3-1-1. 
The offices to be filled by ballot of the voters of the entire town shall be a select board, a moderator, a school committee, a town clerk, constables, a planning board, library trustees, 3 members of a housing authority and such members of regional authorities or districts as may be established by statute, interlocal agreement or otherwise.
3-1-2. 
The regular elections for town office shall be held annually on such date as may from time to time be fixed in the town by-laws.
3-1-3. 
Elected town officials shall receive such compensation for their services as may be appropriated.
3-1-4. 
Notwithstanding their election by voters, the town officers named in this section shall be subject to the call of the select board or of the town administrator, at all reasonable times, for consultation, conference and discussion on any matter relating to their office.
3-1-5. 
Elected multiple member body vacancies. If there is a vacancy in a board consisting of 2 or more members, other than the select board, the remaining members shall forthwith give notice of the existence of any such vacancy to the select board. The select board with the remaining member or members of such board shall fill such vacancy by a joint vote. The select board shall set the date for the joint vote and give 1 week's notice. If such notice is not given within 30 days following the date on which such vacancy occurs, the select board shall, after 1 week's notice, fill such vacancy without participation by the remaining member or members of the multiple member body.
3-2-1. 
Composition, Term. A select board of 5 members shall be elected at-large for 3 years, each so arranged that the terms of as close to an equal number of members as possible shall expire each year.
3-2-2. 
Vacancies in the office of select board shall be filled by a special election in accordance with the provisions of the General Laws.
3-2-3. 
Executive powers. Except as otherwise provided by this charter, all executive powers of the town shall be vested in the select board which shall have all the powers and duties given to town select boards or boards of selectmen under the Massachusetts Constitution and the General Laws and such additional powers and duties as may be authorized by this charter, by by-law or town meeting vote.
3-2-4. 
Licensing. The select board shall be a licensing board for the town and shall have the power to issue licenses as authorized by law to make all necessary rules and regulations regarding the issuance of such licenses, to attach conditions and to impose restrictions on any such licenses as it deems to be in the public interest and to enforce all laws, rules, regulations and restrictions relating to all such businesses for which it issues licenses.
3-2-5. 
The select board shall cause the charter, by-laws and rules and regulations for the government of the town to be enforced and shall cause an up-to-date record of all its official acts to be kept.
3-2-6. 
The select board may investigate or may authorize the town administrator to investigate the affairs of the town and the conduct of any agency of the town.
3-2-7. 
Town administrator. The select board shall appoint a town administrator for a 3-year term. The appointment of the administrator shall be by the affirmative vote of not less than 3 members of the select board, with reappointment by not less than 3 affirmative votes of the select board. Removal shall require not less than 4 affirmative votes of the select board.
3-2-8. 
Other appointments. The select board shall have the authority to make appointments as provided by the General Laws, by this charter and by by-law and to make other such appointments as it may deem necessary. A listing of appointments authorized at the time of this charter is provided in section 8-2-3 the town administrative organization.
3-2-9. 
Unless noted elsewhere in this charter, the terms of office of all appointments made by the select board shall be as currently specified by the General Laws, by this charter, by by-law or town meeting vote.
3-3-1. 
Term. There shall be a town moderator elected for a term of 3 years.
3-3-2. 
Powers and duties. The town moderator shall be the presiding officer of the town meeting, shall regulate its proceedings, decide all questions of order and shall have such other powers and duties as may be provided for that office by the General Laws, by this charter, by by-law and by other vote of the town meeting, including appointing a finance committee.
3-4-1. 
Composition, term of office. There shall be a school committee consisting of 5 members elected for terms of 3 years each so arranged that the terms of as nearly an equal number of members as is possible shall expire each year.
3-4-2. 
Powers and duties. The school committee shall have all the powers and duties which are given to school committees by the General Laws and it shall have such additional powers and duties as may be authorized by this charter, by by-law or by other town meeting vote. The powers of the school committee shall include, but are not intended to be limited to, the following:
(i) 
to appoint a superintendent of the schools and other officers as allowed by the General Laws, to fix their compensation, define their duties, make rules concerning their tenure of office and to discharge them; and
(ii) 
to make all reasonable policies consistent with the General Laws or the executive office of education regulations for the administration and management of the public school system and for the conduct of its own business and affairs.
3-5-1. 
Term. There shall be a town clerk elected to serve for a term of 3 years.
3-5-2. 
Powers and duties. The town clerk shall: (i) be the keeper of vital statistics for the town; (ii) be the custodian of the town seal; (iii) administer the oath of office to all persons, elected or appointed to any office; (iv) issue such licenses and permits as are required by law to be issued by town clerks; (v) supervise and manage the conduct of all elections and all other matters relating to elections; and (vi) be the clerk of the town meeting, keep its records and in the absence of the town moderator to preside pending the election of a temporary town moderator. The town clerk shall also have such other powers and duties as are given to town clerks by the General Laws, by this charter, by by-law or by other vote of the town meeting.
3-6-1. 
Composition, term. There shall be a planning board consisting of 5 members elected for terms of 3 years each, so arranged that the term of office of has nearly an equal number as is possible shall expiring each year. As authorized by section 9 of chapter 40A of the General Laws, there shall be 1 associate member of the planning board. Such associate shall act on special permit applications when designated to do so by the planning board chair, in case of absence, inability to act or conflict of interest on the part of any member of the board. The associate member shall be appointed for a 3-year term by majority vote of the select board and members of the planning board, in the same manner as for filling a vacancy.
3-6-2. 
 
