The Town Council shall appoint a Town Manager who shall be the
chief executive officer of the town to serve at the pleasure of the
Council and who shall be chosen exclusively on the basis of executive
and administrative qualifications, character, education, training
and experience. At the time of appointment, said Manager need not
be a resident of the Town or of the state of Connecticut, but the
Town Manager may be required by the Town Council to reside in the
town during tenure of office. The Town Manager shall devote full working
time to the duties of the office. The compensation of the Town Manager
shall be fixed by the Council and shall not be decreased except at
the beginning of a fiscal year of the Town by a vote of the Council
taken at least one (1) month prior to that date.
The Town Manager shall appoint, and may remove, all department
heads and employees of the town except as otherwise specifically provided
by this Charter or the General Statutes. The Town Manager may, subject
to the approval of the Town Council, perform the duties of any such
office except those of the Town Treasurer and Town Clerk provided
that, in case the Town Treasurer is absent or unable to act, the Town
Manager may countersign checks. The Town Manager shall designate another
qualified administrative officer of the town to serve at the pleasure
of the Council as acting Manager during the Manager's absence for
not more than ninety (90) days, except with the review and approval
of the Town Council at approximately sixty-day intervals thereafter.
Except with the approval of a two-thirds majority of the entire membership
of the Town Council, the temporary Manager shall have none of the
powers of permanent appointment as are conferred upon the Manager
in this Section of this Charter.
There shall be such administrative departments, agencies and
offices as may from time to time be created by the Town Council. Such
departments shall, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, have
the powers and duties prescribed by law and by ordinance or resolution
of said Council. The department heads shall have the power to appoint
and remove such deputies, assistants and employees as shall be deemed
necessary, with approval of the Town Manager. The department heads
shall be responsible for the efficient discharge of the responsibilities
of their departments. The department heads may delegate a part of
the administrative duties of the department to any appointee.