Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace

Alas, as some people might expect, our Town Meetings do not resemble episodes of "Gilmore Girls" (even if Falls Village resembles the fictional Stars Hollow in many other respects.) Nevertheless, Town Meetings are proof that democracy works and it is a privilege to participate and an opportunity to speak up (though you cannot remain anonymous.) Here's the official "call," as it is known, for the meeting on February 25.
WARNING
TOWN OF CANAAN TOWN MEETING
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2008 AT 7:00 PM
LEE H. KELLOGG SCHOOL, 47 MAIN STREET, FALLS VILLAGE, CT
To the electors of the Town of Canaan and others qualified to vote at Town Meeting:
AGENDA
1. To receive, review and act on the Annual Auditor’s Report for Fiscal Year 2006-2007;
2. To receive, review and/or act on the reports of the officers of the Town of Canaan;
3. To appoint the following as the official depositories for the Treasurer of the Town of Canaan: National Iron Bank, Salisbury; Salisbury Bank and Trust Company, Salisbury and North Canaan; Torrington Savings Bank, Canaan (Falls Village); Litchfield Bancorp, Salisbury; and Webster Bank, North Canaan;
4. To consider and act upon:
a. a proposal to accept a deed from the State of Connecticut to the Town of Canaan for a certain parcel of land, situated in the Town of Canaan, County of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, located on the westerly side of U.S. Route 7, Lime Rock Road, containing 15,524 Square feet, more or less, and more particularly shown on a map to be filed in the Canaan Town Clerk’s Office entitled, “TOWN OF CANAAN MAP SHOWING LAND RELEASED TO TOWN OF CANAAN BY THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION U.S. ROUTE 7 – LIME ROCK ROAD AT SIX ROD ROAD SCALE 1” = 40’ OCTOBER 2005 ARTHUR W. GRUHN, P.E. CHIEF ENGINEER – BUREAU OF ENGINEERING AND HIGHWAY OPERATIONS TOWN NO. 21 PROJ. NO. 21-000, SERIAL NO. 9C, SHEET NO. 1 OF 1, Revised 8/1/07”; SUBJECT TO the following full and perpetual easements and agreement to the State of Connecticut, its successors and assigns: 1) an easement for existing utilities, as shown on said map; 2) an easement to drain, as shown on said map; 3) rights to pass and repass reserved in favor of others; and 4) an agreement that said premises are conveyed with the special limitation that the Town of Canaan shall use said parcel of land for municipal purposes in connection with the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department; and if, in the case of the said parcel, the Town of Canaan does not use said parcel for said purposes, does not retain ownership of all of said parcel, leases all or any portion of said parcel, the parcel shall revert to the State of Connecticut.
b. approval of an expenditure of One Thousand ($1,000) Dollars for the purpose of purchasing the above described land from the State of Connecticut, such finds to be taken from the General Fund.
c. a proposal to grant to the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. an Access Easement for the use of the above described parcel of land acquired from the State of Connecticut, which parcel is adjacent to property owned by said fire department, and to authorize the First Selectman to sign said Access Easement on behalf of the Town of Canaan.
5. Shall the Town of Canaan approve the expenditure of $5,200 from the General Fund for a roof repair on the central portion of the Town owned building situated at 35 Page Road in the Town of Canaan.
6. Shall the Town of Canaan adopt An Ordinance Concerning Establishing Citation Procedures and Fines for Violations of Zoning Regulations.
7. Any other business to properly come before the meeting.
Procedure for the proceedings: Roberts Rules of Order will prevail, where not in conflict with Parliamentary Law. In accordance with the principles of a deliberative meeting under both Roberts Rules and Parliamentary Law, participation will be reserved for those present.
Dated at Canaan, Connecticut this 11th day of February, 2008.
Canaan Board of Selectmen

Patricia Allyn Mechare, First Selectman