HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5521        FILED ON: 11/26/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5134

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Kimberly N. Ferguson and Peter J. Durant

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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 increasing membership on the town of Paxton select board.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5521        FILED ON: 11/26/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5134

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act increasing membership on the town of Paxton select board.

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. Chapter 122 of the acts of 2013 is hereby amended by replacing “board of selectmen” with “select board” in all instances.

SECTION 2. Section 3 of chapter 122 of the acts of 2013 is hereby amended by striking out said section 3 and inserting in place thereof the following section:

SECTION 3. There shall be a select board, formerly known as the board of selectmen, consisting of five members elected by the voters by ballot at the annual town election for three-year terms so arranged that the term of office of two members shall expire in each of two successive years, with the term of office of the fifth member to expire the following year. The executive powers of the town shall be vested in the select board. The select board shall have all of the powers and duties given to boards of selectmen or select boards under the constitution and laws of the commonwealth and such additional powers and duties as may be authorized by this act, by by-law or by other town meeting vote. The select board shall cause the laws and orders for the government of the town to be enforced and shall cause a record of its official acts to be maintained. The select board shall be the chief policy making board of the town and shall act by the issuance of policy statements and guidelines to be followed and implemented by all town agencies serving under the board.

The select board shall be the licensing authority of the town and may: issue licenses; make necessary rules and regulations regarding the issuance of such licenses; attach conditions and restrictions thereto as it deems to be in the public interest; and enforce the laws relating to all businesses for which it issues licenses.

To aid the select board in the conduct of its official business duties, the select board shall appoint a town administrator who shall serve at the pleasure of the board.

The select board shall also appoint a board of registrars, town counsel, town auditor, dog officer, building commissioner and fence viewer. The select board shall also appoint members to the capital improvement committee, Paxton housing partnership, zoning board of appeals, historical commission, historic district commission, open space committee, council on aging, conservation commission, master plan implementation committee and such other boards, committees and commissions as may be duly constituted from time to time.

SECTION 3. Those members of the select board, formerly known as the board of selectmen, in office at the time of the passage of this act shall serve until the terms for which they were elected shall have expired.

SECTION 4. Upon passage of this act, at the next annual town election in Paxton there shall be elected three select board members, one for a three-year term, one for a two-year term, and one for a one-year term. At each annual town election thereafter, there shall be elected one or two select board members each for a three-year term, such as to maintain a five-member board with staggered three-year terms.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage.