Pursuant to MGL c. 39, § 16, there shall be elected
five members of the Finance Committee, who shall serve for a term
of three years. Said terms shall be two elected one year, two the
next year, and one the third year. The Town Treasurer and Town Accountant
are not eligible to serve on said Committee. In case of vacancy, the
Select Board and the remaining members of the Finance Committee shall
appoint a candidate to serve until the next Annual or Special Election,
whichever shall come first.
A. The
Finance Committee shall organize annually and elect a Chairman and
Secretary.
B. All
matters in the warrant for the Annual Meeting calling for the appropriation
of money shall be refereed to the Committee by the Select Board.
C. The
Committee shall fully inform the Select Board as to the financial
condition of the Town and prepare a statement of the fixed charges
against the Town for which taxes must be levied.
D. All
Town officers are required to furnish said Committee with any facts
or figures in their possession that may be required of them.
E. No
article calling for the appropriation of money shall be acted upon
unless first submitted to the Finance Committee. The rejection of
an article by the Committee calling for the appropriation of money
shall not prevent the Town from taking action thereon at an Annual
or Special Town Meeting.
F. At
least one public hearing shall be held previous to the Annual Meeting,
at which time all interested taxpayers may be heard as to the appropriations
to be voted upon at the Town Meeting.
[Amended 10-6-2022 STM by Art. 4]
G. At
least three days previous to the Annual Meeting the Report of the
Recommendations of the Finance Committee of the ensuing year shall
be printed and posted as directed by Town Meeting for the posting
of public notices.
H. A
copy shall also be submitted to the Town Meeting when it is organized.
I. Any
article in a warrant for a Special Town Meeting relative to appropriating
or borrowing money shall be acted on by said Committee; except that
but one public hearing may be held by said Committee.
The Town hereby establishes a Planning Board of five members
under the provisions of MGL c. 41, § 81A, with all the powers
and duties therein, and terms in accordance with the provisions of
statute.
The Town hereby establishes a Conservation Commission consisting
of six members, plus one associate member, who will be appointed by
the Select Board and who shall serve in accordance with and with the
powers and duties set forth in the Massachusetts General Laws.
There shall be appointed by the Select Board a Parks and Recreation
Commission. The Parks and Recreation Commission shall oversee and
maintain all public parks and recreational facilities within the Town
and, with the approval of the Select Board, set compensation for any
employees needed to maintain said parks. Said Commission shall consist
of five or more members, who shall be appointed annually for terms
of one year.
There shall be appointed by the Select Board a Capital Planning
Committee pursuant to MGL c. 41, § 106B, as amended. Said
Committee shall be required to develop and annually review a capital
improvement program for the Town, to make recommendations to the Select
Board and the Finance Committee and to include those recommendations
in the Annual Report of Town Officers. Said Committee shall consist
of five members with staggered terms of five years.
There shall be appointed by the Select Board a Council on Aging
in accordance with MGL c. 40, § 8B, as amended, for the
purpose of coordinating and carrying out programs designed to meet
the problems of the aging. The Council shall consist of seven members
with staggered terms of five years.
Pursuant to the provisions of MGL c. 41 there shall be elected
three members of the Board of Health, who shall each be elected for
a term of three years. Said terms shall be staggered so that one member
is elected every year.
There shall be elected two members of the Berkshire Hills Regional
School District, who shall be elected for terms of four years. Said
election shall be according to the provisions of the Berkshire Hills
Regional School Agreement, Section 1, Paragraphs A, B, C, and D, as
amended. Candidates shall appear on the Biennial State Election Ballot.
There shall be elected three Cemetery Commissioners, who shall
serve for terms of three years. Said terms shall be staggered so that
one Commissioner is elected every year.
There shall be elected three Library Trustees, who shall serve
for terms of three years. Said terms shall be staggered so that one
Trustee is elected every year.
There shall be appointed by the Select Board a Board of Water and Sewer Commission in accordance with Chapter
125 of the Acts of 1998. The Board shall consist of five members, of which not less than three shall be users of the water or sewer system, with staggered terms of five years. Said Board shall have all the powers and duties as set forth in MGL c. 41, §§ 65 and 69B. Said Board shall, subject to the approval of the Select Board, annually set the charges to be assessed upon the water and sewer users and shall determine the number and compensation of all employees necessary to operate said water and sewer systems.
There shall be appointed by the Select Board an Historical Commission
in accordance with MGL c. 40, § 8D, as amended. Said Commission
shall have not more than seven members with staggered terms of three
years.