(a)
The Board of Selectmen may create or eliminate such administrative
offices and departments as it from time to time may deem appropriate
and necessary for the best interests of the Town, except as provided
by law; and
(b)
Subject to the provisions of Section 701(a), there shall be the following
administrative officers for the Town: Town Clerk; Director of Finance-Treasurer;
Tax Collector; Assessor; Director of Civil Preparedness; Welfare Officer;
Director of Culture, Parks and Recreation; Director of Community Planning
and Development/Town Planner; Conservation, Inland Wetlands and Zoning
Compliance Officer, Director of Public Works; Building Official; Town
Engineer; Town Attorney; Chief of Police; and Social Services Director.
Administrative officers and department heads shall be appointed
in the manner hereinafter provided. Appointees of the Town Manager
shall be appointed and may be removed in accordance with the provisions
of Section 503 of this Charter. No administrative officer or department
head shall serve as a voting member on any regular Town board or commission
during his or her term of office and any such officer or department
head elected to public office in the Town shall, upon such election,
forfeit the position to which he or she had been appointed.
Any vacancy in any appointive administrative office, from whatever
cause arising, shall be filled by the appointing authority to such
office. Persons appointed to fill vacancies in any administrative
offices shall serve for the unexpired portion of the term vacated
if such office has a fixed term, or shall serve for an indefinite
term in the event no fixed term is provided for such office.
The Town Manager shall appoint and may remove, each such action
to be taken with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, the following
Town officers, each of whom shall serve for an indefinite term (unless
otherwise established by this Section 704): (a) Town Clerk, (b) Director
of Finance-Treasurer, (c) Director of Culture, Parks and Recreation,
(d) Director of Civil Preparedness, (e) Director of Public Works,
(f) Building Official, (g) Town Engineer, (h) Director of Community
Planning and Development/Town Planner, (i) Conservation, Inland Wetlands
and Zoning Compliance Officer, (j) Tax Collector, (k) Tax Assessor
and (l) Social Services Director. Each officer shall have all the
powers and duties, not inconsistent with this Charter, conferred or
imposed on such officer by the General Statutes and such other powers
and duties as are prescribed in this Charter, and as may be prescribed
by the Board of Selectmen, and such duties and qualifications as may
be prescribed in the position description prepared and approved by
the Board of Selectmen. Each such officer may appoint all deputies,
assistants or employees in such office, and may remove, subject to
the approval of the Town Manager and to such rules and regulations
concerning Town employees as may be adopted by the Board of Selectmen
pursuant to provisions of Chapter IX of this Charter. The following
additional provisions shall apply to these officers.
(1)
Town Clerk. The Town Clerk and the deputies and assistants of the
Town Clerk shall receive a salary fixed by the Board of Selectmen,
and all fees collected by the Town Clerk shall be paid into the Town
treasury.
(2)
Director of Finance-Treasurer. Prior to appointing or removing the
Director of Finance-Treasurer, the Town Manager shall also consult
with and obtain the approval of the Board of Finance. The Director
of Finance-Treasurer shall be the chief fiscal officer, shall serve
on a full-time basis, shall be the Town Treasurer and shall coordinate
the administration of the financial affairs of the Town.
(3)
Director of Culture, Parks and Recreation. Prior to appointing or
removing the Director of Culture, Parks and Recreation, the Town Manager
shall also consult with and obtain the approval of the Culture, Parks
and Recreation Commission. The Director of Culture, Parks and Recreation
shall serve on a full-time basis and shall be in charge of the administration
of the Culture, Parks and Recreation Commission program in the Town.
(4)
Director of Civil Preparedness. The appointment and removal of the
Director of Civil Preparedness shall be in accordance with the provisions
of Section 28-7 of the General Statutes. The Director of Civil Preparedness
shall serve for a term of two (2) years.
(5)
Director of Public Works. The Director of Public Works shall serve
for an indefinite term. The Director of Public Works shall be the
administrative head of the Public Works Department and as such shall
be responsible for the efficiency, discipline and good conduct of
the public works operation of the Town. He or she shall have supervision
and control of the maintenance of all Town-owned property and structures,
except those under the control of the Board of Education and, if required
by the Board of Selectmen, the Culture, Parks and Recreation Commission.
