New Hampshire Revised Statutes 40:4 – Duties
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I. The moderator shall preside in the town meetings, regulate the business thereof, decide questions of order, and make a public declaration of every vote passed, and may prescribe rules of proceeding; but such rules may be altered by the town.
II. (a) If the National Weather Service issues a weather event warning applicable to a town on the date of a deliberative session or business session of a town meeting, which the moderator reasonably believes may cause the roads to be hazardous or unsafe, the moderator may, up to 2 hours but not more than 48 hours prior to the scheduled session, postpone and reschedule the session of the meeting to another reasonable date, place, and time certain. If an accident, natural disaster, or other emergency occurs which the moderator reasonably believes may render use of the meeting location unsafe, the moderator may, at any time prior to the scheduled deliberative or business session, postpone and reschedule the session to a date, place, and time certain. To the extent practical, prior to making a decision to postpone, the moderator shall consult with the governing body, the clerk, and as appropriate for the circumstances the police chief, the fire chief, the road agent, and the local emergency management director. The moderator shall employ whatever means are available to inform citizens of the postponement and the rescheduled date or dates.
(b) In the event of a weather or other emergency as described in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 669:1 that occurs on or before the date of an official ballot voting day as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 652:16-g, which the moderator reasonably believes may cause the roads to be hazardous or unsafe, the moderator may postpone the session in accordance with N.H. Rev. Stat. § 669:1 and N.H. Rev. Stat. § 669:1-a.
(c) The date originally scheduled shall continue to be deemed the deliberative session, business session, or official ballot voting day of the meeting for purposes of satisfying statutory meeting date requirements; provided, that in towns or districts that have adopted N.H. Rev. Stat. § 40:13, the postponement shall not delay the deliberative session more than 72 hours.
II. (a) If the National Weather Service issues a weather event warning applicable to a town on the date of a deliberative session or business session of a town meeting, which the moderator reasonably believes may cause the roads to be hazardous or unsafe, the moderator may, up to 2 hours but not more than 48 hours prior to the scheduled session, postpone and reschedule the session of the meeting to another reasonable date, place, and time certain. If an accident, natural disaster, or other emergency occurs which the moderator reasonably believes may render use of the meeting location unsafe, the moderator may, at any time prior to the scheduled deliberative or business session, postpone and reschedule the session to a date, place, and time certain. To the extent practical, prior to making a decision to postpone, the moderator shall consult with the governing body, the clerk, and as appropriate for the circumstances the police chief, the fire chief, the road agent, and the local emergency management director. The moderator shall employ whatever means are available to inform citizens of the postponement and the rescheduled date or dates.
Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 40:4
- governing body: shall mean the board of selectmen in a town, the board of aldermen or council in a city or town with a town council, the school board in a school district or the village district commissioners in a village district, or when used to refer to unincorporated towns or unorganized places, or both, the county commissioners. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:48
- road: shall include all bridges thereon. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:26
(b) In the event of a weather or other emergency as described in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 669:1 that occurs on or before the date of an official ballot voting day as defined in N.H. Rev. Stat. § 652:16-g, which the moderator reasonably believes may cause the roads to be hazardous or unsafe, the moderator may postpone the session in accordance with N.H. Rev. Stat. § 669:1 and N.H. Rev. Stat. § 669:1-a.
(c) The date originally scheduled shall continue to be deemed the deliberative session, business session, or official ballot voting day of the meeting for purposes of satisfying statutory meeting date requirements; provided, that in towns or districts that have adopted N.H. Rev. Stat. § 40:13, the postponement shall not delay the deliberative session more than 72 hours.