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.
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.
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.
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.
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.