General Bylaw Article 1-2

Sec. 1.

At the time appointed for a Town Meeting, the Town Moderator shall call the Meeting to order and the Town Clerk shall read the Warrant.

Sec. 2.

Prior to the conducting of any business, the Moderator shall ascertain the presence of a quorum and state its existence.

Sec. 3.

Every person when about to speak shall rise, respectfully address the Chair and wait until he is recognized and in speaking he shall refrain from mentioning by name any other person present and shall confine himself to the question under consideration.

Sec. 4.

No person, while speaking, shall be interrupted by another, except to call to order, or to rise to a point of personal privilege.

Sec. 5.

No person shall speak more than once on any question to the exclusion of any other person who may desire to speak.

Sec. 6.

Any person who has a special interest in any matter under consideration at any Town Meeting shall, immediately upon being recognized by the Moderator, so state. In such case the beneficiary shall be stated. A special interest shall be construed as extending beyond the normal interests of taxpayers/property owners such as interests resulting from employment, contracts, association etc.

Sec. 7A.

All committees shall be appointed by the Moderator unless the Meeting by vote otherwise directs. Said committees shall report at the succeeding Annual Town Meeting unless the Meeting otherwise directs. It shall be deemed discharged at the time of the required report unless the time at which it is to report has been extended by vote of a Town Meeting.

Sec. 7B.

Whenever the report of a committee contains a recommendation for the appropriation of Town funds, the committee making such recommendation shall submit a copy thereof to the Finance Committee at least thirty (30) days before the Town Meeting at which said report is to be considered by the Town; and no such recommendation shall be acted upon until a report thereon has been made by the Finance Committee.

Sec. 7C.

Whenever the report of a committee is placed in the hands of the Moderator, it shall be deemed to have been submitted to the Meeting for its action thereon, except as provided in Section 7B.

Sec. 7D.

The report of a committee which is to be submitted to a Town Meeting may by vote of the Town be printed and distributed prior to action thereon and in any case shall be printed in the Annual Town Report.

Sec. 8A.

All votes may be reconsidered and require a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those present and voting. Motions for reconsideration shall be debatable.

Sec. 8B.

A motion for reconsideration of any vote shall not be entertained by the Chair until another item of business of the Meeting has intervened.

Sec. 8C.

Prior warning of an intention to reconsider a vote must be made at the same session at which the vote to be reconsidered was cast. Such warnings must be made in open session and to the Chair.

Sec. 8D.

A motion to reconsider a vote a second time and a motion lacking the necessary warning intention shall not be in order or entertained by the Chair except by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of those present and voting.

Sec. 8E.

No other stipulations shall be imposed on motions for reconsideration.

Sec. 9.

No motions, the effect of which would be to dissolve the Meeting shall be in order until every Article in the Warrant has been duly considered and acted upon.

Sec. 10.

No Article in any Town Meeting Warrant shall be passed over without the opportunity for discussion on related matter in the Article.

Sec. 11.

All motions and amendments submitted for the consideration of the Meeting shall be in writing except for amendments to dates and/or dollar amounts. A copy of the motion and/or amendment will be given to the Moderator prior to consideration by the Meeting.

Last Updated 10/92