatives the trustees consider necessary to advance village interests based on the results of the survey of Village residents. 

The trustees will solicit legal residents of the Village to serve on the committee, and will select committee members from the pool of applicants. Service on the committee is entirely voluntary. Two trustees will also serve on the committee. At its first meeting, the committee will appoint two of its members to serve as chair and co-chair, and will establish a meeting schedule.

Committee members will serve at the pleasure of the trustees, and the trustees have sole authority to add new committee members and to dismiss any committee member whom the trustees believe is obstructing or not contributing to the efforts and mission of the committee.

The committee will remain active until July 1, 2008, but may be dismissed prior to that date if the trustees believe that it has met its goals and objectives.