Section 3-2 Board of Selectmen

There shall be a board of selectmen consisting of five (5) members elected for terms of three years each, so
arranged that the term of office of as nearly an equal number of members as is possible shall expire each year.

Vacancies in the office of selectmen shall be filled by a special election in accordance with the provisions of
Massachusetts General Laws.

The executive powers of the town shall be vested in the board of selectmen which shall be deemed to be the
chief executive office of the town. The board of selectmen shall have all of the executive powers it is possible for
a board of selectmen to have and to exercise. The board of selectmen shall serve as the chief policy making
agency of the town. The board of selectmen shall be responsible for the formulation and promulgation of policy
directives and guidelines to be followed by all town agencies serving under it, and in conjunction with other
elected town officers and multiple member bodies to develop and promulgate policy guidelines designed to bring
the operation of all town agencies into harmony. Provided however, nothing in this section shall be construed to
authorize any member of the board of selectmen, nor a majority of such members, to become involved in the
day-to-day administration of any town agency. It is the intention of this provision that the board of selectmen
shall act only through the adoption of broad policy guidelines, which are to be implemented by officers and
employees serving under it.

The board of selectmen shall cause the charter, by-laws, and rules and regulations for the government of the
town to be enforced and shall cause an up-to-date record of all its official acts to be kept.

The board of selectmen shall appoint a town manager as provided for in Article IV of this charter and shall
appoint a town counsel.

The board of selectmen may investigate the affairs of the town and the conduct of any town agency including
any doubtful claims against the town, and for this purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take
testimony, and require the production of evidence. The report of the results of such investigation shall be placed
on file in the office of the town manager, and a report summarizing the results of such investigation shall be
printed in the next annual town report.

The board of selectmen shall be the licensing board of the town and shall have the power to issue licenses, to
make all necessary rules and regulations regarding the issuance of such licenses, and to attach such conditions
and restrictions thereto as it deems to be in the public interest. The board of selectmen shall enforce the laws
relating to all businesses for which it issues such licenses. The board of selectmen may delegate such licensing
authority unless specifically prohibited by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

In the event that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts fails in any fiscal year to provide for the independent
audit of all records and accounts of the town, the board of selectmen shall provide for such audits. The audits
shall be made by a certified public accountant, or firm of such accountants, who have no personal interests,
direct or indirect, in the fiscal affairs of the town government or any of its officers.