The 1939 Town Manager Enabling Act
This document is reprinted with permission from "The Manager Plan in Maine" published by the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy. Copies of the complete book may be obtained by calling the Center at (207) 581-1646.
The 1939 town manager enabling act undoubtedly stimulated the popularization of the manager plan in Maine. It authorized towns and plantations to vote at town meetings to employ a town manager, independently or in union with another town, without the necessity of obtaining a special act charter from the legislature. The act was general enough to give the town broad discretion in assigning duties to the manager.
The act provided that the manager be appointed by the selectmen on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications. The manager was administrative head of government for all departments under the selectmen, unless otherwise provided. Under the act, the manager's duties included:
1) law and ordinance enforcement,
2) purchasing for all town departments except schools,
3) attending selectmen meetings,
4) recommending the adoption of measures beneficial to the town,
5) keeping selectmen and citizens informed as to the town's financial condition, and
6) attending to other duties assigned by the selectmen.
As of 1991, over 110 towns have adopted the town meeting-selectmen-manager form pursuant to this act or an amended version thereof.