reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:18 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:18 - Appointive Powers.

    49-C:18 Appointive Powers. –||Subject to the provision of the charter, the chief administrative officer shall have the power to appoint and remove all officers and employees in the administrative services of the city, and he may authorize and empower the head of a department or officer responsible to him to appoint and remove subordinates in such department or office. All such appointments shall be without definite term unless made for a provisional, temporary or emergency service not to exceed the maximum limits which may be prescribed by the merit plan.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:19 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:19 - Non-Interference by the Elected Body.

    49-C:19 Non-Interference by the Elected Body. –||The elected body shall act in all matters as a body, and shall not seek individually to influence the official acts of the chief administrative officer, or any other official, or to direct or request, except in writing, the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office; or to interfere in any way with the performance by such officers of their duties. Any member violating the provisions of this section, as determined through procedures established in the charter, shall forfeit his office.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:20 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:20 - Appointive Officers.

    49-C:20 Appointive Officers. –||The charter shall provide for the appointment of a city clerk, a treasurer, one or more assessors, a fire chief, a police chief, a health officer, a city solicitor, a general assistance administrator, and such other officers as may be necessary to administer all departments which the elected body and the charter shall establish. Assessors shall, prior to appointment, have demonstrated knowledge of property appraisal or assessment and of the laws governing the assessment and collection of property taxes. The powers and duties of appointed officers and heads of departments shall be those prescribed by state law, by the charter or by ordinance. Unless otherwise provided in the charter or by law, the term of office of any appointed officer shall begin upon his or her appointment and qualification for office and shall end upon the appointment and qualification of his or her successor.|||Source. 1991, 304:11. 2010, 226:2, eff. Aug. 27, 2010.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:21 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:21 - Departments; Administrative Code.

    49-C:21 Departments;  Administrative Code. –||The city shall have departments, divisions, and bureaus as may be established by the charter or as the elected body may establish by ordinance. It shall be the duty of the first chief administrative officer, under the provisions of the charter to draft and submit to the elected body within 9 months after assuming office, an ordinance consistent with the charter which provides for the division of the administrative service of the city into departments, divisions and bureaus and defines the functions and duties of each. The ordinance shall include provisions for a merit plan to insure that all appointments and promotions in the service of the city shall be made solely on the basis of merit and only after appropriate examination or review of the applicants' relative knowledge, skills, abilities and experience. Subsequent to the adoption of such ordinance, upon recommendation of the chief administrative officer, the elected body by ordinance may create, consolidate or abolish departments, divisions and bureaus and define the functions and duties of each. The compilation of such ordinances shall be known as the "Administrative Code." Each officer shall have supervision and control of his department and of the employees of his department and shall have power to prescribe rules and regulations, not inconsistent with general law, the charter, the administrative code, and the provisions of the merit plan. Prior to adoption of the administrative code the chief administrative officer shall have the power to establish temporary rules and regulations to insure economy and efficiency in the several divisions of the city government.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:22 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:22 - Fiscal Year.

    49-C:22 Fiscal Year. –||The fiscal and budget year of the city shall begin on January 1, or July 1, unless another date shall be fixed by the charter or by ordinance, and the charter shall address any interim period or transition.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:23 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:23 - Budget Process and Fiscal Control.

