Town of Windsor Locks, CT: Town Meeting

Section 1001 Legislative powers.

The legislative power of the Town shall be vested in the Town Meeting with all powers conferred by the General Statutes and by this Charter.

All Town Meetings, including Special Town Meetings and Town Meetings by Petition, as hereinafter provided, shall be warned and conducted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 7-3 through 7-8, inclusive, of the General Statutes; provided, however, that the provisions of this Charter, where inconsistent with the aforesaid General Statutes, shall govern. All Town Meetings of the Town of Windsor Locks shall be held starting at 7:30 p.m.

Section 1002 Members of the Town Meeting.

Members of the Town Meeting shall be electors of the Town and all others entitled to vote at the Town Meetings pursuant to the General Statutes.

Section 1003 The Annual Town Meeting.

The Annual Town Meeting shall be held during the month of February each year to accept the Annual Town Report and to transact any other business properly coming before the Town Meeting.

Section 1004 Special Town Meetings.

Special Town Meetings may be called from time to time by the Board of Selectmen and as required by this Charter.

Section 1005 Town Meeting by Petition.

Upon petition filed with the Town Clerk and signed by 20 persons entitled to vote at Town Meetings, petitioning for the warning and convening of a Special Town Meeting, said petition to be in accordance with the provisions of Section 7-9 of the General Statutes and to contain the matter or text of the proposed ordinance or resolution to be considered at said Special Town Meeting, the Town Clerk shall, within 10 days, determine whether or not the petition contains the required number of valid signatures, and if it does, shall so certify to the Board of Selectmen within said 10 days. Said petition may propose consideration of any matter proper to come before a Town Meeting. The Board of Selectmen, upon advice of counsel, if it deems said advice necessary, shall determine what is proper to come before the Town Meeting. Upon receipt of such certification from the Town Clerk, the Board of Selectmen shall, within 14 days thereafter, cause to be convened a Special Town Meeting, which meeting may be adjourned from time to time as the interest of the Town requires. At said Special Town Meeting, the only matters that may be considered shall be those matters set forth in said petition.

Any ordinance or resolution so proposed in such a petition shall be examined by the Town Counsel prior to submission to the Town Meeting; and prior to or at said Town Meeting, the Town Counsel shall give his opinion, orally or in writing, with respect to the form of the proposal and its conformity to and relationship with existing constitutions, statutes, special acts, ordinances and regulations.

Section 1006 The Annual Budget Meeting.

There shall be an Annual Budget Meeting as is provided in Section 804.

Section 1007 Organization and procedure.

The First Selectman or his representative shall call the meeting to order and the meeting shall choose a moderator. All business shall be conducted as provided by Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.

The Town Clerk shall serve as Clerk of all Town Meetings, but in the absence of the Town Clerk, an acting clerk may be designated by the meeting.

All action at a Town Meeting shall be adopted by a majority vote of the qualified voters present and voting at the meeting, unless otherwise provided by this Charter.

Section 1008 Actions requiring a Town Meeting.

Adoption of the Annual Budget as hereinbefore provided or any resolution making an appropriation of more than $10,000 not included in the Annual Budget.

Any resolution authorizing the issuance of notes or other borrowing or issuance of bonds in any amount.

Any sale of real estate or any interest therein of the Town except property acquired by tax foreclosure and any purchase of real estate or interest therein.

Real estate leases and/or lease options to which the Town is a party for terms in excess of five years.

The discontinuance or abandonment of Town reads, the establishment of Town roads, and the acceptance as Town roads of existing or proposed roads.

Initial applications for federal or state grants involving the expenditure of Town funds.

The Town Meeting shall have the sole power to enact and repeal ordinances consistent with this Charter and the General Statutes.

In addition to all the matters requiring Town Meeting approval, the Board of Selectmen may bring before a Town Meeting, including a Special Town Meeting, for its consideration any other matter the Board of Selectmen considers of sufficient importance to warrant a Town Meeting.

The Town Meeting shall not act upon any appropriation which has not been recommended by the Board of Finance.