Section 6 Charges against members; hearing; removal; resignation; suspension - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 6. The mayor or city council or board of selectmen may make or receive written charges against, and the mayor with the approval of the city council, or the board of selectmen, as the case may be, may accept the resignation of, any member of a housing authority or redevelopment authority appointed or elected by such city or town or may, after hearing, remove any such member because of inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct in office provided that such member shall have been given, not less than fourteen days before the date set for such hearing, a copy in writing of the charges against him and written notice of the date and place of hearing to be held thereon, and at the hearing shall have been given the opportunity to be represented by counsel and to be heard in his defense. The mayor and city council or board of selectmen may also make or receive written charges against any member of a housing or redevelopment authority in such city or town appointed by the department and refer the same to the department which may proceed in the same manner as the mayor and city council or board of selectmen under the preceding sentence. Pending final action upon any such charges, the officer or officers having the power to remove such member may temporarily suspend him, provided that they shall immediately reinstate him in office if they find such charges have not been substantiated, and may appoint a person to perform the duties of such suspended member until he is reinstated or until he is removed and his successor is qualified. In case of any such removal the removing authority shall forthwith deliver to the clerk of the city or town attested copies of such charges and of its findings thereon, and the clerk shall cause the same to be filed with the certificate and duplicate certificate required to be filed with the department and the state secretary under section five.

A member of a housing or redevelopment authority who ceases to be a resident of the city or town shall be removed upon the date of his change of residence by operation of law. A member of a housing authority appointed as a tenant, in accordance with the provisions of section five, who ceases to be a tenant in a building owned and operated by or on behalf of the local housing authority shall be removed upon the date of such change by operation of law. A member of a housing authority who is a tenant in a housing project shall not participate in any decision relating to the project affecting his personal interest.