Acceptances of General Laws | |
|---|---|
1840 | Incorporated February 27, 1840 |
1889 | Chapter 54 Section 1- Licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors (Failed) |
1893 | Article 39 — Chapter 255 Sections 1 and 2 (1 Selectman and 1 Assessor for 3 years, 1 for 2 years, 1 for 1 year and the election of 1 member for 3 years annually thereafter) (Carried) |
Article 40 — Chapter 347 of the Acts of 1890 (Free Public Libraries) (Carried) | |
1894 | Special Town Meeting Chapter 78 Acts of 1894 (supply the Town with water) (Carried) |
1895-1899 | Article 3 — Chapter 54 Section 1- Licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors (failed) |
1900 | Article 3 — Chapter 54 Section 1- Licenses be granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors. (failed) |
Article 4 — Chapter 344 Acts of 1899 (8 hour workday) (carried 367-152) | |
Special Town Meeting - October 20, 1900 Chapter 548 Section 349 Acts of 1898 (Establish polling place @ precinct 1) | |
1905 | Special Town Meeting - August 14, 1905 |
Article 2 — Chapter 101 Sections 1-5 inclusive (authorizes Selectmen to declare dilapidated and unsightly buildings a nuisance) (carried) | |
Article 3 — Chapter 50, sections 1-9 inclusive (Betterments on highway layouts) (Carried) | |
1909 | Annual Town Meeting |
Article 24 — Chapter 209 of 1908 (Provide for the protection of Forest and Forest lands from fire) (Carried) | |
1917 | Annual Town Meeting |
Article 13 — Chapter 153 General acts of 1916 (license fee for slaughter houses in towns having less than 10,000 inhabitants) (carried) | |
Article 14 — Chapter 293 Acts of 1916 (licensing by cities and towns of motor vehicles carrying passengers for hire) (carried) | |
1918 | Annual Town Meeting |
Article 26 — Chapter 23 Acts of 1917 (licensing coffee houses) (postponed) | |
Article 27 — Chapter 254 Acts of 1917 (to pay employees that enlist, the difference from military pay and their municipal compensation) (carried) | |
1920 | Special Town Meeting |
Article 12 — Chapter 240 Acts of 1920 (Act to permit under public regulation and control certain sports and games on the Lords day) (failed) | |
1921 | Special Town Meeting |
Article 9 — Chapter 14 Section 25A (Authorize Assessors to appoint assistant Assessors) (carried) | |
1923 | Annual Town Meeting Article 25 — Chapter 136 Sections 21-28 inclusive (permitting sports and games on the Lords day) (carried) |
Special Town Meeting Article 12 — Chapter 41 Section 97 "Police Dept" (establishment of) (carried) | |
1924 | Annual Town Meeting |
Article 33 — Chapter 31 Sections 48 and 49 (Police Force, Chief of Police — Civil Service) (failed) | |
1925 | Annual Town Meeting |
Article 34 — Chapter 31 Sections 48 and 49 (Police force, Chief of Police — Civil Service) (postponed) | |
1928 | Special Town Meeting |
Article 14 — Chapter 38 Acts of 1928 (expenditures for municipal advertising) (Carried) | |
1929 | Special Town Meeting |
Article 17 — Chapter 139 Sections 1,2,3 (building nuisances) (carried) | |
1933 | Annual Town Meeting |
Article 19 — Chapter 41 Section 100A (indemnifies officers or employees of the Town for expenses or damages incurred in the defense or settlement of a claim arising out of the operation of a publicly owned vehicle - includes civil defense) (carried) | |
Article 24 — Chapter 40 Sections 42A-42F inclusive (Lien for water bills not paid after 60 days from due dates) (carried) | |
1937 | Special Town Meeting |
Article 2 — Chapter 114 Sections 22-26 (Election by ballot of a board of cemetery Commissioners and terms) (carried) | |
Annual Town Meeting | |
Article 49 — Chapter 41 Section 81A (Establish a Planning Board) (postponed) | |
Article 53 — Chapter 31 Sections 48 and 49 (Police — Civil Service) (carried) | |
1938 | Annual Town Meeting |
Article 13 — Chapter 41 Section 81A (Establish a Planning Board-includes election authorization) (carried) | |
Article 18 — Chapter 147 Section 13A (establish a reserve police force) (indef. Postponed) | |
1946 | Special Town Meeting — Monday October 21, 1946 |
