[Amended 10-16-2006 ATM by Art.
27, ratified 4-3-2007; Acts of 2020, Ch. 164, approved 8-25-2020]
(a) Composition, Term of Office. There shall be a select
board composed of five members elected for terms of three years each,
so arranged that the terms of as nearly an equal number of members
as is possible shall expire each year.
(b) Powers and Duties. The executive authority of the
town shall be vested in the select board which shall be deemed to
be the chief executive office in the town. The select board shall
be the chief policy making agency of the town and shall have all the
powers and duties given to boards of selectmen or select boards as
may be authorized by the laws of the commonwealth, the charter, bylaw
or other town meeting vote, except those powers granted to the town
manager under this charter. The select board shall prepare reports
of town business and distribute such reports to all town meeting members.
The select board shall act by the issuance of policy guidelines and
directives. It is the intention of this provision that the select
board shall act only through the adoption of policy directives and
guidelines which are to be implemented by the officers and employees
appointed by or under its authority. The town manager shall be the
primary officer responsible for the implementation of policy directives
and guidelines adopted by the select board. The daily administration
of the affairs of the town shall be the exclusive responsibility of
the town manager.
(c) Appointment Powers. The select board shall appoint
Town Manager, a Town Counsel, Town Accountant, Personnel Board, Public
Celebrations Committee and a Board of Registrars of voters (but not
including the Town Clerk). The select board shall also appoint all
multiple member policy advisory committees and may appoint ad hoc
committees not specifically provided by bylaw.
(d) Licensing Authority. The select board shall be the
licensing authority of the town and shall have all the power to issue
licenses as otherwise authorized by law, to make all necessary rules
and regulations regarding the issuance of such licenses and to attach
conditions and restrictions on any such license it may issue as it
deems to be in the public interest, and to enforce all laws relating
to all such businesses for which it issues any licenses.