There shall be a Board of Selectmen consisting of five members, a Chair, a Vice Chair and three Selectmen, hereinafter referred to as the Board of Selectmen.
3.1.1. 
The Selectmen Chair. The Selectmen Chair shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Selectmen. The Selectmen Chair shall be an ex-officio member, without vote, of all Town boards, commissions and committees and shall be the official head of the Town for all ceremonial and military purposes. In the absence of the Town Manager, the Selectmen Chair shall exercise the authority and perform all the duties of the Town Manager for a period not to exceed 90 consecutive days, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Charter. During his/her absence or disability his/her duties shall be performed by another member of the Board of Selectmen chosen by the members of such board except as otherwise specifically provided in this Charter.
3.1.2. 
Public emergencies. Whenever a public emergency exists or threatens to arise involving or threatening the lives, health, or property of the inhabitants of the Town or property of the Town, the Town Manager, or his/her designee, with the consent of the Selectmen Chair may declare a public emergency and shall have the power to mobilize, organize, and direct the forces of the Town and to call upon the forces of the federal government, the State of Connecticut and other political subdivisions. The Town Manager, or in his/her absence, the Selectmen Chair may summon, marshal, deputize or otherwise employ other persons to do whatever may be deemed necessary for the purpose of meeting the emergency. Funding necessary to meet said public emergency shall be pursuant to Section 6.9 of this Charter. Emergency ordinances shall be enacted pursuant to Section 3.9.2.1 of this Charter.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, the Board of Selectmen shall have the powers and duties conferred by the general and special laws of the State upon the Board of Selectmen of the Town. The Board of Selectmen shall have the following legislative powers of the Town:
3.2.1. 
The Board of Selectmen shall have the power to enact, amend or repeal ordinances and resolutions not inconsistent with this Charter or the general statutes of the State providing for the preservation of good order, peace, health and safety of the Town and its inhabitants.
3.2.2. 
The Board of Selectmen shall have the power to create or abolish by ordinance, boards, commissions, departments or offices except those provided for in this Charter.
3.2.3. 
The Board of Selectmen may establish by resolution such study, advisory or consulting committees as the Board of Selectmen determine to be necessary or appropriate for the general welfare of the Town.
3.2.4. 
The Board of Selectmen is authorized to adopt ordinances to incorporate any nationally recognized code, rules and regulations that have been printed in book form, or any code officially adopted by any administrative agency of the State, or any portion thereof, by reference thereto in such ordinance; provided, upon adoption of any such ordinance wherein any such code, rules and regulations or portions thereof have been incorporated by reference, there shall be maintained two copies of such code, rules and regulations in the office of the Town Clerk for examination by the public.
3.2.5. 
The Board of Selectmen may contract for service and the use of facilities of the United States or any federal agency, the State of Connecticut and any political subdivision thereof, or may, by agreement, join with such political subdivisions to provide services and facilities.
3.2.6. 
The Board of Selectmen shall consider endorsement, or rejection of a plan of conservation and development or part thereof in accordance with general statutes.
3.2.7. 
The Board of Selectmen may appoint a responsible Town official, elected or appointed, to implement the Town emergency plan or other written instructions in the event of a Town emergency and all Board of Selectmen are absent from the Town.
3.2.8. 
The Board of Selectmen in executing their duties and responsibilities are empowered to use all legal measures through a court of competent jurisdiction when necessary. Should action concerning the Board of Education be necessary, appeal to the Commissioner of Education, State of Connecticut, may be pursued per the C.G.S.
Organization. The Board of Selectmen shall meet within seven days after taking office per Section 2.2.3. At its first meeting, the Board of Selectmen shall fix a time and place of its regular meetings and provide a method for the calling of special meetings. At this meeting the Board of Selectmen shall choose a Chair and Vice-Chair by simple majority vote to serve one-year terms and to confirm the order of succession to assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, in the event of their absence or disability. Nothing shall prohibit the Chair or Vice-Chair from being a full voting and participating member of the Board of Selectmen. The Board of Selectmen shall be required to disclose any other office or position held within the government of the Town in which compensation is received. These disclosures shall be recorded in the minutes of a meeting and be reported in the annual Town report.
(a) 
Rules of procedure. The Board of Selectmen shall, by resolution, determine its own rules of procedure provided that all regular and special meetings shall be held in accordance with the applicable provisions of the C.G.S. and Roberts Rules of Order, as amended, for meetings. The Selectmen Chair, when present, shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Selectmen and shall have full voting power at such meetings. Four members of the entire Board of Selectmen shall constitute a quorum. No action shall be adopted without a quorum present. All meetings of the Board of Selectmen for the transaction of business shall be open to the public except when a meeting is moved into Executive Session. Meetings may move into Executive Session in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and by affirmative vote of two thirds of the Selectmen present and voting. This action shall state the reasons for such Executive Session.