Article 11 — Chapter 559 Acts of the General Court of 1946 (Increase in pension for certain employees that have retired and currently receive less than $1,000) (carried unanimously) | |
1948 | Annual Town Meeting — March 1, 1948 |
Article 57 — Chapter 615 Acts of the General Court of 1947 (Increase in pensions) (carried 113-0) | |
1950 | Annual Town Meeting — March 6, 1950 |
Article 14 — Chapter 77 Acts of 1947 (Construct and operate a system of sewers) (carried by standing vote 365-0) | |
1950 | Special Town Meeting — November 30, 1950 |
Article 2 — Chapter 783 Acts of 1950 (making applicable increases in retirement allowances) | |
Article 3 — Chapter 820 Acts of 1950 (increase in annual amount of certain pensions, retirement allowances, annuities and other benefits) (Meeting voted to combine — carried 230-0) | |
1953 | Annual Town Meeting — March 2-3, 1953 |
Article 12 — Chapter 625 Acts of 1952 (increase in the amounts of pensions and retirement allowances) (standing vote carries 280-0) | |
Article 23 — Chapter 40 Section 11 (Prevention of forest fires) (standing vote carries 183-0) | |
1953 | Special Town Meeting — July 29, 1953 |
Article 8 — Chapter 434 Acts of 1953 (an act relative to rent control) (postponed to Annual 1954 mtg -** not revisited at annual 1954) | |
1954 | Annual Town Meeting — March 1954 |
Article 9 — Chapter 377 Acts of 1953 (increasing the amounts of money which maybe expended for municipal advertising) (carried by hand vote) | |
1956 | Annual Town Meeting — March 5, 1956 |
Article 34 — Chapter 147 Section 16(C) — (providing for a 5-day work week for policemen) (indef. Postponed) | |
Article 37 — Chapter 670 Acts of 1955 (increase in the amounts of pensions and retirement allowances) (carried) | |
Article 39 — Chapter 40 Section 8A (providing for the establishment of a Development and Industrial Commission) (carried) | |
Article 41 — Chapter 148 Section 56 (licensing of open air parking spaces) (carried) | |
1957 | Town Meeting — March 4, 1957 |
Article 43 — Chapter 147 Section 16C (providing for a 5-day work week for members of the police force) (carried) | |
Article 51 — Chapter 401 Acts of 1956 (indemnifies officers or employees of the Town for expenses or damages incurred in the defense or settlement of a claim arising out of the operation of a publicly owned vehicle — includes Civil Defense) (carried) | |
1958 | Annual Town Meeting — March 3, 1958 |
Article 7 — Chapter 223 Acts of 1957 (8C of Chapter 40) (establishment of Conservation Commission) (Indef. Postponed) | |
1959 | Annual Town Meeting — March 2, 1959 |
Article 57 — Chapter 40 Section 6G (repairing of certain private ways) (Indef. Postponed) | |
1961 | Annual Town Meeting — March 6, 1961 |
Article 21 — Chapter 40 Section 8C (establishment of Conservation Commission) (carried) | |
1962 | Annual Town Meeting — March 5&6, 1962 |
Article 16 — Chapter 40 Section 22D (authorization of towing vehicles) (carried) | |
1962 | Annual Town Meeting — March 5&6, 1962 |
Article 20 — Chapter 40 Section 5 (51) (establishment of conservation fund) (carried) | |
1964 | Annual Town Meeting — March 2, 1694 |
Article 33 — Chapter 383 Acts of 1963 (enforcement of certain marine fisheries laws by police officers) (carried) | |
1965 | Annual Town Meeting — March 1, 1965 |
Article 13 — Section 107 of the 1960 Rivers and Harbors Act (to participate with the state in the cost of a breakwater from Granite Pier to Sandy Bay Ledge.) (Indef. Postponed) | |
Article 24 — Chapter 786 Acts of 1962 (non-criminal disposition of parking violations) (Indef Postponed) | |
1966 | Annual Town Meeting — March 7, 1966 |
Article 20 — Chapter 786 Acts of 1962 (non-criminal disposition of parking violations) (carried) | |
1968 | Annual Town Meeting — March 4, 1968 |
Article 20 — Chapter 772 Acts of 1967 (authorizing Board of Selectmen to appoint an Industrial development financing authority) (Idef. Postponed) | |
1969 | Annual Town Meeting — March 3, 1969 |
Article 31 — Chapter 152 Section 69 (provide workman's compensation insurance for elected and appointed officials) (carried) | |
