Burlington Has Never Had a Charter. That May Soon Change

After 18 months of research, public forums, surveys mailed to every household, and more than 30 public meetings, the Burlington Government Review Committee voted Tuesday night to approve a proposed charter for the Town of Burlington. The document will be submitted to the Select Board for a recommendation and placed on the January Town Meeting warrant as the first steps toward adopting it.

If adopted, it would be the first charter in Burlington’s history.

A town charter functions like a local constitution: a single document that explains how the government is organized, who has what authority, and how decisions get made. Right now, Burlington operates through a patchwork of special acts, bylaws, and unwritten tradition. This information is spread across multiple (sometimes conflicting) documents that can be hard for residents and town officials to navigate.

In large part, the proposed charter collates and documents how Burlington's government and municipal offices already function. But the BGRC did vote to include some changes and updates.

The charter includes, among other things, the ability for Burlington residents to recall elected officials for the first time — a provision supported by 80% of survey respondents — and would extend the Town Moderator’s term from one year to three. Based on feedback from Town Meeting members at the committee's three informational precinct meetings, these two provisions will be reserved for separate discussion at Town Meeting, though the BGRC recommends they be included. The document would also expand and clarify the Town Administrator’s authority and require greater budget transparency.

Next steps: Select Board review in November, a Town Meeting vote in January 2027, and then submission to the state Legislature and Governor. If approved at all levels, Burlington voters will have the final say in a town-wide ratification vote.

A deeper look at the charter process is coming in the Burlington Buzz Winter Magazine.

The full draft report and charter are available at burlington.org/govreview.

Full disclosure: Burlington Buzz Editor-in-Chief Nicci Kadilak serves on the BGRC.