There shall be a Board of Selectmen consisting of the First Selectman and five Selectmen, elected as provided in Article VIII.
(a)
The Board of Selectmen shall be the legislative body
of the Town. It shall be vested with and shall exercise all powers
of the Town except:
(1)
Powers otherwise allocated by this Charter.
(2)
Powers otherwise allocated by General Statutes or
applicable Special Act and not vested in the Board of Selectmen by
this Charter.
(3)
Powers delegated by the Board of Selectmen by ordinance,
so long as the same shall remain in effect.
[Amended 5-7-1979, effective 7-1-1979]
(b)
The Board of Selectmen shall have all powers, duties
and responsibilities conferred upon it by this Charter, and all powers
proper, incidental, or convenient to their exercise.
(c)
Except to the extent otherwise provided in the Charter,
the Board of Selectmen shall have all powers, duties and responsibilities
heretofore or hereafter conferred upon boards of selectmen by any
General Statute or applicable Special Act.
(d)
The Board of Selectmen shall have all powers conferred
thereon by ordinance.
(e)
Without limiting the generality of the preceding subsections
of this section, the Board of Selectmen shall have power to and may:
(1)
Create offices, boards, commissions, and agencies
and set their powers, duties, numbers and terms and qualifications
of office and provide for the compensation, if any, of any office,
board, commission or agency;
(f)
The Board of Selectmen may appoint from its members
a Deputy First Selectman to serve during such period as the Board
of Selectmen may determine, not to extend beyond the term of the incumbent
First Selectman. The Deputy First Selectman shall be nominated by
the First Selectman, except that if the First Selectman fails to make
such nomination within seven days of the Board's vote to request such
nomination, the Board of Selectmen may make such appointment without
such nomination.
[Added 5-7-1979, effective 7-1-1979]
[Amended 5-2-2005, effective 6-1-2005]
(a)
At its first meeting of the Board of Selectmen following
each biennial Town election, the Selectmen in accordance with the
General Statutes shall fix the time and place of their regular meetings.
(b)
A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen may be
called by the First Selectman or by any two Selectmen. Notice of any
such special meeting shall be given in accordance with the provisions
of the Connecticut General Statutes, as same may be amended from time
to time.
(c)
Four members of the Board of Selectmen shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business.
(d)
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast
in respect of a matter at a meeting at which a quorum is present at
the time of the vote shall be the act of the Board of Selectmen unless
a greater vote is required in respect of such matter by this Charter
or by ordinance or General Statutes or applicable Special Act.
(e)
The Board of Selectmen may make such other rules for
the conduct of its affairs as it deems advisable, including rules
on disqualification in matters of conflicting personal interest.
(a)
The Board of Selectmen shall:
(1)
Be responsible for carrying out the acts, policies
and ordinances of the Town Meeting, except where the Town Meeting
otherwise designates;
(2)
Supervise and oversee the affairs of the Town, maintain
the financial books and records, and be responsible for coordinating
and keeping itself informed of the activities of the other officers,
boards, commissions and agencies of the Town;
(3)
Be responsible for conducting a continuous review
of the current and projected administrative, governmental, physical
and other needs of the Town and, on the basis of such review, assume
initiative in the development of appropriate programs to meet such
needs;
(4)
Have custody of all records and books of account of
the Town except those of the Board of Education.
[Added 6-15-1965, effective 7-1-1965; amended 11-7-1972, effective
1-1-1973]
(b)
The Board of Selectmen may require such information
from, or joint meetings with, any Town officers, boards, commissions
or agencies as it may find necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities
placed upon it.
(a)
The Board of Selectmen shall have exclusive powers to adopt, amend and repeal ordinances, except as otherwise provided in § 4-5(g). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and notwithstanding the powers and duties otherwise provided as to the various boards, commissions and agencies of the Town, the Board of Selectmen shall have power and authority to enact ordinances whose purposes and effect are:
[Amended 5-7-1979, effective 7-1-1979]
(1)
To conserve, improve and protect the natural resources
of the Town, and to control air, land and water pollution in order
to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the
Town;
(2)
To establish a Code of Ethics;
(3)
To establish rules and procedures for submission of
competitive bids or comparative prices with respect to purchase of
supplies, materials and services for the Town.
