There is hereby established a committee, hereinafter, to be know as the "Dalton Traffic Commission."
A. 
Commission members shall be appointees of the Select Board of the Town of Dalton, Massachusetts, shall be seven in number, two of whom shall be Chief of Police and Chief of Fire Department. Both Chiefs (or their duly appointed alternates) shall have voting right within the Commission.
B. 
The five member appointees shall hold office at the discretion of the Select Board, with the reappointment to be made by the Select Board each year. The Board may make such changes as may affect Commission membership and/or term of service as they so desire. If a vacancy occurs, it shall be filled by an appointment by the Select Board. The Commission may make suggestions to the Select Board as to candidates toward the filling of a vacancy.
A. 
The Commission, at the first official meeting following annual appointment, shall choose, by vote, the following officers of the Commission:
(1) 
Chairman.
(2) 
Vice Chairman.
(3) 
Secretary.
B. 
The term of service for the above shall be for one year.
C. 
The duties and/or work of the Commission indicate that a meeting may be best called on an as-needed basis by the Chairman. However, should work volume dictate and/or should it be in the best interests of the Commission, meetings could be in order at a time set by vote of the Commission members, i.e., meeting monthly. Special meeting may be called by the Select Board, Commission Chairman, or any three members of the Commission.
D. 
Four members shall constitute a quorum for any official act, order, and/or vote.
E. 
The Commission Secretary shall be responsible for meeting minutes and/or recording of action/business transacted by the Commission. The Secretary may have the assistance of an hourly, paid, part-time clerk. All meetings are open, as required by law, and shall be posted 48 hours (two days) prior to such meeting.
F. 
Certain conditions may dictate a closed meeting, i.e., executive session.
A. 
The Traffic Commission shall be directly responsible to the Select Board.
B. 
The recommendation and/or reports of the Traffic Commission shall be advisory only, and shall not have the effect of law, bylaw, or ordinance.
C. 
The Traffic Commission shall be responsible for development of policies/practices for regulation of traffic movement within the Town, under the direction of the Select Board.
D. 
The Commission shall advise the Select Board on matters relating to traffic, parking and/or accident prevention, and shall make such reports and recommendations as may be deemed in the public interest. It shall study and/or investigate all subjects and/or problems relating to the regulation, movement or parking, as referred to the Commission by the Select Board, or upon its own initiative. It shall perform such other duties and other responsibilities as may be conferred upon it by the Select Board.
E. 
In addition, the Traffic Commission shall:
(1) 
Through its Chairman or other member designation, maintain close liaison with the Select Board and other traffic-related authorities, i.e., Dalton Highway Department and the Massachusetts Highway Department.
(2) 
It may, upon its own initiative, advise and/or inform the Select Board, and/or the Dalton Highway Department, as to needed construction, maintenance, or installation of necessary and properly authorized signs, signals, pavement marking, pylons, channels, guardrails, islands, crosswalks, lighting, safety zones, and/or other devices for guiding, directing, regulating and/or controlling vehicular or pedestrian traffic. It may advise the setting forth of certain street, lane, alley, or court signs.
(3) 
It may assist in layout and/or change on such Town streets, parking areas or premises, with relation to traffic use/flow, as might be indicated after study of same. Such studies, with resultant change, if any, may have been undertaken by direct referral by the Select Board, or may have originated within the Commission itself, with subsequent referral to the Select Board for approval and implementation.
(4) 
The Commission shall cause a copy of its action/minutes of each meeting to be placed before the Select Board and/or the Town Clerk.
(5) 
The Commission shall follow all regulations as set forward by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and the Massachusetts Amendments to the MUTCD.
A sum to be determined annually by the Select Board shall be designated for use by the Commission for expenditure relative to routine expenses and/or special commitments.