(a)
Except as in ad hoc assignments, and as provided for in Section 407
and Section 410 all members of boards, commissions and committees
shall be appointed by the appointing authority for a two-year term.
The terms of all such appointees shall terminate on the same date
as the term of the appointive authority except such appointees shall
continue to serve until their successors are appointed and qualify.
(b)
Boards, commissions, and committees charged with ad hoc assignments
as opposed to standing committees will serve until the assignment
has been completed or eliminated.
(c)
All members of all appointed boards, committees, commissions and
ad hoc committees shall serve without monetary compensation, monetary
value or in-kind benefit, whatsoever.
Minority representation on all boards, commissions, committees,
departments, or similar bodies, whether elective or appointive shall
be in accordance with the following table:
|
Total Membership
|
Maximum Number of Members of the Same Political Party
|
|---|---|
|
3
|
2
|
|
4
|
3
|
|
5
|
3
|
|
6
|
4
|
|
7
|
4
|
|
8
|
5
|
|
9
|
6
|
(a)
Those boards, commissions. committees, departments, or similar bodies,
whether elective or appointive with more than nine (9) members shall
have no more that 2/3 of their members from the same political party.
(b)
Vacancies in appointed positions shall be posted on the Town website
for a minimum of five days prior to the appointing authority taking
action on any final appointments. Any person affiliated with a party
or not so affiliated shall have the ability to submit their name to
the appointing authority. The appointing authority shall give due
consideration to the recommendations of the major political parties
before final appointments are made.
The Council shall appoint a Moderator and a Deputy Moderator
whose duties shall be to conduct such Town Meetings as may occur.
The Council shall designate rules of order for the conduct of said
meetings at the time the Moderator and Deputy Moderator are appointed.
The Town Council shall appoint a Library Board of Directors
to consist of seven (7) electors of the Town, not more than four (4)
of whom shall belong to any one political party. The Library Board
of Directors shall appoint the Town Librarian and library employees
and carry out all other duties as prescribed by General Statutes and
Town Ordinance. Terms of office shall be consistent with this Charter.
The Council shall appoint three (3) alternates to the Zoning
Board of Appeals, not more than two of whom shall belong to any one
political party, with duties as prescribed by General Statutes. Their
terms shall run concurrent with those of the elected members of the
Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Council shall appoint a Building Code Board of Appeals consisting
of three (3) electors of the Town, not more than two (2) of whom shall
belong to any one political party, with duties as prescribed by State
Ordinance, and with terms to be consistent with provisions of this
Charter.
(a)
A Board of Ethics is hereby created which shall consist of no less
than three (3) and no more than five (5) members, the exact number
to be provided by ordinance, serving without compensation who shall
be appointed by the Council and who shall be resident electors of
the Town.
(b)
No member shall be an employee of the Town or hold any appointed
or elected office of the Town.
(c)
Notwithstanding any provision of this Charter to the contrary, the
initial term of such members shall be staggered as provided by ordinance
of one (1), two (2), and three (3) years respectively. Upon the expiration
of each of such terms, the vacancies shall be filled by a term of
three (3) years.
(a)
The Mayor, with the approval of the Council, shall appoint a Chief
of Police. The term of employment shall be for a period of no more
than three (3) years renewable upon reappointment by the Mayor with
the approval of the Town Council. The Chief of Police shall be responsible
to the Mayor and may be removed only for cause, with approval of the
Town Council and pursuant to General Statutes.
(b)
The Chief of Police shall assign to, and may remove from, their respective
posts, shifts, details and duties, all officers and employees of the
department. He or she shall establish written rules and regulations
concerning the operation of the department and the conduct of all
officers and employees thereof. He or she shall be answerable to the
Mayor for the efficiency, discipline and good conduct of the department,
and for the care and custody of all property used by the department.
Any appointments to the department must be made with the recommendation
of the Chief of Police and the approval of the Mayor. Any promotions
in the department must be made with the recommendation of the Mayor
and Chief of Police.
