Amend Article 2.1, Section 2.1.5 (B) of the Town's General By-Laws pertaining to the distribution of articles in the Warrant for Town Meeting

Annual Town Meeting, May 2017

M.G.L. c. 39, s. 10 requires that notice of the warrant for every town meeting be given by the Selectmen at least seven days before the annual meeting or an annual or special election and at least fourteen days before any special town meeting. The law also requires that the warrant "shall be directed to the constables or to some other persons, who shall forthwith give notice of such meeting in the manner prescribed by the by-laws, or, if there are no by-laws, by a vote of the town, or in a manner approved by the attorney general." The warrant for the most recent Special Town Meeting was 135 pages long, covering seven pages of newsprint, and cost over $6,000 to publish in the local paper. This article attempts to reduce the costs for publishing the warrant by publishing the index for Town Meeting in the newspaper instead, which will direct the reader to where the articles may be found. This article also attempts to significantly reduce the staff hours required to proof-read multiple drafts of the warrant as provided by the newspaper staff prior to the publication date. Consistent with Section 2.1.5, the warrant will continue to be published on the website, distributed in ten public places, made available in the Selectmen's Office and mailed to Town Meeting Members.