[Amended by Chapter 443 of the Acts of 2012, approved 1-9-2013; Chapter 292 of the Acts of 2020,
approved 1-8-2021]
3-1-1.
A Select Board of five members shall be elected at-large for three-year
overlapping terms.
3-1-2.
When a vacancy occurs in the Office of the Select Board, the remaining
Select Board members may, at any time prior to the next Annual Town
Election, appoint a qualified person to serve as a Select Board member
until such election; provided, however, that prior to appointment,
a proposed appointee shall be named in a public Select Board's meeting
and public comments shall be invited, specific to the proposed appointee.
At the next Annual Town Election, the voters shall elect a Select
Board Member to serve for the unexpired portion of the original term.
This section shall not prevent a voter-initiated special election
under Section 10 of Chapter 41 of the General Laws.
3-2-1.
Except as otherwise provided by this Charter, all executive powers
of the Town shall be vested in the Select Board. The Select Board
shall have all the powers and duties given to boards of selectmen
under the Constitution and General Laws of the Commonwealth, and such
additional powers and duties as may be authorized by the Charter,
by by-law, or by any other Town Meeting vote.
3-2-2.
The Select Board shall cause the laws and orders 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.
3-2-3.
The Select Board shall serve as the chief goal-setting and policy-making
agency of the Town and, as such, shall not normally administer the
day-to-day affairs of the Town, but shall instead regularly direct
the Town Manager to help it in carrying out its administrative duties,
and make recommendations to the Town Meeting relating to actions required
to be taken by that body.
3-3-1.
The Select Board shall have the power to enact rules and regulations
establishing Town policies, not otherwise governed by General Law,
this Charter, or by-law; provided, however, that whenever an appropriation
shall be necessary to implement such action, the vote of the Board
shall be effective only if such appropriation has been authorized
by the Town Meeting.
3-4-1.
The Select Board may conduct investigations and may authorize the
Town Manager or other agent to investigate the affairs of the Town
and the conduct of any Town department, office, or agency, including
any doubtful claims against the Town, and for this purpose the Board
may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, and require
the production of evidence. The report of such investigation shall
be placed on file in the office of the Town Clerk, and a report summarizing
such investigation shall be printed in the next Town Report.
3-5-1.
The Select Board shall act as the licensing authority of the Town
and shall have the power and responsibility required to issue licenses,
to make all necessary rules and regulations regarding the issuance
of such licenses, and to attach conditions and impose such restrictions
as it considers to be in the public interest, and further to enforce,
or cause to be enforced, the laws, rules, and regulations relating
to all businesses for which it issues licenses.
3-5-2.
The Select Board shall be recognized as head of the Town government
for all ceremonial purposes.
3-6-1.
The Board shall have the power to appoint:
(a)
A
Town Manager as provided in Chapter 4;
(b)
Town
Counsel
(c)
A
Town Accountant for a term of three years in accordance with Section
55 of MGL Chapter 41;
(d)
A
Police Chief;
(e)
A
Fire Chief;
(f)
Three
members of a Board of Registrars of Voters for overlapping three-year
terms;
(g)
Election
officers;
(h)
Three
constables; and
(i)
Five
members and three associate members of a Zoning Board of Appeals for
overlapping three-year terms.
3-6-2.
The Board shall also have the power to appoint Town boards enumerated
in Chapter 7, designated as Select Board appointees.
3-6-3.
The Boards enumerated in Chapter 7 shall be responsible to the Select
Board through the Town Manager, and shall work cooperatively with
the Town Manager, and be responsive to requests emanating from his
office.
3-7-1.
The Select Board shall also have the power to appoint such other
boards as may be in existence on the effective date of this Charter
and for whom no other method of appointment is provided in this Charter.
The Board shall also appoint such other boards as may be hereafter
established by general law, Charter, by-law, or vote of the Town Meeting.
3-7-2.
The provisions of 3-7-1 shall be inapplicable to the Board of Library
Trustees.
3-8-1.
Except for the purpose of investigation authorized by this Charter,
the Select Board or its members shall not give orders to any Town
employee who is subject to the direction and supervision of the Town
Manager either publicly or privately.
