Town of Bar Harbor, ME Article II Town Meetings

§ C-5 Annual and Special Town Meetings.

Except as otherwise provided by the provisions of this Charter, the legislative authority of the Town of Bar Harbor shall continue to be vested in the inhabitants of the Town of Bar Harbor acting by means of Town Meetings. The Annual Town Meeting shall be held on the first Tuesday in June and the second Tuesday in June.

A. Open Town Meeting. Such articles of the warrant as the Town Council may choose shall be acted upon on the first Tuesday of June.

B. Secret ballot. All articles of the warrant with respect to the election of officials, such other articles as the Town Council shall choose and all articles required by law to be on the printed ballot shall be acted upon on the second Tuesday in June.

C. State law controlling; exceptions. The provisions of the Revised Statutes of the State of Maine, as amended, shall govern the manner in which all Annual and Special Town Meetings shall be called and conducted, except that:

(1) Contents of ballots. In addition to the provisions of the Revised Statutes of the State of Maine, the ballots for all Town Meetings shall include:

(a) For each ballot article except election of officeholders, the recommendation of the Warrant Committee, including the number of Committee members and the number of Committee members voting for and against the recommendation;

(b) For each Land Use Ordinance amendment article, the recommendation of the Planning Board, including the number of Board members and the number of Board members voting for and against the recommendation;

(c) For each ballot article affecting school issues, the recommendation of the School Committee, including the number of Committee members and the number of Committee members voting for and against the recommendation;

(d) For each ballot article except Land Use Ordinance amendments and election of officeholders, the recommendation of the Town Council, including the number of Councilors and the number of Councilors voting for and against the recommendation.

(2) Warrant. The Town Meeting warrant shall be prepared as required by law and be posted in the Municipal Building. Further, the warrant shall include:

(a) A brief statement outlining the intent of the proposed article;

(b) For each ballot article except election of officeholders, the recommendation of the Warrant Committee, including the number of Committee members and the number of Committee members voting for and against the recommendation;

(c) For each Land Use Ordinance amendment article, the recommendation of the Planning Board, including the number of Board members and the number of Board members voting for and against the recommendation;

(d) For each ballot article affecting school issues, the recommendation of the School Committee, including the number of Committee members and the number of Committee members voting for and against the recommendation;

(e) For each ballot article except Land Use Ordinance amendments and election of officeholders, the recommendation of the Town Council, including the number of Councilors and the number of Councilors voting for and against the recommendation;

(f) Such other explanatory material as, in the opinion of the Town Council, would help the voters better understand the issues at hand.

(3) Method of voting at Open Town Meeting. Except where required otherwise by state law the Town may use any means of manual or electronic voting approved by the Town Council to ensure accuracy, efficiency, integrity, security, transparency, and voter anonymity.

[Added 11-3-2020]

§ C-6 Powers and responsibilities.

A. The Annual Town Meeting shall have the exclusive power and responsibility to:

(1) Elect all necessary Town officers and committees;

B. The Annual and Special Town Meetings shall have the exclusive power and responsibility to:

(1) Act on the issuance of bonds and notes, except notes in anticipation of taxes to be paid within the fiscal year in which issued;

(2) Raise by taxation and appropriate monies so raised.

(3) Act on those ordinances placed on the warrant and on any initiative or referendum questions as provided for by this Charter;

[Amended 11-3-2020]

(4) Act on the sale of Town-owned real estate other than that acquired through matured tax mortgage liens;

(5) Act on any amendments to this Charter pursuant to law;

(6) Approve Town budgets, except proprietary budgets for revenue producing facilities as defined by M.R.S.A. Title 30-A, Chapter 213, the Revenue Producing Municipal Facilities Act;

(7) Transact other Town business presented to it by warrant articles or required by law.

C. Town Meeting shall act only on matters presented to it as warrant articles or as required by law.

D. Any Town Meeting amendment made to the budget published in the Warrant or Town Report, shall be voted only by written or electronic ballot.

[Amended 11-3-2020]