§ 10 — Municipal departments of veterans' services; creation; directors; districts; treasurer of district

Section 10. The mayors of cities and the selectmen of towns, other than cities and towns which become part of a district as authorized by the second paragraph of this section, shall cause to be established and maintained in their respective cities and towns a department for the purpose of furnishing such information, advice and assistance to veterans and their dependents as may be necessary to enable them to procure the benefits to which they are or may be entitled relative to employment, vocational or other educational opportunities, hospitalization, medical care, pensions, and other veterans' benefits. Each department so established and maintained shall be known as the department of veterans' services, and the officer in charge thereof shall be known as the director of veterans' services. Such director and any assistant or deputy director appointed under this section or section eleven shall be a veteran and shall be appointed in a city by the mayor, with the approval of the city council, and in a town by the selectmen.[ Second paragraph effective until August 8, 2024. For text effective August 8, 2024, see below.]Two or more adjoining towns, or two or more adjoining municipalities only one of which is a city, may, in a city by vote of the city council thereof, and in a town by vote of the selectmen thereof, form a district for the purposes set forth in the first paragraph of this section, including the appointment and compensation of a director of veterans' services, for the enforcement therein of such purposes and of such other provisions of law as it may be his duty to enforce. Any constituent city or town by vote may withdraw from the district at the end of any fiscal year of such city or town if such withdrawal is voted in the manner aforesaid not less than sixty days prior to the end of such fiscal year and notice of such vote is filed with the other municipalities comprising the district.[ Second paragraph as amended by 2024, 178, Sec. 126 effective August 8, 2024. For text effective until August 8, 2024, see above.]Two or more adjoining towns, or two or more adjoining municipalities only one of which is a city, may, in a city by vote of the city council thereof, and in a town by vote of the selectmen thereof, form a district for the purposes set forth in the first paragraph of this section, including the appointment and compensation of a director of veterans' services, for the enforcement therein of such purposes and of such other provisions of law as it may be such director's duty to enforce. Any constituent city or town by vote may withdraw from the district at the end of any fiscal year of such city or town if such withdrawal is voted in the manner aforesaid not less than sixty days prior to the end of such fiscal year and notice of such vote is filed with the other municipalities comprising the district.[ Third paragraph effective until August 8, 2024. For text effective August 8, 2024, see below.]The director of veterans' services of each district established under authority of the preceding paragraph shall, under the direction of the district board referred to in section eleven, perform the duties of his office in each of the municipalities comprising his district.[ Third paragraph as amended by 2024, 178, Secs. 127 and 128 effective August 8, 2024. For text effective until August 8, 2024, see above.]The director of veterans' services of each district established under authority of the preceding paragraph shall, under the direction of the district board referred to in section eleven, perform the office's duties in each of the municipalities comprising the director's district.[ Fourth paragraph effective until August 8, 2024. For text effective August 8, 2024, see below.]The treasurer of one of the municipalities comprising such district, designated by the district board thereof, shall be treasurer of the district and shall give to the district a bond, with a surety company authorized to transact business in the commonwealth as surety, for the faithful performance of his duties as treasurer of the district in such sum and upon such conditions as said district board may require. The district treasurer shall disburse the money received under the provisions of section eleven upon warrants approved by the district board.[ Fourth paragraph as amended by 2024, 178, Sec. 129 effective August 8, 2024. For text effective until August 8, 2024, see above.]The treasurer of one of the municipalities comprising such district, designated by the district board thereof, shall be treasurer of the district and shall give to the district a bond, with a surety company authorized to transact business in the commonwealth as surety, for the faithful performance of the district treasurer's duties in such sum and upon such conditions as said district board may require. The district treasurer shall disburse the money received under the provisions of section eleven upon warrants approved by the district board.