Town Meetings shall be called by the Board of Selectmen for
the following purposes:
(a) Act on a recommendation to sell real estate used or reserved for
Town purposes. A recommendation from the Board of Finance, and a report
from the Planning Commission in accordance with C.G.S. § 8-24
are required before consideration of this action.
(b) The issuance of Bonds and all other forms of financing as per charter Section
6.12.
(c) All requests for special appropriations over 2% of the Town operations budget as per charter Section
6.6.2.
(d) The acceptance of any federal, state or private grant which participation
shall require the Town to contribute funds in excess of 2% of the
Town operations budget.
(e) Petition to overrule ordinances, except emergency ordinances.
(f) Such other matters or proposals as the Board of Selectmen, in their
discretion shall deem of sufficient importance to be submitted to
a Town Meeting, or as otherwise may be required by this Charter.
All Town Meetings shall be called pursuant to C.G.S. §
7-3 by resolution of the Board of Selectmen, fixing a time and place of said meeting, notice of which shall be given at least five days in advance by publication in a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town, and by posting in a public place.
All Town Meetings shall be called to order by the Selectmen-Chair
or his delegate. A moderator shall be elected, and all business conducted
shall be in accordance with Roberts' Rules of Order, as amended,
and with the provisions of Chapter 90 of the C.G.S. The Town Clerk
shall serve as Clerk of all Town Meetings. In the absence of the Town
Clerk, an acting clerk may be designated by the Town Meeting.
A Town Meeting shall be required to authorize a referendum except
as otherwise provided by this Charter.
8.4.1. Special appropriations. In those situations provided by Section
6.12 of the Charter that require a referendum, the moderator of the Town Meeting shall, after reasonable discussion of the issue, adjourn the meeting to reconvene at a time specified in C.G.S. concerning referendums. At such adjourned session, such appropriation shall be submitted to persons qualified to vote in Town Meetings for a "yes" or "no" vote on the voting machines. The polls shall be open in accordance with Section
7-7 of the C.G.S. After the polls are closed, the moderator shall cause the vote to be counted and the appropriation shall, if approved, be deemed adopted by the Town Meeting.
8.4.2. Petition for referendum. 200 persons qualified to vote in a Town Meeting may petition over their signatures for any item on the call of a Town Meeting to be voted on in referendum, except for the annual budget as per Section
3.9.3 of the Charter. The procedure shall be in accordance with Section
7-7 of the C.G.S.
All ordinances, except emergency ordinances, shall be subject
to overrule by a Town Meeting. All resolutions or votes of the Board
of Selectmen excluding the internal procedure of the Board of Selectmen,
shall be subject to overrule by a Town Meeting.
8.5.1. Time limit. Within 30 days after the publication of any ordinance
or the making of such resolution or taking of such vote, a petition
signed by not less than 200 persons qualified to vote in a Town Meeting
is filed with the Town Clerk requesting that the item be put to a
Town Meeting. The effective date of such ordinance, resolution or
vote shall then be suspended.
8.5.2. Town Meeting. The Board of Selectmen shall fix the time and place
of such Town Meeting, which shall be held within 21 days after the
filing of the petition. Notice thereof shall be given by publication
in full of the ordinance, resolution, or vote and shall indicate that
a "yes" vote shall be required to overrule such action.
8.5.3. Effective date. Such ordinance, resolution, or vote so referred shall take effect immediately or on a subsequent date provided by Section
3.9.1 unless a majority of those thereon shall have voted in favor of overruling.