December is the close of the year and the official start of winter. Many of you are getting ready for holidays and school vacations while simultaneously running your towns, managing despite winter storms, and getting ready for Town Meeting. In this issue of the VLCT Journal, we share a variety of advocacy resources and updates, we propose ways to reduce winter risks for highway crews, and you'll hear from the attorneys about two recent court cases that could affect municipalities.


Follow our Facebook page for more news, updates, and announcements: facebook.com/VTLeague.

VT Statehouse

2025 Legislative Preview


Prepare for the upcoming legislative session. Read our new Legislative Priorities, stay up to date with news regarding changes to legislative leadership, find a recap of the state budget forecast, and more. Read the preview.

ICYMI: FEATURED NEWS

Joe Leaves a Solid Legacy in VLCT's Trusts

We wish Joe Damiata well as he leaves VLCT to move to a larger platform.

Weekly Legislative Report Moves to Monday The legislature is so busy on Fridays that in 2025 we will write and send the WLR on Mondays.

Ask The League: Is it a Conflict of Interest

... for a member of the Board of Abatement to also serve as the Collector of Delinquent Taxes?

New Ethics & Conflicts of Interest Resources

This updated information reflects changes from Act 171 that took effect on 6/10/24.

Save the Date for Town Fair 2025

Mark your calendars. VLCT's Annual conference returns to South Burlington on October 8, 2025.

Give Input on Affordable Housing

Help inform a report to the General Assembly on strategies for expanding affordable housing.

Visit the News Feed

2025 Municipal Legislative Priorities


The 2025 Municipal Legislative Priorities were developed by VLCT Advocacy staff and approved by the VLCT Board. The goal of the priorities document is to help legislators understand how to support municipalities in meeting the obligations and functions of today's local government and help them take action to solve the challenges of the 21st century. Read the priorities.

FEATURED RESOURCES & ARTICLES

Welcome Samantha Sheehan


Samantha Sheehan joined VLCT in October. As VLCT's Municipal Policy and Advocacy Specialist, she will work closely with Josh Hanford in the legislature. You will notice Samantha's name and read her updates throughout this issue of the VLCT Journal because she has already been hard at work on the Municipal Legislative Priorities, the Effective Testimony Guide, and the Legislative Preview.


Learn more about Samantha.

Effective Legislative Testimony Guide


Whether this is your first or 30th legislative session, this updated guide has something for you. Containing advice, best practices, and useful links to legislative resources, it serves as your handbook for how to testify and interact with legislators effectively. VLCT Advocacy relies on members like you to share your experience directly with legislators to help them understand the real-life effects of legislation.



Bookmark the guide.

County Court Upholds Burlington's Short-Term Rental Regulations


This case makes it clear that protecting the long-term housing market promotes the public health, safety, and convenience of a municipality. It also sets the foundation for municipalities to regulate short-term rentals with statutory durational limits and an owner-occupancy restriction. However, this ruling is only binding within Chittenden County, and it is unclear whether this case will be appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court.


Follow this case.

Keep Your Employees Safe in Winter Weather


Your road crew is out maintaining the roads in all conditions, providing a crucial public service while at the mercy of the weather. PACIF's claim statistics show that most slip and fall injuries and motor vehicle accidents occur from November through March. Protect valuable municipal assets: read these tips and share them with your employees – especially those working outdoors in adverse conditions.


Help them stay safe.

Court Allows Human Rights Commission's Case Against St. J.


The Vermont Supreme Court recently reversed a lower court’s dismissal of the Vermont Human Rights Commission’s discrimination case against the Town of St. Johnsbury. What seems to be lost in the reporting of this decision is that the Supreme Court did not find the town at fault in any way: it decided only that the commission was not time barred from trying to prove its case in court. 


Unwind the details.

Build Your Knowledge with VLCT: 2025 Events and Training Schedule


Preview what training VLCT has to offer in 2025! Staff have listened to your needs, so the 2025 list of training is robust. Best of all, due to grants from USDA Rural Development and VLCT PACIF, training in 2025 will be free for members (with a few minor limitations). Use this webpage to plan out what you'd like to attend and then check back about a month ahead to register online. Find the training you need.

Pop Quiz and VLCT logo.

POP Quiz Take the quiz then scroll below for answers!

When should employees be given the "First Fill" prescription form?
After an employee has received their first prescription
Anytime/Whenever the manager remembers
Before an employee seeks medical attention for a workplace injury

NLC: New Grant Application Bootcamp


Through NLC's Local Infrastructure Hub, small and mid-sized municipalities can receive an expert suite of supports to develop competitive grant applications.


These sessions target four key funding opportunities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. For the first time, the Hub will offer a bootcamp on managing and implementing federal infrastructure awards –tailored specifically for those who have secured funding and need expert guidance to navigate implementation hurdles.


Learn more.

Browse the Latest Resources

2025 Advocacy Chats Start 1/27, But You Can Register Now


Whether you made it to or missed the Advocacy Chat Preview on 12/16, you can now register for the 2025 series and be all set to follow what’s happening in the State House as the session unfolds. Every other Monday beginning on 1/27, join Josh Hanford and Samantha Sheehan to hear about the issues that matter most to local government. Also learn what your municipal colleagues from around the state have to say and share your concerns for the legislature. Sign up today.      

FEATURED UPCOMING EVENTS

Town Meeting Prep: Requirements & Deadlines


Tuesday, January 7

10 AM – 12 PM

Review the basic legal requirements and deadlines related to Town Meeting and access key document templates for the warning and articles. Register.

Workplace Matters: Championing Workplace Wellbeing



Thursday, January 9

12 PM – 1 PM

Join Emma Henderson from Invest EAP for a workshop that addresses the significance of mental health and substance use disorder in the workplace. Register.

Grants & Funding Chat: Wastewater


Tuesday, January 14

1 PM – 2 PM

Join Bonnie Waninger to learn about actions you must take before applying for wastewater funding and how to ask for the help you need. Register.

January Legal Lunch Hour


Thursday, January 16

12 PM – 1 PM

Bring your lunch and your questions for a live, interactive Q&A with VLCT’s Municipal Assistance Center attorneys. Register.

Click for all VLCT events

VLCT 2025 Holiday Office Closure Schedule

The VLCT office closure schedule for the end of 2024 and all of 2025 is now available. During office closures some staff may be working (staff are not required to observe holidays), and members with claims emergencies can always call the claim emergency line – available in the holiday voicemail greeting. Mark your calendars.

About VLCT Journal


Find all issues of the VLCT Journal at vlct.org/journal.


As always, be sure to follow us on social media and regularly check the updated home page of our website for breaking news and announcements.


Please contact us at vlctnews@vlct.org with any comments or suggestions for upcoming content.

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* POP QUIZ ANSWERS

If possible, before an employee seeks medical attention, the supervisor should print and sign a Workers' Comp "First Fill" prescription form and give it to the employee. Then if the medical provider prescribes a medication right away, the employee can have it filled at a participating pharmacy without paying for it out of pocket. Learn more.