4538

MUNICIPAL CHARTERS

the succeeding council takes office under the provisions
of this charter.

6.   Qualifications for councilmen.

Councilmen shall have resided in the town for one
year at least immediately preceeding their election and
shall be qualified voters of the town.

7.   Salary of councilmen.

Each councilman shall receive an annual salary which
shall be equal for all councilmen and shall be as
specified from time to time by an ordinance passed by the
council in the regular course of its business; provided,
however, that the salary specified at the time any
council takes office shall not be changed during the
period for which that council was elected. The ordinance
making any change in the salary paid to the several
councilmen, either by way of increase or decrease, shall
be finally ordained prior to the municipal election for
the members of the next succeeding council and shall take
effect only as to the members of the next succeeding
council.

8.   Meetings of council.

The newly elected council shall meet at 8:00 p.m. on
the second Monday following its election for the purpose
of organization, after which the council shall meet
regularly at such times as may be prescribed by its rules
but not less frequently than once each month. Special
meetings shall be called by the clerk—treasurer upon the
request of the mayor or a majority of the members of the
council. All meetings of the council shall be open to
the public, and the rules of the council shall provide
that residents of the town shall have a reasonable
opportunity to be heard at any meeting in regard to any
municipal question.

9.   Council to be judged of qualifications of its
members.

The council shall be the judge of the election and
qualification of its members.

10.   President and vice—president of council.

The mayor shall serve as president of the council.
The mayor may take part in all discussions, but he shall
have no vote. The council shall elect a vice—president
of the council from among its members, who shall act as
president of the council in the absence of the president
of the council. The mayor shall vote only in order to