[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the
Town of Owego 1-4-1977 by resolution. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Organization meeting.
[Amended 4-20-1988; 1-21-1997; 12-20-2005]
(1)
The organizational meeting shall be held on or before
the eighth day of January of each year. The date, time, and place
thereof shall be fixed by the Town Board by resolution adopted prior
to December 31, but if the Board fails to adopt such a resolution,
the meeting shall be held at the Owego Town Hall, 2354 Route 434 in
the Town of Owego, New York, on the first Tuesday of January (unless
that being a holiday, in which event the following day) at 6:30 p.m.
The Clerk shall serve notice of such meeting by mail upon each member
of the Board at least 48 hours in advance of the date thereof.
[Amended 4-7-2015]
(2)
The first order of business shall be the appointment
of such officers and employees as may be authorized, including, in
each even-numbered year, a Town Attorney for a term of two years,
fixing the salaries of such officers and employees, designating depositories,
authorizing the investment of funds for which there is no immediate
need and such other business as may be conducted at a regular meeting.
B.
Regular meetings. Regular meetings of the Town Board
shall be held at the Owego Town Hall, 2354 Route 434 in the Town of
Owego, New York, on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:30
p.m. In the event any of such days is a holiday, then the said meeting
shall occur on the following day at the time specified. The date,
time, and place of any particular meeting may be changed by majority
vote of the Board or in an emergency by the Supervisor.
[Amended 4-20-1988; 1-21-1997; 12-20-2005 ;4-7-2015]
C.
Special meetings. Special meetings of the Board shall
be held upon call of the Supervisor or upon written request of two
members of the Board. The call or request must specify the matter
or matters to be considered, and no other business may be transacted.
Notice of a special meeting shall be served by the Clerk on each member,
either personally or by mail, at least 48 hours in advance thereof,
and the notice shall state the matter or matters to be considered.
A member may waive such notice, however, by a written instrument signed
by him.
D.
Agenda. The Clerk shall prepare, before each meeting,
an agenda for such meeting, which shall include the title of each
resolution with a brief synopsis of the contents thereof and shall
also include such other information as he may deem pertinent or as
the Supervisor may direct. Copies of the agenda shall be mailed by
the Clerk to each member, to all department heads and to the Town
Attorney, on the Friday before the meeting. Copies of the agenda shall
also be made available to the public at the meeting.
A majority of the whole number of members of
the Board shall constitute a quorum, and not less than a majority
of the whole number may perform and exercise any power or authority
of the Board, but a less number may adjourn. For the purpose of this
provision, the words "whole number" shall be construed to mean the
total number of members which the Board would have were there no vacancies
and were none of the members disqualified from acting.
Upon the appearance of a quorum, the Supervisor
shall call the Board to order. With the exception of the Supervisor,
Councilmen, Town Clerk, department heads, Town Superintendent of Highways,
Town Health Officer, Town Attorney and the Supervisor's confidential
secretary, only those persons invited by the Town Board shall be seated
at the Town Board meeting table. In case of the nonappearance of the
Supervisor within 15 minutes of the appointed hour, the Deputy Supervisor
shall call the Board to order and preside during the absence of the
Supervisor. In the event that the Supervisor shall appear after the
meeting has convened, the Deputy Supervisor shall relinquish the chair
to the Supervisor at the conclusion of the subject matter currently
under discussion. The Deputy Supervisor shall have and exercise all
the powers and duties of the Supervisor at the meeting over which
he is called to preside.
A.
The order of business at each regular meeting of the
Board shall be as follows:
(1)
Roll call of members.
(2)
Minutes of previous meeting.
(3)
Consideration of bids.
(4)
Public hearings.
(5)
Privilege of the floor.
(6)
Report of department heads.
(7)
Presentation of petitions, communications and notices.
(8)
Presentation of bills.
(9)
Unfinished business.
(10)
Reports of special committees.
(11)
Presentation of motions, resolutions and new
business.
(12)
Adjournment.
B.
Variance of order. The Supervisor may, for any meeting,
vary the foregoing order of business unless any member objects, in
which event the variance may be made only upon majority vote. He may
not, however, omit any item except upon unanimous consent.
C.
The following regulations shall be applicable to the
foregoing order of business:
(1)
Roll call. The Clerk shall call the roll of the members
and record by name all members absent and shall further record the
arrival of any members listed as absent and the departure of any member
listed as present, during the course of each meeting.
(2)
Minutes of previous meeting. If the Clerk shall have
furnished copies of the minutes of the previous meeting to all of
the members, the reading thereof shall be omitted. Opportunity for
corrections, alterations and additions shall be afforded, after which
the minutes, as corrected, may be declared approved by the Supervisor
without vote.
(3)
Presentation of bids. In the event that the bids shall
have been duly opened prior to the meeting, the Clerk shall present
to each member a statement showing the name of each bidder and the
amount, together with any other pertinent information. In the event
that the bids are to be opened at the meeting, the Clerk shall open
each bid and read the same aloud.
(4)
Public hearings. Under this item, public hearings
shall be opened by the Supervisor and shall allow interested persons
to speak concerning the subject of the hearing. The Supervisor may
limit the time of any one person and shall close the hearing when
all persons have been heard.
