The legislative powers of the Town shall continue to be exercised by a Town Meeting open to all registered voters of the Town.
The Moderator, as provided for in Section 3-3, shall preside at all sessions of the Town Meeting, but the Moderator shall have no vote unless those voters present and voting are equally divided. He/she shall at the first session of the Town Meeting following each Annual Town Election appoint a Deputy Moderator to serve in the event of his absence or disability, provided that the Town Meeting ratifies such appointment. In the event of the absence or disability of the Moderator and Deputy Moderator the Town Meeting shall elect from those voters present at the Town Meeting a Temporary Moderator to act during such absences or disabilities. The Moderator shall perform such duties as may from time to time be assigned to the office of Moderator by by-law, rule or other vote of Town Meeting.
2-3-1. Subject to the provisions of this Charter and to such by-laws or other Town Meeting votes regarding committees as may be provided, the Moderator shall appoint for fixed terms the members of such committees of the Town Meeting, special or standing, as may from time to time be established, other than those appointed by vote of the Town Meeting.
2-3-2. There shall be a Finance Committee, the members of which shall be appointed by the Moderator. The number of members, the term of office and any other condition of appointment or service as may be deemed necessary or desirable shall be established by bylaw. The Finance Committee shall report its recommendations on every article contained
in a Town Meeting warrant, in writing, at least ten (10) days prior to a scheduled Town Meeting. Prior to making its recommendations the Finance Committee shall hold one or more meetings to permit discussion of the subject matter of all articles contained in the warrant, except those articles subject to public hearings by other multiple member town bodies and not containing appropriations. The Finance Committee shall have such additional powers and duties as may be provided by Massachusetts General Laws, by this Charter or by by-law. [Bylaws, Chapter 67]
There shall yearly be held an Annual Town Meeting, to transact business relating to the prudential affairs of the Town, which shall be held on the date fixed in the bylaws of the Town.
Special Town Meetings shall be held at the call of the Board of Selectmen at such times as it may deem appropriate and whenever a Special Town Meeting is requested by the voters of the Town in accordance with procedures made available by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Town Clerk shall serve as the clerk of the Town Meeting. In the event of unavoidable absence, the Town Clerk shall designate a substitute; otherwise, the Moderator shall appoint a Clerk Pro Tempore. The Town Clerk shall give notice of all meetings to the public, keep a journal of its proceedings and perform such other functions as may be provided by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by the Charter, by bylaw or by other Town Meeting vote.
The Board of Selectmen shall at all times receive all requests or petitions which are addressed to it and which seek the inclusion of an article in a Town Meeting warrant and are filed by: (1) the Town Clerk or Moderator; (2) any elected or appointed multiple member body, acting by a majority of its members; (3) any ten voters for a regular Town Meeting and any one hundred voters for a Special Town Meeting; (4) any other person or entity authorized by law. The original copy of each request or petition filed hereunder shall be retained by the Board of Selectmen until at least ninety days following the completion of the Town Meeting at which the request or petition is acted upon. The Board of Selectmen shall have discretion as to whether to include on a warrant for any Town Meeting a request or petition filed by: (1) the Town Clerk or Moderator or (2) any elected or appointed multiple member body, acting by a majority of its members.
Every Town Meeting shall be called by a warrant issued by the Board of Selectmen which shall state the date, time and place at which the meeting is to be convened and, by separate articles, the subject matter to be acted upon. Notice of an annual or special town meeting shall be provided in the manner prescribed by the General Laws and bylaws. The original copies of all warrants for Town Meeting shall be kept in the office of the Town Clerk in a record book maintained for that purpose. [Bylaws, Chapter 152]
Every Town officer, or in the case of a multiple member body, a designated representative of such multiple member body, and every Town department head shall attend all sessions of the Annual Town Meeting and any and all Special Town Meetings for the purpose of providing the Town Meeting with information pertinent to matters appearing on the warrant, unless deterred for reasonable cause as determined by the Town Manager. If any person described above is so deterred, he/she shall designate a designee to attend the Town Meeting in his/her place, and shall notify the Town Manager of such designee.
If any person required to attend the sessions of the town meeting under this section is not a voter, he/she shall, notwithstanding, be entitled to speak in order to provide the Town Meeting with information on pertinent warrant articles.