Town of Westwood, MA TOWN ADMINISTRATOR

6-2-1.

The town administrator shall be the chief administrative officer of the town and shall be directly responsible to the select board. The town administrator shall supervise, direct and be responsible for the efficient administration of all functions under the administrator's control as may be authorized by this charter, town by-law, town meeting vote or the vote of the select board, including all department heads and employees appointed by the town administrator or the select board, and their respective departments, and shall coordinate activities of all town departments. The powers and duties of the town administrator shall include, but not be limited to, the power or duty to:

(i)

appoint, discipline, suspend or remove town officers, department heads or principal deputies or agents of elected and appointed boards or officers, and other employees, including employees in civil service positions, for whom no other method of selection is provided by this charter or general or special laws, consistent with the town's personnel policies and subject to the terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreements; provided, however, that the town administrator shall keep the chair of the select board, or the chair's designee, informed as to status of all personnel decisions made or to be made hereunder and shall consult with the appropriate department head or principal deputy or agent prior to hiring an employee for that department; provided further, that appointments or removals of town officers, department heads or principal deputies or agents of elected and appointed boards or officers made by the town administrator under this clause shall become effective on the fifteenth day following the day notice of proposed appointment or removal is filed with the select board unless said board, within that period, rejects such appointment or removal, or has sooner voted to affirm it and copies of notices of proposed appointments, as filed with the select board, shall simultaneously be posted on the town bulletin board; provided further, that the town administrator shall consult with the select board prior to appointing a finance director under section 8-1-2; and provided further, that such appointment shall be subject to this clause.

(ii)

supervise and direct all appointed department heads and principal deputies or agents of part-time or volunteer elected and appointed boards or officers in a manner consistent with the town's personnel policies;

(iii)

coordinate the activities of all town agencies serving under the office of the town administrator and the office of the select board with those under the control of other officers and multiple member bodies elected directly by the voters; provided, however, that for this purpose, the town administrator shall have authority to require the persons so elected, or their representatives, to meet with the town administrator, at reasonable times, for the purpose of effecting coordination and cooperation among all agencies of the town; provided further, that the town administrator shall have the right to attend and speak at any public meeting of any multiple member body;

(iv)

administer and enforce, to the extent required, the General Laws, special acts of the commonwealth applicable to the town or town by-laws and all regulations established by the select board;

(v)

attend all regular and special meetings of the select board, unless excused; provided, however, that the town administrator shall have a voice but not a vote in all discussions;

(vi)

attend all sessions of the town meeting and answer all questions addressed to the town administrator that are related to the warrant articles and to matters under the general supervision of the town administrator;

(vii)

keep the select board fully informed as to the needs of the town and recommend to the select board for adoption such measures requiring action by the select board or by the town as the town administrator considers necessary or expedient;

(viii)

ensure that the complete and full records of the financial and administrative activity of the town are maintained and render reports to the select board as may be required;

(ix)

serve as the chief procurement officer under chapter 30B of the General Laws, and be responsible for the procurement and award of all contracts for supplies, services materials and equipment other than those for the school department and the library; provided, however, that any contract over $100,000 shall require approval by the select board;

(x)

develop and maintain a formal and complete inventory of all town-owned real and personal property and equipment;

(xi)

administer personnel policies, practices, rules and regulations, compensation and classification plan and related matters, in consultation with the personnel board, for all municipal employees; and administer all collective bargaining agreements entered into by the town;

(xii)

subject to the approval of the select board, fix the compensation of all officers, department heads, officers and employees appointed by the town administrator or the select board w thin the limits established by appropriation and any applicable compensation plan and collective bargaining agreement;

(xiii)

be responsible for the negotiation of all contracts with town employees, except employees of the school department, regarding wages and other terms and conditions of employment; provided, however, that collective bargaining agreements negotiated under the authority of this section shall be subject to the approval of the select board and to chapter 150E of the General Laws;

(xiv)

prepare, in consultation with the director of municipal finance, and submit an annual operating budget and capital improvement plan as provided in section 9-3-1 and be responsible for its administration after its adoption and transfer funds between individual line-items within a department account at any time during the fiscal year, with the approval of the select board; provided, however, that notice of such proposed transfer shall be provided to the select board and the finance and warrant commission and shall be posted on the town bulletin board, not less than 14 days prior to said transfer;

(xv)

keep the select board and the finance and warrant commission fully informed as to the financial condition of the town and make recommendations to the select board;

(xvi)

prepare and submit to the select board at the end of the fiscal year a comprehensive report on the finances and the activities and operations of all departments, boards and committees of the town;

(xvii)

investigate or inquire into the affairs of any town department or office;

(xviii)

delegate, authorize or direct any subordinate or employee in the town to exercise any power, duty or responsibility that the office of town administrator may exercise; provided, however, that all acts performed under such delegation shall be the acts of the town administrator;

(xix)

seek out and work to obtain resources from federal, state and other governmental jurisdictions that further town purposes;

(xx)

approve all payroll and expense warrants for payment of town funds; provided, however, that in the event of the absence of the town administrator, the select board shall approve such warrants; provided further, that if a vacancy exists in the office of town administrator, the select board shall approve all such warrants or may delegate such responsibility to an acting or temporary town administrator appointed under section 6-4-1 or section 6-4-2;

(xxi)

represent the select board, at its direction, at any county, regional, state and federal meetings;

(xxii)

supervise the issuance by the select board of licenses and permits and schedule all related hearings;

(xxiii)

serve as emergency management director, convening meetings and monitoring the centralized management issues during emergencies;

(xxiv)

coordinate litigation and authorize and monitor use of town counsel, special counsel and consultants; and

(xxv)

perform such other duties as necessary or as may be assigned by this charter, town by-law, town meeting vote or vote of the select board.