A. 
The Town Council, hereinafter called the "Council," shall be and constitute the municipal officers of the town and shall be composed of seven (7) members, each of whom shall be elected by the registered voters of the entire town.
B. 
Each member of the Council shall be elected for a term of three (3) years and until his/her successor is elected and qualified.
C. 
At-large representatives. Three (3) members shall be considered "at-large" who shall be residents of any section of the town.
D. 
Area representatives. At least one (1) member of the Council shall be a resident of and act in the interests and welfare of each of the following areas of the town:
[Amended 11-5-2024]
(1) 
Area One. Area One shall consist of the area bounded on the east by the Town of Gorham; on the south by the towns of Buxton and Hollis; on the west by the Town of Limington; and on the north by a line along the center of Route 25 from the Limington-Standish line to the Kiwanis Beach road, thence along the center of the Kiwanis Beach road to Watchic Pond, thence in a straight line across Watchic Pond to Page Brook inlet, thence along Page Brook, across Route 113, to Middle Road, thence along the center of Middle Road to Oak Hill Road, thence along the center of Oak Hill Road to Boundary Road, thence along the center of Boundary Road to Route 114, thence along the center of Route 114 to Harmon's Hill Road, thence along the center of Harmon's Hill Road to Moody Road, thence along the center of Moody Road, across Route 35, and along the center of Shaw Mills Road to the Gorham-Standish line.
(2) 
Area Two. Area Two shall consist of the area bounded on the northwest by the Town of Baldwin; on the west by the Town of Limington; on the east and southeast by a line running along the center of Route 25 from the Limington-Standish line to Kiwanis Beach road; thence along the center of the Kiwanis Beach road to Watchic Pond, thence across Watchic Pond in a straight line to Page Brook inlet, thence along Page Brook, across Route 113 to Middle Road, thence along the center of Middle Road to Oak Hill Road, thence along the center of Oak Hill Road to the intersection of Oak Hill Road and Boundary Road; and on the northeast by a straight line from the intersection of Oak Hill Road and Boundary Road, through Duck Pond, to the Baldwin-Standish line in the center of Duck Pond.
(3) 
Area Three. Area Three shall consist of the area bounded on the south by a line running from the intersection of Oak Hill Road and Boundary Road along the center of Boundary Road to Route 114, thence along the center of Route 114 to Harmon's Hill Road, thence along the center of Harmon's Hill Road to Moody Road, thence along the center of Moody Road, across Route 35, to Shaw Mills Road, thence along the center of Shaw Mills Road to the Gorham-Standish line; on the southeast by the Town of Gorham; on the east by a line along the center of White Rock Road (Route 237), across Route 35, to the shoreline of Sebago Lake, thence along the shoreline of Sebago Lake to the Sebago-Standish line; on the northwest by the towns of Sebago and Baldwin; and on the west by a straight line running from the intersection of Oak Hill Road and Boundary Road through Duck Pond to the Baldwin-Standish line in the center of Adams Pond.
(4) 
Area Four. Area Four shall consist of the area bounded on the north by the towns of Sebago and Raymond; on the east by the Town of Windham; on the southeast by the Town of Gorham to the center of White Rock Road (Route 237), thence along the center of White Rock Road, across Route 35, to the shore of Sebago lake; and on the west by the shoreline of Sebago Lake to the Sebago-Standish line.
An individual who resides on a parcel of land that is located in more than one of the areas of town listed above shall be considered a resident of each area and he/she may select the area in which to seek election as a representative, in which case he/she is committed to that area selection for as long as he/she resides on that parcel of land. Such a selection is specific to that individual and does not commit any other current or future owners of the parcel of land.
A. 
Only qualified voters of the town shall be eligible to hold the office of Councilor. Councilors shall reside in the town during their terms of office.
B. 
No Councilor shall hold other town office or employment during the term for which he/she was elected to the Council, and no former Councilor shall hold any compensated appointive town office or employment until one (1) year after the expiration of the term for which he/she was elected to the Council. Nothing herein, however, shall bar any officer of the town at the enactment of this Charter from continuing in said office or seeking the same or similar office under this Charter.
C. 
Forfeiture and disqualification.