    49-C:23 Budget Process and Fiscal Control. –||The charter shall provide for the following:||I. A budget submission date and a date by which an annual budget shall be finally adopted by the elected body. Failing final adoption by the established date, the budget shall be determined as provided in the city charter, or as originally submitted by the chief administrative officer if no such provision is made in the city charter.||II. One or more public hearings on the budget before its final adoption. A copy of the proposed budget and notice of the public hearing shall be published at least one week in advance of any public hearing.||III. Procedures for the transfer of funds among various budgeted departments, funds, accounts, and agencies as may be necessary during the year.||IV. An annual independent audit conducted by certified public accountants experienced in municipal accounting. Copies or abstracts of such audits shall be made public along with an annual report of the city's business. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the elected body from requiring such other audits as it deems necessary. Audit services shall be put out to bid on a periodic basis as specified in the charter.||V. Bonding of officials, officers and employees, the cost of which shall be paid by the city.||VI. Procedures for appropriation of funds, after notice and public hearing and by a 2/3 vote, for purposes not included in the annual budget as adopted.||VII. Designation of one or more depositories of city funds by the elected body, the periodic deposit of funds, and the security required for such funds. Personal surety bonds shall not be deemed proper security.||VIII. Periodic, but at least quarterly, reporting of the state of the city's finances to the public and the elected body by the chief administrative officer. The chief administrative officer, with approval of the elected body, may reduce appropriations for any item or items, except amounts required for debt and interest charges or other legally-required expenditures, to such a degree as may be necessary to keep total expenditures within total anticipated revenues.||IX. Establishment of a fiscal control function, including pre-audit of all authorized claims against the city before payment. The head of such function need not be a resident of the city or the state at the time of selection, shall not be treasurer, and shall be chosen solely on the basis of executive and administrative qualifications and actual experience in and knowledge of accepted practices in respect to the duties of municipal fiscal management.|||Source. 1991, 304:11. 2003, 25:5, eff. April 30, 2003.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:24 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:24 - Borrowing Procedure.

    49-C:24 Borrowing Procedure. –||Subject to the applicable provisions of state law and the rules and regulations provided by ordinance in the administrative code, the elected body, by resolution, may authorize the borrowing of money for any purpose within the scope of the powers vested in the city and the issuance by the city of other evidence of indebtedness therefor, and may pledge the full faith, credit, and resources of the city for the payment of the obligation created by such borrowing. Borrowing for a term exceeding one year shall be authorized by the elected body only after a duly advertised public hearing.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:25 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:25 - Special Assessment Resolution.

    49-C:25 Special Assessment Resolution. –||The elected body shall have the power to determine that the whole or any part of the expense of any public improvement shall be defrayed by special assessments upon the property especially benefited and shall so declare by resolution. Such resolution shall state the estimated cost of the improvement, what proportion of the cost shall be paid by special assessments, and what portion, if any, shall be a general obligation of the city, the number of installments in which assessments may be paid, and shall designate the districts or land and premises upon which special assessments shall be levied.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:26 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:26 - Procedure Fixed by Ordinances.

    49-C:26 Procedure Fixed by Ordinances. –||The elected body shall prescribe by general ordinance complete special assessment procedures concerning plans and specifications, estimate of costs, notice and hearing, the making of the special assessment roll and correction of errors, the collection of special assessments, and any other matters concerning the making of improvements by the special assessment method.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:27 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:27 - Employees When Charter Adopted.

    49-C:27 Employees When Charter Adopted. –||No employee of the city at the time this charter is adopted shall be required to take any examination in order to continue within the employment of the city. All other provisions of the merit plan will apply to such employees. The incumbents when this charter takes effect who are not elected by popular vote, of all municipal offices not hereby abolished or superseded, shall continue to hold the same until the expiration of their respective terms where a term of years exists, or until such offices are abolished or superseded by lawful ordinances.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:28 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:28 - Oath of Office.

    49-C:28 Oath of Office. –||Every person elected or appointed to any city office before entering upon the duties of his office shall take and subscribe to an oath of office, as provided by law, which shall be filed and kept in the office of the city clerk.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:29 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:29 - Notice of Election or Appointment.

    49-C:29 Notice of Election or Appointment. –||Written notice of election or appointment of any city officer shall be mailed to him at his address by the city clerk within 48 hours after the appointment is made or the vote canvassed. If, within 10 days from the date of the notice, such officer shall not take, subscribe to, and file with the city clerk an oath of office, such neglect shall be deemed a refusal to serve and the office shall be deemed vacant, unless the elected body shall extend the time in which such officer may qualify.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:30 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:30 - Liability for Discharge.

