1.1. Scope. The provisions of this article apply to all of these bylaws unless a definition or other
rule of interpretation is specifically provided or clearly implied.
1.2. Definitions. For the purposes of these bylaws:
a. “Board” means any elected of appointed Town board, commission, or committee
of any kind.
b. “Officer” means the senior departmental staff employee appointed by a board named in these bylaws. A person employed primarily for secretarial duties is not an "officer". The Treasurer and Collector of Taxes, Town Counsel, the Inspectors named in Article 23 and the Sealer of Weights and Measures are also officers.
c. “Official” means the Moderator and the Town Clerk.
d. “Resident” means a person who occupies an established place of abode in the Town as his or her principal residence with no present intention of definite and early removal.
1.3. Gender and Number. The use of the masculine gender is not intended to be restrictive in any sense; words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender. The singular and plural forms of words shall be deemed interchangeable wherever appropriate.
1.4. Statutory References. All references to the General Laws contained in these bylaws are
references to the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and are intended to include any amendments or revisions to the chapters and sections cited or to the corresponding chapters and sections under any rearrangement of the General Laws enacted subsequent to the adoption of these bylaws, as well as any new statutory provisions directly related to the chapters and sections cited.
1.5. Conflict with Statutes. If any provision of these bylaws and a statute address the same issue, areasonable effort shall be made to interpret the two provisions harmoniously. If this is not practicable, the statute shall govern and the bylaw shall be followed as closely as is practicable.
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