During our meeting on 3/13, the Committee on Government Regulations voted unanimously to amend Chapter 2 Town Meeting. Specific amendments include:
- Updating that warrants for town meeting will be posted on the town "website" instead of "bulletin boards" in addition to any other notice required by law or the Town Charter;
- Copies of the warrant will be available at least 13 days before town meeting is to convene;
- It is clarified that Spring Town Meeting need not be limited to financial matters;
- It is clarified that no article that contains an appropriation of funds, including debt service on capital expenditures, shall be considered prior to the first Monday of May;
- It is clarified that during the first session of spring town meeting, town meeting member precinct meetings will nominate members to serve on the committee of government regulations;
- It is clarified that Fall Town Meeting need not be limited to nonfiscal matters;
- It is updated that every adjourned session of town meeting will be posted to the town web site instead of bulletin board; the town clerk will also notify absent members by mail and email;
- Town meeting proceedings will be governed by Town Meeting Time (latest edition) rather than Robert's Rules of Order Revised;
- The moderator will grant individuals speaking as the proponent of a main motion extensions of time instead of the town meeting members;
- The time allotted to speakers has been reduced from five to three minutes;
- Debate on a motion may be ended by a Motion to Move the Previous Question as described in Town Meeting Time;
- It is clarified that a two-thirds vote is needed to lay a motion on the table;
- A motion for reconsideration may be made to take place at the same session of town meeting, if voted successfully by town meeting;
- Warrant articles that have a potential short- or long-term financial impact on the town should include an analysis of the financial impact and identification of the source(s) and use(s) of funds to be committed were the article adopted;
- Main motions and supporting reports will be available 13 days instead of 7 days before the first session of town meeting;
- In addition to Town Meeting members, the Finance Committee will be sent motions and supporting reports;
- Any warrant article sponsored by a Town Board or Committee that is not submitted in a timely fashion will be considered 13 days instead of 7 days after it is made available to Town Meeting members, unless otherwise voted by town meeting;
- It is clarified that Members of the Committee on Government Regulations are nominated by and from town meeting members from each precinct and considered for appointment by the moderator;
- The Human Services Committee was stricken, as it is inactive;
- The Committee for Equal Opportunity was stricken, as it is inactive;
A PDF of the voted, amended Chapter 2 may be accessed here
