Congratulations to our newly elected selectboard members! We at the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) welcome you, along with returning selectboard members, to this foundational training that will set you up to succeed in your municipal work. This daylong event will both help you understand your legal authority as well as other key responsibilities and provide you with practical knowledge and tools to fulfill your responsibilities confidently.

You will gain a strong understanding of the full range of Vermont League of Cities and Towns services designed to strengthen your work and support your town. This includes expert guidance in municipal law, operations, and finance, along with insurance and risk management, legislative advocacy, and other critical resources offered by VLCT. This training is an excellent foundation for VLCT’s more in-depth trainings for selectboard members.

In-person registration is now closed. No refunds will be issued at this time. Virtual registration will remain available until the day of the event.

8:30 AM        Breakfast, Registration, and Networking  

9:00 AM        Welcome and VLCT Overview 
Speaker: Ted Brady, Executive Director, VLCT  

9:20 AM        Governing Your Town: Selectboards Roles and Responsibilities
Vermont selectboards must be aware of legal requirements and comply with them in their daily actions and decisions. We’ll unpack Dillon’s Rule and what it means for local authority; clarify where selectboard power begins and ends; and explore how policies and ordinances can be used to guide town operations, manage risk, and set clear expectations. We’ll also look at the selectboard’s relationships with other elected and appointed officials, including the clerk, treasurer, listers/assessors, road foreman, and administrator/manager – and explore strategies to collaborate effectively while respecting each role’s distinct responsibilities. Throughout, we’ll translate statutory duties into concrete, day-to-day practices you can use to run meetings, oversee town business, and stay on solid legal ground. Participants will leave with actionable insight into their role as a governing body and practical tools to fulfill their duties. 
Speakers: 
Kail Romanoff, Staff Attorney II, VLCT Municipal Assistance Center (MAC) 
Kathleen Ramsay, Municipal Operations Specialist, VLCT Municipal Operations Support (MOS) 

10:20 AM    VLCT Risk Management Services
VLCT’s Risk Management Services helps Vermont municipalities manage risk through two member-owned governmental risk-sharing pools: PACIF provides property, liability, casualty, and workers’ compensation coverage, while VERB offers unemployment insurance. Their professional teams support municipalities with claims management, loss prevention, and additional insurance options tailored to local government needs. 
Speaker:
Phil Latvis, Risk Management Services Director, VLCT 

10:35 AM    Break and Visit Tables

11:00 AM    Demystifying Vermont’s Transparency Laws: Brief Overview and Extended Q&A
Vermont’s Open Meeting Law (OML), Public Records Act (PRA), and Conflicts of Interest rules are at the heart of transparent, accountable local government, and some of the most common sources of confusion and risk for selectboards. This session is designed as a practical, question-driven conversation. We’ll give a short refresher on key requirements and walk through tools, templates, and concrete examples to help you comply with the law.  We’ll then move into an extended Q&A and time for discussion.

Registrants, before you attend Selectboard Essentials, please watch these recorded trainings to prepare your questions for this session: 

• Open Meeting Law Basics On Demand Training 
• Public Records Act On Demand Training

Speakers:  
Carl Andeer, Staff Attorney II, VLCT Municipal Assistance Center (MAC) 
Kathleen Ramsay, Municipal Operations Specialist, VLCT Municipal Operations Support (MOS) 

12:00 PM    Lunch and Networking

1:00 PM        Lifecycle of the Employment Relationship
Being an employer isn't a single action or decision, and effective people leadership carries consistent responsibilities across the full employment lifecycle of municipal employees. In this session, we'll provide a high-level overview of the phases of employment, as a preview to follow-up webinars over the coming months that will dive into each topic and its operational, accountability, and reputational effects. 
Speakers: 
Julie McKenzie, Deputy General Counsel and Director of PACIF Field Risk Services, VLCT Risk Management Services (RMS) 
Christine Trombley-Marsh, Senior HR Consultant, VLCT Risk Management Services (RMS)

2:00 PM        Break and Visit Tables

2:15 PM        Selectboard Oversight in Finance and Budgeting
Financial oversight can feel overwhelming, but selectboards only need to master a few key practices to lead effectively. This session focusses on some of the most essential financial oversight tools so board members can step into their responsibilities with confidence. 
Speaker: 
Marguerite Ladd, Government Finance Specialist, VLCT Municipal Operations Support (MOS) 

3:15 PM        Legislative Update and How VLCT’s Legislative/Municipal Policy is Formed
VLCT was founded by municipal leaders seeking to have the concerns of towns and cities represented in the Vermont Legislature. This presentation will be an overview of our current legislative priorities, key bills affecting municipalities, and VLCT’s advocacy team efforts. Also hear a summary of how the VLCT legislative policy committees review and recommend policy positions, how proposed amendments from members are considered and adopted by delegates, and how the resulting municipal policy guides the Board, staff, and advocacy priorities during the legislative session. 
Speaker:
Josh Hanford, Director of Intergovernmental Relations, VLCT

3:45 PM        Feedback Form and Visit Tables

4:00 PM        Safe Travels Home

Parking instructions: From Mountain Road (VT Route 108) in Stowe, take a right onto Cape Cod Road. The Stoweflake Conference Center parking lot will be immediately on your left. If the main lot is full, overflow parking is available in the two lots just beyond it.