A Primer on Town Council Resolutions and Proclamations

Josna Rege’s recent call in the Indy for the Amherst Town Council (following the lead of municipal bodies around the country) to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza reminded us that there is an established Town Council process for adopting resolutions, proclamations, commemorations, and citations. We thought it would be helpful at this time to share those procedures as an Indy Town Government Primer.

Indy Town Government Primers
The Indy began publishing primers on aspects of municipal government in 2021 to help readers better understand how town government works and to help residents navigate its intricacies. To date, we will have published 13 primers (including this one).

They have addressed the following issues:

Accessory Dwelling Units
Building Permits
Conflicts of Interest
Historic Tax Credits
Inclusionary Zoning
The Master Plan
Planning Board
Property Tax Assessment
Proposal to Partially Deregulate Zoning in Parts of Amherst
Zoning Board of Appeals
Zoning Districts

Town FAQ for Resolutions, Proclamations, Commemorations, and Citations
(see original document here)

1. What are they? 
A resolution is a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by the Town Council. 

A proclamation is an official declaration issued by the Town Council to make something known, a public and official announcement. 

A citation is a formal public statement issued by the Town Council praising a person or persons for doing something that benefits the community. 

A commemoration is something that is done or said by the Town Council to remember officially and accord respect to a noteworthy person, organization, or event. 

Resolutions, proclamations, citations, and commemorations submitted to the Town Council should have a direct bearing on the Town of Amherst or its residents or recognize an Amherst resident, organization, or event. Those measures without a clear connection to Amherst may be more appropriate for a different legislative body.

2. How can I get a resolution, proclamation, citation, or commemoration before the Council? 

To ensure action by the Council, the easiest and quickest way is to approach a councilor and ask them to sponsor it (for a current list of Town Councilors go here). A second way is to present a Group Petition (See Charter Section 8.2(b)) signed by at least 150 voters. You may also present a Resident Petition (see Charter Section 8.2(a)) signed by at least one resident of the Town of Amherst and submitted to the Council President, but action on Resident Petitions is purely at the discretion of the Council President.

3. How long in advance must resolutions, proclamations, citations, and/or commemorations be presented to the Council? 

Since they must be first reviewed for consistency, clarity, and actionability by the Governance, Organization, and Legislation Committee (GOL) they should be submitted at least 4 weeks before you wish the Council to formally act on them. GOL strongly urges sponsors and/or petitioners to be present when the Committee conducts its formal review.

4. What criteria are used by GOL in reviewing resolutions, proclamations, citations, and/or commemorations? 

GOL does not address policy – it looks only to see that the submitted text is clear, consistent, and actionable. See GOL “Frequently Asked Questions” for further clarification. 

5. What happens then? 

After its formal review, GOL will forward the measure to the full council along with its report. Agendas are set by the President of the Council and the President may use his or her discretion in placing items on the agenda.