1976-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

F derl as I am thoroughly familiar with the day- commission chairmen, boards and individuals s y to-day administrative functions of the Selectmen's with whom I had to work thank you far the s' y Department. cooperation. The position was created at the Annual Town Respectfully submitted, In Meeting of May 13, 1974,when the town voted to Frank E. wicks s accept the provisions of Chapter 41, Section 23A, Executive SecretaryP Massachusetts General Laws on recommendation Massac � � of the Municipal Study Committee, which basi- cally authorizes the Selectmen to appoint an e Greta for a term of one to three o Executive Secretary Report of the a ears who may be removed by them at their dis- y a �' a cretion. The Executive Secretary is not to hold Town Counsel f elective office, but he may be appointed by the c Selectmen to any other town position. He may be a appointed by any other town officer or board to i t with the approval of the In the year of the Bicentennial,the suit brought another town position pp b the Mashpee Tribe against the Town of I Selectmen.He is to act by and for the Selectmen in y p g matter assigned to him• and with their a - Mashpee and 145 others overshadowed all other anyp f r val he may perform such other duties as may events in•the legal realm. The suit filed in the o , p y p Federal.District Court on August�F, 19 7�alleges r be requested of him by any other town officer, board or committee. that because of a statute first passed in 1790 and known as the Non-Intercourse Act, all con- l My basic duties with the Board have been to see veyances of land since that time are void and that that their orders and policies are carried out;act as all of the land in Mashpee, with some very small liaison between the Selectmen and the various exceptions, belongs to the Mashpee Tribe of In- town offices,boards,commissions and committees; dians. supervise and advise employees under the direct Because the claim casts doubt upon the legal control of the Selectmen; supply the Selectmen title to land,lawyers would not certify titles,banks with information relative to questions the Board would not give mortgages, and transactions in I must act upon; assist in preparing town reports land ceased. and other reports the Selectmen are required to Selectmen Benway and O'Connell acted quickly prepare;keep the Selectmen informed of practices by creating a steering committee which recom- l and trends in other towns; act as the public rela- mended the engagement of James St. Clair of the tions officer for the Board;investigate and answer Boston law firm of Hale & Darr as special counsel 3 complaints and refer complainants to proper town to defend the interests of the Town and its inhabit- departments; assist in preparing budgets for the ants in this action which threatens the very exis- Selectmen and various department heads under tence of the Town. To the resent time, prelimi- 1 open- ings nary pleadings and research have been done. the Selectmen; represent the Board at bid o p ings and prepare bid specs; manage the mainte- Merril Kirsner, a Po onesset resident and 1 Hance of Town Hall; assist the Board in seekingpp Boston attorney, assisted the Selectmen as legal Federal and State funds and grants; appraise and coordinator. The claim Indian has been charac- a evaluate the performance of town employees; as- terized b one observer as the most important case sist in the preparation of articles for town meeting y p in the entire state of Massachusetts in 1976. warrants; meet with the various committee As an outgrowth of the Indian suit the Town chairmen to discuss their problems, goals and ob- ' was unable to finance the construction of the new jectives, and report to the Selectmen; act as pur- chasing agent;to perform any other duties that the y p legislation,sponsored by Representative Selectmen may assign me to. Richard Kendall, guaranteed the bonds of the I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Town. Selectmen for their confidence; and, a special At the Special Town Meeting held on September thanks to the Administrative Assistant and Sec- 23, 1976 the Town voted to increase the pay of retary,Ms.Jean Thomas and Marie Fitzgerald,for Selectmen Benway and O'Connell to recompense without their complete cooperation and assis- them for the full time schedule of work required of tance,the office could not run smoothly;to all the them by reason of the problems created by the town officials, department heads, committee and Indian suit.The Town's action was challenged in a — 10 -- L