Proposed Warrant Articles for Annual Town Meeting
The Ad Hoc Committee on Westport Town Government Committee will be holding a
meeting on March 9, 2011 to discuss the following draft warrant articles for Annual Town Meeting.
DRAFT
Article LVI-Board of Selectmen
5601. Term of Office, Composition
There shall be a Board of Selectmen consisting of five members elected for three (3) year terms, so arranged that as nearly an equal number of terms as possible shall expire each year.
Article LVI-Board of Selectmen
5601. Term of Office, Composition
There shall be a Board of Selectmen consisting of five members elected for three (3) year terms, so arranged that as nearly an equal number of terms as possible shall expire each year.
5602. Vacancy
Vacancies in the office of selectmen shall be filled by special election in accordance with provisions of Massachusetts General Laws.
Vacancies in the office of selectmen shall be filled by special election in accordance with provisions of Massachusetts General Laws.
5603. Policy and Executive Leadership
The Board of Selectmen shall serve as the chief executive of town government and set policy and provide strategic direction in the best interest of the town as a whole.
The Board of Selectmen shall serve as the chief executive of town government and set policy and provide strategic direction in the best interest of the town as a whole.
5604. Powers, Duties, and Responsibilities
Except as otherwise provided in town by-laws, the Board of Selectmen shall exercise the executive functions given to the Board under the constitution and the General Laws of the Commonwealth, and such additional powers and duties as may be authorized by by-law or Town Meeting vote.
5604.1 The Board of Selectmen’s executive responsibilities include, among others, establishing and overseeing town government personnel and procurement systems, managing town government facilities, and the conduct of all union negotiations for town employees.
5604.2 The Board of Selectmen shall cause the laws, by-laws, and orders for the government of the town to be enforced and shall cause a record of all its official acts kept. The Board of Selectmen shall ensure that town government personnel regulations and procurement systems, as well as the terms of the union contracts are available to the public.
5604.4 The Board of Selectmen shall act as the licensing authority of the town. The Board of Selectmen shall establish rules and regulations for the issuance of licenses, and shall grant licenses following these rules and regulations. The Board of Selectmen shall enforce, or cause to be enforced, the laws and the rules and regulations relating to businesses required to have town-issued licenses. The Board of Selectmen shall have the power to establish conditions and impose restrictions it considers to be in the public interest.
5605 Appointing Powers
5605.1 The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a Town Administrator as the chief administrative officer of the town and may delegate its authority, from time to time, to the Town Administrator. Nevertheless, the ultimate responsibility and accountability for those delegated powers and duties reside with the Board of Selectmen.
Except as otherwise provided in town by-laws, the Board of Selectmen shall exercise the executive functions given to the Board under the constitution and the General Laws of the Commonwealth, and such additional powers and duties as may be authorized by by-law or Town Meeting vote.
5604.1 The Board of Selectmen’s executive responsibilities include, among others, establishing and overseeing town government personnel and procurement systems, managing town government facilities, and the conduct of all union negotiations for town employees.
5604.2 The Board of Selectmen shall cause the laws, by-laws, and orders for the government of the town to be enforced and shall cause a record of all its official acts kept. The Board of Selectmen shall ensure that town government personnel regulations and procurement systems, as well as the terms of the union contracts are available to the public.
5604.4 The Board of Selectmen shall act as the licensing authority of the town. The Board of Selectmen shall establish rules and regulations for the issuance of licenses, and shall grant licenses following these rules and regulations. The Board of Selectmen shall enforce, or cause to be enforced, the laws and the rules and regulations relating to businesses required to have town-issued licenses. The Board of Selectmen shall have the power to establish conditions and impose restrictions it considers to be in the public interest.
5605 Appointing Powers
5605.1 The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a Town Administrator as the chief administrative officer of the town and may delegate its authority, from time to time, to the Town Administrator. Nevertheless, the ultimate responsibility and accountability for those delegated powers and duties reside with the Board of Selectmen.
