[Adopted 5-2-1983 as Ch. 1, Art. III, of the 1983 Code;
amended 8-13-2008, effective 9-13-2008]
[1]
Editor's Note: This article was originally
adopted by the Town Meeting 3-12-1962.
There shall be a Town Meeting Moderator of the
Town Meeting of Woodbridge (hereinafter referred to as the "Moderator")
and who shall be and remain during the term an elector of the Town
of Woodbridge.
The Moderator shall be the presiding officer
of Town Meetings. The Moderator shall be responsible for the orderly
conduct of all meetings of the Town Meeting and for the continuing
development and administration of orderly procedures for the efficient
and democratic operation of the legislative and other powers of the
Town Meeting, consistent with the Charter of the Town of Woodbridge
and the laws of the State of Connecticut. The Moderator shall have
all the powers of moderators of town meetings, and such other powers
as are necessary to carry out the duties of the office, subject to
the provisions of ordinances and resolutions and rules of procedure
as may be adopted by the Town Meeting.
The Moderator shall serve for a term of two
years.
The Moderator shall be elected at any Town Meeting
immediately preceding the commencement of the term. A majority of
votes on any one ballot or voice vote shall be necessary to elect
the Moderator. If there are more than two nominees and no nominee
receives a majority on a ballot or voice vote, there shall be taken
at the same meeting a runoff vote between the nominees who received
the greatest number of votes and in the event of a tie the nominee
or nominees who received the next greatest number of votes. The nominee
who receives the greatest number of votes in the runoff shall be elected
Moderator.
Nominations shall be made from the floor of
the Town Meeting. The notice of Town Meeting in such event shall include
such fact.
The Moderator shall appoint a Deputy Moderator
to preside and act in his/her place in case of the Moderator's absence.
The Deputy Moderator shall serve at the will of the Moderator during
the term. The Town Clerk shall serve as Secretary of the Town Meeting.
Neither the Moderator, nor the Deputy Moderator,
shall hold the office of First Selectman, Selectman, Town Clerk, Registrar
of Vital Statistics, member of the Board of Finance, member of the
Board of Police Commissioners, member of the Town Plan and Zoning
Commission or Town Counsel.
A.
If both the Moderator and Deputy Moderator shall be
absent from a meeting of the Town Meeting, or shall be disqualified
at such meeting, the meeting shall elect from among those members
present a temporary Town Meeting Moderator to preside for that meeting.
B.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Moderator,
the Board of Selectmen shall fill such vacancy for the balance of
the unexpired term. The Board of Selectmen shall determine when such
vacancy exists.
C.
The Moderator may be removed at any time during the
term of office by a special meeting of the Town Meeting called for
such purpose.
The election of a Moderator shall be held at
any Town Meeting.