All Town officials, whose appointment is not otherwise provided for in this Charter, shall be appointed by the Town Council. Initial appointment to Town offices shall not exceed two years. Such officials may be eligible for reappointment to the same office with a term not to exceed five years for each subsequent term. All such Town officials may be removed from office at any time by the Town Council for good and sufficient cause. Reappointment in excess of five years shall not be granted to any Town official or Town employee; however, the Town Clerk, Highway Supervisor, Tax Collector, and Human Services Director, who are incumbents as of May 30, 1996, shall have tenure, in accordance with Chapter 73 of the 1994 Public Laws of the State of Rhode Island, unless removed for good and sufficient cause. Compensation for all Town officials and Town employees shall be fixed at the Financial Town meeting, Section 301 above.
A. 
In the event that the office of a Town official shall become vacant from any cause within the term of office, the Council shall appoint a qualified person of its choice to the vacated office. If the vacancy has occurred in the office of an elected official, the Council appointee shall serve until an official is elected at the next general election.
B. 
The Town Council is hereby granted the authority to adopt by ordinance a Personnel Policy, or to amend the same. Such policy shall include, but need not be limited to employee classifications, wages/salary, benefits, office hours, leave and procedures for termination.
[Amended 10-22-2013]
There shall be a Town Clerk who shall be appointed by the Town Council. The Town Clerk shall have all the duties and responsibilities of Town Clerks as provided by State law, shall be Clerk of the Council, Clerk ex-officio of the Board of Canvassers, and Clerk of the Probate Court, and shall perform such other duties and responsibilities not in conflict with State law. The Town Clerk shall give bond for the office of Town Clerk. The Town Clerk shall have the authority to employ a Deputy Town Clerk with the approval of the Council, and such Deputy Town Clerk shall in the absence or inability of the Town Clerk, discharge all of the duties and responsibilities of that office. The Deputy Town Clerk shall also be bonded by the Town. The Town Clerk shall be responsible for the good conduct of the Deputy, and may revoke the appointment of the Deputy at the Clerk's discretion.
There shall be a Town Treasurer who shall be appointed by the Town Council. The Town Treasurer shall have all of the duties and responsibilities conferred upon Town Treasurers by State law, and give bond for the office of Town Treasurer. The Town Treasurer may appoint a Deputy Town Treasurer with the approval of the Council and any such Deputy Treasurer shall, in the absence or inability of the Town Treasurer, have all the powers and responsibilities of the Town Treasurer; provided, however, that in no case shall the Deputy have the power to sign the bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness of the Town except with the approval of the Council. The Deputy Treasurer shall also be bonded by the Town. The Town Treasurer shall be liable for any misconduct, neglect, or default of the Deputy, and may revoke the appointment at his or her discretion.
There shall be a Town Solicitor, who shall be appointed by the Council, and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Council for a term concurrent with that of the Council. The Solicitor shall be appointed from among persons admitted to the bar in Rhode Island who have had significant experience in the various aspects of municipal law and who have practiced before the various courts of the State. The Solicitor need not devote full time to his or her office and shall not be required to be a resident of the Town. The Council in its discretion may retain the services of a law firm to provide the legal services of Town Solicitor and may retain or authorize the retention of special counsel for the Town or for a board or commission, department or officer for extra or unusual services. The Town Solicitor shall be the legal advisor of, and attorney and counsel for, the Town and for all boards, commissions, departments and officers thereof.
There shall be a Town Tax Assessor, who shall be appointed by the Town Council and who shall serve until his or her successor is appointed. The Tax Assessor shall have all of the duties and responsibilities conferred upon Town Tax Assessors by State law.
There shall be a Town Sergeant, who shall be a qualified elector of the Town and shall be elected at the general election in each even numbered year to serve for a two year term, or until his or her successor is elected. The Town Sergeant shall have such powers and duties as are prescribed by State law and such compensation as may be fixed at the Financial Town Meeting.
The Town Council shall make provision for the conduct of all inspections which are required, or shall in the future be required of towns to make, including but not limited to zoning inspections, building, electrical, plumbing and related inspections, minimum housing inspections, and the like, and shall appoint a person or persons to conduct such inspections who are qualified by training, experience and/or license where applicable, in the various professions and specialties involved. Where appropriate, the same individual may be appointed with responsibilities of conducting two or more types of inspections.
There shall be a Probate Court for the Town with the powers and responsibilities prescribed by State law, and the Town Council shall appoint a Judge for said Court from among attorneys who have been admitted to the bar in Rhode Island, and who shall have had at least five years' experience in active practice of law in the courts of this State, to serve for a term of two years, or until a successor is appointed and qualified. The Council may make provision for a deputy or alternate to serve as Judge in the absence or inability of the Probate Judge.
There shall be a Human Services Director, who shall be appointed by the Town Council and who shall serve until his or her successor is appointed. The Human Services Director shall have such duties and responsibilities as are assigned to the office by State law.