(a) 
Powers and duties. The planning board shall have all of the powers and duties planning boards may have under the Massachusetts Constitution and the General Laws and it shall have such additional powers and duties as may be authorized by the charter or by by-law.
(b) 
The planning board shall make careful studies of the resources, possibilities and needs of the town and shall make plans for the development of the town. The planning board shall provide for the review of the comprehensive master plan every 10 years, setting forth in graphic and textual form, policies governing the future growth and development of the town's economic, developmental and human service needs.
(c) 
The planning board shall regulate the sub-division of land within the town by adoption of rules and regulations governing such development and the administration of such rules and regulations. The planning board shall make recommendations to the town meeting on all matters affecting land use and development, including the zoning by-laws of the town.
(d) 
The planning board shall make an annual report, giving information regarding the condition of the town and any plans or proposals for its development and estimates of their costs.
3-7-1. 
Composition, term. There shall be a board of library trustees consisting of 5 members elected for terms of 3 years each, so arranged that the term of office of as nearly an equal number of members as possible shall expire each year.
3-7-2. 
Powers and duties. The board of library trustees shall have the custody and management of the public library and of all property of the town related to the said library. All funds of money and property that the town may receive by gift or bequest for the purpose of library support or maintenance shall be administered by the board in accordance with the provisions of any such gift or bequest. The board shall have all of the other powers and duties which are given to boards of library trustees by the General Laws, by this charter, by by-law or other town meeting vote.
3-8-1. 
Composition term of office. There shall be not less than 1 nor more than 4 constables elected for terms of 3 years each, so arranged that the terms of office of each will expire simultaneously.
3-8-2. 
Powers and duties. Constables may exercise such powers as provided under the Massachusetts Constitution and the General Laws.
3-9-1. 
Composition, term of office. There shall be a housing authority which shall consist of 5 members serving for terms of 5 years each, so arranged that the term of 1 member shall expire each year. Three of the members shall be elected by the voters of the town and 2 members shall be elected or appointed in accordance with section 5 of chapter 121B of the General Laws, as it may be amended from time to time.
3-9-2. 
Powers and duties. The housing authority shall make studies of the housing needs of the community and shall provide programs to make available housing for families of low income and for elderly and disabled persons of low income. The housing authority shall have such other powers and duties as are assigned to housing authorities by the General Laws.
3-10-1. 
Composition, term of office. The voters shall elect such members of the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational School Committee for school committee for such terms as may be provided under the agreement and laws establishing the committee.
3-10-2. 
Powers and duties. The members of the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational School Committee shall along with members from other municipalities participating therein, be responsible for the management and supervision of the said school according to the agreement and laws governing the same.
3-11-1. 
Application. Any holder of an elected office in the town with more than 6 months remaining in the term of office may be recalled therefrom by the qualified voters of the town in the manner provided herein.
3-11-2. 
 
(a) 
Recall petition. Two hundred or more voters may file with the town clerk an affidavit signed under the penalties of perjury containing the name of the officer whose recall is sought and a statement of the grounds upon which the petition is based. The petition shall be addressed to the select board and include the town clerk's signature and official seal, the date, the grounds set forth in the recall affidavit, the name and title of the person whose recall is sought and the names of the first 10 voters signing the affidavit, 1 of whom shall be identified as the "lead petitioner". A copy of the affidavit shall be entered in a record book to be kept in the office of the town clerk and the town clerk shall notify the lead petitioner that such petitions are available at that office. The recall petitions shall be returned and filed with the clerk within 45 days following the date of the filing of the affidavit signed by not less than 10 per cent of the voters and containing their names and addresses; provided, however, that not more than 25 per cent of the total number shall be from any 1 precinct.
(b) 
The town clerk shall, within 2 working days of receipt, submit the petition to the registrars of voters who shall forthwith certify thereon the number of signatures that are names of voters.
3-11-3. 
Recall election. If the petition is certified by the registrars of voters to be sufficient, the town clerk shall forthwith submit the same with the town clerk's certificate to the select board. Upon receipt of the certificate, the select board shall forthwith give written notice of to the officer whose recall is sought, of such petition and certificate, whether in hand, by certified mail or by email. If said officer does not resign from office within 5 days after delivery of such notice, the select board shall forthwith order an election to be held not less than 64 nor more than 90 days after the date of the town clerk's certification of the petition notice; provided, however, that if any other town election is to occur within 100 days after the date of the certification, the select board shall hold the recall election on the date of such other election and may, at its discretion, place the question of recall on said ballot; and provided further, that if a vacancy occurs in said office after such a recall election has been ordered, the election shall nevertheless proceed as provided in this section and the ballots for candidates shall be counted.
3-11-4. 
Nomination of candidates. Any officer whose recall is sought may be a candidate in the recall election. The nomination of candidates, the publication of the warrant for the recall election, and the conduct of the election shall all be in accordance with the provisions of law relating to elections.
3-11-5. 
Propositions on ballot. Ballots used in a recall election shall state the following propositions in the order indicated:
FOR THE RECALL OF (name and title of officer)
AGAINST THE RECALL OF (name and title of officer)
Adjacent to each proposition, there shall be a place to vote for either of said propositions. After the propositions shall appear the word "Candidates" and the names of candidates nominated as required by section 42 of chapter 54 of the General Laws. If a majority of the votes cast upon the question of recall is in the affirmative, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. If a majority of the votes on the question is in the negative, the ballots for candidates need not be counted.
3-11-6. 
 
(a) 
Office holder. The incumbent shall continue to perform the duties of the office until the recall election. If not recalled in the election, the incumbent shall continue in office for the remainder of the unexpired term, subject to recall as before, except as provided herein.
(b) 
If recalled in the election, the incumbent shall be deemed removed and the office vacant.
3-11-7. 
Repeat of recall petition. No recall petition shall be filed against an officer within 3 months after taking office or, in the case of an officer subjected to a recall election and not recalled thereby, until at least 6 months after the recall election.