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.
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.
There is now information on the Governance Committee webpage that discusses some of the topics being explored and lays out the facts about the different options. Community members are encouraged to read and learn more about the various items prior to participating in the survey. There is a survey for residents to weigh in with their opinion about which approaches are best.
To help residents learn about the issues and voice their opinions, the Committee is hosting a Community Conversation on Wednesday, November 5, from 6:30–8:30p.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.
Committee members were tabling at the final Meet Me on Main! on October 11, to help spread the word. Updates will also appear on the City’s website, social media, Front Porch Forum, at the October 22 City Council meeting, and on The Junction City News program on October 27.
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.