[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of West Stockbridge 6-22-2020 ATM by Art. 13. Amendments noted where applicable.]
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.