State Ethics Commission, or contact your town counsel or city solicitor or the State Ethics Commission's Legal Division.

If you serve in a town with a population of less than 3,500, you may hold more than one position with the town if the board of selectmen formally approves the additional appointments.

If you are a "special municipal employee", you may also:

1. hold any number of other "special municipal employee" positions, provided that the positions are with totally independent departments and you file a disclosure of your financial interest in all the positions with the city or town clerk;
2. hold any number of other "special municipal employee" positions, even if the departments' jurisdictions overlap, provided that you file a disclosure of your financial interest in all the positions with the city or town clerk, and the board of selectmen, board of aldermen, town council or city council vote to exempt you from §20.

Example: As a Cemetery Commissioner, you are a "special municipal employee".

You may also hold "special municipal employee" positions on the Board of Library Trustees and on the Waterways Commission, because the three positions are completely independent of each other. However, you must file a disclosure of your financial interest (e.g., stipends, per diem payments, salary) in the positions with the Town Clerk.

If you wish to hold a "special municipal employee" position with the Department of Public Works (which maintains buildings on the cemetery grounds) or as the town's Tree Warden (who cares for the trees on the cemetery grounds), you must file a disclosure of your financial interest in the positions with the Town Clerk, and the Board of Selectmen must vote to exempt you from §20.

For more information about holding more than one municipal position, request Advisory No. 7: Multiple Office Holding from the State Ethics Commission, or contact your town counsel or city solicitor or the State Ethics Commission's Legal Division.

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The definition of "special municipal employee" can be found in Section 1(n) of the conflict of interest law (G.L. c. 268A). Note that town councils are empowered by G.L. c. 39, §1 to exercise all duties and powers of boards of aldermen.

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Commission Fact Sheets are prepared and issued by the Public Education Division of the State Ethics Commission. They are intended to provide guidance to public officials and employees concerning practical applications of the conflict of interest law. For further information,