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City Annual Meeting Next Week

Posted Tuesday, April 7, 2026
— Updates

On Tuesday, April 14, polls will be open from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Champlain Valley Exposition, Blue Ribbon Pavilion, at 105 Pearl Street, so Essex Junction voters can weigh in on municipal and school district matters. There are items on both Essex Junction’s and the Essex Westford School District’s ballots. Early voting is available at the City Clerk’s office. You can request to vote early by mail. To do so, contact the City Clerk (clerk@essexjunction.org or 802-878-6944 option 7). As a reminder, we recommend leaving ample time for transit if you plan to return your completed ballots via USPS. A secure drop box is located outside of City Offices at 2 Lincoln Street if you want to return them by hand. All early/absentee ballots must be returned to the Clerk’s Office by Monday, April 13, or delivered directly to the polling place before the close of polls on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Want to Know What’s on the City’s ballot?

Visit www.essexjunction.org/departments/clerk/voter-information/annual-meeting to get details on budgets and articles before you vote. Below is a brief explanation of each article on the City ballot.

Article 1: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve a General Fund budget of $12,921,469, with $11,891,682 to be raised through property taxes.

  • This budget represents a 4.0% or $502,228 increase from FY26 $12,419,241 to FY27 $12,921,469. This increase is supported mostly with an increase to the City tax levy of $11,891,682 or 4.3%.
  • The proposed budget would result in an estimated City General Fund tax rate, plus the tax agreement rate and economic development rate, of $1.0624, compared to $1.0202 in FY26, which is a 4.1% increase. The projected City tax cost for a $280K home in FY27 is an increase of $118 per year over FY26.

Article 2: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve issuing up to $13,960,000 in general obligation bonds or notes to pay for a new Public Works facility.

  • The current buildings are beyond their serviceable life and no longer adequate to support the Public Works Department’s daily operations.
  • The main building, with parts dating back approximately 80 years, suffers from outdated construction materials and designs that fail to meet modern standards.
  • The current facility faces many deficiencies, including limited storage space for expensive and environmentally sensitive equipment, and inadequate heated storage, risking damage and delays - especially during winter emergencies. Additionally, there are operational inefficiencies caused by having functions spread across three separate buildings.
  • Staff facilities are also woefully inadequate, with combined bathroom and storage spaces, no dedicated locker or shower rooms, and a lack of break and training areas.
  • The main building’s low ceilings make it impossible to maintain larger vehicles properly, and the facility does not meet current life-safety or accessibility codes.
  • Check out the current facility with this video tour.

Article 3: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve raising the City Council Member’s annual minimum pay from $2,500 to $3,600.

  • The Essex Junction Governance Committee recommended increasing the annual minimum pay due to the time, work, and responsibilities required of the Council. They also believe the increase could help more people consider running for office.

Article 4: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve an amendment to the City Charter that would provide the Council President a 25% higher stipend than other members.

  • This Charter amendment would add to Subchapter 2: Governance Structure, Section 205, Compensation, of the City Charter: “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.”
  • The Essex Junction Governance Committee recommended this article change because the Council President has additional duties and time commitments justifying a 25% higher stipend.

Article 5: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve an amendment to the City Charter that would adjust the Council stipends annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

  • This Charter amendment would change Subchapter 2: Governance Structure, Section 205, Compensation, of the City Charter. Removing (strikethrough) and adding (underlined) the following text: “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 …”
  • The Essex Junction Governance Committee recommended this article to remove the Council’s ability to raise its own stipends and to set a regular way to increase them.
  • Linking stipend increases to the Consumer Price Index makes the process consistent and keeps the decision separate from the Council.

Article 6: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve an amendment to the City Charter that would require a comprehensive Charter Review every 12 years.

  • This Charter amendment would add to Subchapter 12: Amendment of Charter and Initiatives, Section 1202 Charter Review Committee, of the City Charter: “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.”
  • The Essex Junction Governance Committee recommended this article to ensure the City Charter is fully reviewed at least every 12 years.

Article 7: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve authorizing a planning loan through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for lead service line inventories. The loan amount would not exceed $892,771 and would be financed for a period of up to ten years.

  • In 2023, voters authorized a loan for Essex Junction’s Lead Service Line inventory and replacement plan. The inventory and plan are complete and approved.
  • There are now new United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) lead and copper rules that require the City to conduct further investigation, including non-lead service line validation (by 2034) and service line material identification (by 2037).
  • The state has funding available now through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The City is eligible for partial loan forgiveness for this phase of the work. With loan forgiveness, the expected repayment amount would be about $400,000.

Article 8: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve the creation of a Social Services Funding Program and a one-cent tax to support local social service organizations.

  • Before the City separated from the Town in 2022, Village taxpayers contributed to a similar social services program through the Town budget (dating back to 1987). Since separation, Essex Junction has not had a dedicated program or funding mechanism for social service appropriations.
  • The funds would support social, health, and human services organizations to benefit Essex Junction residents.
  • A one-cent tax would generate approximately $113,000 (based on the FY26 grand list).
  • This question would be brought to the voters at each Annual Meeting for reconsideration.

Article 9: You are being asked whether to approve or not approve of the City’s proposal to stop accepting postmarks as proof of on-time tax payment.

  • The City Charter does not specify how or when tax payments must be delivered. Because of this, the City follows state law 32 V.S.A. § 4773(b), which allows postmarks as proof of on-time payment.
  • Given operational changes at the US Postal Service, postmarks have become a less reliable indicator of an on-time payment. Currently, the City does not accept postmarks as proof of on-time payment for utility bills.
  • The City is receiving payments weeks past the due date. Penalties and interest must be applied the day after payments are due. Accepting postmarked payments requires staff to manually reverse penalties or interest for each customer and apply the payment. These adjustments require documentation and supervisor verification for internal controls and audit.

Article 10: Election of City officers, including: two City Council members (three-year terms) and one Library Trustee (five-year term).

In addition to online materials, you can watch the Town Meeting TV Budget & Ballot Item Discussion with Council President Amber Thibeault and City Manager Regina Mahony, or view the City Informational Meeting for more in-depth coverage.