All legislative powers of the Town are vested in a Commission
consisting of four (4) Commissioners who shall be elected as hereinafter
provided, for staggered terms for the two (2) Commissioners receiving
the highest vote to serve a four (4) year term, or until the succeeding
Commission takes office, and the remaining two (2) Commissioners to
serve a two (2) year term, or until the succeeding Commission takes
office. The regular term for the four (4) year term Commissioners
shall expire on the first Monday in June following the quadrennial
election of their successors. The regular term for the two (2) year
term Commissioners shall expire on the first Monday in June following
the biennial election of their successors. Commissioners holding office
at the time this Charter becomes effective shall continue to hold
office for the term for which they were elected and until the succeeding
Commission takes office under the provisions of this Charter. (Res.
No. 2-9, 3-30-00)
Commissioners shall be at least twenty-one years of age, shall
have resided in the Town for at least one year immediately preceding
their election, and shall be qualified voters of the Town. They shall
maintain a permanent residence in the Town during their term of office.
Each Commissioner shall receive an annual salary which shall
be as specified from time to time by an ordinance passed by the Commission
in the regular course of its business; provided, however, that the
salary specified at the time any Commission takes office shall not
be changed during the period for which that Commission was elected.
The ordinance making any change in the salary paid to the Commissioners
either by way of increase or decrease, shall be finally ordained prior
to the municipal election for the members of the next succeeding Commission
and shall take effect only as to the members of the next succeeding
Commission.
The newly elected Commission shall meet at 7:00 p.m. on the
first Monday in June following its election for the purpose of organization,
after which the Commission shall meet regularly at such times as may
be prescribed by its rules but not less frequently than once each
month. Special meetings shall be called by the Clerk upon the request
of the Mayor or a majority of the Commissioners. All meetings of the
Commission shall be open to the public and the rules of the Commission
shall provide that residents of the Town shall have a reasonable opportunity
to be heard at any meeting in regard to any municipal question.
A majority of the Commissioners shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business, but no ordinance shall be approved without
the favorable votes of a majority of the Commissioners.
The Commission shall determine its own rules and order of business.
It shall keep minutes of its proceedings and enter therein the yeas
and nays and abstentions upon final action on any question, resolution,
or ordinance, or at any other time if required by any one member.
The minutes shall be open to the public for inspection.
In the event of a vacancy on the Commission for any reason,
the Commission, by unanimous vote, shall appoint some person, qualified
in accordance with Section 302, to fill such vacancy for the remainder
of the unexpired term.
a.
An ordinance may be passed at the Commission meeting at which it
is introduced. It does not become effective, however, until the next
regular or special meeting of the Commission at which time it is re-read.
b.
During the period between the two meetings, any ordinance introduced
and passed shall be published at least once in a newspaper having
general circulation in the municipality, as well as being publicly
posted in various sections of the Town.
c.
If objections arise concerning any ordinance, it shall be tabled
until a third meeting for final passage or denial.
d.
Emergency ordinances shall become effective immediately upon passage
by the Mayor and Commissioners.
Ordinances shall be permanently filed by the Clerk and shall
be kept available for public inspection.
