Within 90 days after the effective date of this Charter, the Town Council shall enact a personnel ordinance setting forth standards of conduct and performance for Town employees, establishing generally recognized principles of progressive discipline, and establishing a procedure for appeals from disciplinary action. The Council shall thereafter review the personnel ordinance annually.
The Town Manager shall be responsible for the administration of the Town's personnel program and shall perform all duties assigned pursuant to the personnel ordinance. The Manager shall update and review the personnel ordinance and shall submit recommendations to the Council for its annual review of the ordinance.
There shall be a Personnel Appeals Board consisting of five members appointed by the Council from among qualified voters of the Town. The members shall serve such terms of office as may be established by the personnel ordinance. The personnel ordinance may provide for alternate and replacement members. The Personnel Appeals Board shall hear appeals brought by any department head or employee of the Town as the result of disciplinary action consisting of termination or suspension without pay for more than five days.
A majority of the Town Council must approve the initial appointment of all department heads when recommended for employment by the Town Manager. Except as specified above, the Council shall not otherwise participate in appointments, and neither the Council nor any of its members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to office by the Manager.
The Council shall not participate in discipline and removals, and Council approval shall not be required for discipline and removals. Neither the Council nor any of its members shall direct or request that disciplinary action or proceedings for removal be undertaken against a department head or employee of the Town.
Except for purpose of inquiry, the Council and its members shall deal with department heads and Town employees solely through the Manager. Neither the Council nor any of its members shall give orders to any subordinates of the Manager either publicly or privately.