A. 
There shall be a Town Clerk as required by the General Statutes and as set forth in this Charter[1].
[1]
NOTE: NEW (2023).
B. 
Powers and Duties[2]. The Town Clerk shall have all the powers and duties[3] prescribed by the General Statutes and this Charter and such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Council.
(1) 
Registrar of Vital Statistics[4]. The Town Clerk also serves as Registrar of Vital Statistics, unless otherwise set forth by the General Statutes[5].
[4]
NOTE: NEW (2023).
[5]
NOTE: C.G.S. § 7-37 entitled "Town clerk, ex-officio registrar. Notice to Secretary of the State of appointment of registrar, vacancy in appointed office of registrar".
(2) 
General Responsibilities. The Town Clerk supervises the processing, interpreting, indexing and recording of all land transactions, vital statistics, and official documents. The Clerk is also custodian of the Town Seal and Registrar of Vital Statistics Seal. Moreover, the Town Clerk is responsible for the following services and functions, unless otherwise specified by Law.
(a) 
Public Information. Creating procedures for the public to review public records and documents and providing technical information and assistance to title searchers, attorneys, and members of the public. Moreover, the Clerk is responsible for responding to general inquiries of the public.
(b) 
Election Activities. Coordinating election activities with the moderators of General and Special elections; including the supervision of the preparation, issuance, receipt, and processing of absentee ballots.
(c) 
Licensing and Permits. Managing the issuance of various licenses and permits.
(d) 
Record and Reporting Functions. Maintaining financial records for receiving fees in order to track or index and calculate recording fees, conveyance taxes for deed transfers, land maps and trade name certificates. The Clerk is also responsible for preparing daily, monthly, and annual reports to the State Departments of Environmental Protection, Health, and Revenue Services and required reports for the Secretary of the State.
(e) 
Administration. Preparing and administering the budget as well as the collective bargaining agreement and personnel rules for members of office staff.
(f) 
Oath of Office. Administering oath of office to elected and appointed officials.
(3) 
Assistants and Employees[6]. The Town Clerk shall appoint and may remove all assistants[7] and employees of this office.
[6]
NOTE: NEW (2023).
[7]
NOTE: The appointment and vacancies in the office of such assistants shall be subject to notification as required by the General Statutes. (C.G.S. Sec. 7-19).
(4) 
Compensation[8]. The Town Clerk's compensation and benefits shall be determined by the City Council from time to time, in accordance with the provisions of this Charter.
[8]
NOTE: NEW (2023).
(5) 
Fees[9]. All fees collected by the Town Clerk must be paid to the City, except as otherwise provided by the General Statutes.
[9]
NOTE: NEW (2023).
(6) 
Certification[10]. For the purpose of achieving best practices and the highest professional standards in the conduct of Public Meetings, the Town Clerk is required, upon eligibility, to participate in the certification program for town clerks, as set forth in the General Statutes.
[10]
NOTE: NEW (2023). See, C.G.S. § 7-22a entitled "Certification program for town clerks" is not mandatory: "(b) any person may participate in the course of training... and upon successfully completing any examination.... shall be recommended to the secretary of the state as a candidate for certification as a certified Connecticut town clerk".
[2]
NOTE: 2023 recodification and restatement of current Article V, Part 1 - General. § 1-217. Derived from Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 73.
[3]
NOTE: NEW (2023). Some of the responsibilities of the Town Clerk are set forth in C.G.S. Title 7, Chapter 92. This is not the exhaustive list. (1) § 7-16. Bond (Repealed); (2) § 7-16a. Notice to Secretary of the State of appointment of town clerk, vacancy in appointed office of town clerk; (3) § 7-17. Oath of town clerks; (4) § 7-18. Neglect of duty (Repealed); (5) § 7-19. Assistant town clerks. Notice to Secretary of the State of appointment, vacancy; (6) § 7-20. Acting town clerk; (7) § 7-21. Town clerk pro tempore; (8) § 7-22. Removal of town clerks; (9) § 7-22a. Certification program for town clerks; (10) § 7-23. Records and copies; (11) § 7-24. Recording of instruments; safekeeping of records; recording of illegible instruments; (12) § 7-25. Index; (13) § 7-25a. Electronic indexing system; (14) § 7-26. Errors to be corrected; (15) § 7-26a. Indemnification of clerk with respect to claims arising out of land record errors; (16) § 7-27. Municipal records to be kept in fire-resistive vaults or safes; (17) § 7-27a. Destruction of original land records or instruments; (18) § 7-27b. Removal of Social Security number from document prior to recording on land records; (19) § 7-28. Indexing of mechanic's lien; (20) § 7-29. Release or assignment of mortgage or lien; (21) § 7-30. Attachment of real estate; (22) § 7-31. Maps of surveys and plots, filing requirements, copies; (23) § 7-32. Index of surveys and maps; (24) § 7-32a to 7-32j. Reserved for future use; (25) § 7-32k. Property upon which hunting or shooting sports regularly take place. Placement of property location on list maintained by town clerk. Notice. Liability not imposed by section; (26) § 7-33. Lists of transfers of taxable property; (27) § 7-33a. Issuance of certificates of authority of justices of peace, notaries and Superior Court Commissioners; (28) § 7-34. Fees; (29) § 7-34a. Fees; (30) § 7-34b. Accounting of fees required. Salary in lieu of fees; (31) § 7-35. Preservation by town clerks of statutes, special acts and Register and Manual; (32) § 7-35a. Off-site storage of original documents. Requirements; (33) § 7-35b to 7-35z.
A. 
