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Officials cite state law route for boundary changes but warn arbitration could follow if talks fail
Summary
Staff said Vermont statutes provide a clear path to change municipal boundaries and that Vergennes and Panton have consulted lawyers and legislators; if negotiations fail the process could move to arbitration, prolonging and increasing costs.
City Manager Ron Redmond and other staff told attendees that state law provides a statutory process for municipalities to alter established boundaries. They said legal counsel and legislators had been consulted to ensure a smooth process should the municipalities pursue formal action.
Staff cautioned that if the towns cannot agree on a negotiated boundary, the dispute would likely proceed to arbitration, which would add time and expense to the process. No formal petitions, ordinance numbers or specific statutory citations were provided in the minutes; staff said they had already sought legal and legislative advice to prepare for either negotiated settlement or a statutory process.
