There shall be a mayor who shall be elected at the regular town election for a term of two years and until his successor is elected and qualified. The term of the mayor shall begin on the second Monday of January following his election.
The mayor shall be a legal resident of the town for at least one year next preceding his election, and a qualified elector of the town.
The mayor shall receive an annual salary of eight thousand dollars or such other salary as may be prescribed by ordinance, but his salary shall not be changed after the filing of nomination papers for the office or during the term of office for which he was elected.
To perform his duties during his temporary absence or disability, the mayor may designate a qualified present administrative officer of the town by letter filed with the town clerk. In the event of failure of the mayor to make such designation, the town council may by resolution appoint a present officer of the town to perform the duties of the mayor until he shall return or his disability shall cease. While serving as acting mayor, said designated officer shall not make any appointments or removals, other than temporary appointments, until he shall have served as acting mayor for thirty consecutive days.
If the vacancy is caused by disability or absence from work of the mayor, such disability or absence being for at least thirty-five days, such vacancy if not created by resignation or death of the mayor, may be declared by the town council upon the recommendation by a commission composed of five persons, vi: The judge of probate, the town solicitor, the director of the health department of the town, the president of the town council, and a fifth member who shall be a physician chosen by the town council. In the event of a vacancy in the office of mayor, caused by resignation or death, the town council shall appoint a qualified voter of the town to fill such vacancy if less than six calendar months remain until a regular election. If the time between the ocurrence[1] of said vacancy and the next regular election is six months or more, the town clerk shall call a special election in the manner prescribed by law, to fill said vacancy in the office of mayor. (1965, Jan. Sess., ch. 227, Sec. 1; approved at special election held on June 22, 1965)
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original. Probably should read "occurrence."
The mayor shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of the town and shall be responsible for the administration of all departments, offices and agencies except as otherwise provided by this Charter. To accomplish this purpose he shall;
(1) 
Appoint and remove for cause any officer or employee of the town except as otherwise provided by this Charter, and except that he may authorize the head of a department or office to appoint and remove subordinates in such departments or offices;
(2) 
Notify the town council of all his appointments, which shall be in writing and filed with the town clerk within five days of the appointments;
(3) 
Supervise, control and direct the activities and operations of all departments and administrative officers of the town within his jurisdiction and review all rules and regulations of the various departments and administrative offices and only upon his approval shall they become effective;
(4) 
Enforce or cause to be enforced the laws, and ordinances of the Town of Johnston;
(5) 
See that the terms and conditions imposed in favor of the town in any contract or franchise are faithfully kept and performed and be responsible for the care and preservation of property and equipment of the town;
(6) 
Negotiate contracts on behalf of the town with the approval of the town council, which contracts are in accord with the provisions of this Charter;
(7) 
Prepare the budget annually, and submit it to the town council for appropriate action, and execute the budget in accordance with appropriations and ordinances adopted by the council;
(8) 
Prepare and submit to the town council a comprehensive annual report of the financial transactions and administrative activities of the town within two months after the close of each fiscal year, and prepare and make available for distribution to the public, within three months after the end of each fiscal year, an annual report on town affairs during that fiscal year and keep the town council advised quarterly of the financial conditions and needs of the town and make such recommendations as he may deem necessary;
(9) 
Recommend to the town council such measures as he may consider necessary and expedient for enactment;
(10) 
Possess and exercise the time veto power in the following manner; every ordinance enacted by the town council shall be submitted to the mayor who within ten consecutive days either shall approve the ordinance by affixing his signature or shall return the ordinance to the town council with his disapproval by transmitting it to the town clerk with a statement of his objections. No ordinance shall take effect without the approval of the mayor unless the town council upon reconsideration shall approve the ordinance by vote of four-fifths of all its members notwithstanding the disapproval of the mayor. If the mayor shall neither approve nor disapprove the measure within ten consecutive days from the time when it is submitted to him it shall be deemed to be approved and enacted. The mayor may disapprove any individual item in a budget or appropriation ordinance in the manner provided for disapproval of an ordinance;
(11) 
Have power and authority to declare a state of municipal emergency in the event of a disaster, catastrophe or other similar event, or the imminent danger thereof, which endangers the health, safety or resources of the people of the town and to take such lawful action as he deems necessary to protect the health, safety and security of the town and its inhabitants;
(12) 
Be recognized as official head of the town government for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purpose of military law;
(13) 
Perform such other duties as may be required of him by ordinance of the town council.