By Mr. Joyce, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate,
No. 2305) of Brian A. Joyce, Bruce J. Ayers, Joseph R.
Driscoll and Walter F. Timilty (by vote of the town) for
legislation to amend the representative town meeting
procedures in the town of Randolph. Municipalities and
Regional Government. {Local approval received.}
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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. Section 2 of chapter 324 of the acts of 1947, as amended by chapter 404 of the acts of 1989, is hereby further amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following 7 sentences:-
A write-in candidate for the office of town meeting member must receive 10 or more votes in the precinct in which he is eligible to vote in order to be elected in that precinct. The town clerk shall, after every election of town meeting members, forthwith notify each such member by mail of his election. If any person elected as a town meeting member fails to take the oath of office within 90 days following his election, or fails to attend more than one-half of the sessions of the town meetings held in a calendar year the member shall be considered to have resigned and the member’s place shall be declared vacant. A town meeting member who fails to attend more than one-half of the sessions of the town meeting held in a calendar year may appeal the declaration of vacancy by requesting a hearing on removal. A request for hearing shall be made in writing and shall be filed with the town clerk on or before January 15 of the following calendar year. A hearing shall be held before a committee consisting of the town clerk, town moderator and chairman of the board of registrars not later than January 25 of said year. Upon a showing of good cause by the member, the committee may excuse 1 or more absences and may rescind the declaration of vacancy if the town meeting member attended at least one-half of the unexcused sessions of the town meeting during the calendar year.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on the date of the first annual town election for town meeting members occurring after enactment of this act.
