A.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, all elective Town offices,
boards and commissions in existence on the effective date of this
Charter shall remain in existence under this Charter, and shall have
the powers and duties prescribed by the General Statutes, special
acts applicable to the Town and Town ordinances, as the same may be
amended from time to time.
B.
All boards and commissions shall make regulations for the conduct
of their meetings and execution of their duties. Such regulations
and any amendments thereto shall be filed with the Town Clerk and
shall be public records.
C.
Copies of all minutes taken by each board and commission and the
recorded vote of each member hereof on all issues shall be filed with
the Town Clerk and with the First Selectman within the time specified
in the General Statutes. The Town Clerk shall maintain files of such
minutes, which shall be public records.
Beginning with the regular biennial Town election held in November
1985, the following officers and members of boards and commissions
shall be elected. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, the
terms of office of all elective officers, board, and commission members
shall commence on the second Tuesday following their election and
shall not expire before the election and qualification of their successors.
A.
The First Selectman and four Selectmen shall compromise the Board
of Selectmen, and each shall be elected for a term of two years, in
accordance with the General Statutes. Any unsuccessful candidate for
the office of First Selectman shall not be accorded a seat on the
Board of Selectmen by virtue of the number of votes that candidate
receives. No person may simultaneously be a candidate for both the
office of First Selectman and the office of Selectman. (Approved 11-6-2001)
B.
The Town Clerk for a term of four years rather than two years effective
with the election of 1987. The term of office of the Town Clerk shall
commence on the First Monday in January.
C.
The Town Tax Collector for a term of four years rather than two years
effective with the election of 1987. The Tax Collector shall have
all the powers and duties not inconsistent with this Charter heretofore
performed by the Tax Collector and such powers and duties not inconsistent
with this Charter as may be conferred or imposed by the General Statutes
on such office and as may be prescribed by ordinance or the Board
of Selectmen, including the collection of all sewer fees and sewer
assessments.
D.
The Town Treasurer, for a term of four years rather than two years,
effective with the election of 1987.
E.
The Board of Finance shall consist of six members, each of whom is
elected for a term of four years. Each party may nominate and each
elector may vote for the full number of candidates to be elected.
Three members shall be elected at each biennial election. There shall
be three alternate members, each of whom is selected for a term of
four years. All alternates are to be elected at the same election,
and quadrennially thereafter. Members of the Board of Finance shall
be excluded from any salaried Town office.
F.
The Board of Education shall consist of nine members, each of whom
is elected for a term of four years. Four members are to be elected
at the regular biennial Town election held in November, 1985, and
five members are to be elected at the regular Town election held in
November, 1987. At each biennial election thereafter there shall be
elected members of such Board in place of the members whose terms
expire. Nominations and elections shall be governed by General Statutes
§ 9-204b. Each party may nominate and each elector may vote
for the full number of candidates to be elected.
G.
The Board of Assessment Appeals shall consist of three members each
of whom is elected for a term of four years. At each biennial election
thereafter there shall be elected members of such board in place of
members whose terms expire.
H.
The Board of Police Commissioners shall consist of six members, each
of whom is elected for a term of four years, in accordance with Special
Act 100 (1945). At each biennial election there shall be elected members
of such board in place of members whose terms expire.
I.
The Board of Fire Commissioners shall consist of six members, each
of whom is elected for a term of four years. At each biennial election
there shall be elected members of such board in place of members whose
terms expire.
J.
Eighteen Justices of the Peace as the Town may by ordinance determine
to be selected, rather than elected, as provided in §§ 9-184
and 9-252 of the General Statutes.[1] The term of office shall be four years and shall commence
on the first Monday in January following their selection.
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 9-252 of the Connecticut General Statutes
has been renumbered § 9-183b.
K.
The Water Pollution Control Authority shall consist of seven members,
each of whom is elected for a term of four years. At the election
of the Town of Suffield held in November 1985, there shall be elected
two members for a term of four years; at the election to be held in
November 1987, there shall be elected two members for a term of four
years; at the election to be held in 1989, there shall be elected
three members for a term of four years and then at the election to
be held in 1991 there shall be elected four members for a term of
four years. At each biennial election thereafter there shall be elected
members of such board for a term of four years in place of the member
or members whose terms expire. The WPCA annual budget shall be submitted
each year to the Board of Finance for review, comment and advice.
L.
A Planning and Zoning Commission, consisting of six regular members
and three alternates, each of whom is elected for a term of four years.
At a municipal election of the Town of Suffield to be held in November,
1987, there shall be elected three members and two alternates for
a term commencing the second Tuesday following the 1991 municipal
election, and there shall be elected three members and one alternate
for a term commencing the second Tuesday following the 1989 municipal
election. At appropriate municipal elections thereafter there shall
be elected members of such commission for a term of four years in
place of the members whose terms expire.
Section 706D of the Charter, which provided for an appointed
Planning and Zoning Commission is hereby replaced and superseded,
effective 10:00 a.m. on the second Tuesday following the 1987 municipal
election, except that the current regular members and alternates of
that Commission or their successors shall continue to hold office
until their successors elected hereunder have been qualified to succeed
them on the second Tuesday following such election. The rules, regulations
and orders of the current Planning and Zoning Commission not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Charter shall be and shall continue to
remain in full force and effect unless and until amended or repealed.
The Planning and Zoning Commission hereby established under
this provision shall be considered fully adopted and established under
the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes without further
vote of the legislative body of the Town of Suffield, and the Rules,
Regulations and Orders of the current Planning and Zoning Commission
not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter shall be and
shall continue to remain in full force and effect without further
public hearing and vote by the Planning and Zoning Commission established
under this provision unless and until amended or repealed.
Unless otherwise provided in this Charter, all incumbent elected
officers and members of boards and commissions on the effective date
of this Charter shall continue to hold the offices to which they were
elected for the terms for which they were elected and until their
successors elected hereunder have been qualified to succeed them.
Unless otherwise provided by this Charter, officers of elected boards
and commissions shall be chosen biennially at a meeting held after
the commencement of terms of members elected at the regular biennial
Town election. (Approved 11-3-1992)
At the state election to be held in November 1986, and either
biennially or quadrennially thereafter, as the case may be, there
shall be elected the following officers:
Two Registrars of Voters, in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the General Statutes, for terms of four years, unless
subsequently otherwise provided by ordinance, to take office from
the Wednesday following the first Monday in January succeeding their
election.
