VT S0255

Establishes a pilot Windham County Law Enforcement Governance Council to provide regional law enforcement, dispatch, and animal control services to participating municipalities, requiring at least five municipalities to vote to join before the Council becomes operational starting July 1, 2026 or later.

Municipalities join by majority vote of their legislative body, with each member municipality represented by one selectboard member on the Council; members may withdraw by majority vote, effective at the end of the following fiscal year.

Funding comes through a special county property tax assessment on member municipalities only, calculated proportionally by population; the Council submits its budget to the Windham County Assistant Judges by December 1 annually for inclusion in the county budget.

The Windham County Sheriff's Department delivers law enforcement services to member municipalities under annual service agreements with the Council; nonmember municipalities are not assessed costs and retain State Police coverage and rights to independent law enforcement arrangements.

The pilot program sunsets on June 30, 2034, with a comprehensive evaluation due to the General Assembly by December 31, 2033; annual reports to legislative committees begin in January 2027.