[Ref. El. 11-4-1980]
There shall be a town council of nine (9) members, hereinafter
referred to as the council, the members of which shall serve without
compensation.
[Ref. El. 11-6-1973,
eff. 11-6-1973; Ref. El. 11-3-1998]
The council shall meet on the second Monday in November following
its election and organize by electing by a majority vote of all the
members elected thereto a mayor and deputy mayor, for a term of two
(2) years, but such offices shall not deprive such mayor or deputy
mayor of a vote on the council. The mayor shall preside over all meetings
of the council. During the mayor's absence or disability, the
mayor's duties shall be performed by the deputy mayor. A vacancy
in the office of mayor or deputy mayor, from whatever cause arising,
shall be filled by majority vote of the members of the council for
the unexpired portion of the term. In the absence of the mayor or
deputy mayor, a presiding officer shall be chosen by a majority vote
of the members present.
[Ref. El. 11-4-1980]
The council shall fix the time and place of its regular meetings
and provide a method for the calling of special meetings. It shall
determine its own rules of procedure, provided all meetings of the
council shall be open to the public unless, by an affirmative vote
of six (6) members, the council shall vote that any particular session
be an executive session. Five (5) members shall constitute a quorum,
but no ordinance, resolution or vote, except a vote to adjourn or
to fix the time and place of its next meeting, shall be adopted by
less than five (5) affirmative votes.
[Ref. El. 11-3-1998]
During the term for which elected, no member of the council
shall hold any other town office, elective or appointive, or be employed
in or under the town government, except by virtue of a federal statute.
The council shall have all the powers and duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed by the general statutes on boards of finance in towns, and shall also have all the powers and duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed by the general statutes on town boards of selectmen relating to the abatement of taxes. The legislative power of the town is vested exclusively in the council, subject to action by the town meeting as provided in Chapter 9. It shall have the power to make, alter and repeal ordinances not inconsistent with this charter or the general laws of the state, creating or abolishing boards, commissions, departments and offices, and for the preservation of the good order, peace, health and safety of the town and its inhabitants. The council is authorized, in adopting such ordinances, to adopt any nationally recognized code, rules and regulations that have been printed in book form, or any code officially adopted by an administrative agency of the state, or any portion thereof, by reference thereto in such ordinance; provided, upon adoption of such ordinance wherein such code, rules and regulations or portions thereof have been incorporated by reference, there shall be filed two (2) copies of such code, rules and regulations in the office of the town clerk for examination by the public. It may regulate the internal operation of boards, commissions, departments and offices, fix the compensation of employees appointed by it, and the charges, if any, to be made for services rendered by the town or for the execution of the powers vested in the town as provided in Chapter 1 of this charter, for the government of the town and the management of its business.
The council shall have and exercise the powers hitherto possessed
by the town meeting and the board of selectmen, relative to determination,
award and collection of damages and benefits due from the establishment
of any building, street, sidewalk, curb or tree line or benefits accruing
from the opening, construction or improvement of any street or highway,
including the assessment of a portion of the cost thereof on the owners
of abutting property, and such powers are extended to include the
construction and assessment of the cost of sidewalks, curbs, gutters,
sewers and drains, and the cost to the town of installation of fire
hydrants by the Metropolitan District Commission, provided no benefits
and damages shall be assessed in the establishment or reestablishment
of building lines or veranda lines. The council shall further have
power to license dealers in, and to make regulations concerning the
distribution and sale of, beverages and foodstuffs of every description,
to make regulations concerning the collection, transportation and
disposal of garbage, ashes and other refuse, to provide for the financing
of municipal collection of garbage, ashes and other refuse by taxation,
by special assessments enforceable by liens against property, or otherwise,
and to impose penalties for the violation of such regulations and
to provide for such inspection service within and without the town
as may be necessary in connection therewith. In addition to the powers
herein enumerated the council shall have and exercise all powers heretofore
conferred upon, possessed by or exercised by the governing body of
the town under the general law, and by duly called town meetings except
where such powers are expressly reserved to town meetings by this
act.
[Ref. El. 11-3-1998]
At least one public hearing, five (5) days' notice of which
shall be given by publication in a newspaper having a circulation
in the town and by posting in the town hall, shall be held by the
council or a committee thereof before any ordinance, except one relating
to appointment or designation of officers of the council or its procedure,
or except one providing for an appropriation on which town meeting
approval is required, shall be passed. The passage of such ordinance
shall be advertised in one or more newspapers having a circulation
in said town and shall not become effective until ten (10) days after
such publication. All ordinances and resolutions shall be filed with
the town clerk and recorded by the town clerk in a book kept for that
purpose.
[Ref. El. 11-3-1998]
The council shall have power to investigate any and all boards,
commissions, departments, offices and agencies of the town, except
that the board of education shall not be subject to investigation
by the council. The mayor or deputy mayor shall, for the purposes
of such investigation, have the power to issue subpoenas for the appearance
of witnesses and the production of books and papers, and upon application
any judge of the superior court may issue a capias to enforce compliance
with any such subpoena.
