(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - A board of selectmen shall be elected which shall consist of three members. The term of office of each member shall be for three years, so arranged that the term of one member shall expire each year. (c.41:s.1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The board of selectmen shall be the chief executive and administrative office in the town. The board of selectmen shall exercise a general superintendency over the administration of all affairs of the town. The board of selectmen shall, by the issuance of warrants, call all sessions of the town meeting and determine all subjects which shall be acted upon at such meetings. The board of selectmen shall approve all bills and payrolls as prepared by the town accountant before any payments are made by the town treasurer.[1] The board of selectmen shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to boards of selectmen by general laws of the commonwealth. (Note: It is not practical to list the statutes giving specific powers to a board of selectmen, suffice it to say they are extensive.)
[1]
Editor's Note: Now the Treasurer-Collector in accordance with Acts of 2012, Ch. 317.
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - A school committee shall be elected which shall consist of five members. The term of office of each member of the school committee shall be for three years. The terms of office of members of the school committee shall be so arranged that as nearly an equal number of terms as is possible shall expire each year. (c.41:s.1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The school committee shall have the general charge and superintendency of the public schools of the town. The powers and duties of the school committee shall include: (1) to appoint a superintendent and all other officers and employees associated with the schools, to fix the salaries of all such persons, define their duties, make rules concerning their tenure of office, including their discharge, (2) to make all reasonable rules and regulations, consistent with law, for the administration, management and operation of the public schools of the town. The school committee shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to school committees by general laws.
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - A board of Assessors shall be elected which shall consist of three members. The term of office of each member of the board of Assessors shall be for three years, so arranged that the term of one member shall expire each year. (c.41:s.1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The board of Assessors shall annually make a fair cash valuation of all of the estate, both real and personal, subject to taxation within the town. The board of Assessors shall annually determine the annual tax rate necessary to meet all sums voted by the town. The board of Assessors shall hear and decide all questions relating to the abatement of taxes levied by it. The board of Assessors shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to boards of Assessors by general laws. (see c.59, generally)
(a) 
Term of Office - A town clerk shall be elected for the term of three years. (c.41:s.1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The town clerk shall be the keeper of vital statistics for the town, the custodian of the town seal and of all other records of the town, shall administer the oath of office to all town officers who are required to be sworn to their office, be the clerk of the town meeting, shall issue all such licenses and permits as are provided by law and shall be responsible for the conduct of all elections held in the town and of all other matters relating to elections. The town clerk shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to town clerks by general laws. (Note: It is not possible to summarize all of the statutes which give specific powers to town clerks, suffice it to say they are extensive.)
(a) 
Term of Office - A collector of taxes shall be elected for the term of three years. (c.41:s.1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The collector of taxes shall upon receiving a tax list and warrant from the board of Assessors collect the taxes, and any interest thereon and shall make a written return of his doings shall give to the town treasurer[2] an account of all fees and charges and shall pay over to the town treasurer all money received or collected. The collector of taxes shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to collectors of taxes by general laws. (see c.41:s.38; c.44:s.59; c.60:ss.2, 3, 7, 13, 92, 95, 97).
[2]
Editor's Note: Now the Treasurer-Collector in accordance with Acts of 2012, Ch. 317.
[1]
Editor's Note: Now the Treasurer-Collector in accordance with Acts of 2012, Ch. 317.
