All members of appointed boards and commissions shall serve
without compensation, except for the reimbursement of necessary expenses
as outlined by the Board of Selectmen or as otherwise provided by
law and shall serve until their successors have been appointed and
qualified. Such boards and commissions shall have the powers conferred
by law and by the provisions of this Charter upon their respective
offices.
(a)
Regular boards. There shall be the following permanent Town boards
and commissions appointed by the Board of Selectmen with the exception
of the Design Review Board which shall be appointed by the Zoning
Commission:
(1)
Culture, Parks and Recreation Commission;
(2)
Conservation Commission-Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency;
(3)
Housing Authority;
(4)
Aging and Disability Commission;
(5)
Economic Development Commission;
(6)
Historic District Commission;
(7)
Water Pollution Control Authority;
(8)
Public Building Committee;
(9)
Building Code Board of Appeals;
(10)
Board of Ethics;
(11)
Police Commission;
(12)
Open Space Committee; and
(13)
Design Review Board.
(b)
Permanent boards and commissions created by Town Meeting pursuant
to Section 409 of this Charter. Members of such boards and commissions
shall be appointed by the Board of Selectmen.
(c)
Permanent or special boards and commissions. Permanent or special
boards and commissions may be appointed from time to time by the Board
of Selectmen in accordance with Section 403 of this Charter.
All members of such Town boards and commissions as are described
in Section 601 of this chapter shall be appointed in accordance with
the provisions of Sections 203 and 301(b) of this Charter. Except
as provided in Section 612, the Board of Selectmen shall appoint,
by an affirmative vote of not fewer than four (4) members of the Board
of Selectmen, such regular Town boards and commissions as are described
in Section 601 of this chapter by resolution adopted at a meeting
to be held not later than the fifteenth day of January following the
first regular municipal election held under the provisions of this
Charter. No person shall be eligible for appointment to any regular
Town board or commission, except the Building Code Board of Appeals,
who is not at the time of his or her appointment an Elector of the
Town and any person ceasing to be an Elector of the Town, shall thereupon
forfeit his or her membership on the board or commission. All persons
appointed to boards, commissions and agencies created under Section
403 of this Charter or by action of the Special Town Meeting pursuant
to Section 409 of this Charter shall serve staggered terms as defined
by the Board of Selectmen.
Any vacancy on any appointive Town board or commission, from
whatever cause arising, shall be filled by appointment by the appointing
authority to such office for the unexpired portion of the term vacated.
Any such vacancy shall be filled by the appointment of a member of
the same political party as the person vacating the office in the
event the person was affiliated with a political party.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 602 of this chapter, a Culture, Parks and Recreation
Commission consisting of nine (9) members, the members to serve for
terms of four (4) years. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint members
of the Commission depending on the number of members whose terms expire.
The Commission shall have all the powers and duties, not inconsistent
with this Charter, as are now or may hereafter be conferred or imposed
upon such commissions and on Town Forest Commissions by the applicable
provisions of the General Statutes and such other duties as may be
prescribed by the Board of Selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 602 of this chapter, a Conservation Commission-Inland
Wetlands and Watercourses Agency consisting of seven (7) members and
two (2) alternates. The members shall serve for terms of four (4)
years. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint members to the Agency
depending on the number of members whose terms expire. Alternates
shall serve for a term of four (4) years. The Commission shall have
all the powers and duties, not inconsistent with this Charter, as
are now or may hereafter be conferred or imposed upon such Commissions
and on Town Forest Commissions by Sections 7-131, 7-131a, 22a-42 and
22a-42a of the General Statutes.
The Housing Authority existing on the effective date of this Charter is hereby designated the Housing Authority of the Town under this Charter. The Authority shall consist of five (5) members, who shall serve for terms of five (5) years. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint a successor to each such member, such successor to serve for a term of five (5) years. The Authority shall have all the powers and duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed upon such authorities by Chapter 128 of the General Statutes.
The Board of Selectmen shall establish in accordance with the
provisions of Section 602 of this chapter an Aging and Disability
Commission. The Board of Selectmen shall by ordinance determine the
number of members on the Commission and their terms of office which
shall not exceed four (4) years. The Commission shall be responsible
for investigating the needs of the citizens of the Town of Simsbury
in the areas of aging and the disabled and shall assist public and
private agencies in the implementation of programs and facilities
for such needs. The Commission shall have such other powers and duties
not inconsistent with this Charter as may be prescribed by the Board
of Selectmen.
The Historic District Commission existing on the effective date
of this Charter is hereby designated the Historic District Commission
of the Town under this Charter. The Commission shall consist of five
(5) regular and three (3) alternate members, who shall serve for terms
of five (5) years, and who shall hold no salaried municipal office.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint all members and alternates to
the Commission, whose terms shall be so arranged that the term of
at least one (1) member shall expire each year, and their successors
shall be appointed in like manner for terms of five (5) years. The
Historic District Commission shall work to perpetuate and preserve
the historic features of Simsbury and to promote the educational,
cultural, economic, and general welfare of the public through the
preservation and protection of the distinctive characteristics of
buildings and places associated with the history of or indicative
of a period of style of architecture of Simsbury, of Connecticut,
or of the nation. The Commission shall have all the powers and duties
now or hereafter conferred or imposed upon such commissions by Chapter
97a, Section 7-147a-k of the Connecticut General Statutes.