5605.2 The Board of Selectmen shall appoint all town employees for whom no other appointment or election provision is made in the town by-laws or Massachusetts General Laws.
5605. 3 The Board of Selectmen shall appoint members of all boards, committees, and commissions, for whom no other appointment or election provisions is made in town by-laws or Massachusetts General Laws. The Board shall issue terms of reference for such bodies and establish their reporting requirements.
5605.4 The Board of Selectmen may establish and appoint members of a Licensing Board to which it may delegate some of its authority. The Licensing Board shall consist of three (3) members and serve three-year terms. The initial appointments to the Licensing Board shall consist of one member for a one-year term, one member for a two-year term, and one member for a three-year term. Each appointment thereafter shall be for a three-year term.
5606. Inter-government Relations
Members of the Board of Selectmen shall represent the town on federal, state, regional, and inter-municipal committees, or may designate a town employee or other person to represent the town; and/or take any other action relative thereto.
Board of Selectmen
5605.4 The Board of Selectmen may establish and appoint members of a Licensing Board to which it may delegate some of its authority. The Licensing Board shall consist of three (3) members and serve three-year terms. The initial appointments to the Licensing Board shall consist of one member for a one-year term, one member for a two-year term, and one member for a three-year term. Each appointment thereafter shall be for a three-year term.
5606. Inter-government Relations
Members of the Board of Selectmen shall represent the town on federal, state, regional, and inter-municipal committees, or may designate a town employee or other person to represent the town; and/or take any other action relative thereto.
Board of Selectmen
Article LVIII - Financial Management Team
5801. Composition
The Town Administrator shall schedule monthly meetings among the town accountant, treasurer, collector, school business official, Chair of the Board of Assesors, and Town Administrator to open lines of communication between and among town departments and officers. The Chair of the Finance Committee shall be invited to participate. The agenda will include, among others, updates on budget expenditures, progress of DOR submissions, and discussion on information, goals, deadlines, and individual’s roles in such processes. The Financial Management Team is not intended to serve as policy-making role, but rather an information and advisory role to the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee.
Board of Selectmen
Article LVII-Town Administrator
5701. Appointment; Qualification, Term
5701.1 The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a Town Administrator for a term up to three years.
5701.2 The Town Administrator shall be a professionally qualified person of proven ability, especially fitted to perform the duties of the office by education, training and previous related experience. The Town Administrator shall have the minimum of a Bachelors Degree, preferably a Masters Degree, in Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Management or related field; at least five (5) years experience in upper level executive positions: or equivalent combination of education and experience.
5701.3 The Administrator shall devote full time to the office and shall not hold any other public office, elected or appointed, or engage in any other business or occupation during his or her term, unless such action is approved in advance, in writing, by the Board of Selectmen.
5702. Relationship of Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen
The Town Administrator serves as the chief administrative officer for the executive branch of town government, with the exception of the powers expressly given to the School Committee and the School Department. The Board of Selectmen may delegate to the Town Administrator some of its powers and duties as Chief Executive. (See Article LVI).
5702.1 The Town Administrator shall organize all arrangements for the effective functioning of the Office of the Board of Selectmen. The Town Administrator, in consultation with the Board of Selectman Chair, shall prepare the agenda for the Board of Selectmen meetings. The Town Administrator shall track issues/complaints, and advise the Board of Selectmen Chair about the status of all relevant steps being taken through normal administrative channels.
5703. Vacancy in Office
The Board of Selectmen shall fill any permanent vacancy in the office of Town Administrator as soon as possible. Pending the appointment of the Town Administrator, the Board of Selectmen shall within thirty (30) days, appoint some other qualified person to serve as the Acting Town Administrator.
5705. Procedure for Removal of Town Administrator
The Board of Selectmen, by affirmative vote of four (4) of its members, may initiate the removal of the Town Administrator prior to the expiration of an employment contract. This action must be with cause and after a public hearing.
