Sec. 7-3. Warning of town and other meetings.
Sec. 7-3. Warning of town and other meetings. The warning of each town meeting, and of each meeting of a city, borough, school district or other public community
or of an ecclesiastical society, shall specify the objects for which such meeting is to be
held. Notice of a town meeting shall be given by posting, upon a signpost or other
exterior place near the office of the town clerk of such town and at such other place or
places as may be designated as hereinafter provided, a printed or written warning signed
by the selectmen, or a majority of them, and by publishing a like warning in a newspaper
published in such town or having a circulation therein, such posting and such publication
to be at least five days previous to holding the meeting, including the day that notice is
given and any Sunday and any legal holiday which may intervene between such posting
and such publication and the day of holding such meeting, but not including the day of
holding such meeting; but any town may, at an annual meeting, designate any other
place or places, in addition to the signpost or other exterior place, at which such warnings
shall be set up. The selectmen shall, on or before the day of such meeting, cause a copy
of each such warning to be left with the town clerk, who shall record the same. Notice
of a meeting of a city or borough shall be given by posting, upon a signpost or other
exterior place nearest to the office of the clerk of such city or borough or at such place
or places as may be designated by special charter provision, a written or printed warning
signed by the mayor or clerk in the case of a city or by the warden or clerk in the case
of a borough, and by publishing a like warning in a newspaper published within the
limits of such city or borough, or having a circulation therein, at least five days previous
to holding the meeting, including the day that notice is given and any Sunday and any
legal holiday which may intervene between such posting and such publication and the
day of holding such meeting, but not including the day of holding such meeting.
(1949 Rev., S. 493; 1953, S. 211d; 1963, P.A. 212; P.A. 84-146, S. 1.)
History: 1963 act deleted provisions for posting warnings on signposts in the municipality and substituted posting on
signpost or other exterior place nearest clerk's office; P.A. 84-146 made technical grammatical change.
Both warning and notice are requisite for legal meeting. 4 D. 62; 5 C. 391; 37 C. 392; 44 C. 157; 52 C. 483; 58 C. 488;
60 C. 165; 121 U. S. 121. Warning is to be affirmatively proved. 8 C. 247. Town clerk's record that meeting was legally
warned is prima facie evidence thereof. 25 C. 555; see 121 U. S. 121. The hour of meeting presumed to be a proper hour.
13 C. 227. The notice should fairly state the purpose of meeting. Id.; 15 C. 327; 36 C. 83; 53 C. 577; 58 C. 488. Town may
act within the limits of the warning. 55 C. 245. The statute prescribed method of notice, while by its vote the society
prescribed more general notice. Held that the society vote was merely directory. 15 C. 327. A validating act of the general
assembly cures all defects incident to the act validated. 52 C. 45. "Soldier's bounty" validating acts, so held. 32 C. 47; 37
C. 225. Town has no inherent legal powers. 32 C. 47. Warning needs no address, but addressed "to the inhabitants" is
valid. Id. Clerk's certificate imports verity only as to matters of lawful consideration. 44 C. 158; 51 C. 22. Five days before
the meeting means five days before the day of meeting. Id. A meeting illegally warned voted a guarantee; a subsequent
legal meeting voted "to let conditions of former vote remain as they now stand". Held not to be a ratification. Id; see 121
U.S. 121. Town is not estopped by erroneous record of town clerk, as against one acting under it. Id. Meeting voted to
adjourn "to Wednesday evening". Held to mean the next Wednesday. 52 C. 45. Unless restrictive in terms, a subsequent
board of selectmen may carry out the purpose of a vote. Id., 498. As to what constitutes an appropriation. 58 C. 486. Town
may by acquiescence ratify unauthorized act of selectmen. 59 C. 447. General notice sufficient as to action required by
law. 77 C. 197. Notice published in newspaper four days before meeting insufficient. 83 C. 331. Warning to consider water
company's proposition in regard to laying water main held to cover vote to contract with company for laying the water
main. 97 C. 636. Unnecessary for warning to state number of grand jurors to be elected. 111 C. 341. Cited. 152 C. 237.
Cited. 185 C. 556. Cited. 234 C. 513.
Warning advising voters "to determine what is to be done about the addition of a room to the ... school" did not warn
of the action taken rescinding votes passed at a prior meeting authorizing the building of an addition to the school. 13 CS 116.