Over the past four months, the Charter Review Committee has undertaken an in-depth evaluation of proposed changes to our Town’s charter, driven by our commitment to ensure responsive and effective municipal governance. With a focus on transparency, inclusivity, and thorough analysis, we engaged over 30 key stakeholders in interviews, received and carefully reviewed more than 20 public comments, held two public forums to share our progress and solicit diverse perspectives, and consulted with legal counsel to clarify the implications of each potential recommendation.

Through this process, we aimed to bring community voices to the forefront and to lay a foundation of thoughtful, practical recommendations that will help improve the operations of our town government. Below, you will find an overview of this process and a summary of the recommended charter amendments that the Committee considers viable and worthy of moving forward. We recognize that many members of our community hold strong personal beliefs about these proposals, and we have sought to reflect the insights and opinions shared throughout our process. At the same time, we acknowledge that there are many Bennington residents we did not hear from who may hold differing perspectives.This Committee believes that free and fair elections remain the mechanism by which all members of our community can voice their opinions, ensuring that any changes ultimately reflect the collective will of our town.

It is the Committee’s sincere hope that these recommendations will enhance the Town’s ability to serve all members of our community and adapt to evolving needs in governance.