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H4135 • 2025

An Act amending the town manager act of Arlington relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk

An Act amending the town manager act of Arlington relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Garballey, Sean
Last action
2025-11-20
Official status
Signed by the Governor, Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act amending the town manager act of Arlington relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk

An Act amending the town manager act of Arlington relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk By Representative Garballey of Arlington and Senator Friedman, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act amending the town manager act of Arlington relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk By Representative Garballey of Arlington and Senator Friedman, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 4135) of Sean Garballey, Cindy F.
  • Friedman and David M.
  • Rogers (by vote of the town) relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk in the town of Arlington.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-11-20 Executive

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2025

  2. 2025-11-13 Senate

    Enacted and laid before the Governor

  3. 2025-11-12 House

    Enacted

  4. 2025-11-10 Senate

    Taken out of the Orders of the Day

  5. 2025-11-10 Senate

    Read second, ordered to a third reading, read third (title changed) and passed to be engrossed

  6. 2025-11-03 Senate

    Read; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session

  7. 2025-10-30 House

    Read third and passed to be engrossed

  8. 2025-07-24 House

    Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting

  9. 2025-07-24 House

    Rules suspended

  10. 2025-07-24 House

    Read second and ordered to a third reading

  11. 2025-07-14 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling

  12. 2025-06-03 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 06/10/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-1

  13. 2025-05-15 Senate

    Senate concurred

  14. 2025-05-12 House

    Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government

Official Summary Text

An Act amending the town manager act of Arlington relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk
By Representative Garballey of Arlington and Senator Friedman, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4135) of Sean Garballey, Cindy F. Friedman and David M. Rogers (by vote of the town) relative to the appointment and management of the town clerk in the town of Arlington. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.4135

SECTION 1. Section 8 of chapter 503 of the acts of 1952, as most recently amended by section 1 of chapter 94 of the acts of 2019, is hereby further amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- The election of assessors shall continue as presently provided.

SECTION 2. Subsection (a) of section 15 of said chapter 503, as most recently amended by section 2 of said chapter 94, is hereby further amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

The town manager shall supervise and direct the administration of all departments, commissions, boards and offices, except the select board, the school committee, moderator, board of assessors, registrars of voters, election officers, boards of appeal, the finance committee, the capital budget committee and the personnel review and appeals board.

SECTION 3. The second paragraph of subsection (c) of said section 15 of said chapter 503, as most recently amended by section 4 of said chapter 94, is hereby further amended by striking out the first and second sentences and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:-

The town manager shall appoint upon merit and fitness alone the town's comptroller, who shall also be vested with the authorities of a town accountant, the town treasurer and collector, and the town clerk, subject to the approval of the select board. Appointment of the town clerk, comptroller and the town treasurer and collector shall become effective upon the approval of the select board.

SECTION 4. The third paragraph of said subsection (c) of said section 15 of said chapter 503, as most recently amended by section 6 of said chapter 94, is hereby further amended by striking out the first and second sentences and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:-

The town clerk, comptroller or the town treasurer and collector may be removed by the town manager subject to the approval of the select board. Removal of the town clerk, comptroller or the town treasurer and collector shall become effective upon approval of the select board.

SECTION 5. Said subsection (c) of said section 15 of said chapter 503, as most recently amended by section 7 of said chapter 94, is hereby further amended by striking out the fourth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection to the contrary, the town clerk, comptroller and the town treasurer and collector shall be authorized to report directly to the chairperson of the select board, or any member of the board, on any matter in the town at any time, without the necessity of prior approval from the town manager or any other official.

SECTION 6. Upon the effective date of this act, the incumbent elected to the office of town clerk shall continue to hold the office and to perform the duties thereof until the expiration of the term for which the individual was elected or until the individual otherwise vacates the office, whichever is sooner, at which time the elected office of town clerk shall be abolished and appointments to the position of town clerk shall be made in accordance with this act.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

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