(1) 
A Councilor shall forfeit his/her office if he/she:
(a) 
Lacks at any time during his/her term of office any qualifications for the office prescribed by this Charter or by law;
(b) 
Violates any express prohibition of this Charter;
(c) 
Is convicted of a felony or other crime or offense involving moral turpitude; or
(d) 
Fails to attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the Council without being excused for due cause by the Council. A change of residence from one area of the town to a different area of the town shall not be grounds for disqualification of office by an area representative during his/her term. He/she may continue to serve the term for which he/she was elected but shall not be eligible to seek reelection as a representative to an area in which he/she no longer resides.
D. 
In case of a vacancy caused by death, resignation or other cause, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the Council until the next regularly held election to fill the unexpired term; however, a vacant area seat on the Planning Board may be filled by an at-large individual until the next regularly scheduled election in the event no qualified area candidate can be found within thirty (30) days of the call for applicants.
[Amended 11-6-2007]
E. 
No Council member shall seek reelection to the Town Council for more than one additional consecutive term. No person who has served either four or more successive years, or has been elected to two successive terms on the Council, shall be eligible for either appointment or election to the Council within 36 months of his/her last serving as a member. The provisions of this amendment shall apply to current as well as future Council members, and shall apply to all appointments or elections, whether for district or at-large seats.
[Added 11-4-2014]
Without limitation of the foregoing, the Council shall have power to:
A. 
Manager.
(1) 
Appoint the Manager, on the affirmative vote of five (5) members, for a period not to exceed three (3) years. Council may also remove the Manager for cause, on the affirmative vote of five (5) members, in accordance with the following procedure:
(a) 
The Council shall adopt by affirmative vote of five (5) of its members a preliminary resolution which must state the reason for removal and may suspend the Manager from duty for a period not to exceed forty-five (45) days. A copy of the resolution shall be delivered promptly to the Manager.
(b) 
Within ten (10) days after receiving a copy of the resolution, the Manager may file with the Council a written request for a public hearing. This hearing shall be held at a Council meeting not earlier than fifteen (15) nor later than thirty (30) days after the request is filed. The Manager may file with the Council a written reply not later than five (5) days before the hearing.
(c) 
The Council may adopt a final resolution of removal, which may be made effective immediately, by affirmative vote of five (5) of its members, at any time after ten (10) days from the date when a copy of the preliminary resolution was received by the Manager, if he/she has not requested a public hearing, or at any time after the public hearing if he/she has requested one.
(d) 
The Manager shall continue to receive his/her salary until the effective date of final resolution of removal.
(e) 
Failure by the Council to fix a rate of compensation agreeable to the Manager shall not be deemed per se to be an act of removal.
(2) 
The Council shall annually review with the Manager his/her performance as such, and said review shall be conducted so as to remove, alleviate or prevent problems in the relationship of the Manager to the Council in the exercise of their respective powers and duties. The Manager shall be given sixty (60) days' notice that his/her appointment may not be renewed.
B. 
Appoint and remove, on the affirmative vote of five (5) members, the Assessor, the Finance Director and the Welfare Director, each of whom may be appointed for one (1) year and be removed for cause after notice and hearing.
C. 
Appoint and remove, on the affirmative vote of five (5) members, the Town Attorney, who shall serve at the will of the Council.
D. 
Appoint and remove the members of the Board of Assessment Review, the Board of Zoning Appeals, Saco River Corridor Commission and the membership of such advisory committees as the Council shall create, except that by ordinance the Council may make membership of any advisory committee elected. All such appointed personnel may be removed for cause after notice and hearing.
E. 
Create by ordinance, change and abolish offices, departments and agencies other than the offices, departments and agencies established by this Charter. The Council by ordinance may assign additional functions or duties to offices, departments or agencies established by this Charter but may not discontinue or assign to any other office, department or agency any function or duty assigned by this Charter to a particular office, department or agency.
F. 
Make, alter and repeal ordinances.
G. 
Make investigations into the affairs of the town and the conduct of any town department, office or agency. For this purpose, the Council may enact an ordinance providing for the compulsory attendance of witnesses, the administering of oaths, the taking of testimony and the compulsory production of evidence.
H. 
Submit an annual budget to an elected Budget Committee for approval before submission to a Town Meeting for adoption.
I. 
Provide for an annual audit prior to the end of each fiscal year. The Council shall designate the State Department of Audit or private certified public accountants who, as of the end of each fiscal year, shall make an independent audit of accounts and other evidences of financial transactions of the town government and shall submit their report to the Council, the Town Manager and the Budget Committee. Such accountants shall not maintain any accounts or records of the town business but shall postaudit the books and documents kept by any office, officer, department or agency of the town government.
