Town of Wilton, CT Article IV Board of Selectmen

§ C-12 Board of Selectmen.

There shall be a Board of Selectmen consisting of the First Selectman and four Selectmen, elected as provided in Article IX.

§ C-13 General powers.

A. The Board of Selectmen shall have the powers, duties and responsibilities conferred upon it by this Charter and, except to the extent otherwise provided in this Charter, all powers, duties and responsibilities conferred upon Boards of Selectmen by the General Statutes, applicable Special Acts and ordinances of the Town. The Board of Selectmen shall have all powers, including, without limitation, administrative, appointive and legislative powers, necessary or incidental to the discharge of its duties and responsibilities except to the extent otherwise provided in this Charter.

B. The Board of Selectmen shall have the power to adopt, amend and repeal ordinances except for the legislative powers reserved for the Town Meeting pursuant to §§ C-6 and C-9. As set forth in § C-9C(6), the Board of Selectmen shall not have the power to adopt, amend or repeal an ordinance which shall have been adopted or repealed at a Special Town Meeting called by petition unless such action is required to conform such ordinance to the General Statutes or other law.

C. Without limiting the generality of Subsections A and B of this section, the Board of Selectmen shall have the power by ordinance or resolution to adopt an administrative code and to create, modify or dissolve ad hoc (i.e., for a specific purpose and limited duration) or advisory offices or Committees, and to set their powers, duties, numbers and terms and to provide for qualifications of office and compensation, if any, of members of any such office or Committee. However, if the office or Committee is to have anything other than advisory powers, it must be created, modified or dissolved by ordinance, and must comply with any applicable statutes.

§ C-14 Conduct of meetings.

A. A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen shall be held on the first and third Monday of each month at the Town Hall or at such other day or place as may from time to time be set by the Board of Selectmen by notice published in a newspaper having general circulation in the Town not less than five nor more than 15 days in advance of the meeting.

B. A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen may be called at any time by the First Selectman or by any two Selectmen. The person or persons calling a special meeting shall give reasonable advance notice of such meeting to the other Selectmen and the Town Clerk. Notice to the Selectmen may be waived, however, by written waiver signed by all members of the Board of Selectmen and filed with the Town Clerk at or prior to the time the meeting convenes. The provisions of § 1-21 of the General Statutes[1] shall apply.

[1] Editor's Note: See now § 1-225, formerly § 1-21, of the General Statutes.

C. A majority of the members of the Board of Selectmen shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

D. The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast in respect of a matter at a meeting at which a quorum is present at the time of the vote shall be the act of the Board of Selectmen unless a greater vote is required in respect of such matter by this Charter or other law.

E. The Board of Selectmen may make such other rules for the conduct of its affairs as it deems advisable, which are in accordance with the provisions of this Charter and the provisions of the General Statutes, and such rules shall be made available to the public, including rules on disqualification in matters of conflicting personal interests.

§ C-15 Duties and responsibilities.

A. The Board of Selectmen shall be responsible for:

(1) Carrying out the acts, policies and ordinances of the Town except where responsibility is otherwise designated by this Charter, ordinance or Town Meeting resolution.

(2) Supervising and overseeing the affairs of the Town; maintaining the records and books of account of the Town, except those of the Board of Education; coordinating and keeping itself informed of the activities of the other officers and Boards of the Town; and counseling the First Selectman with regard to the administration of the affairs of the Town.

(3) Conducting a continuous review of the current and projected fiscal, administrative, governmental, physical and other needs of the Town and, on the basis of such review, assuming leadership in the development of appropriate programs to meet such needs.

(4) Insuring proper oversight of the funds contributed by the Town to organizations to which the Town provides financial support in compliance with § C-5C(1).

(5) Fixing the charges, if any, to be made for services rendered by the Town, other than those rendered by the Board of Education or the Water Pollution Control Authority.

(6) Contracting for services and the use of facilities with the United States government or any agency thereof, or the State of Connecticut or any agency thereof; or, by agreement, joining with any political subdivision of the State of Connecticut or any other government or private entity to provide services and facilities in accordance with the applicable provisions of the General Statutes.

