HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3821        FILED ON: 6/13/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3505

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act amending the home rule charter of the city of Easthampton.

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. The definition of “majority vote” in section 1-7 of the charter of the city of Easthampton, which is on file in the office of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby  amended  by adding the following sentence:-

When used in connection to the city council, majority vote shall always refer to a majority of the full council membership.

SECTION 2. Section 2-1 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(c) Eligibility - Any voter shall be eligible to hold the office of councilor-at-large. A district councilor shall at the time of election be a voter of the district from which elected; provided, however, that if any district councilor shall during the first 18 months of the term of office move to another district in the town such office shall be deemed vacant and the balance of the unexpired term shall be filled in the manner provided in Section 2-11. If such a move occurs after the first 18 months of the term of office such councilor may continue to serve for the balance of the term for which elected. If a councilor-at-large or a district councilor moves from the town during the term for which elected such office shall immediately be deemed vacant and filled in the manner provided in Section 2-11.

SECTION 3. Subsection (a) of section 2-4 of said charter is hereby amended by inserting, after the second sentence, the following sentence:-

The city council shall review the salary of all elected officials and the stipends for all multi-member bodies appointed to official city boards and committees, during the first 12 months of each term.

SECTION 4. Subsection (b) of section 2-6 of said charter is hereby amended by inserting, after the word “any” in the second sentence, the following word:- measure, .

SECTION 5. Subsection (a) of section 2-8 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the first sentence, the word “five” and inserting in the place thereof the following figure:- 3 .

SECTION 6. Said section 2-8 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in the place thereof the following subsection:-

(b) Principal Assessor-    The city council shall elect a principal assessor who shall serve for 3 years and/or until a successor is chosen and qualified, and who will not be a member of the board of assessors. The principal assessor shall be responsible for regulating and supervising the administration of the department of assessing in accordance with the regulations of the department of revenue, the General Laws or provisions of this charter and shall be the official representative of the board of assessors to all other public agencies and to the public.  The principal assessor shall advise the board of assessors on compliance to law and shall act on its policies.  The principal assessor shall be subject to the terms of the city council appointments and evaluation as dictated by the city council and shall be governed by the rules and procedures for all city employees as designated by the personnel office and the city council.

SECTION 7. Subsection (b) of section 2-9 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the second sentence, the words “if a single member objects to the taking of a vote” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- if a member objects to the taking of a vote and is subsequently supported by another member who seconds the objection.

SECTION 8. The first paragraph of section 2-10  of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the second sentence, the word “twenty-one” and inserting in the place thereof the following figure:- 30 .

SECTION 9. The second paragraph of said section 2-10 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the first sentence, the word “thirtieth” and inserting in the place thereof the following words:- forty-fifth .

SECTION 10.  The first sentence of said second paragraph of said section 2-10 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out the word “thirty” and inserting in the place thereof the following figure:- 45 .

SECTION 11. The third paragraph of section 3-5 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word “thirty” and inserting in the place thereof the following figure:- 45 .

SECTION 12.  Subsection (a) of section 3-8 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word “five” and inserting in the place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- 10 .

SECTION 13.  Subsection (e) of section 4-1 of said charter  is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1,  the word “may” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- shall .

SECTION 14. Subsection (b) of section 8-6 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in the first sentence, the word “shall” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- may .

SECTION 15. The first paragraph of section 8-15 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words “a department head or” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- nor a department head nor .

SECTION 16. Said section 8-15 of said charter is hereby further amended by adding at the end the following sentence:-  Mayoral appointments as described in section 3-4 shall be subject to the provisions for removal as stated in that section.