Town meeting

Town meeting is a form of local government commonly practiced in the U.S. region of New England, but uncommon elsewhere in the United States. Despite the name "town," it can also apply to other governmental bodies, usually school districts.

Maine

In Maine, the town meeting system originates in the time before statehood, when Maine was a district of Massachusetts. Most cities and towns still operate under the town meeting form of government or a modified version of it. Maine annual town meetings traditionally have been held in March. Special town meetings also may be called from time to time.

Related Topics:
Maine - District - Massachusetts

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The executive agency of town government is an elected, part-time board. known as the Board of Selectmen or Select Board, having three, five or seven members. Between sessions the board of selectmen interprets the policy set at Town Meeting and is assigned numerous duties including: approving all town non-school expenditures, authorizing highway construction and repair, serving as town purchasing agent for non-school items, issuing licenses and overseeing the conduct of all town activities. Often the part-time selectmen also serve as town assessors, overseers of the poor as well as road commissioners. Generally, there are other elected town officers whose duties are specified in law. These may include clerk, assessors, tax collector, treasurer, school committee, constables, and others.

Related Topics:
Executive - Elected - Board of Selectmen - Policy - Highway - License

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In 1927, the town of Camden adopted a special charter and became the first Maine town to apply the manager concept to the town meeting-selectmen framework. Under this system, the manager is administrative head of town government, responsible to the select board for the administration of all departments under its control. The manager's duties include acting as purchasing agent, seeing that laws and ordinances are enforced, making appointments and removals, and fixing the compensation of appointees. (See also: Council-manager government)

Related Topics:
Camden - Manager - Council-manager government

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From 1927 to 1939, eleven other Maine towns adopted special act town meeting-selectmen-manager charters similar to the Camden charter. Today, 135 Maine towns have the town meeting-selectmen-manager system, while 209 use the town meeting-selectman system.

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External links

• UMaine Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy
• Maine Municipal Association