AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF FINANCE DIRECTOR IN THE CITY OF NORTHAMPTON.
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. Section 10 of chapter 250 of the acts of 1883 is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 3 and 4, the words "city treasurer,".
SECTION 2. Section 15 of said chapter 250 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 6, the words "a city auditor".
SECTION 3. Said chapter 250 is hereby further amended by striking out section 16 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 16. The city clerk shall hold office for the municipal year next following the clerk's election and until the clerk's successor is elected and qualified. Any vacancy occurring in this office may be filled for the remainder of the term by concurrent ballot of the city council. The city clerk shall receive such compensation as the city council shall determine.
SECTION 4. Said chapter 250 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 19 the following 2 sections:-
Section 19A. The finance director of the city of Northampton, shall be appointed by the mayor with confirmation by the city council whenever a vacancy in the office of finance director shall occur, and may be removed at any time by the mayor in like manner. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the finance director shall assume the duties of the office on the day following appointment and shall serve until removal by the mayor.
The finance director shall be responsible to the mayor. Upon recommendation by the mayor and majority vote of the city council, the finance director may serve, ex officio, as the accountant, auditor, comptroller, treasurer, collector or treasurer-collector, but the finance director shall not serve, ex officio, as both accountant, auditor or comptroller and treasurer, collector or treasurer-collector. In addition, upon recommendation of the mayor and approval by majority vote of the city council, the positions of collector and treasurer may be combined into a single collector-treasurer position, to be filled by appointment of the finance director.
The finance director shall provide professional financial management advice to the mayor and to the city council as needed to ensure sound short-term and long-term fiscal health for the city. The city council may at any time request from the financial director specific information on any financial matters within its jurisdiction and may request the finance director to be present to answer questions about these financial matters at a meeting to be held not earlier than 1 week after the date of the receipt by the mayor and finance director of the request. The finance director shall personally attend the meeting and publicly answer all questions.
Section 19B. The finance director shall appoint the treasurer, tax collector, auditor and principal assessor whenever a vacancy in those offices occurs. Thereafter all appointees to those positions shall be subject to the rules and regulations for management positions in the city.
SECTION 5. Said chapter 250 is hereby further amended by striking out sections 20 and 21 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 20. There shall be a board of assessors consisting of a principal assessor and 2 associate assessors. The board of assessors shall have all the powers, duties and obligations of assessors under the laws of the commonwealth.
The principal assessor shall be appointed by the finance director and shall be subject to the rules and regulations for management positions in the city.
The associate assessors shall be appointed by majority vote of the city council. The first appointments under this section shall be made by the city council at its first meeting after the effective date of this section, and the appointees shall assume the duties of their office immediately upon their appointment. The associate assessors may receive such compensation as the city council may determine.
SECTION 6. Section 1 of chapter 265 of the acts of 1927 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the words "city treasurer,".
SECTION 7. Section 2 of said chapter 265 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 4, the words "city treasurer,".
SECTION 8. Chapter 245 of the acts of 1946 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 3, the words "city treasurer,".
SECTION 9. The incumbent in the office of finance director on the effective date of this act shall remain in office until his current appointment expires and then shall be reappointed by the mayor to serve in the new position until removed by the mayor.