The select board and the town meeting shall from time to time provide for the grouping of town agencies into convenient units for the delivery of municipal services. The organization of the town into operating agencies for the provision of services and the administration of the government may be accomplished through either of the methods provided in this article.
(a) 
By-laws. Subject only to express prohibitions in a general law or the provisions of this charter, the town meeting may, by by-law, reorganize, consolidate, create, merge, divide or abolish any town agency, in whole or in part; establish such new town agencies as it deems necessary or advisable, determine the manner of selection, the term of office and prescribe the functions of all such entities; provided, however, that no function assigned by this charter to a particular town agency may be discontinued, or unless this charter specifically so provides, assigned to any other town agency.
(b) 
Administrative plan. The select board may from time to time, after consultation with the Town Administrator, prepare and submit to the town meeting plans of organization or reorganization which establish operating divisions for the orderly, efficient or convenient conduct of the business of the town.
Whenever the select board proposes such a plan, the select board shall hold one or more public hearings on the proposal giving notice by publication in a local newspaper, which notice shall describe the scope of the proposal and the time and place at which the hearing will be held, not less than seven nor more than fourteen days following said publication.
An organization or reorganization plan shall become effective at the expiration of sixty days following the date the proposal is submitted to the town meeting unless the town meeting shall, by a majority vote, within such period vote to disapprove the plan. The town meeting may vote only to approve or to disapprove the plan and may not vote to amend or to alter it.
The select board may, through the administrative plan, and subject only to express prohibitions in a general law or this charter, reorganize, consolidate or abolish any town agency, in whole or in part; establish such new town agencies as is deemed necessary to the same extent as is provided in section 4-1(a), above, for by-laws; and for such purpose may transfer the duties and powers and, so far as is consistent with the use for which the funds were voted by the town, transfer the appropriation of one town agency to another; provided, however, that no function assigned by this charter to a particular town agency may be discontinued or assigned to any other town agency unless this charter specifically so provides.
Every reorganization plan submitted by the select board pursuant to this provision shall contain a proposed by-law which contains, in detail, such amendments, revisions, repeals or otherwise of existing by-laws as may be necessary to accomplish the desired reorganization. Such reorganization plan and proposed by-law shall be accompanied by a message of the select board which explains the benefits expected to ensue.
[Amended by Town Meeting 10-18-2011, approved by voters 4-3-2012]
(a) 
Merit principle. All appointments and promotions of town officers and employees shall be made solely on the basis of merit and fitness demonstrated by examination or other evidence of competence and suitability.
(b) 
Submission of qualifications. The Town Administrator shall make available to the general public a means for submitting a statement of interest and qualifications for appointment to any appointed board, committee, commission, task force or other programs/activities for which the town is seeking volunteers. The Town Administrator shall retain submissions of any person expressing an interest in serving in a town office position for at least 2 years from the time of submission and without regard for the current status of said town offices or positions.
(a) 
Establishment, scope. There shall be a department of budget and finance which shall have all of the powers and duties now or from time to time vested by general or special law in the offices of town treasurers, town accountants, town collectors and chief procurement officers and such other powers and duties as may from time to time be assigned to the said department by the select board with the approval of the town meeting.
(b) 
Organization. The department of budget and finance shall consist of a treasury division, a collections division, an accounting division and a procurements division. Additional divisions may be established by the select board with the approval of the town meeting.
(c) 
Director of Budget and Finance. The department of budget and finance shall be under the direction of a full time director of budget and finance appointed by the select board. The director of budget and finance shall exercise the powers and duties of treasurer and shall appoint, subject to the approval of the select board, persons to direct the collections division, the accounting division and the procurements division.
(a) 
Appointment. An Town Administrator shall be appointed by the select board for terms not to exceed three years. During the term of appointment the Town Administrator may only be removed for cause after notice stating the reasons for removal, with the right to a hearing, and by a vote of at least three members of the select board.
(b) 
Powers and duties. The Town Administrator shall be the chief administrative officer of the town of Dartmouth within the policies and goals established by the select board and shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) 
The daily administration of the offices of the select board and the affairs of the town,
(2) 
The preparation of the articles and warrant for annual and special town meetings,
(3) 
Overall responsibility for the town budget with supervisory authority over the director of budget and finance,
(4) 
The hiring, supervision and termination of department heads determined by town general by-laws except for those department heads whose appointment is presently specially provided for by general or special law.
(5) 
In addition to those powers and duties as set out above the Town Administrator shall have the following administrative responsibilities and duties:
(a) 
General administrative responsibilities.
(i) 
Supervise, direct and be responsible, through department heads and supervisors, for the efficient administration of town departments, officers and employees and functions.
(ii) 
Administer either directly or through a person or persons supervised by the Town Administrator all provisions of general or special laws and all by-laws applicable to the town.
(iii) 
Coordinate all activities of town departments or agencies by ensuring the effective use of resources, equipment and personnel.
