Town Meeting Documents & Information
Annual Town Meeting takes place in the spring, and typically lasts for six evenings (typically Monday and Wednesday). Town Meeting is held on the fifth Monday of April, if any, or the first Monday in May (General Bylaws §30-105).
Town Meeting makes all of the decisions about the Town’s budgets and local Bylaws. Belmont’s government is a Representative Town Meeting, which means that only Town Meeting Members can vote at Town Meeting, unlike the Open Town Meeting form of government. That’s why it’s very important that all the Town Meeting seats are filled to have full representation of each Belmont neighborhood.
Upcoming Town Meetings
Upcoming Special Town Meeting Dates | Location |
---|---|
Monday, November 18, 2024 | TBD |
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 | TBD |
Monday, November 25, 2024 | TBD |
More information about the November Special Town Meeting will be posted when it becomes available.
Deadlines for submitting Amendments to Articles on the Town Meeting Warrant
The deadlines to file amendments to motions for Town Meeting sessions is the close of business on the third business day before the session of Town Meeting. Amendments must be submitted in writing, preferably in Word emailed to ecushman@belmont-ma.gov and please cc to townclerk@belmont-ma.gov. All amendments must contain the name and contact email of the Town Meeting Member proposing the amendment.
Past Town Meetings - Documents Provided to Town Meeting Members & Roll Call Votes
Belmont Town Meeting Procedures:
Belmont Town Meeting follows the procedures and law in Town Meeting Time: A Handbook of Parliamentary Law by Richard B. Johnson. This book can be obtained by the Massachusetts Moderators' Association, the Belmont Public Library and both retail and online booksellers.
- Moderator letter describing Town Meeting Procedure,
- Belmont Town Meeting Member Handbook (Revised April 2015),
- Belmont Representative Town Meeting Acts of 1926 As Amended,
- Belmont Bylaws specific to Town Meeting (Chapter 30), and
- Citizen's Guide to Town Meeting
Adding Articles to the Town Meeting Warrant:
- Annual Town Meeting: The petition must contain the signatures of at least 10 registered voters.
- Special Town Meeting (already called by the Select Board): The petition must contain the signatures of at least 100 registered voters.
- Special Town Meeting (by citizen petition): The petition must contain the signatures of at least 200 registered voters.
It is always advisable to submit at least 30% more signatures than the requirement.Petitions must include the name, address and signatures of each voter, each sheet containing the exact language of the petition.
A downloadable Citizens' Petition form is available here.