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Town Meeting Members Association Bylaws
Approved March 8, 1978 and amended March 20, 1985; March 20, 1986;
March 11, 1998; March 17, 2005, March 5, 2008 and March 24 2022.
Article I - Purpose
The Town Meeting Members of Lexington, Massachusetts,
in order better to fulfill the obligations of the
representative form of government, have established
this Association to acquaint themselves more fully with
the facts necessary for intelligent decisions and to assist
in any other constructive way in the government of
Lexington.
Article II - General Organization
Section 1 - Name
This organization shall be known as the Lexington
Town Meeting Members Association or TMMA.
Section 2- TMMA Membership
Membership shall be limited to elected Town Meeting
Members and Town Meeting Members-at-Large.
Section 3 - Executive Committee
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Membership. There shall be an Executive Committee
consisting of the TMMA Officers elected in accordance
with the provisions of Article II, Sections 4
and 5, and the Precinct Officers elected in accordance
with the provisions of Article III, Sections 1 and 2.
In addition, any former TMMA Officer who remains
a Town Meeting Member may elect to serve as an
emeritus member of the Executive Committee for up
to two years after leaving office.
- Meetings. The Executive Committee shall hold
regular meetings during the year for the purpose of
keeping abreast of Town affairs, particularly matters
that may become the subject of future Town Meeting
action, or for any other purpose relating to Town
Meeting. The Executive Committee shall meet upon
the call of the Chair, or at the request of five (5) Executive
Committee members, with reasonable notice.
The presence of nine (9) members, with at least five
(5) precincts represented, shall constitute a quorum.
Decisions shall be made by a majority of those members
present and voting.
- Attendance. Executive Committee meetings shall be
open to all TMMA members. Any TMMA member
who is not a member of the Executive Committee
may enter into Committee deliberations upon recognition
by the Chair, but shall not vote.
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Activities. The Executive Committee shall undertake
such activities as it deems appropriate to educate
and inform Town Meeting Members and the public at
large about pending and upcoming Town Meeting issues,
including but not limited to the preparation of a
warrant information booklet, the conduct of warrant
information meetings, the conduct of bus tours or
on-site visits, and the maintenance of a TMMA web
site and email list. To this end, the Executive Committee
may appoint subcommittees, working groups
or task forces from among the TMMA membership
from time to time when considered appropriate to the
purposes of the TMMA.
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Political Activity. When supporting or opposing
candidates or ballot questions, or when engaged in
any other political activity, Executive Committee
Members shall not use their Executive Committee
title, or otherwise hold themselves out as representing
the TMMA, unless specifically authorized by vote of
the Executive Committee.
Section 4- TMMA Officers
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Officers. The TMMA shall elect annually from among the members of the TMMA, in accordance with Article II, Section 5C, the following TMMA officers: a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Treasurer, a Clerk, a Website Manager, and an Email List Moderator. These officers shall perform the duties normally associated with such offices, or as further specified by vote of the Executive Committee.
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Term. The term of each office shall be for one year,
commencing on the first day of the Annual Town
Meeting. Outgoing Officers shall continue in office
until this date, whether or not re-elected to Town
Meeting. The Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer shall
not serve in the same office for more than two consecutive
terms.
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Disqualifications. The following individuals shall not
serve as TMMA Officers: townwide elected officials;
members of the Appropriation Committee and the
Capital Expenditures Committee; salaried employees
of the Town; and Town Meeting Members-at-Large.
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Leaves and Vacancies. A TMMA Officer shall take a
leave of absence in order to run for townwide office,
and may take a leave of absence for other exigent
reasons with the consent of the Executive Committee.
In the Chair's absence, the Vice-Chair shall perform
the duties of Chair for such time as the absence shall
continue. A permanent vacancy in any TMMA office,
or an absence in any office other than Chair, shall be
filled by vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 5- TMMA Meetings
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Annual Meeting. The Chair shall call an Annual
Meeting of the TMMA to be held on a date after the
annual town election, but before
the commencement of the Annual Town Meeting.
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Treasurer's Report. At the Annual Meeting, the
Treasurer shall present a Treasurer's report setting
forth the TMMA's cash on hand as of December
31 of the previous calendar year, its income and
expenditures during the previous calendar year, and a
brief statement of major changes through the date of
the Annual Meeting.
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Election of Officers. TMMA Officers shall be elected
at the Annual Meeting as follows:
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Prior to the Annual Meeting, the Chair shall appoint
a Nominating Committee consisting of three
TMMA members who are not TMMA Officers,
and at least one of whom shall be a member of the
Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee
shall prepare a slate of proposed candidates for
TMMA Officers for the ensuing year.
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The Chair shall present to the Annual Meeting
the slate prepared by the Nominating Committee.
After entertaining any additional nominations
from the floor, the Chair shall put the question of
the election of TMMA Officers to a vote.
