§ 149-24. Appointed nonadministrative officials

(a) General provisions applying to all appointed positions:

(1) The appointed positions herein shall all be appointed by a majority vote of the Board of Selectmen.

(2) Terms of appointment shall begin immediately upon Board of Selectmen action and run for a period as specified herein.

(3) All appointees shall be administered the oath of office in the form as provided for by statute.

(4) Appointees may be afforded compensation or reimbursement for expenses as determined by the Board of Selectmen.

(5) For the purposes of the administrative code, within one year after the adoption of this charter, all appointees, positions, boards, and commissions shall be required to submit a proposed ordinance to the Board of Selectmen outlining duties and responsibilities, which the Board of Selectmen shall amend and adopt.

(6) To the highest degree possible, the Board of Selectmen shall strive for a balance of opinion on all appointive positions, boards, and commissions.

(7) Although operating independently, all appointive boards and commissions shall be required to cooperate with the Board of Selectmen in the exercise of their duties in the pursuit of the public good. They shall be required to file an annual report for inclusion in the Town report, and also to file any other reports requested by the Board of Selectmen, and be in attendance at any meeting so requested by the Board of Selectmen.

(8) If an appointed official misses three consecutive regular scheduled meetings of the appointed body for reasons other than health or personal emergency, that office may be declared immediately vacant by the Board of Selectmen. The official shall be entitled to a hearing before the Board prior to a final determination.

(9) Elected officials shall serve in appointed positions, boards, and commissions if the specific membership of the board or commission calls for their service, subject to the limits outlined herein.

(10) Members of the administrative service may serve in appointive positions as limited by charter, but may not vote on any issue directly affecting their position or conditions of employment.

(b) Appointed positions:

(1) The following positions are created by this charter, their functions to be governed by the applicable State statute, as limited by charter or ordinance:

(A) Weigher of Coal

(B) Fence viewers

(C) Tree Warden

(D) Surveyor of Wood and Lumber

(E) Pound Keeper

(F) Town Clerk

(G) Town Attorney

(H) Town Treasurer

(I) Grand Juror

(J) Delinquent Tax Collector

(c) Appointed boards and commissions established by charter:

(1) Planning Commission:

(A) The Board of Selectmen shall appoint the members of the Planning Commission in accordance with State statute.

(B) The duties and responsibilities of the Planning Commission shall be in accordance with State statute as limited herein.

(2) Zoning Board of Adjustment:

(A) The Board of Selectmen shall appoint the members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment in accordance with State statute.

(B) Duties and responsibilities of the Zoning Board of Adjustment shall be in accordance with State statute as limited herein.

(3) Housing Authority:

(A) The Board of Selectmen shall appoint members of the Housing Authority.

(B) The Housing Authority shall be the agency responsible for dealing with all publicly owned housing, and subsidized housing issues in the Town of Springfield.

(C) The Housing Authority shall also advise the Board of Selectmen on housing issues generally when so requested.

(4) Airport Commission:

(A) So long as there is an airport in Springfield, the Board of Selectmen shall appoint an Airport Commission, the number of members to be decided by the Board of Selectmen.

(B) The purpose of the Airport Commission shall be to advise the Board of Selectmen on airport-related matters.

(C) The Airport Commission shall serve as the Airport Advisory Committee as prescribed by State statute.

(d) Boards, commissions, committees created by Board of Selectmen action:

(1) The Board of Selectmen may, at any time, in response to a perceived need, create, by ordinance or resolution, a board, commission, or committee.

(2) In doing so, the action must clearly state the reason for the creation of the body.

(3) Any body created under this section shall not have an effective life of more than three years. At the end of that period the mandate creating the committee shall terminate and the Board of Selectmen shall be required to review the reason for the body's existence and may act to reconstitute the body.