Election Information

FINAL NEWSLETTER CLERK JANUARY 2024.docx

Position Roles and Responsibilities

The following position descriptions are sourced from the Fairfax Town website, Town Reports, the Vermont Secretary of State's office, and other relevant sources.  If you have insight into the roles and responsibilities of these positions that you would like added to these descriptions, please email Pat at placlair1@gmail.com


Cemetery Commissioner - This board is responsible for the care and management of the town’s cemeteries. For details about being a cemetery commissioner, review this section of the town website here.

Delinquent Tax Collector - From the Vermont League of Cities and Towns Handbook for Vermont Town Officers: "The collector of delinquent taxes plays a vital role in ensuring that property taxes owed to the town are paid by all taxpayers. It is the job of the collector of delinquent taxes to notify taxpayers when their taxes are overdue, to make arrangements for late payments, or to take formal collection actions, including conducting tax sales of the property, when necessary. It is the obligation of the collector of delinquent taxes to keep records of all delinquent accounts and to provide an accounting of these records to the locally elected auditors for inclusion in the annual report of the town."

Town/School Moderator - From the VT Secretary of State's website, the town moderator "runs the annual and special town/school meeting. Should have a good sense of humor, be good at group process, and have experience following Roberts Rules of Order." The VT Secretary of State published this handbook for moderators in 2009.

Selectboard Member / Selectperson - From the VT Secretary of State's website, selectboard members are responsible for "general supervision and control over the town; enacts ordinances, regulations, and policies for town; oversees town property and personnel; prepares, presents and manages budget; and oversees roads, including laying out, discontinuing, and reclassifying roads. Sits as local board of health, liquor control commission, and sewer commission. Should know the town well, be able to understand all sides of complex issues, and have very thick skin." The Vermont League of Cities and Towns publishes this handbook for select board members. This version was updated in 2007.


Library Trustee - From the Fairfax Community Library Trustees Bylaws, the work of the Library Trustees encompasses development of library staffing for non-school hours, purchasing of materials with town funds, and evaluating the Town Library Director. Other decisions are made by the Fairfax Board of School Directors separate from but with consideration of FCL Trustees. 

School Director (School Board Member) - From the Vermont School Board Association: "School boards are not involved in the day-to-day operations of schools. Their job is to provide high level, student-focused oversight and assure the delivery of an effective education program in their communities at a reasonable cost for taxpayers in accordance with state and federal law.   School boards have six areas of responsibility at the local level: