Position Description for Member of Board of Electric/Light Commissioners
The board of electric/light commissioners is created by the Burlington City Charter § 226, with the following duties and authority assigned by charter or council resolution:
- To exercise any of the city’s powers relating to the electric plant, improvements to the plant, or electric service that are delegated by resolution of the city council;
- To annually approve and submit to the mayor a budget recommendation for the electric department;
- To approve or delegate to the General Manager the authority to approve short term (five years or less) contracts for the purchasing and selling of electric capacity and energy;
- To approve or delegate to the General Manager the authority to enter into contracts involving an expenditure of less than $100,000 or a duration of one year or less (and to itself approve contracts of more than $100,000 and in excess of one year in duration);
- To issue regulations relating to the City’s electric system;
- To approve any recommendation by department management for and recommend to the Mayor and City Council an increase in electric rates;
- To report to the City Council at least once per year indicating the commission’s short and long term planning for electric power and energy supply;
- To hear electric department employee grievances to the extent provided in the City’s personnel policies.
Members of this board must meet the following criteria:
- Be a legal voter of the City of Burlington;
- No more than two-thirds of the members shall be from the same political party.
Members of this board will be appointed for a three-year term.
Historically, this board regularly meets on the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 5:30 pm.
In addition, members of this board will be expected to:
- Attend all scheduled meetings, or if a meeting must be missed, let the chairperson know ahead of the meeting if they will not be able to attend;
- Review any materials provided to the board ahead of time;
- Notify the chairperson and/or the city staffperson assigned to the board of any accommodation for a disability that may be required in order for the person to serve;
- Act from a spirit of cooperation and with respect towards other board members, staff members, and members of the public appearing before the board;
- Avoid actual or apparent conflicts of interest or bias;
- Comply with all aspects of the Vermont Open Meeting and Access to Public Records laws;
- When deciding a controversy or responding to a request, conduct themselves in a fair and impartial manner;
- Consider fairly the interests of all individuals and organizations whose interests may be affected by their actions as a city official.
