HOME RULE LEGISLATION/MUNICIPAL FINANCE DEPARTMENT

To see if the Town will vote to authorize and request the Board of Selectmen to file Home Rule Legislation that would allow the creation of a consolidated department of municipal finance; or take any action related thereto.

Board of Selectmen Voted: That the Town does hereby request and authorize the Board of Selectmen to file Home Rule Legislation to provide substantially as follows:

“AN ACT AMENDING THE TOWN MANAGER ACT OF ARLINGTON TO ESTABLISH A TOWN FINANCE DEPARTMENT”

Section 1.  Chapter 503 of the Acts of 1952 (The Town Manager Act of Arlington) as subsequently amended, is hereby amended as follows:

First, by inserting after Section “28” a new Section “29” “Finance Department” to read as follows:

SECTION 29. Finance Department.

There shall be established, by the Board of Selectmen, a Finance Department as herein provided. The Town Manager shall appoint a suitably qualified person to the position of Finance Director. The Finance Director shall be eligible to also hold the position of Comptroller, Treasurer  and Collector, Deputy Town Manager or Assistant Town Manager. The Finance Director. shall be sworn to the faithful performance of her/his duties by the Town Clerk or by a Justice of the Peace. The Town Manager shall establish such divisions and subordinate offices within the Finance Department as s/he deems necessary and shall prescribe the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the same.

Second, by renumbering and renaming each subsequent section as follows:

Rename existing SECTION 29 as SECTION 30;

Rename existing SECTION 30 as SECTION 31;

Rename existing SECTION 31 as SECTION 32;

Rename existing SECTION 32 as SECTION 33;

Rename existing SECTION 33 as SECTION 34;

Rename existing SECTION 34 as SECTION 35;

Rename existing SECTION 35 as SECTION 36

Rename existing SECTION 36 as SECTION 37:

Rename existing SECTION 37 as SECTION 38;

Rename existing SECTION 38 as SECTION 39;

Rename existing SECTION 39 as SECTION 40;

Rename existing SECTION 40 as SECTION 41;

Rename existing SECTION 41 as SECTION 42;

Rename existing SECTION 42 as SECTION 43;

Rename existing SECTION 43 as SECTION 44;

Rename existing SECTION 44 as SECTION 45;

Rename existing SECTION 45 as SECTION 46;

Rename existing SECTION 46 as SECTION 47;

Rename existing SECTION 47 as SECTION 48;

Rename existing SECTION 48 as SECTION 49; and

Rename existing SECTION 49 as SECTION 50;

Section 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its passage.”

The Finance Committee supports the favorable action recommendation of the Board of Selectmen.