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H 4232

Ronald Hennegan sympathy

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Terry Alexander and 121 co-sponsors

Adopts the Town of Fairhaven Charter establishing a representative Town Meeting–Select Board–Town Administrator government, defining powers, budgeting, and appointments.

Introduced and adopted
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Bill Summary · H 4232

Summary — H 4232: "An Act relative to the charter of the town of Fairhaven"

Status: Introduced (filed June 13/23, 2025); Local approval received. Classification: Local Act / Charter. Sponsors: Rep. Mark D. Sylvia and Sen. Mark C. Montigny (by vote of the Town).

Note on document contents: The bill package as provided contains two distinct items: (a) a draft Town Charter for Fairhaven (the substantive Massachusetts local act that H 4232 would enact), and (b) text from a South Carolina House resolution honoring Ronald Benjamin Henegan Sr. The South Carolina resolution appears to be unrelated to the Fairhaven charter and is likely an editorial insertion; this summary focuses on the Fairhaven charter content.

Main purpose

To adopt a new charter for the Town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, establishing the town’s government form, defining powers and duties of local offices, and setting procedures for municipal governance. The charter implements a representative Town Meeting — Select Board — Town Administrator structure and codifies powers and processes for local government operations.

Key provisions (selected highlights from the provided text)

  • Charter scope and intent
    • Declares the document the "Town of Fairhaven Charter" and affirms the town’s corporate status and authority to exercise all powers permitted by the Commonwealth except where limited by constitution or statute.
    • Powers are to be construed liberally in favor of the town.
  • Government form (Article I & II)
    • Establishes a representative Town Meeting — Select Board — Town Administrator form of government.
    • Authorizes intergovernmental cooperation (contracts, joint exercises of powers).
  • Select Board (Article II, Section 2‑1)
    • Composition: five (5) members elected at-large to three-year, overlapping terms.
    • Organization: at the first meeting after the annual election, the board elects Chair, Vice-Chair and Clerk from its members.
    • Executive role: the Select Board is the town’s chief policy-making body; day-to-day management is delegated to the Town Administrator.
    • Specific authorities: enact rules/regulations, exercise general supervision over town interests, appoint town counsel and special counsel, appoint committees/boards/commissions (with exceptions — e.g., finance committee; appointments by moderator, elected positions, School Committee, and Board of Public Works remain outside the board’s appointing authority).
    • Quasi-judicial and licensing responsibilities as provided by general law and town bylaws; authority to issue town meeting warrants.
    • Budget role: review the Town Administrator’s proposed annual budget and make recommendations; the Town Administrator presents the budget to Town Meeting incorporating Select Board decisions.
  • Town Administrator (appointment, discipline, removal)
    • The Town Administrator is appointed by the Select Board to a term not exceeding three years; must have executive/administrative qualifications (town may add by-law qualifications).
    • Appointment and reappointment require affirmation by four (4) Select Board members (with a three-out-of-four rule if a member recuses).
    • Discipline requires written notice and opportunity to appeal; disciplinary action requires four (4) affirmative votes (or three of four if recusal).
    • Removal requires just cause and a formal process (written intent to dismiss, written response from the administrator, and a public hearing). (Text truncated in provided copy; consult full charter for exact removal procedure and vote thresholds.)

Who is affected

  • Town residents and local electorate (changes to governance and procedures).
  • Elected and appointed town officials: Select Board members, Town Administrator, town counsel, committee/board/commission appointees, and town employees whose supervision is affected by charter provisions.
  • Town committees and boards (appointment authorities, administrative oversight).
  • The School Committee and Board of Public Works retain certain independent appointment/election-related authorities under the charter’s exceptions.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Filed/Introduced: House Docket No. 4825 / House No. 4232 (filed 6/13/2025; introduced 6/23/2025).
  • Referred to the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (6/23/2025).
  • Committee reported favorably and the bill was referred to House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (8/04/2025).
  • Multiple readings and procedural entries are recorded through September–October 2025 (e.g., rules suspensions, read second and ordered to a third reading, hearings scheduled for 07/22/2025, read third and passed to be engrossed on 10/06/2025 per docket entries).
  • Related bill: HD 4825 (listed as replacing/related).

Because the provided bill text is truncated (many sections follow beyond the excerpt) and the docket contains duplicated and overlapping entries, consult the official printed bill (House No. 4232 / House Docket 4825) or the Massachusetts Legislature’s bill tracking site for the full charter text, exact operative dates, final enactment status, and the complete procedural history.

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

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