(a) The chief elected official or the chief executive officer if by ordinance of each municipality shall appoint a municipal agent for elderly persons. Such agent shall be a staff member of a senior center, a member of an agency that serves elderly persons in the municipality or a responsible resident of the municipality who has demonstrated an interest in the elderly or has been involved in programs in the field of aging.

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(b) The duties of the municipal agent may include, but shall not be limited to: (1) Disseminating information to elderly persons, assisting such persons in learning about the community resources available to them and publicizing such resources and benefits; (2) assisting elderly persons to apply for federal and other benefits available to such persons; and (3) reporting to the chief elected official or chief executive officer of the municipality and the Department of Aging and Disability Services any needs and problems of the elderly and any recommendations for action to improve services to the elderly.

(c) Each municipal agent shall serve for a term of two or four years, at the discretion of the appointing authority of each municipality, and may be reappointed. If more than one agent is necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, the appointing authority, in its discretion, may appoint one or more assistant agents. The town clerk in each municipality shall notify the Department of Aging and Disability Services immediately of the appointment of a new municipal agent. Each municipality may provide to its municipal agent resources sufficient for such agent to perform the duties of the office.

(d) The Department of Aging and Disability Services shall adopt and disseminate to municipalities guidelines as to the role and duties of municipal agents and such informational and technical materials as may assist such agents in performance of their duties. The department, in cooperation with the area agencies on aging, may provide training for municipal agents within the available resources of the department and of the area agencies on aging.