    49-C:30 Liability for Discharge. –||The removal in accordance with this charter with or without cause of a person elected or appointed or otherwise chosen for a fixed term shall give no right or action for breach of contract.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:31 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:31 - Violations.

    49-C:31 Violations. –||Any person who violates any provisions of the charter, unless otherwise provided, or violates any city ordinance for which no other punishment is provided, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, notwithstanding RSA 651:2, be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:32 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:32 - Public Records.

    49-C:32 Public Records. –||All records of the city shall be public in accordance with RSA 91-A.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:33 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:33 - Optional Provisions; Limitations.

    49-C:33 Optional Provisions;  Limitations. –||I. City charters may include provisions relating to any or all of the following matters:||(a) Referendum procedures whereby voters may petition to suspend implementation of an ordinance, except budget adoption and land use regulation ordinances, enacted by the elected body, require a reconsideration by the body and, failing satisfactory reconsideration, require a referendum on approval.||(b) Initiative procedures whereby voters may initiate ordinances by petition, require consideration of the petitioned ordinance by the elected body and, failing satisfactory consideration, require a referendum to enact the ordinance.||(c) Conflicts of interest so long as any provisions adopted are at least as stringent as the state general laws relative to conflicts of interest.||(d) A limit on the annual spending increases that increase the amount raised by taxes under the city budget adopted pursuant to RSA 49-C:23. Such a tax cap shall provide for an override threshold on a vote to exceed the limit on annual increases which shall be by a supermajority as determined in the charter. A tax cap provision in the city charter may provide for specific exclusions for dedicated, enterprise, or self-supporting funds or accounts, capital reserve funds, grants, or revenue from sources other than local taxes, or interest and principal payments on municipal bonded debt, or capital expenditures which shall be by a supermajority vote as determined in the charter. An ordinance or accounting practice that redistributes excludable budget items from within the limits of the capped budget to outside the limits of the capped budget shall be by a supermajority vote as determined in the charter.||II. Any election pursuant to initiative and referendum procedures shall be held within 60 days after certification of a valid petition or at the next regular municipal election, whichever is earlier.|||Source. 1991, 304:11. 2011, 234:3, eff. July 5, 2011. 2021, 88:2, eff. Aug. 20, 2021.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-C:34 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-C - Local Option-City Charters|Section 49-C:34 - Saving Clause.

    49-C:34 Saving Clause. –||So much of the previous charter of the city and of laws passed in amendment or supplementary to the charter, as now may be in force, relative to the constitution and bounds of its several wards, its school districts and sewer, lighting, and other special precincts and their government and affairs, to its water works, and to the borrowing of money in aid of its school districts, is hereby continued in force, with the exception of such provisions as are inconsistent with this chapter. All special legislation relative to the government of the city, not expressly saved, is hereby repealed. All general laws relative to the government of cities shall remain in force in the city so far as consistent with this chapter. Existing ordinances and other municipal regulations shall remain in force so far as the same can be applied consistently with the intents and purposes of this chapter, but are hereby annulled so far as inconsistent with this chapter. In all existing laws, ordinances and regulations hereby saved, references to the city councils, board of mayor and aldermen, board of public works, or other bodies or officers hereby abolished and superseded, or to bodies or officers hereby abolished and superseded, or to bodies or officers whose constitution or functions are hereby altered, shall be taken to mean the body or officer upon whom jurisdiction of the matter in question is conferred by the charter or by the administrative code.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-D:1 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-D - Local Option-Town Charters|Section 49-D:1 - Purpose and Intent.

