The Board of Selectmen is the chief executive and policy making body of the Town of Falmouth.

Mission Statement for The Board of Selectmen

To provide strong community leadership to ensure a high quality of life through the promotion of:

• Professional, quality and accountable service
• Responsiveness to community issues and concerns
• Growth management
• Long-term financial stability
• An atmosphere for a good local economy
• Environmental stewardship

We're committed to engaging all segments of our diverse community and promoting Town-wide consensus and unity of purpose.

In accordance with § C3-1 of the Town of Falmouth Town Code, A Board of Selectmen of five (5) members shall be elected for three-year overlapping terms. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, all executive powers of the town shall be vested in the Board of Selectmen.

It is the intent of this Charter that the Board shall exercise control over town affairs by:

1. Setting policies to be carried out by the Town Manager and other officers, boards and commissions appointed by the Board.


2. Recommending major courses of action to the Town Meeting.


3. Making recommendations to Town Meeting on all warrant articles that are not the purview of the Finance Committee or the Planning Board.


4. Acting on the authorization of the Town Meeting, if no action is taken, the Board of Selectmen report back in a timely manner.

The Charter also established the Policy leadership role of the Board of Selectmen as follows:

1. The Board shall serve as the chief executive goal-setting and policy-making board of the town. The Board shall set five-year goals and policies to be examined annually and modified as needed. The Board shall cause the policies of the town to be regularly publicized, and copies shall be made available to those requesting them.


2. The Board shall hold a joint meeting, at the very least twice per year, with the Planning Board devoted exclusively to consideration of the town's Master Plan and other planning initiatives.


3. The Board shall issue policy statements setting the outer limits of possible budget expenditures, as provided in § C8-3C. Such policy statements shall be binding on all town departments and multimember bodies.

BOARDS COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS

Among the chief powers is the power of Appointment. There are many boards, committees and commissions to which members are appointed by the Board of Selectmen those include the Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission, Housing Task Force and many other important and responsible representatives of the Town. A complete listing of all the Boards appointed by the Selectmen and the current members please see the listing attached. Below is an excerpt of the Town Charter describing the appointment authority of the Board of Selectmen.

1. The Board shall appoint:
   
   1. A Town Manager, as provided in Article V.
   
   
   2. A Town Accountant for a term of three (3) years in accordance with MGL c. 41, § 55.
   
   
   3. Three (3) members of a Board of Registrars.
   
   
   4. Election officers.
   
   
   5. Town Constables.
2. The Board shall also have the power to appoint town boards, as provided in Article VII.


3. The Board shall also have the power to appoint ad hoc committees and to set the limits for the scope of their responsibilities and the terms of their existence. Any such committee having a planning function shall coordinate its activities with the Planning Board.


LICENSING

1. The Board shall act as the licensing authority of the town and shall have the power and responsibility required to issue licenses, to make all necessary rules and regulations regarding the issuance of such licenses and to attach conditions and impose such restrictions as it considers to be in the public interest, and further to enforce, or cause to be enforced, the laws, rules and regulations relating to all businesses for which it issues licenses.