[Adopted 6-6-1988 STM (Ch. 2, Art. VI, Div. II, of the General Bylaws)]
[Added 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
In accordance with MGL c. 40, § 8B: "A city by ordinance or a town by by-law may establish a council on aging for the purpose of coordinating or carrying out programs designed to meet the problems of the aging in coordination with programs of the department of elder affairs. The council shall submit an annual report to the city or town and shall send a copy thereof to the department of elder affairs. Said department shall from time to time review and evaluate such reports and make recommendations as to any required or needed changes in said local programs. The council may appoint such clerks and other employees as it may require. The names, addresses, telephone numbers, or other identifying information about elderly persons in the possession of the council shall not be public records, but the use of these records shall comply with sections 14 to 24, inclusive, of chapter 19A as a condition of receiving a government contract, program grant or other benefit, or as otherwise required by law."
The name of the organization shall be the "Groveland Council on Aging," hereinafter referred to as "the Council," as established by Town Meeting of the Town of Groveland in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
A. 
The Council shall carry out the programs designed to meet the problems of the aged in coordination with programs of the Councils on Aging established under MGL c. 40, § 8B.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
B. 
The Council shall identify the total needs of the elderly population of the community.
C. 
The Council shall inform the members of the community of the needs of its elderly and enlist support, cooperation and participation of the townspeople concerning these needs.
D. 
The Council shall design, promote and support programs and services to fill the needs of the elderly in the community.
E. 
The Council shall be aware of all state and federal legislation concerning funding, information exchange and program planning which exists for the better community programming for the elderly.
F. 
The Council is authorized to appoint whatever functional committees are deemed necessary to accomplish the purposes and goals stated herein. Chairpersons of these committees must be members of the Council. It is the individual Chairperson's prerogative to involve non-members.
A. 
The Council shall consist of seven members, of which at least 51% shall be elders over 60 years of age.
[Amended 10-5-2009 STM; 5-23-2022 ATM by Art. 13]
B. 
Members shall be nominated by a majority vote of the existing members of the Council, and nominations shall be sent to the Board of Selectmen for appointment. Vacancies in unexpired terms shall be filled in the same manner.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
C. 
Council members shall be appointed for a term of three years, except members appointed to fill a vacancy in an unexpired term. These appointees to fill a vacancy in an unexpired term shall serve initially only for the duration of the unexpired term.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
D. 
Except as provided in Subsection E, members may serve no more than two consecutive terms. Appointment to a vacancy in an unexpired terms does not constitute a full term for the purpose of this section and subsection.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
E. 
Upon unanimous recommendation of the Membership Committee and subsequent unanimous vote of the Council membership in attendance, a retiring member shall be eligible for appointment to one additional term of three years.
F. 
After a lapse of one year, ex-members may be eligible for reappointment.
G. 
Council members wishing to be reappointed must make their intentions known by so stating in writing to the Chairperson of the Council.
H. 
All voting rights shall be vested in the members and each individual present shall be entitled to one vote with respect to any question or matter which may come before the Council.
I. 
If a member should miss three consecutive meetings without just cause, resignation shall be requested.
J. 
The Council may set up an associate membership list of interested residents who may attend meetings but may not vote. Upon approval by the Council, associate members may sit in committees and may form a pool from which prospective full members may be chosen.
A. 
Number, qualification, election and term of office.
(1) 
The officers of the Council shall consist of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer, and may include such number of assistants as the Council may from time to time deem advisable.
(2) 
Each of such principal officers shall be elected annually from the membership at the regular annual meeting of the Council in the month of June.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
(3) 
New terms of office take effect at the first meeting of the Council in the month of July, with the start of the fiscal year.
(4) 
A committee of three persons, with one designated as Chairperson, shall be appointed and confirmed by the Council as a whole each April for the purpose of nominating candidates for the principal officers of the Council. The Chairperson of the committee shall assure that any member of the Council seeking an office shall have their name submitted in due course with proper notice for ballot by Council. Should there be more than one applicant for a stated position, election for that position shall be by secret ballot.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
(5) 
The Chairperson of the Nominating Committee shall present the Committee's report at the May meeting and shall have ballots available for the election at the annual June meeting.
