SENATE DOCKET, NO. 4327        FILED ON: 10/28/2026

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3294

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Patrick M. O'Connor and Patrick Joseph Kearney

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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 to amend the Marshfield town charter.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 4327        FILED ON: 10/28/2026

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3294

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act to amend the Marshfield town charter.

 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. Article 4, Appointed Town Officials, Boards, Commissions and Committees is amended by striking out Section 4-1-4. Treasurer-Collector in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:

 4-1-4. Treasurer/Collector and Town Accountant. The Town Administrator shall appoint and may remove a Treasurer/Collector and Town Accountant. The Town Administrator shall consult with the Select Board prior to making any appointment or removal under this subsection. Unless otherwise provided under law, appointments or removals shall become effective twenty (20) days after notice of appointment or removal is filed with the Select Board, unless the Select Board rejects the appointment or approval by a majority vote within twenty (20) days or approves the appointment or removal before twenty (20) days are over. All appointments under this section shall be based on education, skills and experience alone.

 SECTION 2. Article 4, Appointed Town Officials, Boards, Commissions and Committees is amended by inserting the new Section 4-1-5, Director of Finance:

 4-1-5. Director of Finance.

 (A) Director of Finance; Divisions. There shall be a Department of Finance which will be under the direction of the Director of Finance. The Department of Finance shall provide personnel, with the exception of the Principal Assessor, and equipment to the offices of the Treasurer/Collector, the elected Board of Assessors, and Town Accountant, which shall be the Divisions of the Department of Finance. The Director of Finance will coordinate the activities of the various Divisions of the Department of Finance and, subject to applicable law, shall supervise the operation of those Divisions.

 (B) Appointment of Director; duties and qualifications. The Director of Finance shall be appointed by the Select Board and may be removed at its discretion. The Director of Finance shall be sworn to the faithful duties of the office. During the time that Director of Finance holds office, the Director of Finance shall hold no elective Town office, but the Director of Finance may be appointed by the Select Board or, with its approval, by any other Town officer, board, committee or commission to any other Town office or position consistent with the office. The Director of Finance shall receive such aggregate compensation, not exceeding the amount appropriated therefore, as the Select Board may determine. The Director of Finance shall act by and for the Select Board in any matter which it may assign to the office relating to the administration of the financial affairs of the Town or of any Town office or department under its supervision and control or, with the prior approval of the Select Board, may perform other such duties as may be requested by the Director of Finance by any other Town officer, board, committee or commission. In addition to those duties otherwise established by law, the specific duties and qualifications of the Director of Finance shall be as follows: The Director of Finance shall be responsible for assisting the Town Administrator in the preparation of the budget and the long-range strategic financial plan. The Town Administrator shall have general supervisory authority over the Director of Finance.

 (C) The Principal Assessor shall be appointed by the Town Administrator and elected Board of Assessors.

 SECTION 2. Article 5, Finances and Fiscal Procedures Appointed Town Officials, Boards, Commissions and Committees is amended by striking existing Sections 5-2 and inserting the new Sections 5-2:

 5-2 Submission of Budget and Budget Message.

 On or before the last Monday of January, the Select Board assisted by the Town Administrator and Finance Director shall file with the advisory board a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year with an accompanying budget message and supporting documents.

 SECTION 3. This charter amendment shall be submitted for acceptance to the voters of the town of Marshfield at an annual town election held following its approval in the form of the following question which shall be placed on the official ballot to be used at the election: Shall an act entitled “AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF MARSHFIELD” be accepted?

 A summary prepared by the town counsel noting in summary form the major changes proposed in the charter by this act shall appear on the ballot. If a majority of the votes cast in answer to the question is in the affirmative, this act shall take effect, but not otherwise.

 SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage or to take any other action relative thereto.