(a)
The council shall appoint for an indefinite term a
town manager, who shall be the chief executive officer of the town,
who shall serve at the pleasure of the council, and who shall be chosen
exclusively on the basis of his or her executive and administrative
qualifications, character, education, training and experience. At
the time of his or her appointment, said manager need not be a resident
of the town of West Hartford or of the State of Connecticut. The town
manager shall work full time to discharge the duties of the office,
and during his or her term of office, shall reside in said town. 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 fifteen days prior
to that date.
(b)
The manager may be removed by a two-thirds vote of
the entire membership of the council as herein provided. At least
thirty days before the proposed removal of the manager, the council
shall adopt a resolution stating its intention to remove him or her
and the reasons therefor, a copy of which shall be served forthwith
on the manager who may, within ten days, demand a public hearing,
in which event the manager shall not be removed until such public
hearing has been held. Upon the passage of such a resolution the council
may suspend said manager from duty, provided the salary of said manager
shall continue until his or her removal from office; and in the event
of such removal, or in the event of the resignation of the manager,
he or she shall be given termination pay equivalent to one month's
salary, and may be given such additional termination pay as the council
shall by resolution determine. Upon any such suspension the council
may appoint a temporary manager to serve at the pleasure of the council
for not more than ninety days. The action of the council in removing
the manager shall be final.
The town manager shall be directly responsible
to the council for the administration of all departments, agencies
and offices in charge of persons or boards appointed by him or her,
and shall supervise and direct the same. The town manager shall see
that all laws and ordinances governing the town are faithfully executed;
may recommend to the council the creation, consolidation and abolition
of administrative departments and offices; shall make periodic reports
to the council and shall attend its meetings with full right of participation
in its discussions but without a right to vote; shall prepare and
cause to be printed, as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal
year, an annual town report; shall recommend to the council such measures
as he or she may deem necessary or expedient; shall keep the council
fully advised as to the financial condition of the town; and shall
have prepared financial reports for such periods as may be required
by the council; shall prepare and submit to the council an annual
budget; and shall exercise such other powers and perform such other
duties as may be required of him or her by ordinance or resolution
of the council not inconsistent with this charter. Unless otherwise
provided in this charter or in the general statutes, any administrative
power of appointment to be exercised by a first selectman shall be
exercised by the town manager. The council shall not diminish by ordinance,
vote or otherwise, the powers and duties of the manager, except those
powers and duties imposed on him or her by the council under the provisions
of this section.
The manager shall appoint all department heads
and other officers of the town except as otherwise specifically provided
by this charter and except employees in the offices of elected officers
or boards, and officers and boards appointed by the council. In lieu
of any appointment by the manager or any of his or her appointees
to any office under his or her jurisdiction the manager may, subject
to the approval of the council, perform the duties of any office under
his or her jurisdiction except those of the town treasurer; provided,
in case the town treasurer is absent or unable to act, the manager
may sign checks in accordance with the provisions of Chapter VII,
Section 8, of this charter.
To perform his or her duties during his or her
temporary absence or disability, the town manager may designate, by
a letter filed with the council clerk and the town clerk, a qualified
administrative officer of the town to serve as acting manager during
the temporary absence or disability of said town manager. If the manager
fails to make such designation, the council may by resolution appoint
an administrative officer of the town to perform the duties of the
manager until he or she returns or his or her disability ceases. If
the manager shall be absent from his or her duties for a period of
more than twenty-one consecutive days, the council shall appoint an
acting manager. If the manager dies, is removed, retires, or resigns,
the council may appoint an acting manager to serve until a manager
is appointed.