(6) 
Election of officers to fill vacancies created by death, resignation or other cause may take place at any regular or special meeting and shall be for the unexpired term of the previous incumbent, except that the office of Chairperson, if vacated, shall first be filled by the Vice-Chairperson followed by the Secretary, and then the Treasurer, for the unexpired portion of the Chairperson's term of office.
[Amended 4-24-2006 ATM]
(7) 
After serving two consecutive terms of one year, the Chairperson shall be ineligible to hold that office for the next two years. However, said Chairperson shall be eligible to hold another office.
B. 
Chairperson. The Chairperson shall be the chief executive officer of the Council, subject to the direction of members of the Council, and shall have charge of the business affairs of the Council in its general operations, including correspondence. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council, shall appoint all committees and shall be an ex officio member of all committees.
C. 
Vice-Chairperson. During the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall exercise all the functions of the Chairperson, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of, and be subject to all the restrictions upon, the Chairperson.
D. 
Secretary. The Secretary shall:
(1) 
Record all the proceedings of the meetings of the Council;
(2) 
Cause all notices to be duly given in accordance with the provisions of the bylaws and which may be required by statute; and
(3) 
In general perform all duties pertaining to the office.
E. 
Treasurer. The Treasurer shall:
(1) 
Keep, or cause to be kept, all books of accounts of all the business transactions, receipts and disbursements of the Council.
(2) 
Render to the Chairperson and to the members when assembled in meeting, or whenever requested, a statement of the financial condition of the Council and of all the transactions as Treasurer.
(3) 
Render a full financial report, based on the books and accounts audited by the Town Accountant at the annual meeting in June.
F. 
Requests for expenditures shall be presented by the Council at the regular monthly meeting, and considered under "New Business" for approval by the Council for payment by the Town Accountant. The Treasurer and/or Chairperson of Board must approve and sign all vouchers for payment.
[Amended 4-24-2006 ATM]
A. 
Regular meetings. Regular meetings of the Council shall be posted with the Town Clerk at least two workdays in advance and shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month. The meeting day may be changed by majority vote of the Council on condition that sufficient time for proper notice be provided.
B. 
Special meetings. Special meetings of the Council may be called by the Chairperson or upon the written request of three members. All members shall be notified of special meetings.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
C. 
Annual meeting. The annual meeting of the Council shall be held during the month of June. Notice of the annual meeting, stating the purpose for which the meeting is called, and the time and place where it is to be held, shall be given to each voting member not less than seven days before the meeting.
D. 
Quorum. At all meetings of the Council, the presence of a majority of the voting membership shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.
A. 
The Council shall have the power and authority to employ any clerical or other assistance it may require to discharge its duties.
B. 
No member of the Council, other than the Chairperson, shall make requests of the staff or assign duties.
C. 
The Council shall fill all vacant and new staff positions in accordance with approved Town personnel practices and procedures.
D. 
Screening and hiring recommendations to the Council shall be made through the COA Personnel Committee or an especially appointed search committee as the Chairperson may direct.
[Amended 4-24-2023 ATM by Art. 16]
The Chairperson shall appoint the following standing committees: (1) Nominating; (2) Personnel; and (3) Finance. The Chairperson shall also appoint other such committees as are deemed necessary and expedient. The Chairperson may also make replacements to the members as the Chairperson deems advisable and necessary.
The Council shall have the power to amend the bylaws in the following manner: Any proposed amendment or alteration of the bylaws must be approved by affirmative vote of 2/3 of the members of the Council at two consecutive regular meetings. Proposed amendments or alterations may be considered at a special meeting of the Council called for such purpose, preceded by not less than 14 days' notice of the proposed action. In either case, notice shall be accompanied by the full text and purpose of the proposed amendment or alteration.
[Amended 4-24-2006 ATM]
The effective date of these bylaws shall be the date of that meeting at which the bylaws have been approved by an affirmative vote of not less than 2/3 of members. The date on which this approval is voted is June 6, 1988.