All the inhabitants dwelling within the territorial limits of
the Town of Winchester as the same now are or may hereafter be established
by law shall constitute forever hereafter to be a body politic and
corporate under the name of the "Town of Winchester", hereinafter
called the Town, and as such shall have perpetual succession and may
hold and exercise all powers and privileges heretofore exercised by
said Town and not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter,
the additional powers and privileges herein conferred and all powers
and privileges conferred upon towns under the general laws of the
State of Connecticut.
By virtue of this Charter said Town shall be absolutely vested
with, possess and enjoy all lands, tenements, hereditaments, property
and rights, chooses in action and estates, which at the effective
date of this Charter were vested in said Town. The said Town shall
continue to be liable for all debts and obligations of every kind
for which said Town shall have been liable on said date, whether accrued
or not. Nothing herein shall be construed to affect the right of said
Town to collect any assessment, charge, debt or lien for the construction,
alteration or repair of any sewer, pavement, sidewalk curb or gutter,
or for any other public improvement or service. If any contract has
been entered into by said Town prior to the effective date of this
Charter or any bond or undertaking has been given by or in favor of
said Town which contains provision that the same may be enforced by
any officer, board, commission, bureau or department therein named,
which is hereby abolished, such contract, bond or undertaking shall
be in no manner impaired but shall continue in full force and effect
and the powers conferred and the duties imposed with reference to
the same upon any such officer, board, commission, bureau or department
shall, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, thereafter be
exercised and discharged by the Board of Selectmen.
In addition to all powers granted to towns under the Constitution
and the Connecticut General Statutes, the Town shall have all powers
specifically granted by this Charter and Sections 7-148 and 7-194,
of the Connecticut General Statutes as may be from time to time amended,
and all powers fairly implied in or incident to the powers expressly
granted, and all other powers incident to the management of the property,
government and affairs of the Town, including the power to enter contracts
with the United States, State of Connecticut, or any political subdivision
thereof for services, funds, and the use of facilities, the exercise
of which is not expressly forbidden by the Constitution and general
law of the State of Connecticut. Further, the Town shall have the
power to manage, regulate, and control the finances and property,
real and personal, of the Town and to regulate and provide for the
sale, conveyance, transfer and release of town property, and to provide
for the execution of contracts and evidences of indebtedness issued
by the Town. The enumeration of particular powers in this and any
other section of this Charter shall not be construed as limiting this
general grant of power but shall be considered as an addition thereto.
All contracts, deeds, bonds and other instruments requiring
assent of the Town shall be signed by the First Selectman or Town
Manager as designated by resolution of the Board of Selectmen.
All by-laws, ordinances, rules and regulations of the Town of
Winchester in force on the date of the adoption of this Charter, which
are not inconsistent with the provision of this Charter, shall be
and remain in full force and effect as the by-laws, ordinances, rules,
and regulations of the Town of Winchester. They shall be in force
until they are altered, amended, or repealed as provided by this Charter.
All powers, rights and duties vested in and imposed upon the officers,
boards, commissions, departments and agencies of the Town of Winchester,
by said by-laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations are hereby vested
in and imposed upon the corresponding officers, boards, commissions,
departments and agencies of the Town of Winchester provided for by
this Charter.