The organization of the Town into operating agencies for the provision of services and the administration of the government may be accomplished through either of the methods provided in this article.
(a) 
Ordinances - Subject only to express prohibitions in a general law or the provisions of this Charter, the Town Council may, by ordinance, reorganize, consolidate, create, merge, divide or abolish any Town agency, in whole or in part; establish such new Town agencies as it deems necessary or advisable, determine the manner of selection, the term of office and prescribe the functions of all such entities; 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.
(b) 
Administrative Code - The Mayor may from time to time prepare and submit to the Town Council plans of organization or reorganization which establish operating divisions for the orderly, efficient or convenient conduct of the business of the Town. Whenever the Mayor prepares such a plan the Mayor 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 hearing will be held, not less than seven nor more than 14 days following said publication. Following such public hearing, the proposal, which may have been amended subsequent to the public hearing, shall be submitted to the Town Council by the Mayor. An organization or reorganization plan shall become effective at the expiration of 60 days following the date on which the proposal is submitted to the Town Council unless the Town Council shall, within said 60 days, by a majority vote, 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. The Mayor may, through the administrative code, and subject only to express prohibitions in a general law, or this Charter, reorganize, consolidate or abolish any Town agency, in whole or in part; establish such new Town agencies as are deemed necessary to the same extent as is provided in Section 6-1(a), above, for ordinances; and for such purpose transfer the duties and powers and, so far as is consistent with the use for which the funds were voted by the Town, transfer the appropriation of one Town agency to another; 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.
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 if the plan is adopted.
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 nor more than 14 days following said publication.
All appointments and promotions of Town officers and employees shall be made on the basis of merit and fitness demonstrated by examination, or by other evidence of competence and suitability.
(a) 
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 municipal finance 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, the Town Collector, and the Board of Assessors; and it may have such additional powers, duties and responsibilities with respect to municipal finance related functions and activities as the Town may from time to time provide, by ordinance. So much of the powers of a chief procurement officer which the Mayor does not personally exercise shall be assigned to the Department of Municipal Finance. All activity by the Mayor acting as a chief procurement officer shall be processed through the Department of Municipal Finance.
(b) 
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 Mayor shall also appoint the person, or persons, performing the duties of Town Collector and Town Treasurer. 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 general laws, Town ordinances, administrative code and rules and regulations. The Director of Municipal Finance shall serve, as the Mayor may from time to time specify, as the Town Treasurer, Collector, Treasurer-Collector or Town Accountant.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 16, Departments, § 16-15.
(a) 
Establishment; scope - There shall be a Department of Planning and Development responsible for the coordination of all the planning and development related activities of the Town. The Department of Planning and 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 Planning Board, 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 the Town may from time to time provide, by ordinance, and which may include the coordination of all land acquisition and land management proposals, economic development planning, 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.
(b) 
Director of Planning and Development - The Department of Planning and Development shall be under the direct control and supervision of a Director of Planning and Development, who shall be appointed by and who shall be responsible to the Mayor. The Director of Planning and Development shall be a person especially fitted by education, experience and training to perform the duties of the office. The Director of Planning and Development shall be responsible for the supervision and coordination of all activities of the Department of Planning and Development in accordance with general laws, Town ordinances, administrative code and rules and regulations.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 16, Departments, § 16-9.
(a) 
Composition, mode of appointment and term of office - There shall be a permanent Building and Other Facilities Planning and Construction Committee (which may be referred to as the "Planning and Construction Committee") consisting of seven members. Six of the committee members shall be appointed by the Mayor for terms of three years each, so arranged that the term of two members shall expire each year. In making appointments to the committee, the Mayor shall seek persons having experience in the fields of architecture, engineering, construction, real estate or law. The seventh member of the committee shall be designated, annually, by the School Committee and may, but need not, be a member of the School Committee.
(b) 
Power and duties - The Building and Other Facilities Planning and Construction Committee shall be responsible for monitoring the physical condition of all municipal buildings and other facilities. The committee shall meet from time to time with representatives of municipal agencies to evaluate the need for additions, renovations or remodeling of any existing building or facility or for the construction of new buildings or other facilities. The committee shall file written reports, at least annually, with the Mayor in which it shall make recommendations as to the need for any project or projects.
