The town meeting shall have the power to adopt the annual budget
and shall approve the issuance of all bonds and notes. Any additional
appropriations made during the fiscal year, to a board, commission,
department or agency in excess of an amount specified by town ordinance
shall be approved by the town meeting. Any ordinance or resolution
authorizing the purchase or sale of any interest in real estate shall
be acted upon by the town meeting, after approval by the Board of
Finance. The power to enact and amend zoning regulations shall continue
to be exercised by the zoning commission and the power to enact subdivision
regulations shall continue to be exercised by the town plan commission,
all in accordance with the General Statutes or as they may be amended,
subject to change made by ordinance enacted pursuant to the provisions
of the General Statutes governing zoning and planning.
The Board of Finance shall receive from the Town Manager and
the Board of Education their respective proposed budgets (the annual
budget) by April 15th. The call of the Annual Budget Meeting shall
present, as separate resolutions, the Town Government Budget and the
Board of Education Budget. The Annual Budget Meeting shall be adjourned
to referendum, by machine or ballot vote, within the time period provided
by State Statute. The ballot questions shall provide for separate
approval/disapproval of the Town Government Budget and the Board of
Education Budget. In the event that either or both of the Town Government
Budget and/or Board of Education Budget shall fail to pass at the
referendum, such budget(s) which did not pass shall be revised and
submitted for consideration at additional annual budget meetings,
each of which shall likewise be adjourned for referendum, until such
time as each budget shall have been adopted.
Ordinances adopted by the council, except emergency ordinances adopted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter II, Section 2.5 of this charter, shall be subject to overrule by a special town meeting as follows: If within 20 days after publication of any such ordinance, a petition conforming to the requirements of Section 7-9 of the General Statutes, as amended and signed by not less than 10% of the voters qualified to vote in a town meeting is filed with the town clerk requesting its reference to a special town meeting, the effective date of such ordinance shall be suspended and the council shall fix the time and place of such meeting, which shall be within 20 days after the filing of the petition, and notice thereof shall be given in the manner provided by law for the calling of a special town meeting. An ordinance so referred shall take effect upon the conclusion of such meeting unless a majority of those voting thereon, shall have voted in favor of overruling.
No less than 10% of the voters qualified to vote in a town meeting
may at any time petition over their personal signatures for the enactment
of any proposed lawful ordinance by filing such petition, including
the complete text of such ordinance, with the town clerk. The council
shall call a special town meeting, to be held within 30 days from
the date of filing, unless prior to such meeting such ordinance shall
be enacted by the council. The call for such meeting shall state the
proposed ordinance in full and shall provide for a "yes" or "no" vote
as to its enactment. If a majority of the persons entitled to vote,
voting at such meeting, shall vote "yes" then such ordinance shall
take effect on the tenth day thereafter without further action of
the council. Any such proposed ordinance shall be examined by the
town attorney before being submitted to the special town meeting.
The town attorney is authorized to correct the form of the ordinance
for the purpose of avoiding repetitions, illegalities, and unconstitutional
provisions, and to assure accuracy in its text and references and
clearness and preciseness in its phraseology, but not materially changing
its meaning and effect.
Any item, or items on the call of any town meeting, including items resulting from petitions filed pursuant to Chapter IV, or Section 4.2 or 4.3 of this charter, shall be subject to vote by ballot or voting machine pursuant to the provisions of General Statutes Section 7-7, as amended. Any such items may also be submitted to a vote by ballot or voting machine in accordance with Section 7-7, as amended, by vote of the council.
