All general laws applicable to the town, all enabling legislation
adopted by the town, and all ordinances and by-laws of the town shall
continue in full force and effect, except as they are inconsistent
with the provisions of this Charter. All special acts or parts of
special acts relating to the town that are not inconsistent with the
provisions of this Charter continue in full force and effect.
The members of existing boards and commissions, and officers
in office, shall continue to hold office and to exercise the powers
and duties conferred or imposed on them for the periods of their terms,
or until their successors have been elected or appointed.
This Charter may be amended in accordance with the General Statutes
in effect at the time of such amendment.
The holder of any office or of any membership on a board (commission,
committee, etc.), who is appointed by the Board of Selectmen, may
be removed for cause by a majority vote of the members of the Board
of Selectmen then in office. The appointee shall be entitled to a
hearing before the Board of Selectmen and shall be furnished with
a written notice, including a detailed statement of cause and of the
day of the hearing, at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. The
appointee may ask that the hearing be private, and may attend with
counsel. The Board of Selectmen must determine its decision within
20 days of the hearing, and a written order of removal must be filed
with the Town Clerk immediately. If an unqualified written resignation
of the appointee is received prior to the hearing, there shall be
no hearing.
In the event of a recall or removal from office, any salary
or compensation for services shall be continued, or pro-rated, up
to the day of decision by the Board of Selectmen.
If any section of this Charter is held invalid by a court of
competent jurisdiction, such holding will not affect the remainder
of this Charter, nor the context on which such section so held may
appear, except to the extent that an entire section or part of a section
may be inseparably connected in meaning and affect with the section
or part of section to which such holding shall directly apply.
The effective date of this Charter will be upon adoption of
it at public referendum.
