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Board of Selectmen

John A. Riley
rileyj@hingham-ma.com

Laura M. Burns
burnsl@hingham-ma.com

Bruce Rabuffo
rabuffob@hingham-ma.com

DUTIES

The Board of Selectmen is composed of three 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, or other elected boards. The Selectmen appoint a Town Administrator who is responsible for the daily management of the Town.

The Selectmen issue the warrants for Town Meetings; 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 the five-year capital improvement program and make recommendations to Town Meeting. The Selectmen appoint department heads and members of most official boards and commissions; hold public hearings on important town issues and periodic conferences with agencies under their jurisdiction and with community groups; represent the Town before the General Court; act as Police Commissioner; and enforce Town By-Laws and regulations.

The Selectmen also serve as the licensing board responsible for issuing and renewing over 70 licenses in more than 20 categories, including common victualler, limousine, liquor, inflammables, special events and entertainment.

Application for One Day Liquor License

The Board of Selectmen meets every Tuesday, unless otherwise posted, at 7:30 PM in the North Hearing Room at Town Hall. The meetings are broadcast on tape the following evening (Wednesday) at 6:30 PM on Channel 10.

2009 Annual Report

Although the economy may be showing some signs of life as we write this report, the process of creating the FY 2011 town budget is taking place in the worst environment for municipal finance since the Great Depression. Legislative cuts to local aid continue, and local receipts (fees, excise taxes, etc.) continue to decline. The town population is growing, which is not the case in many other South Shore communities, and the demand for services is increasing. Nevertheless, the need to accept budget cuts in order to make ends meet is all too plain.

The dramatic difficulties of balancing the budget this year has drawn the attention of the Board of Selectmen to some long-standing budget pressures which must be addressed for Hingham to continue to successfully meets its obligations. Therefore, the Board this year set three new goals for our budgeting process which we hope will change the direction of the town’s budget going forward. These three goals were (1) begin appropriating to a trust fund which will meet our more than $60,000,000 liability for retiree health care benefits in the future, (2) cease the practice of using the town’s fund balance to pay for capital needs, and (3) halt the downward trend in our fund balance which threatens the fiscal health of the town and our ability to finance urgent needs.
We are pleased to report that the FY 2011 budget recommended to Town Meeting meets these goals. While painful sacrifices were required to achieve this, we feel we have put the budget process on a new footing which will show fruit year after year, if we maintain this discipline.

Not so pleasing are the effects of the current economic climate on our town departments, most of which will be curtailing services in the next fiscal year one way or another in order to meet their budgets. While this is inevitable in the environment in which we find ourselves, we would like to commend all of our department heads and employees for going to work so willingly and competently on the unpleasant task of identifying what we must forego.

There has been good news, as well, this year. The fall of 2009 saw the opening of the new East School, constructed under the supervision of the skilled and hardworking School Building Committee. The alleviation of classroom crowding at the elementary level is the result, and on behalf of the town, we thank the School Committee, school administration, and School Building Committee for the many hours of careful attention this task required.

The new Department of Public Works facility on Bare Cove Park Drive was completed and opened this year as well. Thanks go to the staff of the department and to the multi-talented DPW Building Committee which has finished its task after almost a decade of work on it.

The consolidation of DPW operations in the new facility made possible a comprehensive reorganization of the Department of Public Works. This work was initiated by the Selectmen, and carried out based on the recommendations of the new Superintendent of Public Works, Randy Sylvester. Public Works services will be delivered more efficiently and cost-effectively as a result.

The Board of Selectmen also implemented the creation of a new Community Planning Department, accomplished by merging five departments into one: the Planning Department, the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Conservation Commission, the Building Department, and the Historical Commissions. Following the trend developing in towns around the state, this reorganization is the first step towards creating a more streamlined permitting process, making it easier for applicants to apply for and receive permits all in one department. The move resulted in some cutting of costs, and more efficient allocation of staff resources. We congratulate the new Director of Community Planning, our own former Town Planner Katy Lacy.

Both departmental reorganizations are expected to result both in savings and improved customer service.

The Department of Elder Services is celebrating its fortieth anniversary just as its Director, Barbara Farnsworth, was recognized as Elder Services Director of the Year by her colleagues in Massachusetts. We commend the department staff and its board as they gear up to meet the challenges of the next decade.

Finally, the town finds itself in the midst of a year of festive events creatively organized by the 375th Anniversary Committee to commemorate the town’s founding in 1635. Each season, the events have focused on illuminating a particular period in Hingham’s history, and they will culminate in an exciting town-wide celebration in September. The ongoing celebration reminds us of all we have to be thankful for, and invites us to cherish our past while planning together for our future. The Board extends its grateful thanks to our staff, to all the town employees, and to the legions of dedicated volunteers who give so generously of their time and talents to serve the town.

Laura M. Burns
L. Bruce Rabuffo
John A. Riley