1971 | Annual Town Meeting — March 1, 1971 |
Article 17 — Chapter 41 Section 100F (indemnify Harbormasters against certain claims and actions) (carried) | |
1973 | Annual Town Meeting — March 5, 1973 |
Article 30 — Chapter 40 Section 6C (removal of snow and ice from private ways) (carried) | |
Article 42 — Chapter 344 Section 53C Acts of 1970 (establishment of fund to pay police officers for off-duty details) (carried) | |
1975 | Annual Town Meeting — April 7, 1975 |
Article 32 Chapter 85 Section 11A (registration of all bicycles) (Indefin. Postponed) | |
1976 | Annual Town Meeting — April 5, 6, 7 and 8 |
Article 24 — Chapter 332 Acts of 1975 (repair of private roads) (carried) | |
Article 34 — Chapter 32 Section 90C (increase of certain retirement allowances) (IP then reconsidered and carried) | |
1978 | Annual Town Meeting — March 18, 1978 |
Article 21 — Chapter 770 of 1975 as amended by 420 Acts of 1977 (establishment of the Southern Essex Solid Waste Disposal District) (Indef. Postponed) | |
1979 | Annual Town Meeting — March 24, 1979 |
Article 20 — Chapter 71 Section 71E (revolving fund for adult education and continuing education) (Indef. Postponed) | |
1980 | Annual Town Meting — March 22, 1980 |
Article 19 — Chapter 40 Section 13 (Buildings Insurance Fund) (carried) | |
Article 33 — Chapter 71 Section 71E (revolving fund for adult education and continuing education) (Indef. Postponed) | |
1981 | Special Town Meeting — December 7, 1981 |
Article 1 — Chapter 90 Sections 20A 1/2, 20C, 20D and 20E (Town run parking notice program and schedule of fines for violations) (carried) | |
1983 | Annual Town Meeting — March 18, 1983 |
Article 39 — Chapter 71 Section 71E (revolving fund for adult education and continuing education (carried) | |
1987 | Annual Town Meeting — March 21, 1987 |
Article 28 — Chapter 64C Section 3A (Local Excise tax) (Failed) | |
1988 | Special Town Meeting — December 10, 1988 |
Article 9 — Chapter 60 Section 23B (revised fee schedule for certificate of liens) (carried) | |
1989 | Annual Town Meeting — March 18, 1989 |
Article 27 — Chapter 236 Section 81U (performance bond deposits) (carried) | |
1994 | Annual Town Meeting — March 19, 1994 |
Article 21H — Chapter 71 Acts of 1993 (early retirement) (carried) | |
Special Town Meeting — June 27, 1994 | |
Article 4(I) — Chapter 403 Section 14 of the Acts of 1992 (Exempts the Town from creating precincts of an equal number of inhabitants) Carried | |
1995 | Annual Town Meeting — March 18, 1995 |
Article 14-K — Chapter 59 Section 5, clause 41C (exempt real estate tax) (carried) | |
Article 20 (T) — MGL Chapter 32B, Section 7A (exempt Town from paying at least 50% of monthly insurance costs for elected officials, reserve, permanent intermittent, on-call firemen and ambulance personnel to contribute 100% of monthly premium.) (Carried) | |
Special Town Meeting — September 11, 1995 | |
Article C(6) — MGL Chapter 32B, Section 18 (Requires all retirees, their spouses and dependants who are enrolled in Medicare Part A to enroll in a Medicare health benefit supplement plan offered by the Town at no cost to retiree.) (carried) | |
1996 | Annual Town Meeting — March 23, 1996 |
Article U — Chapter 40 Section 13C (workers compensation reserve fund) (carried) | |
Article A — Chapter 40 6A (Authorize Selectmen to advertise the Town) (carried) | |
2000 | Special Town Meeting — September 11, 2000 |
Article U — Chapter 41 Section 19K (additional compensation for Town Clerk Certification) (carried) | |
2001 | Annual Town Meeting — March 24, 2001 |
Articles H and I — Chapter 44 Section 53F 1/2 (establish water and sewer enterprise funds) (carried) | |
Article V — Chapter 59 Section 5K (Senior tax rebate program) (carried) | |
Special Town Meeting — September 10, 2001 | |
Article J — Chapter 44B of the General Laws, Section 3-7 inclusively (otherwise known as the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act by approving a 3% surcharge on real property for the purposes permitted by said Act) (carried) | |
2002 | Annual Town Meeting — April 6, 2002 |