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General Meetings. Additional general meetings of
the TMMA membership may be called by the Chair
with reasonable notice when deemed appropriate. A
general meeting shall be called upon the request in
writing of twenty-five (25) TMMA members.
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Quorum and Voting. The presence of fifty (50)
Members shall constitute a quorum at a general
meeting. Except to amend these bylaws under Article
IV, decisions of the TMMA membership, including
the election of TMMA Officers at the Annual Meeting,
shall be made by a majority of those present and
voting, as determined in accordance with the voting
procedures customarily used at Town Meeting.
Section 6 - Dues
The Executive Committee shall establish annually, prior
to the TMMA Annual Meeting, dues in an amount sufficient to defray the reasonable expenses of the TMMA.
Such dues shall be payable by voluntary contribution.
Article III - Precinct Organization
Section 1- Precinct Officers
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Officers. The TMMA Members of each precinct shall
elect annually from among the precinct Town Meeting
Members, in accordance with Article III, section
2(B), the following Precinct Officers: Precinct Chair,
Precinct Vice-Chair and Precinct Clerk.
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Duties. The Precinct Officers shall represent their
respective precincts at meetings of the TMMA Executive
Committee, and shall participate to the best of
their ability in the activities of the Executive Committee.
In addition, the Precinct Officers shall have the
following duties:
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Precinct Chair: The Precinct Chair shall be the
presiding Officer at TMMA precinct meetings;
oversee the nomination of candidates for TMMA
precinct offices and the conduct of TMMA precinct
elections; assist in the distribution of information
to precinct Town Meeting Members during the Annual
Town Meeting or any special town meeting;
encourage the attendance of precinct Town Meeting
Members at TMMA informational meetings or
other TMMA activities; promote discussions and
contacts among precinct Town Meeting Members
concerning Town Meeting business; and help to
maintain civility and decorum during Town Meeting
sessions.
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Precinct Vice-Chair: The Precinct Vice-Chair
shall assist the Precinct Chair in the performance
of the Precinct Chair's duties; stand in for the
Precinct Chair at precinct meetings and Town
Meeting sessions during the Precinct Chair's absence;
and stand in for the Precinct Clerk at Town
Meeting during the Precinct Clerk's absence.
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Precinct Clerk: The Precinct Clerk shall collect the voting devices or, if needed, count
and report precinct Town Meeting Members' votes
when a standing vote is called at Town Meeting;
collect TMMA dues from precinct Town Meeting
Members; and stand in for or assist the Precinct
Chair and Vice-Chair in the performance of their
duties as may be necessary.
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Term. The term of each Precinct Officer shall be for
one year. The Precinct Chair and Vice- Chair shall
not serve in the same office for more than two consecutive
terms.
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Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy in the office of
Precinct Chair, the Precinct Vice-Chair shall assume
the office of Precinct Chair. In the event of a vacancy
in the office of Precinct Vice-Chair or Clerk, the
remaining Precinct Officers shall appoint a replacement
from among the precinct Town Meeting Members
for the balance of the term.
Section 2- Precinct Meetings
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Annual Meeting. An Annual Precinct Meeting shall
be held prior to the Annual Meeting of the TMMA, at
such time and place as directed or approved by the
TMMA Chair.
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Election of Precinct Officers. Precinct Officers shall
be elected at the Annual Precinct Meeting as follows:
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Prior to the Annual Precinct Meeting, any precinct
Town Meeting Member may notify the Precinct
Chair of his or her desire to be a candidate,
or to nominate another precinct Town Meeting
Member, for a precinct office.
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The Precinct Chair shall present at the Annual
Precinct Meeting the names of all candidates who
have volunteered, or who have been nominated by
others and consented to run, for precinct office.
After entertaining any additional nominations
from the floor, the Precinct Chair shall put the
question of the election of Precinct Officers to a
vote.
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Precinct Officers shall be chosen by majority vote
of those present and voting at the Annual Precinct
Meeting. They shall assume office immediately
upon completion of the election and announcement
of the results.
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General Meetings. Additional precinct meetings
may be called by the Precinct Chair with reasonable
notice when deemed appropriate, and shall be called
upon the request of the Executive Committee or upon
the written request of five (5) members from the
precinct.
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Quorum. The presence of five (5) precinct Town
Meeting Members shall constitute a quorum at a
precinct meeting.
Article IV - Amendments
These bylaws may be amended, on the initiative of the
Executive Committee or of any twenty-five (25) TMMA
members, by a two-thirds vote of those present and
voting at a duly called general meeting of the TMMA
membership.
Amended March 2012
The TMMA Executive Committee would appoint a Nominating Committee at least 60 days prior to the Annual Meeting; the Nominating Committee would announce its formation and solicit nominations within 7 days thereafter; the Nominating Committee would publish its proposed slate of candidates to the TMMA list “as soon as practicable, but not later than one day after the annual town election”; and any candidate would be allowed to make a brief statement at the Annual Meeting of not more than two minutes
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