The Board of Selectmen shall create, by ordinance, an Economic
Development Commission which shall have the membership, terms, duties
and responsibilities, not inconsistent with this Charter or state
law, as determined by such ordinance.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 602 of this charter, a Water Pollution Control
authority consisting of seven (7) members, who shall serve for terms
of four (4) years. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint members to
the Authority depending on the number of members whose terms expire.
The Authority shall have all the powers and duties, not inconsistent
with this Charter as are now or may hereafter be conferred or imposed
upon such authorities by Chapter 103 of the General Statutes and such
other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 602 of this chapter, a Public Building Committee
consisting of nine (9) members, who shall serve for terms of four
(4) years. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint Members to the Committee
depending on the number of Members whose terms expire. The Committee
shall have all the powers and duties with regard to all public buildings,
not inconsistent with this Charter, as are now or may hereafter be
conferred or imposed upon such Committee by the General Statutes or
by the Board of Selectmen, including but not limited to responsibilities
related to school buildings whether or not described in Section 10-291
of the General Statutes.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 602 of this chapter and Section 29-266 of the
General Statutes, a Building Code Board of Appeals consisting of five
(5) members and two (2) alternates. The members shall serve for terms
of five (5) years. The alternates shall serve for a two-year term.
Annually, thereafter, the Selectmen shall appoint members and alternates
to the Building Code Board of Appeals depending on the number of members
or alternates whose term expires. The Board shall have all the powers
and duties not inconsistent with this Charter, as are now or may hereafter
be conferred or imposed upon such boards by Chapter 541 of the General
Statutes.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance with Section
602 of this chapter and Section 7-148h of the General Statutes, a
Board of Ethics consisting of six (6) members, two (2) of whom shall
be registered Republicans, two (2) of whom shall be registered Democrats
and two (2) of whom shall be unaffiliated voters. The members of the
Board shall serve for four (4) year terms. The Selectmen shall appoint
members to the Board depending on the number of members whose terms
expire. However, the members so appointed shall be of the same political
affiliation as the member or members whose term expires. The Board
shall have all the powers and duties, not inconsistent with this Charter,
as are now or hereafter confirmed or imposed upon such Board by Section
7-148h of the General Statutes or by the Board of Selectmen.
(a)
Membership and term. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance
with the provisions of Section 602 of this chapter and Chapter 104
of the General Statutes, a Police Commission consisting of five (5)
members, who shall serve for terms of four (4) years, Not more than
two of the members may be members of the same political party or the
same political registration. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint
members to the Commission depending on the number of members whose
terms then expire.
(b)
Citizen matters. The Police Commission shall be responsible for the
investigation of citizen complaints against members of the Police
Department in accordance with procedures established and published
by the Police Commission. The Police Commission shall be responsible
for maintaining good relations between the Police Department and the
Simsbury community.
(c)
Other powers and duties. The Commission shall be responsible for
establishing Police Department policies and shall also have all of
the powers and duties, not inconsistent with this Charter, as are
now or may hereafter be conferred or imposed upon such Commission
by Section 7-276 of the General Statutes, including, but not limited
to, preparation of a proposed budget for the Police Department to
be submitted to the Board of Selectmen, and such other duties as may
be imposed by the Board of Selectmen.
(d)
Personnel matters. The Police Commission shall be responsible for
personnel matters within the Police Department, including but not
limited to, the appointment and removal, after receiving and considering
comments from the Chief of Police and subject to such rules and regulations
concerning Town employees as may be adopted by the Board of Selectmen
pursuant to the provisions of Chapter IX of this Charter, of all other
officers and employees of the Police Department (including an animal
control officer whose appointment shall be subject to the approval
of the Town Manager and whose powers and duties shall be as provided
in Chapter 435 of the General Statutes).
(e)
Collective bargaining matters. Police union contract negotiations
shall be conducted pursuant to procedures mutually agreed to by the
Board of Selectmen and by the Police Commission; provided that final
authority for the approval of any union contract or collective bargaining
agreement shall be vested in the Board of Selectmen.
(f)
Chairperson. The Police Commission shall annually (at its first meeting
in each calendar year) elect from its members a Chairperson and a
Clerk. The Chairperson shall serve as the Police Commission's liaison
to the Police Chief and to the Board of Selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen shall appoint, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 602 of this Charter, an Open Space Committee
to assist and advise the Board of Selectmen in identifying and evaluating
land deemed suitable for acquisition and preservation, and in administering
the fund for land acquisition and preservation. The Committee shall
consist of the First Selectman or First Selectwoman, Chair of the
Planning Commission, Chair of the Conservation Commission, Chair of
the Zoning Commission, Chair of the Culture, Parks and Recreation
Commission, or their designees, and three (3) other members to be
appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The Committee shall have such
other powers and duties not inconsistent with this Charter as may
be prescribed by the Board of Selectmen. The Committee shall establish
rules of procedure for the conduct of its business.
The Zoning Commission shall appoint a Design Review Board which
shall consist of six (6) regular members and up to four (4) alternate
members. The qualifications of the members shall be determined by
the Zoning Commission. The duties of the Design Review Board shall
be to (1) advise the Zoning Commission via reports on each application
for non-residential development, and (2) to advise the Planning Commission
on best land use planning practices in the Planning Commission's work
in adopting or updating the Simsbury Plan of Conservation and Development.
The Town shall continue to participate in such regional and
interlocal agencies and programs as authorized by ordinances adopted
pursuant to the applicable provisions of the General Statutes, as
amended. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as limiting the
authority of the Town by action of the Board of Selectmen, to continue
or discontinue such participation or join new, regional programs,
as authorized by the General Statutes.