(7) Applying for and accepting federal and state grants on behalf of the Town, subject to the approval of the Board of Finance.

B. The Board of Selectmen shall be considered the appointing authority of the Town and shall appoint members to non-elected Boards and Committees, and shall appoint non-elected officers of the Town. The Board of Selectmen shall also be empowered to fill vacancies of both elected and appointed offices, Boards and Committees, except when a vacancy occurs on the Board of Education, the Board of Finance or the Planning and Zoning Commission. However, if the Board of Finance, Board of Education or Planning and Zoning Commission fails to fill a vacancy on their respective boards within 30 days of the vacancy arising, the Board of Selectmen shall fill such vacancy pursuant to the General Statutes. Whether created by resolution, ordinance, statute or this Charter, the Board or Committee shall select its own officers unless the resolution, ordinance, statute or this Charter creating it states otherwise.

C. In the discharge of the duties and responsibilities placed upon it, the Board of Selectmen may request and shall be entitled to receive such information from any officer, Board or Committee, or may require such joint meetings with any officer, Board or Committee as the Board of Selectmen may find necessary at any time.

D. Members of the Board of Selectmen shall not instruct or direct employees of the Town who are subject to the direction and supervision of the First Selectman without the First Selectman's prior authorization.

§ C-16 Miscellaneous powers.

A. At the first meeting of a newly elected Board of Selectmen held after a regular election of the Town, the Board of Selectmen shall choose a Selectman to serve as Second Selectman. The Second Selectman shall have all the powers, duties and responsibilities of the First Selectman in the event of a vacancy in the office of First Selectman, until such vacancy is filled as prescribed by this Charter § C-47F or other law. In the event that the First Selectman is unable to perform such duties as are required and in the absence of such delegation, the powers of the First Selectman shall be deemed to have been delegated to the Second Selectman.

B. Except to the extent otherwise provided by this Charter or other law, the Board of Selectmen may administer in whole or in part:

(1) The purchase of supplies, materials, equipment and other commodities required by any officer, Board or Committee, except the Board of Education.

(2) The maintenance or custodial work for any public building, park, playground, road or other facility under the care of any officer, Board or Committee, except any thereof under the care of the Board of Education.

(3) Contracting on behalf of the Town for any services required by any officer, Board or Committee, except the Board of Education.

(4) The disposition of any Town property, real or personal, no longer required for Town use, having a fair market value at the time of disposition not in excess of 1% of the total annual budget for the then current fiscal year provided the Board of Selectmen has provided owners of land within 500 feet reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard prior to the disposition of any such real property.

(5) The acceptance of gifts of real property, personal property or any interest therein in the name of the Town for any public purpose, and the maintenance of such property for such purpose. If the Board of Selectmen determines that a gift does have a significant financial burden, it shall consult with the Board of Finance before accepting such gift.

(6) Action on behalf of the Board of Education in matters provided for in this section, including the maintenance of the records and books of accounts, upon the request of the Board of Education.

(7) The acceptance of roads on behalf of the Town as public highways conforming with the provisions of any applicable ordinance or resolution.

(8) The approval of the hiring, compensating and discharging of any department head of the Town or any Official.

C. The Board of Selectmen may, without the vote of the Town Meeting or approval of the Board of Finance, expend in any fiscal year, for any purpose or purposes, an amount in excess of the amount appropriated in the annual budget of the Town for such fiscal year, up to a total in the aggregate equal to 1/4 of 1% of the total annual budget of the Town. The Board of Selectmen shall notify the Board of Finance and the Treasurer, in writing, of each such excess expenditure within 14 days of making the same.

§ C-17 Delegation.

A. The Board of Selectmen may, except to the extent otherwise provided by ordinance or other law, create such offices and Committees, and employ such staff with such powers, duties and responsibilities as it may deem desirable to assist it in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Selectmen.

B. To assist in the discharge of its duties and responsibilities, the Board of Selectmen may, except to the extent otherwise provided by other law, delegate in whole or in part any of its powers and duties to the First Selectman or any other Selectman or Selectmen.