The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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DEVAL L. PATRICK GOVERNOR TIMOTHY P. MURRAY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Executive Department State House  ·  Boston 02133 (617) 725-4000

December 18, 2008.

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives:

Pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Section 8, Paragraph 1, Clause (2) of the Amendments to the Constitution, as amended by Article LXXXIX, I am filing for your consideration the attached legislation entitled, “An Act Validating The Actions Taken At The May 4, 2005, Annual Town Meeting Held By The Town Of Phillipston.” 

   Senator Brewer, Representative Gobi and the Phillipston Board of Selectmen have asked that this legislation be filed to permit the town to ratify the actions of the town’s May 4, 2005, Annual Town Meeting, and subsequent actions taken in reliance on the Town Meeting.  Absent this legislation, the Town faces the risk of legal challenges to its governance and many actions taken pursuant to the Town Meeting including approving a budget and a debt exclusion vote to construct a new highway garage. 

I urge your early and favorable consideration of this bill.

Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                       DEVAL L. PATRICK,

                                                                                       Governor.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act validating the actions taken at the May 4, 2005 annual town meeting held by the town of Phillipston.

        Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law or by-law to the contrary, all acts and proceedings taken by the town of Phillipston at the annual town meeting held on May 4, 2005, and all actions taken pursuant thereto are hereby ratified, validated and confirmed, to the same extent as if notice of the meeting had been given in full compliance with law.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.