There shall be a Town Planner, who shall be appointed by the Town Council and who shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. The Town Planner shall develop and make recommendations for the maintenance and updating of the Comprehensive Plan, as required by State law. The Planner shall also be responsible for recommending amendments to zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations, applying for federal and State grants, managing subdivision applications, inspecting land suitability for development proposals, making recommendations to the Planning Board and Zoning Board, and such other duties as may be assigned by the Town Council.
There shall be a Town Tax Collector, who shall be appointed by the Town Council to serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.
The Town Tax Collector shall have all of the duties and responsibilities conferred upon Town Tax Collectors by State law, and shall give bond for the office of Town Tax Collector before assuming his or her duties, as provided by State law. The Town Tax Collector may appoint a Deputy Tax Collector with the approval of the Council, and any such Deputy Tax Collector shall, in the absence or inability of the Town Tax Collector, have all the powers and responsibilities of the Town Tax Collector. The Deputy Tax Collector shall also be bonded by the Town. The Town Tax Collector shall be liable for any misconduct or neglect of the Deputy.
There shall be a Town Moderator, who shall be a qualified elector of the Town and shall be elected at the general election in each even numbered year; to serve for a term of two years and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. The Town Moderator shall preside at all regular and special Town meetings.
The Town Council shall be empowered to appoint a Rescue Person, Animal Control Officer, Corder of Wood, Tree Warden, 911 Coordinator, Sealer of Weights and Measures, not more than four Bonded Constables and such other appointments, as may be required from time to time by State law. The Council shall also be empowered to appoint any person, without compensation, to any positions that the Council deems appropriate.
1. 
Office and appointment. There shall be a Town Administrator who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Town Council.
2. 
Qualification. The Town Administrator shall be chosen by the Town Council solely on the basis of character, and executive and administrative qualifications. No paid employee or official of the Town shall hold the office of Town Administrator. The Town Administrator shall not be eligible to accept any other paid Town of West Greenwich office or employment during tenure of office, and shall devote such time to the duties of office as shall be determined by the Town Council.
3. 
Compensation. Compensation for the Town Administrator shall be fixed at the Financial Town Meeting, Section 301 of this Charter.
4. 
Powers and duties. The Town Administrator shall be head of the administrative branch of Town government and shall see that the laws and ordinances of the Town are faithfully executed; supervise the activities of all Town officials, departments and agencies under his or her jurisdiction; and recommend such measures to the Town Council for consideration as deemed appropriate for the welfare of the Town. In addition to the foregoing, the Town Administrator shall:
(a) 
Recommend to the Town Council for appointment all Town officials and department heads whose appointment is not otherwise provided for in this Charter. All other employees of the Town shall be appointed, promoted or dismissed by the Town Administrator with concurrence of the cognizant department head and Town Council, or such other authority as this Charter or the Town Council may provide. The Town Administrator shall search for Town citizens to fill vacancies on Town boards and commissions and such other Council appointments as set forth in Section 613 of this Charter, and shall make recommendations for their appointments to the Town Council.
(b) 
Supervise and coordinate the development of the annual budgets of the Town departments. Review the annual budget requests of the volunteer fire and rescue companies and the Louttit Library. Prepare recommended rates of compensation for Town office holders and employees. He or she shall not recommend rates of compensation of himself or herself, or members of the Town Council.
(c) 
Submit the annual budget recommendations, as developed in (b) above, to the Town Council, and attend Town Council budget workshops, the public budget hearing and the Financial Town Meeting.
(d) 
Attend regularly scheduled Town Council meetings, and such other meetings that the Council may require.
(e) 
Be responsible for the operation of the Town Transfer Station.
(f) 
Serve on all labor contract-negotiating committees, in the capacity assigned by the Town Council.
(g) 
Award all contracts for purchase on behalf of the Town subject to the procedures and limitations set forth in this Charter or prescribed by the Council. He or she shall see to it that the terms of all such contracts are carried out.
(h) 
Have final responsibility for the care and preservation of all Town property and equipment, except that under the jurisdiction of the Land Trust or the volunteer fire and rescue companies.
(i) 
Have the power and authority to declare a state of emergency in the Town in the event of a disaster or imminent danger thereof, which endangers the health, safety or welfare of the people, and to take such lawful action as he or she deems necessary under the circumstances, or exercise such emergency powers as may have been conferred upon the Town by the State, or upon the Town Administrator by the Town Council.
(j) 
Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Charter or required of him or her by the Town Council.
5. 
Temporary absence or disability. During temporary absence or disability the Town Administrator with concurrence of the Town Council may designate by letter with the Town Clerk a qualified administrative officer of the Town to perform his or her duties. In the event of failure of the Town Administrator to make such designation the Council may appoint an officer of the Town to temporarily perform the duties of the Town Administrator. If any such absence or disability lasts more than 60 days, the Town Council may either grant an extension or declare a vacancy in the office of Town Administrator.