J. 
Exercise all the legislative, financial, borrowing and other powers now or hereafter given by law to inhabitants of towns acting in Town Meeting, except as otherwise provided herein, and also exercise all the powers now or hereafter given by law to municipal officers of towns.
K. 
Adopt a personnel policy to be reviewed annually.
L. 
Securities and lease/purchase agreements.
(1) 
Authorize and issue general obligation securities and enter into lease and lease/purchase agreements, provided that no such securities or agreements shall be issued or entered into to finance a proposed capital expenditure with a total cost of over seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.) unless such proposed expenditure shall first have been approved by referendum vote pursuant to Article VIII of this Charter. "Capital expenditure," for the purpose of this Charter, shall mean as follows:
(a) 
Tools, equipment, land and buildings, whether purchased or leased.
(b) 
The building of new roadbeds, walkways, parking lots or any other additions to the land; extensions of utilities, data handling and communication systems.
(c) 
Contractual services and surveys, excepting insurance coverage, services under contract prior to charter adoption and those services required by state or federal law.
(d) 
Renovations to capital assets which do not provide vital services.
(2) 
For this purpose, "capital expenditure" is not to be construed to include maintenance, operational needs or services, although capital in nature, that maintain the integrity of capital assets. To apply the dollar limitation to capital expenditures, the total cost shall be considered regardless of the payment period.
M. 
Dispose of real property acquired through nonpayment of taxes, when deemed in the best interest of the town, by a sealed bid process, except that the Council, at its discretion, may sell the property to the former owner for a sum not less than all back taxes, interest and costs.
N. 
Dispose of real property acquired in any manner other than through nonpayment of taxes by means of a sealed bid process, after a public hearing.
O. 
Dispose of personal property, the fair market value of which exceeds five hundred dollars ($500.), acquired in any manner other than through nonpayment of taxes by a sealed bid process or by public auction; a public hearing shall not be required.
A. 
Councilors shall receive ten dollars ($10.) for each Council meeting or workshop attended at which a quorum is present. Such compensation may be changed by ordinance, but no such ordinance increasing the salary of members of the Council shall take effect during the then current fiscal year.
B. 
The Council by order shall fix the salaries of officials appointed by the Council, including the salary of the Town Manager for his/her services as such and for all other services rendered by him/her.
C. 
Salaries of the appointees of the Town Manager shall be fixed by the Town Manager, subject to the approval of the Council.
D. 
The Council may provide by order for the reimbursement of necessary and actual expenses of the town officers and officials in the exercise of their official duties.
The Town Council shall meet at the usual place for holding meetings within seven (7) days following the regular town election, and at said meeting Councilors-elect shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of their duties by the Town Clerk or other person qualified to administer oaths.
The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members and all other elected officials and for such purpose shall have power to subpoena witnesses and require production of records, but the decision of the Council in any such case shall be subject to review by the courts.
The Town Council shall, at its first meeting or as soon thereafter as possible, establish by ordinance or resolution a regular place and time for holding its meetings and shall meet at least once per month. It shall also provide a method for calling special meetings. Every meeting shall have a published agenda. During each meeting there shall be opportunity for public discussion upon each item on the agenda of a regular or special meeting. Final action on any matter may be taken at any duly called meeting. In cases requiring confidentiality as provided by law, the Council shall meet in executive session. All votes shall be taken in public session.
The Council shall determine its own rules and order of business. It shall keep a record of its proceedings and the record shall be open to public inspection, except as otherwise provided by law, during regular business hours of the Town Clerk. Voting, except on procedural motions, shall be by roll call and the "ayes," "nays" and abstentions shall be recorded in the journal by name.
At the first meeting after the regular municipal election, the Council shall elect from among its members officers of the town who shall have the titles of Chairman and Vice Chairman. A person may serve as Chair for no more than one (1) year during any elected term of office. The Vice Chairman shall serve at the pleasure of the Council. The Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Council and shall be recognized as head of the town government for all ceremonial purposes, and by the Governor for purposes of military law, but shall have no administrative duties. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman during the absence or disability of the Chairman. Both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman shall be entitled to vote on all questions.
A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. At least four (4) votes shall be registered in favor of passage of any ordinance, order or resolution. A majority of those present may adjourn the meeting. At least twenty-four (24) hours' notice of the time and place of holding such adjourned meeting shall be given to all members who were not present at the meeting from which adjournment was taken.
A. 
