Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 43 - City Charters
Section 24 - Adoption of Plan; Effect on Obligations, Taxes and Legal Acts

Section 24. All official bonds, recognizances, obligations, contracts and other instruments entered into or executed by or to the city before its adoption of a plan provided by this chapter, and all taxes, special assessments, fines, penalties, forfeitures incurred or imposed, due or owing to the city, shall be enforced and collected, and all writs, prosecutions, actions and causes of action, except as herein otherwise provided, shall continue without abatement and remain unaffected by this chapter; and no legal act done by or in favor of the city shall be rendered invalid by its adoption of a plan provided by this chapter.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts

Chapter 43 - City Charters

Section 1 - Definitions

Section 2 - Authorization to Adopt a Plan of Government

Section 3 - Effect of Chapter on Legislative Powers of Cities

Section 4 - Effect of Adoption of Governmental Plan on Ordinances, Etc.

Section 5 - Existing Organization to Continue Until Superseded

Section 6 - Wards, Number and Boundaries to Continue Until Changed Under Law

Section 7 - Adoption of Plan; Filing of Petition Calling for Vote

Section 8 - Adoption of Plan; Form of Petition

Section 9 - Plan A, B, C, D or E; Proceeding After Filing of Petition; Submission to Electorate

Section 9b - Plan F; Proceeding After Filing of Petition; Submission to Electorate

Section 10 - Number of Plans Considered at Election; Procedure on Subsequent Petitions

Section 11 - Majority Vote Required for Adoption of Plan; Effect of Adoption; Election of Officers

Section 12 - Petition for Other Plans After Unfavorable Election

Section 13 - Duration of Plan Adopted

Section 14 - Officials to Expedite Transition to Adopted Plan

Section 15 - Dates of Elections Under Adopted Plan; Municipal Year Defined

Section 16 - Primaries and Caucuses Prohibited

Section 16a - Plan F; Primaries and Caucuses

Section 17 - Oath of Office; Time of Taking

Section 17a - Salaries of Mayor, City Manager and Council

Section 17b - Compensation of Mayor and City Council

Section 17c - Four-Year Term for Mayors in Certain Cities; Acceptance by Election; Application of Section

Section 17d - Two-Year Term for Mayors in Cities Under Sec. 17c; Acceptance by Election

Section 18 - City Council; Powers and Duties

Section 19 - Duties of Mayor or City Manager; Attendance at Council Meetings; Disclosure of Information

Section 20 - Passage of Ordinances

Section 21 - Amendments and Repeals of Ordinances

Section 22 - Ordinances, etc.; Passage at One Session

Section 23 - Ordinances; Publication

Section 24 - Adoption of Plan; Effect on Obligations, Taxes and Legal Acts

Section 25 - Employees in Mayor's Office Not Subject to Civil Service

Section 26 - Vacancies in Office of Mayor or City Council; Acting Mayor

Section 27 - Interest in Public Contracts by Public Employees Prohibited; Penalty

Section 29 - Public Contracts; Form; Required Approvals; Bond, Etc.

Section 30 - Purchase or Taking of Land

Section 31 - School Committee; Membership; Tenure

Section 32 - Superintendent of Schools; Election; Appointment of Other School Employees.

Section 33 - School Committee; Powers and Duties

Section 34 - Location and Erection of Schools; Approvals Required

Section 35 - Open and Public Meetings; Yea and Nay Vote

Section 36 - School Committee; Filling Vacancies

Section 37 - Initiative Petition; Measure Defined

Section 38 - Initiative Petitions; Validity of Signatures; Objections

Section 39 - Initiative Petition; Passage and Submission to Electorate

Section 40 - Proceedings if Initiative Petition Not Properly Signed

Section 41 - Contents of Ballot for Proposed Measure

Section 42 - Referendum Petition; Effect on Final Passage

Section 43 - Submission of Proposed Measure to Voters

Section 44 - Measures With Conflicting Provisions

Section 44a - Preliminary Elections; Contents of Notices

Section 44b - Inclusion of Name on Ballot; Prerequisites

Section 44c - Candidates for Nomination; Qualifications; Statement and Petition

Section 44d - Official Ballot; Posting Lists of Candidates; Drawing for Position on Ballot

Section 44e - Counting Ballots; Canvass of Returns

Section 44f - Determination of Candidates for Election

Section 44g - Nomination of Candidates; Conditions Making Preliminary Election Unnecessary

Section 44h - Acceptance of Sections Dealing With Preliminary Elections; Submission to Electorate

