Role of the Select Board
What Can the Select Board Do?
It is tempting to think of the Select Board as a place from which to attempt a very specific agenda - to reduce debt, to improve education or to advocate for a senior center. While some of this may be possible, the big difference between the Select Board and, say a mayor's office or a commercial executive board is that there are five members of equal standing who will likely have differences over policy decisions.
Additionally, Town Government is not exactly renowned for it's lightening speed of operation. Like it or not, the democratic process can be arduous as it wrestles with the problems of the day and those yet to come.
For those not familiar with the town charter, here is a brief overview.
Section 3.2 of the Maynard Town Charter
There shall be a select board consisting of five (5) members elected for terms of three (3) years each, so arranged that the terms of as nearly equal number of members as is possible shall expire each year.
b) Powers and Duties - The executive powers of the Town of Maynard shall be vested in the select board which shall be deemed to be the chief executive office of the town.
The select board shall have all of the executive powers it is possible for a select board to have and to exercise.
The select board shall serve as the chief policymaking agency of the town.
It shall be responsible for the issuance of policy directives and guidelines to be followed by all town agencies serving under it and, in conjunction with other elected town offices, to develop and to promulgate policy guidelines designed to bring all agencies of the town into harmony and further have ultimate responsibility to ensure compliance with policy directives.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any member of the select board, or a majority of such board, to become involved in the day-to-day administration of any town agency. It is the intention of this provision that the select board shall act through the adoption of policy guidelines which are to be implemented by officers and employees appointed by or under its authority.
The select board shall maintain liaison with all town boards, commissions, and committees and shall mediate disputes among town boards, commissions and committees. 11
The select board shall cause a record of all its official acts to be kept.
To aid it to perform its duties, the select board shall appoint a town administrator. The select board shall have the power to make investigations, and may authorize the town administrator to investigate the affairs of the town and the conduct of any town department, office, or agency, including any doubtful claims against the town.
The select board shall have the authority to appoint town boards in accordance with the provisions of this charter. Members of the select board shall be ineligible to serve on multiple member bodies established by this charter or by by-law to which the select board is the appointive authority. Members of the select board shall possess no individual authority unless such authority shall have previously been granted by vote of the board.
The select board shall be recognized as head of the town government for all ceremonial purposes.
Licensing Authority - The select board shall act as the licensing authority of the town and shall have the power and responsibility required to issue licenses, to make all necessary rules and regulations regarding the issuance of such licenses, and to attach conditions and impose such restrictions as it considers to be in the public interest, and further to enforce, or cause to be enforced, the laws, rules, and regulations relating to all businesses for which it issues licenses.
Observations
Deeper appreciation for the breadth of matters in which the Select Board shares responsibiity.
The Town Charter attempts to define the working relationship between the Select Board and the Town Administration. The SB sets policy and then essentially gets out of the way so that the TA can get on with the job. But surely an effective relationship can only work if there are open lines of communication about the ongoing issues in town.
A working knowledge of procedure, bye-laws and history provides a huge advantage to effective government. The people I know who have that knowledge typically do because they have learned over many
The Open Meeting Laws are certainly interesting for those of us who have not had to work under their authority. Here is the 2015 version, but it is 11 pages long!
I hope there are good training opportunities available for all who volunteer or work in committees.