[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 5-9-2018 ATM
by Art. 16]
A printed copy of the warrant and the recommendations of the Advisory Board shall be made available to voters as provided in §
56-4 of this chapter at all Town Meetings.
[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:
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]
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.