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1. Have you ever been to a Town Council Meeting?

They are open to the public but many times there's jargon that isn't always easy to understand! Here we try to explain the way meetings are handled and we define all those technical terms we use on a daily basis. If you still have questions about this information, please feel free to contact the Town Clerk for more details at 919-553-5002 or by email.

2. What is Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)??

The extraterritorial jurisdiction or ETJ is the land area within a two mile perimeter area around the Town of Clayton corporate limits. The town enforces land development regulations (buildings and zoning) within the ETJ. For more information visit our Council 101 page to view a helpful guide.

3. Can I attend a Town Council meeting?

Of course! Each official meeting of the Town Council and its citizen boards and committees are open and any person is entitled to attend. The calendar of the Town Council and each advisory board is posted on the Calendar of Events. Want to know more about the boards? Go to our Advisory Boards page.

4. May I speak at the Town Council meeting?

You can always speak at Town Council meetings during the Public Comment session that comes at the very end of all Town Council meetings. Sometimes items are noticed as public hearings and during discussion of that item at the Town Council meeting, the Mayor will open that item up for public comment. At that time, you can come forward and speak. We ask that you state your name and address for the record.

5. What are the duties of the Mayor and Council?

Your Mayor and Town Council members serve 4 year terms and some of their duties include establishing a tax rate, adopting a budget, setting policies for municipal services, passing ordinances to regulate behavior and making appointments to boards and committees. To learn more about what your Mayor and Town Council members do, visit our Council 101 page to view a helpful guide.

6. What are Evidentiary Hearings?

Evidentiary hearings are used when boards are considering applications for a Subdivision or Special Use Permit. Evidentiary hearings, also known as a quasi-judicial hearings, are different from other public hearings in that they resemble a court hearing where testimony is presented and the Town Council acts like a court of law. Evidentiary hearings are much more formal procedures, requiring anyone who speaks to be sworn in. And during these hearings, Town Council can only consider credible evidence, not hearsay.

If you'd like to know more, visit our Council 101 page to view a helpful guide.

7. What are the minutes?

The minutes are the official legal record of the meeting and include all actions taken and summarize the discussion that lead up to those decisions. Sometimes particular comments are included, however, it's not a transcript of the entire meeting. The Town Clerk keeps the minutes for the Town Council meetings and makes them available online on our CivicWeb Public Portal. If you'd like to learn more about minutes, visit our Council 101 page to review a helpful guide.

8. What is an agenda?

It's the list of items that will come before the Town Council or other boards and committees. You can access agendas for the Town Council meetings on our CivicWeb Public Portal. You can access agendas for other boards and committees there, as well. For a quick reference to some of the terminology used on agendas, visit our Council 101 page to peruse a helpful guide.

9. How does the Town annex property?

Up until 2011, the Town could initiate annexations, but today there are only two ways your property can be annexed into the Town of Clayton - if the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina initiates the annexation or if you petition for the annexation yourself. 100% of the property owners asking to the be annexed must sign the petition. Annexation into the Town means your property can now receive Town services, like water, sewer or police protection and would mean paying the Town fees and taxes associated with those services.

For more on how property can be annexed into the Town of Clayton or how you can request to be annexed into the Town, visit our Council 101 page and review our helpful guides.

10. Is there a history of all annexations for the Town of Clayton?

To see a history of properties that have come into the Town of Clayton limits, visit our Council 101 page and review the history of annexations.