[Amended 5-8-1984 ATM by Art. 52, approved 5-10-1985; 5-13-1986 ATM by Art. 64, approved 5-18-1987; 5-9-2023 by Ch. 83, Acts of 2024]
[Amended 5-8-2026 by Ch. 74, Acts of 2026]
6-1-1 
The select board shall have the power to appoint:
(a) 
The following officers each for a term of 3 years: a town counsel and a town accountant.
(b) 
The following officers for a term or succession of terms, no one term of which shall be in excess of three years; a Town Administrator, a Superintendent of Public Works, a Treasurer-Collector, all division and/or department heads.
(c) 
The following officers for an indefinite term: a police chief and a fire chief.
6-2-1 
Officers appointed under this chapter shall perform their duties in accordance with General Law, this Charter, and By-law.
[Amended 5-8-2026 by Ch. 74, Acts of 2026]
6-3-1 
The select board shall have the power to appoint:
(a) 
Five members of a Zoning Board of Appeals for five year overlapping terms, and two alternate members for one year terms.
(b) 
Five members of a Board of Health, for three year overlapping terms.
(c) 
Three members of a Board of Registrars of Voters for three year overlapping terms.
(d) 
A conservation commission, a recreation commission and a historical commission, such boards to be composed of 5 members each, who shall be appointed for 3-year overlapping terms.
6-4-1 
The Board shall have the power to appoint such individual Town officers and members of Boards and Commissions as are authorized by General Law, this Charter, or By-law, and for whom appointment is not otherwise provided.
[Amended 5-8-2026 by Ch. 74, Acts of 2026]
6-5-1 
Any appointed officer or salaried employee of the town, not subject to the provisions of chapter 31 of the General Laws, whether appointed for a fixed or an indefinite term, may be suspended or removed from office by the appointing authority for good cause. The term good cause shall include, but not be limited to: (i) incapacity other than temporary illness; (ii) inefficiency; (iii) insubordination; and (iv) conduct unbecoming of office.
6-5-2 
Any appointed officer or salaried employee of the town may be placed on paid administrative leave from office by the appointing authority if such action is deemed to them to be necessary to protect the interests of the town. Administrative leave may be conterminous with the removal and shall not interfere with the rights of the officer or employee under the removal procedure given below.
6-5-3 
The appointing authority when removing any such officer or employee shall act in accordance with the following procedure:
a. 
A written notice of the intent to remove and a statement of the cause or causes therefore shall be delivered by registered mail to the last known address of the person sought to be removed.
b. 
Within 5 days of delivery of such notice the officer or employee may request a public hearing at which they may be represented by counsel and shall be entitled to present evidence, call witnesses and to question any witness appearing at the hearing.
c. 
Between 1 and 10 days after a public hearing is adjourned, or if the officer or employee fails to request a public hearing between 6 and 15 days after delivery of the notice of the intent to remove, the appointing authority shall take final action either removing the officer or employee or notifying them that the notice is rescinded.
6-5-4 
Nothing in this section shall be construed as granting a right to such a hearing when a person who has been appointed for a fixed term is not reappointed when the person's original term expires.
[Amended 5-8-2026 by Ch. 74, Acts of 2026]
6-7-1 
The town administrator shall be directly responsible to the select board for the performance of the town administrator’s duties and shall be the principal full-time administrative officer of the town.
6-7-2 
The town administrator shall represent the Town, in the absence of the select board members, at all Federal, State, Regional, or Municipal meetings which may affect the present or future status of the Town.
6-7-3 
The town administrator shall attend all meetings of the select board except when excused and shall have the right to speak, but not to vote.
6-7-4 
The town administrator shall assemble and present to the select board, in coordination with the town accountant, the annual budget of the town and shall be responsible for the development and annual revision of the capital improvements program in accordance with chapter 7 of this charter.
6-7-5 
The town administrator shall keep the select board fully informed regarding all departmental operations, fiscal affairs, problems, and administrative actions, and to this end, shall submit quarterly reports to the select board.
6-7-6 
The town administrator shall keep the select board fully informed on the long range needs of the Town and shall provide the Board with data to support suggested alternative courses of action.
6-7-7 
The town administrator shall serve as the town’s chief procurement officer and shall be responsible for purchasing all material, equipment, supplies and services for the town except those for which town by-law requires competitive bids. A vote of the select board shall be required to award a contract other than to the lowest bidder.
6-7-9 
The town administrator shall keep a full and complete inventory of Town property both real and personal.
6-7-10 
The town administrator shall supervise all appointed department heads. The town administrator shall be the select board’s agent for collective bargaining and may request the town counsel to assist in the performance of these duties. The town administrator shall administer the town’s personnel by laws including, but not limited to, personnel policies and practices, rules and regulations, including provisions for recruitment, an annual employee performance review, employee grievance procedures and discipline, workplace safety and collective bargaining agreements entered into by the town. The town administrator shall inquire, at any time, into the conduct of an office or the performance of the duties of any officer or employee, department board, commission or other town agency.
6-7-11 
The town administrator shall perform any other duties as required to be performed by the town administrator by-laws, administrative codes, binding votes of town meeting, votes of the select board or otherwise.
[Amended 5-8-2026 by Ch. 74, Acts of 2026]
6-8-1 
The Town Administrator may be removed in the course of the town administrator's term, in accordance with the following procedures.
6-8-2 
The removal of the Town Administrator shall be by a resolution of the select board to this effect, provided that no such resolutions shall be adopted within sixty days after any Town election that shall have caused a change in the composition of the Board.
6-8-3 
The adoption of said resolution shall serve to place the town administrator on administrative leave for a period of not more than 45 days, unless extended by the vote of the select board, during which the town administrator’s salary shall continue to be paid. A copy of such resolution shall be delivered to the town administrator who shall have 5 business days in which to request a hearing, in accordance with open meeting law. If a hearing shall be requested, the select board shall schedule it within 2 weeks.
6-8-5 
Final removal of the town administrator shall be effected by the affirmative vote of the select board, at a public meeting of the board held within 7 days of such public hearing, if the town administrator shall have requested one. Or, if the town administrator shall not have requested one, final removal may be effected by the affirmative vote of three members of the board held not sooner than 14 days after the vote initiating the removal. The salary of the town administrator shall continue to be paid for a period of 30 days after the vote effecting the town administrator's removal from office.
[Amended 5-8-2026 by Ch. 74, Acts of 2026]
6-9-1 
In the event of temporary absence, disability, suspension or vacancy in the office of the town administrator, the select board by an affirmative vote of not less than 3 members may appoint an acting town administrator. The term of the acting town administrator shall not exceed 90 days, except as may be extended by the select board, and they shall perform all duties required of the office of the town administrator. An acting town administrator appointed under this section shall receive compensation as set by the affirmative vote of not less than 3 select board members, but it shall not exceed the rate of compensation, approved for the administrator by the town meeting.