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H 4556

An Act authorizing the town of Avon to appoint a town clerk

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Brady and 2 co-sponsors

Avon shifts from an elected town clerk to a 3-year appointed clerk chosen by the Select Board, with duties incl. elections, vital records, town seal, and meeting clerk.

Enacted and laid before the Governor
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Bill Summary · H 4556

Summary: H 4556 – An Act authorizing the town of Avon to appoint a town clerk

Overview

  • Purpose: Change Avon’s town clerk from an elected position to an appointed position, with a defined 3-year term for the town clerk.
  • Status: Read second and ordered to a third reading.
  • Introduced: September 25, 2025.
  • Legislative actions: Substituted by the House for a similar bill (H 2270) and noted as having local approval. Subsequent actions show continuation through the normal reading cycle.

What the bill would do

  • Amend Avon’s charter to replace the elected town clerk with an appointed town clerk.
  • Establish a 3-year term for the appointed town clerk, appointed by the Avon Select Board.
  • Spell out duties and authorities for the town clerk, aligning them with standard town clerk powers under general law.

Key provisions

Section 1

  • Repeals the current provision (Article III, section 3-4) in the Avon charter.

Section 2

  • Adds a new Section 4-32 (Town Clerk) to Article IV of the Avon charter.
  • Appointment: Town clerk to be appointed by the select board, serving a 3-year term.
  • Powers and duties:
    • Keeper of vital statistics for Avon.
    • Custodian of the town seal and all other town records.
    • Administer oath of office to town officers required to be sworn.
    • Clerk of the town meeting.
    • Issue licenses and permits as provided by law.
    • Oversee the conduct of all elections in the town and other election-related matters.
    • Possess all other powers and duties of town clerks as provided by General Laws.

Section 3

  • Transitional arrangement:
    • On the effective date, the elected incumbent town clerk may continue to serve the term for which elected.
    • During the transition, the incumbent is subject to appointment processes described in Avon’s charter.
    • After the elected term ends, the elected office is abolished, and the incumbent (as of the effective date) becomes the first appointed town clerk.
    • If the elected incumbent leaves office early, the elected position is abolished and filled by the appointing procedures in Avon’s charter.

Section 4

  • Effective date: The act takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • The current elected town clerk of Avon (transitioning to appointment).
  • Avon Select Board (responsible for appointing the town clerk).
  • Avon town government and departments relying on town clerk services (vital records, town seal, oath administration, clerking of meetings, licenses/permits, elections).
  • Town residents and voters indirectly through changes to election administration and recordkeeping.

Timeline and process considerations

  • Introduction: Sept 25, 2025.
  • Substitution/Local approval: Sept 25, 2025 (House substituted H 2270; Local Approval Received).
  • Readings: Sept 29, 2025; Oct 23, 2025 (second reading and layout to third reading).
  • Effective date: Upon passage (no extra delay beyond legislative approval stated).

Notable implications

  • Transition from an elected to appointed clerk could affect accountability and how elections administration is managed, though all other election powers remain under the town clerk’s purview.
  • The incumbent’s term status creates a defined, staged transition to appointment, with protection of the incumbent’s continuity through the appointed term.
  • The bill aligns Avon with a model used in some municipalities where a professional appointed clerk handles records, elections, and related duties under charter and general law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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