ARTICLE 2B

ATTENDANCE BY TOWN BOARD, COMMITTEE AND COMMISSION MEMBERS AT ADJUDICATORY HEARINGS

SECTION 1.    PURPOSE

     This by-law is enacted pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 39, Section 23D (b) for the purpose of establishing minimum additional requirements for attendance at scheduled Town board, committee and commission hearings under said statute as accepted by the Town of Sharon Special Town Meeting of November 13, 2006.

SECTION 2. PROCEDURE

     A member of any Town board, committee or commission when holding an adjudicatory hearing shall not be disqualified from voting in the matter solely due to that member's absence from no more than a single hearing session of said board, committee or commission at which testimony or other evidence relative to the matter is received.  Before any such vote, the board, committee or commission member shall certify in writing that he/she has examined all of the evidence submitted to said board, committee or commission at the missed session.  This written certification shall become part of the record of the hearing.  For purposes of this By-law, such evidence shall be all of the documents, maps, exhibits, submissions and other materials received by a board, committee or commission at the missed session.  Said evidence shall also include an audio or video recording of at the missed session does not alone satisfy the requirement that a member examine all of the evidence received by a board, committee or commission at the missed session.