Cities and towns in Vermont say Washington needs to deal with the coming fiscal cliff quickly because it could hurt their budgets and lead to another recession.

Cash-strapped town governments have often neglected taking care of their cemeteries, leaving them with overgrown lots and crumbling grave markers. Now, one Chittenden County town is using sheep and goats to maintain grass in its sacred public spaces.

In Norwich, voters decided whether to issue a bond to help finance construction of a radio communications system.

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger is already looking ahead to the November election, and has proposed ballot items to essentially refinance the city's debt.

As Vermont cities and towns continue to borrow money at a swift pace in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, the state treasurer is defending the increase in municipal bonds.

The Vermont Supreme Court has sided with the city of St. Albans in a dispute with the Franklin County sheriff. The court rejected the sheriff's argument that the bidding process for providing law enforcement in St. Albans was so unfair that it killed any competition.

A select board member in Killington has proposed giving free tuition to people who relocate to the resort community.

Some Vermont communities expect the cost of fuel to spike, so they're trying to control their energy bills by locking in propane and diesel prices.

The Vermont League of Cities and Towns says the dire financial situation facing other municipalities elsewhere isn't so dire in the Green Mountain State.

It's that time of year when Vermont cities and towns are setting their tax rates, and select board and city council minutes show many have increased them slightly as they enter the 2013 fiscal year.

Officials in Middlebury are debating whether to rebuild or replace the town's 100-year-old municipal building and gymnasium. Preliminary estimates for the proposed 16,000 to 19,000-square-foot municipal offices range from $6 million to $10 million.

As the fiscal year comes to a close at the end of the month, Vermont cities and towns are slowly restoring their budgets for expenses related to Tropical Storm Irene.

Moody's Investors Service cites "strains on the city's pooled cash" from the financially troubled Burlington Telecom and water and wastewater funds.

The Halifax Select Board is discussing whether the town could fairly compensate its road crew if it switches from a 45-hour work week to a 40-hour week in the summer.

Flood-weary voters in a small Lamoille County community have given their village leaders permission to continue pursuing a land deal that supporters say would both preserve a floodplain and prevent future development there.

As federal and state resources continue to dry up, in Vermont, where there's a strong independent streak, many cities and towns are trying to consolidate their basic services while also maintaining local autonomy.

Vermont could receive $21.6 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help individuals and businesses recover from last year's record flooding.

Most Vermont municipalities participate in a statewide retirement program that's nearly fully funded. That's much better than retirement funds are doing for many cities and towns around the country, which have found that they're living beyond their means.

Voters in Northfield have given their overwhelming support to the idea of merging the town and village in hopes of streamlining municipal operations and avoiding small-town political squabbling.

Cities and towns are reacting to the state's recommendation that the Federal Emergency Management Agency buyout 99 homes in Vermont destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene floodwaters. For homeowners, the state's approval is just the first step.

As Gov. Peter Shumlin is asking President Obama to increase the state's federal reimbursement for damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene from 75 to 90 percent, the cost of Irene-related repair work continues to saddle city and town finances.

A petition drive led to a special election Tuesday. Voters were asked whether they wanted to keep a town manager or revert to the system where select board members play a larger role in managing town affairs.

Highway spending is out of balance in several Vermont cities and towns as the cost of gasoline climbs toward a national average of $4 a gallon. Adding insult to injury, there are still two months left in the fiscal year.

Vermont law requires that residents declare ownership of a home and pay the state's education property tax, and it says penalties of either 3 or 8 percent can be assessed by municipalities on any property not listed correctly.

With more than two months still left in the fiscal year, the town of Rockingham has surpassed its diesel fuel and gasoline budget. Rising gas prices and the cost of damages caused by Tropical Storm Irene have hampered future road projects.