Form. Every proposed ordinance shall be introduced in writing and in the form required for final adoption. No ordinance shall contain more than one (1) subject which shall be clearly expressed in its title. The enacting clause shall be "The Town of Standish hereby ordains...." Any ordinance which repeals or amends an existing ordinance or part of the Town Code shall set out in full the ordinance sections or subsections to be repealed or amended and shall indicate matter to be omitted by enclosing it in brackets or by strikeout type and shall indicate new matter by underscoring or by italics.
B. 
Procedure.
(1) 
An ordinance may be introduced by any member of the Council at any regular or special meeting of the Council. Upon introduction of any ordinance, the Secretary to the Council shall distribute a copy to each Council member and to the Town Manager and shall file a reasonable number of copies in the office of the Town Clerk and other such public places as the Council may designate. The proposed ordinance shall be publicly read at the next regular meeting of the Council after its presentation; this requirement may be waived by the affirmative vote of five (5) members of the Council.
(2) 
The proposed ordinance shall be published within two (2) weeks after the reading of the ordinance at the Council meeting, together with a notice of public hearing at a regular Council meeting to be held within three (3) weeks of the date of publication. All interested persons shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard. After the hearing, the Council may adopt the ordinance with or without amendment or reject it. If it is amended as to a matter of substance, the Council may not adopt it until the ordinance or its amended sections have been subjected to all the procedures hereinbefore required in the case of a newly introduced ordinance. As soon as practicable after adoption of any ordinance, the Secretary to the Council shall have it published again, together with a notice of its adoption. The ordinance shall also be posted at the municipal building for seven (7) days and copies shall be made available in the town office.
C. 
Effective date. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, every adopted ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after publication of the ordinance or at any date specified therein.
D. 
"Published" defined. As used in this section, the term "published" means to print in one (1) or more newspapers of general circulation in the town the ordinance or a brief summary thereof and the place where copies of it have been filed along with the times when they are available for public inspection.
E. 
The Council may, at its discretion, submit a proposed ordinance or the repeal of an ordinance to referendum vote.
To meet a public emergency, the Council may adopt one (1) or more emergency ordinances. An emergency ordinance shall be introduced in the form and manner prescribed for ordinances generally, except that it shall be plainly designated an emergency ordinance and shall contain, after the enacting clause, a declaration stating that an emergency exists and describing it in clear and specific terms. An emergency ordinance may be adopted with or without amendment or rejection at the meeting at which it is introduced. After its adoption, the ordinance shall be published and printed as prescribed for other adopted ordinances. It shall become effective upon adoption or at such later time as it may specify. Every emergency ordinance except one authorizing the issuance of emergency notes shall automatically stand repealed as of the 91st day following the date on which it was adopted, but this shall not prevent reenactment of the ordinance in the manner specified in this section if the emergency still exists. An emergency ordinance may also be repealed by adoption of a repealing ordinance in the same manner specified in this section for adoption of emergency ordinances.
A. 
Authentication and recording. All ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Council shall be authenticated by the signature of the Chairman of the Council and recorded in full by the Clerk in a properly indexed book kept for that purpose.
B. 
Codification. Within three (3) years after adoption of this Charter and at least every five (5) years thereafter, the Council shall provide for the preparation of a general codification of all ordinances and resolutions having the force and effect of law. The general codification shall be adopted by the Council by ordinance and shall be printed promptly in loose-leaf form, together with this Charter and any amendments thereto. Any codification ordinance may be published by title. This compilation shall be known as the "Standish Town Code." Copies of the Code shall be furnished to officials, placed in libraries and public offices for free public reference and made available for purchase by the public at a reasonable price fixed by the Council.
C. 
Printing. The Council shall cause each ordinance and resolution having the force and effect of law and each amendment to this Charter to be printed promptly following its adoption, and the printed ordinances, resolutions and Charter amendments shall be distributed or sold to the public at reasonable prices to be fixed by the Council. The ordinances, resolutions and Charter amendments shall be printed in substantially the same style as the Code currently in effect and shall be suitable in form for integration therein.
The Town Clerk shall perform those duties established by law and shall act as Secretary to the Council and shall keep a public record of all proceedings of the Council, including all roll call votes. Statutory fees collected by the Town Clerk shall be turned over to the town.
Neither the Council nor any of its members shall direct the appointment to or removal of any person from office by the Manager or by any of his/her subordinates. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Manager, and neither the Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the Manager, either publicly or privately.