General Laws of Massachusetts (Last Updated: January 16, 2020) |
PART I ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT |
TITLE VII. CITIES, TOWNS AND DISTRICTS |
CHAPTER 43A. STANDARD FORM OF REPRESENTATIVE TOWN MEETING GOVERNMENT |
SECTION 5. Meetings; quorum; compensation of members
-
Any representative town meeting held under the provisions of this chapter, except as otherwise provided herein, shall be limited to the town meeting members elected under section four, together with such town meeting members at large as may be provided for by the by-laws of the town.
The town clerk shall notify the town meeting members of the time and place at which representative town meetings are to be held, the notices to be sent by mail at least seven days before the meeting. The town meeting members, as aforesaid, shall be the judges of the election and qualifications of their members. A majority of the town meeting members shall constitute a quorum for doing business; but a less number may organize temporarily and may adjourn from time to time, but no town meeting shall adjourn over the date of an election of town meeting members. All town meetings shall be public. The town meeting members as such shall receive no compensation. Subject to such conditions as may be determined from time to time by the members of the representative town meeting, any registered voter of the town who is not a town meeting member may speak at any representative town meeting, but shall not vote. A town meeting member may resign by filing a written resignation with the town clerk, and such resignation shall take effect on the date of such filing. A town meeting member who removes from the town shall cease to be a town meeting member, and a town meeting member who removes from the precinct from which he was elected to another precinct may serve only until the next annual town meeting.