[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Hull as Ch. 60 of the 1989 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 9-15-1980 STM by Art. 3; 4-8-1985 ATM by Art. 24; 4-8-1996 ATM by Art. 22; 5-2-2016 ATM by Art. 31; 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 6B]
The Annual Town Meeting for the transaction of business, except the election of such officers and the determination of such matters as by law are required to be elected or determined by ballot, shall be held on the first or second Monday in May, as determined by the Select Board Members, in each year at 7:00 p.m.
[Amended 9-15-1980 STM by Art. 4; 4-8-1996 ATM by Art. 22]
The annual election of such officers and the determination of such matters as by law are required to be elected or determined by ballot shall be held on the third Monday of May in each year.
[Amended 10-1-1985 STM by Art. 19; 5-3-2016 ATM by Art. 37; 5-9-2018 ATM by Arts 16, 17]
Service of the warrant for every Town Meeting, unless a different time or method is prescribed by law, shall be made by posting a copy thereof in the hallway at the main entrance to the Municipal Building and at least three other public places in said Town 30 days at least before the day appointed for an Annual Town Meeting and 14 days at least before the day appointed for a Special Town Meeting. Compliance with this section shall constitute legal notice of any meeting.
[Amended 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
The Town Clerk shall have a number of printed copies of the Town warrant and recommendations of the Advisory Board with him on the day of the Town meeting, so that any legal resident voter of the Town may have one if he or she asks for it. These printed copies of the Town warrant and recommendations of the Advisory Board shall be furnished to the Town Clerk by the Advisory Board at least one hour before the time set for the start of Town meeting.
[Amended 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16; 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 6B]
The closing date and time of day for the submission of articles by citizen's petition to be placed in the warrant for an Annual or Special Town Meeting shall be published by the Select Board Members in the local Town newspapers at least 14 days before the closing of the warrant.
[Added 10-26-1987 STM by Art. 14; amended 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
A. 
Whenever an Annual or Special Town Meeting shall be called, the meeting shall continue until all business is completed, day after day, Monday through Thursday, of each week beginning with the first session; provided, however, that the Town Meeting may, by a two-thirds vote, continue a meeting to another day and time and/or another time during the same day.
B. 
If there is another Town Meeting within a meeting, the time for convening or resuming said meeting may be delayed until the current meeting is either completed or continued. Nothing contained herein shall prevent the adjournment by majority vote of a meeting in order to convene another meeting at the time for which said meeting is called.
[Amended 12-10-1973; 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
A. 
At any Town meeting held for the transaction of Town business, no person whose name is not on the list of voters shall be admitted to the floor of the hall, and these bylaws shall be enforced by use of the check list. At each day of Town meeting, every voter checked in shall be issued a voting card of the same color. For each continued day of Town meeting, the voting card issued to each checked-in voter shall be a different color than any voting card issued on a previous day.
B. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, officials, officers and employees and consultants of the Town who are nonresidents or non-registered voters may attend and speak on any matter related to their duties in the same manner as any registered voter. Such persons may not, however, vote on any matter, nor shall they be counted towards any quorum requirement. The Moderator may assign such persons to a specific seating area.
C. 
Other persons who may be nonresidents or non-registered voters may attend any Town meeting upon permission of the Select Board or Moderator. The Moderator shall designate the areas in which such persons shall be seated.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 6B]
D. 
Nothing contained herein shall prohibit any representative from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and/or County Commissioners from attending a meeting and speaking on a matter, nor shall the same prevent representatives of the press from attending the meetings. Such persons shall be assigned to a specific seating area by the Moderator. Unless registered voters, such persons shall not vote on any matter nor shall they be counted towards any quorum requirement.
[Amended 3-4-1957; 12-10-1973; 9-15-1980 STM by Art. 6; 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
A. 
With the exception of the general budget article, the order for consideration of all Town Meeting articles shall be chosen in lottery fashion by the Town Clerk, assisted by the Town Moderator. After an article has been drawn for consideration, subsequent articles shall not be drawn until the meeting has acted upon the drawn article. All articles affecting the Classification and Salary Plan and budget must be acted upon before action is taken on the general budget article. The general budget article shall be considered immediately upon completion of all Classification and Salary Plan, and other budget articles.