(c)
Subject to the approval of the Mayor, the Chief of Police shall appoint,
and may remove for cause, a dog warden, whose powers and duties shall
be those as defined by General Statutes.
(d)
All officers and other members of the Police Department who have
attained tenure under the written rules of the department may be removed
only for cause. Disobedience to the lawful orders, rules and regulations
of the Chief of Police shall be grounds for appropriate disciplinary
action and any disciplinary removal must be by recommendation of the
Mayor and Chief of Police with approval of the Town Council.
(e)
The police chief shall submit to the Town Council a promotion policy
and organizational chart for approval within three months of ratification
of this charter. No promotions may be made without a current Council
approved promotion policy and organizational chart in place. Promotions
within the Police Department shall be made according to the approved
promotion policy and organizational chart. All promotions recommended
by the police chief in accordance with the approved promotion policy
and organizational chart shall be submitted to the Mayor and the Town
Council for final approval. Subsequent revisions to the Police Department
promotion policy and organizational chart must be submitted to the
Town Council for approval.
|
(A)
|
CIVILIAN POLICE REVIEW BOARD
|
(a)
General: There shall be a Civilian Police Review Board (CPRB),
which will receive, investigate and make appropriate recommendations
to the Mayor and Chief of Police of the Town of Wolcott regarding
complaints of citizens not excluding employees of the Police Department,
against members of the Wolcott Police Department and/or civilian employees
thereof.
(b)
Powers and Duties of Board: The CPRB shall be notified by the
Mayor's Office, the Chief of Police and or any individual member
of CPRB of any and all complaints against members of the Wolcott Police
Department and/or civilian employees thereof whether such complaints
be written, oral or anonymous.
The CPRB shall be provided with all police documents, reports,
electronic transmission, videotape and any other transcriptions related
to any civilian complaint. (The Chief of Police may take appropriate
actions to maintain the security of police documents, reports, electronic
transmissions and videotape reviewed by CPRB) The CPRB may request
the Chief of Police conduct appropriate internal affairs investigations
of serious complaints against members or civilian employees of the
police department. The CPRB shall review the conclusions of any internal
affairs investigation of a complaint prior to any disciplinary action
being taken and recommend further investigation to the Chief of Police
if appropriate. The CPRB may request written statements made under
oath through the Chief of Police from any member or civilian employee
of the department and of the complainant in order to fully investigate
any complaint. The CPRB shall make a written report of their investigation
and findings and their recommendation as to discipline to be taken
if any regarding all complaints, when appropriate, to the Mayor and
Chief of Police, however, the CPRB shall not have authority to impose
discipline. The Chief of Police and/or Mayor, where appropriate, shall
make the decision regarding discipline. The Chief of Police and/or
Mayor shall explain his or her disciplinary action in writing for
each complaint if different from the recommendation of the CPRB.
(c)
The Civilian Police Review Board shall consist of five members,
no more than three of whom shall be members of the same political
party.
(i)
Town Council Representative: One Town Council member shall serve
as a liaison to the CPRB.
(ii)
Appointments; term of office. No later than January 1, 2011,
the Mayor with Town Council approval shall appoint five (5) members
for a term of two (2) years and thereafter, in accordance with Section
401.
(iii)
No Compensation. Members shall serve without
compensation.
(d)
Organization of Civilian Police Review Board: During January
2011 and January of each odd numbered year thereafter, the Board shall
select from among its members a chair, vice chair and such other officers
as it may desire.
(i)
Secretary and record keeping. The Mayor shall appoint a secretary
to the Board which secretary may not be a member of the Board. The
Town Clerk shall act as record keeper for the Board.
(ii)
Meeting Schedule. The Board shall meet no less than two times
per year. The organizational meeting shall be no more than 30 days
after the appointment process of each term.
(iii)
Authority and actions of members. No member shall
have any authority to act on behalf of the Board except pursuant to
an order regularly made at a meeting of the Board.
(iv)
Quorum and voting requirements. Three members shall constitute
a quorum and a concurrent vote of no fewer than three members shall
be necessary for the transaction of business.
