After the councillors-elect have been sworn,
the town council shall be called together by the town clerk for the
purpose of conducting an election among council members for the office
of town council president and vice-president to serve at the pleasure
of the town council. The president shall preside at all 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 preside at meetings of the town council during the absence or
disability of the president.
Except as otherwise provided by law or by the
charter, all powers of the town shall be vested in the town council
which shall provide for their exercise and for the performance of
all duties and obligation imposed on the town by law.
Unless provide otherwise by this charter or until provided otherwise by provisions of section
5-1 the town council shall appoint all boards, commissions, and committees. The town council shall adopt procedures to allow for orderly appointment of multiple member bodies.
[Amended by Town Council item 91-03-1902 on 6/20/91; amendment approved by voters 11/5/91]
If a vacancy occurs in the office of councillor
occurs during the first forty-four months of a term, it shall be filled
by a precinct election. If a regular town election is scheduled to
be held within 120 days, but more than fifty days, after the date
vacancy occurs, it shall be filled by a special election within that
regular election; otherwise, the council shall schedule a special
election to be held as soon as is practical to fill the vacancy for
the balance of the unexpired term. The provisions of the charter governing
regular elections shall, so far as they are apt, apply to said special
election, provided no preliminary election shall be held.
The town council may employ such staff and experts
as is necessary to conduct the business of the town council. The town
council shall set the salaries of such staff.
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 licenses 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 an office held by such
person, its function, and performance. The town council shall give
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 investigation into
the affairs of the town and into the conduct of any town agency, and
for this purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require
the production of evidence.
[Amended 11-7-2017]
No councillor shall, while a member of the town
council, hold any other compensated town office or position. No former
councillor shall hold any compensated appointive town office or town
employment until one year after the expiration of his service on the
town council. This provision shall not prevent a town officer or employee
who has taken a leave of absence from such duties in order to serve
as a member of the town council from returning to such office or employment
following service as a member of the town council.
The town council shall by ordinance, establish
an annual salary and expense allowance for its members.
No ordinance increasing such salary or expense
allowance shall be effective, however, unless it shall have been adopted
by a two-thirds vote of the full council during the first eighteen
months following each regular town election. The new salary and expense
schedule shall be effective the first of the year next following the
next regular municipal election. [Changed by legislative action dated
August 3, 1995]