The Town of Rockland shall be governed by elected Town officials and their appointees of such titles, numbers, and terms of office as are hereinafter set forth in the Charter and/or the Town bylaws. (Charter § C-2.01A)
On multi-member boards filled by election, 1/3 of the members (or as nearly as possible) shall be elected annually, unless otherwise specifically provided in the Charter, bylaws or by the General Laws of the Commonwealth. (Charter § C-2.01B)
Elected and appointed Town officials must be registered voters in the Town of Rockland. The term "appointed Town officials" shall only apply to those persons appointed to serve on the various boards and commissions. All full-time administrative personnel shall not be Town officials for the purpose of this section. (Charter § C-2.01D)
No elected official shall hold any other elected office in the Town during the term to which he was elected to office, unless otherwise provided by the Charter and/or bylaws. (Charter § C-2.01E)
All elected officials shall, upon taking office, make an oath or affirmation that they will abide by the provisions of MGL c. 39, § 23B (the "Open Meeting Law"), and shall be given a copy thereof. (Charter § C-2.01F)
Each elected and appointed Town board, commission, and committee shall adopt written Rules of Procedure governing the conduct of its meetings, hearings, and general business; which rules shall not be inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Charter, the Town bylaws, or the General Laws of the Commonwealth. Each board, commission, or committee, after adopting its Rules of Procedure, shall cause a copy of said Rules to be placed on file with the Town Clerk. (Charter § C-2.01G)
Each elected and appointed Town board, commission, and committee shall keep a journal of its proceedings, which journal shall be a public record. (Charter § C-2.01H)
All committees shall be appointed by the Moderator
unless otherwise specifically directed by the Town Meeting, and all
committees so appointed shall be directed to report within a definite
time. If a committee does not report within the time stated, or at
the first Town Meeting held thereafter, it shall be considered discharged.
When a report of a committee, other than a standing
committee, is placed in the hands of the Moderator it will be deemed
to be properly before the Town Meeting for its action thereon, and
a vote to accept the same shall discharge the committee, but the recommendations
reported shall be adopted only by vote thereon.
Each elected and appointed Town board, commission, and committee shall meet not less than once a month (unless otherwise provided for by the General Laws of the Commonwealth) at such times and places as may be specified by the presiding officer. A board, commission, or committee may, however, by a 2/3 vote of its members, elect not to meet at all for a period of time not to exceed eight consecutive weeks. Emergency meetings may, when necessary, be called by the presiding officer of a board, commission, or committee subject to the provisions of the "Open Meeting Law." (Charter § C-2.01J)
All elected and appointed officials of the Town shall have the powers and duties of their offices as hereinafter set forth, and in addition shall have all the powers and duties conferred upon them by the General Laws of the Commonwealth. (Charter § C-2.01K)
Each head of a Town department and each board or committee
appointed or elected shall, on or before the 15th day of January of
each year, file with the Selectmen a written report of his or their
doings during the preceding calendar year with recommendations, if
any, for action by the Town. The reports shall not include any reports
of employees of such departments, boards, and committees, but may
include digests of the recommendations of such employees, if any.
Each officer, department head, board, or committee
making any rule or regulation shall file a copy thereof with the Town
Clerk within 10 days after the effective date thereof.
Each elected and appointed Town board, commission, and committee whose business it is to adopt, from time to time, rules and regulations governing the issuance of licenses, permits, special permits, variances, orders of conditions, and other similar types of actions shall, at least seven days prior to the adoption of said rules and regulations, post them in their proposed form in a public place in the Town Offices and file a copy of them with the Town Clerk. (Charter § C-2.01I)
All officers shall annually report the amount of all
fees received by them by virtue of their office, to the Board of Selectmen,
who shall publish the same annually in the Town Report.
It is the intent of the Town that these bylaws by
their terms shall serve not only as a guide for official conduct of
the Town's public officers and employees, but also as a basis for
discipline for those who refuse to abide by their terms.
No public official and officer or employee of the
Town shall disclose or use for his personal interest any confidential
information which he has acquired in the course of his official duties
except matters of public record.
No public official and officer or employee of the
Town shall use or attempt to use his official position to secure unwarranted
privileges or exemptions for himself or others nor to gain collateral
personal advantage from his official activities.
No public official, officer, or employee of the Town
shall, in the course of his duties, engage in any transaction with
any business entity in which he or his spouse has a direct or indirect
financial interest that might reasonably tend to conflict with the
proper discharge of his official duties.
No officer having power or authority to appoint any
Town Officer or employee shall appoint himself, any member of his
Board or Committee, or any member of his family to any salaried office
or position in the Town.
No public official and officer or employee of the
Town shall sell materials or supplies in the Town, nor receive any
compensation directly or indirectly, for services rendered by him
to the Town, except his official salary and fees allowed by law without
obtaining permission of the Board of Selectmen expressed in a vote
which shall appear on their records, and be made open to public inspection.
The Treasurer shall pay no bills contracted in any
provision of this chapter, without unanimous votes of the Board of
Selectmen, which shall appear on their records with the reasons therefor
and shall be made open for public inspection.