Warrant
The business or agenda of each Town Meeting is contained in a document known as the “warrant." This will include all “articles” which the Town will act on at that particular Town Meeting, as well as the date, time and place of the Meeting. The order of the articles is determined by the Select Board in the warrant and the articles will be addressed in this order unless the Town Meeting chooses by a 4/5 vote in the affirmative to take an article out of such order. Any action taken at Town Meeting is not valid unless the article was listed on the warrant.
Once the warrant is “closed” and signed by the Select Board at a public meeting of the Board, no other business can be brought before the Town Meeting. In accordance with our Town Charter, the warrant for every Town Meeting must be mailed to each residence at least two weeks prior to the meeting; notice of the same must also be published and posted in accordance with our by-laws, as well.
Once the warrant is “closed” and signed by the Select Board at a public meeting of the Board, no other business can be brought before the Town Meeting. In accordance with our Town Charter, the warrant for every Town Meeting must be mailed to each residence at least two weeks prior to the meeting; notice of the same must also be published and posted in accordance with our by-laws, as well.
Town Meeting considers and adopts an annual operating budget (appropriating money for the salaries and expenses of running the Town, known as the “omnibus” article). It also considers and acts on other matters which require Town Meeting action, such as additions or amendments to the general or zoning by-laws, street acceptances, articles sponsored by other departments and annual “housekeeping” articles, as well as Citizens' Petitions (articles requested by registered voters through the petition process).