Section 11 Consolidated department of municipal finance; petition summary; ordinance or by-law - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 11. (a) The following shall be the summary inserted in the petition described in section five:

“Section eleven of chapter forty-three C of the General Laws authorizes the legislative body to provide, by ordinance or by law, for a consolidated department of municipal finance which may include the offices of accountant, auditor or comptroller, treasurer, collector and assessors.”

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, in any city or town which accepts the provisions of this section by vote of the people, the legislative body, subject to all applicable provisions of the city or town charter, shall have the authority to adopt an ordinance or by-law providing for a consolidated department of municipal finance.

Any ordinance or by-law adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section shall provide for (i) a director of municipal finance who shall be appointed by and shall be responsible to the chief executive officer or to the chief administrative officer of the city or town as the ordinance or by-law shall specify, (ii) the director of municipal finance to serve, ex-officio, as the accountant, auditor, comptroller, treasurer, collector or treasurer-collector of the city or town; provided, however, that no director of municipal finance shall serve, ex-officio, as both accountant, auditor or comptroller and treasurer, collector or treasurer-collector and (iii), the term of the office of the director of municipal finance which shall not be less than three nor more than five years, subject to removal as may be otherwise provided in the charter of such city or town.

Any ordinance or by-law adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section may include, but need not be limited to, the following: (i) coordination of all financial services and activities, (ii) maintenance of all accounting records and other financial statements, (iii) payment of all obligations, (iv) receipt of all funds due, (v) assistance to all other city or town departments and offices in any matter related to financial affairs, (vi) monitoring of the expenditure of all funds, including periodic reporting to appropriate agencies on the status of accounts, (vii) supervision of all purchases of goods, materials and supplies and maintenance of inventory controls, (viii) supervision of all data processing facilities and, (ix) any other matter relating to municipal finance as may be determined necessary or desirable in such ordinance or by-law.

Any ordinance or by-law adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section shall provide for the appointment of all other personnel necessary to staff the department as constituted in the ordinance or by-law. Unless some other provision is made in the city or town charter for the appointment of officers and employees the director of municipal finance shall appoint all personnel under his direction and control subject to the approval of the appointing authority as provided for his office.