HARRY W. NICE, GOVERNOR. 1293

ments or payments, and shall mature within thirty days after
such taxes, assessments or payments become collectible.

SEC. 56. CONTRACTS FOR TOWN IMPROVEMENTS. Any Town
improvement costing more than $1, 000 shall be executed by
contract except where such improvement is authorized by the
Council to be executed directly by the Town in conformity
with detailed plans, specifications and estimates. All con-
tracts for town improvements shall be entered into by the
Town Manager, provided however, that contracts involving an
expenditure of $5, 000 or more, shall be approved by the Coun-
cil. All contracts for more than $1, 000 shall be awarded to
the bidder who offers the lowest or best bid, quality of goods,
time of delivery, and responsibility of bidder being considered,
after such public notice and competition as may be prescribed
by ordinance, provided the Town Manager shall have the
power to reject all bids and advertise again.

SEC. 57. CONTRACTS EXTENDING BEYOND ONE YEAR. Con-
tracts involving the payment of money out of the appropri-
ations of more than one year shall be made only by ordi-
nance, and shall not extend for a period of more than ten
years. No ordinance providing for such a contract shall be
valid unless notice of the intention to pass the same was
published in a daily newspaper of general circulation within
the town or posted in the community hall at least ten days'
before its passage by the Council.

SEC. 58. INDEPENDENT AUDIT. As soon as practicable after
the close of each fiscal year, an independent audit shall be made
of all accounts of the Town government by qualified public
accountants, selected by the Council, who have no personal in-
terest directly or indirectly in the financial affairs of the Town
government or of any of its officers. The results of this audit
shall be published immediately upon its completion. If an
audit is required to be made by State officials under the pro-
visions of State law for the inspection and audit of municipal
accounts, the Council may accept such audit by the State as
fulfilling the requirements of this section.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

SEC. 59. DUTIES. The Director of Public Safety shall be
head of the Department of Public Safety and shall be in charge
of preserving peace and good order, controlling and maintain-
ing fire protection and performing such other duties as may
be prescribed by ordinance.

SEC. 60. POLICE. It shall be the duty of all policemen em-
ployed in the department of public safety to preserve the peace