1960-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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60 Section 2. The Selectmen may remove the town counsel from of- fice if in their opinion the interests of the town so require and shall fill any vacancy in said office by new appointment. Section 3. The Selectmen shall provide suitable space for the Town Counsel, as head of the legal department, in the Town Office Building. All books, records and documents, assembled by the town counsel in connection with the town's legal affairs, shall be kept in files prop- erly indexed in the offices of the legal department for convenient ref- erence by the Selectmen and the town counsel's successor in office. Section 4. The town counsel shall attend all town meetings and shall, at the request of the Moderator, advise the meeting on ques- tions of law relating to the subject matter of any article in the warrant and as to the form of proposed votes or motions or the legality of any particular action proposed to be taken in the meeting. Section 5. Subject to the approval of the Board of Selectmen, all elective or appointive town officers, special or standing committees, boards of departments may obtain orally or in writing the advice or opinion of the town counsel as to any function of their respective of- fices or on any specific question of law in relation thereto. Section 6. The Selectmen shall be the agents of the town to prose- cute and defend suits to which the town in its corporate capacity may be a party and as agents of the town they shall have full authority to prosecute or defend all suits at law or in equity and all civil and crim- inal proceedings and litigation to which the town, or any town officer in his official capacity, is a party or in which its rights, duties and interests may be the subject of adjudication. Section 7. The Selectmen shall have full authority, as agents of the town with the advice, and consent of the town counsel, to compromise and settle all claims or suits against the town if in their opinion such claims cannot be defended advantageously or successfully. Section 8. Whenever any accident occurs on a way, involving personal injury or property damage by reason of an alleged defect or want of repairs of such ways, the Surveyor of Highways or any police officer or other town official or employee cognizant of the same, shall forthwith make written report of such accident to the town counsel containing all available information useful in defending a claim or suit against the town founded on such alleged defect or want of repair. Section 9. The Chief of Police, at the request of the town counsel and by order of the Selectmen shall assign a competent police officer to the legal department to act under the direction of the town counsel in the investigation of claims against the town and to assist him in the trial or preparation for trial of any litigation to which the town is a party. ARTICLE V. BOARD OF HEALTH Section 1. The voters of the town shall choose by ballot beginning with the annual election in March of 1960, three members to constitute a Board of Health under the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 1; provided that at the 1960 election, members of the Board of Health shall be elected, one for a term of three years, one for a term of two years, and one for a term of one year; subsequent annual elec- tions to choose one member for a term of three years. Section 2. The Board of Health shall annually in March elect one of its members as Chairman of the Board. Section 3. The Board shall appoint one of its members as Clerk or Secretary of the Board, who shall keep an accurate record of the meet- ings, votes, orders and doings of the Board.