The Board of Selectmen shall appoint for an indefinite term, and may remove, a Town Manager, who shall be the Chief Executive Officer and shall be chosen exclusively on the basis of administrative qualifications, character, education, training and experience. There shall be no residency requirement for the Town Manager position.
The Board of Selectmen may appoint an interim Town Manager during the absence, disability or resignation of the Town Manager. The compensation for the interim Town Manager shall be determined by the Board of Selectmen.
The provisions of Section 3.1 of this Charter notwithstanding, the interim Town Manager may be a Town official. A Town official shall resign or take a leave of absence from any Town office held before appointment as interim Town Manager.
The Town Manager, except as otherwise provided by this Charter, shall have all the powers, duties and responsibilities conferred by law. The Town Manager shall be directly responsible to the Board of Selectmen for the administration of all Town offices and agencies, except the local Board of Education and in charge of persons appointed by him/her, shall supervise and direct the same. The Town Manager shall be an ex-officio member, without vote, of all Town boards, commissions, agencies and committees. The Town Manager:
1.
Shall be authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Town subject to such rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the Board of Selectmen.
2.
Shall keep full and complete records of the doings of his/her office and it shall be his/her duty to make periodic reports to the Board of Selectmen and to attend its meetings with full right of participation in its discussions but without the right to vote.
3.
Shall prepare and cause to be published, as soon as possible after the close of the fiscal year, an annual town report as per Section 4.9.
4.
Shall recommend to the Board of Selectmen such measures as he/she shall deem necessary or expedient.
5.
Shall keep or cause to be kept complete books of account showing the financial condition and financial transactions of the Town, including accounts of all funds and appropriations, and such other accounts and records, not specifically required by law to be kept by other officers, as may be prescribed by the Board of Selectmen.
6.
Shall purchase all supplies, materials, equipment and other commodities required by any office or agency of the Town including the local Board of Education to the extent said Board shall authorize.
7.
Shall keep the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance fully advised as to the financial condition of the Town.
8.
Shall prepare and submit to the Board of Selectmen an annual budget.
9.
Shall be responsible for carrying out the ordinances, resolutions, policies and other actions for the Board of Selectmen and of the Town Meeting.
10.
Shall exercise such other powers and duties as may be authorized by ordinance or resolution or may be imposed on him/her by the Board of Selectmen, not inconsistent with this Charter.
11.
Shall be responsible for making a continuous review of the current and future needs of the Town, and in connection therewith, may require reports and information to be submitted by any agency of the Town.
12.
May recommend to the Board of Selectmen qualified candidates to fill appointive boards, commissions, agencies or committees as per Sections 3.9.4 and 7.1.1.
13.
Shall promote and foster a culture of continuous improvement for all offices, boards, commissions, agencies and committees.
14.
May designate one of the administrative officers to act on his/her behalf during any period of temporary absence or unavailability.
15.
Shall exercise the authority and perform all the duties of Town Manager, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Charter.
16.
The Town Manager, or his/her designee, may with the consent of the Selectmen Chair declare a public emergency and shall have the power to mobilize, organize, and direct the forces of the Town and to call upon the forces of the federal government, the State of Connecticut and other political subdivisions. The Town Manager, or in his/her absence, the Selectmen Chair may summon, marshal, deputize or otherwise employ other persons to do whatever may be deemed necessary for the purpose of meeting the emergency. Spending to meet said public emergency shall be pursuant to Section 6.9 of this Charter. Emergency ordinances shall be enacted pursuant to Section 3.9 of this Charter.
4.2.1. 
Employment of staff. The Chief Executive Officer shall, subject to the approval by vote of the Board of Selectmen, hire, discharge or remove, all employees of the Town except employees of the Board of Education.
4.2.2. 
