A.
The local government shall be generally organized
into departments for the purpose of meeting the Town's goals and providing
community services.
B.
The Town Manager shall be charged with overall supervision
and coordination of the departments, for the benefit of the community.
C.
The Town Manager shall have the power to appoint,
and remove as necessary, the various department heads and all Town
employees in accordance with provisions of the Personnel Policy.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
D.
The Personnel Policy, and respective standard operating
procedures of the Fire and Ambulance Departments, shall contain provisions
for the removal of the heads and all other members of the Fire and
Ambulance Departments by the Town Manager.
A.
There shall be an Assessing Department represented
by the Board of Assessors.
B.
The Assessors shall assume all statutory responsibilities
associated with municipal assessors and may appoint agents to meet
these responsibilities. Said agents shall be qualified as certified
Maine assessors, duly recognized by the State of Maine.
C.
The Town Manager shall designate one or more Town
employees for the support of this Department.
D.
Appeals and challenges to actions of the Board of
Assessors shall be heard by the Oxford County Commissioners.
E.
The Town
Manager may impose additional duties on this Department.
[Added 6-15-2022]
A.
There shall be a Town Clerk's Department, headed by
the Town Clerk.
B.
The Department shall assume all statutory responsibilities
associated with the office of Town Clerk. In addition, the Department
shall perform all normal duties required by various agencies of the
State of Maine with regard to vehicle licensing, registration, hunting/fishing
licenses and so forth.
C.
Pursuant to procedures issued by the Finance Officer,
the Department shall be responsible for the collection of excise taxes,
real and personal property taxes and other revenues payable to the
Town.
D.
The Town Clerk shall be the custodian of permanent
records of all actions of the Board of Selectmen, to include but not
be limited to minutes of meetings, video and audio recordings of meetings,
records of votes, appointments, authorizations and so forth.
E.
The Town Clerk shall be the custodian of the Town
of Bethel Fee Schedule.
[Added 6-13-2001]
F.
The Town Manager may impose additional duties on this
Department, as needed.
A.
There shall be a Finance Department, headed by the
Finance Officer.
B.
The Department shall be custodian of all Town funds
and responsible for the proper receipt, management and disbursement
of these funds. The Department's activity shall occur in a manner
that is consistent with generally accepted accounting principles,
statute, local ordinance and established policies of the Town.
C.
The Department shall establish and issue, to the various Town departments, boards, committees and authorities, those procedures which are necessary to meet its responsibilities outlined in Subsection B above.
D.
The Town Manager may impose additional duties on this
Department, as needed.
A.
There shall be a Planning and Development Department,
headed by the Code Enforcement Officer.
B.
The Department shall assume statutory responsibilities
associated with the offices of code enforcement, plumbing inspection,
electrical inspection and health inspection.
C.
The Department shall be responsible for proper administration
of ordinances and local regulations governing land use, land development
and building construction.
D.
The Department shall provide necessary staff support
to the Planning Board and Board of Appeals, such that these Boards
may fulfill their responsibilities to the Town.
E.
The Town Manager may impose additional duties on this
Department, as needed.
A.
There may, upon vote at a town meeting, be a Police
Department, headed by a Police Chief.
[Amended 6-9-2010]
B.
The Department shall assume statutory responsibilities
associated with law enforcement and animal control. In addition, the
Department shall represent the Town in dealings with the Oxford County
Sheriff's Department, Maine State Police and other state and federal
agencies in matters of law enforcement.
C.
The Department shall be responsible for the administration
of ordinances and local regulations which are related to peace and
order and the public health, safety and welfare.
D.
The Department shall operate in accordance with standard
operating procedures approved by the Selectmen.
E.
The Department shall be authorized to support other
law enforcement agencies and enter into mutual aid agreements, subject
to approval by the Selectmen.
F.
The Chief of Police is authorized to represent the
Town of Bethel in District Court in the prosecution of alleged violations
of those ordinances which the Police Department is empowered to enforce,
if duly certified in accordance with 25 M.R.S.A. § 2803-A(3),
or successor statute. The Chief of Police may designate any officer
under his command, if so certified, to perform this prosecutorial
function.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
G.
The Town Manager may impose additional duties on this
Department, as needed.
A.
There shall be a Fire Department, headed by the Fire
Chief. Selection of the Chief and other officers of the Department
shall be governed by standard operating procedures approved by the
Selectmen.
B.
The Department shall assume statutory responsibilities
associated with fire protection and civil emergency management. In
addition, the Department shall represent the Town in dealings with
the State Fire Marshal's Office and other state and federal agencies
in matters of fire protection.
C.
The Department shall be responsible for the administration
of ordinances and local regulations which are related to fire protection
and the public health, safety and welfare.
D.
The Department shall operate in accordance with standard
operating procedures approved by the Selectmen.
E.
The Department shall be authorized to support other
fire protection agencies and enter into mutual aid agreements, subject
to approval by the Selectmen.
F.
The Town Manager may impose additional duties on this
Department, as needed.
A.
There shall be an Ambulance Department, headed by
the Director. Selection of the Director and other officers of the
Department shall be governed by standard operating procedures approved
by the Selectmen.
B.
The Department shall assume statutory responsibilities
associated with emergency medical services. In addition, the Department
shall represent the Town in dealings with Maine Emergency Medical
Services and other state and federal agencies in matters of emergency
medical services.
C.
The Department shall be responsible for the administration
of ordinances and local regulations which are related to emergency
medical services and the public health, safety and welfare.
D.
The Department shall operate in accordance with standard
operating procedures approved by the Selectmen.
