The members of the Board of Selectpersons shall be a First Selectperson, and four members who shall be compensated in such manner and amount as may be determined at the annual budget meeting. No more than three members of this Board shall be members of the same political party. The method of election, term of office and qualifications for members of the Board of Selectpersons shall be as specified in Article
IV of this Charter.
At its first meeting following each biennial Town election,
the Board of Selectpersons in accordance with the General Statutes
and this Charter shall fix the time and place of its regular meetings,
provide a method for calling special meetings, consistent with Section
1-225 of the General Statutes, and designate which member shall preside
in place of the First Selectperson in the event of absence or disability.
A special meeting of the Board of Selectpersons may be called
at any time by the First Selectperson or any two members. The person
or persons calling a special meeting shall give reasonable advance
notice and reason for such meeting to the other members of the Board.
Notice may be waived, however, by written waiver, signed by all members
of the Board of Selectpersons and filed with the Town Clerk at any
time before or after the meeting.
All meetings of the Board of Selectpersons for the transaction of business shall be open to the public. The votes of each member shall be recorded at the session at which they occur and reported in the minutes of such meeting. Minutes shall be taken and filed and votes shall be recorded and published in accordance with Section
6-4 of this Charter. Three members shall constitute a quorum, and all resolutions or actions shall be adopted by majority vote.
Except as modified herein, the Board of Selectpersons shall
have the powers and responsibilities conferred on a Board of Selectmen
by the General Statutes. The Board of Selectpersons shall generally
supervise the administration of the affairs of the Town, except those
matters which according to the General Statutes or this Charter are
delegated to other Town agencies.
The Board of Selectpersons shall be responsible for coordinating
the activities of all Town agencies, and for keeping under review
the present and future needs of the Town.
In addition to the general powers above, the Board of Selectpersons, subject to the provisions of the General Statutes and this Charter and the necessary approvals of the Town Meeting as specified by law and Articles
III and
X of this Charter, shall have the power:
(a) To incur indebtedness in the name of the Town, and to provide for
the due execution of contracts and evidences of indebtedness authorized
by the Town;
(b) To purchase, lease, sell or convey real property of or for the Town,
subject to approval of the Town Meeting;
(c) To institute, prosecute, defend or compromise any legal action or
proceeding by or against the Town;
(d) To enter into contracts for any services and to purchase or contract to purchase any supplies, materials, equipment and other commodities required by any Town agency, and to take, purchase, lease, sell or convey any personal property of or for the Town. The Board of Selectpersons may by resolution or regulation delegate its powers in this Subsection
(d) to any Town agency;
(e) To establish written rules and regulations under which contracts
shall be made and carried out for all public works and improvements;
(f) To employ such staff with such powers, duties and responsibilities
as it may deem desirable to carry out the duties and responsibilities
of the Board of Selectpersons, within the confines of its approved
budget;
(g) To issue notes in anticipation of tax collections payable within
the fiscal year, and to issue bonds or bond anticipation notes up
to the amount authorized by a Town Meeting, in each instance upon
such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectpersons, after consulting
with the Board of Finance, may approve, including without limitation
the manner and form of issue and sale thereof, the date and rate of
interest thereof, the designation of a bank or trust company to act
as certifying or paying agent thereof, and the designation of the
persons to sign such notices in the name of or on behalf of the Town;
(h) To accept, or refuse to accept, roads offered to the Town, and to
abandon or discontinue Town roads;
(i) To accept real property donated to the Town, following approval by
the Planning and Zoning Commission, for open space and easements for
conservation purposes or for road widening. Prior to acceptance of
any such property an environmental review may be performed as deemed
appropriate.
(j) To approve the transfer of monies between line items within the budget
of any department.
The Board of Selectpersons may propose to a Town Meeting duly
called, ordinances consistent with the General Statutes and this Charter
on any matter which the General Statutes authorizes to be legislated
by ordinance, and which in general would serve to aid in the preservation
of the good order, health, welfare, and safety of the Town.
On a declaration of state or public emergency, as provided for in Section
8-5 of this Charter, the Board of Selectpersons may enact ordinances to meet such emergency, consistent with the General Statutes and this Charter. Such emergency ordinances shall become effective once published by the most effective means available. They shall remain in effect for no more than 60 days and not beyond the duration of the emergency, unless ratified by the Town Meeting. They may be repealed by vote of the Board of Selectpersons or the Town Meeting.