Article M — MGL Chapter 77 of the Acts of 1950 (Town shall pay 25% of the cost of sewerage and sewage disposal system project(s)) (carried) | |
Article N — Chapter 77 of the Acts of 1950 (Town assess 75% of the cost of sewerage and sewage disposal system projects of the Town constructed after April 6, 2002, upon those who benefit from the project) (carried) | |
2003 | Annual Town Meeting — April 3, 2003 |
Article K — G.L. c. 83 (16A) and sections 16B to 16F, inclusive, (allowing the rates and charges for unpaid sewer service provided or supplied to real estate, together with interest and costs related thereto, to be placed as a lien upon such real estates) (Carried) | |
Article M — G.L. c. 44, § 53G (Allows Conservation Commission to impose consultant fees and to account for and spend such fees) (Carried) | |
Article P — G.L. c. 40 § 22F (allowing municipal boards and officers to fix reasonable fees for all licenses, permits, or certificates issued pursuant to statutes or regulations wherein the entire proceeds of the fee remain with the Town, and to fix reasonable charges to be paid for any services rendered or work performed by the Town or any department thereof) (Carried) | |
Special Town Meeting — September 8, 2003 | |
Article T — G.L. Chapter 46, Acts of 2003, § 12 (allowing members of the Call Fire Department or other volunteer emergency service agencies serving the municipality to be considered eligible employees for health insurance benefits.) (Carried) | |
2004 | Annual Town Meeting — April 3, 2003 |
Article D — G.L. Ch.137 section 1 of the Acts of 2003 (payment of base salaries of employees in the army and air national guards and reserves of any branch of the service called to active military service after September 11, 2001, after deduction of the military service allowance) (Carried) | |
2006 | Annual Town Meeting — April 1, 2006 |
Article B — G. L. c. 40, § 4A, (authorizes the Board of Selectmen to enter into an Inter municipal agreement with 1 or more other governmental units) (Carried) | |
Article H — G.L. c. 40 § 57 (authorizes any board, officer, or department to deny any application or revoke or suspend any local license or permit, including renewals and transfers, for any person, corporation, or business enterprise to anyone who neglected or refused to pay any local taxes, fees, assessments, betterments or any other municipal charges. (Carried) | |
Special Town Meeting — September 11, 2006 | |
Article L — G.L. Ch. 39 § 23D (authorizes members of any municipal board, committee or commission not to be disqualified from voting in an adjudicatory hearing solely due to the absence from no more that a single session of the hearing at which testimony or other evidence is received) (Carried) | |
2007 | Special Town Meeting — September 10, 2007 |
Article H — G.L. Ch. 59 § 5K (increase Senior Tax abatement for volunteer services from $500-$750) increased to 1,500 4-1-2017 ATM Art 22(M) carried) (carried unanimously) | |
2008 | Annual Town Meeting — April 8, 2008 |
Article G — MGL Ch. 40 § 8E (rescind Article 6 of the June 14, 1971 STM establishing Youth Commission) (carried) | |
2011 | Special Town Meeting — September 12, 2011 |
Article 19(C) — MGL Chapter 64G, Section 3A increase room's tax from 4% to 6%. (carried) | |
2013 | Annual Town Meeting — April 6, 2013 |
Article 28 (L) — MGL c. 59 § 5 exempting personal Property from taxation if not in excess of $10,000 of value and further, by establishing such minimum value of personal property subject to taxation at $2,000 beginning FY 2014 | |
2015 | Special Town Meeting — April 4, 2015 |
Article 5 (E) — MGL c. 44 § 53E 1/2 Net Metering Receipts Revolving Fund (carried) | |
Annual Town Meeting — April 4, 2015 | |
Article O — MGL C 64L § 2 a local sales tax at 75% on sale of restaurant meals within the Town to become effective on July 1, 2015 (carried) | |
Annual Town Election — May 5, 2015 | |
Chapter 40 § 6C removal of ice and snow on private ways (passed) | |
2016 | Special Fall Town Meeting — September 12, 2016 |