Public bid. Unless otherwise specified by the C.G.S., Charter, ordinance or resolution voted at Town Meeting or referendum, the Town Manager with the approval of the Board of Selectmen shall execute the public bidding on the purchase of any item with an estimated cost in excess of $10,000. Appropriate bid specifications and forms shall be made available. Items for purchase with an estimated cost of $1,000 to $10,000 may be let by invitation to bid. Items for purchase with an estimated cost of less than $1,000 do not require formal bidding. The contract for purchase shall be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder.
4.2.3. 
Bidding exception. Items to be purchased through a central purchasing system are exempt from the bidding procedures. The system to be utilized shall have established bidding and purchasing procedures.
With the approval by vote of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Manager may appoint, and may remove, the assessor, who shall be duly qualified, a director of health, in accordance with Section 19a-200 of the C.G.S., and such other administrative officials or committees as may be necessary or proper for the general welfare of the Town, subject to rights of hearing as provided by law. The Town Manager may, subject to the approval of the Board of Selectmen, perform the duties of any appointive office except as otherwise provided by this chapter, provided the same is not inconsistent with law. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Town Manager, subject to the approval of the Board of Selectmen, may, in filling appointive positions, combine functions and positions.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Charter, the duties of the officers appointed by the Town Manager shall be those prescribed for such officers by the general statutes as amended and the ordinances of the Town. If the duties and responsibilities of an officer of the Town are not set forth in the general statutes or ordinances of the Town, then the Town Manager, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, shall prescribe the duties and responsibilities of such office.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, the Town Manager shall be directly responsible to the Board of Selectmen for the administration of finance, public works, welfare, health, public safety, and such other offices and agencies as the Board of Selectmen may direct.
4.5.1. 
Police services. The Board of Selectmen may utilize the services of the resident state trooper program as per C.G.S. §§ 29-5 and 7-274, supplemented with local police officers or constables or organize a local police department by ordinance. Such police service shall provide for the preservation of the public peace, prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals, regulation of traffic, protection of rights of persons and property and enforcement of laws of the state and the ordinances of the Town and all rules and regulations made in accordance therewith.
4.5.2. 
Town Engineer. The Board of Selectmen shall obtain the services of a registered Connecticut professional engineer.
4.5.3. 
Town Counsel. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint Town Counsel who shall be an attorney-at-law or a firm of attorneys-at-law, admitted to practice in this state. The Town Counsel shall appear for and protect the rights of the Town in all actions, suits, or proceedings brought by or against the Town or any of its officers or agencies in all matters affecting the Town and shall, upon written request, submitted to him/her through the Chief Executive Officer, furnish the Board of Selectmen with a written opinion on any question of law involving their respective powers and duties. Upon request, the Counsel shall prepare or approve forms of contracts or other instruments to which the Town is a part. The Counsel shall have the power, with the approval by vote of the Board of Selectmen, to compromise or settle any claims by or against the Town. His/her presence shall be required at Town Meetings upon request of the Board of Selectmen.
4.5.4. 
Emergency Management Director. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint an Emergency Management Director to the Office of Emergency Management. The Office of Emergency Management shall have the powers and duties granted under C.G.S. § 28-7.
4.5.5. 
Additional officers. The Chief Executive Officer, with the approval by vote of the Board of Selectmen, may appoint such additional officers as are necessary or may be permitted by law.
The effective date of appointment of administrative officers shall be designated in the action taken on their appointment by the Town Manager.
Upon acceptance of a resignation by the Chief Executive Officer, all vacancies in administrative offices and employees shall be filled by the Chief Executive Officer within 60 days as per Section 2.6 of this Charter subject to the approval by vote of the Board of Selectmen.
Those administrative officers holding office at the time this Charter becomes effective shall continue in office until their successors are appointed.
The Town Manager shall be responsible for the preparation and publication of an annual Town report. The head of each board, commission, agency or official of the Town supported wholly or in part from Town funds shall file a report of the year's activities with the Town Manager within 60 days after the end of the fiscal year. The annual Town report shall be published within 90 days after receiving the annual audit.