TO: Town Meeting Members
DATE: November 1, 2004
FROM: Henry L. Hall, Jr., Moderator
SUBJECT: New Town Meeting Procedure with Respect to Proposed Amendments of Certain Main Motions
You will recall that considerable confusion arose at the Spring 2004 Annual Town Meeting with respect to amendments offered under complex Articles for changes to the Zoning and Alarm By-Laws.
In order to provide advance notice and make such proposals more understandable to Town Meeting Members, we have decided to adopt a new procedural rule, similar to that followed in several other towns, to require proponents who expect to offer amendments to such main motions to file copies in advance with the Town Clerk. Copies of the new procedure and of the Moderator’s traditional Message on Town Meeting Procedures are enclosed.
As you know, Articles in the Warrant may not be amended. Only motions may be amended. In order to facilitate the implementation of the new procedure, copies of the main motions to be offered at Town Meetings will be mailed to all Town Meeting Members in advance of the filing deadline under the new procedure.
A Town Meeting Member who anticipates proposing an amendment to the main motion under a zoning Article is urged to discuss the proposal with the Planning Board and attend the relevant Planning Board hearing, if possible.
The new procedure will be effective for the Special Town Meeting of November 29, 2004. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the filing deadline for amendments to be offered at this Special Town Meeting will be Monday, November 22 at 4:00 p.m.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
New Town Meeting Procedural Rule
All substantive amendments and other motions to be offered under an Article in the Warrant must be submitted to the Town Clerk in writing not later than the close of business on the third (3rd) business day before the commencement of the session at which the Article is considered, in order to provide sufficient time for review by Town Counsel and the Moderator and to be printed for distribution to the Town Meeting Members before the commencement of such session.
The Moderator may allow exceptions to the advance filing requirement in case of motions that are non-substantive and easy to understand, but such exceptions are within the exclusive discretion of the Moderator.
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