[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of West Stockbridge 6-22-2020
ATM by Art. 13. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 5-9-2022 ATM by Art. 38]
The Annual Town Meeting shall be held on the first Monday evening
in May of each year at the Town Hall.
The Annual town meeting for the election of Town officers and
the determination of such matters as are required by law to be elected
or determined by ballot shall be held on the second Monday of May
as prescribed by Massachusetts General Laws.
The polls shall be opened during hours prescribed by the Town
Clerk and in compliance with provisions of the Massachusetts General
Laws.
At least seven days before the day fixed in the warrant for
the Annual Meeting, the Select Board shall cause, by constable affirmation,
posting of the warrant at the Post Office in West Stockbridge, and
at the public notice boards in State Line, West Center, Williamsville,
and High Street and with the Town Clerk for public review. In the
case of a Special Town Meeting, said postings shall be 14 days before
the date fixed in said warrant.
Only persons registered to vote in the Town shall have a vote
at the Town Meeting. Any other person may be allowed to attend and
speak at the discretion of the Moderator. If as many as 10 voters
so desire, a person who is not a registered voter shall be allowed
to speak. An attorney representing a client(s) shall disclose the
fact before speaking on any matter.
The number of voters necessary to constitute a quorum at any
Annual Town Meeting shall be 25 and Special Town Meeting shall be
20; provided, however, that a number less than a quorum may from time
to time adjourn the same. This section shall not apply to such parts
of meetings as are devoted to the election of Town officers.
Articles of the warrant shall be acted upon in the order in
which they appear unless otherwise determined by a majority of the
meeting.
All motions having to do with the expenditure of money shall
be presented in writing to the Moderator; other motions shall be in
writing if so directed by the Moderator.
When a question is put, the sense of the meeting shall be determined
by a voice vote and the Moderator shall declare the vote as it appears
to the Moderator. If the Moderator's decision is doubted, or a division
of the house is called for, the Moderator may appoint tellers to make
and return the count by a show of hands.
No motion, the effect of which would be to dissolve the meeting,
shall be in order until every article in the warrant therefor has
been duly considered and acted upon, but this shall not preclude the
postponement of consideration of any article(s) to an adjournment
of the meeting at a stated time and place.
[Amended 5-9-2022 ATM by Art. 38]
To be included in the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting of
any year, articles must be presented to the Select Board not later
than the second Friday of March of that year. Select Board shall announce
a date to close acceptance of any articles to appear on the Warrant
for a Special Town Meeting and so notify the Town Clerk.
Every Town committee or board, appointed or elected, shall place
on its agenda of public meetings public speak time to raise issues
under the jurisdiction of that committee or board, at which time the
committee or board may elect to add the issue raised to the agenda
of the next available meeting.
