[Adopted by the Board of Selectmen 5-16-2005 (§ 183 of the prior compilation)]
The following rules shall apply at any Annual Town Budget Meeting
convened pursuant to the Town of Winchester Charter.
A. The Moderator shall be chosen by the Board of Selectmen pursuant
to Town Charter.
B. The Clerk shall read the call of the meeting, which shall be substantially
in the form as follows:
Warning to all persons entitled to vote in Town Meetings of
the Town of Winchester, County of Litchfield, and State of Connecticut:
you are hereby notified and warned that the Annual Town Budget Meeting
of said Town will be held in said Town on _____ at _____ o'clock for
the following purpose; to Wit:
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1)
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To receive a report of the Board of Selectmen, including its
estimate of receipts and expenditures and its proposed budget of $_____
and to take action upon the same for the next fiscal year commencing
July 1, 20__.
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2)
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To take any action properly to come before said meeting.
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C. Referendum.
(1) The following motion shall be made to schedule a referendum on the
proposed budget:
I move that the budget referendum be scheduled for (insert date)
from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Pearson School.
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(2) The above date must be not less than 21 days and not more than 28
days from the budget meeting.
(3) This motion may be debated but not amended and must pass by a majority
vote. Should the motion fail, another motion must be made for a different
date, which also may be debated but not amended and must pass by a
majority vote. Should the second motion fail, the Board of Selectmen
shall choose the date of the referendum and shall vote on said date
immediately after the budget meeting has adjourned, but in no event
later than 48 hours after said adjournment.
D. Representatives of the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education
shall be provided an opportunity to discuss the proposed budget prior
to debate by the body.
E. The Moderator will then recognize speakers to discuss or amend the
budget.
F. Amendments.
(1) Any amendment shall be in the following form:
"I move that the budget be amended by reducing line item number
_____ by $(dollar amount)."
(2) After a second, the Moderator shall recognize speakers addressing
the amendment only.
(3) After discussion has been exhausted or a request to move the question
has been received and 2/3 of those present vote to move the question,
the Moderator shall end discussion on the amendment.
(4) All votes on the amendment shall be done by machine vote.
G. After the vote on an amendment, the Moderator shall continue to accept
discussion and amendments according to the procedure provided above.
H. After the Moderator has decided reasonable discussion has occurred,
he may accept a request to move the question, which shall end all
debate. Such a motion must pass by two-thirds vote. If no such motion
is made or said motion fails, but the Moderator deems all debate to
be exhausted, he will recognize a motion to adjourn, which must pass
by a majority vote. The motion to adjourn shall be in the following
form:
"I move that the meeting be adjourned to referendum to be held
on (insert the date set earlier by the meeting or the date to be set
by the Board of Selectmen)."