TOWN OF AMHERST ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual Meeting for the Town of Amherst will be held at the Town Hall on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.  The Town Chairman will preside.  He will state the business to be transacted and the order of business.  (No proposal to levy a tax, except a tax for defraying necessary town expenses, may be acted on out of order.)  Only those items authorized by statue (sec. 60.10) can be acted on by the town meeting; however, the town meeting may discuss other matters and give advice to the town board.

The powers of the town annual meeting are of 3 types:  1) direct powers, which authorize the town meeting to direct certain activities; 2) directive or grants of authority to town board; and, 3) authorizations to town board to appropriate money for specific purposes.

Under direct powers, the town meeting can, among other things, raise money, including levying taxes, to pay for town expenses, set the compensation for town officers unless the town meeting has delegated such authority to the town board, add or abolish the office of town constable, combine the offices of town clerk and town treasurer, designate the offices of town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office as part time, abolish the town caucus and instead provide for the election of town officers by nomination papers and a town primary election, or appropriate money for the improvement and maintenance of a public waterway.

Under grants of authority, the town meeting by resolution may authorize such things as village powers, the issuance of general obligation bonds for public purposes, the right to purchase land or buildings within the town for present or anticipated town purposes, to dispose of property; to engage in watershed protection, or to exceed the allowable amount for highway or bridge expenditures in a given year.

Under appropriation of money, the town meeting may authorize the town board to appropriate money in the next annual town budget for such things as civic functions, tourist promotion, control of pests/weeds/diseases within the town, rural numbering systems, or conservation of natural resources.

The actions of the town meeting must be by vote (hand or ballot).  Questions are decided by a majority of the electors voting.  There is no quorum.  However, a continuing resolution that makes a directive or grant of power to the town board under (sec. 60.10(2)) may be rescinded only by a vote of at least as many electors as voted for the original resolution.

**Agenda item will include: 1.)

Finally, a town annual meeting may be adjourned to a specified time and date as long as it is held within 30 days of the originally scheduled meeting.

**A majority of Plan Commission members may attend this meeting.

POSTED:  March 31, 2025   BY: Shawn Lea, Clerk