[Amended 6-10-1974 STM, approved 1975 Annual Town Election; 6-23-1975 STM, approved
1976 Annual Town Election; 4-30-1979 ATM, approved 1980 Annual Town Election; 11-17-1981 STM, approved
1982 Annual Town Election; 12-2-2019 STM, Art. 18, approved 2020 Annual Town
Election]
It is the intent of this Charter that the Town
Manager be the chief administrative officer in the executive branch
of the Stoughton Town government and that they carry out the policies
and plans set forth by the Selectboard. The Town Manager shall serve
at the will of the Selectboard except that a vote of a majority, plus
one, of the full membership of Selectboard shall be required to discharge
them. In the event of their discharge, they may request a public hearing
at which hearing the Selectboard must set forth their reasons for
discharging them and they may respond to these reasons if they desire.
The powers and duties of the Town Manager shall
include the following:
A.
In accordance with the provisions of this Charter
and except as otherwise expressly prohibited by the General Laws,
to organize and reorganize, consolidate or abolish departments, commissions,
boards or offices under their direction and supervision, in whole
or in part; to establish such new departments, commissions, boards,
or offices as they deem necessary, and to transfer the duties, powers
and appropriation of one department, commission, board or office to
another. All appointments to offices, boards, and commissions not
specifically made under the power and the duty of the Selectboard
by this Charter and by the School Committee under General Laws shall
be made by the Town Manager.
B.
To prepare the Selectpersons's three-year fiscal period
and program plan and submit it to them at least ninety days before
the town meeting. In preparing the plan, they shall incorporate as
directed by the Selectboard policies and assumptions adopted by them.
C.
To appoint upon merit and fitness alone and to remove
at their will all subordinate officers, employees, and members of
boards and commissions under their control and to fix their compensation;
except as otherwise provided by civil service rules and procedures,
or the General Laws.
D.
To attend such regular or special meetings of the
Selectboard as they may require.
E.
To keep full and complete records of the doings of
their office, to render reports as often as may be required by the
Selectboard, and annually or oftener if required by the Selectboard,
to make a synopsis of all reports for publication.
F.
To prepare an estimate in writing of the probable
amount required for the expenditures of the Town for the next ensuing
fiscal year, stating in detail the amounts of maturing bonds or notes,
the amount required for interest or other outstanding indebtedness
of the Town, the amount necessary to be provided by each fund and
for each department, and the accomplishments expected. They shall
keep the Selectboard fully advised as to the needs of the Town within
the scope of their duties, and furnish them on or before the thirty-first
day of December each year a careful, detail budget.
G.
To keep in repair the Town Library and all other Town
buildings, except school buildings, which they may repair only upon
request in writing of the School Committee.
H.
To purchase all supplies for every department of the
Town, except books for the schools or the public library. They may
delegate the responsibility to purchase supplies to an authorized
representative and may revoke such delegation at their will.
I.
To perform such other duties, consistent with their
office, as may be required of them by the bylaws of the Town or by
vote of the Selectboard.
J.
To have control over all Town agencies, not specifically
allocated by this Charter or applicable state statutes to any elected
board or officer.
K.
To examine or cause to be examined, with or without
notice, the affairs of any division or department under their control,
or the conduct of any officer or employee thereof; and for that purpose,
they shall have access to all Town books and papers for the information
necessary for the proper performance of their duties.
L.
To administer the public health program of the Town
as established by its bylaws and the General Laws. The Town Manager
shall appoint a Board of Health of five members who shall be appointed
to three-year terms of office as their term of office expires. The
Board shall advise them on matters of public health and upon questions
bearing upon the public health of the inhabitants of the Town.
The Town Manager shall appoint a person from
their department heads to act for them when they are absent from their
office for twenty-one days or less. The Selectboard shall appoint
a person to act for the Town Manager in the event that they are absent
for more than twenty-one days. No person appointed by the Town Manager
to act for them in their absence shall serve more than twenty-one
days without approval by the Selectboard.
