[Amended 10-10-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-18]
The Town Council shall consist of five members who shall be
elected at large and by the voters of the Town at the regular municipal
election and who shall serve for terms of four years on a staggered
basis, pursuant to the Charter, beginning on the first day of January
next following their election. Council members shall serve with compensation
as set forth in the duly adopted annual municipal budget and annual
salary and wage ordinance.
Pursuant to the Charter, vacancies on the Council shall be filled
for the remainder of the unexpired term at the next general or municipal
election to be held not less than 60 days after the occurrence of
the vacancy. Whenever such election to fill a vacancy shall be at
the general election, the nomination of candidates shall be by petition
in the manner provided by law for the filling of vacancies in municipal
offices where candidates are nominated by direct petition for a general
election. The Council shall fill the vacancy temporarily by appointment
to serve until the qualification of the person so elected.
All powers of the Town and the determination of all matters
of policy shall be vested in the Town Council pursuant to the Charter.
At the organization meeting of the Council following its election,
the Council shall elect one of their number as Mayor. The Mayor shall
be chosen by ballot by majority vote of all members of the Town Council
pursuant to the Charter. If the members shall be unable, within five
ballots to be taken within two days of the organization meeting, to
elect a Mayor, then the member who, in the election for members of
the Municipal Council, received the greatest number of votes shall
be the Mayor. Should such person decline to accept the office, then
the person receiving the next highest vote shall be the Mayor, and
so on until the office is filled.
The Mayor shall have only such powers and duties as are expressly
vested in him by this chapter and the rules of procedure. The Mayor
shall preside at all meetings of the Town Council and shall have a
voice and vote in its proceedings. All bonds, notes, deeds, contracts
and written obligations of the Town shall be executed on its behalf
by the Mayor or, in the event of his inability to act, by such Councilman
as the Town Council shall designate to act as Mayor during his absence
or disability.
The Town Council shall act in all matters as a body and shall
deal with the administrative services of the Town solely through the
Town Manager. No Council member shall seek individually to influence
the official acts of the Town Manager, or any other officer, nor shall
the Council or any of its members direct or request the appointment
of any person to or his removal from office or interfere in any way
with the performance by such officers of their duties. Nothing contained
herein shall prevent the Town Council from appointing committees or
commissions of its own members or of citizens to conduct investigations
into the conduct of any officer or department, or any other matter
relating to the welfare of the Town. The Council may delegate to such
committees or commissions such powers of inquiry as it may deem necessary.
Pursuant to the Charter, any Councilman violating the provisions of
this section shall, upon conviction in a court of competent jurisdiction,
be disqualified as Councilman.