Chapter 10
Transitional Provisions
SECTION 10-1: Time of Taking Effect
a) Screening Committee - Forthwith following the election at which
this change is adopted, a screening committee shall be established for the
purpose of soliciting, receiving, and evaluating applications for the
position of town administrator.
The screening committee shall consist of five (5) persons who shall
be chosen as follows: one member or designee of the board of selectmen, the
school committee, the finance committee, and two elected town meeting
members appointed by the town moderator. Persons designated by the said
agencies may, but need not, be members of the agency by which they are
designated. Appointments made by the town moderator shall be made last in
time in order that in making appointments the moderator may, insofar as it
may be feasible so to do, appoint persons who will broaden the membership
base of the committee to be most representative of the demographic and
occupational base of the town.
Not more than thirty (30) days following the election at which this
is adopted, the several persons chosen as aforesaid shall meet to organize
and to plan a process to advertise the vacancy and to solicit by other
means candidates for the office. The committee shall proceed notwithstanding
the failure of any town agency to designate its representatives.
The screening committee shall review all applications received by
it, screen all applicants by checking and verifying work records and
other credentials, and interview such number of candidates as it deems
necessary, desirable or expedient. If, in the sole judgment of the screening
committee, there are no candidates deemed acceptable then the screening
committee shall report to the board of selectmen and request that the
advertising and solicitation process be reinstituted.
Not more than ninety (90) days following the date on which the
committee meets to organize, the committee shall submit to the board of
selectmen the names of not less than three (3) and not more than five (5)
persons whom it believes to be best suited to perform the duties of the
office of town administrator. The selectmen may, upon a majority vote of
the screening committee, grant an extension to the 90 day period, said
extension not to exceed 30 days. The board of selectmen may only grant two
30-day extensions.
Within thirty (30) days following the date the list of nominees is
submitted to it, the Board of Selectmen shall choose, by the affirmative
vote of at least three of its members, one of the said nominees to serve as
town administrator. If the Board of Selectmen does not select one of these
finalists, the process shall commence again beginning with the advertising
of a vacancy and solicitation of candidates.
Upon the appointment of a town administrator the committee
established hereunder shall be considered discharged.
Until such time as some other provision is made by by-law for
another screening committee, a committee as above shall be established
whenever the office of town administrator shall become vacant.
b) Town Administrator Qualifications - Until such time as the town
meeting may act, by by-law, to establish different qualifications for the
office, the town administrator shall have the following specific
qualifications:
1) have at least a Master’s degree from a recognized, accredited
college or university. Such degree shall be in a relevant discipline. Three
additional years of experience as defined in Section 10-1-b-2 and a Bachelor’s
degree from a recognized, accredited college or university may also meet the
minimum educational requirements for this position;
2) have preferably served full time as an administrative
officer of a city or town for not less than three (3) years, or have
demonstrated executive, management and administrative qualifications and
be fitted by education, training and previous experience in the public or
private sector.
SECTION 10-2: Board of Public Works
a) The elected board of public works shall be eliminated and the
terms of the elected members of the board shall cease upon acceptance of
this charter amendment by the voters.
b) There shall be a department of public works with a
superintendent of public works serving as department head. The board of
selectmen shall be responsible for establishing and setting policy with
regard to public works matters.
c) There shall be a three (3) person Board of Public Works, appointed by
the Selectmen. The duties, responsibilities and authority of this Board shall be
established by the Selectmen.
SECTION 10-3: Town Treasurer/Collector/Clerk
a) The term of the elected incumbent of the offices of the town
treasurer/collector/clerk shall terminate at the time this charter
amendment is adopted by the voters, however, at that time such incumbent
shall be deemed to have been appointed to the combined appointed
treasurer/collector/clerk position through June 30, 2004. The first
appointee to the position of treasurer/collector/clerk shall receive the
salaries of the existing fiscal year (FY 02) appropriation for the elected
positions of treasurer/collector/clerk and such other amount as town
Meeting may appropriate therefore.
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