After a majority of the councilmen elect have
been sworn, the town council shall be called together by the oldest
member elected to serve who shall preside. The town council shall
then elect, from among its members, a president and a vice-president
to serve at the pleasure of the town council. The president shall
preside at meetings of the town council and perform such other functions
as may be assigned by the charter, by ordinance or by vote of the
town council. The vice-president shall act as president during the
absence or disability of the president.
The town council shall by ordinance determine
an annual salary for councilmen, but no ordinance establishing or
increasing such salary shall become effective until the date of commencement
of the terms of councilmen elected at the election held at least six
months following the adoption of such ordinances.
Except as otherwise prohibited by law or the
Charter, all powers of the town shall be vested in the town council
which shall provide for the exercise thereof and for the performance
of all duties and obligations imposed on the town by law.
No councilman shall while a member of the town
council, hold any other office or position, the salary or compensation
for which is payable out of the town treasury. No former councilman
shall hold any compensated appointive town office or town employment
until one year after the expiration of his service on the town council.
The town council may delegate to one or more
town agencies, the powers vested in the town council by the laws of
the commonwealth to grant and issue licenses and permits, and may
regulate the granting and issuing of license and permits by any such
town agency, and may in its discretion, rescind any such delegation
without prejudice to any prior action which has been taken.
The town council may require any town officer
or member of a board or commission to appear before it, and give such
information as it may require in relation to his office, its function,
and performance. The town council shall have at least forty-eight
hours written notice of the general scope of the inquiry which is
to be made to any person it shall require to appear before it under
this section.
The town council may make investigations into
the affairs of the town and into the conduct of any town agency, and
for this purpose may subpoena withesses, administer oaths and require the production of evidence.