Committee hears mixed views on Windham County pilot to create law-enforcement governance council

The Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee continued testimony on S255 on March 26, considering a one-county pilot that would let Windham County towns jointly govern and fund certain sheriff services.

Assistant Judge Lamont Barnett, who said he has worked closely with Sheriff Mark Anderson, told the committee the current funding model is “antiquated” and argued counties are better positioned than small towns to manage policing costs. “It always made more sense that the county should play a larger role in providing policing for its county if we indeed want to ensure the safety of our citizens,” Barnett said, noting Windham County’s budget is about $1 million and that the sheriff’s portion comprises roughly half of that total.

Barnett urged starting the pilot only in Windham County so lawmakers can test the model before other counties opt in. He flagged practical issues the committee would need to address, including the timing of county tax bills (sent in May) versus town fiscal schedules, the possibility of issuing a supplemental tax bill or borrowing in anticipation of revenue, and that about nine towns had expressed interest in the proposal.

Terry Corson, the state court administrator, said the judiciary had no formal position on S255 and that existing courthouse-security contracts with sheriffs would be unaffected. “I don’t really take a position nor does the judiciary regarding the bill,” Corson said, adding he was available to answer follow-up questions.

Speaking for the Vermont State Police on behalf of Colonel Matthew Birmingham, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Mo said the state police support regionalized policing in principle but raised two central concerns: accountability and replication. “The concerns … are twofold. One of which is accountability based and the other one is replication,” Mo said, explaining that an elected sheriff serving as the chief law-enforcement officer cannot be removed in the same way a hired police chief can, and asking whether the model could be replicated in counties where local circumstances differ.

When a committee member asked whether the program might be improved by creating a hired law-enforcement executive removable by a governing body, Mo agreed that such a structure would address some oversight concerns.

Jennifer Harlo, sheriff of Orleans County and president of the Vermont Sheriff’s Association, said the association has not taken a formal position because S255 is currently limited to Windham County. “We have never voted to either support it or oppose it at this time because it is a Windham County bill,” Harlo told the committee, adding sheriffs will continue to monitor and engage on issues that affect multiple counties.

Senator White, who joined the hearing remotely, emphasized the measure is designed as a voluntary, Windham-only pilot and not as an accountability reform. White said the pilot was drafted so the governance council could organize, adopt bylaws and develop a budget before any assessments or taxation would begin, and that the pilot would be enacted as session law rather than permanent statute so it could expire if it proved unsuccessful. “This is not an accountability bill,” White said, urging the committee not to shorten the pilot period so evaluative work can be completed.

No formal vote was taken at the March 26 session; the committee recessed until 10:30 a.m. to take additional testimony and consider an amendment to a separate item.