HB 476

                SPONSOR:
                Rep. Postles & Sen. Buckson
        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
        153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
        HOUSE BILL NO. 476
        AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF FREDERICA.
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Two-thirds of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):
        Section 1.  Amend  Article I, Section 11, of the  Charter of the Town of Frederica by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
        Section 11: Meetings
        The Town Council of The Town of Frederica shall hold two (2) meetings in each month on the first and third Wednesday of each month at seven o’clock p.m. If the first Wednesday of the month shall be a legal holiday, the meeting shall be cancelled and the next meeting shall be on the third Wednesday of the month. Emergency meetings may be held when necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health and safety. Notice of all meetings shall be consistent with Title 29 Chapter 100 of the Delaware Code as amended from time to time.
        The Town Council shall hold at least one (1) regular meeting during each calendar month at such time and place as established by resolution or ordinance of the Town Council.  Additional regular or special meetings may be held as authorized by law and the rules of the Town Council.  If a regular meeting falls upon a legal holiday, or if weather conditions, emergencies, or other circumstances make it impracticable to conduct the meeting as scheduled, the meeting may be cancelled, postponed, recessed, or rescheduled by the Town Council in accordance with applicable law.
        Section 2.  Amend  Article I, Section 21, of the  Charter of the Town of Frederica by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
        c) Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, every adopted ordinance shall become effective at the expiration of thirty (30) days after adoption or at any later date specified therein.
        c) Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, every adopted ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption unless a later effective date is specified therein.
        SYNOPSIS
        This Act requires the Town Council to hold at least one (1) regular meeting during each calendar month, as opposed to the previous requirement that two (2) meetings shall be held on the first and third Wednesday of each month.  It also adds a provision clarifying that every adopted ordinance shall become effective immediately under adoption unless a date is specified.