Town Auditors are elected by the voters and play a vital role in preserving the democratic nature of Vermont’s local government by ensuring that local officials are accountable for their expenditures of the taxpayers’ money. It is the auditor’s job to review the accounts of local officials and report the findings directly to the taxpayers in the form of the Annual Report.
Because the Annual Report is presented only days before town meeting, the statutory scheme envisions that if the taxpayers do not like what the auditors’ report indicates about how the officials have spent the taxpayers’ money, the officials can be voted out of office. Thus, it is the auditor’s function to present an easy to understand picture of the town’s finances to the people of the town.
Statutory requirements:
According to Vermont Statutes Annotated, the auditors must “examine and adjust the accounts of all town and town school district officers and all other persons authorized by law to draw orders on the town treasurer”, and the auditors must “report their findings in writing and cause the same to be mailed or otherwise distributed to the legal voters of the town at least ten days before the annual meeting.” 24 V.S.A. 1681, 1682(a)
The Board of Auditors meet on a periodic basis. Meeting times and locations are warned and posted.
Board of Auditors Members :
- OPEN (term expires 2027)
- Patricia Quinn Baumann (Chair) (term expires 2026)
- Marilyn Hinsdale (term expires 2025)