B. 
The Moderator may declare that certain articles, due to legal requirements, must be considered before or after articles or at a certain time. In such a situation those articles shall be considered when directed by the Moderator.
[Amended 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
All reports, motions and resolutions submitted for the consideration of the meeting involving the expenditure of money shall be in writing. Any report, resolution or motion shall be reduced to writing unless the Moderator directs otherwise. The Town Clerk shall have blank motion forms available at Town meeting to any citizen who requests same.
[Amended 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
A. 
No person shall speak more than twice upon any question, except for the correction of an error or to make an explanation, without first obtaining approval of the Moderator, nor until others who have not spoken on the question shall speak if they desire.
B. 
No person shall speak for more than seven minutes the first time, excluding the presenter of the article, whose time to speak shall be a reasonable time as determined by the Moderator. No person shall speak more than three minutes for the second time on any subject, if there are others who desire to speak but who have not been heard on the same subject, without first obtaining approval of the moderator. The time for any person to speak may be extended upon request, by approval of the moderator.
C. 
Every person desiring to speak shall arise, address the Chair, first obtain recognition and stand while speaking, unless the Moderator otherwise directs.
[Amended 5-16-1979 ATM by Art. 15; 5-6-1997 ATM by Art. 35; 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16; 5-2-2022 ATM by Art. 17]
A. 
(1) 
Unless prohibited by law or due to the need to make a reasonable accommodation or if declared not feasible by the Moderator or at the discretion of the Moderator for particular motions, voting at Town Meeting shall be by electronic voting technology if available.
(2) 
In all other instances voting shall be as follows: voting shall be by secret ballot when required by law or when at least 15 citizens so request or when requested by the Advisory Board in its written report. Voting by secret ballot hall require the showing of a valid voter card. Except as required by law all other votes shall be taken by voice vote or by use of voter cards, at the discretion of the Moderator. If after two voice votes the Moderator is unable to decide by the sound of the voices, the Moderator shall require a vote by show of voter cards issued to registered voters at check-in. If the Moderator's declaration of the vote is questioned by seven or more voters, the Moderator shall without debate determine the vote by ordering a standing vote by show of same voter cards.
B. 
In a matter requiring a 2/3 vote for passage, a count need not be taken and a recording of the actual vote need not be made, it being sufficient for the Moderator to declare the voice vote, unless the Moderator is unable to decide the vote or his declaration of vote is questioned by seven or more voters or a ballot vote is required, all as provided herein.
When a question is before the meeting, the following motions shall be received and shall have precedence in the foregoing order and the first three shall be decided without debate:
A. 
To adjourn.
B. 
To lay on the table.
C. 
Call for the question.
[Amended 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
D. 
To postpone for a time certain.
E. 
To commit, recommit or refer.
[Amended 5-9-2018 ATM by Art. 16]
F. 
To amend.
G. 
To postpone indefinitely.
[Amended 5-16-1979 ATM by Art. 14; 4-12-1982 ATM by Art. 15]
A motion to reconsider any vote must be made and voted upon the same day that the vote to be reconsidered was taken and before any vote of adjournment whether such vote of adjournment be final or to a day certain. A vote for reconsideration of any action must carry a two-thirds vote or the same shall be declared lost. There can be no reconsideration of a vote once reconsidered or after a vote not to reconsider. The rules applicable to a motion to reconsider shall also apply to a motion to rescind. Nothing contained in this section, however, shall prevent the reconsideration or recission of any vote at a subsequent Town Meeting duly called and containing a proper article for the purpose.
[Amended 5-16-1979 ATM by Art. 13; 5-2-2017 ATM by Art. 37]
The duties of the Moderator not specifically provided for by law or by this Code shall be determined by the rules of practice contained in Town Meeting Time, Little Brown 2001, so far as they may be adapted to the circumstances and powers of the Town.
[Amended 3-20-1943; 8-4-1947; 10-26-1987 STM by Art. 11]
No quorum requirements shall apply to any Annual or Special Town Meeting.
In order to delete, amend or add any bylaws of the Town of Hull, a majority vote shall be required, except where otherwise provided for by Massachusetts General Laws.