(iv) 
Keep the select board informed as to the needs of the town and make recommendations requiring their action.
(v) 
Perform such other duties as necessary or as may be assigned by vote of the select board.
(vi) 
Delegate or direct any subordinate or employee of the town to exercise any power, duty or responsibility which the office of Town Administrator is authorized to exercise, provided, that all acts that are performed under such delegation shall be considered to be the acts of the Town Administrator.
(vii) 
Inquire into the affairs of any town department, agency or office.
(b) 
Budget and finance related responsibilities. The Town Administrator shall be responsible for seeing that the director of budget and finance performs the following:
(i) 
Prepare and submit an annual operating budget, capital improvement program and a long term financial forecast.
(ii) 
Ensure that complete and full records of the financial and administrative activity of the town are maintained and to render reports to the Town Administrator and the select board.
(iii) 
Cause to be maintained a full and complete inventory of all town owned real and personal property.
(iv) 
Coordinate activities with the finance committee and capital improvement committee.
(c) 
Personnel management responsibilities.
(i) 
Administer personnel policies, practices, rules and regulations, compensation plans and any related employment matters for town employees.
(ii) 
Administer all collective bargaining agreements and oversee the negotiation of collective bargaining contracts with town employees over wages, and other terms and conditions of employment; subject to the approval of select board, shall employ special counsel to perform these duties as necessary, and provided further, that any terms and conditions of a collective bargaining contract are subject to the approval of the select board.
(iii) 
Cooperate with the personnel board providing information and assistance.
(iv) 
Responsible to ensure that all employees of the town, except employees of the school department are in administrative compliance with town personnel policies, practices and employment contracts. All hiring shall be in compliance with policies established by the select board.
(d) 
Responsibilities in relation to the Town Meeting.
(i) 
Attend all session of the town meeting and answer questions relating to matters before the town meeting.
(ii) 
Keep the select board informed as to the legislative matters of the town and to make recommendations to the select board as determined necessary or expedient.
(iii) 
Preparation of articles and the warrants for the annual and special town meetings.
(iv) 
Perform such other duties as necessary or as may be assigned by by-law or by vote of the town meetings.
All hiring of department heads shall be as prescribed in the hiring policies and procedures as adopted from time to time by the select board
Department heads under the Town Administrator shall appoint employees within their respective departments, provided however, appointments of employees shall be subject to the approval of the Town Administrator. No action by the Town Administrator in the hiring of a department head shall be effective until ratified by a majority vote of the select board within seven days after notice to the select board at a meeting. Failure of the select board to take any action with respect to a proposed appointment within seven days after notice, shall be ratification of the action taken by the Town Administrator.
(a) 
Board of Public Works, appointment, composition, term of office. There shall be a board of public works which shall consist of three persons appointed by the select board for terms of three-years each. The terms of office shall be so arranged that the term of office of one member shall expire each year.
(b) 
Board of Public Works, powers and duties. The board of public works shall have all the powers and duties now and from time to time vested by general or special law or town by-law in the following boards, departments and offices, or in boards, departments, and offices having corresponding powers and duties in the town of Dartmouth, to wit: water commissioners, sewer commissioners, tree warden, refuse collection, highway surveyor, town dump, drainage, engineering, and mosquito and moth control department. The board of public works shall in all respects be the lawful successor of the said boards, departments and offices. The board of public works shall have such added powers with respect to public works as the town may from time to time by by-law provide, any other provisions of the law to the contrary notwithstanding.
(c) 
Director of Public Works. The board of public works Shall appoint, for a term of not more than three years, and fix the compensation of a director of public works who shall exercise and perform, under its supervision and direction, such of the powers, rights and duties assigned to it under sub-section (b), above, as it may from time to time designate. The director of public works shall be specially fitted by education, training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The director of public works shall hold no elective office nor engage in any other business, occupation or profession while serving in such office. The director of public works may be removed for just cause only and by a vote of at least two members of the board of public works. The director of public works shall render to the board of public works, as often as it may require, a full report of all operations under the control of the director of public works during the period reported upon, and annually, and from time to time as required by the board of public works, shall make a synopsis of such reports for publication and shall keep the board of public works fully advised as to the needs of the town within the scope of its duties, and shall annually, before the expiration of the calendar year, furnish to the board of public works a carefully prepared and detailed estimate in writing of the appropriations required during the next succeeding fiscal year for the proper exercise and performance of all said rights and duties.
[Amended by Town Meeting 6-3-2014, approved by voters 4-7-2015]
[Added by Town Meeting 6-3-2014, approved by voters 4-7-2015]
(a) 
Composition, term of office. There shall be a Dartmouth Historical Commission, which shall consist of nine members who shall be appointed by the Select Board to staggered terms of three years as provided by law.
(b) 
Powers and duties. The Dartmouth Historical Commission shall have all of the powers and duties of such commissions as provided by the General By-Laws of the Town, and by the Massachusetts General Laws, including, without limitation, Chapter 40, Section 8D of the same.