(1) A written petition, signed by not less than 15 percent of the registered voters of the Town, seeking the removal of such Town officer or officers, and requesting a vote of the Town at a regular or special meeting called for the purpose, shall be filed with the Selectboard and the Town Clerk.

(2) Within 15 days after receipt of the petition, the Selectboard shall warn a special Town meeting, or if the annual meeting is to occur within 45 days of the filing of the petition, include an article in the warning for the annual meeting, for the purpose of voting, by Australian ballot, on whether the officer or officers shall be removed from office.

(3) The officer or officers shall be removed from office only if at least as many registered voters of the Town cast votes in the special Town meeting or annual meeting as voted in the election wherein the officer subject to the vote of removal was originally elected.

(4) Removal shall require a majority of the votes cast at the regular or special Town meeting.

(5) If an officer is removed according to the foregoing procedure, the officer shall forthwith cease to hold office and the office shall become vacant. The vacancy shall be filled as provided by law and this charter.

(6) Only one petition for removal may be filed against any given elected officer during any 12-month period of his or her term of office. (Added 2005, No. M-9 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Feb. 24, 2005.)