To begin, an attorney from VLCT’s Municipal Assistance Center will present an updated version of their annual “Legal Parameters for Budgeting and Borrowing” training. This segment will review the legal framework that governs municipal budgets and borrowing in Vermont, including statutory requirements, timelines, warning and voting requirements, and limits on municipal indebtedness.

Following that, topic experts from VLCT’s Municipal Operations Support team will offer tools and tips for FY28 budgeting and capital budgeting. Together, they will discuss approaches to aligning operating and capital budgets, developing and updating capital plans, communicating budget priorities, and using practical tools to support long-term financial planning and success.

Attendees will learn to:  

• Identify the key legal requirements that govern municipal budgeting and borrowing in Vermont 
• Understand statutory timelines, notice, and voting requirements for municipal budgets and borrowing instruments 
• Recognize legal limitations on municipal borrowing and how those limits affect capital planning 
• Apply practical strategies and tools for developing the FY28 operating budget 
• Integrate capital budgeting and capital planning into the broader municipal budgeting process 

Presenters: 
Susan Senning, Staff Attorney II, VLCT Municipal Assistance Center (MAC) 
Kathleen Ramsay, Municipal Operations Specialist, VLCT Municipal Operations Support (MOS)  
Marguerite Ladd, Government Finance Officer, VLCT Municipal Operations Support (MOS)