The Council shall have power to inquire into
the conduct of any officer, department or agency of the town, and
to make an investigation relating to town affairs, and for such purposes
may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths of affirmation and compel
the production of books, records, papers and other evidence.
The Council shall have the power to:
A. Appoint regular, standing or special commissions and
committees.
B. Appoint the Administrator and such other officials
as herein provided in C-42.
[Amended 11-2-2010]
C. Appoint such numbers of constables to serve civil
process as it shall from time to time determine, and to charge and
collect for licenses issued to such constables such fees as the Council
shall fix by ordinance.
[Amended 11-2-2010]
All legislative powers of the town shall be
vested in the Council except such powers as are or may be vested otherwise
by the State Constitution, by this Charter and by laws enacted by
the General Assembly in conformity with the powers reserved to the
General Assembly. The Council may enact and amend ordinances relating
to the town's property, affairs and government not inconsistent with
the State Constitution and laws enacted by the General Assembly in
conformity with the powers reserved to the General Assembly. The Council
shall have, under this Charter, and may exercise all such additional
powers and authority as are consistent with this Charter and have
now been granted or may hereafter be granted to it under the Constitution
or laws of the state. The Council, by ordinance, may assign additional
functions or duties to officers, departments or agencies established
by or under this Charter, but may not discontinue or assign to any
other office, department or agency any function or duty assigned by
this Charter to a particular office, department or agency. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Council shall have and
exercise the following specific powers, subject to the provisions
of this Charter and all applicable provisions of general and special
laws.
A. To detail duties and regulations of new commissions
by ordinance or to enact, amend or repeal as hereinafter provided
ordinances and resolutions for the preservation of the public peace,
health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the town and for
the protection of persons and property. The Council may provide reasonable
penalties for the violation of any ordinance.
B. To develop land management plans and ordinances which
are intended to maintain a distinction between urban and rural environment;
relate the type and intensity of recommended developments in each
land use category to the physical capabilities of the land; and decide
whether the public facilities available or planned are adequate for
the land's use. These powers and others written in town ordinances
shall decide the utilization of the land.
C. To appoint the Administrator for an indefinite term
with an initial one (1) year probationary period and thereafter shall
serve at the pleasure of the Council as herein provided in C-42. If
a majority of all members of the Council, at its discretion, decide
to terminate the Administrator there shall be no right of hearing
or appeal from the decision of the Council.
[Amended 11-5-1996; 11-5-2002]
D. To take any action necessary to give effect to any
vote of the Financial Referendum authorizing the issuance of bonds
for any purpose and to complete all the details of the bond transaction
in accordance with the general or special laws of the state.
E. To regulate the speed, management and control of all
vessels on the public waters, and the size, type, location and use
of all anchorages and moorings and collection of fees for the same
within the confines of the town.
F. To fix the amount of official bonds of all officers
of the town with or without corporate surety who in its opinion should
be bonded, the premiums to be paid by the town.
G. To provide for audit at any time of accounts of the town or any of its departments, and to provide for an annual audit as prescribed in §
C-72.
H. To adopt or amend a personnel ordinance which shall
include the table of organization and job description and method of
hiring for all municipal employees, not inconsistent with applicable
general or special laws or the provisions of this Charter.
I. To grant, revoke or suspend such licenses as the Council
may require by ordinance or resolution, or as may be required or permitted
by state law or this Charter, or any amendments thereof.
J. To review and act upon the town budget in the manner prescribed in Article
XXV, C-81 through C-83.
K. The Town
Council shall conduct a public hearing with reasonable prior notice
and adequate disclosure concerning the adoption and/or approval of
any agreement between the Town Council and any other person, party,
entity or association in which the Town Council has a financial partnership
role.
[Added 11-6-2012]