There shall be a Town Council, hereinafter referred to as "the Council," consisting of seven members, who shall serve without compensation except for reimbursement of actual expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. No member of this Council shall hold any other elective or appointive position or be an employee under the government of the Town, including the school system, during the term for which elected. No member of the Council shall hold any office or position of profit under the government of the Town during the term of office for which elected.
The organizational meeting shall be held on the following Tuesday after the election. The meeting shall be called to order by the Town Clerk, who shall administer the oath of office to all members, provided that in the absence of the Town Clerk, the meeting may be called to order and the oath administered by any citizen of Tolland who is authorized by law to administer oaths. The Council shall proceed to elect a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson, but such office shall not deprive such Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of his or her vote on any question. The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings of the Council and perform such other duties consistent with the Chairperson's office as may be imposed by the Council. The Chairperson shall be recognized as the official head of the Town for all ceremonial purposes. During the Chairperson's absence or disability, the duties shall be performed by the Vice Chairperson.
At the organizational meeting, the Council shall fix the time and place of its regular meetings and provide for a method for calling special meetings. The regular meeting shall be held at least once each month. The Council shall determine its own rules of procedure. All meetings of the Council for the transaction of business shall be open to the public, and the votes shall be recorded as prescribed by the General Statutes. Four members shall constitute a quorum, but no ordinance, resolution or vote, except to adjourn or to fix the time and place of the next meeting, shall be adopted by fewer than four affirmative votes. The Council shall keep, for public inspection, a journal or minutes of all its proceedings, including all roll call votes. Said journal or minutes shall be maintained by the Town and shall be authenticated for each meeting by the presiding officer.
The legislative power of the Town shall be vested exclusively in the Council, except as provided for in the Charter. The Council shall have the powers not inconsistent with this Charter or the General Statutes to enact, amend, or repeal ordinances; to create or abolish, by ordinance, boards, commissions, departments and offices; and the Council shall, upon the recommendation of the Town Manager, contract for services. The Council shall assure the existence of a Council approved Town of Tolland Personnel Policies Manual which shall be kept current through the Town Manager's office. All updates to the Personnel Policies Manual shall be approved by the Council. If the Council adopts any federal or state code there shall be maintained at least two copies of such code, rules or regulations in the office of the Town Clerk for examination by the public. The Council by resolution may regulate the internal operation of nonelected boards, commissions and offices and fix the compensation of the Town Manager, the officers and all employees as hereinafter provided in the Charter. The Council may fix the charges to be made for services rendered by the Town. The Council shall appropriate a reasonable amount of money to fund the Planning and Zoning Commission's work on the Town Plan of Conservation and Development.
Public hearings for the consideration of the annual budget, supplementary or additional appropriations, ordinances and such other actions as the Council shall determine shall be held at such time and place as the Council may determine by resolution. Notice of the time, place and purpose of such public hearings shall be publicized within the Town in accordance with the General Statutes at least five days prior to such public hearings. After such public hearings, a straw poll of the registered voters and nonregistered voters of the Town present may be taken on each issue and may constitute a public expression of opinion for the guidance of the Council.
Every ordinance, after passage, shall be given a serial number and be recorded by the Town Clerk in a book to be kept for that purpose. Within 10 days after its passage, each ordinance shall be published in summary form in a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town, or be publicized within the Town in accordance with the General Statutes. Each summary shall include a disclaimer that the description is for informational purposes and a full copy of the ordinance may be obtained, without charge, from the Town Clerk. Ordinances making or requiring an appropriation of funds must be published in full. Every ordinance, unless specifying a later date, shall become effective on the 15th day after such publication following passage, except as otherwise provided in the Charter.
An ordinance stated to be a public emergency measure and which states the facts constituting such public emergency shall become effective immediately after publication thereof as required in § C4-6 of this Charter, and no public hearing or notice of public hearing shall be required for any public emergency ordinance. Every such emergency ordinance, including amendments thereto, shall automatically stand repealed at the termination of the 61st day following final passage of said ordinance. Emergency ordinances shall not be subject to the provisions of § C10-2 of this Charter. It is the intent of the automatic repeal provision on the 61st day that emergency ordinances be duly processed as ordinances and not be renewed or reenacted.
Any legislative power of the Town previously vested in the Special Town Meeting shall be vested in the Town Council except as otherwise provided in §§ C9-10, C9-16 and Chapter X of this Charter.
No member of the Council shall direct or request an appointment of any person to any office or employment or direct or request the removal of any person from office or employment, which office or employment, by the provisions of this Charter, the Town Manager or any of the Manager's appointees are empowered to fill by appointment. The Council and its members shall deal with the Town employees solely through the Town Manager, and neither the Council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any of the subordinates of the Town Manager either publicly or privately. If there is any desire to provide direction to subordinates of the Town Manager, the Council is required to have the discussion in a properly constituted meeting which the Town Manager is invited to attend and to provide that direction as a single body through the Town Manager. Any Council member violating the provisions of this section shall be subject to public censure or removal by five affirmative votes of the Council after notice and hearing as hereinafter provided. Such member of the Council shall be served with a written notice of the intention of the Council to censure or remove said member, which notice shall contain a clear statement of the grounds for such censure or removal. The Council shall also set a time and place at which the member of the Council being subject to censure or removal shall be given an opportunity to be heard. Such meeting shall be public at the option of the member. The decision of the Council shall be final.
The Council shall designate an independent certified public accountant, or firm of independent certified public accountants, to annually audit the books and accounts of the Town in accordance with the General Statutes.