TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.19 Removed
1.20 Removed
6.0 Not Currently Assigned
9.0 Not Currently Assigned
10.0 Not Currently Assigned
11.2 Removed
12.0 Reserved for PROGRAMS
13.0 Not Currently Assigned
1.0 OPERATIONS
1.1 POLICY BOOK
A. All policies of the Board of Selectmen shall be compiled in a notebook entitled: "Goals and Policies of the North Reading Board of Selectmen."
B. All policies therein shall be individually notated to show the dates on which said policies were adopted or amended by the Board.
C. At the front of the Policy Book, a calendar shall be maintained, showing annual dates upon which various policies are to be enforced.
D. The Policy Book shall contain a table of contents.
E. Chapters and policies shall be identified by sequential numbering or lettering.
Adopted 2. reading: November 24, 1980
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.2 POWERS AND AUTHORITY
The power and authority of the Selectmen of North Reading is vested in the Committee as a whole. Policy and other decisions are to be made at legally constituted meetings.
No one person is to make a commitment for the Selectmen unless so authorized by the majority of the Board at a Board meeting.
Should an emergency time constraint require decisive action by the Town Administrator or the Chairman of the Board, the members shall be contacted personally and the action ratified or rescinded at the next meeting.
Adopted 2. reading: June 30, 1977
Re-affirmed: July 24, 1980 and August 10, 1989.
1.3 BOARD OFFICERS AND DUTIES
A. At its first meeting following town elections, the Board shall annually elect the following officers:
1) Chairman
2) Vice-Chairman
3) Clerk
B. The duties of each officer are as follows:
1) CHAIRMAN
a. Formulate meeting agenda in conjunction with Town Administrator.
b. Presides over, but also participates in all meetings and hearings of the Board of Selectmen, according to law or procedures established in this policy book.
c. Liaison to the Town Administrator
d. Other duties as established within these policies
e. Insures that the Board is represented at meetings with other groups or at ceremonial functions as required.
2) VICE-CHAIRMAN
a. Assumes all duties of the Chairman in his/her absence.
3) CLERK
a. Signs all accepted minutes of the meetings & various Board correspondence, such as appointment slips.
b. Conducts an annual review of executive session minutes, and prepares a list of minutes to be released, for the Board's consideration.
c. Takes minutes of all meetings and hearings in the absence of the Board's secretary.
Adopted 2. reading: November 24, 1980
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.4 LIAISON ASSIGNMENTS
A. The Board will annually review liaison assignments.
B. Said review will take place by the third Board meeting after Town elections.
C. Liaison duties are as follows:
1) to keep informed as to the activities of assigned committees, boards and commissions,
2) establish a two-way flow of information by meeting periodically with assigned committees, boards and commissions,
3) interview candidates for Board appointed committees, boards and commissions and make recommendations for said appointments to the full Board.
D. Chairman will serve as liaison (as a minimum) with the Town Administrator, Town Treasurer, Town Counsel, Moderator and Finance Committee.
E. Other liaison assignments will be made with the following committees, boards and commissions:
1) School Committee
2) Community Planning Commission
3) Conservation Commission
4) North Reading Housing Authority
5) Northeast Regional Vocational School representative
6) Constables
7) Board of Appeals
8) Board of Registrars
9) MAPC representative
10) Middlesex County Advisory Board
11) North Reading Cultural Council
12) North Reading Historical Commission
13) State senator
14) State representative
15) Forest Committee
16) MBTA representative
17) Cable TV Advisory Committee
18) Commission on Disabilities
19) Hillview Commission
20) Historic District Commission
21) Housing Partnership
22) Land Utilization Committee
23) Local Emergency Planning Committee
24) Library Trustees
25) Martins Pond Study Committee
26) Mobile Home Rent Control Board
27) Water Commission
28) Other ad hoc committees
Adopted 2. reading: November 24, 1980
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989.
Amended: 1. Reading: May 18, 1998
Adopted: 2. Reading: June 1, 1998
1.5 REGULAR MEETINGS
The regular meetings of the Board of Selectmen shall be held in the office of the Board of Selectmen on the first and third Mondays of every month commencing at 7:30 P.M.
The date and place of any regular meeting may be changed by an order or resolve passed at the previous meeting upon the vote of three (3) members of the Board, provided, however, that said change and date will still provide for at least two (2) regular meetings in each month.
