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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 690 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2030
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
John Barrett, III
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to amend the Williamstown town charter by making all gender references therein gender
neutral.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:John Barrett, III1st Berkshire1/17/2023 1 of 9
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 690 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2030
By Representative Barrett of North Adams, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2030) of
John Barrett, III (by vote of the town) that the town of Williamstown be authorized to amend the
charter of said town by making all gender references therein gender neutral. Municipalities and
Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to amend the Williamstown town charter by making all gender references therein gender
neutral.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 1 of the charter of the town of Williamstown, which is on file in the
2office of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the
3General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out the words “majority of the Selectmen” and
4inserting in place thereof the following words:- majority of the Select Board Members.
5 SECTION 2. Section 3 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
6“Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following
7words:- Select Board Members.
8 SECTION 3. Said section 3 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out the
9word “Selectman”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the
10following words:- Select Board Member. 2 of 9
11 SECTION 4. Section 4 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
12“Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following
13words:- Select Board Members.
14 SECTION 5. Section 5 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word “his”
15and inserting in place thereof the following word:- their.
16 SECTION 6. Said section 5 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out the
17word “Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the
18following words:- Select Board Members.
19 SECTION 7. Said section 5 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out the
20word “Chairman” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- Chairperson.
21 SECTION 8. Section 6 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the words
22“Chairman of the Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Chairperson of
23the Select Board Members.
24 SECTION 9. Section 7 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
25“Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board Members.
26 SECTION 10. Said section 7 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out the
27word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town Manager’s.
28 SECTION 11. Section 8 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
29“Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board Members.
30 SECTION 12. Said section 8 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out the
31word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town Manager’s. 3 of 9
32 SECTION 13. Section 9 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
33“Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board Members.
34 SECTION 14. Said section 9 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out the
35word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town Manager’s.
36 SECTION 15. Section 10 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the words
37“Board of Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board.
38 SECTION 16. Said section 10 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
39the words “he was” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- they were.
40 SECTION 17. Said section 10 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
41the word “Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board
42Members.
43 SECTION 18. Said section 10 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
44the word “he” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town Manager.
45 SECTION 19. Said charter is hereby further amended by striking out section 11 and
46inserting in place thereof the following section:-
47 Section 11. Appointment of Town Manager. The Select Board Members elected as
48provided herein shall appoint, as soon as practicable, a Town Manager, who shall be a person
49especially fitted by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The Town
50Manager shall be appointed without regard to their political beliefs. The Town Manager need not
51be a resident of the town during the term of their office. Before entering upon the duties of their
52office, the Town Manager shall be sworn to the faithful and impartial performance thereof by the 4 of 9
53Chairperson of the Select Board Members, or by the Town Clerk, or by a Justice of the Peace.
54The Town Manager shall execute a bond in favor of the town for the faithful performance of
55their duties in such sum and with such surety as may be fixed or approved by the Select Board
56Members.
57 SECTION 20. Section 12 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
58“Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following
59words:- Select Board Members.
60 SECTION 21. Section 13 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the words
61“Board of Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board.
62 SECTION 22 Said section 13 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
63the word “Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the
64following words:- Select Board Members.
65 SECTION 23. Said section 13 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
66the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- In the preliminary
67resolution the Select Board Members may suspend the Manager from duty, but shall in any case
68cause to be paid to the Manager forthwith any unpaid balance of the Manager’s salary and the
69Manager’s salary for the next three calendar months following the filing of the preliminary
70resolution.
71 SECTION 24. Section 14 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
72“his” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- their. 5 of 9
73 SECTION 25. Said section 14 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
74the word “Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board
75Members.
76 SECTION 26. Subsection (a) of section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by striking
77out the word “Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board
78Members.
79 SECTION 27. Subsection (b) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
80striking out the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town
81Manager’s.
82 SECTION 28. Said subsection (b) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
83amended by striking out the word “he” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the
84Town Manager.
85 SECTION 29. Subsection (c) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
86striking out the second sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- The Town
87Manager may in like manner appoint and remove such other officers and employees as the Town
88Manager deems necessary to carry out the powers and duties imposed upon the Town Manager
89by this Act.
90 SECTION 30. Subsection (d) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
91striking out the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town
92Manager. 6 of 9
93 SECTION 31. Subsection (e) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
94striking out the words “Board of Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
95Select Board.
96 SECTION 32. Said subsection (e) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
97amended by striking out “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town
98Manager’s.
99 SECTION 33. Subsection (f) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
100striking out the word “his”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance,
101the following words:- the Town Manager’s.
102 SECTION 34. Said subsection (f) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
103amended by striking out the word “Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following
104words:- Select Board Members.
105 SECTION 35. Subsection (g) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
106striking out the word “Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each
107instance, the following words:- Select Board Members.
108 SECTION 36. Said subsection (g) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
109amended by striking out the word “he” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the
110Town Manager.
111 SECTION 37. Subsection (j) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
112striking out the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town
113Manager. 7 of 9
114 SECTION 38. Said subsection (j) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
115amended by striking out the word “Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following
116words:- Select Board Members.
117 SECTION 39. Subsection (k) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
118striking out the word “Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select
119Board Members.
120 SECTION 40. Said subsection (k) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
121amended by striking out the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the
122Town Manager’s.
123 SECTION 41. Subsection (l) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
124striking out the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town
125Manager’s.
126 SECTION 42. Said subsection (l) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
127amended by striking out the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the
128Town Manager.
129 SECTION 43. Said subsection (l) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
130amended by striking out the word “Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following
131words:- Select Board Members.
132 SECTION 44. Subsection (m) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby amended by
133striking out the word “his”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance,
134the following words:- the Town Manager’s. 8 of 9
135 SECTION 45. Said subsection (m) of said section 15 of said charter is hereby further
136amended by striking out the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the
137Town Manager.
138 SECTION 46. Section 16 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
139“Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following
140words:- Select Board Members.
141 SECTION 47. Said section 16 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
142the word “his”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the
143following word:- their.
144 SECTION 48. Said section 16 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
145the word “he” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- they.
146 SECTION 49. Section 17 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word “he”
147and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town Manager.
148 SECTION 50. Section 18 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
149“Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board Members.
150 SECTION 51. Section 19 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word “he”
151and inserting in place thereof the following word:- they.
152 SECTION 52. Said section 19 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
153the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the Town Manager. 9 of 9
154 SECTION 53. Said section 19 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
155the word “Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the
156following words:- Select Board Members.
157 SECTION 54. Section 20 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
158“Selectman” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board Member.
159 SECTION 55. Said section 20 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
160the word “Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the
161following words:- Select Board Members.
162 SECTION 56. Said section 20 of said charter is hereby further amended by striking out
163the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- their.
164 SECTION 57. Section 22 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
165“Selectmen” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Select Board Members.
166 SECTION 58. Section 23 of said charter is hereby amended by striking out the word
167“Selectmen”, each time it appears, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following
168words:- Select Board Members.
169 SECTION 59. This act shall take effect upon its passage.