An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Bennington concerning municipal liens
H.696 is a municipal charter amendment bill for the Town of Bennington. It asks the General Assembly to approve a voter-approved change to Bennington’s charter that gives certain municipal liens first priority when they arise from court judgments for fines. The bill applies to fines collected through enforcement of the town’s Land Use Regulations, Property Maintenance Ordinance, or Housing, Building, and Life Safety Ordinance.
Under the proposed charter language, when Bennington files a notice of lien based on a judgment for those fines, that lien would take priority over any other lien, even if another lien was recorded earlier. The underlying enforcement lien would remain in effect until the fines are paid or otherwise discharged, but no longer than eight years from the date of judgment unless renewed under state law. The act would take effect immediately upon passage.
The bill would amend 24 App. V.S.A. chapter 103, which governs the Town of Bennington’s charter, by adding a new section on the priority and duration of municipal enforcement liens. In practical terms, it strengthens Bennington’s ability to collect fines tied to local code enforcement by elevating those liens above other property liens and clarifying how long they remain valid. The change affects property owners subject to municipal enforcement actions, as well as lenders and other lienholders whose interests could be subordinated to Bennington’s enforcement liens.
The available record suggests the bill is procedural and locally focused, with no recorded committee transcript or vote history indicating significant opposition or debate. Because the General Assembly is being asked to approve a charter amendment already approved by Bennington voters on March 4, 2025, the overall posture appears supportive and administrative rather than controversial. The bill’s purpose is narrowly tailored to a single municipality and a specific enforcement mechanism.
The main potential point of contention is the lien-priority rule itself: giving municipal fines first priority can reduce the security of preexisting mortgages, tax liens, or other creditor interests in affected property. Property owners and lienholders may view the measure as increasing enforcement leverage for the town, while municipal officials are likely to support it as a tool for ensuring compliance with land use, property maintenance, and building safety rules. No direct objections are documented in the provided materials, but the priority shift is the central substantive issue.