[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Norwell.
Formerly designated Art. V. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
B.
The
Select Board shall have general direction and management of the property
and affairs of the Town in all matters not otherwise provided for
by law and these bylaws.
C.
The
Select Board may appear, either personally or by counsel, before any
legislative committee, board or commission to protect the interest
of the Town, but are not authorized by this bylaw to commit the Town
to any course of action.
D.
Whenever
it shall be necessary to execute any deed or other instrument required
to carry into effect any vote of the Town, the same shall be executed
by the Select Board or a majority of them, in the name and in behalf
of the Town, properly sealed and subscribed by a majority of them,
unless otherwise provided in any special case.
E.
The
Select Board shall compile and cause to have printed the Annual Report
of all Town officers, boards, committees, departments, elections and
vital statistics, to be made available to all residents and citizens
of the Town at the following locations: Town Clerk's office, Town
Library, Norwell Housing Authority Common Room and such other places
designated by the Select Board, at least seven days before the Annual
Town Meeting, but failure to do so shall not invalidate the Meeting.
F.
The
Select Board shall notify the Town Clerk promptly of any appointments
made by them to any Town office, board, committee or otherwise, giving
the name and addresses of any person or persons so appointed, the
office to which appointed or the business upon which the person or
persons so appointed are to act.
G.
The
Select Board in their discretion may, or upon the written request
therefor, signed by 50 voters, shall, conduct a forum at least seven
days prior to any Regular or Special Town Meeting for the purpose
of discussing the articles in the warrant for such Meeting.
A.
The
Board of Assessors shall consist of three members, one elected each
year for a term of three years.
B.
The
Assessors shall deliver the tax list and warrant for collection to
the Town Treasurer-Collector. Additional warrants shall be issued
to the Treasurer-Collector for all taxes assessed or reassessed which
are not covered by the original warrant.
C.
The
Assessors shall keep the record of all tax abatements required by
law. Each month the Assessors shall notify the Town Treasurer-Collector
and Town Accountant in writing the amount of taxes abated in the preceding
month, stating separately the amount abated from each tax levy.
A.
The
Board of Health shall consist of three members, one elected each year
for a term of three years.
B.
The
Board of Health is to perform all the duties required by law and may
make any lawful regulations beneficial to the health of the Town and
for the permanent elimination of any offensive stench obnoxious to
the users of public ways or residents of the Town. Such regulations
are to be posted in five public places and published in one or more
newspapers published in the County of Plymouth and circulating in
the Town of Norwell.
C.
Except
as otherwise provided for by law, the Board of Health upon request
of any complainant shall notify any person or persons responsible
for any conditions claimed to be obnoxious that complaint has been
made. If after 30 days the condition is still claimed to be offensive,
the Board of Health shall investigate and take whatever lawful action
it may deem advisable.
D.
The
Board of Health shall forbid all commercial slaughtering, the storage
of all decayed animal matter and the disposal of all refuse subject
to offensive decay in any location injurious to the health of the
Town, obnoxious to residents of the Town or unsightly as seen from
any existing dwelling house or public way in the Town.
The Highway Surveyor/Director is elected for a three-year term.
Said Highway Surveyor/Director shall perform and discharge all of
the duties of the Highway Surveyor and all of the duties of Director
of Lands and Natural Resources set forth in MGL c. 41, § 69G.
The Moderator's term of office shall be one year.
[Amended 5-6-2019 ATM,
Art. 28]
The Housing Authority consists of five members, four elected
for three-year overlapping terms and one appointed in accordance with
the General Laws.
A.
The
Planning Board shall consist of five members, one elected each year
for a term of three years, and shall perform all duties which are
required by law. There also shall be one associate member for the
Planning Board as provided for under MGL c. 40A, § 9, and
under the Zoning Bylaw.[1]
[Amended 5-8-2023 ATM by Art. 38]
B.
It
shall be the duty of the Board to consider and advise upon municipal
improvements in regard to which advice of the Board, at any time,
may be asked by any official or officials of the Town. The Board may,
upon its own initiative, make to any official or officials of the
Town such recommendations in regard to municipal improvements as the
Board may from time to time think proper or expedient.
C.
The
Planning Board may make such rules and regulations as it may deem
advisable, not inconsistent with the bylaws of the Town or the General
Laws and all statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
A.
The
School Committee shall consist of five members, two elected one year,
two elected the following year and one elected the third year, all
for a term of three years.
B.
The
School Committee may make such rules and regulations governing the
operation of the public schools as it may deem advisable not inconsistent
with the bylaws of the Town or the General Laws and all statutes of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
A.
The
Town Clerk's term of office shall be three years.
B.
The
Town Clerk shall have custody of the Town Seal.
C.
The
Town Clerk shall perform the duties which are required by law, recording
and filing all agreements and other papers and documents affecting
the interest of the Town.
