Initiatives

In addition to maintaining this web site and the liaison with Town Government when Town Meeting is not in session through the TMMA Executive Committee these are our main activities:

Warrant Information Report

The TMMA prepares a booklet with supplementary, factual information about the Warrant Article that complements the legal language in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant. A group of TMMA volunteers works from the time that the draft warrant becomes available in early February until the beginning of March to research the issues and background of each Article. They try to speak with both the article’s sponsors and, if applicable, opponents of the article to determine the issues the article raises. Then a short, impartial summary of the available facts is prepared for each article. (Some routine articles are omitted like the Appointments to the Cary Lecture Series.) They also formulate a list of questions for the article sponsors and, if made available by the sponsors, answers to the questions. The results are combined into a booklet which is made available to every Town Meeting Member for reference by the time of the Warrant Information meetings. Several copies are also available at the Town Libraries.

Warrant Information Meetings

Warrant information meetings are held in the weeks after the Town Election and before the opening session of Town meeting. One meeting usually deals with the Town operating and capital budgets and any other municipal articles sponsored by Town entities. Another information meeting discusses the School Department’s articles including the school operating budget and any school capital expenditures. The third session covers any Citizen sponsored articles, such as requests for zoning changes to permit developments. At each session the the article sponsor gives a short presentation of the facts and attempts to answer a list of questions, including those from the Warrant information booklet and any posed by the audience. While the main audience is expected to be Town Meeting Members, the general public is invited and encouraged to attend and there are always enough seats.

Warrant Article Bus Tour

The bus tour gives Town meeting members a guided tour of major sites that will be considered for capital improvements, rezoning, and other sites such as the DPW where you get to kick the tires and see the rust on the old capital equipment they hope to replace.

The TMMA bus tour of warrant related sites for the Fall 2008 Special Town Meeting has not yet been scheduled.

TMMA EMail List

The TMMA email list is a Google Groups based discussion list to which Town Meeting Members may participate. See the List Welcome document for a discussion of the intended function, procedures, and restrictions on use related to the TMMA email list.

Last Modified on January 21, 2021, at 03:56 PM EST


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