Whenever any construction work on any municipal building or other facility is authorized, the Building and Other Facilities Planning and Construction Committee shall be responsible for all work in connection with the project, including site planning, surveying, engineering studies, architectural plans and specifications and the supervision of construction.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 7, Boards, Commissions and Multiple-Member Bodies, § 7-11.
(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 Town Accountant, the Town Treasurer, 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. The Department of Human Resources may, at the request of the School Committee, perform any of the same services for employees of the School Department as it provides for Town employees generally.
The functions of the Department of Human Resources shall include the following:
1. 
Plan, administer and direct all phases of all municipal personnel plans and collective bargaining agreements, including job description, position classification, sick and vacation day administration, accident prevention programs, employee grievance procedures, physical examination processing, testing, review and evaluation of work records and all other record keeping related to Town employees.
2. 
Develop new and revised personnel policies and practices to maintain and keep current the existing high standards for municipal personnel.
3. 
Review and evaluate all requests for new or additional personnel made by Town agencies and make recommendations to the Mayor.
4. 
Advise and assist all agency heads and employees in all aspects of municipal personnel matters, including recruitment, promotion, transfer, training, wages, insurance and other benefits of employment.
(2) 
Director of Human Resources - The department shall be headed by a Director of Human Resources appointed by the Mayor and who shall be responsible to the Mayor. 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 general laws, Town ordinances, administrative code and rules and regulations.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 16, Departments, § 16-5.
There shall be a Board of License Commissioners which shall have the power to issue licenses for innholders or common victuallers, have the powers of a licensing board appointed under Section 4 of Chapter 138 of the General Laws, and to be the licensing authority for the purposes of Chapter 138 and Chapter 140 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 License Commissioners may grant licenses relating to alcoholic beverages under Chapter 138 of the General Laws and those licenses under Chapter 140 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 Board of License Commissioners shall consist of three voters appointed by the Mayor for terms of three years each, so arranged that the term of one member shall expire each year. No person while a member of the Board of License Commissioners shall have any connection, directly or indirectly, with the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages in any form.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 7, Boards, Commissions and Multiple-Member Bodies, § 7-9.
[Amended 11-8-2005]
There shall be a Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners consisting of seven members appointed by the Mayor for overlapping terms of three years each, so arranged so that the term of office of at least two members shall expire in each odd-numbered year. The Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners shall act in an advisory capacity to the Mayor.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 7, Boards, Commissions and Multiple-Member Bodies, § 7-25.
There shall be a Public Safety Commission which shall consist of five voters appointed by the Mayor for terms of three years each, so arranged that as nearly an equal a number of terms as is possible shall expire each year. The Public Safety Commission shall be responsible for oversight of the Police and Fire Departments and for the effective coordination of the administration of the said departments with one another and with other Town departments and agencies. The Public Safety Commission shall have no authority to interfere with the delivery by police officers and firefighters of police or fire services, which direction shall, exclusively, be the responsibility of the respective chiefs.
The Public Safety Commission shall assist the Mayor in the supervision of the Police and Fire Departments by making recommendations to the Mayor concerning (1) setting priorities within the said departments, (2) the annual operating and capital budget requests to be made for police and fire services, and (3) the appointment and promotion of officers and men in the two departments.
The Public Safety Commission shall be responsible for the imposition of discipline in the Police and Fire Departments by receiving all complaints made by the public concerning the operation of the Police and Fire Departments and the conduct of the officers, women and men comprising the Police and Fire Departments. The Public Safety Commission shall, subject to such rules and regulations as it may from time to time adopt establishing procedures to be followed by it, hold public hearings concerning complaints made to it, and its decisions with respect to punishment to be imposed on police officers and firefighters shall be final. Nothing in this section shall be construed to be a bar to any other review as may be provided by general law.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 7, Boards, Commissions and Multiple-Member Bodies, § 7-29.