BOARD OF SELECTMEN

1)     MEETING PROCEDURES

(a)  We, the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Henniker, NH, resolve that the following rules of order and procedure shall govern the deliberations and meetings of this Board.

(b)  It is the intent of the Board of Selectmen to adopt rules, procedures and policies to conduct meetings and take action in an orderly manner and allow for proper public participation.

2)     BOARD OFFICERS

(a)  The Chairman of the Board shall preside at all meetings unless he/she delegates the responsibility to another Board member.  If the Chairman of the Board is absent at the designated date and time of the meeting, the Vice Chairman of the Board shall call the meeting to order and preside. The Chairman or Vice Chairman may offer a motion, or second a motion and participate in any Board discussion and vote.

3)     AGENDA

(a)  A standard order of business and agenda together with the unfinished business shall be maintained and presented at each meeting. The normal order of business shall be:

Signing of Documents by Board Members 

Action on Consent Agenda

Official Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Public Forum

Appointments with the Board                                                                        

Old Business: Including-2nd and Third Reading of Policies

New Business-Including the 1st Reading of policies

Action on Minutes 

Town Administrator’s Report  

Correspondence                           

Selectmen’s Reports

Committee Reports

Non-Public Session (if needed) 

Adjournment

(b)  Any citizen may request an addition to the agenda until noon Thursday  prior to the scheduled meeting.

(c)   Any new business matters may be added to the agenda upon the request of any members at any time prior to the scheduled meeting.

(d)  The Chairman may change the order of business as he deems may best accommodate the needs of the Board, subject to a motion to over-rule his decision, seconded and approved by a majority of those present and voting.

 

4)     DELIBERATIONS

(a) A legal quorum is necessary to conduct a Board of Selectmen's meeting. A legal quorum is three (3) of the five (5) Board members. The Board of Selectmen agrees that to approve a question a majority is necessary. A majority is a majority of those present and voting upon an issue.

(b) The deliberations of the members shall be conducted in the following   manner:

1.     A member shall not address the meeting until the presiding officer recognizes the member. He shall thereupon address himself to the Chairman of the Board and confine his remarks to the question under discussion and avoid all personalities.

2.     The presiding officer shall name the member who is to speak first when two or more members simultaneously seek recognition.

3.     Only members of the Board shall address the meeting; citizens and others may address the Board when recognized by the Chair.  A majority of the members present must approve any non-member participating once the Board begins its discussion of a motion and/or amendments.

5)     DECISION MAKING

(a)  General

1.     A main motion shall be discussed or acted upon only after it has been moved and seconded. A motion may be withdrawn or amended only with the consent of the person making the same and the person seconding it.

2.     There can be only one main motion pending at a time. Any member desirous of concluding the debate may move the previous question, in which event the Chairman of the Board shall announce the question as "Shall discussion cease?"

3.     The Board shall vote upon the main motion without further debate, if a majority of the members present vote affirmatively. Such vote ends all debate and causes the members to vote, first upon any pending amendments, and then upon the main question.

4.     Any members may demand a roll call vote on any matter. The Clerk shall record the vote of each member in the minutes. Every member shall vote when a question is put, unless the Board by a majority vote of the quorum present shall excuse the Board member for good cause.

5.     A majority vote of the quorum present and voting shall be necessary for approval in favor of any proposed ordinance, resolution, or appointment, unless the law requires a larger number.

6.     The lack of vote or action to put a question on the agenda is a negative vote on the question. Such action concludes, answers, dispenses and rejects the matter. The Clerk shall record that the Board rejected the matter by lack of action.

 

(b)  Major Items

1.     All major actions of the Board shall require a seconded motion. All non-unanimous decisions shall record the votes of each member in attendance.

 

(c)   Consensus Decisions

1.     The Chairman may declare a consensus vote to have approved a proposal whenever he judges that all members’ present favor the action, provides an opportunity for the expression of opposition and instructs the Clerk to record in the minutes that the action has been taken, by consensus and without opposition. Any indication of opposition shall make a recorded vote necessary.

 

(d)  Consent Agenda

1.     All routine business items deemed to be of essentially a non-controversial nature may be placed on the consent agenda. This may include, but not be limited to, approval of various permits, re-nomination of employees, committee appointments, document approval, etc.

2.     Any Board Member may request the Chair to omit a listed item from the consent agenda. The making of this request prior to the motion to approve the Consent Agenda will result in that item being reviewed separately.

3.     A simple motion to approve the consent agenda, when seconded and approved by a majority of those present and voting shall be sufficient to approve all items presented on the consent agenda.

 

6)     GENERAL –The Henniker Board of Selectmen is required to comply with the New Hampshire's Right-to-Know Law, RSA Chapter 91-A.

 

Updated-March 6, 2007