Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, all elective town
officers, boards and commissions shall have the powers and duties
prescribed by law.
[Amended 11-7-1978, 11-6-1984, 11-4-2003]
The terms of office of all elected officers and board and commission
members, including the Town Clerk, shall commence on the first Monday
of December next succeeding their election. In no case shall the term
of any elective town officer expire before the election and qualification
of his successor.
A.
The Board of Selectmen shall fill by appointment a vacancy in an
elective town office within sixty (60) days from the time that the
Board receives notice of vacancy from the Town Clerk or within sixty
(60) days of the effective date of the vacancy, whichever date is
later, except as otherwise provided in this Charter. Any elected official
of the Town desiring to resign from his or her office, except the
Town Clerk, shall submit his or her written resignation to the Town
Clerk; and in the case of the Town Clerk, to the Board of Selectmen.
If such elected official is a member of a Board or Commission, a copy
of the written notice of resignation shall be given by the elected
official to the Chairman of the Board or Commission in addition to
the Town Clerk which Chairman shall also notify the Town Clerk of
such resignation forthwith. Upon receipt of a notice of resignation,
the Town Clerk shall immediately notify the Board of Selectmen of
such resignation by forwarding a true copy of the written notice of
resignation to the Board of Selectmen. Any such resignation shall
become effective and the elected office shall be vacant upon the date
specified therein or, if no date is specified, upon the date it is
received by the Town Clerk. If such vacancy has not been filled by
the Board of Selectmen within said sixty (60) days, and the vacancy
is of a member of a board or commission, the remaining members of
such board or commission shall fill such vacancy.
[Amended 11-6-1984; 11-4-2003; 11-6-2007]
B.
In the event of the disability or vacancy in the office of Town Treasurer,
the Board of Finance shall appoint a qualified person to serve as
Acting Town Treasurer until the Board of Selectmen has made an appointment
to that office.
C.
Vacancies on the Board of Selectmen shall be filled in the manner
prescribed by the Connecticut General Statutes.
D.
When a person vacating an office shall have been elected as a member
of a political party, such vacancy shall be filled by the appointment
of a member of the same political party.
E.
An appointee to a vacancy in an elective office shall serve until
a successor elected at a special election or at the next regular town
election qualifies. A person elected at either a special election
or a regular town election to fill an unexpired term shall serve the
remainder of the term.
A.
There shall be a three-member Board of Selectmen consisting of a
First Selectman and two (2) Selectmen, all of whom shall be elected
at the regular biennial town election.
B.
The candidate for First Selectman receiving the highest number of
votes for said office shall be declared elected First Selectman. The
candidates, including the unsuccessful candidate for the office of
First Selectman, receiving the next two (2) highest number of votes
shall be declared elected Selectmen.
[Amended 11-7-1978; 11-6-1984; 11-4-2003]
The Board of Finance shall consist of seven (7) members, each
of whom is elected for a term of four (4) years. The members shall
serve overlapping terms. At each regular town election thereafter,
there shall be elected sufficient members to succeed each member whose
term shall expire and to comply otherwise with this Charter.
[Amended 11-7-1978; 11-6-1984]
The Board of Education shall consist of nine (9) members, each
of whom is elected for a term of four (4) years. The provisions of
1983 Public Act 401 are hereby adopted as follows: at each regular
town election, each political party shall have the right to nominate
as many persons to run for the Board of Education as there are vacancies
on said board, and those names shall be placed upon the ballot; each
elector may vote for the number of vacancies and the persons receiving
the greatest number of votes shall be elected, except that when the
number of members of any one political party who would be elected
without regard to Section 9-167a of the Connecticut General Statutes
exceeds the maximum number as determined by said Section 9-167a, then
only the candidates of such political party with the highest number
of votes up to the limit of such maximum shall be elected, and the
next highest ranking candidates, not from such political party, shall
be elected, up to the number of places to be filled in such election.
[Amended 11-6-1984; 11-4-2003]
The Board of Assessment Appeals shall consist of three (3) members,
each of whom is elected for a term of two (2) years.
[Amended 11-7-1978; 11-6-1984; 11-4-2003]
The Planning and Zoning Commission shall consist of seven (7)
members, each of whom is elected for a term of four (4) years. The
members shall serve overlapping terms. At each regular town election
there shall be elected sufficient members to succeed each member whose
term shall expire.
[Amended 11-6-1984]
The Planning and Zoning Commission alternates shall consist
of three (3) members, each of whom is elected for a term of four (4)
years. The members shall serve overlapping terms. At each regular
town election there shall be elected sufficient members to succeed
each member whose term shall expire.
[Amended 11-6-1984; 11-4-2003]
The Zoning Board of Appeals shall consist of five (5) members,
each of whom is elected for a term of four (4) years. The members
shall serve overlapping terms. At each regular town election there
shall be elected sufficient members to succeed each member whose term
shall expire.
[Amended 11-6-1984; 11-4-2003]
The Zoning Board of Appeals alternates shall consist of three
(3) members, each of whom is elected for a term of four (4) years.
The members shall serve overlapping terms. At each regular town election
there shall be elected sufficient members to succeed each member whose
term shall expire.
[Amended 11-6-2007]
Beginning with the regular town election in 2009 there shall
be elected a Town Clerk who shall serve a four (4) year term. The
Town Clerk shall be an officer of the town who shall have the powers
and duties prescribed by law.
[Amended 11-6-1984; 11-4-2003]
At each regular town election there shall be elected a Town
Treasurer, an Officer of the town, who shall have the powers and duties
prescribed by law. The Town Treasurer shall be responsible for the
prompt deposit of funds and shall supervise the investment and expenditure
of all town funds.
[Added 11-7-1989]
A.
The Inland Wetlands Commission shall consist of five (5) members.
The members shall serve overlapping terms. At each municipal election
there shall be elected for terms of four (4) years a sufficient number
of Commissioners to succeed each Commissioner whose term shall expire.
[Amended 11-4-2003]
B.
The Inland Wetlands Commission shall possess all the powers and administer
its duties as prescribed by law, including but not limited to the
Connecticut General Statutes, this Charter, special acts, local ordinances
and specifically including Chapter 115 in the Code of the Town of
Bethel, entitled "Wetlands and Watercourses," as amended.
[Added 11-7-1989; amended 11-4-2003]
The Inland Wetlands Commission alternates shall consist of two
(2) members whose terms shall be overlapping. At each municipal election
thereafter, there shall be elected one (1) alternate Commissioner
for a term of four (4) years to succeed the alternate Commissioner
whose term shall expire.
[Added 11-7-1989; amended 11-4-2003]
A.
The Police Commission shall consist of five (5) members each of whom
shall be elected for a term of four (4) years. The five (5) Commissioners
shall serve overlapping terms. At each municipal election there shall
be elected a sufficient number of Commissioners to succeed each Commissioner
whose term shall expire.
[Amended 11-6-2007]
B.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, said Commission shall
have the powers, duties and authority conferred or imposed upon it
by local ordinance, special acts or by the General Statutes of the
State of Connecticut, or by this Charter, including but not limited
to being the sole and exclusive traffic authority in the town; having
the authority and duty to prepare an annual budget and to submit the
same to the Board of Selectmen; and having the authority to hire police
officers, with the exception of the Chief of Police. Said Commission
shall be the sole authority to make policy for the Police Department.
