§ 245-24. Powers exercised through trustees

The powers granted to the Village hereunder shall be exercised by its trustees, who shall have the supervision of the Village's electric and communications plants as provided for herein and not inconsistent with law:

(1) Sewer system:  The Village shall have such powers and the trustees shall have such duties with reference to the municipal sewer system that are in existence as set forth in 24 V.S.A. chapters 97 and 101 or any amendments thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the trustees shall have the supervision of such municipal sewer department, and shall make and establish all needful sewer rates, rules, and regulations for its control and operation.

(2) The trustees shall hire a person to superintend the physical operation of the water, electric, and sewer systems, and communications plant, and provide such person with written guidelines of his or her duties. Said Superintendent shall be responsible for the proper and efficient maintenance and operation of the systems in accordance with such guidelines. The Superintendent shall report once each month to the trustees, and once each year shall make a written report to the trustees. Such written report shall be included in the annual report of the Village of Morrisville. The books and bank accounts of the water, electric, and sewer systems, and communications plant, shall be kept separate from the other books and accounts of the Village. The rents and receipts for the use of such municipal utilities shall only be used and applied to pay the interest upon the bonds in existence for such utility systems, the expense of repairs, improvements, and management of the utility department, and in payment of the utility bonds. The money received from the operation of such municipal utilities shall not be used for any other purposes until all such bonds, notes, or other certificates of indebtedness have been paid.

(3) Any improvements to the nonelectric utility systems which in the aggregate exceed $100,000.00 as adjusted annually for inflation for the water department, or which in the aggregate exceed $100,000.00 as adjusted annually for inflation for the sewer department, shall require the approval of a majority of the legally-qualified voters of the Village present and voting at either an annual or special meeting called and warned for that purpose.

(4) The trustees shall establish rates of rents to be charged and paid by the users of said water, electric, and sewer systems, and communication service, at such times and in such manner as they may determine, and may alter, modify, increase, or decrease such rates and extend them to any description of property or use. Such rates or rents with the charges for wiring and piping shall be chargeable to and may be collected from the owners of the property supplied with the same, unless otherwise agreed upon by the trustees and such owners. All such rents with charges for wiring and piping shall be a lien and charge upon the buildings, lots, and other property so supplied, and may be collected in the same manner as any tax assessed by said Village. The Village may order all rents for water, electric, sewer, and communications service, to be paid in advance, and may make all necessary provisions and orders relating to the supply or stoppage of water, electric, sewer, and communications service, as it may deem expedient to insure the payment of such rents.

(5) The owners of property abutting or adjacent to any street or alley through which a public sewer or drain has been constructed shall construct, under the direction of the trustees, or their designate, a suitable sewer or drain from his or her said property and properly connect the same with the said public sewer or drain. If, after 20 days' notice in writing by the trustees to such owner of such property of such requirement, such owner fails or neglects to construct or connect such sewer or drain, the trustees shall enter upon the property and make such connection, assessing therefor the actual costs of so doing against the said property and the owner thereof. Said trustees shall file in the land records of the Town of Morristown an itemized statement of the costs of constructing and connecting said sewer or drain, and the amount so assessed shall be and remain a lien upon said property, and shall be enforced and collected in the same manner as is provided in this charter for the enforcement and collection of taxes and other assessments.