Powers and Duties[2]. There shall be Registrars of Voters who shall have the powers and duties as are conferred on or imposed on them by the General Statutes and the provisions of this Charter. Among other duties, the Registrars of Voters are responsible for the following:
(1) 
Creating and maintaining the official Voter Registry List, lists of enrolled party members and voting records documenting who voted.
(2) 
Preparing maps showing voting locations and state and local district and precinct boundaries and updating the maps following redistricting and reapportionment.
(3) 
Acting together to conduct all elections, prepare official checklists of voters, obtain ballots, test tabulating and other equipment, hiring and appointing poll workers, training election officials and poll workers, overseeing accurate counts and submitting accurate results.
(4) 
Storing and maintaining all election equipment and supplies, used ballots, and archival records; setting-up of the polling places; ensuring proper reporting of voting totals during the election period; conducting post-election audits and recounts as required.
(5) 
All other duties imposed upon the Registrars by Law or this Charter.
[2]
NOTE: 2023 recodification of current Article III - Part 2. Registrars of Voters. § 1-187. Derived from Sp. Laws 1951, No. 334, § 5. See also, See, C.G.S. § 9-190 entitled "Registrars of voters". See also, C.G.S. § 9-189a entitled "Four-year terms for town clerks, registrars and treasurers".
B. 
Council May Make Ordinances and Fix Compensation[3]. The City Council may make Ordinances to regulate the meetings and elections and to provide for holding and conducting the same.
[3]
NOTE: 2023 recodification and edit of current Article III - Part 1. In General, § 1-172. Derived from Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 54; Sp. Laws 1921, No. 355, § 1. Historical editor's Note: See also § 1-185.
C. 
Compensation[4]. The City Council shall fix the compensation of the Registrars and their assistants and of the Presiding Officers, box tenders, check clerks and counters.
[4]
NOTE: 2023 recodification and revision of current Article III - Part 1. In General, § 1-172. Derived from Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 54; Sp. Laws 1921, No. 355, § 1. Historical editor's Note: See also § 1-185. The following language was repealed: "provided each Registrar of the First and Second Voting Districts shall receive not less than $2,000 annually and each Registrar of the Third Voting District not less than $125 annually as compensation for their services as the Registrars."
D. 
Operational Standards[5]. The Registrars of Voters shall operate in accordance with nationally accepted professional standards as they aspire to best practices and provide the Electors of the City with assistance on a non-partisan basis.
[5]
NOTE: NEW (2023).
E. 
Establishment of Precincts and Voting Places.
(4)
Voting Precincts[6]. The Registrars of Voters shall, subject to approval by the City Council, at least one hundred and twenty Days prior to any general election, establish and designate suitable voting precincts, if practicable, within the established Council Districts. Each Council District shall be entitled to at least one such voting precinct and each voting precinct shall have a separate voting place.
(5)
Voting Places[7]. The Registrars of Voters shall have the authority to designate the voting places (and set up voting accommodations at public buildings (including any and all public schools). All public buildings used as polling places shall include electrical power for lighting and use of electronic equipment, internet access, water, HVAC, and parking necessary to make the building useable for voting.
(6)
Precinct Voting Lists[8]. The Registrars shall compile separate voting lists for each precinct so established and designated.
[6]
NOTE: 2023 recodification and edit of current Article III - Part 1. In General, § 1-179. Derived from Sp. Laws 1945, No. 134, § 1. Historical Editor's Note: See also § 1-3 for earlier provision.
[7]
NOTE: 2023 recodification and edit of current Article III — Part 1. In General, § 1-180. Derived from Sp. Laws 1945, No. 134, § 2.
[8]
NOTE: 2023 recodification of current Article III — Part 1. In General, § 1-181. Derived from Sp. Laws 1945, No. 134, § 3.
[1]
NOTE: 2023 recodification of current Article III - Part 2. Registrars of Voters. § 1-186. Derived from Sp. Laws 1951, No. 334, § 4. Also, 2023 recodification of current Article III - Part 2. Registrars of Voters [Editor's Note: See § 1-172 for compensation; §§ 1-179 to 1-181 for duties with respect to voting precincts and polling places; § 1-217, for powers and duties generally. See also, Ch. 9, Administration, Art. IV]; see also, § 1-183 through 1-184 (Reserved). Editor's Note: Former §§ 1-183, 1951 election, and 1-184, Term of office for Registrars of Voters, Sp. Laws 1951, No. 334, §§ 1 and 2, were repealed 9-2-1980 by Charter Amendment, approved by the electorate at the general election held 11-4-1980.
The powers and duties of the Constables shall be those conferred and imposed upon such officers of towns under the General Statutes[2].
[1]
NOTE: 2023 recodification and modification of current Article V, Part 1 - General. § 1-217. Derived from Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 73. Note: City and Clerk and Registrars of Voters were deleted from this provision.
[2]
NOTE: 2025 repeal of § 6-4 entitled “Sheriff: Authority and Duties” derived from the 2023 recodification of current Article V, Part 1 – General. § 1-214 and Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 71. Historical Editor’s Note: For election provision refer to § 1-166. Additionally, 2023 recodification of current Article V, Part 1 – General. (1) The Selectmen: § 1-215 derived from Sp. Laws 1947, No. 215, Historical Editor’s Note: For election provision refer to § 1-166 and § 1-216 derived from Sp. Laws 1913, No. 352, § 72; and (2) The Treasurer, Article V, Part 4 – Department of Finance, § 1-246 entitled “City Treasurer”. Added by Charter Amendment 8-29-1978, § 11. Editor's Note: Approved by the electorate at the general election held 11-7-1978.