The Town Meeting shall be the legislative body of the Town, except as specifically provided in this Charter. It may act upon all matters upon which a Town Meeting may act under the General Statutes and upon all matters appropriate for legislative action under the General Statutes. Eligibility to vote in Town Meetings and at any referendum held pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter shall be governed by Section 7-6 of the General Statutes. All Town Meetings shall be called by the Board of Selectmen by a Notice as provided in Section 204 of this Charter.
A.
Matters Requiring Town Meeting Approval. The following matters require
Town Meeting Approval:
1.
Annual Budget for the Town as set forth in section 702(D);
2.
Sale, lease or other disposition of real property or of an interest(s)
in real property owned by the Town, Town Meeting Approval is not required
for a lease for a term of two years or less for a use which has been
previously approved by a Town Meeting. However such lease must also
(i) be recommended by the Board of Selectmen as provided in section
402(K) and (ii) be submitted to the Planning Commission pursuant to
Section 8-24 of the General Statutes;
3.
Sale or disposal of the tangible personal property owned by the Town
other than the tangible personal property of the Town which the Board
of Selectmen is empowered to dispose of pursuant to Section 402(K)(3);
4.
Acceptance of conveyances of real property or an interest(s) in real
property other than such conveyances which the Board of Selectmen
is empowered to accept pursuant to Section 402(J)(2);
5.
Discontinuance of public highways as provided in Section 402(L);
and
6.
Approval or repeal of all Ordinances and amendments thereto, except
for emergency ordinances adopted by the Board of Selectmen pursuant
to Section 402(I)(2).
B.
Vote Required for Town Meeting Approval.
1.
In General. Except as otherwise specified herein, all matters submitted
to Town Meeting shall be determined by majority vote of those present,
eligible to vote and voting.
2.
Acceptance of conveyances of real property or interest in real property.
The Town Meeting may accept any gift or bequest of real property or
interest in real property as follows:
a.
In the event the Board of Finance recommends acceptance of the conveyance,
or fails to recommend rejection within sixty (60) days following receipt
of the analysis of such conveyance provided to the Board of Finance
by the Board of Selectmen pursuant to Section 402(J)(2)(b), the conveyance
may be accepted by majority vote of those present, eligible to vote
and voting at the Town Meeting.
b.
In all other cases, the conveyance may be accepted by a two-thirds
vote of those present, eligible to vote and voting at the Town Meeting.
3.
Acceptance of conveyances other than conveyances of real property
or interest in real property. The Town may accept any conveyance other
than gifts or bequests or real property or interest in real property
as follows:
a.
By action of the Board of Selectmen upon the recommendation of the
Board of Finance, as provided in Section. 402(J)(1)(b).
b.
Where the Board of Selectmen is empowered to accept the conveyance,
as provided in Section 402(J)(1)(a), but has failed to act, by majority
vote of those present, eligible to vote and voting at the Town Meeting.
c.
Where the Board of Finance has recommended rejection of a conveyance,
as provided in Section 402(J)(1)(b), or where the Board of Selectmen
has rejected a conveyance, as provided in Section 402(J)(1)(a), by
a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present, eligible to vote and voting
at the Town Meeting.
A.
Regular Meetings. Two regular Town Meetings shall be held in each
year, one on the third Monday in May and one on the third Monday in
November. If the date for any such meeting falls on a legal holiday,
the meeting shall be held on the Monday next following. No town board,
commission or agency may schedule a meeting that would conflict with
these regular Town Meetings.
1.
Annual Budget Meeting. The Regular Town Meeting held in May each
year shall be the Annual Budget Meeting. The budget for the next ensuing
fiscal year and any other items included in the Notice shall be acted
upon at said meeting as provided in Section 702(D) of this Charter.
2.
Annual State of the Town Meeting. The Regular Town Meeting held in
November each year shall be the Annual State of the Town Meeting.
The annual report shall be presented and the First Selectman shall
deliver a State of the Town report at this Town Meeting. Any other
items included in the Notice shall be acted upon at this meeting.
B.
Special Town Meetings.
1.
By Board of Selectmen. Special Town Meetings may be called by the
Board of Selectmen at any time for any proper purpose.
2.
Upon Petition. A petition may be filed with the Town Clerk for a
Special Town Meeting to consider a particular resolution or set of
resolutions.
a.
b.
Within five (5) business days of receipt of any such petition, the
Town Clerk shall determine whether the requirements of this Subsection
are met and, if they are, provide a copy of the petition to the Board
of Selectmen together with a certification specifying the date the
petition was received by the Town Clerk and confirming that the foregoing
requirements have been met.
c.