(5)
Privilege of the floor. Persons not members of the
Board may be accorded the privilege of the floor and be permitted
to speak on any matter relevant to the business of the Board. Such
privilege may be granted by the Supervisor unless any member objects,
in which event the privilege may be granted only by a majority vote.
The privilege may also be granted on motion of any member, if approved
by majority vote. The Supervisor or the Board by majority vote may
limit the time afforded any speaker or may limit the number of speakers
on any subject.
(6)
Reports of department heads. Reports of department
heads may be oral, but if oral, the Board may, by a majority vote
of the Board, direct that they be reduced to writing.
(7)
Petitions, communications and notices. Petitions,
communications and notices may be presented by the Supervisor, Clerk
or any member and shall be read by the Clerk. Disposition thereof
shall be directed by the Supervisor unless objection is made, in which
case disposition shall be directed by majority vote.
(8)
Bills. All bills and claims shall be examined and
approved by the appropriate department head before presentation to
the Board for audit and payment. An abstract showing the names of
each payee and the total amount to be paid to each, with a brief description
of the subject of the bill or claim, shall be prepared by the Clerk,
and copies thereof shall be furnished to each member of the Board
at the beginning of each regular meeting. Such list need not be read,
but any member may request an explanation of any item and that the
bill or bills comprising the same be produced and examined, and it
shall be in order for any member to move that any particular bill
or claim be disapproved and deleted from the list and summary. After
such deletions, if any, have been made, the questions of approval
and payment of the bills and claims as listed shall be presented and
determined by majority vote. The list of individual payees and amounts
need not be incorporated in the minutes but shall be filed in the
office of the Clerk of the Board.
(9)
Unfinished business. Under this term, all reports,
resolutions and other matters previously laid on the table may be
called therefrom but, if laid on the table indefinitely, only by a
majority vote of the whole number of the Board.
(10)
Reports of special committees. Reports of special
committees may be oral, but if oral, the Board may, by a majority
of the Board, direct that they be reduced to writing.
(11)
Presentation of motions, resolutions and new
business. All motions, resolutions and new business to be presented
at any regular meeting shall be filed with or notice given to the
Clerk not later than 12:00 noon on the Friday preceding the meeting.
Except by consent of a majority of the Board, no motion, resolution
or new business not so filed or notice given will be considered at
the current meeting, but will be deferred to the next ensuing regular
meeting. Copies of all motions, resolutions and new business to be
presented shall be given to the Clerk at the time said item is put
on the agenda. The Clerk shall prepare a copy for all members and
the Town Attorney, prior to the meeting.
A.
A roll call vote shall be required on all resolutions
or motions involving appropriation of funds, approval and payment
of bills and claims, the adoption of a budget, the adoption of a bond
resolution, the levy of taxes and also on any other matters, upon
the request of any member. In any other case, the vote shall be viva
voce.
B.
Even though a roll call vote be neither required,
requested nor conducted, any member shall be entitled to have his
vote recorded on the minutes.
A.
The Supervisor shall preserve order and decorum and
shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Board.
If such appeal is made, the Supervisor may state the reason for his
decision, and the Clerk shall then put the question "Shall the ruling
of the Chair be sustained"? to a vote, without debate. The decision
shall be by majority vote.
B.
Any member, having answered roll call, shall not leave
a meeting without permission of the Supervisor.
C.
A member shall not leave his place or speak, except
to rise to a point of order, when a question is being put, roll is
being called or another member has the floor and is speaking.
A.
When a question shall be under consideration, no motion
shall be made except as herein specified, which motions shall have
precedence in the following order:
B.
The following motions are not amendable or debatable:
to adjourn, for a roll call, for the previous question and to lay
on the table.
C.
An amendment to an amendment may not be amended.
D.
The motion to adjourn or to take a recess shall always
be in order but cannot be made while the Supervisor or the Clerk is
putting the questions, while the roll is being called, while a member
has the floor or after the previous question has been ordered.
E.
A motion to refer or to lay on the table shall, until
it is decided, preclude all amendments and debate on the main question.
A.
Committee of the whole. The Board may at any time
resolve itself into a committee of the whole; or the Supervisor, on
48 hours' notice, may summon a meeting of such committee. During the
meetings thereof, any matter relevant to the business and affairs
of the Town may be discussed, but no action may be taken thereon.
B.
Special committees. The Board may, from time to time,
create special committees and prescribe their duties and responsibilities.
The members and chairman thereof shall be appointed by the Supervisor
of the Board.
C.
Supervisor an ex officio member of all committees.
The Supervisor shall be an ex officio member of all standing and special
committees and shall be entitled to notice of all meetings thereof.
These rules may be amended by a majority vote
of the whole number of the Board, but no such action shall be taken
unless at least 10 days' notice of the proposed amendment has been
communicated to each member of the Board. Such notice may be waived
only on the unanimous consent of the whole number of the Board.
All meetings shall be conducted pursuant to
Article 7 of the Public Officers Law.
In all cases not covered by these rules, Robert's
Rules of Order shall govern.
