SECTION 7.1 COMPOSITION
7.1.1. LEGISLATIVE POWERS
The legislative powers of the Town shall be vested in the Town Meeting and in the Board or Selectmen as specified in Section 3.3 through 3.6 and Chapter 4 of this Charter.
7.1.2 PERSONS QUALIFIED TO VOTE
Persons qualified to vote in the Annual and Special Town Meeting shall be electors of the Town or property owners with qualifications provided by the CGS.
SECTION 7.2 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
An Annual Town Meeting shall be held on the second Monday in May for action on the proposed Annual Town Budget, and other business duly warned for the meeting. The Annual Town Meeting is also known as the Annual Budget Meeting.
SECTION 7.3 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
Special Town Meetings shall be called by the Selectmen in accordance with the CGS. These meetings shall be called for the following purposes:
(f) Act on a recommendation to sell real estate used or reserved for Town purposes. Approvals from the Board of Finance, the Planning Commission and the Inland Wetlands Agency are required before consideration of this action;
(9) Act on codification of Ordinances per Section 8.8;
(h) Act on any proposal deemed of sufficient importance.
SECTION 7.4 TOWN MEETING PROCEDURE
All Town Meetings shall be called to order by the First Selectman or his delegate. A moderator shall be elected and all business conducted shall be in accordance with Roberts' Rules of Order, as amended, and with the provisions of Chapter 90 of the CGS. The Town Clerk shall serve as Clerk of all Town Meetings. In the absence of the Town Clerk, an acting clerk may be designated by the Town Meeting.
SECTION 7.5 TOWN MEETING TO AUTHORIZE REFERENDUMS
A Town Meeting shall be required to authorize a referendum.
7.5.1 SPECIAL APPROPRIATIONS
In those situations provided by Section 6.12 of the Charter that require a referendum, the moderator of the Special Town Meeting shall, after reasonable discussion of the issue, adjourn the meeting to reconvene at a time specified in CGS concerning referendums. At such adjourned session, such appropriation shall be submitted to persons qualified to vote in Town Meetings for a "yes" or "no" vote on the voting machines. The polls shall be open in accordance with Section 7-7 of the CGS. After the polls are closed, the moderator shall cause the vote to be counted and the appropriation shall, if approved, be deemed adopted by the Town Meeting.
7.5.2 PETITION FOR REFERENDUM
Two hundred (200) persons qualified to vote in a Town Meeting may petition over their signatures for any item on the call of a Town Meeting to be voted on in referendum, except for the Annual Budget. The procedure shall be in accordance with Section 7-7 of the CGS.
SECTION 7.6 PETITION FOR OVERRULE OF ORDINANCES
All Ordinances, except Emergency Ordinances, shall be subject to overrule by a Town Meeting. All resolutions or votes of the Selectmen excluding the internal procedure of the Selectmen, shall be subject to overrule by a Town Meeting. The procedure required to overrule is as follows.
7.6.1 TIME LIMIT
Within thirty (30) days after the publication of any Ordinance or the making of such resolution or taking of such vote, a petition signed by not less than two hundred (200) persons qualified to vote in a Town Meeting is filed with the Town Clerk requesting that the item be put to a Town Meeting. The effective date of such Ordinance, resolution or vote shall then be suspended.
7.6.2 TOWN MEETING
The Selectmen shall fix the time and place of such Town Meeting, which shall be held within twenty-one (21) days after the filing of the petition. Notice thereof shall be given by publication in full of the Ordinance, resolution, or vote and shall indicate that a "yes" vote shall be required to overrule such action.
7.6.3 EFFECTIVE DATE
Such Ordinance, resolution, or vote so referred shall take effect immediately or on a subsequent date provided by Section 3.5.4 unless a majority of those thereon shall have voted in favor of overruling.
SECTION 7.7 PETITION FOR SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
7.7.1 PETITION
Two hundred (200) persons qualified to vote in a Town Meeting may at any time petition over their signatures on a form provided by the Town Clerk for the enactment of any proposed lawful Ordinance, overrule of action taken by the Board of Finance under Section 6.6.2, or other action by filing such petition, including the complete text of such Ordinance of, other proposed action, with the Town Clerk.
7.7.2 REVIEW OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE
Any such proposed Ordinance or other action shall be examined by the Town Counsel before being submitted to a Special Town Meeting. The Town Counsel is authorized to correct the form of such Ordinance or other action for the purpose of avoiding repetitions, illegalities and unconstitutional provisions, but not materially changing its meaning and effect.
7.7.3 TIME LIMIT
The Selectmen shall call a Special Town Meeting to be held not less than ten (10) nor more than thirty (30) days from the date of such filing.
7.7.4 CONTENT OF CALL
The call for such Town Meeting shall state the proposed Ordinance or other action in full and shall provide for a "yes" or "no" vote as to its enactment.
7.7.5 EFFECTIVE DATE
If the majority of those voting shall vote "yes" then such Ordinance or other action shall take effect on the tenth (10th) thereafter. Such a majority must equal or exceed five (5) percent of the eligible electors of the Town, as determined by the last completed registry list of the Town.
7.7.6 FAILURE TO ACT
In the event the Selectmen do not act on the petition within twenty-one (21) days of receipt of the petition, the petitioners may request in writing to the Town Clerk to call a Town Meeting to act on the petition within the time limit set forth in Section 7.7.3.