(v)
Public meetings and public participation. All meetings, except
executive sessions, as defined in the State Freedom of Information
Act or any successor thereto, shall be public. At the start of each
regularly scheduled public meeting the Board shall allot a minimum
of 15 minutes for public speaking, with a minimum of three minutes
per speaker.
(vi)
Bylaws. The Board shall have the power to adopt its own bylaws
for the conduct of its business accordance with the provisions of
this code.
(a)
There shall be an Assessor who shall be hired by the Town Council
and shall be responsible to the Mayor. Said Assessor shall be certified
or seeking certification by the State of Connecticut and appointed
on the basis of his or her executive and administrative qualifications.
(b)
The position of the Assessor shall hold no other elected or appointed
position within the government of the Town of Wolcott or the State
of Connecticut, notwithstanding other provisions of the Charter.
(c)
The Assessor shall have all the powers and duties conferred on Assessors
by the General Statutes and such other duties as may be assigned to
him or her by ordinance or the direction of the Mayor.
(d)
The Town Council shall appoint an interview committee made up of:
Two minority members, two majority members, the Mayor and two additional
members with municipal financial experience or property assessment
experience. The interview committee shall submit to the full Council
a finalist.
(e)
The appointment or reappointment of an Assessor shall occur with
approval of the Town Council. The term of employment shall be for
a two year contracted period approved by the Council that shall begin
July 1, 2005. Sixty days prior to the expiration of the contract,
the Town Council must vote to renew or non-renew that contract. In
the case of non-renewal of the existing contract, the interview committee
shall convene and proceed in accordance with this Charter.
The Mayor shall appoint a Planning and Zoning Commission subject
to the approval of the Council which shall consist of five (5) electors
of the Town, not more than three (3) of whom shall belong to any one
political party, with duties as prescribed by the General Statutes.
(a)
Terms of Office shall be as follows: Pursuant to General Statutes,
no more than three commissioners may be replaced at any one time.
Terms and appointments shall be as follows: Beginning January 1, 2006,
the appointing authority shall appoint three (3) members to a one-year
term and two (2) members to a two-year term. Beginning January 1,
2007, those positions whose one-year term has expired will then be
appointed to a two-year term. From that point forward, all positions
shall be appointed to a two-year term. Such appointees shall continue
to serve until their successors are appointed and qualify. At the
conclusion of municipal elections and appointments to the Commission,
an organizational meeting shall be held at their next scheduled meeting.
(a)
The Mayor shall appoint a Building Inspector who shall be certified
by the State of Connecticut. The Building Inspector may appoint, with
the approval of the Mayor, an Electrical Inspector and a Plumbing
Inspector, each of whom shall be certified by the State of Connecticut.
(b)
All shall perform duties as prescribed by Local Ordinance and General
Statutes.
The Mayor shall appoint a Director of Civil Preparedness and
Advisory Council which shall be composed as provided in General Statutes.
The Civil Preparedness organization shall have all the powers and
duties inferred or imposed on Civil Preparedness organizations by
General Statutes.
The Mayor shall appoint a Fire Marshal with Town Council approval
who shall be qualified and shall perform the duties and serve as prescribed
by General Statutes.
(a)
There shall be a Municipal Finance Officer who shall be hired by
the Town Council and shall be responsible to the Mayor.
The current town council appointed auditing firm shall submit
to the Town Council for its approval qualification criteria to be
followed by an interview committee. This qualification criteria must
be adopted by the Town Council within 30 days of ratification of this
charter. No appointment or reappointment may be made without a current
council approved qualification criteria policy in place.
The Town Council shall appoint an interview committee made up
of: The Mayor, Two Minority Council Members, Two Majority Council
Members and One nonvoting Member of the Town Appointed Auditing Firm.
The interview committee shall submit to the full Council a finalist.