The Board of Selectmen shall call a Special Town Meeting for the
consideration of the proposed resolution(s) to be held within thirty
(30) days after the receipt of the petition by the Town Clerk, unless
the Board determines, based upon an opinion of Town Counsel, that
the proposed resolution(s), if adopted by the Town Meeting, would
be inconsistent with law or this Charter or would be for an improper
purpose.
A.
Content of Notice.
1.
Generally. The Notice of each Town Meeting, each Public Hearing and
each vote by voting machine shall be set forth in a Notice which shall:
a.
Specify the date, time and place of the Town Meeting or Public Hearing;
b.
For Town Meetings, identify the Town Meeting as a Regular Town Meeting
or Special Town Meeting, as appropriate;
c.
State the reasons for which the Town Meeting or Public Hearing is
to be held;
d.
Specify those items (if any) that are to be subject to vote by voting
machine, together with the date, time and place at which the vote
will be held; and
e.
Be signed by at least a majority of the Board of Selectmen.
2.
Where disposition of Town property or acquisition of real property
is to be considered. The Notice of any Town Meeting in which the disposition
of Town property or acquisition of real property is to be considered
shall, in addition to the foregoing, include the following:
a.
A description of the property involved;
b.
Whether the property is to be sold, leased, or otherwise acquired
or disposed of;
c.
Whether the Board of Selectmen recommends acquisition or disposition
by auction, sealed bid or private sale; and
d.
If the Board of Selectmen recommends the property be sold or acquired
in a private sale, the terms of the proposed sale including, but not
limited to:
(i)
A legal description of the property or interest in property
to be sold or acquired;
(ii)
The identity of the buyer or seller;
(iii)
The sale price or other consideration;
(iv)
The closing date;
(v)
Any other material terms of the agreement; and
(vi)
Any other terms which the Board of Selectmen deems relevant.
B.
Place and Time of Notice.
1.
2.
Additional notification. At least five (5) days prior to the date
of the Town Meeting, the First Selectman shall cause an abbreviated
Notice that sets forth the date, time, place and nature of the meeting
to be prepared and mailed, postage prepaid, to all Boxholders served
by the Woodbury Post Office, provided, however, that failure of the
First Selectman to comply with the terms of this Section 204(B)(2)
shall not render any action taken at said meeting invalid.
A.
Call to Order and Conduct of Town Meeting. All Town Meetings shall
be called to order by the Town Meeting Moderator and all business
shall be conducted in the manner provided by Chapter 90 of the General
Statutes and as provided in the Rules and Procedures for Town Meetings
on file with the Town Clerk, except as otherwise provided in this
Charter. In the absence of the Town Meeting Moderator, the Town Clerk
may act as moderator or may appoint an Elector to act as moderator.
In the event that both the Town Meeting Moderator and the Town Clerk
are absent from a Town Meeting, the Town Meeting shall elect a moderator
to preside at that Town Meeting. The Town Clerk shall serve as clerk
of all Town Meetings except those at which the Town Clerk acts as
moderator. An acting clerk shall be appointed by the moderator in
the absence of the Town Clerk, and by the Town Clerk when acting as
moderator.
B.
Adjournment. Any Town Meeting may be adjourned one or more times
to a specified date. If the date to which the meeting is adjourned
is fourteen (14) days or more after the date of the meeting making
the adjournment, Notice shall be provided in the same manner as for
the original meeting except that the Notice need not include any item
upon which action has already been taken.
C.
Matters to be Determined by Voting by Machine.
1.
Specified by Board of Selectmen. The Board of Selectmen may specify
in the Notice of any Town Meeting that an item or items in such Notice
shall be subject to a Vote by Voting Machine.
2.
On Petition.
a.
Any item in the Notice of a Town Meeting shall be subject to a Vote
by Voting Machine if a petition is filed, in writing, in the Town
Clerk's Office at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the time of
the Town Meeting, provided:
b.
Upon receipt of such a petition the Town Clerk shall determine whether
the petition meets the requirements of this Subsection, and, if so,
shall so certify to the moderator before the Town Meeting.
c.
When an item specified by the Board of Selectmen for Vote by Voting
Machine or for which a sufficient petition for a Vote by Voting Machine
has been received is reached on the call, the moderator shall permit
a resolution on the item to be introduced and shall then announce
that such item will be voted on by machine at an adjourned Town Meeting
to be held not fewer than seven (7) nor more than fourteen (14) days
thereafter, on a day to be set by the Town Meeting or, if said Town
Meeting shall fail to set a date, by the moderator. After reasonable
discussion on such item or items, and after the completion of all
other business, the moderator shall adjourn said Town Meeting to the
date set. The Town Clerk shall phrase such resolution in a form suitable
for printing on the ballot labels and such question shall be submitted
to a "Yes" or "No" vote on the voting machines on the date specified
between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., provided that the Town Meeting
may provide for a later hour for opening the polls but not later than
12 noon.