Amended and adopted: November 8, 1990.
Reviewed and amended: June 17, 1996
1.6 SPECIAL & EMERGENCY MEETINGS
Special or emergency meetings may be called by the Chairman, and, in the case of Chairman's absence, disability or refusal, may be called by three (3) members of the Board of Selectmen.
Notice of such hearing shall be served on all members.
The call for said emergency meeting shall set forth the matter to be acted upon at said meeting, and nothing else shall be considered at such special or emergency meeting.
Adopted 2. reading: October 30, 1980
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS
1.7 NOTIFICATION
Copies of the agenda, minutes of the previous meeting, and all pertinent information shall be delivered by mail or courier at least 48 hours before the meeting.
Adopted 2. reading: September 29, 1977.
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989.
1.8 QUORUM
A majority of the members of the Board of Selectmen shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Adopted 2. reading: June 30, 1977
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.9 AGENDA
No item shall be inserted in the agenda for any regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen, unless said item has been filed in the office of the Board on or before 12:00 noon on the Thursday prior to the regular Monday meeting.
Agenda for special meetings shall be established by the majority of the Board of Selectmen.
Amended & adopted 2. reading: May 26, 1987
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
Amended 1. reading: March 3, 2003
Amended 2. reading: March 17, 2003
1.10 MOTIONS
No motions shall be made, except under emergency conditions, except pursuant to an item specifically setting forth that item of business on the agenda.
Adopted 2. reading: June 30, 1977.
NOTE: Attempts to amend or delete this section on July 24, 1980 and on February 2, 1981, ended in tie votes and lost.
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.11 DECORUM & PROCEDURES
A. Decorum and procedure during Selectmen's meetings shall be maintained by the Chairman.
B. In performing this duty, the Chair will moderate according to the dictates of reason, established by Board practice, and law.
C. It is the expressed purpose of this policy to ensure that the Board is not unduly inhibited in its operations by strict conformance to inflexible rules of conduct, such as "Roberts Rules of Order."
D. The Chairman shall have the right of seconding, but not making motions.
Adopted 2. reading: November 24, 1980
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.12 MINUTES: CIRCULATION
Minutes of the meeting of the Board of Selectmen shall not be circulated until after they have been approved by the Board.
Adopted 2. reading: September 29, 1977
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.13 MINUTES: ACTION
The Board of Selectmen will act on the minutes of its meetings as the first item on the agenda.
Adopted 2. reading: January 27, 1977
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.14 MINUTES: EXECUTIVE SESSION
A. Executive session minutes are available to all members of the Board of Selectmen, who are bound to maintain their confidentiality.
B. Executive session minutes, or sections thereof, will be released in accordance with Massachusetts General Law, only when by doing so, the lawful purpose of the executive session will not be defeated.
C. Executive session minutes, or sections thereof, will be released only by an affirmative vote of at least three (3) members of the Board of Selectmen.
D. All requests for unreleased executive session minutes will be immediately forwarded to the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, and placed on the next available Selectmen's meeting agenda for resolution.
E. Notwithstanding periodic reviews, the Clerk of the Board shall conduct a review of all existing executive session minutes, together with Chairman or designee, and recommendations as to their release shall be presented to the Board of Selectmen in the month of September.
Adopted 2. reading: August 10, 1978
Amended: November 10, 1986.
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989.
1.15 CORRESPONDENCE: GENERAL
All correspondence requiring action or an answer shall be handled by the Town Administrator and reported the Board.
Copies of pertinent informational correspondence shall be given to each member.
Other informational correspondence shall be available at each meeting in the correspondence folder, and so indicated in each Selectmen's folder.
Adopted 2. reading: October 30, 1980
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.16 CORRESPONDENCE: ACTION
Following acceptance of minutes on the agenda, shall be correspondence.
Adopted 2. reading: October 30, 1980
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989.
1.17 MEETING PROCEDURES OLD & NEW BUSINESS
A. Old & new business will be scheduled by the Chairman as deemed necessary, but it will appear on the agenda at least twice monthly.
B. Members will be restricted to approximately five (5) minutes in which to relate their old & new business to the Board.
C. Attendant discussion to old & new business shall be limited by the Chair to no more than five (5) minutes for any single item.
