City Council Informational Meeting 03/23/2026
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Monday,
March 23, 2026
6PM – 7 PM
Minutes
Draft
Minutes
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Agenda
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CITY OF ESSEX JUNCTION
CITY COUNCIL
INFORMATIONAL MEETING AGENDA
This meeting will be in-person in the Municipal Offices Conference Room located at 2 Lincoln Street and available remotely.
Options to watch or join the meeting remotely:
- WATCH: the meeting will be live-streamed on Town Meeting TV
- JOIN ONLINE: Join Zoom Meeting
- JOIN BY CALLING: (Toll Free audio only): (888) 788-0099 | Meeting ID: 944 6429 7825; Passcode: 635787
1. CALL TO ORDER [6:00 PM]
2. WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS AND PROCEDURES OVERVIEW
3. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 1: Shall the voters approve an annual General Fund Budget in the
amount of $12,921,469 for fiscal year July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, $11,891,682 of which is to be levied in taxes against
the City Grand List?
4. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 2: Shall general obligation bonds or notes of the City of
Essex Junction in an amount not to exceed Thirteen Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents
($13,960,000.00) be issued under Chapter 53 of Title 24, Vermont Statutes Annotated, payable from the City’s general
fund, derived from the taxation of real property for a period not to exceed thirty years, and subject to reduction by available
grants-in-aid or other funding sources, be issued to finance the cost of constructing a public works facility (the Project)?
5. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 3: Should the compensation paid to the City Council members
change from $2,500.00 a year to $3,600.00 a year starting July 1, 2027.
6. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 4: Shall the voters approve an amendment to the City of Essex
Junction Charter that changes the City Council President’s annual compensation to be twenty-five percent (25%)
more than the annual compensation paid to the other City Council members? (strikethrough represents a deletion,
and underline represents an addition):
Subchapter 2: Governance Structure
Section 205. Compensation -
(a)(1) The President of the Council shall be paid an annual compensation that is twenty-five percent (25%) more than
the annual compensation paid to the other Council members.
7. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 5: Shall the voters approve an amendment to the City of
Essex Junction Charter where compensation paid to the City Council members adjusts annually, effective July 1
of each year, in a manner consistent with any percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region,
as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the most recent calendar year? (strikethrough represents a
deletion, and underline represents an addition):
Subchapter 2: Governance Structure
Section 205. Compensation
(a) Compensation paid to the Council members shall be set by the voters at the annual meeting, adjusted annually,
effective July 1 of each year, by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region, as published by the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for the most recent calendar year, with a minimum of … .
8. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 6: Shall the voters approve an amendment to the City of Essex Junction
Charter that states that the City Council shall appoint a Charter Review Committee, at least once every 12 years,
to conduct a comprehensive review of the City of Essex Junction Charter? (strikethrough represents a deletion, and
underline represents an addition):
Subchapter 12: AMENDMENT OF CHARTER AND INITIATIVES
Section 1202. Charter Review Committee
The City Council shall appoint a Charter Review Committee at least once every twelve (12) years for the purpose of
conducting a comprehensive review of this charter. A majority of the Committee’s members shall be residents of the City,
who are not members of the City Council.
9. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 7: Shall the voters authorize a planning loan through the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for a project in the Water Enterprise Fund to be used for service line material identification
and nonlead service line validation as required by federal drinking water regulations in an amount not to exceed $892,771
to be financed over a period not to exceed ten years?
10. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 8: Shall the City of Essex Junction voters approve a one-cent
Social Services Contributions tax to support social service organizations, such amount being reasonably necessary and for
the support of programs to benefit City of Essex Junction residents?
11. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ABOUT ARTICLE 9: Shall the voters authorize payment of real property taxes in
equal installments on March 15 and September 15 by physical delivery or electronic payment to the tax collector by close
of business on that date?
12. ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT ARTICLE 10: To elect City officers required by law including: two City Council member
(three-year terms) and one Library Trustee (five-year term)?
13. PUBLIC TO BE HEARD
14. READING FILE
a. Annual Report Newsletter
15. ADJOURN
ANNUAL MEETING – Tuesday, April 14, 2026
The legal voters of the City of Essex Junction may vote on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, between the hours of 7:00 am and 7:00 pm at the Champlain Valley Exposition in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion, 105 Pearl Street in the City of Essex Junction to vote by Australian (paper) ballot. Mailed ballots and ballots dropped off at the City offices must be received (not post-marked) no later than Monday, April 13, 2026. Ballots may also be hand delivered to the polling place between the hours of 7:00 am and 7:00 pm on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Members of the public are encouraged to speak during the Public to Be Heard agenda item, during a Public Hearing, or, when recognized by the President, during consideration of a specific agenda item. The public will not be permitted to participate when a motion is being discussed except when specifically requested by the President. Regarding zoom participants, if individuals interrupt, they will be muted; and if they interrupt a second time they will be removed. This agenda is available in alternative formats upon request. Meetings of the City Council, like all programs and activities of the City of Essex Junction, are accessible to people with disabilities. For information on accessibility or this agenda, call the City Manager’s office at 802-878-6944 TTY: 7-1-1 or (800) 253-0191.