5706. Power and Duties
The Town Administrator serves as the chief administrative officer, financial coordinator, and chief procurement officer of town government, except for those powers expressly given to the School Committee and the School Department. The Town Administrator oversees the administration of town government systems for all town offices, boards, commissions, committees, and departments, whether managed by the Board of Selectmen or other elected officials or boards.
5706.1 The Town Administrator oversees implementation of the town government personnel system. She/he monitors implementation of personnel policies, practices, and rules and regulations, any compensation plan and any related matter for all municipal employees, except for School Department employees. In addition, for those department heads and staff under supervision of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Administrator shall conduct the first round reviews for the annual performance evaluation of these employees and forward his/her recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.
5706.2. The Town Administrator serves as the town government’s financial coordinator. He/she coordinates the Financial Management Team (See Article LVIII). The Town Administrator is responsible for coordinating all steps to prepare the annual town-wide operating budget for submission to the Finance Committee. The Town Administrator participates as a member of the Capital Improvement Planning Committee.
5706.3 The Town Administrator serves as the town’s chief procurement officer. He/she oversees all procurement done using town funds, except that of the School Department, and monitors implementation of procurement regulations issued by the Commonwealth and by the town.
5706.4 The Town Administrator is responsible for management of all town government facilities, except for those of the School Department. These responsibilities include safety, maintenance, furnishing, and use of space.
5702. Relationship of Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen
The Town Administrator serves as the chief administrative officer for the executive branch of town government, with the exception of the powers expressly given to the School Committee and the School Department. The Board of Selectmen may delegate to the Town Administrator some of its powers and duties as Chief Executive. (See Article LVI).
5702.1 The Town Administrator shall organize all arrangements for the effective functioning of the Office of the Board of Selectmen. The Town Administrator, in consultation with the Board of Selectman Chair, shall prepare the agenda for the Board of Selectmen meetings. The Town Administrator shall track issues/complaints, and advise the Board of Selectmen Chair about the status of all relevant steps being taken through normal administrative channels.
5703. Vacancy in Office
The Board of Selectmen shall fill any permanent vacancy in the office of Town Administrator as soon as possible. Pending the appointment of the Town Administrator, the Board of Selectmen shall within thirty (30) days, appoint some other qualified person to serve as the Acting Town Administrator.
5705. Procedure for Removal of Town Administrator
The Board of Selectmen, by affirmative vote of four (4) of its members, may initiate the removal of the Town Administrator prior to the expiration of an employment contract. This action must be with cause and after a public hearing.
5706. Power and Duties
The Town Administrator serves as the chief administrative officer, financial coordinator, and chief procurement officer of town government, except for those powers expressly given to the School Committee and the School Department. The Town Administrator oversees the administration of town government systems for all town offices, boards, commissions, committees, and departments, whether managed by the Board of Selectmen or other elected officials or boards.
5706.1 The Town Administrator oversees implementation of the town government personnel system. She/he monitors implementation of personnel policies, practices, and rules and regulations, any compensation plan and any related matter for all municipal employees, except for School Department employees. In addition, for those department heads and staff under supervision of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Administrator shall conduct the first round reviews for the annual performance evaluation of these employees and forward his/her recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.
5706.2. The Town Administrator serves as the town government’s financial coordinator. He/she coordinates the Financial Management Team (See Article LVIII). The Town Administrator is responsible for coordinating all steps to prepare the annual town-wide operating budget for submission to the Finance Committee. The Town Administrator participates as a member of the Capital Improvement Planning Committee.
5706.3 The Town Administrator serves as the town’s chief procurement officer. He/she oversees all procurement done using town funds, except that of the School Department, and monitors implementation of procurement regulations issued by the Commonwealth and by the town.
5706.4 The Town Administrator is responsible for management of all town government facilities, except for those of the School Department. These responsibilities include safety, maintenance, furnishing, and use of space.
5706.5 The Town Administrator performs other duties as required by contractual agreement with the Board of Selectmen, town by-laws, administrative code, or votes of Town Meeting.
Board of Selectmen
Board of Selectmen
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