[Adopted STM 11-1-1988, Art. 69]
The purpose of this Article is to establish fair and equitable personnel administration based on merit principles that ensures a uniform, fair and efficient application of personnel policies. This Article is adopted pursuant to the authority granted by Article LXXXIX of the Constitution of the Commonwealth and MGL C. 41, §§ 108A and 108C.
All Town departments and positions shall be subject to the provisions of this Article, except elected officers, employees with personal contracts and employees of the School Department.
A. 
The Moderator shall appoint a Personnel Board consisting of nine (9) persons for three-year overlapping terms. Each term of office shall commence thirty (30) days following the adjournment of the business session of the Annual Town Meeting, and every member shall serve until a successor is appointed and approved. Any registered voter of the Town may be appointed to the Board, except that neither elected officials of the Town nor Town employees can serve.
B. 
The Board shall annually elect a Chairman and a Vice Chairman from its membership at the first meeting following the appointment of new members.
C. 
Any five (5) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
D. 
The affirmative vote of the majority of members present shall be necessary for any official act of the Board to be effective.
E. 
The Board shall be responsible for establishment and maintenance of personnel systems based on merit principles, the classification and reclassification of positions, an annual compensation plan and the development of personnel policies, pursuant to § 58-8 of this Article.
Personnel systems shall be established by promulgation of policies pursuant to § 58-8 of this Article.[1] The personnel systems shall make use of current concepts of personnel management and shall include but not be limited to the following elements:
A. 
Method of administration. A system of administration which assigns specific responsibility for all elements of the personnel systems, including maintaining personnel records, implementing effective recruitment and selection processes, maintaining the classification and compensation plans, monitoring the application of personnel policies and periodic reviews and evaluating the personnel system.
B. 
Classification plan. A position classification plan for all employees subject to this Article, based on similarity of duties performed and responsibilities assumed. Thus, the same qualifications may be reasonably required for, and the same schedule of pay may be equitably applied to, all positions in the same class. No employee may be appointed to a position not included in the classification plan. No new position shall be created nor existing position reclassified to a different grade/pay level without proper Town Meeting approval.
C. 
Compensation plan. A compensation plan for all positions subject to this Article consisting of:
(1) 
A schedule of pay grades including minimum, maximum and intermediate rates for each grade; and
(2) 
An official list indicating the assignment of each position to specific pay grades.
D. 
Recruitment and selection policy. A recruitment, employment, promotion and transfer policy which ensures that reasonable effort is made to attract qualified persons and that selection criteria are job related.
E. 
Personnel records. A centralized recordkeeping system which maintains essential personnel records.
F. 
Personnel policies. A series of personnel policies which establishes the rights and benefits to which personnel employed by the Town are entitled and the obligations of said employees to the Town.
G. 
Other elements. Other elements of a personnel system as deemed appropriate or required by law.
[1]
Editor's Note: Current personnel policies established pursuant to this authorization are on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
The Personnel Board shall prepare policies or amendments to policies. Any member of the Board of Selectmen, Personnel Board, the Director of Human Resources or any three (3) employees may suggest policies for consideration by the Personnel Board. The Personnel Board need not consider any proposal already considered in the preceding twelve (12) months. Any person proposing a new or amended policy shall provide the substance and the reason for the proposed policy to the Personnel Board in writing. The Personnel Board shall hold a public hearing on any proposed policies or amendments. Any proposed policies or amendments shall be posted at least five (5) days prior to the public hearing in prominent work locations, copies of all proposals shall be provided to representatives of each employee collective bargaining unit, and a copy shall be submitted to the Board of Selectmen.
A. 
Public hearing. The Personnel Board shall present the proposed policies or amendments, the purpose of the proposal and the implication of any proposed change at the public hearing. Any person may attend the hearing, speak and present information. Within twenty (20) days after such public hearing, the Personnel Board shall consider the proposed policies and may vote to adopt the policies, with or without modifications, reject the policies or indicate further study is necessary.
B. 
Recommended administration policies. The Personnel Board shall transmit proposed policies in writing to the Board of Selectmen within twenty (20) days of any vote on proposed personnel policies or amendments. The Board of Selectmen shall review said policies and may agree to their adoption or may request further deliberation by the Personnel Board. Upon review of any recommendations made by the Board of Selectmen, the Personnel Board shall vote on the final version of the recommendations and policies. Policies shall become effective upon the vote of the Personnel Board, unless some other date is specified.
C. 
Computation of time. In computing time (days) under this Article, only days when Town Hall is open for business shall be counted.
[Amended STM 10-24-1989, Art. 58]
In the event any provision of application of this Article shall be held to be invalid by the proper authority, the remaining provisions of this Article shall not be affected thereby.
[Amended STM 10-24-1989, Art. 59]
This Article shall take effect on January 1, 1989. Personnel policies existing prior to said date as presented in Article 12, Personnel Bylaw,[1] will remain in effect for at least sixty (60) days from said date until promulgation of new policies in accordance with § 58-8.
[1]
Editor's Note: This reference to Article 12 of the Personnel Bylaw is a reference to a bylaw adopted by the ATM 3-5-1963. Current personnel policies are on file in the office of the Town Clerk.