The First Selectman shall preside over all meetings of the Board
of Selectmen but this office shall not deprive him of his vote on
any question.
The First Selectman shall be recognized as the official head
of the Town for all ceremonial purposes, for military purposes and
for the purpose of receiving civil process.
The First Selectman shall be the Chief Executive Officer and
the agent of the Town, and except as otherwise specifically provided
by this Charter, any power given or duty imposed by the General Statutes
on the Chief Executive of any town shall be vested in and exercised
by him.
In addition to the powers and duties prescribed by the General
Statutes, he shall administer all the offices and agencies in charge
of persons appointed by him and shall supervise and direct the same.
He shall be responsible for all purchasing done in the name of the
Town, except for purchases of the Board of Education. The First Selectman
shall cause to be kept full and complete records of the doings of
his office, and it shall be his duty to make periodic reports to the
Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance, to keep or cause to be
kept complete books of account showing separately an account of each
item of appropriation made each year and all disbursements made which
are chargeable against each such appropriation so that at all times
there may be available in the office of the Selectman the continuing
current status of all appropriations and disbursements charged thereto,
to cause to be kept such other books of account as municipalities
are required by statute to keep, and to exercise such other powers
and duties as may be imposed upon him by the Board of Selectmen and
the Town Meeting. Neither the Town Meeting nor the Board of Selectmen
shall diminish by ordinance, vote or otherwise, the powers and duties
of the First Selectman except those powers and duties imposed on him
by direction of the Selectmen under the provisions of this Charter.
The First Selectman shall be an ex officio member of all Boards
and Commissions with vote only on the Board of Selectmen, but he shall
not attend executive sessions of Boards and Commissions in circumstances
where his attendance would be unlawful.
(a)
During the absence or disability of the First Selectman, the remaining
members of the Board of Selectmen shall choose one of their members
of the same political party as that of the First Selectman to be Acting
First Selectman who shall carry out all of the duties of the First
Selectman.
(b)
In the case of the death or other removal from office of the First
Selectman, the remaining members of the Board of Selectmen shall within
thirty (30) days by resolution appoint one of their members of the
same party to fill the vacancy.
The First Selectman shall appoint all appointive officers and shall fill by appointment all vacancies on appointed or elective boards, commissions, agencies, and offices except as other procedures are specifically provided in this Charter or amendments, and/or are made mandatory by General Statutes. All such appointments shall be reviewed by the Board of Selectmen and shall become effective unless disapproved by the Board of Selectmen in accordance with the provisions of Article III of this Charter.
In exercising the power herein conferred to fill vacancies with
respect to elective offices or membership upon elective boards or
commissions, the First Selectman shall make an interim appointment
for the unexpired portion of the term, or until the next biennial
town election, whichever shall be sooner; provided that when the persons
vacating the office shall have been elected as a member of a political
party, such vacancy shall be filled by the appointment of a member
of the same political party.