(b)
No ordinance shall be enacted, amended or repealed by the Board of Selectmen until a public hearing has been held thereon. The Board of Selectmen shall set such a public hearing and shall give notice thereof, as provided in § 4-5(c) hereof:
(c)
Notice of the date, time and place of such hearing,
together with a copy of the proposed ordinance, amendment, or the
ordinance to be repealed, shall be filed by the Board of Selectmen
with the Town Clerk, and the Town Clerk shall cause the same to be
published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town not less
than 10 days prior to the date set for the hearing.
(d)
If a proposed ordinance is amended after publication in the newspaper and prior to its adoption by the Board of Selectmen, it shall be treated as a new ordinance and the provisions of § 4-5(c) shall be applicable, unless the amendment is to correct a technical error as hereinafter defined, in which event further notice and hearing shall not be required.
(e)
Within five days after passage, the Board of Selectmen shall file with the Town Clerk a copy of its resolution enacting, amending or repealing an ordinance, and the Town Clerk within 15 days thereafter shall cause the same to be published one time in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town. Except as provided in § 4-5(f) hereof, the action of the Board in enacting, amending or repealing the ordinance shall become effective on a date to be specified in such resolution, which shall be not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days after the date of passage.
[Amended 5-7-1979, effective 7-1-1979]
(f)
If, within 20 days after the date of the publication required by § 4-5(e) hereof, a petition is filed with the Town Clerk, conforming to the requirements of Section 7-9 and Section 7-9a of the General Statutes, as amended, signed by not less than 150 members of the Town Meeting requesting that the action of the Board of Selectmen concerning the ordinance in question be submitted to the members of the Town Meeting by referendum, the effective date of the Board's action concerning said ordinance shall be suspended, and if the Town Clerk shall find that such petition has been duly signed and filed, the Board of Selectmen shall fix a date, time and place for the holding of such referendum, which shall be within 45 days after the filing of the petition. The call for such referendum shall state in full the resolution of the Board of Selectmen enacting, amending or repealing the ordinance in question, and shall provide for a "yes" or "no" vote on such resolution. Unless a majority of the persons voting at such referendum shall vote "no," the action of the Board of Selectmen in enacting, amending or repealing such ordinance shall take effect in accordance with its terms, provided that such majority equals at least 15% of the members of the Town Meeting. No steps to enforce such action shall be taken until the time for filing such petition has passed, or, if such a petition has been filed, until after the referendum has been held and such action has been upheld.
(g)
Not less than 150 members of the Town Meeting may, at any time, petition over their personal signatures for the enactment of any proposed lawful ordinance or the repeal of any existing ordinance by filing such petition, including the complete text of such ordinance, with the Town Clerk. At least one public hearing shall be held by the Board of Selectmen on the proposed ordinance, notice of which shall be given as provided in Subsection (b) of this section and published as provided in Subsection (c) of this section. The Board of Selectmen shall call a referendum, to be held after the hearing and in any event not later than 45 days from the date of the filing of the petition, unless prior to such referendum such ordinance shall be enacted or repealed by the Board of Selectmen. The call for such referendum shall state in full the ordinance proposed to be enacted or repealed and shall provide for a "yes" or "no" vote thereon. If a majority of the persons voting at such referendum shall vote "yes" then such ordinance shall take effect or shall be repealed as the case may be, on the 10th day thereafter without further action of the Board of Selectmen, provided that such majority equals at least 15% of the members of the Town Meeting. Any ordinance proposed to be enacted shall be examined by the Town Counsel before being submitted to the referendum. The Town Counsel shall correct the form of such ordinance for the purpose of avoiding repetitions, illegalities and unconstitutional provisions, and to assure accuracy in its text and references and clearness and preciseness in its phraseology, but shall not materially change its meaning and effect.
