In order to invite a wider array of volunteers for city positions, the city of Montpelier is now offering stipends of $50 per meeting for volunteers on Montpelier’s commissions, boards, and committees.
The money is available until a total of $30,000 has been distributed, according to the city website. It’s intended to help with “indirect expenses such as child care assistance, food, or transportation.”
This pilot project came out of the Social and Economic Justice Advisory Committee, and is available for fiscal year 2023 with a goal of making participation in city government more accessible for a broad range of residents.
According to the city website: “The pilot implementation of the stipends will aim to be as easy as possible. … Stipends will be first-come, first-served. Stipends will be only for regularly scheduled meetings, not subcommittee meetings, and must be validated by proof of attendance at the meetings. Payments will be made monthly, with the program ending when funding is depleted or the end of the fiscal year, whichever is first.”
The city started offering the stipend on July 1, and says in order to be eligible, volunteers must be appointed or elected by the Montpelier City Council or the city of Montpelier. To apply for the stipend, volunteers should contact their committee’s staff representative or committee chair for information on how to enroll, or send inquiries to Cameron Niedermayer, Assistant City Manager at cniedermayer@montpelier-vt.org or 802-262-6250.
For more information, go to montpelier-vt.org/1298/City-Committee-Stipend-Project.
