[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Simsbury
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 12-7-2015[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This resolution also superseded
former Ch. A162, Rules of Procedure, Art. I, Board of Selectmen, adopted
12-7-2009.
The Board of Selectmen adopts Robert's Rules
of Order as a general guide for the conduct of all regular and special
meetings. The Board of Selectmen will conduct its business in accordance
with all other applicable rules and regulations including state statutes
and the Town Charter.
When possible, the agenda, along with relevant
resource material, will be distributed to the Board members four days
prior to the meeting. Items not specifically included on the agenda
may be included by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting.
Except in emergency and unusual circumstances, action will not be
taken on any agenda item so placed until the next meeting. Under no
circumstances will any item be added to the agenda later than two
hours after the beginning of the meeting. In accordance with Connecticut
General Statutes, no items will be added to a special meeting agenda.
A member of the Board may have an item placed
on the agenda by contacting the First Selectman or Director of Administrative
Services at least seven days prior to the meeting.
The First Selectman may present a "State of
the Town Message" at the beginning of one regular meeting per month.
One period of not less than twenty minutes may
be set aside at the beginning of each regular meeting of the Board
of Selectmen to allow members of the public present to address the
Board. Each speaker will be limited to five minutes. After all those
who wish to speak have done so, previous speakers may be allowed to
speak again at the end of the meeting for an additional five minutes,
at the pleasure of the Board. When the First Selectman identifies
a number of speakers who wish to speak in public audience which would
exhaust the time allowed, a shorter period for each speaker shall
be set. Any citizen so speaking shall identify himself/herself by
name and address and if he/she is representing a group or organization,
he/she may so state. The First Selectman, upon approval by unanimous
consent, may allow additional public participation on an agenda item
under discussion. From time to time, the Board of Selectmen may schedule
special meetings or regular meetings devoted to a particular topic
or topics.
When a board, commission, organization, or individual
is invited to the meeting to discuss a particular agenda item, that
item shall be placed on the agenda at the time requested, if possible.
All other items of a routing nature, such as
ratification of bid awards, tax rebates, resignations and appointments,
communications, committee reports, etc., shall be placed in the final
portion of the agenda.
The Board of Selectmen may enter executive session
as permitted by Connecticut General Statutes.
In accordance with Chapter 14, Section 1-225,
of the Connecticut General Statutes entitled "Freedom of Information
Act," the votes of each member of the Board of Selectmen upon any
issue before the Board of Selectmen shall be reduced to writing and
made available to the public within forty-eight hours. These votes
shall also be recorded in the minutes of the Board of Selectmen meeting.
Further, a draft of the minutes of the Board of Selectmen meeting
shall be available for public inspection within seven days of the
session to which they refer. The First Selectman's office will post
the actions taken by the Board of Selectmen and both the draft and
final version of the meeting minutes on the Town's website when available.
It is the Board of Selectmen's objective to
complete meetings by 10:30 p.m. when possible.
These Rules of Procedure will be in effect until
the end of the Board's term, December 2017.
