A Town Manager, hereinafter referred to as the "Manager," shall
be appointed by the Council, solely on the basis of executive ability
and knowledge of accepted practices in local government administration
and shall be deemed the chief executive officer for the town. The
Manager shall be responsible to the Council, serve for an indefinite
term, and be subject to removal by the Council in the manner provided
in Chapter III of this Charter for the removal of all officers appointed
by the Council. At the time of appointment, the Manager need not be
a resident of the town or the state but during tenure of office shall
reside in the town. The Manager shall devote full time to the office
of Manager.
The Manager shall receive a compensation to be fixed by the
Council.
It shall be the duty of the Manager to attend all meetings of
the Council, with the right to speak but not to vote; to keep the
Council fully informed concerning the financial condition of the town
and concerning all other matters affecting the welfare of the town;
to prepare and submit, in the manner provided in this Charter, the
annual budget of the town; to prepare, in form suitable for publication,
within one hundred twenty (120) days after the close of each fiscal
year, a report of the financial transactions and accomplishments of
the town government for such fiscal year; to see that the laws of
the state and ordinances of the town are faithfully executed and to
perform such other duties as may be assigned by law or by the ordinances
or other duly adopted acts of the Town Council. At the first Council
meeting in January, the Manager shall disclose the terms of all union
contracts, consulting contracts and personal employment contracts
in effect. This shall cover all contracts signed by either the Board
of Education, the Town Council or the Library Board.
The Manager shall supervise and control all departments and
agencies of the town, except the Board of Education, the Library Board,
elected officials and their appointees, and those appointed by the
Governor, the General Assembly or by the Council. The Manager shall
appoint and may remove, subject to the provisions of Chapter VIII
of this Charter, all officers and employees of the departments and
agencies of the town and shall have the power to transfer and reassign
offices, functions and responsibilities among the various departments,
officers and agencies under the Manager's jurisdiction, in the
interests of orderly and efficient administration, except as otherwise
provided in this Charter and subject to the approval of the Council.
The Manager shall designate by letter maintained on file with
the Town Clerk, town employees or officers who shall act as Manager,
except in the matter of appointments and removals, during the Manager's
temporary absence or inability to serve. In the event such absence
exceeds or is reasonably expected to exceed thirty (30) days, the
Manager's designee shall be subject to approval by the Town Council.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of Manager, from whatever
cause arising, the Council shall have power to designate a person,
other than a member of the Council, to act as Manager, pending the
filling of such vacancy.
