The Select Board shall appoint a Town Administrator for an indefinite term and fix compensation within the amount appropriated by the Town. The Town Administrator shall be appointed solely on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications. The appointee shall be a person especially fitted by education, training and/or experience in public management or administration. The Town may, from time to time, establish by Bylaw such additional qualifications as seem necessary and appropriate.
In the event that the Town Administrator vacates that office, it shall be filled in accordance with Section 4-2 and Section 5-2 by the Select Board. Meanwhile, they shall appoint a suitably experienced person as temporary Town Administrator to perform the duties of the office. Such temporary appointment may not exceed six months. but one additional renewal, not to exceed three months, may be voted by the Select Board. The Select Board shall set compensation for such person.
The Select Board shall appoint a five-member Town Administrator Search Committee consisting of the following:
One member of the Select Board,
One Town department head,
Three voters who, except for special employees, are not employees of the Town.
The Search Committee shall advertise the available position, screen all applicants and present no fewer than two nor more than three candidates to the Select Board. The Search Committee shall follow comply with the affirmative action guidelines as established by Federal Law. The Select Board shall interview the candidates presented by the Search Committee at a regular meeting of the Select Board. The Select Board, by majority vote, shall choose a Town Administrator.
In the event of any vacancy in the office of the Town Administrator, the Select Board will initiate the appointive procedure within 10 days.
The Town Administrator shall be the Chief Administrative Officer of the Town and be directly responsible to the Select Board for the administration of all Town affairs by or under this Charter.
The powers and duties shall be to:
(A) 
Supervise and direct the administration of all departments, agencies, and offices for whose function the Town Administrator is responsible.
(B) 
Appoint, subject to confirmation by the Select Board, all appointive Town officers, utilizing procedures described in Article 6, unless otherwise stated in this Charter.
(C) 
Make notification of all unfilled positions within the Town by posting a notice on the bulletin boards at the Town Hall, on the Town's official website, and on other electronic platforms consistent with the Town Clerk’s policies, for a period of no fewer than five days, and by notification in writing to the local news media.
(D) 
Fix the compensation of all Town officers and employees appointed by the Town Administrator within the limits established by existing appropriations and Bylaws.
(E) 
Attend all meetings of the Select Board, unless excused, and have a voice but no vote in all of its deliberations.
(F) 
Keep full and complete records of the office and render as often as may be required by the Select Board, but at least annually, a report of all operations within the Town Administrator's jurisdiction during the period reported on, which report shall be made available to the public.
(G) 
Advise the Select Board as to the needs of the Town and recommend to them for adoption such measures requiring action by them or by the Town Meeting.
(H) 
Hold full jurisdiction, exercise care, custody, and control over the rental and use of all Town property, except school property, the Joshua Hyde Library and property under the control of the Conservation Commission, and for the maintenance and repair of all Town buildings and facilities.
(I) 
Present to the Select Board a draft annual budget of the Town and be responsible for the development and annual updating of the Capital Improvement Program.
(J) 
Maintain a complete inventory of all property of the Town, both real and personal.
(K) 
Negotiate contracts involving any subject within the jurisdiction of the Town Administrator. These proposed contracts shall be subject to final approval and execution by the Select Board. Copies of all proposed contracts, including personnel, shall be provided to the Finance Committee by the Select Board within 10 days of approval for record purposes.
(L) 
Be responsible, as Chief Procurement Officer, for purchasing all supplies, material, and equipment for all departments under the Town Administrator's jurisdiction.
(M) 
Ensure that all provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, the Charter, the votes of the Town Meetings, and votes of the Select Board are faithfully carried out.
(N) 
Prepare and revise, as necessary, a plan establishing personnel requirements. It shall include job descriptions, together with wage and salary schedules, for all departments established by this Charter, or Town Bylaw, except school department employees, and it shall become effective within 30 days of submission to the Select Board, unless rejected by them.
(O) 
Inquire into the official conduct of any officer, employee, department, board, or commission under Town Administrator jurisdiction.
(P) 
Attend all sessions of the Town Meetings and respond to all questions that arise in relation to the office of the Town Administrator.
(Q) 
Perform any other duties required by the Bylaws, the votes of the Town Meeting, or the votes of the Select Board.
The Select Board may, by a majority vote of all members of the Select Board then in office, provided there are at least three qualified Select Board members, terminate and remove, or suspend, the Town Administrator from office. The Select Board shall provide the Town Administrator a written statement containing the reason(s) for the vote to approve termination and removal, or suspension, within seven days. The Town Administrator, upon receipt of said statement, shall notify the Select Board in writing, within seven days, of the exercise of the right to a public hearing. Such public hearing shall be conducted at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Select Board following the Select Board's receipt of the Town Administrator's written request for a public hearing.
The Select Board may, by a majority vote of all Select Board members then in office, provided there are at least three qualified Select Board members voting, affirm the vote of termination and removal, or suspension, of the Town Administrator from office immediately upon the affirmation of the vote in the public hearing. Alternatively, the Select Board may reverse the initial vote of termination and removal, or suspension, of the Town Administrator from office, or take any action the Select Board deems suitable.
The Select Board may suspend the Town Administrator from office pending and during the public hearing. Actions of the Select Board that are in accordance with this procedure are final. Authority and responsibility for termination and removal, or suspension, of the Town Administrator reside solely in the jurisdiction of the Select Board. The Town Administrator's salary will continue to be paid until the Select Board's vote to terminate and remove, or suspend, the Town Administrator becomes final.
The Town Administrator shall appoint a qualified Town employee as Acting Town Administrator, by a letter filed with the Town Clerk, to exercise the powers and perform the duties of Town Administrator in the event of a temporary absence that will make the Town Administrator unavailable to perform the required duties of the office for three consecutive business days or more. The Select Board may not revoke any such designation of an Acting Town Administrator until at least 10 days have elapsed, whereupon the Select Board may appoint another qualified Town employee to serve as Acting Town Administrator. The Select Board may determine a designated Acting Town Administrator is incapable, unable, or unwilling, to perform the assigned duties; in such circumstance, the Select Board can appoint another qualified Town employee to serve as Acting Town Administrator.
In the event the Town Administrator is incapacitated without a determined date of return, the Select Board shall immediately appoint a qualified person as Acting Town Administrator.