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 corrects various grammatical and stylistic issues throughout the charter.

The bill includes specific legal insertions and deletions to update references to the Vermont Statutes Annotated, ensuring consistency in legal language. For instance, it replaces references to "statutes of the State of Vermont" with "Vermont Statutes Annotated" and modifies the structure of various sections to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Selectboard and other town officials. The amendments also address the organization of the Selectboard, the appointment of officials, and the procedures for public meetings and budget hearings, ultimately aiming to enhance the governance and operational efficiency of the Town of Essex.