D. Topics requiring more than five (5) minutes discussion will be placed on future agenda, as the priority requires.
Amended & adopted 2. reading: February 2, 1981
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.18 DOG COMPLAINTS
A. The Board of Selectmen shall entertain a request for disposal of a dog only upon receipt of:
1) a written, signed and sworn citizen complaint and request setting
forth the reasons for the request, and
2) a written report and recommendation from the Dog Officer.
B. If the Board schedules action on the request, it shall follow a "Show Cause" hearing format.
1) All parties shall be notified in writing of the date, time and place of the hearing.
2) The owner of the dog in question shall be invited and the Dog Officer shall be required to be present at the hearing.
C. The Dog Officer, complainant and the owner of the dog shall be notified in writing within forty-eight (48) hours of action taken by the Board, as well as appeal procedure available to the owner.
Adopted 2. reading: March 2, 1982
Re-affirmed: August 10, 1989
1.19 REMOVED
1.20 REMOVED
1.21 ALCOHOL LICENSES: SERVER TRAINING PROGRAMS
The Board shall require managers, and serving employees, of all establishments at which alcoholic beverages are sold to have successfully completed a certified server training program, prior to licensing or approval of any change of management. All individuals who are involved in taking orders and serving alcoholic beverages, or selling of alcoholic beverages in a retail setting, shall be required to have completed an approved certified server training program prior to working, except that servers shall be allowed thirty days to complete the program when first working as a wait person.
Evidence of completion of these programs must be filed with the Board of Selectmen on a yearly basis.
Adopted 1. reading: October 11, 2001
Adopted 2. reading: October 15, 2001
2.0 ADMINISTRATION & TOWN AFFAIRS
2.1 AGENDA
The laying out of the agenda shall be the responsibility of the Town Administrator in consultation with the Chairman of the Board.
Adopted 2. reading: October 27, 1983
2.2 CORRESPONDENCE
A. All correspondence requiring action or an answer shall be handled by the Town Administrator and reported to the Board for its response.
B. All other correspondence which may be of concern to the Board will be reported to the Board at its weekly meeting.
C. A copy of all correspondence addressed to the Selectmen shall be delivered to the Selectmen, and all correspondence addressed to individual members shall be delivered to said members unopened.
Adopted 2. reading: October 27, 1983
2.3 EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS
The Town Administrator shall annually evaluate or cause to be evaluated, all Town employees.
Adopted 2. reading: October 27, 1983.
2.4 BARGAINING
The Town Administrator shall be the sole bargaining agent for the Town, with the authority to use labor counsel as he deems necessary within available funds. All contracts will be ratified & signed by the Board of Selectmen.
Adopted 2. reading: October 27, 1983
Last sentence adopted 2. reading: May 18, 1989
2.5 OFFICE ORGANIZATION
The Town Administrator shall be charged with the responsibility of providing clerical help for the Board of Selectmen, for the following purposes:
To keep minutes for the Board of Selectmen.
To prepare outgoing correspondence as may be directed by the Board.
The Town Administrator shall supervise the secretarial help in these and other functions necessary for the proper functioning of the administration department, consisting of the Town Administrator's and the Selectmen's offices.
Adopted 2. reading: October 13, 1983
2.6 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
The annual evaluation of the Town Administrator by the Board of Selectmen shall be completed by February 15.
Completion date includes summary of individual evaluations and discussions of same between Chairman of the Board and the Town Administrator.
Adopted 2. reading: March 12, 1981
Re-affirmed: October 13, 1983
2.7 TOWN ADMINISTRATOR JOB DESCRIPTION
SALARY: Initial salary to be negotiated. Annual raises (July 1) based on performance evaluation by the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen (in accordance with criteria established by the Board) and ratified by the Board and by the April Town Meeting approval of appropriation.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Efficient and cost-effective administration of the Town.
* Town services provided fairly to all residents.
* Effective protection of persons and property.
* Control of tax rate through budget control.
* State and Federal funds and grants.
* Prompt and proper response to legitimate citizen complaints.
* Staff coordination and supervision.
* Personnel policies and personnel standards.
* Determination and negotiation of fair and equitable payscale
for town employees.
* Code enforcement.
* General by-law enforcement.
Planning for the Town's future.
* Capital planning.
