Chapter 11 - The Town Meetings

Section 11-1 - Special Town Meetings

Special Town meetings shall be called by the Board of Selectmen only as provided by the terms of this Charter and in the manner provided by the general statutes. 

Section 11-2 - Procedure

All Town meetings shall be called to order and conducted by the Town Moderator and all business conducted in the manner provided by the general statutes, except as otherwise provided in this Charter. In the absence of the elected Town Moderator, the Town meeting shall be called to order and conducted by the First Selectman or his representative. The Town Clerk shall serve as clerk of all Town meetings but in the Town Clerk's absence a Town staff employee may be designated by the meeting moderator to fulfill the Town Clerk’s responsibilities at the meeting.

Section 11-3 - When a Town Meeting Is Required

1. A Town meeting must be held for:
   1. Any resolution, except for an emergency appropriation provided for by Section 10-6(f), making an appropriation in excess of the amounts specified in Section 10-6(e) but less than 3 percent of the Grand Levy for any purpose;
   2. Any resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds or notes or other borrowing of less than 3 percent of the Grand Levy;
   3. Any sale of real estate in fee simple of the Town used or reserved for Town purposes; and
   4. Any purchase of real estate in fee simple over the cost of $100,000. The action as to items 1 through 4 shall become effective only after it has been approved by the Board of Finance and adopted at a Town meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of those voting at such meeting.
2. The Board of Selectmen may at its discretion require any proposal it deems of sufficient importance to be submitted to those entitled to vote by law at a Town meeting called for such purpose and such proposal shall become effective only after it has been approved by a majority of those voting at such meeting.
3. After approval by the Board of Finance, any resolution appropriating 3 percent of the Grand Levy or more, with the exception of the annual budget, and any resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds or notes of 3 percent of the Grand Levy or more shall be placed on the call of a Town meeting; and after completion of other business and after reasonable discussion on such resolution, the moderator of said meeting shall recess the meeting, and such resolution shall become effective only after it has been submitted to the persons qualified to vote in such meeting on the seventh day thereafter for a "yes" or "no" vote between the hours established for referenda in accordance with the general statutes as amended. The form of voting may be by voting machine or paper ballot at the discretion of the Board of Selectmen. The voting machine ballot labels shall be approved by the Town Clerk. Such ordinance or resolution shall, if approved by a majority voting thereon, become effective without adoption at a Town Meeting.

Section 11-4 - Actions by a Town Meeting

The Town meeting shall not act upon any proposal for the sale or purchase of real estate or the issuance of bonds or other borrowing, except upon the recommendation of the Board of Selectmen, nor act upon any appropriation which has not been acted upon by the Board of Selectmen unless the same shall have been before the Board of Selectmen for 60 days without action.