New Hampshire
NH RSA 49-D-3 III. provides for Representative Town Meeting, though no town has adopted this form of government. The representative town meeting is similar to that of the Town Council form of government, which acts under a charter and is the legislative and governing board of the town, but have different requirements for their respective charters.
The representative town meeting follows the procedures of a regular town meeting, and have the authority to address all matters which can be legally addressed at the annual or a special town meeting. Those matters which the law or charter states must be placed on the official ballot of the town, cannot be decided by the representative meeting. To have a representative town meeting, the town must approve a charter which includes the following:
- the manner of district representation
- the manner of filling vacancies
- powers of nomination, appointment, and confirmation
- requirements for attendance and quorum
- any domicile or eligibility requirements of up to one year in the town or district and continued domicile during term
- specific procedures for the preparation, presentation, public hearing, and adoption of annual budgets and designation of a fiscal year
- an annual municipal election date pursuant to RSA 669:1
- bonding of certain town officials and employees where not required by general law
- requirements for periodic independent audits of all town financial matters by a certified public accountant.
Each elected town official, and the board of selectmen, town clerk, and chairman of the town budget committee are members-at-large.
See Town Meeting for more details on the practice in New Hampshire
Read more about this topic: Representative Town Meeting
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