    49-D:1 Purpose and Intent. –||It is the purpose of this chapter to implement the home rule powers recognized by part I, article 39 of the constitution of the state of New Hampshire by providing an outline of optional forms of town government which may be adopted by any municipality pursuant to the process and restrictions set forth in RSA 49-B. It is the intent of the general court to recognize that while the pressures of growth, demand for services and complexity of governmental issues may compel citizens to consider alternative forms of governance of towns, which forms have the same or similar structural appearance and powers traditionally found in cities, that the preservation of a community's unique sociological and cultural heritage and history as a town be encouraged by the provision of the optional forms of town government described in this chapter.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-D:2 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-D - Local Option-Town Charters|Section 49-D:2 - Town Council-Town Manager.

    49-D:2 Town Council-Town Manager. –||I. As distinguished from adopting a city form of government described in RSA 49-C, a town may adopt a charter pursuant to RSA 49-B which abolishes the open town meeting and vests all legislative authority in a town council as the elected body or, in the alternative, vests authority to make appropriations in a budgetary town meeting. A charter establishing this form may reserve authority by the voters, at a referendum, over amendments to land use ordinances pursuant to RSA 675 and approval of bond issues consistent with RSA 33.||II. A charter establishing this form of government shall:||(a) Establish a legislative body as described in RSA 49-D:3.||(b) Provide for either the direct election by the voters or the selection by the elected body of a chair of the elected body and prescribe the term of office, powers and duties and other matters relative to the position.||(c) Provide for the appointment by the town council of a chief administrative officer to be called a town manager or similar title. This position shall head the administrative services of the town and shall be selected on the same basis, possess the same qualifications, be vested with the same authority, be charged with the responsibility and enjoy similar job security as town managers under RSA 37.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-D:4 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-D - Local Option-Town Charters|Section 49-D:4 - Non-Interference by the Elected Body.

    49-D:4 Non-Interference by the Elected Body. –||The elected body shall act in all matters as a body, and shall not seek individually to influence the official acts of the chief administrative officer, or any other official, or to direct or request, except in writing, the appointment of any person to, or his removal from, office; or to interfere in any way with the performance by such officers of their duties. Any member violating the provisions of this section, as determined through procedures established in the charter, shall forfeit his office.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 49-D:5 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 49-D - Local Option-Town Charters|Section 49-D:5 - Transition Provisions.

    49-D:5 Transition Provisions. –||Any charter adopted pursuant to this chapter may provide for the efficient and timely transition to any new form of government including, but not limited to, the holding of any necessary special elections, the phasing in of any aspect of the new form of government, expenditure authority during any transition and the integration of the remaining terms of office of any existing municipal officers as part of any new elected body established by the charter.|||Source. 1991, 304:11, eff. Aug. 23, 1991.|
NH Rev Stat § 50:1 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 50 - Parks|Section 50:1 - Establishment.

    50:1 Establishment. –||The selectmen or mayor and aldermen shall not lay out, establish, or enlarge a park or common unless the town or city councils of the city shall have voted in favor thereof.|||Source. 1866, 4271:1. GS 45:4. 1873, 54:1. 1874, 29:1. 1877, 17:1. GL 49:4. PS 51:6. PL 55:14. RL 68:16.|
NH Rev Stat § 50:2 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 50 - Parks|Section 50:2 - Discontinuance.

    50:2 Discontinuance. –||If any person suffers special damage by the discontinuance of a common or park he may have the damage assessed in the same manner as special damages are assessed in case of the discontinuance of a highway.|||Source. PS 51:7. PL 55:15. RL 68:17.|
NH Rev Stat § 51:1 (2021)
2021 New Hampshire Revised Statutes|Title III - Towns, Cities, Village Districts, and Unincorporated Places|Title 51 - Town Lines and Perambulation of Boundaries|Section 51:1 - On Connecticut River.

    51:1 On Connecticut River. –||The northerly and southerly lines of towns adjoining Connecticut river are continued and extended across the river to the westerly line of the state, and the west line of the state is the western boundary of such towns.|||Source. RS 37:1. CS 39:1. GS 47:1. GL 51:1. PS 52:1. PL 56:1. RL 69:1.|