D.
As
soon as may be, the Town Clerk shall transmit to the Select Board,
to the Town Treasurer-Collector, to the Town Accountant, and to the
Assessors certified copies of all votes appropriating money or authorizing
the expenditure of money or otherwise affecting the finances of the
Town, and within the same period the Town Clerk shall transmit to
all other Town officers or committees a certified copy of any vote
of the Town affecting their respective powers or duties.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
E.
It
shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to notify the Select Board or
other appointing authority monthly of any unfilled committee, board
or department appointments.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
F.
The
Town Clerk shall record, file for publication and maintain a current
list of all acts of the Legislature accepted by the Town.
G.
The
Town Clerk shall record, file for publication and make all revisions
necessitated by any changes in, or additions to, the bylaws voted
in any Town Meeting or otherwise affecting them and, in addition,
shall have available for citizens of the Town copies of these bylaws
including all revisions.
H.
The
Town Clerk shall pay fees received by her by virtue of her office
into the Town treasury.
A.
There shall be six trustees of the Norwell Public Library, with two
elected each year for a term of three years. The first Board of Trustees
shall be constituted as follows: the two members of the present Board
of Trustees of the William J. Leonard Memorial Library whose terms
expire in 1974 and 1975 shall be members of the Board of Trustees
for the Norwell Public Library and shall continue as such Trustees
until the expiration of their present terms in 1974 and 1975; four
other members shall be elected at the 1973 Annual Town Election, with
one to serve for a one-year term, one to serve for a two-year term
and two to serve for a three-year term. Thereafter as terms expire
Trustees shall be elected for a term of three years.
B.
All public library facilities in the Town of Norwell, including the
William J. Leonard Memorial Library, shall be under the supervision
and control of the Trustees of the Norwell Public Library. The Trustees
shall annually choose a Chair and a Secretary. The Town Treasurer-Collector
shall act as Treasurer of the Board of Trustees.
C.
The Trustees of the Norwell Public Library may adopt such rules and
regulations governing the use of the public library facilities as
they may deem advisable. A copy of such rules and regulations and
all amendments and revisions thereof shall be filed with the Town
Clerk before they become effective.
A.
The Water Department shall be under the supervision of Water Commissioners
of which there shall be three, one elected each year for a term of
three years.
B.
The Water Commissioners shall have such duties and powers as are
provided by law and these bylaws.
C.
The Water Commissioners may appoint one or more Registrars, who shall,
as directed by the Commissioners, take and tabulate a census of water
services connected to the Town water system, read and record all service
meters at such intervals as the Commissioners may direct, and perform
any other duties required by the Commissioners.
D.
The Water Commissioners shall, at such regular intervals in each
year as they may determine, transmit the assessments for water rates
to the Town Treasurer-Collector, who shall collect the same and transmit
statements thereof to the Town Accountant.
[Amended 5-6-2019 ATM,
Art. 28]
E.
A charge as the Water Commissioners from time to time may determine
shall be made whenever the Water Commissioners, or their representatives,
at the request of the water taker, turn on or shut off the water in
any service pipe.
[Amended 5-6-2019 ATM,
Art. 28]
F.
No tap for service shall be made unless approved by the Water Commissioners,
who may require the payment of a suitable fee for the same.
G.
No alteration shall be made in any of the pipes or fixtures installed
by the Town except by persons authorized by the Water Commissioners
who shall also be allowed to enter the premises, examine the fixtures,
read the meters and ascertain if there is any unnecessary waste.
H.
If any person shall open a hydrant or remove the cover thereof or
make any opening or connection with any Town pipe or turn on or off
the water from any Town pipe except in case of fire or by authority
of the Water Commissioners, he shall be liable to a fine of not more
than $20.
I.
It shall be the duty of the Water Department to maintain the hydrants
of the Town in good working order and to test them at reasonable intervals.
J.
Bills for water rates and charges shall be due and payable 30 days
from the date shown thereon. If such bills are not paid by the due
date, the provisions of the General Laws and all statutes of the Commonwealth
respecting the collection of such rates and charges, including the
establishment of a lien and shutting off of water, shall apply.
K.
The Board of Water Commissioners may make abatements in the water
rates and charges in such cases as the Commissioners may deem proper,
and may temporarily shut off water from any street after giving notice
to those affected by their intention to do so. The Commissioners shall
notify the Fire Department of the Town prior to any permanent or temporary
shutoff of any water mains.
L.
The Board of Water Commissioners shall keep suitable records in which
shall be entered the names of all water takers and the amounts charged,
and these records shall be open to public inspection.
M.
The Board of Water Commissioners may make such rules and regulations
governing the Water Department as it may deem advisable, not inconsistent
with the bylaws of the Town or the General Laws and all statutes of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