(a) 
Number, Term of Office - Two constables shall be elected for terms of three years each. (c.41:1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - Constables may serve writs, warrants and processes in civil and criminal matters as authorized by law. They shall have the power of sheriffs to require aid in the execution of their duties. They shall take due notice of and shall prosecute all violations of law respecting the observance of the Lord's day, profane swearing and gaming. They shall serve all warrants and other processes directed to them by the board of selectmen for notifying town meetings and other purposes. (c.41:s.94)
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - A board of health shall be elected which shall consist of three members. The term of office of a board of health member shall be for three years so arranged that the term of one member shall expire each year.(c.41:s.1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The board of health shall be responsible for the formulation and enforcement of local rules and regulations affecting the environment and the public health and for the enforcement within the town of all state statutes and rules and regulations of the state affecting the public health. The board of health shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to boards of health by general laws. (see c.111:ss. 26-32, and chapters 111-114, generally)
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - A board of trustees of the public library consisting of three members shall be elected. The term of office of members of the board of library trustees shall be for three years each so arranged that the term of office of one member shall expire each year. (c.78:s.10)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The board of library trustees shall have the care, custody and management of the library and reading room and of all property of the town related to library purposes. All money raised or appropriated by the town for library purposes shall be expended by the board of library trustees and all money or property which the town may receive by gift or bequest shall be administered by the board of library trustees in accordance with the provisions of any such gift or bequest. The board of library trustees shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to boards of library trustees by general laws. (c.78:ss.7-12)
(a) 
Term of Office - A town moderator shall be elected for the term of three years. (c.39:s.14)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The town moderator shall preside, and regulate the proceedings at all town meetings; decide all questions of order; make public declaration of all votes, and may, in open session administer the oath of office to any town officer. No person shall address a town meeting without leave of the town moderator to do so and all persons shall at the request of the town moderator, be silent. (c.39: ss.9ff)
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - A town may elect a board of three or five park commissioners and prescribe their term of office. (c.45:s.2)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The board of park and recreation commissioners may lay out and improve public parks, and may make rules for the use and government of lands held by the town for park purposes. In addition, the board of parks and recreation commissioners may conduct and promote recreation, play, sport and physical education activities on land, or in buildings, owned or leased by it for such purposes. (c.45:ss. 5 and 14; see c.45, generally)
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - A Planning board shall be elected which shall consist of five members. The term of office of a Planning board member shall be for five years, so arranged that as nearly an equal number of terms as possible shall expire each year. (c.412:s.81A)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - It shall be the duty of the Planning board to make careful studies of the resources, possibilities and needs of the town and to make plans for the development of the town. The Planning board shall have the power to regulate the subdivision of land within the town by the adoption of rules and regulations governing such development. 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 cost. The Planning board shall have all of the other powers and duties which are given to Planning boards by general laws. (c.41:ss.81A to 81JJ, and c.40A, generally)
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - There shall be a sewer commission consisting of three members elected for terms of three years each so arranged that the term of one member shall expire each year. (c. 41, s. 63)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The sewer commissioners shall, as to sewers and drains, exclusively have the powers, perform the duties and be subject to the liabilities and penalties of selectmen and road commissioners. (c. 41, s. 65)
(a) 
Term of Office - A town treasurer shall be elected for the term of three years. (c. 41, s. 1)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The treasurer shall receive and take charge of all money belonging to the town. He shall, according to the orders of the town or its authorized officers, pay out and account for all disbursements in behalf of the town. He shall annually render a true account of his receipts and disbursements and report on all of his official acts. The town treasurer shall have all of the other powers and duties which are given to town treasurers by general laws. (c. 41, ss. 35-43A)
[1]
Editor's Note: Now the Treasurer-Collector in accordance with Acts of 2012, Ch. 317.
(a) 
Term of Office - A tree warden shall be elected for the term of three years. (c. 41, s. 1)[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: The Town voted 5-4-2021 ATM by Art. 17, pursuant to MGL c. 41, § 1B, to have the Town’s elected Tree Warden become an appointed Tree Warden, subject to the approval of an official ballot question on the election warrant at the Annual Town Election. At the 4-12-2022 Annual Town Election, it was voted in the affirmative to have the Town’s elected Tree Warden become an appointed Tree Warden. The term of the elected Tree Warden will end 4-9-2024.
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The tree warden shall have the care and custody of all public shade trees, shrubs and growths in the town, except those within a state highway or under the control of the park commissioners. (c. 87, s. 2)
[1]
Editor's Note: The elected Water Commission created under Chapter 236 of the Acts of 1889 ceased to exist effective 6-30-2014. See May 2013 ATM, Art. 13; and Acts of 2013, Ch. 133.
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - There shall be a housing authority which shall consist of five members serving for terms of five years each, so arranged that one term of office shall expire each year. Four of these members shall be elected by the voters of the town of Avon; the fifth member shall be appointed as provided by general law. (c.121B:s.5)
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The housing authority shall make studies of the housing needs of the town and shall provide such programs to make available housing for families of low income or elderly persons of low income as it deems to be necessary. The housing authority shall have all of the other powers, duties, and responsibilities which are given to housing authorities by general law. (see c.121B, generally)
(a) 
Composition, Term of Office - There shall be a redevelopment authority which shall consist of five members serving for terms of five years each, so arranged that one term of office shall expire each year. Four of these members shall be elected by the voters of the town of Avon; the fifth member shall be appointed as provided by general law.
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The redevelopment authority shall make studies and shall determine what areas within the town are decadent, substandard or blighted open areas and shall prepare plans for the clearance, conservation or rehabilitation of such areas. The redevelopment authority shall have all of the other powers, duties and responsibilities which are given to redevelopment authorities by general laws.