The organization of the town into operating agencies for the provision of services and the administration of the government may be accomplished only through an organization, or reorganization, plan filed by the mayor. No organization plan may originate with the town council. The mayor may, subject only to express prohibitions in a general law, or this charter, propose to reorganize, consolidate or abolish any town agency, in whole or in part; or establish any new town agencies that the mayor considers necessary, but no function assigned by this charter to a particular town agency may be discontinued or assigned to any other town agency unless this charter specifically so provides. The mayor may from time to time prepare and submit to the town council plans of organization or reorganization that establish operating divisions for the orderly, efficient or convenient conduct of the business of the town. Every organization or reorganization plan submitted by the mayor under this provision shall contain a proposed ordinance which sets out, in detail, the amendments, insertions, revisions, repeals or otherwise of existing ordinances that may be necessary to accomplish the desired reorganization. The reorganization plan and proposed ordinance shall be accompanied by a message of the mayor that explains the benefits expected to ensue.
Whenever the mayor proposes such a plan, the town council shall give notice by publication in a local newspaper and hold 1 or more public hearings on the proposal. The notice in the local newspaper shall describe the scope of the proposal, the time and place at which the public hearing will be held, not less than 7 nor more than 14 days after the publication. An organization or reorganization plan shall become effective at the expiration of 60 days after the date the proposal is submitted to the town council unless the town council shall, by a majority vote, within that period vote to disapprove the plan. The town council may vote only to approve or to disapprove the plan and may not vote to amend or to alter it.
All appointments and promotions of town officers and employees shall be made on the basis of merit and fitness demonstrated by examination, past performance, or by other evidence of competence and suitability. The town council may, in any ordinance establishing a salary for an office or position of employment, establish minimum qualifications a candidate must possess in order to qualify for appointment to the office or position of employment.
(a) 
Establishment, scope — There shall be a department of public works responsible for the performance of all public works related functions and activities of the town. The department of public works shall assume all of the duties and responsibilities related to public works activities which, before the adoption of the charter, were performed by or under the authority of the department of public works. The department of public works shall perform all of the public works related functions which are associated with the following boards, departments and offices or which are now or may from time to time by general or special law be vested in such boards, departments and offices: engineering department, highway department, cemetery department, water and sewer department, tree warden, and the recycling committee, and it may have such additional powers, duties and responsibilities with respect to public works related functions and activities as may from time to time be provided by ordinance.
[Amended 1-10-2009 by c. 482 of the Acts of 2008]
Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the mayor may, under section 5-1, divide the powers and duties of the department of public works into 2 or more departments.
(b) 
Director of Public Works — The department of public works shall be under the direct control and supervision of a director of public works who shall be appointed by and who shall be responsible to the mayor. The director of public works shall serve for an indefinite term. The director of public works shall be a person especially fitted by education, experience and training to perform the duties of the office. The director of public works shall be responsible for the supervision and coordination of all activities of the department of public works under state statutes, town ordinances, administrative code and rules and regulations.
(a) 
Establishment, scope — There shall be a department of municipal finance responsible for the performance of all of the fiscal and financial activities of the town. The department of municipal finance shall be responsible for the coordination of all of the duties and responsibilities related to fiscal and financial activities which are performed by or under the authority of the town accountant, the treasurer, the collector of taxes, the trust fund commissioners, the board of assessors, the finance committee, and the MIS department, and it may have such additional powers, duties and responsibilities with respect to fiscal and financial-related functions and activities as may from time to time be provided by ordinance.
(b) 
Director of Municipal Finance — The department of municipal finance shall be under the direct control and supervision of a director of municipal finance who shall be appointed by and who shall be responsible to the mayor. The director of municipal finance shall serve for an indefinite term. The director of municipal finance shall be a person especially fitted by education, experience and training to perform the duties of the office. The director of municipal finance shall be responsible for the supervision and coordination of all activities of the department of municipal finance under state statutes, town ordinances, administrative code and rules and regulations. The director of municipal finance shall serve, ex officio, as the mayor may from time to time specify, as the treasurer, or the collector of taxes.
(a) 
Establishment, scope — There shall be a department of planning and community development responsible for the coordination of all the planning and development-related activities of the town. The department of planning and community development shall be responsible for the coordination of all of the duties and responsibilities related to planning and development activities which are performed by or under the authority of the planning board, the conservation commission, the board of health, the community preservation committee, the economic development commission, the historic commission, and the zoning board of appeals, and it may have such additional powers, duties and responsibilities with respect to the coordination of planning and development-related functions and activities as may from time to time be provided by ordinance. Such ordinance may include in its scope the coordination of all land acquisition and land management proposals, economic development planning, community development block grants, the preparation of a comprehensive or master plan and maintenance of a centralized source of records, reports, statistical data and other planning and development-related materials.