(h)
If the Board of Selectmen shall find by resolution that a state of emergency exists in the Town requiring the prompt enactment of an ordinance, it shall thereupon be empowered, upon compliance with this subsection, to adopt such regulations and ordinances, and to make such expenditures, as it deems necessary under the circumstances. It shall forthwith call a public hearing on the proposed ordinance and the funds to be expended and other action to be taken thereunder, and in such case the time for publishing the notice of the hearing and the ordinance as provided in § 4-5(c) shall be not less than two days prior to the date set for the hearing. Any such emergency ordinance shall become effective on the date of adoption, and the provisions of § 4-5(e) and (f) shall not apply.
(i)
Upon affirmative vote of five of the six members of
the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Selectmen may correct technical
errors in ordinances and resolutions adopted in accordance with the
provisions of this Charter. For purposes of this subsection, a technical
error in an ordinance or resolution occurs whenever, in the language
of the ordinance or resolution as adopted, material was omitted or
was included in a form obviously not intended. The correction as made
by the Board of Selectmen shall be forthwith published in a newspaper
of general circulation in the Town, and 30 days after the publication,
the ordinance or resolution shall go into full force and effect as
corrected.
[Added 11-7-1972, effective 1-1-1973]
(j)
In lieu of causing the entire text of any ordinance or amendment or the ordinance to be repealed to be published as required in Subsections (c), (d) and (e) of this section, the Board of Selectmen shall have the authority to draft a synopsis of such ordinance, amendment, or the ordinance to be repealed and to instruct the Town Clerk that in lieu of publication of the full text of such ordinance, amendment, or ordinance to be repealed, the synopsis only shall be published together with a notice that the full text thereof shall be on file in the office of the Town Clerk. Said instruction may also require the Town Clerk to leave a copy of the full text at the Town Library.
[Added 5-2-1983, effective 6-1-1983[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amendment pending.
(a)
Except to the extent otherwise provided by ordinance,
the Board of Selectmen shall hire, fix the compensation of and discharge
any employee of the Town who is not an elected officer thereof, except
any employee hired by the Board of Education. Residence in the Town
shall not be a condition of employment of any employee of the Town
who is not an elected officer thereof.
[Amended 6-15-1965, effective 4-16-1967; amended 5-7-1979, effective
7-1-1979]
(b)
Except to the extent otherwise provided by ordinance,
the Board of Selectmen may administer in whole or in part:
(1)
The purchase of supplies, materials, equipment and
other commodities required by any officer, board, commission, or agency
of the Town except the Board of Education;
(2)
Maintenance or custodial work for any public building,
park, playground, road, or other facility under the care of any officer,
board, commission or agency of the Town, except any thereof under
the care of the Board of Education;
(3)
Contracting on the behalf of the Town for any services
required by an officer, board, commission or agency of the Town, except
the Board of Education.
(a)
The Board of Selectmen may, except to the extent otherwise
provided by ordinance, create such offices, boards, commissions, or
agencies, and employ such staff with such powers, duties and responsibilities
as it may deem desirable to carry out the duties and responsibilities
of the Board of Selectmen.
(b)
Except to the extent otherwise provided by ordinance,
the Board of Selectmen may, in whole or in part, delegate any of its
powers to any officer, board, commission, or agency of the Town.
[Amended 5-2-2005, effective 6-1-2005]
(a)
Action for purchase or sale of real property by the Town shall be initiated by the Board of Selectmen. Prior to making (1) any sale or other conveyance of any such property or interest therein for a consideration in excess of the greater of .15% of the total budget for that fiscal year or $50,000; or (2) any purchase or acquisition of any such property or interest therein for a consideration in excess of the greater of .15% of the total budget for that year or $50,000, the Board of Selectmen, not less than one day and not more than 30 days prior to the date of execution of the proposed transaction shall notice a Special Town Meeting for consideration of the proposed transaction. Notice of such meeting shall be given according to the methods set forth for the notice of a Special Town Meeting in § 3-2(e).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amendment pending.
(b)
Any lease for a period in excess of one year shall
be considered a sale, conveyance, purchase, or other acquisition of
real property within the meaning of this section.
[Amended 5-2-1983, effective 6-1-1983]
