SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3213        FILED ON: 6/15/2022

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2950

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Marc R. Pacheco

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act amending the Bridgewater town charter relative to time of precinct and district charter amendments taking effect.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3213        FILED ON: 6/15/2022

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2950

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act amending the Bridgewater town charter relative to time of precinct and district charter amendments taking effect.

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

ORDERED, that the Town Council assembled votes to delete Article X, Section 10-7 of the Bridgewater Town Charter and to replace with the following:

This Charter is and shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 10-7. Time of Precinct and District Charter Amendments Taking Effect.

Upon the State Legislature's approval of the Precinct and District Charter Amendments as a Special Act:

(a) The election to elect the newly constituted Town Council under the Charter Amendments shall occur within one hundred eighty (180) days, however, the Town shall endeavor for said election to occur by the annual town election to be conducted on April 30, 2022;

(b) Should the election not occur by the annual town election on April 30, 2022, the Town Council as constituted at that time (i.e. prior to the amendments prescribed by the Special Act of the State Legislature) shall continue to serve in their current roles until such time as the election stated in Section (a) herein has occurred; and

(c) The Town Council elected at the election stated in Section (a) herein shall take office immediately upon election and certification, subject to the following transitional provisions:

1. The term of office of any District Councilor serving prior to the election referenced in Section (a) herein shall immediately expire and the term of office of each District Councilor elected at the election referenced in Section (a) herein shall commence upon certification of the election.

2. The term of office of any Councilor-at-Large serving prior to the election referenced in Section (a) herein shall immediately expire and the term of office of each Councilor-at-Large elected at the election referenced in Section (a) herein shall commence upon certification of election, provided, however, that any Councilor-at-Large serving prior to the election referenced in Section (a) that has not fulfilled his/her full term of office shall be entitled to serve the remainder of the term for which he/she was elected to serve.

3. The term of office of the District Councilor elected at the election referenced in Section (a) herein to serve District 2 shall expire upon the holding of the April 2023 election and upon the election and certification of his/her successor.

4. The term of office of the District Councilor elected at the election referenced in Section (a) herein to serve District 1 shall expire upon the holding of the April 2024 election and upon the election and certification of his/her successor.

5. The term of office of the District Councilor elected at the election referenced in Section (a) herein to serve District 3 shall expire upon the holding of the April 2025 election and upon election and certification of his/her successor.

6. The term of office of any Councilor-at-Large elected at the election referenced in Section (a) herein shall accord with the below-indicated transitional term of office, each such term as shall have been determined by the ballot bearing his name:

a) Three-year Term:

Two (2) Councilors-at-Large shall serve upon election at the election referenced in Section (a) herein until the April 2025 election

b) Two-year Term:

One (1) Councilor-at-Large shall serve upon election at the election referenced in Section (a) herein until the April 2024 election.

c) One-year Term:

Two (2) Councilors-at-Large shall serve upon election at the election referenced in Section (a) herein until the April 2023 election.

7. After the terms set forth in this Section 10-7, all Town Councilors will serve three year terms.