(b) 
Director of Planning and Community Development — The department of planning and community development shall be under the direct control and supervision of a director of planning and community development who shall be appointed by and who shall be responsible to the mayor. The director of planning and community development shall serve for an indefinite term. The director of planning and community development shall be a person especially fitted by education, experience and training to perform the duties of the office. The director of planning and community development shall be responsible for the supervision and coordination of all activities of the department of planning and community development in accordance with state statutes, town ordinances, and rules and regulations.
(a) 
Establishment, scope — There shall be a department of human resources which shall be responsible for all personnel and employee-related functions and activities of the town government and its administration. The department of human resources shall assume all of the duties and responsibilities related to human resources activities which, before the adoption of the charter, were performed by or under the authority of the board of selectmen, town accountant, the treasurer, the collector of taxes, the personnel board and department, the disabilities commission, the retirement board, veteran's affairs, and the heads of town agencies, and it may have such additional powers, duties and responsibilities with respect to human resources-related functions and activities as the town may from time to time provide by ordinance.
(b) 
Director of Human Resources — The department of human resources shall be headed by a director of human resources who shall be appointed by and responsible to the mayor. The director of human resources shall serve for an indefinite term. The director of human resources shall be a person especially fitted by education, experience and training to perform the duties of the office. The director of human resources shall be responsible for the supervision and coordination of all activities of the department of human resources in accordance with state statutes, town ordinances, and rules and regulations.
(a) 
Establishment, scope — There shall be a department of municipal licenses and inspections which shall be responsible for the coordination of all licensing and inspection functions performed by any town officer, employee or agent. The department of municipal licenses and inspections shall be responsible for the coordination of all of the licensing and inspection functions conducted by the town, including but not limited to:
(i) 
those required under the zoning, wetlands protection, historic districts or any other town ordinance;
(ii) 
the provisions of the code of Massachusetts regulations relating to buildings, electrical wiring, plumbing, gas fitting, sanitation, wetlands, fire protection and fire safety, hazardous materials;
(iii) 
local regulations adopted by the board of health, conservation commission, historic commission, planning board or any other town agency, under any other title, performing any of the duties of any such multiple-member body;
(iv) 
every other local inspection as may be otherwise authorized or conducted, and
(v) 
the licensing functions as provided in chapter 138 and 140 of the General Laws and including responsibilities with respect to the coordination of municipal licensing and inspection functions as the town may from time to time provide, by ordinance, and which may include the maintenance of all records relating to inspections in a central place through a common index, a single application process which would indicate all inspections which might be necessary for a particular project and provide for a consolidated, coordinated review and processing of each such application.
(b) 
Director of Municipal Licenses and Inspections — The department of municipal licenses and inspections shall be under the direct control and supervision of a director of municipal licenses and inspections who shall be appointed by and who shall be responsible to the mayor. The director of municipal licenses and inspections shall serve for an indefinite term. The director of municipal licenses and inspections shall be a person especially fitted by education, experience and training to perform the duties of the office. The director of municipal licenses and inspections shall be responsible for the supervision and coordination of all activities of the department of municipal licenses and inspections under state statutes, town ordinances, and rules and regulations. The director of municipal licenses and inspections shall, in addition to the coordination of responsibilities assigned by this provision, also perform the duties of building inspector or of any other position within the department as the mayor may from time to time specify.
(c) 
Board of License Commissioners — There shall be a board of license commissioners, which shall have the following responsibilities:
(i) 
the power to issue licenses for innholders or common victualers;
(ii) 
the powers of a licensing board appointed under section 4 of chapter 138 of the General Laws;
(iii) 
the licensing authority for the purposes of chapter 138 and chapter 140 of the General Laws;
(iv) 
all of the other powers with respect to licenses which before the adoption of the charter were exercised by the board of selectmen;
(v) 
the granting of licenses relating to alcoholic beverages under chapter 138 of the General Laws, and
(vi) 
the granting of those licenses under chapter 140 of the General Laws which are not, by that chapter, placed within the jurisdiction of another municipal officer or agency, and it shall have all the powers and duties of a licensing authority under those chapters.
The town clerk, the building inspector, the director of public health, the fire chief and the chief of police (or persons performing similar duties under any other title) shall serve by virtue of their offices, and without additional compensation as the members of the board of license commissioners. The town clerk shall serve as chair of the board of license commissioners.
The council on aging, the fair housing committee, the police department, the fire department, park department and the town solicitor shall be responsible to the mayor.
There shall be a parks and recreation commission consisting of 7 residents appointed by the mayor. Said commission shall advise the mayor on the operation and maintenance of and policies pertaining to parks, playgrounds, school athletic facilities, the golf course and recreational programs. [Amended 1-10-2009 by c. 482 of the Acts of 2008]