The appointment or reappointment of a Municipal Finance Officer
shall occur only with a minimum of seven (7) affirmative votes of
the Council. The term of employment shall be for a two year contracted
period approved by the Council that shall begin July 1st on non election
years, retroactive to July 1, 2002. Sixty days prior to the expiration
of the contract, the Town Council must vote to renew or non-renew
that contract. In the case of non-renewal of the existing contract,
the interviewing committee shall convene and proceed in accordance
with this Charter. Should a vacancy occur in this position prior to
the second year contracted date the Chief Accountant shall assume
the position of the Municipal Finance Officer on an interim basis
not to exceed 6 months.
(b)
The position of the Municipal Finance Officer shall be a full-time,
paid position and the Municipal Finance Officer shall hold no other
elected or appointed position within the government of the Town of
Wolcott or the State of Connecticut.
(c)
The salary for this position shall be established in accordance with
the provisions of Section 710 of this Charter.
(d)
The Municipal Finance Officer shall be skilled in fiscal matters
by education, training and work experience and shall be responsible
for the purchase of supplies and services unless otherwise provided
in this Charter, for all Town Boards, Commissions, Departments, Agencies,
Authorities, Committees and Offices which presently exist or which
may come into existence through Ordinance, for the payment of all
accounts payable by the Town, and for the reconciliation of all Town
accounts not under the jurisdiction of the Town Treasurer or Tax Collector.
(e)
All procedures used in executing these responsibilities shall be
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and practices,
the General Statutes of the State of Connecticut, where they may apply,
the Charter of the Town of Wolcott, where it may apply, and shall
also have the prior approval of the Town Council.
(f)
The Municipal Finance Officer shall exercise authority over budgeted
expenditures and ensure that each Government unit is spending within
the limits of its budget. He or she also will ensure that all necessary
procedures have been followed to ensure the procurement of quality
services and supplies, timely delivered, at the lowest possible price.
(g)
The Municipal Finance Officer shall assist the Mayor in the annual
budget preparation process.
(h)
With regard to the continuing reconciliation of the Town accounts
during the fiscal year and the preparation of budgets, the Municipal
Finance Officer may request, in writing, any information deemed by
him or her to be necessary to the successful completion of these tasks
from the offices of the Town Clerk, Treasurer, Tax Collector, Assessor,
Board of Assessment Appeals, Board of Education, Town Council and
all Governmental units heretofore listed.
(i)
Failure to comply with such a request in a timely manner shall be
considered malfeasance of office and the elected or appointed official
in charge of the non-complying officer or unit shall be subject to
such action as may be provided for in the General Statutes of the
State of Connecticut relative to malfeasance of office.
(a)
The Mayor shall, not later than one (1) month after taking office,
appoint a Town Attorney to serve at his pleasure, who shall be an
attorney at law admitted to practice law in this State and who need
not be a full-time employee of the Town. The Town Attorney or his
duly qualified representative shall appear for and protect the rights
of the Town in all actions, suits, or proceedings brought by or against
it or any of its departments, officers, agencies, boards or commissions.
The Town Attorney shall have the power, by and with the consent of
the Mayor to retain additional temporary counsel to aid him on behalf
of the Town in the conduct of his office, if, in his opinion, the
interest of the Town so requires. The Mayor shall be required to inform
the Town Council of this action at their next regularly scheduled
meeting. The Town Attorney shall be the legal advisor to all town
officers, boards, commissions and agencies in all matters affecting
the legal rights of the Town and shall upon written request of the
Mayor or council furnish them with a written opinion on any question
of law involving the respective powers and duties of all Town officers,
boards, commissions and agencies.
(b)
The Town Attorney or his duly qualified representative shall be present
at all meetings which the Mayor or Council shall require.
(c)
Upon request of the Mayor or Town Council, the Town Attorney shall
prepare or approve contracts, agreements, or other documents affecting
the legal interests of the town.
(d)
The Town Attorney shall have the power, with the approval of the
Town Council, to compromise or settle any claim by or against the
Town and to appeal or defend any appeal taken from orders, decisions
and judgments affecting the legal rights of the Town.