Section 45 - Provisions Applicable to Adoption of Any Governmental Plan

Section 46 - Plan A

Section 47 - Effective Date of Plan

Section 48 - Mayor as Chief Executive Officer; Term of Office

Section 49 - Party Designations on Ballots Prohibited

Section 50 - City Council; Number; Election; Tenure

Section 50a - City Council; Filling Vacancies In

Section 52 - Appointments of Employees by Mayor Without Confirmation

Section 53 - Certificate of Appointment

Section 54 - Removal of Officials; Exceptions

Section 55 - Approval or Veto by Mayor of Orders, Ordinances, etc.; Overriding Veto

Section 56 - Plan B

Section 57 - Operative Date of Plan

Section 58 - Mayor as Chief Executive Officer; Election; Tenure

Section 59 - City Council; Number; Election; Tenure

Section 59a - Vacancies in Office of Mayor and Council; Procedure for Filling

Section 60 - Appointments by Mayor Subject to Confirmation; Exceptions

Section 61 - Removals

Section 63 - Approval and Veto Offer of Mayor

Section 64 - Plan C

Section 65 - Effective Date of Plan Adopted

Section 66 - City Council; Powers and Duties

Section 67 - Membership; Duties of Individual Commissioners; Tenure

Section 68 - Terms of Office

Section 69 - Organization; Oath of Office

Section 70 - Meetings

Section 71 - Quorum; Open and Public Meetings; Duties of City Clerk; Method of Voting

Section 72 - Powers and Duties

Section 73 - Methods of Action; Itemization of Appropriations

Section 74 - Mayor; Status; Powers and Duties; Acting Mayor

Section 75 - Distribution of Executive Powers; Determination of Policies

Section 76 - Appointment and Removal of Department Heads

Section 77 - Department Records; Publication of Reports

Section 79 - Plan D; Effective Date

Section 80 - Definitions

Section 81 - Management and Control of City Government by Mayor and Council

Section 82 - City Council, Membership; Election; Terms

Section 83 - City Council; Powers and Duties; Organization; Oaths of Office

Section 84 - Meetings of City Council

Section 85 - City Council; Quorum; Duties of City Clerk; Records; Procedure

Section 86 - Mayor; Powers and Duties

Section 88 - Vacancies

Section 89 - City Manager; Qualifications; Tenure; Compensation; Removal

Section 90 - Powers and Duties of City Manager

Section 91 - City Officers and Employees

Section 92 - Interference With City Manager by Council Forbidden; Penalty

Section 92a - Solicitation of Contributions for Political Parties, etc., by Employees Forbidden; Penalty

Section 93 - Plan E; Effective Upon Adoption

Section 94 - Definitions

Section 95 - Governing Power of City Council, Etc.

Section 96 - City Council; Membership; Tenure

Section 97 - City Council; Powers and Duties; Organization

Section 98 - Meetings of City Council

Section 99 - Quorum; Presiding Officer; Duties of City Clerk; Voting Procedure

Section 100 - Mayor; Official Head of City; Powers and Duties; Vice-Chairman

Section 102 - Vacancies in Elective Bodies

Section 103 - City Manager; Appointment; Qualifications; Compensation; Removal

Section 104 - Powers, Rights and Duties of City Manager

Section 105 - City Officers and Employees; Appointments and Removals

Section 106 - Officers and Employees; Regulations; Penalty for Violations

Section 107 - Interference With City Manager by Council Forbidden; Penalty

Section 108 - Solicitation of Political Contributions by Employees; Penalties

Section 109 - Regular Municipal Election; Date

Section 110 - Candidates; Statement and Petition

Section 111 - Nomination Papers

Section 112 - Ballots; Form and Contents

Section 113 - Preparing Ballots, etc.; Procedure

Section 114 - Counting of Ballots; Procedure

Section 116 - General Election Laws; Applicability

Section 117 - Plan F

Section 118 - Operative Date

Section 119 - Mayor; Election; Term

Section 120 - Legislative Powers; Election and Term of City Council

Section 121 - Vacancies

Section 122 - Appointments

Section 123 - Certificate of Appointment

Section 124 - Removal of Heads of Departments

Section 125 - Ordinances and Resolutions; Approval by Mayor

Section 126 - Regular Municipal Election; Date; Nomination Papers

Section 127 - General Election Laws; Applicability

Section 128 - City Defined

Section 129 - Referendum; Questions Submitted; Petition

Section 130 - Election Results; Superseding of City Charter Provisions; Election of Organization Members; Commencement of Term

Section 131 - Division of City Into Districts; Time; Ordinance; District Description; Redistricting

Section 132 - Failure of Timely Districting

Section 133 - Date of Municipal Elections; Municipal Year

Section 134 - Residence of District Members