An Act amending the charter of the town of Bellingham to allow the Director of Finance to serve as the Town Accountant

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Soter

The bill allows the Town of Bellingham to have the director of finance also serve as town accountant under state law.

Summary of HD 6243 (Session 194th) — Massachusetts

Purpose

The bill amends the Town of Bellingham’s charter to permit the Director of Finance (the chief financial officer) to also serve as the Town Accountant.

Key provisions

The charter change replaces the existing provision in Article 6-2-1 with language that explicitly allows the chief financial officer to simultaneously hold the position of town accountant.

Specifically, the bill states: “The chief financial officer may also serve as the town accountant in accordance with sections 55 to 61A, inclusive, of chapter 41 of the General Laws.”

The amendment references and aligns with applicable Massachusetts General Laws (Ch. 41, §§55–61A) governing town accounting roles and procedures.

Effective date

The act takes effect upon passage.

Who would be affected

The Town of Bellingham would have the option to designate the Director of Finance to also serve as Town Accountant.

Practically, residents and town operations could experience changes in:

Office structure and reporting lines within the town’s financial administration.
Potential consolidation of financial oversight roles (finance and accounting) under a single official, subject to compliance with referenced General Laws.

Procedural/timeline notes

The bill is a proposed act introduced and filed on June 23, 2026.

As a charter amendment, it would require passage by both houses of the Massachusetts General Court and signature by the Governor to become law.

It specifies that the amendment takes effect immediately upon passage.

Potential impacts to consider

Administrative efficiency: Consolidating the director of finance and town accountant roles could streamline financial reporting, audit coordination, and internal controls.

Oversight and checks: Depending on how the General Laws (Ch. 41, §§55–61A) are applied, there may be changes in the scope of duties, independence, and oversight of accounting functions.

Staffing implications: If the roles are combined, potential implications for workload, succession planning, and internal controls should be reviewed.

Public accountability: Any consolidation should safeguard transparency and ensure accurate, timely financial reporting to residents and oversight bodies.

Notes for readers

The text clarifies that the amendment is a straightforward charter revision, focusing solely on authorizing the dual role for the town’s chief financial officer within the legal framework of the state accounting statutes.