§ 213. Public Hearing on Ordinances

A proposed ordinance may be introduced in writing by any Councilor to the agenda of any regular or special meeting of the Council. Upon introduction of an ordinance, the clerk shall distribute a copy to each Councilor and to the Town Manager; and shall file a reasonable number of printed copies in the office of the clerk and shall cause to be published, in print, the wording of the proposed ordinance or a title descriptive of its contents and purpose, together with notice of the time and place of public hearing thereon. Except as otherwise required herein or by the laws of the State of Maine, documents may be distributed and made available to the public electronically. The public hearing shall follow the publication by at least 14 days, may be held separately or in connection with a regular or special meeting of the Council and may be adjourned from time to time. All persons interested shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard, and shall be provided access to the same documents considered by the Council. An ordinance shall become effective upon its adoption by the Council or at such later time as it may specify. After the hearing the Council may adopt the ordinance with or without amendment or reject it; but in no case shall the ordinance be adopted or rejected in less than 14 days after the public hearing. If an ordinance is amended so as to change substantially its meaning, the Council may not adopt it until the ordinance or its amended sections have been subjected to all the procedures hereinbefore required in the case of a newly introduced ordinance. The above procedure may be waived only as provided in the following section dealing with emergency ordinances. The Council may enact rules controlling re-introduction of defeated ordinances.

213.1 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, to meet a public emergency affecting life or health or property or the public peace, the Council may adopt one or more emergency ordinances, with the statement of the emergency being a part of the preamble to the ordinance. The declaration of such emergency by the Council shall be conclusive. An emergency ordinance may be adopted with or without amendment or rejected at the meeting at which it is introduced, but the affirmative vote of at least 5 Councilors shall be required for adoption. After adoption, the ordinance shall be made available to the public in the Town Hall and such other places as the Council may designate. It shall become effective upon its adoption or at such later time as it may specify. Every emergency ordinance except one authorizing the issuance of emergency bonds or notes shall stand repealed as of the 61st day following the date of its adoption, but this shall not prevent the re-enactment of the ordinance in the manner specified in this section if the emergency still exists. An emergency ordinance may be repealed by adoption of a repealing ordinance in the same manner specified in this section for adoption of emergency ordinances.

(Char. Revs. 2009, Eff. 7-1-2009)

(Char. Revs. 2009, Eff. 7-1-2009)