City of Fall River, MA Article 4 SCHOOL COMMITTEE

SECTION 4-1 COMPOSITION; TERM OF OFFICE; ELIGIBILITY.

(a) Composition - There shall be a school committee which shall consist of 7 members. Six of these members shall be nominated and elected by the voters of the city at large. The mayor shall be the seventh member and shall serve as chair.

(b) Term of Office - The term of office for elected school committee members shall be 2 years each, beginning on the first Monday in the January succeeding the elected school committee's election, except when that first Monday falls on a legal holiday, in which event the term shall begin on the following day, and until successors have been qualified.

(c) Eligibility - A school committee member shall, at the time of election, be a voter. If a school committee member removes from the city during the term for which that person was elected, that office shall immediately be deemed vacant and filled in the manner provided in section 4-8.

SECTION 4-2 ELECTION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR; POWERS AND DUTIES OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.

(a) Election and Term - As soon as practicable after school committee members-elect have been qualified following each regular city election as provided in section 9-11, the members of the school committee shall elect from among its members a vice-chair who shall serve for a 1-year term. The method of election of the vice-chair shall be prescribed within the rules of the school committee.

(b) Powers and Duties - The chair shall approve the agenda for school committee meetings. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the school committee, regulate its proceedings and decide all questions of order. The chair shall appoint all members of committees of the school committee, whether special or standing. The chair shall have the same powers to vote upon measures coming before the school committee as any other member of the school committee. The chair shall perform any other duties consistent with the office that are established by charter, ordinance or other vote of the school committee. The vice-chair shall preside in the absence of the chair.

SECTION 4-3 PROHIBITIONS.

No member of the school committee shall hold any other compensated city position. No former member of the school committee shall hold any compensated appointed city office or city employment until 1 year following the date on which that member's service on the school committee terminated. This section shall not prevent a city officer or other city employee who has vacated a position in order to serve as a member of the school committee from returning to the same office or other position of city employment held at the time the position was vacated; provided, however, that no such person shall be eligible for any other municipal position until at least 1 year following the termination of service as a member of the school committee.

SECTION 4-4 COMPENSATION, EXPENSES.

(a) Salary - The city council shall, by ordinance, establish the compensation for the elected members of the school committee. No ordinance increasing or reducing the compensation of elected members of the school committee shall be effective unless it has been adopted during the first 18 months of the term for which the school committee is elected, provides that the compensation increase or reduction is to take effect upon the organization of city government following the next regular city election, and has been adopted by a minimum of 6 votes of the city council.

(b) Expenses - Subject to appropriation, the school committee members shall be entitled to reimbursement of their actual and necessary expenses in the performance of their duties. The actual and necessary expenses shall be defined in the rules and regulations of the school committee.

SECTION 4-5 SCHOOL COMMITTEE POWERS AND DUTIES.

The school committee shall have all powers which are conferred on school committees by the General Laws and the additional powers and duties provided by charter, ordinance or otherwise and not inconsistent with the General Laws. The powers and duties of the school committee shall include:

(a) selecting and removing a superintendent of the schools who shall be charged with the administration of the school system, subject only to policy guidelines and directives adopted by the school committee and, upon the recommendation of the superintendent, to establish and appoint assistant or associate superintendents as authorized by the General Laws;

(b) making all reasonable policies, rules and regulations for the management of the public school system and for conducting the business of the school committee as deemed necessary or desirable; and

(c) adopting and overseeing the administration of an annual operating budget for the school department, subject to appropriation by the city council; provided, however, that the school committee shall have general charge and superintendence of all school buildings and grounds and shall furnish all school buildings with proper fixtures, furniture and equipment; provided further, that the school committee shall provide ordinary maintenance of all school buildings and grounds, unless a central municipal maintenance department, which may include maintenance of school buildings and grounds, is established; provided further, that whenever the school committee shall determine that additional classrooms are necessary to meet the educational needs of the community, at least 1 member of the school committee, or a designee of the school committee, shall serve on the agency, board or committee for the planning or construction of the new, remodeled or renovated school building.

SECTION 4-6 MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

(a) Except in the case of an emergency, or in the event of a joint meeting with the city council, the school committee shall not meet on the same date as a regularly scheduled city council meeting.

(b) Regularly scheduled meetings of the school committee shall be held at a time and place as determined by the school committee's rules.

SECTION 4-7 INTERFERENCE WITH ADMINISTRATION.

The school committee, or any member thereof, shall not give orders or directions to any employee of the school department appointed by the superintendent, either publicly or privately.

SECTION 4-8 FILLING OF VACANCIES.

If a vacancy shall occur on the school committee, the vacancy shall be filled in the descending order of votes received by the candidate for the office of school committee at the preceding city election who received the highest number of votes without being elected to the office, provided such candidate remains eligible and willing to serve. The city clerk shall certify this candidate to the office of school committee member and the candidate shall be sworn to office immediately to serve for the balance of the unexpired term. Persons serving as school committee members under this section shall not be entitled to have the words "candidate for reelection" printed with that person's name on the election ballot.