The purpose of this chapter is to establish specific guidelines
and procedures for an advisory referendum in the Village of Grafton
and to authorize measures for matters of substantial public interest
and discussion while respecting the principles of representative democracy
and the decisionmaking responsibilities of the Village Board and other
municipal offices as provided by state law.
[Amended by Ord. No. 023, Series 2009]
Except where an advisory referendum procedure is otherwise established
by law, an advisory referendum shall be conducted only in accordance
with the procedures of this chapter. The provisions of the chapter
shall not apply to an advisory referendum presented by the Village
Board of Trustees to the electorate of the Village of Grafton. Any
advisory referendum referred to the electorate by the Village Board
shall require a two-thirds' majority (5 of 7) vote of the members-elect
to proceed.
An advisory referendum may be held upon the filing of a "Notice
of Intent to Circulate an Advisory Referendum Petition," signed by
a committee of electors of the Village of not less than 10 Village
of Grafton registered voters, with the Village Clerk prior to a legislative
decision of the Village Board on the matter to be submitted for advisory
referendum.
The Board of Trustees shall, without alteration, submit the
question to the electors at the next spring or general election, if
the election is more than six weeks after the date the order is given.
If six weeks or less before the election, the question shall be voted
on at the next election thereafter. The Board of Trustees, by a three-fourths'
vote of the members-elect, may order a special election for the purpose
of submitting the question to the electorate at any time prior to
the next election.
Not more than three weeks or less than one week before the election,
the Village Clerk shall cause the question that is being submitted
to a vote to be published once in the official Village newspaper.
The vote on the question shall be used only as a guideline to
the Board of Trustees from their electors and shall be advisory only.