Have you ever thought of being a Select Board member?

Nomination papers are available from the Town Clerk M-F starting in January

What’s a select board member?

Select Board members are a town’s executive officers. Voters elect them to the Select Board, which usually has three or five members.

The Select Board are authorized to call a Town Meeting provided that they have posted a warrant.

In small towns, the Select Board runs the town and supervises town workers. In larger towns, the Select Board picks and supervises a person, who, in turn, runs the town and supervises town workers.
Depending on the town, that person has various authority, duties, and title. That person is known as the town manager, town administrator, executive secretary, or administrative secretary.

Secretary of the Commonwealth - Town Meeting Time

What are key ingredients for success as a Select Board member?
Perhaps the most important ingredient, for success as a select board member, is understanding the full responsibility of the position, as well as its limitations. Select Board members serve as the civic leaders of the town. In this capacity, select board members need to devote sufficient time to municipal issues, and also need the ability to delegate appropriate tasks and responsibilities. In general, select board members develop policies as directed by town meeting, and the appropriate department head, board or officer within the community is responsible for administering those policies. However, select board members also serve in a reviewing role, and as such, are ultimately responsible for the successful administration of various town policies and undertakings.

Members of the select board should be aware of the fact that they, as well as all other members of elected or appointed boards, may act in their official capacity only when in an open public meeting with a majority of the board present, or when specifically delegated by a majority of the board.

Since most select boards appoint many positions, their ability to recruit and select the best and brightest people available is another key ingredient to success. This is particularly important for any appointments in the area of financial management. The individuals who serve in positions such as treasurer, collector and accountant will determine the quality of the fiscal management of the town. For such appointed positions, it is important that the select board members identify and document the requisite qualifications and experience, and establish specific measurements of performance, however general. The select board members should also support fair and competitive compensation for the key fiscal officers of the town. Competitive compensation can help select boards retain the most qualified individuals to serve in these important positions.

Select board members should also take an active interest in the reports produced by the financial officers of the town. They should ensure that the reports are prepared and should review them with the assistance of the person or board that prepared them. Financial reports can seem overly technical and unreadable for the fiscal neophyte. However, with a minimum of help, the reports can be read and comprehended fully. For most financial officers, their job is made easier when the select board members understand and take an active interest in the community's financial reports.

As the chief executive officers of a municipality, select board members must be able to coordinate the activities of the various officials serving, in financial management positions. Select board members should sponsor periodic meetings with financial officials and attempt to establish and maintain effective channels of communication. It may be constructive to establish a financial management team, with representatives from the select board, finance committee, town administrator, and other financial offices. This fiscal team would convene periodically to discuss the communities' overall financial management.

Townsend Massachusetts