A.
The following is a list of administrative policies
and procedures adopted by the Board of Selectmen. Dates in parenthesis
indicate at which meeting of the Board these policies and procedures
were adopted. Additional information can be obtained from the Board
of Selectmen.
(1)
The Fire, Police and Highway Departments should submit
five (5) year plans for their departments by December 1 of each year.
(3-20-1995)
(2)
Internal memoranda between town government departments
should follow a standard format. (12-19-1994)
(3)
The position of municipal representative for collective
bargaining on the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School Committee
will alternate annually between the Westminster and Ashburnham Boards
of Selectmen. (8-22-1994)
(4)
The decision on whether or not to close the Town Hall
because of inclement weather or other circumstances rests with the
Board of Selectmen. If no member of the Board of Selectmen can be
reached, the decision becomes the responsibility of the Town Coordinator.[1] (2-22-1993)
[1]
Editor’s Note: The Annual Town Meeting voted 5-1-2010
by Art 30 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to appoint a Town Administrator
to replace the position of Town Coordinator.
(5)
Articles, which must be in writing, will be accepted
for inclusion on the Town Meeting warrant from individuals and groups
other than town departments, boards and commissions if they are accompanied
by the signatures of at least ten (10) registered voters for the Annual
Town Meeting and at least one hundred (100) registered voters for
any Special Town Meeting. (10-3-1988)
(6)
The central answering service (Dispatchers) comes
under the jurisdiction of the Police Chief. (3-5-1990)
(7)
No town employee may request a written opinion from
Town Counsel without first consulting the Town Coordinator[2] or Board of Selectmen. (6-5-1995)
[2]
Editor’s Note: The Annual Town Meeting voted 5-1-2010
by Art 30 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to appoint a Town Administrator
to replace the position of Town Coordinator.
(8)
Any town official who is subject to annual reappointment
will be asked at least six (6) weeks prior to the expiration of his
or her appointment if he or she wishes to be reappointed. One (1)
month prior to the expiration of annual appointments (i.e., May 30),
supervisors should send a memorandum to the Board of Selectmen making
recommendations for these appointments. (11-27-1995)
(9)
Town-owned vehicles should always be available for
official use. (4-27-1987)
(10)
Keys to the Town Hall will be assigned to those
individuals responsible for the administration of the building and
those elected officials or appointed employees whose duties and responsibilities
periodically require that they have access to the building at other
than regularly scheduled business hours or meeting nights. (3-23-1987)
(11)
Policy with respect to the sale and consumption
of alcoholic beverages on town property is set forth in the minutes
of the Board of Selectmen's meeting of 11-23-1992. (See Attachment
A.[3])
[3]
Editor's Note: Attachment A is on file in
the Town offices and may be examined there during regular office hours.
(12)
Jurisdiction and control over all town-owned
recreational and playing fields rests with the Parks and Recreation
Commission. This Commission should be consulted regarding any use,
repair or maintenance work on these fields. (9-23-1991)
(13)
Solicitation of voters attending the Annual
Town meeting is not permitted. (4-30-1990)
(14)
It is also prohibited to solicit funds from
town employees while they are at work. (9-30-1991; 12-7-1992)
(15)
The Town Coordinator[4] is responsible for knowing the whereabouts of the Town
Hall employees and when such employee, if absent, plans to return
to the Town Hall. If the Town Coordinator is not in the building,
this information should be left with the Town Secretary. (11-13-1995)
[4]
Editor’s Note: The Annual Town Meeting voted 5-1-2010
by Art 30 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to appoint a Town Administrator
to replace the position of Town Coordinator.
(16)
Whenever members of town boards and committees
are invited to meet with the Selectmen, all members of the appropriate
board should be informed of the date, time and purpose of the meeting.
(11-27-1995)
(17)
Bids for procurement for goods and services
must comply with the provisions contained in MGL C. 30B, the so-called
Procurement Law. (11-27-1995)
(18)
Selectmen are required to be familiar with and
adhere to the provisions of MGL C. 268A, the so-called Conflict of
Interest Law, summarized in the State Ethics Commission document issued
in September, 1987, and revised in March 1990. (See Attachment B[5])
[5]
Editor's Note: Attachment B is on file in
the Town offices and may be examined there during regular office hours.
(19)
Responsibility for opening and securing the
Town Hall during and at the end of the working day rests with the
Town Coordinator.[6] (11-27-1995)
[6]
Editor’s Note: The Annual Town Meeting voted 5-1-2010
by Art 30 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to appoint a Town Administrator
to replace the position of Town Coordinator.
(20)
No individual member of the Board of Selectmen
should take any action, except in cases of emergency, without the
approval of a majority of the board. (7-27-1987)
(21)
No individual member of the Board of Selectmen
should send any letter or other communication on stationery bearing
the seal of the Board of Selectmen or of the town without the approval
of a majority of the Board. (7-27-1987)
(22)
No official documents of the Board of Selectmen
shall be removed from the Town Hall without the authorization of a
majority of the Board. (7-27-1987)
(23)
Any individual member of the Board of Selectmen
stating a personal opinion should make clear that the opinion expressed
is not a representation of the position of the Board. (7-27-1987)
A.
The following is a list of financial policies and
procedures adopted by the Board of Selectmen. Dates in parenthesis
indicate at which meeting of the Board these policies and procedures
were adopted. Additional information can be obtained from the Board
of Selectmen.
(1)
All town employees who are responsible for submitting
bills for payment should do so within sixty (60) days of receipt of
the bill. (11-27-1995)
(2)
Employees will be reimbursed at the rate of twenty-six
cents ($0.26) per mile for the use of their private vehicles on official
town business. All employees claiming such reimbursement should keep
daily records of miles driven on town business and submit their claims
monthly. (11-27-1995) (See Attachment C, Monthly Mileage Expense Report.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: Attachment C is on file in
the town offices and may be examined there during regular office hours.
(3)
All out of state travel should be approved by the
Board of Selectmen. (10-3-1994)
(4)
Warrants for the payments of the town's obligations
will be signed by the selectmen on a weekly basis. (10-14-1992)
(5)
All requests submitted to the Advisory Board for transfers
from the Reserve Fund by department heads under the jurisdiction of
the Board of Selectmen must first be submitted to the Board of Selectmen
for approval. (6-1-1992)
(6)
All vouchers and payroll warrants submitted by a department
should be signed by the department head. If for any reason he or she
cannot sign, the document may be initialed by someone duly authorized
by the department head, using the following format: For (department
head) by _________________. (11-27-1995)
(7)
All checks exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.)
require two (2) signatures, that of the Town Treasurer-Collector and
that of one (1) member of the Board of Selectmen. (8-7-1995)