(b) 
Conducting business. All business conducted by the Board of Selectmen shall be approved by action at a regular or special meeting. The votes of each member shall be recorded at the session at which they occur and reported in the minutes of such meeting.
The Board of Selectmen shall fix the schedule of these meeting dates and times, which shall be a minimum of two times a year.
Minutes of all meetings of the Board of Selectmen shall be recorded and filed in accordance with Section 1-210 of the C.G.S.
The Board of Selectmen shall be responsible for holding joint meetings with one or more members of all boards, commissions, and agencies for the purpose of communicating plans and coordinating action for carrying out the affairs of the Town.
Unless a specific board, commission, or agency is designated by the C.G.S., Charter, ordinance or resolution voted at a Town Meeting or referendum, the Board of Selectmen shall be responsible for acting on behalf of the Town in applying for grants, aid or other funds that the Town is eligible for and shall accept or reject such grants, aid or other funds for the Town.
Decisions by the Board of Selectmen are made by a two-thirds majority vote of a quorum present except for the following which must be approved by no fewer than four members of the Board of Selectmen:
• Town Manager hiring, firing, performance reviews, and disciplinary actions.
• Nonemergency ordinances (adoption, amendment, repeal).
• Selecting legal counsel, town engineer, or other professional service or firm.
3.9.1. 
Adoption of ordinances. The Board of Selectmen is authorized to adopt ordinances for the Town. Every ordinance, except for emergency ordinances, shall become effective 30 days after publication in a newspaper having general circulation in the Town. The Board of Selectmen shall implement the terms of the ordinance unless overruled as per Section 8.5 and 8.6.
3.9.2. 
Public hearings on proposed ordinances. Except for emergency ordinances, at least one public hearing shall be held by the Board of Selectmen before enacting any proposed ordinance. Public notice by way of publication in one or more newspapers of general circulation in the Town shall be given not more than 15 and not less than 10 days before such public hearing and notice in a public place or places as the Board of Selectmen shall prescribe. The passage of such ordinance shall also be advertised in one or more newspapers having general circulation in the Town and shall not become effective until 30 days after such publication. All ordinances shall be filed with the Town Clerk and recorded, compiled and published by the Town Clerk as required by law.
3.9.2.1. 
Emergency ordinances. An ordinance stated to be a public emergency measure and stating the facts constituting such public emergency that may endanger the lives, health or property of citizens shall become effective immediately after publication. No public hearing or notice of public hearing shall be required. Emergency ordinances shall be adopted by the Board of Selectmen and approved by a two-thirds majority vote of a quorum present. Emergency ordinances shall be printed and made available in the Town Clerks' Office within 24 hours after action is taken. Every public emergency ordinance including any amendments thereto, shall automatically stand repealed at the termination of the 61st day following final passage of such ordinance.
3.9.3. 
Petition for overrule of action by Board of Selectmen. Ordinances, resolutions, or votes of the Board of Selectmen shall be subject to overrule by a Town Meeting in accordance with the provisions of this section. However, this Section 3.9.3 shall not apply to emergency ordinances, actions making appointments, removals, or regulating exclusively the internal procedure of the Board of Selectmen.
If within 30 days after the publication of any ordinance, resolution or vote, a petition signed by not less than 200 persons qualified to vote in a Town Meeting, as determined from the latest election official list of registrars of voters, is filed with the Town Clerk requesting its reference to a Town Meeting. The effective date of such ordinance, resolution or vote shall be suspended and the Board of Selectmen shall fix the time and place of such meeting and notice thereof shall be given in the manner provided by the general statutes for the calling of a Town Meeting. An ordinance, resolution or vote so referred shall take effect upon the conclusion of such meeting unless a majority of those voting shall have voted in favor of overruling.
3.9.4. 
Filling of vacancies. The Board of Selectmen shall fill vacancies in elective offices according to the provisions of Section 2.6. The Board of Selectmen shall be the legislative body designated to fill vacancies on the Regional District #8 Board of Education. The Board of Selectmen shall fill vacancies in appointive offices as provided for in the "Appointive Boards" Chapter VII of this Charter.
In the case of comparable qualifications of affiliated and unaffiliated candidates, candidates affiliated with the party from which the vacancy occurred, shall have priority. The Town political committees have 30 days from the vacancy occurring to submit candidates to the Board of Selectmen. The Board of Selectmen will also provide public notice to Town residents that any interested appointable candidate can apply directly to them, no matter their party affiliation or nonaffiliation. The Board of Selectmen will discuss the candidacy of all nominees, vote and make transparent the reason for their choice in a public meeting. Such vacancy shall be filled by the Board of Selectmen appointment of the most qualified candidate and take office as provided for in the Charter and in accordance with Minority representation, Section 2.3.