(e)
Should the occasion arise wherein the Town Attorney concludes that
a conflict of interest exists in which there is an inability to ethically
represent the interests of the Town, or any office, agency or department
thereof, then the Mayor and Town Council shall be so advised of the
existence of such conflict. Upon being so advised, the Mayor shall
appoint another practicing attorney to represent the legal interests
of the Town in that particular matter. The Mayor shall be required
to inform the Town Council of this action at their next regularly
scheduled meeting. In cases wherein a conflict involves the legal
interests of the Mayor as against any other board, commissions, agency
officer or the Council, the Town Attorney shall represent the Mayor.
That entity with legal interests adverse to the Mayor shall have the
authority to hire its own attorney, subject to the approval of the
Council.
(f)
In any conflict of interest situation, as determined by the Town
Attorney, between or among any other entities of the Town not involving
the Mayor, the Town Attorney shall represent that entity designated
by the Mayor while the entity with interests adverse to that represented
by the Town Attorney shall have the authority, with approval by the
Council, to engage the services of a practicing attorney to represent
its interests in said matter.
(g)
All Departments, Boards, Commissions, and the Board of Education,
Superintendant and Managers shall forthwith submit a copy of all legal
notice of claims, suits, and actions of any kind to the Town Attorney.
There shall be a Conservation, Inland Wetlands and Water Courses
Commission established in accordance with the General Statutes.
The Mayor shall appoint with approval of the Town Council seven
(7) electors of the Town of Wolcott, not more than four (4) of whom
shall belong to any one political party, with duties as prescribed
by General Statutes, and Town Ordinance. The terms of all members
will be consistent with the term of the Mayor. The Mayor shall appoint
with the approval of the Town Council three (3) alternate members
to the Commission not more than two (2) of whom shall belong to any
one political party.
The Mayor shall appoint an Economic Development Commission which
shall consist of seven (7) electors of the Town, not more than four
of whom shall belong to any one political party, with duties as prescribed
by Town Ordinance and with terms to be consistent with provisions
of this Charter
The Mayor with the approval of the Town Council may appoint
a qualified social worker to meet the social service needs of the
town.
The Mayor shall appoint a Parks and Recreation and Acquired
Facilities Commission which shall consist of seven (7) electors of
the Town, not more than four (4) of whom shall belong to any one political
party, with the duties as prescribed by Town Ordinance, and with terms
to be consistent with the provisions of this Charter.
The Mayor shall appoint a Sewer and Water Commission which shall
consist of six (6) electors of the Town, not more than four of whom
shall belong to any one political party, with duties as prescribed
by Town Ordinance and terms of office consistent with this Charter.
(a)
There shall be a Commission on Aging, with duties prescribed by General
Statutes and Town Ordinance and terms to be consistent with provisions
of this Charter.
(b)
Duties - The Commission shall study all needs and conditions of elderly
persons in the Town in relation to housing, economics, employment,
health, transportation, recreational needs and other matters. It shall
analyze the services to the aged provided by the Town, both public
and private agencies and shall make recommendations to the Mayor regarding
development of such programs and the integration of the same with
the services made available by the State.
The Mayor shall appoint a Commission for Individuals with Special
Needs, consisting of twelve (12) electors of the Town, no more than
eight (8) of whom shall be members of the same political party and
at least one of whom shall be a handicapped person. The Commission's
powers and duties shall be as prescribed by Town Ordinance and the
terms of office shall be consistent with this Charter.
The Mayor shall appoint a Permanent Pension Committee consisting
of 7 electors of the town whose membership and duties shall be prescribed
by Town Ordinance and whose terms of office shall be consistent with
this Charter.
There shall be a Health District as provided by General Statute
and Town Ordinance.
There shall be a Board for Admission of Electors, as provided
by State Statutes, consisting of the Town Clerk and the Registrars
of Voters. The duties of such board shall be as prescribed by State
Statutes.
The mayor shall appoint a Commission on Veteran's Advocacy
consisting of seven members not more than four of whom shall be from
one political party. One member shall be nominated by the Wolcott
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1979, and one member shall be nominated
by the Wolcott American Legion Post 165, and the Wolcott Assessor.
The Commission's powers and duties shall be as prescribed by
the Town Ordinance and terms shall be consistent with the Charter.
