The bill H.516 proposes several amendments to the charter of the Town of Essex, which were approved by voters on March 4, 2025. Key changes include stipulating that a Selectboard member's office will be considered vacant if the member moves out of town or fails to attend at least 50% of Selectboard meetings in a calendar year. The bill also establishes the duties of the Town Moderator, outlines procedures for electing a Moderator Pro Tempore in the absence of the Moderator, and allows the Selectboard to appoint members to the Town Cemetery Commission. Additionally, it mandates that the Selectboard employ a public accountant to examine the town's financial statements and makes various grammatical and stylistic corrections throughout the charter.

The bill includes several insertions and deletions to update legal language and clarify responsibilities. For instance, it replaces references to "statutes of the State of Vermont" with "Vermont Statutes Annotated" and modifies the structure of the Selectboard's organization and meeting procedures. The amendments also clarify the appointment process for various town officials and the powers of the Selectboard, ensuring compliance with state laws. The act is set to take effect upon passage, and it repeals a specific section of the existing charter to streamline governance.