[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Harwinton 2-26-1974 by Ord. No. 36, effective 3-17-1974. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to the provisions of Public Act 155 of the 1972 Session of the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, as amended by Public Act 73-571, which Act is commonly known as the "Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act," there is hereby established an Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission to act as the agency of the Town in the implementation of the provisions of said Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Connecticut General Statutes §§ 22a-36 through 22a-45.
Said Commission shall have all the powers and responsibilities authorized under said Act, as the same may be amended from time to time. The Commission shall promulgate regulations concerning activities affecting the wetlands and watercourses within the territorial limits of the Town, including regulations dealing with the licensing of activities on such wetlands and watercourses.
The Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission of the Town of Harwinton shall consist of seven members each of whom shall be an elector of said Town. Not more than five members of them shall be members of the same political party.
The members of such Commission shall be appointed by the Board of Selectmen within 30 days of the effective date of this article. The Board of Selectmen shall appoint three members to serve until the Annual Town Meeting of 1974, two members to serve until the Annual Town Meeting of 1975, and two members to serve until the Annual Town Meeting of 1976.
Commencing at the 1974 Annual Town Meeting and at each Annual Town Meeting thereafter, there shall be elected as many members of said Commission as there are members whose terms expire to serve for a term of three years, or until their successors shall be elected and qualify.
Any vacancy that may occur on said Commission shall be filled by the Board of Selectmen until the next Annual Town Meeting.
No member of said Commission shall receive any compensation from the Town for his or her services.
[Added 2-18-2003 by Ord. No. 105, effective 2-18-2003]
A. 
Authority. This section is adopted pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes, Revised to 2003, § 22-42(c), and amends the ordinance creating the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission (No. 36) adopted February 26, 1974.
B. 
Alternate members. In addition to the seven regular members, the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission shall have two alternate members who shall be electors of the Town, elected at the Annual Town Meeting, to serve for terms of three years each or until their successors are chosen and qualified. Any vacancy in the term of an alternate member shall be filled by appointment of the Board of Selectmen until the next Annual Town Meeting. The alternate members shall not be members of the same political party.
C. 
Duties. An alternate member may be seated by the Chairman in place of a regular member who is absent, disqualified, or otherwise unable to participate, and such alternate member, when seated, shall have the authority of a regular member. Alternate members who are not seated may attend meetings, hearings and site inspections, but shall not participate in the decisions of the Commission unless first seated as a regular member. Alternate members need not be seated in strict rotation; however, the Chairman shall endeavor to be even-handed in the seating of alternate members.
D. 
Failure to attend meetings. Any alternate member of the Commission who is absent from three consecutive regular meetings and any intervening duly called special meetings shall be considered to have resigned from the Commission and the vacancy shall be filled as provided by this section, except that the regular members of the Commission may vote to waive the requirements of this section in each case where illness or other extenuating circumstances make it impossible for an alternate member to meet the attendance requirements of this section.