E.
The Department shall be authorized to support other
medical agencies and enter into mutual aid agreements, subject to
approval by the Selectmen.
F.
The Town Manager may impose additional duties on this
Department, as needed.
A.
There shall be Public Works Department, headed by
the Public Works Director.
B.
The Department shall be responsible for proper construction
and maintenance of the Town's infrastructure, to include but not be
limited to streets, roads, sidewalks, signs, drainage systems, traffic
systems, outdoor lighting, parking facilities, recreation areas, parks
and cemeteries and other publicly owned facilities whose maintenance
is deemed essential to the common good.
[Amended 6-13-2001]
C.
The Department shall be responsible for the handling
and removal of solid waste and recyclables and construction and maintenance
of related facilities, in accordance with policies established by
the Town.
D.
The Department shall be responsible for the administration
of ordinances and local regulations which are related to the protection
and maintenance of the public infrastructure.
E.
The Town Manager may impose additional duties on this
Department, as needed.
A.
There shall be a General Assistance Department, headed
by the Town Manager. The Town Manager may designate one or more individuals
to serve as deputies within this Department.
B.
The Department shall assume statutory responsibilities
associated with the provision of general assistance. In addition,
the Department shall represent the Town in dealings with the Maine
Department of Human Services, other state agencies, federal agencies,
school units, and private organizations in matters of welfare and
general assistance.
C.
The Department shall be responsible for the administration
of ordinances and local regulations which are related to general assistance.
[Amended 6-9-2021]
A.
There shall be a Recreation Department, headed by
the Recreation Director.
B.
The Department shall be responsible for the planning
and implementation of programs whose purpose shall be the provision
of recreational opportunities for both the youth and general population
of the greater Bethel area as deemed appropriate by the Board.
C.
The Town
Manager may impose additional duties on this Department, as needed.
[Added 6-15-2022]
A.
There shall be an Airport Department which shall be
responsible for the proper operation and maintenance of the Bethel
Regional Airport. Oversight of this Department shall be accomplished
by the Town Manager, in accordance with policies and long-term plans
established by the Airport Authority.
[Amended 6-13-2001]
B.
All costs incurred by this Department shall be met
solely through operation of an airport fund. The fund's revenue sources
shall be limited to moneys derived from airport-related activities,
sales of parcels of the Bethel Industrial Park, rental of properties
at the Bethel Industrial Park, governmental grants and private donations.
Subject to Town Meeting approval, moneys shall be annually transferred
from the Town of Bethel general fund to the airport fund in an amount
that is at least equal to the amount of taxes levied on real and personal
property located within the airport perimeter fence in the previous
fiscal year.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
C.
The fiscal year of the Department shall run from July
1 through June 30. An annual departmental budget, with balancing revenue
and expenditure statements, shall be subject to approval by the Airport
Authority and Board of Selectmen before any portion of it may be implemented.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
D.
Approval of expenditures and grants.
[Amended 6-14-2006]
(1)
At any time the aggregate expenditure of the Department
in a single fiscal year is proposed to exceed $175,000, then the entire
budget for that fiscal year shall be subject to both Selectmen's approval
and Town Meeting approval.
(2)
Receipt of federal and state grants and their related
appropriation, exceeding $25,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year,
shall be subject to Town Meeting approval.
E.
The Airport Authority shall only be empowered to enter
into purchases, leases, contracts or agreements where the value of
each action does not exceed $10,000 and the term of said action does
not exceed one year in length. All actions exceeding either of these
limits shall require approval of the Board of Selectmen.
[Amended 6-11-2003; 6-14-2006]
F.
All real property, personal property, easements and
other deeded instruments acquired by donation or through expenditure
of the airport fund shall be considered to be property of the Town
of Bethel.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
A.
There shall be a Wastewater Treatment Department,
headed by the Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
B.
The Department shall be responsible for the proper
handling and disposal of wastewater and septage materials generated
within Bethel and for the proper construction and maintenance of the
Town's wastewater infrastructure, to include but not be limited to
pipes, mains, manholes, pump stations, conduits, easements, treatment
plant, spreading fields and other wastewater-related facilities whose
maintenance is deemed essential to the common good.
C.
All costs incurred by this Department shall be met
solely through operation of a wastewater fund. The fund's revenue
sources shall be limited to moneys derived from customer billing,
governmental grants and private donations. Moneys from the Town of
Bethel general fund may only be transferred to the wastewater fund
with Town Meeting approval.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
D.
The fiscal year of the Department shall run from July
1 through June 30. An annual departmental budget, with balancing revenue
and expenditure statements, shall be subject to approval by the Selectmen
before any portion of it may be implemented.
E.
The Selectmen shall be responsible for determination
of the overall fiscal policy of the Wastewater Treatment Department,
to include establishment of customer categories, customer rates, billing
practices, collection practices, and lien and foreclosure procedures.
F.
The Selectmen shall be authorized to enter into any
and all loan and grant agreements on behalf of the Department, except
that any obligation of the taxation power of the Town of Bethel shall
be subject to Town Meeting approval.
G.
The Selectmen shall be authorized to accept and convey
any and all real property, personal property, easements and other
deeded instruments related and necessary to the operation of the Wastewater
Treatment Department.
H.
All real property, personal property, easements and
other deeded instruments acquired by donation or through expenditure
of the wastewater fund shall be considered to be property of the Town
of Bethel.
[Amended 6-11-2003]
I.
The Town
Manager may impose additional duties on this Department, as needed.
[Added 6-15-2022]
