Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 40b - Regional Planning
Section 15 - Executive Officers; Committees; Meetings; Rules and Records; Expenses

Section 15. The commission shall elect annually at its meeting held in the month of June by and from its members a chairman, a vice-chairman, a secretary and a treasurer, each of whom shall hold office until his successor is elected and qualified. The commission shall from time to time fill any vacancy in such an office for the unexpired term thereof.
The immediate past chairman shall be an officer ex-officio.
The commission may also elect an assistant treasurer who may exercise all the powers and duties of the treasurer in the absence of the treasurer.
The commission shall meet during the months of February, April, June and October and at such other times as the commission shall determine.
The commission shall establish rules of procedure for its activities and the activities of all committees, and shall keep a complete and accurate record of the substance of its meetings, transactions, resolutions, findings and determinations, all of which shall be a public record.
The executive director, treasurer and assistant treasurer shall give the commission a bond, with a surety company authorized to transact business in the commonwealth as surety for the faithful performance of their duties in such sum and upon such conditions as the commission may require.
There may be an executive committee, elected annually, consisting of (1) the officers of the commission, who shall serve as the officers of the executive committee, (2) four members of the commission who shall be elected by a majority vote of the commission and who shall be selectmen or designees of selectmen, (3) four members of the commission who shall be elected by a majority vote of the commission and who shall be representatives of the planning boards, and (4) the mayor or city manager or his designee of each city serving as a member of the commission; provided, however, that each redevelopment area within the district as designated by the Secretary of Commerce of the United States pursuant to the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, shall be entitled to have at least one member on the executive committee among the members who are either mayors or their designees or the selectmen or their appointees.
The commission may appoint from among its members such other special and standing committees as it shall deem necessary and all such committees shall exercise such powers, discharge such responsibilities, and perform such duties as the commission may delegate thereto by vote or by its by-laws. The commission, at its discretion, may appoint additional persons to any such committee from outside the membership of the commission; provided, that in no case shall the number of such additional persons exceed two thirds of the number of commission members on such standing and special committees, and if the application of the two-thirds percentage results in a fractional number, in order to facilitate such appointment the number of such additional persons on said committees may be the next highest digit.
The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but the officers shall receive payment for necessary expenses, including travel incurred in the performance of their duties.
The commission shall establish such technical advisory committees as may be needed to assist the executive director in planning and developing the programs and projects of the commission. The commission, at its discretion, may appoint additional persons to any committee from outside the membership of the commission. The chairman, commissioner or head of any state, county or municipal agency, and any public authority operating within the district if permitted by its trust indentures to do so, shall delegate one or more well qualified representatives from the agency or authority to serve on any of the said technical advisory committees when so requested by the commission.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts

Chapter 40b - Regional Planning

Section 1 - Title of Chapter

Section 2 - Purpose of Chapter

Section 2a - Regional or District Groupings; Consent to Placement

Section 3 - Planning Districts; Establishment; New Members; Jurisdiction Area; Rights and Liabilities

Section 4 - District Planning Commissions; Membership; Employees; Meetings

Section 4a - Executive Committees; Establishment; Membership; Powers and Duties; Reports

Section 4b - Seals Authorized

Section 4c - Federal Military Installations Within Districts; Commanding Officer as Ex Officio Member of Commission

Section 5 - Powers and Duties; Reports

Section 5a - Agreement for Water Favorability Studies

Section 5b - Economic Development Regional Commissions; Authorization to Act

Section 6 - Cooperation of State Agencies With Planning Commissions

Section 7 - Preparation of Budget; Apportionment of Costs; Disbursement of Funds; Receipt of Gifts; Contracts for Planning Studies and Services

Section 8 - Borrowing in Anticipation of Revenue From Member Municipalities

Section 9 - Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District; Establishment

Section 10 - Membership; Termination

Section 11 - Dissolution of Regional Planning Districts; Transitional Provisions; Procedure

Section 12 - Commission; Membership; Appointment; Term

Section 13 - Advisory Committee; Membership; Appointment; Term; Removal; Vacancies

Section 14 - Powers and Duties

Section 15 - Executive Officers; Committees; Meetings; Rules and Records; Expenses

Section 16 - Executive Director; Employees; Tenure; Compensation

Section 17 - Contracts; Expenditures and Obligations

Section 18 - Estimate of Costs; Fiscal Year; Assessment; Limitation; Payment; Reserve Funds; Audit

Section 19 - Data Exchange Between Agencies

Section 20 - Definitions

Section 21 - Low or Moderate Income Housing; Applications for Approval of Proposed Construction; Hearing; Appeal

Section 22 - Appeal to Housing Appeals Committee; Procedure; Judicial Review

Section 23 - Hearing by Housing Appeals Committee; Issues; Powers of Disposition; Orders; Enforcement

Section 24 - Metropolitan Area Planning Council; Composition; Appointments; Vacancies

Section 25 - Council; Officers; Meetings; Rules of Procedure; Report; Treasurer's Bond; Powers and Duties

Section 26 - Establishment; Composition

Section 27 - Mutual Exchange of Data, Etc. Between Council and Other Governmental Agencies

Section 28 - Executive Committee of Council; Composition; Powers and Duties; Executive Director; Staff; Technical Advisory Committees

Section 29 - Inter-Agency Agreements; Expenditures; Assessments; Gifts, Grants, etc.; Fund

Section 30 - Technical Assistance Center; Permitting Model; Evaluations and Reporting; Regional Planning Districts to Assist Municipalities