(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, there shall be held in each town, annually, a town meeting for the transaction of business proper to come before such meeting, which meeting shall be designated as the annual town meeting. Special town meetings may be convened when the selectmen deem it necessary, and they shall warn a special town meeting on application of twenty inhabitants qualified to vote in town meetings, such meeting to be held within twenty-one days after receiving such application. Any town meeting may be adjourned from time to time as the interest of the town requires.
(b) Where any town's public buildings do not contain adequate space for holding annual or special town meetings, any such town may hold any such meeting outside the boundaries of the town, provided such meetings are held at the nearest practical locations to the town.
(1949 Rev., S. 491, 492; 1953, S. 205d; 1957, P.A. 226, S. 1; P.A. 73-412; P.A. 77-56.)
History: P.A. 73-412 deleted requirement that annual meeting be held on first Monday in October barring other provisions in law; P.A. 77-56 added Subsec. (b) re meetings held outside of town.
Vote may be rescinded at subsequent meeting. 34 C. 108. Calling of special meeting for legal purpose is obligatory; immaterial that application names a day. 41 C. 245. Mandamus to compel calling of special meeting; reasonable certainty enough in application. 89 C. 561. Cited. 139 C. 209. Mandamus lies for directing selectmen to call town meeting for acceptance of street as public highway. 151 C. 372. Cited. 204 C. 551. Provisions of section do not preempt provisions of town charters delineating the circumstances requiring town meeting involvement. 234 C. 513.
Cited. 21 CA 351. Plaintiff's application to warn town meeting concerning dismissal of town planner was not proper under section. 85 CA 555.
No duty on the selectman to call a meeting pursuant to a petition where object is unlawful, frivolous or improper. 16 CS 486; 19 CS 216. While the board of selectmen is required to warn a town meeting on petition of twenty inhabitants qualified to vote, there is no duty to warn a meeting pursuant to such petition unless the board is reasonably certain that the object of the petition is lawful, proper, and not frivolous. 32 CS 237.
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