Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any provision of any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a town administrator, hereinafter called the administrator, in the town of Brookline, who shall be appointed by the board of selectmen for a three year term. During the term of appointment, the administrator may only be removed after notice stating the reason for such removal and a public hearing, by a vote of at least three selectmen.

SECTION 2. The administrator shall be the chief administrative officer of the town. Without limiting the foregoing, the administrator shall perform and discharge the following functions and duties:

(a) daily administration of the town;

(b) recruitment and recommendations for appointment by the board of selectmen of all department heads, except the librarian, school personnel, treasurer/collector, town clerk, and any department head whose appointment is otherwise provided for by statute;

(c) supervision, written evaluation and training of all department heads except personnel in the school department;

(d) coordination of intra- and inter-governmental affairs;

(e) acting as the administrative spokesperson for the town;

(f) formulation of the annual financial plan, including detailed projections of all revenues and expenditures;

(g) recommendations with respect to departmental and non-departmental expenditures, the capital improvement plan submitted by the planning board, the financial impact of warrant articles, and guidelines for collective bargaining;

(h) approval of payment and expense warrants upon the treasury of the town, under section fifty-six of chapter forty-one of the General Laws;

(i) recommendations for the removal for just cause, by the board of selectmen, of any department head appointed by the selectmen;

(j) recommendations concerning collective bargaining proposals for the town, exclusive of the school department;

(k) performance of such other duties and responsibilities as are delegated to the administrator by the board of selectmen.

SECTION 3. The administrator shall not be responsible for matters which are the responsibility of the school committee.

SECTION 4. The board of selectmen shall implement the administrative organization set forth herein and may delegate any additional administrative function, or any civil service appointment, removal or discharge authority or responsibility to the administrator or, upon the recommendation of the administrator, a department head.

SECTION 5. The town may, through its by-laws, delegate any licensing authority, except the licensing of innholders, lodging houses, common victuallers, food vendors, secondhand motor vehicles, open air parking, liquor sales and theaters and entertainment.

SECTION 6. The administrator shall be subject to the authority and direction of the board of selectmen. He shall render reports to the board of selectmen on a regular basis, including in such reports a summary of current activities, a list of both current and long-range issues and objectives and programs in response thereto, and suggestions concerning the goals and objectives of the community.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect upon its passage.