The purpose of this article is to safeguard members of the Town
of Ashford boards, commissions, committees and agencies, and private
citizens, by establishing authority and procedure for the cancellation
or postponement of public meetings due to extreme weather conditions
or any other emergency which may jeopardize public safety.
Unless it is practically impossible to do so, notice of cancellation
or postponement of any public meeting shall be conspicuously posted
on or near the door of the place where the meeting was scheduled to
occur. Any noticed Town Meeting which is postponed shall be rescheduled
within 30 days and warned and posted in accordance with applicable
law.
[Amended 6-7-2021]
Pursuant to §§ 7-1, 7-148(c)(2)(A), and 7-388
of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended, a date no less than
seven nor more than 14 days prior to the first Tuesday following the
first Monday in the month of May shall be designated as the day and
date to be warned for the holding of the Annual Town Meeting for consideration
of the budget and the transaction of other Town business as required
to come before the legislative body.
The Annual Town Meeting or annual budget meeting as referred
to and described in Title 7, General Statutes of the State of Connecticut,
as amended, shall be conducted as follows:
A. Once lawfully convened pursuant to § 7-1 et seq., General
Statutes of the State of Connecticut, the meeting shall choose a Moderator
and proceed to conduct its business in accordance with § 7-7
of the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut, which shall include
a discussion of the annual budget, but there shall not be a vote on
the annual budget at the meeting so held.
B. When all business other than the vote of the annual budget has been
transacted, the meeting shall:
(1) Set a date, not less than seven nor more than 14 days thereafter,
for a vote on the annual budget by a "Yes" or "No" vote on the voting
machines.
(2) Set the hours during which such votes may be cast, not less than
between the hours of 12:00 noon and 8:00 p.m. and not more than between
the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
The vote on the annual budget shall include separate votes on
the proposed education budget and the proposed general government
budget, each such proposed budget to be considered by separate "Yes"
and "No" votes.
In the event the meeting does not set the date and hours for
such vote, the Town Selectmen shall set the date and hours of the
vote.
The foregoing budget and voting procedure shall apply to all
votes on the adoption of annual budgets, including any vote taken
to adopt an annual budget by machine vote. No annual budget shall
be adopted except pursuant to the procedures set forth in this article
requiring a machine vote and referendum. However, in the event that
only one of the two proposed budgets is approved at any referendum,
any subsequent referendum shall include only a vote on the proposed
education budget or proposed general government budget which was unapproved.
Any approval of either budget shall be deemed a final approval of
such budget.
This article shall become effective 15 days after publication
in a newspaper pursuant to the provisions of § 7-157 of
the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut.