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; establish such new town agencies as is deemed necessary, provided, however, that 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 pursuant to this provision shall contain a proposed ordinance which sets out, in detail, such amendments, insertions, revisions, repeals or otherwise of existing ordinances as may be necessary to accomplish the desired reorganization. Such reorganization plan and proposed ordinance shall be accompanied by a message of the mayor which explains the benefits expected to ensue
Whenever the mayor proposes such a plan the town council shall hold one or more public hearings on the proposal giving notice by publication in a local newspaper, which notice shall describe the scope of the proposal and the time and place at which the public hearing will be held, not less than seven or more than fourteen days following said publication.
An organization or reorganization plan shall become effective at the expiration of sixty days following the date the proposal is submitted to the town council unless the town council shall, by a majority vote, within such 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 said office or position of employment.
(1) 
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 prior to the adoption of the home rule charter were performed by or under the authority of the board 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: road commissioners, surveyors of highways, superintendent of streets, water commissioners, sewer commissioners, park commissioners, cemetery commissioners, tree warden, superintendent of shade tree management and pest control 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. The policy making and program development powers, duties and responsibilities which are now or may from time to time by general or special law be vested in such boards, departments and offices as are included in the department of public works shall be vested in the mayor.
Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary the mayor may, pursuant to the provisions of section 5-1, divide the powers and duties of the department of public works into two or more departments.
(2) 
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, training and previous, 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 in accordance with state statutes, town ordinances, administrative code and rules and regulations.
(1) 
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 assume all of the duties and responsibilities related to fiscal and financial activities which prior to the adoption of the home rule charter were performed by or under the authority of the town accountant, the town treasurer-collector, the chief procurement officer, the board of assessors 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.
(2) 
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 in accordance with 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 town treasurer, collector, or treasurer-collector.
(1) 
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 prior to the adoption of the home rule charter were performed by or under the authority of the redevelopment authority, the planning board, the development and industrial commission, the industrial development financing authority, the board of appeals, and the conservation commission 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.
(2) 
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.
(1) 
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 prior to the adoption of the home rule charter were performed by or under the authority of the board of selectmen, town accountant, the town treasurer-collector, the personnel board, the personnel director 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.
(2) 
Director of Human Resources - The department of human resources shall be headed by a director of human resources who shall be appointed by and who shall be 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.
(1) 
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 those required under the zoning, wetlands protection, historic districts or any other town ordinance, 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, local regulations adopted by the board of health, conservation commission, historical commission, planning board or any other town agency, under any other title, performing any of the duties of any such multiple member body and every other local inspection as may be otherwise authorized or conducted, the licensing functions as provided in chapter one hundred thirty-eight and one hundred forty 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.
(2) 
Director of Municipal Licenses and Inspections - The department of municipal 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 inspections[1] 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 in accordance with state statutes, town ordinances, and rules and regulations. The director of municipal licenses and inspections shall in addition to the coordination 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.
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original; should be "director of municipal licenses and inspections."
(3) 
Board of License Commissioners - There shall be a board of license commissioners which shall have the power to issue licenses for innholders or common victuallers, the powers of a licensing board appointed under section four of chapter one hundred and thirty-eight of the General Laws, be the licensing authority for the purposes of chapter one hundred and thirty-eight and chapter one hundred and forty of the General Laws and which shall have all of the other powers with respect to licenses which prior to the adoption of the home rule charter were exercised by the board of selectmen. The board of licensing commissioners may grant licenses relating to alcoholic beverages under chapter one hundred and thirty-eight of the General Laws and those licenses under chapter one hundred and forty of the General Laws which are not, by the provisions of said 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 said chapters.
The town clerk, the inspector of buildings, the director of public health, the fire chief and the police chief (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 licenses commissioners. The town clerk shall serve as chair of the board of license commissioners.