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What is SB2?
This Page was Last Updated
History: March
9, 1999 was an historical date for Windham, as residents took part in the last
Annual Meeting to be held in town. For longer than any resident can remember,
this forum represented an opportunity for all to contribute to the manner in
which their community was operated. Preceded by one or more public hearings,
articles were placed on the warrant, and the Annual Meeting was held,
generally commencing on Friday evening or, in recent years, Saturday morning
in mid-March. Residents converged to discuss, amend, and ultimately vote on
all articles presented on the warrant. Some discussions were heated, some
humorous, and some incredibly lengthy, but in the end, all articles were voted
upon. One of those articles voted on in 1999 resulted in the adoption of
Senate Bill 2, or the Official Ballot Bill.
A
Look at SB2 Procedures: Briefly,
Senate Bill 2 requires the following: a public hearing held by the Board of
Selectmen to discuss budget and warrant articles (with
the exception of zoning amendments) for placement on the preliminary
Warrant; a deliberative session wherein residents are afforded the opportunity
to discuss and amend those articles as presented on the warrant; and; the
official ballot vote to be held on the second Tuesday in March at which
eligible voters will either approve or disapprove the operating budget and
warrant articles as written on the ballot. So
what, in a nutshell, does this mean for us in local government and the
residents of our Town? It means
an earlier budget season and, more importantly, active and diligent public
participation in the deliberative session in order to assure a complete
understanding and awareness of the forthcoming warrant articles, as the
official ballot vote presents no opportunity for clarification.
Public
Hearings: Prior to the
Deliberative Session, a public hearing is held, allowing public input
regarding the form and content of the final articles. Based on this hearing,
the Board of Selectmen will vote to “Recommend” or “Not Recommend”
each article on the Warrant. This
hearing also includes discussion of items relative to budgetary and financial
matters, as well as the bottom line budget for the ensuing year. Subsequent to
this public hearing, a preliminary Budget and Warrant will be posted according
to State statute and mailed to residents in preparation for the Deliberative
Session. Deliberative
Session: This session very closely
resembles the familiar format of the New England Town Meeting, with one
fundamental difference. Articles are discussed and amendments considered,
however no official final action is
taken at the time.
The
Session will be presided over by the Town Moderator, who is charged with the
obligation and responsibility of maintaining order at all times. The
Deliberative Session, as was the case with Annual Town Meeting, adheres to the
current “Robert’s Rules of Order.”
Each
article will be addressed in the order set in the posted Warrant, unless the
body votes to advance or postpone a specific article. Articles will be
presented and moved by the Board of Selectmen, and may be explained by the
sponsor or petitioner before discussion is opened to the floor. Per
“Robert’s Rules of Order”, a Point of Order may be put to the Moderator
at any time during the session. This is not a motion, but rather a claim that
the current discussion or speaker is out of order. The
Deliberative Session will not be adjourned until all required business has
been transacted, however, it may be necessary to recess the proceedings for
continuation. This is usually due to the lateness of the hour and/or the
number of articles remaining for discussion. As
articles are discussed and accepted, the Town Moderator shall instruct the
Town Clerk to place the article, as amended if applicable, onto the official
ballot. Prior to the Official Ballot vote, a secondary Warrant and Budget will
be posted and mailed by the Town, reflecting those changes resulting from the
Deliberative Session, and shall serve as the final warrant to be voted on.
Voters
should be aware that Planning Board and zoning amendments do not fall under
the auspices of the Board of Selectmen. These items are discussed at hearings
held by the Planning Board themselves, and are placed on the warrant and
ballot as determined by the members of the Planning Board. The
Deliberative Session, if possible, will be televised live on our local cable
channel, WCTV-20, however in order to participate one must be present and be a registered voter in the Town. Non-voters and
non-residents will most likely be allowed to remain in attendance, however
they will be unable to address the body or cast a vote on any issue. Official
Ballot Vote: Held on the
second Tuesday in March, the official ballot of the Town will encompass
election of officers, proposed zoning amendments, and all approved warrant and
budget articles for the Town. As indicated above, voters must be diligent
regarding the public hearings and deliberative sessions for both Town and
School, as election day affords no opportunity to question the meaning or
results of adoption of warrant article.
Due
to the multitude of items the official ballot will contain, and because the
School District has also adopted Senate Bill 2, voters must anticipate a
potential wait at the polling place. Voters will be completing two ballots,
encompassing many issues, and it is our sincere hope that the possibility of
delays does not deter residents from taking part in the process.
Miscellaneous
Information: Annual
Town Report: The
Town, in accordance with State Statute, publishes an Annual Town Report in
March, which includes reports of the activities of all
departments, boards, committees, commissions, and trustees of the Town
for the previous year. It also details all the financial dealings for the
Town, and can be a useful tool in forming an opinion of budgetary
issues prior to the Official Ballot Vote.
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