The First Selectman shall be elected at each
biennial Town election commencing with the election to be held on
November 4, 2003. The First Selectman shall hold office for a term
of two years, to commence on the fourth Monday of November following
the election.
The First Selectman shall be the chief executive
officer of the Town and shall have all of the executive powers vested
by law or by this Charter in the First Selectman or the chief executive
officer of the Town, except as otherwise provided or limited by this
Charter. The First Selectman shall not engage in any other employment
during the term of elected office. Except as otherwise provided in
this Charter, the duties of the First Selectman shall include but
not be limited to:
1.
Administration and supervision of all departments,
agencies and offices of the Town.
2.
The enforcement of all laws and ordinances of the
Town.
3.
Making periodic reports to the Council on matters
relating to the administration and welfare of the Town at regular
Council meetings or upon the request of the Council.
4.
Making recommendations to the Council for legislative
action and with respect to other matters within the jurisdiction of
the Council as the First Selectman deems necessary and in the best
interests of the Town.
5.
Attendance at Council meetings with full right of
participation in the discussions of the Council but without the right
to vote.
6.
Approval or veto of ordinances as set forth in this
Charter.
7.
Preparation of the Annual Report of the Town, reflecting
the growth, changes and status of the Town since the prior Annual
Report, in accordance with state statutes, together with the responsibility
for publishing said report no later than 30 days after the receipt
of the auditor's report.
8.
Mediation and resolution of differences between boards,
commissions, committees, agencies, authorities and other public bodies
within the Town government relating to an interpretation of Town policy
and procedures.
9.
Acting as the purchasing agent of the Town, with the
exception of the Board of Education.
10.
Processing requisitions for all goods and services
from any source.
11.
Investigating, advising with respect to and obtaining
available and applicable state and federal funds and grants in behalf
of the Town and any of its departments, boards and commissions.
12.
Acting as the bargaining agent for the Town, with
the exception of the Board of Education, in all labor and employment
matters, including authority to retain the services of labor consultants
and attorneys to assist in such matters.
13.
Selection, appointment and hiring of Town employees
except as otherwise provided in this Charter.
14.
Acting as the personnel director for the Town, except
for the Board of Education.
15.
Adopting as well as updating a written policy for
recruiting, screening, investigating and hiring all Town employees
for positions in accordance with approved job descriptions.
16.
The establishment of procedures for annual performance
evaluations of all Town employees. The First Selectman shall prepare,
obtain and review performance evaluations of all employees of the
Town with elected and appointed officials, boards, commissions, committees,
agencies and authorities of the Town with regard to employees in those
departments under their respective supervision. Before the First Selectman
takes personnel action with regard to any Town employee evaluated,
the First Selectman shall review all performance evaluations from
all sources. Actions shall be taken thereafter as the First Selectman
shall deem appropriate with respect to all employees evaluated; provided,
however, that members of the Police Department and employees of the
Board of Education shall be excluded from performance evaluation by
the First Selectman.
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The First Selectman shall have such additional
powers and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time
be required of him or her by ordinance, provided that the same are
not inconsistent with this Charter or the provisions of the Connecticut
General Statutes.
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The office of the First Selectman shall be deemed
vacant upon the occurrence of any of the following events:
1.
Death of the First Selectman.
2.
The retirement or resignation of the First Selectman.
3.
If the First Selectman ceases to have a principal
residence in the Town.
4.
If the First Selectman is, as determined by the Council,
absent from office for any reason, including illness, for a continuous
period of not less than 90 days. Vacation time shall not be considered
in determining such period of absence.
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In the event that the office of the First Selectman
becomes vacant, the Council shall call a special election to elect
a successor First Selectman to serve for the remainder of the vacated
term. Such special election shall be held not less than 90 nor more
than 100 days following the date on which the office becomes vacant.
After such vacancy occurs, the Council shall appoint and determine
the compensation of an Acting First Selectman, who shall serve as
First Selectman until a successor First Selectman is elected or for
the remainder of the vacated term, whichever shall first occur. The
Acting First Selectman and the successor First Selectman, as the case
may be, shall have all of the powers and duties of the First Selectman
while serving in said office. If a vacancy occurs within six months
prior to the date of a biennial Town election, no special election
shall be held, and the Acting First Selectman shall serve as First
Selectman. Any such special election held hereunder shall be conducted
in the same manner as the biennial Town election of a First Selectman.
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The First Selectman shall appoint an Administrative
Assistant, Town Engineer, Director of Community and Social Services,
Assessor, Tree Warden, Director of Public Works, Building Official,
Fire Marshal, Director of Finance, Zoning Enforcement Officer, Planning
Administrator, Library Director, Director of Emergency Management,
Director of Parks and Recreation, Town Attorney, Director of Health,
Municipal Agent for the Elderly, Human Resources Director, Economic
Development Coordinator and such other appointments as may from time
to time be necessary for the efficient management of the Town. Appointments
shall be made in accordance with provisions of Chapter X of this Charter.
Provided that the same is not inconsistent with the Connecticut General
Statutes, the First Selectman may, subject to the approval of the
Council, perform duties of any office over which the First Selectman
has appointive authority.
Except as otherwise provided in this Charter,
the First Selectman shall be a member, ex officio, of all boards,
commissions and special committees, but the First Selectman shall
not have any voting power unless such a body shall, as a result of
a tie vote, fail to organize or elect necessary officers, in either
of which case the First Selectman shall have a tie-breaking vote.
The First Selectman is empowered to convene any or all of the appointed
boards and commissions of the Town to review and coordinate activities
and to plan operations of the Town government. At least once annually,
the First Selectman shall convene a general meeting of all board and
commission members.
The Council and all boards, commissions and
agencies shall, in connection with any administrative service sought
by them, deal directly and only through the First Selectman. The Council
may, at a properly constituted meeting of which the First Selectman
has been duly warned, call before it any employee of the Town for
the purpose of inquiry, consultation or advice.
