The charter may be replaced, revised or amended in accordance with any procedure made available by article LXXXIX of the amendments to the constitution of the commonwealth and any laws of the commonwealth enacted to implement said article LXXXIX.
[Amended 1-6-2021 by Ch. 380 of the Acts of 2020]
Commencing in the year 2010 and at least every five (5) years after submission of the report and the date of the public hearing thereafter, a charter review committee shall be appointed by the select board for the purpose of reviewing the provisions of the charter and to make reports concerning any proposed amendments or revisions which such committee deems necessary and such report shall be presented to the select board within twelve (12) months after the charter review committee's first meeting. The select board shall hold a public hearing on the report's recommendations within sixty (60) days after the report is presented to the board. The twelve (12) month period may be extended by the select board.
The provisions of the charter are severable. If any of the provisions of the charter shall be held to be unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions of the charter shall not be affected thereby. If the application of the charter or any of its provisions to any person or circumstances is held to be invalid, the application of said charter and its provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
The following rules shall apply when interpreting the charter:
(a) 
To the extent that any specific provision of the charter shall conflict with any provision expressed in general terms, the specific provision shall prevail.
(b) 
Words imparting the singular number may extend and be applied to several persons or things; words imparting the plural number may include the singular; and words imparting the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender.
(c) 
All references to the general laws or the laws of the commonwealth shall refer to the General Laws and shall include any amendments or revisions thereto or to the corresponding chapters and sections of any rearrangement of the General Laws enacted subsequent to the adoption of the charter.
(d) 
In computing time under the charter, if seven (7) days or less, only business days shall be counted; if more than seven (7) days, every day shall be counted except that if the last day counted in a computation does not fall on a business day, the last day of computation shall be extended to the next business day thereafter.
[Amended 1-6-2021 by Ch. 380 of the Acts of 2020]
The following words, as used in the charter, shall have the following meanings, unless another meaning is clearly apparent from the manner in which the word is used:
"Business day", any day on which the town hall is open to the public to conduct business.
"Charter", the charter and any amendments made through any methods provided under article LXXXIX of the amendments to the constitution.
"Commonwealth", the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
"Ex-officio", a member of any multiple member body who serves by virtue of his or her office or position.
"Emergency", a sudden, unexpected, unforeseen happening, occurrence or condition which necessitates immediate action or response.
"Law", any statute enacted by the General Court or any statute enacted by the Congress of the United States and whether otherwise called a General Law or a special law or a public law.
"Majority vote", a majority of those present and voting, provided that a quorum is present when a vote is taken, unless a higher number is required by law or the charter.
"Multiple member body", any board, commission, committee, sub-committee or other body consisting of three (3) or more persons whether elected, appointed or otherwise constituted, but not including the select board or the school committee.
"Town", the town of Ashland.
"Town agency", any board, commission, committee, department or office of town government, whether elected, appointed or otherwise constituted.
"Voters", the registered voters of the town.
All bylaws, resolutions, rules, regulations and votes of town meeting which are in force at the time the charter is amended and that are not inconsistent with the provisions of the charter, shall continue in force until further amended or repealed.
Where provisions of the charter conflict with provisions of town bylaws, rules, regulations, orders, town meeting votes and acceptances of General Laws, the charter provisions shall govern.
[Amended 1-6-2021 by Ch. 380 of the Acts of 2020]
The select board shall develop a code of conduct provided it is consistent with the law and applicable to all elected offices and elected and appointed multiple member bodies, the select board and the school committee. The code of conduct shall be approved by town meeting.