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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEXISTING CHAPTER 2 TOWN CHARTER-TOWN MEETINGS OF NORTH qti et.lEO is U p 0^yq9 9SSNCHUSES TOWN OF NORTH ANDOVER OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK 120 MAIN STREET NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS 01845 Joyce A.Bradshaw,CMMC Telephone(978)688-9501 Town Clerk Fax (978)688-9556 E-mail Bradshaw(dtownofnorthandover.com CHAPTER 2— TOWN CHARTER TOWN MEETING Section 1 Organization and Powers 2-1-1 The legislative powers of the town shall be exercised by a town meeting open to all registered voters of the town. 2-1-2 The town meeting shall consider and act upon with or without amendments, all bylaws, proposed operating and capital improvement budgets, bond issues, and other financial proposals of the town. 2-1-3 The town meeting shall possess and may exercise all powers possible under general law. Section 2 Warrants 2-2-1 The Board of Selectmen shall prepare the warrant for all town meetings. 2-2-2 The warrant for each town meeting shall be closed not more than sixty days, but at least forty-five days prior to the date for the meeting, provided that by unanimous vote, the Board of Selectmen may reopen the warrant in cases of emergency. 2-2-3 The warrant for each annual and special town meeting shall be posted in a public place in every precinct in the town at least seven days prior to the annual town meeting and at least fourteen days prior to any special town meeting. 2-2-4 The warrant for each special town meeting town shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the town at least seven days prior to the meeting. Section 3 Procedures 2-3-1 The town meeting shall meet regularly between April twenty-eighth and May twenty-eighth, as specified in the town by-laws to consider and adopt an annual operating and capital budget, and to act on other matters. The meeting shall be continued on other days, until all articles in the warrant have been acted upon. Section 4 Special Town Meetings 2-4-1 A special town meeting may be called by the Board of Selectmen and shall be called by said board upon the request, in writing, of at least two hundred registered voters of the town. Section 5 Moderator 2-5-1 A moderator, elected in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 6, shall preside at all sessions of the town meeting. Section 6 Simplified Rules of Procedure 2-6-1 Rules of parliamentary procedure in simplified form shall be prepared by the moderator and shall annually be included in the Finance Committee report. 2-6-2 The Town Clerk shall make copies of the simplified rules available for distribution to those requesting them, to new voters at the time of registration, and to those in attendance at all sessions of the town meeting. Section 7 Ad Hoc Committees 2-7-1 All ad hoc committees established by the town meeting shall be appointed by the moderator, unless the motion establishing any such committee shall name the members, provide for their election, or provide for a different appointive authority. Section 8 Articles Having Fiscal Implications 2-8-1 All proposed operating expenditure shall be included in a single, omnibus- type article in the town meeting warrant. In addition, all regular proposed capital improvements expenditures shall also be included in an omnibus-type article, devoted to capital expenditures. 2-8-2 Articles involving an expenditure of town funds shall not be voted on by the town meeting unless the Finance Committee shall have considered them previously and issued a written recommendation thereon. The chairman of the board, or a designated representative, shall be present at the meeting to provide verbal explanations of the board's recommendations. 2-8-3 No article calling for the appropriation of funds shall be considered at a special town meeting unless the proposed expenditure has been recommended by the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee, acting separately at separate meetings. Section 9 Articles Having Environmental Implications 2-9-1 Articles involving planning, zoning, subdivision control, land acquisition, conservation, extension of sewer or water lines, the acceptance of streets and ways, and all other similar matters relating to the environment shall not be voted on by the town unless the planning board shall have considered them previously and issued recommendations thereon. The chairman of the planning board, or a designated representative, shall be present at the meeting to provide verbal explanations of the board's recommendations.