The Town Manager shall be responsible to the Town Council for
the execution of its policies and laws and for the administration
of the town government.
The Town Manager shall be chosen by the Town Council solely
on the basis of his or her executive and administrative qualifications
from among persons who hold at least a bachelor’s degree from
an accredited college or university, or the equivalent experience,
and with special reference to his or her actual experience in, or
knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of the office
as hereunder set forth. The Town Council may enter into such agreement
regarding compensation, benefits and Town residency for the Town Manager
as it may deem appropriate, provided that no such agreement shall
limit the discretion of the Town Council to remove the Town Manager.
The Town Manager, with Town Council approval, may designate
by letter filed with the Town Clerk a qualified administrative officer
of the Town, to perform his or her duties during temporary absence
or disability. In the event of failure of the Town Manager to make
such designation, the Town Council may designate a qualified administrative
officer of the Town to perform the duties of the Town Manager until
he or she shall return or the disability shall cease.
The Town Manager may be removed at any time by a majority vote
of all the members of the Town Council according to the following
procedure. At least thirty days before such removal shall become effective,
the Town Council shall by a majority vote of all of its members adopt
a preliminary resolution of removal, stating the reasons therefore.
The Town Manager may reply in writing, and may request an opportunity
to be heard at a meeting of the Town Council. Such request must be
made within ten days following the date of the preliminary resolution.
Such meeting shall be held by the Town Council no later than ten days
following the date of the request. After full consideration of the
Town Manager's written reply, if any, and of the results of the meeting,
if one is requested, the Town Council may adopt a final resolution
of removal by a majority vote of all of its members. By the preliminary
resolution, the Town Council may suspend the Town Manager from duty,
but in any case he or she shall be paid full salary for the period
commencing with the date of the preliminary resolution and for two
calendar months following the adoption of the final resolution.
Whenever the office of Town Manager shall be declared vacant
by the Town Council, an interim Town Manager shall be chosen by a
majority vote of the Town Council. He or she shall have all the duties
and powers of the Town Manager but shall not serve longer than six
months, provided however, that the Council may further extend such
period of service by no more than three additional months. Any such
interim Manager may be summarily removed by a majority vote of the
Town Council without charges or a hearing. Nothing shall prevent an
interim Town Manager from applying to be employed as Town Manager.
The powers and duties of the Town Manager shall include the
following:
A.
Carry
out the policy directives of the Town Council;
B.
Employment
with the advice and consent of the Council of all heads of town departments
and agencies, not including the School Department, and all other officers
of the Town provided for in this Charter, or established by ordinance,
whose appointment, employment or election is not otherwise provided
for. The Town Manager shall have the authority to remove, with the
approval of the Town Council, any department or agency head or officer
of the Town employed pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection;
C.
Employment and removal of all other employees of the Town not covered under the provisions of subsection B. of this Section, or at his or her discretion, assign the power of employment and removal of designated employees or classes of employees to department heads or other officers or officials of the Town who hold office pursuant to the terms of subsection B. of this Section;
E.
Assignment
and reassignment of duties to officers, officials, departments and
agencies subject to the provisions of state law and of this Charter,
and approval of the Town Council;
F.
Responsibility
to see that the laws of the State and ordinances of the Town are faithfully
executed;
G.
Coordination
of the activities and programs of all departments and agencies of
the Town;
H.
Preparation
and submission to the Town Council, as of the end of the fiscal year,
of a complete report on the finances and administrative activities
of the Town for the preceding year;
I.
Performance
of such other duties as may be prescribed by this Charter or required
of the Town Manager by the Town Council;
J.
Preparation
and submission to the Town Council, at the conclusion of each calendar
year, an assessment of the impact of seasonal fluctuations in population
and activity on the enforcement and management of public safety, public
health, historic character and traffic.
With the consent of the Town Council, the Town Manager may employ
one person as the head of two or more town departments or agencies,
provided however, that the Manager or any other person holding two
or more such positions shall be entitled to receive only the salary
of one office. The Town Manager may not serve as the head of the Department
of Public Works; provided, however, in the event of the unavailability
of the head of the Department of Public Works or in the event that
the position becomes vacant, the Town Manager may serve as the head
of the Department of Public Works on a temporary basis until such
time as the head of the Department of Public Works becomes available
or is appointed.