Article 4(K) — MGL C 40 § 8J establishment of a Rockport Commission on Disability (carried) | |
2017 | Annual Town Meeting— April 1, 2017 |
Article 20 (K) — MGL Chapter 200A, Section 9A provide statutory procedure for providing notice and disposing of abandoned funds in the custody of the Town. (carried voice vote) | |
Article 24 (O) — MGL Chapter 44, section 55C establish a trust to be known as the Rockport Affordable Housing Trust Fund, whose purpose shall be to provide for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in the Town of Rockport for the benefit of low and moderate-income households. (Carried voice vote) | |
Article 10(H) — MGL Chapter 40 Section 22A establish a "parking benefit district" up to $10,000 for designated use in Rockport Cultural District (Carried) | |
2019 | Annual Town Meeting — April 27, 2019 |
Art. 11(E) — MGL c. 44, Section 53F 3/4 to establish a PEG and Cable Related Fund to receive cable related franchise fees and further to appropriate from available funds a sum of money for FY 2020 cable related purposes, as a grant or otherwise, including, but not limited to: (i) support of public, educational or governmental access cable television services, (ii) monitoring compliance of the cable operator with the franchise agreement; or (iii) preparation for renewal of the franchise license. | |
2020 | Annual Town Meeting — August 8, 2020 |
Art. 17 (K) — MGL c. 64G, § 3D(a), authorizing the imposition of a community impact fee of 3% on the transfer of occupancy of a short-term rental in a "professionally managed unit," which term is defined as 1 of 2 or more short-term rental units that are located in the same city or town, operated by the same operator and are not located within a single-family, two-family, or three-family dwelling that includes the operator's primary residence. | |
Art. 18 (L) — MGL. c. 64G, § 3D(b), authorizing the imposition of a community impact fee of 3% on the transfer of occupancy of a short-term rental that is located in a two-family or three-family dwelling that includes the operator's primary residence. | |
2021 | Annual Town Meeting — May 15, 2023 |
Art. 15 (K) | |
2023 | Fall Town Meeting — September, 11, 2023 |
Art. 16 (W) — MGL c. 59 § 57A, allowing for 1 annual billing for real estate or personal property bills under $100. | |
Art. 24 (V) — MGL c. 41 § 110A, Office Hours on Saturday. | |
2024 | Fall Town Meeting — September 9, 2024 |
2025 | Annual Town Meeting — April 5, 2025 |
Art. F — MGL c. 39, § 23D, a member of a board, committee or commission included in this article holding an adjudicatory hearing shall not be disqualified from voting in the matter solely due to the member's absence from one session of such hearing, provided that certain conditions are met. | |
2026 | Annual Town Meeting — April 11, 2026 |
Art. F — MGL c. 59, § 5, cl. Thirty-seventh A, allowing a real estate tax exemption for qualifying blind persons who own and occupy property. | |
Art. G — MGL c. 59, § 5, cl. Forty-first C, to increase the real estate exemption amount for certain qualifying seniors from $500 to $1,000, reduce the eligibility age from 70 to 65, and, if real property is occupied by the taxpayer as their domicile, to exclude from the determination of the whole estate the value of up to three dwelling units. | |
Art. I — MGL c. 59, § 5, cl. Twenty-second I, authorizing an annual increase in the amount of the real estate tax exemption granted under MGL c. 59, § 5, cl. Twenty-second through Twenty-second F, inclusive, by the percentage increase in the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the previous year as determined by the Commissioner of Revenue. | |
Art. K — MGL c. 53, § 9A, establishing a deadline of 48 weekday hours prior to the filing deadline to obtain nomination papers for nomination to Town office, requiring candidates to provide a statement in writing containing their name, address, and office for which they intend to seek nomination, and limiting the number of blank nomination papers per candidate to the number required for nomination, times five. | |