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Town of Guilford, CT
New Haven County
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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Guilford 8-7-2006. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Boards, commissions and committees — See Ch. 9.
Guilford is a community that is educated about, understands, and supports agriculture.
The BOS shall appoint an Agricultural Commission consisting of five members and three alternates. All members of the Commission must be electors and residents of the Town.
The mission of the Agricultural Commission is to support agriculture in Guilford through education, communication, conflict resolution, regulatory guidance, and promoting the economic viability of farming.
The powers and duties of the Agricultural Commission are as follows:
A. 
Information:
(1) 
Serve as a conduit between nonprofit agencies and local farmers;
(2) 
Serve as an agricultural clearinghouse by creating an informational website and map of local farms;
(3) 
Chart land use in Guilford to support a balance between agriculture and preservation and other land uses.
B. 
Education:
(1) 
Recommend necessary changes to language and practices across Town departments and other boards and commissions as necessary regarding a local definition for agriculture, farming, and farms;
(2) 
Educate Town government about agricultural laws, such as Right to Farm, and legal issues regarding farm machines;
(3) 
Provide information and guidance on agriculture-related zoning issues to Town departments and other boards and commissions as necessary;
(4) 
Provide opportunities to support young farmers and new farmers, such as the Farmer-to-Farmer Program, Landlink, and other mentoring programs;
(5) 
Support local, regional, and state vocational agriculture education programs.
C. 
Conflict resolution:
(1) 
Serve in an advisory and/or conflict resolution capacity to residents, established Town committees and departments.
D. 
Economic opportunities:
(1) 
Identify innovative opportunities for farming additional lands in Guilford;
(2) 
Promote opportunities for residents and local businesses to support and value farming;
(3) 
Serve as a conduit between nonprofit agencies, funders, and local farmers;
(4) 
Create a climate that supports the economic viability of farming as a career in Guilford.
A. 
The Agricultural Commission will consist of five members and three alternates. Initial members shall be appointed within 30 days of approval of this regulation, with input from the Agricultural Steering Committee.
B. 
Members and alternates will be appointed without regard to political affiliation by the Board of Selectmen, and not be subject to nomination by any political party.
C. 
Insofar as practical, members appointed shall be representative of all groups interested in the management, protection and regulation of agriculture as defined by C.G.S. § 1-1q, particularly those directly involved in agriculture.
D. 
The Agricultural Commission will recommend to the Board of Selectmen persons for openings on the Commission.
Any vacancy in the membership of the Commission which may be the result of the death, resignation or removal of a member or from any other cause shall be filled for the unexpired term of such member by the Board of Selectmen.
A. 
Terms: staggered four-year terms, with initial appointments to be three members for four years and two members for two years; one alternate to be for four years and two alternates for two years.
B. 
Members of the Commission shall serve without pay.
The members of the Commission shall meet and elect a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary annually in December, or as may be necessary.
A. 
The Commission shall hold regular meetings and shall designate the time and place thereof and shall have the power to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of business within its jurisdiction and shall keep a record of all its proceedings.
B. 
Three members shall constitute a quorum. When a member shall fail to be present for four consecutive meetings or at 1/4 of meetings held in any one fiscal year, his or her membership shall be vacant, unless his or her absence is excused by the Commission and the reason thereof entered into the record of the Commission's proceedings. If a vacancy occurs by virtue of absences as described above, the vacancy for the unexpired term shall be filled by the Board of Selectmen.
The Agricultural Commission, at the regularly designated time, shall submit an estimate of anticipated expenditures for the coming fiscal year to the Board of Selectmen. The Commission shall operate within the budget as approved.
The Commission shall from time to time, but not less often than annually, submit a report for inclusion in the Town's annual report, and may submit other such reports as may be requested from time to time.
The Commission may solicit or receive gifts or bequests or other personal property or any donation to be used, as principal or income, for municipal and/or agricultural purposes.