3.9.5. 
Personnel policies. The Board of Selectmen shall approve policies proposed by the Chief Executive Officer which consider, all positions in the Town Government, elected or appointed, where salary and/or, benefits are provided. Policies shall define the personnel to be covered, the qualifications and method of appointment to each position, the duties, responsibilities and powers of such positions and the conditions, salary, and benefits of employment in such positions, except for persons employed or appointed for a temporary period not exceeding three months.
All persons that accept Town compensation are obligated to abide by personnel policies as adopted by the Board of Selectmen for all Town employees.
3.9.6. 
Acceptance of roads and other municipal improvements. In order for roads and other municipal improvements to be considered for acceptance, the Board of Selectmen must be provided the following: (1) Written approval, by the Town Engineer, is on file. (2) Receipt of the recommended approval or denial by the Planning Commission in accordance with C.G.S. § 8-24. The Planning Commission must respond to the request for approval within 35 days. Failure to act shall constitute a recommendation for approval.
The abandonment of roads or municipal improvements cannot be approved by the Board of Selectmen unless it is in receipt of the recommended approval or denial by the Planning Commission in accordance with C.G.S. § 8-24. The Planning Commission must respond to the request for approval within 35 days. Failure to act shall constitute a recommendation for approval.
3.9.7. 
Agreement with State Department of Transportation. The Board of Selectmen may enter into agreements with the Department of Transportation of the State of Connecticut for expenditures of Town Aid Funds per (Section 13a-17a et. seq.) of the C.G.S.
3.9.8. 
Purchase or exchange of real estate. The Board of Selectmen, may purchase or exchange real estate for a specific Town use provided it has received the recommended approval or denial by the Planning Commission in accordance with C.G.S. § 8-24. The Planning Commission must respond to the request for approval within 35 days. Failure to act shall constitute a recommendation for approval. Any appropriation required shall be subject to the conditions of Section 6.6.
3.9.9. 
Easement. The Board of Selectmen, provided it has received the recommended approval or denial by the Planning Commission in accordance with C.G.S. § 8-24 or is required by a subdivision or resubdivision approved by the Planning Commission, shall have the authority to procure necessary easements from private property owners to provide for appropriate storm water management, pedestrian and vehicular sight line, and water supply for fire prevention purposes. Any appropriation required shall be subject to the conditions of Section 6.6.
3.9.10. 
Acceptance of real estate. The Board of Selectmen may accept real estate, after receipt of the recommended approval or denial by the Planning Commission in accordance with C.G.S. § 8-24. The Planning Commission must respond to the request for approval within 35 days. Failure to act shall constitute a recommendation for approval. Any appropriation required shall be subject to the conditions of Section 6.6.
3.9.11. 
Disposition of Town property. The Board of Selectmen, without further municipal approval, may dispose of any obsolete, damaged, or unused item of property of the Town except land, buildings or water rights. An ordinance establishing procedures for, this disposition shall be enacted and maintained per Section 3.2. The Board of Selectmen are empowered to apply any item of property, regardless of value, as a trade-in on the purchase price of a budgeted expenditure of alike or improved item.
3.9.12. 
Temporary commissions. The Board of Selectmen may create by ordinance, study or temporary advisory commissions to make recommendations to the Board of Selectmen. The term of any such commission should not exceed 24 months unless approved by a Town Meeting to extend the term. The operation of these commissions may be funded from the Town Operations Budget or under the provisions of Section 6.6.
3.9.13. 
Town Manager Search Committee. The Board of Selectmen shall by resolution establish a policy procedure for the hiring a Town Manager. Such procedure shall include the appointment of a Town Manager Search Committee (TMSC) for the purpose of searching for and identifying the most qualified candidates as finalists for the position of Town Manager. The search committee shall be comprised of volunteers and have a term not to exceed one year which shall be extended as needed by the Board of Selectmen. The search committee shall consist of a minimum of eight members chosen for their expertise, qualifications, understanding and willingness to serve. Recommended member appointments to the TMSC are as follows: a current or former Town Board of Education and Board of Finance representatives, a current and a former Town Selectmen, current or former town managers from other CT towns, local school superintendent. Additional participants may be considered for the search committee where specific expertise may be lacking and is necessary to assist in the candidate selection process. The Board of Selectmen shall interview finalist candidates, as provided by the search committee, and appoint a Town Manager as per charter Section 4.1.
3.9.14. 
Legal action. The Board of Selectmen shall direct or cause to be instituted, prosecuted or compromised, any legal action or proceeding by or against the Town.