[HISTORY: Adopted 6-7-1993 ATM, Art. 5 (Article XX of the
1993 General Bylaws). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Elections — See Ch. 27.
A.
The legislative powers of the Town shall be vested in the qualified voters of the Town convened together in Annual or Special Town Meeting. (Charter § C-3.01)
B.
The Annual Town Meeting for the transaction of all business, (except for Article I, the Annual Town Election), shall be held on a date to be determined by the Board of Selectmen and designated by the board not later than January 31 of each year to be held on a date that will allow completion of all business not later than June 30 of that same year. Fourteen (14) days' notice shall be given prior to the actual Meeting date by distribution of the Warrant for said Town Meeting by the Selectmen in accordance with the provisions of Town Charter § C-2.02E.
[Amended 5-5-2008 ATM, Art. 28]
C.
The quorum for the transaction of business at all Town Meetings shall
be 150 registered voters of the Town. However, a quorum once established
shall continue to exist as long as there are not less than 50 voters
present at that session or any adjourned session of a meeting. Any
number of registered voters may adjourn or close a meeting.
[Amended 5-6-2013 ATM,
Art. 28]
D.
Town Meeting shall, from time to time, vote on such matters as may be required by law or by the provisions of the Charter and bylaws. These matters include, but are not limited to, the following: (Charter § C-3.05)
(1)
Authorization to borrow money on behalf of the Town.
(2)
The appropriation of funds for the operation of the
various Town Departments, upon submission of a budget by the Selectmen
as set forth in the Charter and bylaws.
(3)
The conveyance or lease, or authorization of any conveyance
or lease, of any real property owned by the Town.
(4)
The levying of taxes, except as otherwise provided in Chapter 38, Finance, with respect to the property tax levied by adoption of the budget.
(5)
The amendment or repeal of any vote or action taken
by a previous Town Meeting.
B.
The Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting shall close 50 days before the day of the Meeting, provided however, that the Selectmen may open the Warrant for the insertion of additional articles at any time within such period if they obtain the consent of the Finance Committee with respect to each article to be inserted and if there then remains sufficient time for compliance with the provisions of § 148-1E of this bylaw.
[Amended 5-15-2001 ATM, Art. 23]
C.
The Selectmen shall, immediately after the insertion
of any article in the Warrant for any Annual or Special Town Meeting,
forward copies of such article to the Finance Committee and, except
when the article is submitted by him or it, to the officer, board,
or committee in charge of the department which will be affected by
such article.
A.
At any session of a Town Meeting held for the transaction
of Town business (other than for the election of such officers as
are required by law to be elected by ballot), no person whose name
is not on the lists of voters shall be admitted to the part of the
hall reserved for voters, and this provision shall be enforced by
use of such lists. The Moderator shall determine the bounds of such
reserved space.
B.
All action taken at any Town Meeting shall be only upon those items contained in the Warrant for said Town Meeting, and all articles in the Warrant shall be acted upon in order unless otherwise voted by the Town Meeting. Printed copies of each Town Meeting Warrant, with the recommendations of the Finance Committee contained therein, shall be furnished to the voters of the Town in accordance with the provisions of the Charter and bylaws. (Charter § C-3.06)
C.
All reports, motions, and resolutions submitted for
the consideration of the Meeting involving the expenditure of money
shall be in writing and any other report, motion, or resolution shall
be reduced to writing if the Moderator so desires.
D.
The duties of the Moderator and the government of
the Town Meeting not specifically provided for by law or by the Town
Charter or bylaws shall be determined by the rules of practice contained
in "Robert's Rules of Order," Revised 75th Anniversary Edition, so
far as they are adapted to the conditions and powers of the Town.
E.
No person shall speak for more than five minutes for
the second time on any subject if there are other citizens who desire
to be, but have not been, heard on the same subject, without first
obtaining leave of the Meeting.
F.
Every person desiring to speak shall arise and address
the chair, and after recognition is obtained, shall stand while speaking,
unless the Moderator otherwise directs.
G.
All votes on motions shall be taken in the first instance
by a show of hands; if the Moderator be in doubt he may call for a
second show of hands; if the Moderator still be in doubt, or whenever
the vote as declared by the Moderator be immediately questioned by
seven or more voters, the vote then shall be taken by a count of the
number of hands raised in the affirmative and in the negative by the
voters; said count to be taken by sworn tellers appointed by the Moderator
for the Meeting.
H.
When a question is before the Meeting, the following
motions, to wit:
(1)
To adjourn
(2)
To lay on the table
(3)
For the previous question
(4)
To postpone to a certain time
(5)
To commit, recommit, or refer
(6)
To amend
(7)
To postpone indefinitely,
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shall be received and shall have precedence
in the foregoing order, and the first three shall be decided without
debate.
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I.
No vote shall be reconsidered except after the affirmative
vote of 2/3 of the voters present and voting on a motion to reconsider
such vote. Any voter may move to reconsider except that no motion
to reconsider shall be made at any adjourned session of the same Meeting
unless the mover has given notice of his intention to move reconsideration
at the session of the Meeting at which the vote was passed. A vote
shall not be reconsidered a second time or after a motion to reconsider
has failed to pass.
J.
No motion, the effect of which would be to dissolve
a Town Meeting, shall be in order until every article in the Warrant
has been duly considered and acted upon; but this shall not prevent
the postponement of action on, or the consideration of, any article
to an adjournment of Meeting to a stated time.
[Amended 5-5-2008 ATM, Art. 28]
[Amended 5-5-2008 ATM, Art. 28]
A.
The Selectmen shall have the power to order Special Town Meetings as they consider necessary, and shall prepare the Warrants for the Meetings; but, to order a Special Town Meeting the Selectmen shall first adopt, by a majority vote of their Board, a resolution stating clearly the emergency nature of the situation prompting their order. (Charter § C-2.02E)
B.
No Warrant for a Special Town Meeting shall close until at least seven days have passed from the date of adoption of their resolution, and each article inserted in the Warrant shall have attached to it a brief statement explaining the emergency nature of the article. (Charter § C-2.02E)
C.
The Selectmen shall cause copies of the warrant for each Special Town Meeting to be distributed at the following locations: main entrance to the Town Hall, Rockland Public Library and the Rockland Senior Center at least 14 days before the Town Meeting. The Warrant for each Special Town Meeting shall also be announced in a newspaper of general circulation within the Town at least 14 days before the Town Meeting. The notice shall include locations where the Warrant can be obtained. (Charter § C-2.02E)