* Water and sewage.
* Solid waste disposal.
* Sources of revenue.
* Open land (Conservation & Recreation)
* Upgrading of existing residential, commercial and
industrial properties (Town's tax base)
* Public buildings.
* Transportation and traffic patterns.
* Energy sources and utilization.
* Implementation of Master Plan.
Support and coordination of governmental activities.
* Facilities for Town Meeting, boards, committees, commissions.
* Clerical support.
* Scheduling of Selectmen's agenda.
* Staff work for Selectmen (Policies, licenses etc.)
* Policy proposals for Selectmen.
* Town Meeting Warrants, Annual Report.
* Coordination of volunteers (Selectmens & T.A's appointments)
* Leadership and initiative.
* Regional cooperation.
AUTHORITY: As defined in Town Charter.
HOURS, CONDITIONS & BENEFITS:
Working hours:
* Not fixed.
* Full time commitment required.
* Required to attend Selectmen's meetings.
* Required to attend Town Meetings.
* Expected to attend certain meetings of other governmental
bodies (day or evening) only when necessary.
* Should be accessible to officials and staff for decisions
and consultation.
* Should be visible so far as to foster dedication of employees
and staff.
Benefits:
* Health insurance: Standard town group insurance coverage.
* Disability benefits: Mass. Workmen's Compensation.
* Retirement: Middlesex County Retirement.
* Professional societies: ICMA or one paid by town, as approved
by the Board.
Vacation:
* See Board of Selectmen policy II-H attached.
Sick Leave:
* No formal sick leave.
* Telephone availability during minor indispositions.
* Selectmen appoint acting T.A. for major illness.
Expense:
* All necessary and out of pocket expense reimbursement.
* Personal vehicle @ standard town mileage rate.
* Per diem and travel expense on approved trips.
2.8 VACATION
A. As a benefit of employment, the Town Administrator is granted paid vacation not to exceed the rate of twenty (20) working days per full year served, or will not exceed two (2) working days per five (5) weeks of fractional year served.
B. Vacation will be accrued monthly.
C. Vacation will be negotiated between the Chairman and the Town Administrator with the approval of the Board.
D. Vacation cannot be used until it has been accrued, unless approval is given by the majority of the Board of Selectmen.
E. The cumulative total of accrued vacation as of July 1 shall be used during that current fiscal year.
Under extenuating circumstances, a maximum of two (2) weeks unused accrued vacation may be carried over to the next fiscal year, or may be treated as a buy back (subject to the availability of funds) at the discretion of and by a majority vote of the Board of Selectmen.
F. The Town Administrator shall submit to the Board of Selectmen for approval, a written plan or schedule for use of all accrued vacation by June 15th of each year.
G. Approval of vacation for more than two (2) consecutive weeks' duration shall be reconfirmed with the Board of Selectmen no later than two (2) weeks prior to start of such vacation.
H. The Chairman of the Board of Selectmen shall monitor adherence to the vacation schedule.
I. Upon resignation or termination of Town Administrator appointment, the Town will buy back unused vacation accrued to date of termination, subject to the availability of funds, according to the following schedule:
1) Each whole week (5 working days) of accrued vacation at a rate equal
to the annual salary in effect, divided by 52.
2) Each additional day at a rate equal to one fifth (1/5) of the weekly
rate defined above.
J. Any vacation taken in advance of accrual under the provisions of #4 above, shall be reimbursed to the Town in the event of termination of employment of any nature. This reimbursement shall be computed at the same rate described in #9 above.
Amended & adopted 2. reading: November 24, 1986
2.9 IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES
Any appointed official, subordinate to the Town Administrator or to the
Board of Selectmen, who is charged with the implementation of an explicit policy or directive of the Board of Selectmen, and who disagrees with this policy, shall present his objections to the Board of Selectmen through the appropriate chain of command within three weeks after being so charged.
If, upon hearing his objections, the Board affirms a policy that this official cannot in good conscience implement, he may request that the implementation of this policy be assigned someone else. If, in the opinion of his superior, the implementation of this policy is one of the vested duties of this official, he shall be required to faithfully execute the policy to the best of his ability.
No official, having been charged with the implementation of a policy of the Board of Selectmen, shall intentionally fail to implement this policy, except in anticipation of presenting his objections to | 
