Town of Longmeadow, MA Article 6 Administrative Organization

Section 6-1 Method of Organization - Town Departments.

(a) Subject only to the express prohibitions in the constitution, the general laws or this charter, the town manager may, from time to time, prepare as an administrative code, a plan of organization or reorganization of town government for the orderly, efficient and convenient conduct of the business of the town. The administrative code may: (1) consolidate, create, merge, divide or abolish any town department or office, except the school department, in whole or in part; (2) establish such new town departments or offices as he or she deems necessary or advisable; and (3) prescribe the functions and the administrative procedures to be followed by all such departments or offices.

(b) The town manager shall submit such administrative code to the select board. The select board shall conduct a public hearing on said administrative code within sixty days of receipt. The select board shall, by majority vote of the full board, vote within thirty days of the public hearing to approve or disapprove of the administrative code as submitted by the town manager.

Section 6-2 Department of Finance and Administration.

(a) Establishment and Scope - There shall be a department of finance and administration responsible for the fiscal affairs of the town and for the coordination and overall supervision of all business, fiscal, and financial activities of all town agencies, including the school department. The department of finance and administration shall include the functions of accounting, tax and fee collections, treasury management, assessing, purchasing, contracting, information technology, town clerk's functions, personnel functions and those functions further assigned by the town manager.

(b) The department shall be subject to the direction of a finance director who shall be appointed by, and directly responsible to, the town manager. The finance director shall serve at the pleasure of the town manager and shall be especially fitted by education, training and experience for the duties of the office. The finance director may also serve simultaneously as town accountant; or collector; or treasurer, but may not serve as town accountant and collector simultaneously.

Section 6-3 Department of Public Works.

(a) Establishment and Scope - There shall be a department of public works responsible for the performance of all public works activities of the town placed under its control by the charter, by by-law, by administrative code, or otherwise. The department's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, refuse collection and disposal; recycling; forestry services; tree care; protection of natural resources; care and maintenance of parks, playing fields, playgrounds and public lawns; water supply and distribution; sewers and sewerage systems; street and road maintenance and repair; and care and maintenance of town buildings and grounds and school buildings and grounds.

(b) Director of Public Works - The department of public works shall be under the direct control of a director of public works who shall be appointed by, and directly responsible to, the town manager. The director of public works shall serve at the pleasure of the town manager and shall be a person especially fitted by education, training and previous experience to perform the duties of the office. The director of public works shall be responsible for the supervision and coordination of all divisions within the department in accordance with state statutes, town by-laws, administrative code and directives of the town manager.

Section 6-4 Department of Planning and Community Development.

(a) Establishment and Scope - there shall be a department of planning and community development responsible for coordinating and guiding the safe, healthy and economic development of the town. The department of planning and community development shall include the functions of planning, zoning enforcement, sub-division control, building inspections and code enforcement, conservation, and historic district protection, monitoring the implementation of the town's approved long range plan, and those functions further assigned by the town manager.

(b) It shall be the responsibility of the director of planning and community development, or the town manager if there is no director, to coordinate the activities of the staff of the department in serving the public and in support of the planning board, conservation commission and zoning board of appeals, historic district commission, and such other offices and boards as are concerned with buildings and land use.

(c) The staff of the department of planning and community development shall be subject to the direction of the director of planning and community development who shall be appointed by and directly responsible the town manager. The director of planning and community development shall serve at the pleasure of the town manager, and may also serve as the town planner, town Engineer or Building Inspector. Except as specifically provided for elsewhere in this charter, this section shall not subsume the powers and duties of the above named boards and commissions as prescribed by general laws and town by-laws.

Section 6-5 Department of Parks and Recreation.

(a) Establishment and Scope - there shall be a department of parks and recreation responsible for the use of parks and conduct of recreational activities. The department of parks and recreation shall include the functions of overseeing the use of town parks, playing fields and playgrounds and swimming facilities and the coordination and supervision of recreational activities and events.

(b) The department of parks and recreation shall be under the direct control of a director of parks and recreation, who shall be appointed by, and directly responsible to the town manager. The director shall serve at the pleasure of the town manager and shall assume all of the administrative duties and responsibilities for parks and recreation except those duties assigned by the charter to the department of public works, and shall further perform such additional functions and duties as may be assigned by the town manager. The director shall further provide staff support to the park and recreation commission and shall coordinate departmental programs with the commission.

[Amended 10-25-2022 STM by Art. 26]

Section 6-6 School Department.

(a) Establishment and Scope - The school department is established in accordance with the constitution and general laws of the Commonwealth. It is responsible for the public education system for the Town of Longmeadow as required by the Massachusetts Department of Education and the policies adopted by the elected School Committee as set forth in section 3-3 of this charter.

(b) Superintendent of Schools - The school department shall be under the direct control of a superintendent of schools appointed by an affirmative vote of at least five members of the full school committee for a term of office and under such conditions of employment as provided for in a written contract and as further provided for in section 3-3(c) of the charter. The superintendent may be removed from office by an affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of the school committee. The superintendent shall manage the school system consistent with general law and policies set by the school committee. The superintendent shall have those powers and duties given to school superintendents by general law, except those powers and duties assigned by the charter to the town manager, and shall further have those powers and duties as may be assigned by the school committee.

[Amended 10-25-2022 STM by Art. 26]