Ethics & Open Meetings
Open Meeting Law
In 2024, the Vermont General Assembly passed and Governor Scott signed Act 133, which made substantial changes to Vermont's Open Meeting Law. A provision of the new law requires all municipalities to post a copy of Title 1, Section 314 of the Vermont Statutes to the municipal website, if one is maintained. In compliance with this provision, a document containing the full text of this section posted is at (action pending).
Another provision of this law requires that all meetings of "non-advisory" public bodies be recorded (audio or video) and made available for at least 30 days following the posting of the "official" minutes of the meeting. This applies to virtually all of the boards and committees that regularly meet in the Town of Berkshire. Recordings of meetings of each public body will be available on their respective webpages on this site, as well as on the Recordings page under Public Documents.
Municipal Ethics
In 2024 the Vermont General Assembly passed Act 171, which introduced a new statewide Municipal Code of Ethics. Act 171 became law on June 10, 2024, with certain provisions coming into force on January 1, 2025. This new legislation requires that:
In 2024, the Vermont General Assembly passed and Governor Scott signed Act 133, which made substantial changes to Vermont's Open Meeting Law. A provision of the new law requires all municipalities to post a copy of Title 1, Section 314 of the Vermont Statutes to the municipal website, if one is maintained. In compliance with this provision, a document containing the full text of this section posted is at (action pending).
Another provision of this law requires that all meetings of "non-advisory" public bodies be recorded (audio or video) and made available for at least 30 days following the posting of the "official" minutes of the meeting. This applies to virtually all of the boards and committees that regularly meet in the Town of Berkshire. Recordings of meetings of each public body will be available on their respective webpages on this site, as well as on the Recordings page under Public Documents.
Municipal Ethics
In 2024 the Vermont General Assembly passed Act 171, which introduced a new statewide Municipal Code of Ethics. Act 171 became law on June 10, 2024, with certain provisions coming into force on January 1, 2025. This new legislation requires that:
- Each municipality shall post the Vermont Municipal Code of Ethics to the municipal website. The full text is available at(action pending)
- Each municipality shall designate a municipal employee or Selectboard member to serve as ethics liaison to the State Ethics Commission (action pending)
- Each municipal legislative body shall assign a municipal officer or body (i.e. “Designated Complaint Recipient”) to receive complaints alleging violations of the Municipal Code of Ethics (action pending);
- Each municipality shall adopt a process for the investigation and enforcement of municipal ethics complaints, which shall be posted to the town website (Action pending).
- All newly elected municipal officers shall complete an ethics training program approved by the State Ethics Commission. Certain specified officers, including chief administrative officers and Selectboard, Board of Civil Authority, Board of Abatement, and Development Review Board members will be required to retake this training every three years.