[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Middlefield 4-26-1978; amended in its entirety 6-1-1978 (Ch. 11, Art. IV, of the 1990 Code). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Conservation Commission — See Ch. 210.
A. 
The Town is the owner of a certain piece or parcel of land described in the Town land records in Volume 45 at Page 945.
B. 
The land was purchased by the Town to be used as farmland, for open space and recreational use, for sand and gravel located thereon, and for such other Town purposes as may be determined from time to time by a vote of a Town Meeting.
C. 
The land is unique because of its value as a farm, its beauty, its natural resources, and its significance as a vital part of a major area of available farmland in the county.
There is hereby created a commission to be known as the "Farm and Land Management and Development Commission."
The Farm and Land Management and Development Commission shall establish policy for the general control, maintenance, development and management of the property identified in § 222-1 and of such other property of the Town as may from time to time be assigned to the jurisdiction of the Commission in accordance with § 222-9 hereof, including, but not limited to, leases, sales of sand and gravel, erection and demolition of structures, and special uses of properties. The Commission's functions shall include:
A. 
To receive proposals for varied uses of land assigned to its jurisdiction; to develop long-range plans for temporary and permanent uses of such properties; to conduct public hearings concerning such plans and proposals; to review quarterly the income derived from and expenses incurred in the management and operation of such land; and to report annually to the Town Meeting regarding its functions and activities;
B. 
To implement and review all policies adopted by the Commission or Town Meeting;
C. 
To authorize the Selectmen to expend such monies as may be appropriated by the Town for the management and development of the land.
The Farm and Land Management and Development Commission shall consist of seven electors of the Town elected at the Annual Town Meeting for staggered terms of three years, except for the initial terms. Three members shall serve until December 31, 1978, two members shall serve until December 31, 1979, and two members shall serve until December 31, 1980. One member shall be nominated by each of the two principal political parties for each class, except that, for a class of three members, the majority party represented by the First Selectman shall nominate two members.
Any vacancy in the membership of the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission which may occur through death, resignation or otherwise shall be filled until the next December 31 by the Board of Selectmen upon nomination by the party which nominated the vacating member. The next Annual Town Meeting shall then elect a member to fill the unexpired term, if any, upon nomination by the same political party.
A. 
The Farm and Land Management and Development Commission shall elect from among its membership a Chairman and a Secretary.
B. 
The Farm and Land Management and Development Commission shall keep a record of the meetings and activities of the Commission, a copy of which, having been approved by the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission as to correctness and signed by the Secretary, shall be placed on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
C. 
The duties of the Commission shall include the following:
(1) 
To make a report in writing to the Board of Selectmen and Annual Town Meeting as to the operation of the land and the policies adopted by the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission at the close of each fiscal year and at such other times as may be requested by the Board of Selectmen or as are deemed appropriate by the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission;
(2) 
The Farm and Land Management and Development Commission shall prepare a report of its activities for inclusion in the Annual Report of the Town;
(3) 
The Farm and Land Management and Development Commission members shall serve without compensation, except that Commission members shall be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred while performing official duties on behalf of the Commission.
A. 
No leases for more than five years or sales of all or any portion of the property or of minerals or sand and gravel located thereon shall be entered into unless submitted to the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission and approved by the Town Meeting.
B. 
The power to negotiate the price and terms of such sale or lease is hereby specifically reserved to the Board of Selectmen.
If the Board of Selectmen objects to any policy adopted by the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission, the Board of Selectmen shall so notify the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission and shall submit the matter in dispute to a vote of the Town Meeting. The Town Meeting shall be asked to adopt or reject a specific policy, and any policy so adopted shall become the official policy of the Town.
Other properties of the Town may be assigned to the jurisdiction of the Farm and Land Management and Development Commission upon resolution adopted by a Town Meeting notified for that purpose.