The text
1101. - Selection and term.#
There shall be a town solicitor who shall be appointed by the town council to serve at the pleasure of the council. Editor's note— This section was amended by Question 1 approved at the February 8, 1994, Special Election.
1102. - Qualifications.#
The town solicitor shall be an attorney-at-law in good standing who has been admitted to the practice of law in this state at least three (3) years prior to appointment. He or she shall not hold any other office in the town government except that of acting judge of probate when so necessary. The town solicitor need not be required to devote [his] full time to the duties of the office.
1103. - Duties.#
[(a)]
The town solicitor shall be the attorney for the town and legal advisor to the town manager, town council, and all other departments, offices, and agencies of the town government. It shall be the duty of the town solicitor to:
(1)
Appear for and protect the rights of the town in all actions, suits, and proceedings, civil or criminal, in law or equity, brought by or against it or for or against any of its departments, including the canvassing authority;
(2)
Examine and make recommendations on the form of all ordinances and resolutions and the form of all invitations for bids, contracts, and other legal documents sent out by any department, office, or agency of the town;
(3)
Perform such other duties appropriate to the office as the provisions of this Charter, the town manager, and/or the town council may require.
(4)[(b)]
Nothing in this section shall prohibit the appointment of a law firm to perform the duties of the town solicitor in the manner prescribed in Section 1101 of this article.
(5)[(c)]
Nor shall anything in this section prohibit the town council from providing for the appointment of assistant town solicitors if, in its judgement, the workload of the town solicitor's office shall justify such appointment. In the event that assistants [assistant town solicitors] are provided for, said offices shall be filled in the same manner and for the same term as that of the town solicitor. Nor shall anything in this section prohibit the council from making provision for the hiring of special counsel to assist or act in the place of the town solicitor in extraordinary and limited circumstances when, in the judgement of the council, such provision will best serve the interests of the town. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the school department from retaining counsel to be compensated from funds provided in its budget.
Editor's note— Subsection [(a)] of this section and subsection (3) were amended by Question 1 approved at the February 8, 1994, Special Election.
1104. - Opinion a public record.#
All written legal opinions furnished to the town manager, the town council, and all departments, offices, and agencies of the town shall be filed with the town clerk and become public records unless otherwise directed by state law or town ordinances. Editor's note— This section was amended by Question 1 approved at the February 8, 1994, Special Election.
1105. - Special powers.#
The statement in this Charter of duties of the town solicitor shall not be deemed to abridge such special powers and duties as are now and hereafter conferred upon town solicitors by state law.