Upon the request of the Chair of the Board of Education, the Director
of Public Works may supervise and direct the exterior maintenance
of school buildings and grounds but only to the extent and for the
period requested by the Board of Education and approved by the Board
of Selectmen, provided that the costs of such maintenance are charged
against the Board of Education appropriations. The Director of Public
Works shall serve as Tree Warden.
(6)
Building Official. The Building Official shall serve for a term of
four (4) years. Quadrennially, thereafter, the Town Manager shall
appoint a Building Official as provided above.
(7)
Town Engineer. Prior to appointing or removing the Town Engineer,
as provided above, the Town Manager shall also consult with the Public
Works Director.
The Town Manager shall serve as the Welfare Officer for the
Town and as such shall be in charge of the administration of all welfare
activities of the Town. The Welfare Officer shall have all the powers
and duties, not inconsistent with this Charter, conferred or imposed
by the General Statutes, on the Town with regard to poor and dependent
persons and such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the
Board of Selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint not later than thirty (30)
days after the commencement of its term of office, and may remove,
a Town Attorney or firm of attorneys to represent the Town who shall
serve for a term of two (2) years. The Town Attorney shall be an attorney
at law admitted to practice law in this state. Except as otherwise
provided by law, the Town Attorney shall appear for and protect the
rights of the Town in all actions, suits or proceedings brought by
or against it or any of its departments, offices, agencies, boards
or commissions or board or commission members acting in their official
capacity as defined by law, shall be the legal advisor of the Board
of Selectmen, First Selectman or First Selectwoman and all Town administrative
officers, boards and commissions in all matters affecting the Town.
Upon written request from the Board of Selectmen, the Town Manager,
or any board or commission of the Town the Town Attorney shall furnish
a written opinion on any question of law involving their respective
powers and duties within thirty (30) days after receipt of such request.
Upon request the Town Attorney shall prepare or approve forms of contracts
or other instruments to which the Town is a party or in which it has
an interest. The Town Attorney shall have power, with the approval
of the Board of Selectmen, to appeal from orders, decisions and judgments,
and subject to the approval of said Selectmen, to compromise or settle
any claims by or against the Town. If, in special circumstances or
for investigation under Section 410 of this Charter, the Board of
Selectmen deems it advisable, it, by resolution, may provide for the
temporary employment of counsel other than or in addition to the Town
Attorney.
(a)
Chief. The Police Commission and the Town Manager shall jointly recommend
to the Board of Selectmen who shall appoint and may remove, in accordance
with the provisions of Section 7-278 of the General Statutes, a Chief
of Police who shall serve for an indefinite term or such other term
as the Board of Selectmen shall determine. The Chief of Police shall
be responsible for the preservation of the public peace, prevention
of crime, apprehension of criminals, regulation of traffic, protection
of the rights of persons and property and enforcement of the laws
of the state, and the ordinances of the Town and all the rules and
regulations in accordance therewith. The Chief of Police shall assign
all members of the Police Department to their respective posts, shifts,
details and duties. The Chief of Police shall, subject to the approval
of the Police Commission, make rules and regulations concerning the
operation of the Department and the conduct of all officers and employees
thereof in accordance with policies as established by the Police Commission.
The Chief of Police shall be responsible for the efficiency, discipline,
and good conduct of the Department and for the care and custody of
all property used by the Department. Disobedience to the lawful orders,
rules and regulations of the Chief of Police shall be grounds for
dismissal or for other appropriate disciplinary action. Should the
Board of Selectmen determine that the Chief of Police should serve
for a definite term, at the end of said term a vacancy in the office
shall exist and if the incumbent is not reappointed neither the Board
of Selectmen nor the Town shall have any obligations to the former
Chief of Police whose term has expired except as may be set forth
in an employment contract which may have been previously entered into.
(b)
Members. All members of the Police Department, except clerical and
other personnel without law enforcement responsibilities, shall have
the same powers and duties with respect to the service of criminal
process and enforcement of criminal laws as are vested in police officers
by the General Statutes.
