The inhabitants of the Town of Millbury within the corporate
limits as established by law shall continue to be a body corporate
and politic with perpetual succession under the name "Town of Millbury."
This instrument shall be known and may be cited as the Millbury
Home Rule Charter.
Subject only to express limitations on the exercise of any power
or function by a municipality in the constitution or laws of the Commonwealth,
it is the intent and the purpose of the voters of Millbury to secure
through the adoption of this charter all of the powers it is possible
to secure for a municipal government under the constitution and laws
of the Commonwealth.
The administration of all of the fiscal, prudential and municipal
affairs of the town shall be vested in an executive branch headed
by a board of selectmen, unless otherwise specified in this charter.
The legislative powers of the town shall be vested in a town meeting
open to all voters.
The powers of the Town of Millbury under this charter are to be construed liberally in its favor and the specific mention of any particular power is not intended to limit in any way the general powers of the Town of Millbury as stated in section
1-3.
Subject to the applicable requirements of any provision of the
constitution or statutes of the Commonwealth, the Town of Millbury
may exercise any of its powers or perform any of its functions and
may participate in the financing thereof, jointly or in cooperation
by contract or otherwise, with any one or more states or civil divisions
or agencies thereof or the United States government or any one or
more agencies thereof.
[ATM Art. 19, 5-3-2022]
Unless another meaning is clearly apparent from the manner in
which the word is used, the following words as used in this charter
shall have the following meanings:
Charter - The word "charter" shall mean this charter and any
amendments to it which may hereafter be adopted.
Days - The word "days" shall refer to business days, not including
Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays when the time set is less than
seven days; when the time set is seven days or more, every day shall
be counted.
Emergency - The word "emergency" shall mean a sudden, unexpected,
unforeseen happening, occurrence, event or condition which necessitates
immediate action.
general laws - The words "general laws" (all lower case letters)
shall mean laws which apply alike to all cities and towns, to all
towns, or to a class of municipalities of which Millbury is a member.
General Laws - The words "General Laws" (used with initial capital
letters) shall refer to the General Laws of Massachusetts, a codification
and revision of statutes enacted on December 22, 1920, and including
all amendments thereto subsequently adopted.
Local Newspaper - The words "local newspaper" shall mean a newspaper
of general circulation in the town of Millbury.
Majority Vote - The words "majority vote" shall mean a majority
of those present and voting, provided that a quorum of the body is
present when the vote is taken, unless a higher number is required
by law.
Multiple Member Body - The words "multiple member body" shall
mean any town body consisting of two or more persons and whether styled
board, commission, committee, subcommittee, or otherwise and however
elected or appointed or otherwise constituted.
Quorum - The word "quorum," unless otherwise required by law
or this charter, shall mean a majority of the members of a multiple
member body then in office, not including any vacancies which might
then exist.
Town - The word "town" shall mean the Town of Millbury.
Town Agency - The words "town agency" shall mean any board,
commission, committee, department, division or office of the town
government.
Town Bulletin Board - The words "town bulletin board" shall
mean the bulletin board in the town hall on which official town notices
are posted and those at other locations within the town which may
from time to time be designated as town bulletin boards by by-law.
Town Officer - The words "town officer" when used without further
qualification or description, shall mean a person having charge of
an office or department of the town who in the exercise of the powers
or duties of that position exercises some portion of the sovereign
power of the town.
Voters - The word "voters" shall mean registered voters of the
town of Millbury.
Warrant - The word "warrant" shall mean an authorization for
action.