Governance Committee
Help Shape Future of Local Government
The City of Essex Junction’s Governance Committee is inviting residents to take part in an important community discussion about how the City is governed. Formed by the City Council earlier this year, the Governance Committee was tasked with reviewing Essex Junction’s current government structures and exploring potential modifications to ensure that local government remains effective, inclusive, and reflective of community values.
The Governance Committee was established to study key aspects of municipal governance and to make recommendations for potential City Charter updates. Areas currently under review include:
- if the leader of the City Council should be a President or Mayor,
- how many City Councilors there should be,
- how long City Councilor terms should be,
- whether or not there should there be term limits,
- how much Councilors should get paid,
- should the leader of the Council get paid more,
- how should Councilor stipends increase, and
- should the City Charter be reviewed on a regular schedule.
Review the current City Charter here:
Participate in the Discussion
Check out the Governance Action Items that discuss some of the topics being explored and lays out the facts about the different options.
After reading about the various action items, take the survey and weigh in on which approaches are best. The survey will be available until Sunday, November 16, 2025.
To help residents learn about the issues and voice their opinions, the Committee is hosting a community conversation on Wednesday, November 5, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Essex Junction Recreation & Parks (EJRP), 75 Maple Street. Attendance is free, and no pre-registration is required. Residents will hear an overview of the Committee’s findings, have the opportunity to ask questions, participate in a dialogue, and ultimately advocate for their positions.
There will also be a remote conversation on Thursday, November 6, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The meeting will take place on Zoom.
Check out our latest episode of Junction City News, where we dive into the action items the Governance Committee has been working on.
More Information
The Committee’s work builds on the foundation established when Essex Junction became an independent city in 2022. Its goal is to ensure that the City’s governance structure continues to serve residents well into the future. When created, the City charter largely mimicked the Village charter, with a caveat that a committee had to be formed within three years of the creation of the City to review the charter and see if there was anything worth changing.
Throughout the spring and summer, nine volunteer committee members interviewed officials from several comparable Vermont municipalities, including Winooski, St. Albans, Montpelier, Rutland City, Barre City, Barre Town, Williston, Brattleboro, and Burlington, to learn about their governance models and practices. The discussions explored differences in council size, mayoral powers, election methods, and public engagement strategies. Findings helped the Committee identify what approaches might best support Essex Junction’s size, character, and community values.
After completing its research, the Committee shifted its focus to community outreach and education in order to gather public input. Members agreed that resident participation is vital before any recommendations are made to the City Council in December. The Committee prioritized transparency and public education as central to this next phase. It is now sharing information about possible governance options, explaining their features, and collecting feedback through multiple channels, including a survey and in-person community conversation.
Following the conclusion of public engagement in November, the Committee will review all feedback and prepare a final report and set of recommendations for the City Council’s December 10, meeting. The recommendations may inform potential City Charter amendments for consideration at the April 2026 Annual Meeting,
For more information, visit www.essexjunction.org or call 802-878-1375.
Governance Committee
PURPOSE
Essex Junction is a welcoming community, home to a diverse population, including residents of all ages, ethnicity, nationalities, and backgrounds; and the City Council wishes to explore governance structures to ensure that voices are equitably represented at policy making tables. As such, the Governance Committee shall represent the best interests of the City and its residents by serving in an advisory capacity to the City Council for the purpose of studying governance considerations for the City such as, but not limited to, form of government, election of officials at-large or through wards or districts, governing body composition, term of office, term limits, and councilor compensation.
MEMBERSHIP
The Governance Committee shall consist of up to 9 voting members to include two City Council members.
TIMELINE & TERM LENGTH
It is anticipated that the Governance Committee’s work may result in recommended charter changes. The intent is to prepare these charter changes in time for them to be brought to the voters on the 2026 Annual Meeting ballot. Therefore, the work of the Governance Committee shall be complete and submitted to the City Council no later than December 2025.
There may be additional work beyond this timeline to help with public outreach and engagement associated with any potential charter changes.
Governance Committee meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at Essex Junction Recreation and Parks located at 75 Maple Street in Essex Junction, or via remote access. (See the municipal calendar).
Committee Members and Contact Information
- Bethany Clark
- Thomas Coen
- Steve Eustis, Chair
- Deb McAdoo
- Candace Morgan
- Gabrielle Smith
- Marlon Verasamy, Vice Chair
- Elaine Haney, City Councilor, Secretary ehaney@essexjunction.org
- Brian Shelden, City Councilor bshelden@essexjunction.org
- Brad Luck, Staff Representative bluck@ejrp.org
Upcoming Meetings
Access upcoming meeting documents by clicking on the meeting.
Nov5 6:30
PM – 8 PM Nov6 6:30
PM – 8 PM Nov20 6:30
PM – 8 PM Dec4 6:30
PM – 8 PM
October 23, 2025
October 9, 2025
September 25, 2025
September 11, 2025
August 28, 2025
August 4, 2025
July 24, 2025
July 10, 2025
June 26, 2025
June 12, 2025
May 22, 2025
May 8, 2025
April 24, 2025
April 10, 2025
March 27, 2025
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