What We Do

The Board of Selectmen is composed of five members who are elected for three-year terms. As the Chief Elected and Executive Officers of the Town, the Selectmen are vested with all the municipal authority not specifically retained by the Town's legislative body, Town Meeting. The Selectmen appoint a Town Administrator, responsible for the daily management of the Town, whose powers are specified in Chapter 31, Acts of 1983. The Board's responsibilities are scattered throughout hundreds of statutes and Town bylaws, home rule charter, and special acts of the legislature. Apart from strict legal responsibilities, the Board can and should set policy and strategic direction for the community. The Chairperson conducts the Selectmen's meetings and is the voice of the board. The Chairmanship and Vice-Chairmanship, which are rotated every year, are determined by the Board of Selectmen at their first meeting prior to town election.

The Selectmen issue the warrants for Town Meetings and make recommendations on the warrant articles; initiate legislative policy by inserting articles in Town Meeting Warrants and then implement the votes subsequently adopted. They adopt town administrative policies; review and set fiscal guidelines for the annual operating budget and make recommendations to Town Meeting on the same.

The Board is the local licensing authority for a broad range of activities including sale of alcoholic beverages, lodging houses, blasting operations, automobile dealers, junk dealers, pawnbrokers, parking and traffic regulation, storage of gasoline, restaurants, special events and entertainment.

The Board of Selectmen meets for a regular meeting on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, unless otherwise posted, at 7:00pm in Town Hall. Regular meetings are broadcast live by Northern Berkshire Community Television Corp. Working sessions of the Selectmen are held on the opposite Wednesdays, at the same time, same place.