[Amended 11-4-2008]
The Mayor shall be elected at a regular town election commencing with the election to be held on November 8, 2005 and every four (4) years thereafter, as provided by law. The Mayor shall hold office for a term of four (4) years, to commence on the second Monday of December following his or her election.
The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the Town and shall have all of the executive powers vested by law or by this Charter, except as otherwise provided or limited by this Charter. He or she shall be recognized as the official head of the Town for all ceremonial purposes, by the courts for the purpose of serving civil process and by the Governor for military purposes. In his or her absence, all legal process issued by and on behalf of the Town requiring the affidavit of an official of the Town shall be signed by the Town Clerk. [Amended 11-4-2008]
The Mayor shall be a full-time paid position and he or she shall not engage in any other employment during his or her term of office. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, the duties of the Mayor shall include, but not be limited to:
1. 
Administration and supervision of all departments, agencies and offices of the Town.
2. 
The enforcement of all laws and ordinances of the Town.
3. 
Making periodic reports to the Council on matters relating to the administration and welfare of the Town at regular Council meetings or upon the request of the Council.
4. 
Making recommendations to the Council for legislative action and other matters within the jurisdiction of the Council as he or she shall deem necessary in the best interest of the Town.
5. 
Attendance at Council meetings with full right of participation in the discussions and deliberation of the Council, but without the right to vote on ordinances and resolutions except in the event of a tie vote of 5-5.
[Amended 11-4-2008]
6. 
[Amended 11-4-2008]
(a) 
Approval or veto of all ordinances passed by the Council in accordance with this Charter, with any such veto to occur not later than fourteen (14) days after the adoption of said ordinance.
(b) 
Notwithstanding the provision of § 1.2 subsection 6 (a), the approval or veto of any ordinance making an appropriation pursuant to § 6.2.2, or of any portion thereof, or of any ordinance levying a tax pursuant to § 6.2.6 of this Charter, with any such veto to occur not later than fourteen (14) days after the adoption of said ordinance.
(c) 
In the event the Mayor shall veto any ordinance as allowed pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, the Mayor shall, within 2 business days of making such veto, notify the Town Clerk, the Chairman of the Town Council and the Council Clerk, in writing, that he/she has exercised his/her right to veto said ordinance and shall provide a written statement as to the reasons for vetoing such ordinance.
7. 
Making nominations for appointment to the Town's various Boards and Commissions and to fill any vacancies created therein not otherwise provided for by this Charter, in the manner provided in Section 1.4(b).
[Amended 11-4-2008]
8. 
Preparation of the Annual Budget of the Town to submit to the Council for review and approval.
9. 
Preparation of the State of the Town Address, reflecting the growth, changes and status of the Town since the prior Annual Report, together with the responsibility for publishing said report no later than thirty (30) days after the receipt of the auditor's final report.
10. 
Mediation and resolution of differences between boards, commissions, committees, agencies, authorities and other public bodies within the Town government relating to an interpretation of Town policies and procedures.
11. 
The Mayor or his or her designee shall conduct an investigation of available state and federal funds and grants on behalf of the Town and advise any of the Town's departments, boards and commissions with respect to obtaining said funds and grants.
12. 
The Mayor or his or her designee shall act as the bargaining agent and personnel director for the Town, with the exception of the Board of Education, in all labor and employment matters, including authority to retain the services of labor consultants and attorneys to assist in such matters.
13. 
Selection, appointment and hiring of department heads, except as otherwise provided in this Charter.
14. 
Adopting as well as updating a written policy for recruiting, screening, investigating and hiring all Town employees for positions in accordance with approved job descriptions. In addition, the Mayor shall, on a monthly basis, report to the Council regarding employment vacancies, promotions and recently hired employees.
[Amended 11-4-2008]
15. 
Directing department heads to establish procedures for annual performance evaluations of all subordinate employees. The Mayor shall prepare, obtain and review performance evaluations of all department heads of the Town. Before the department head takes any personnel action with regard to any Town employee evaluated, he or she shall review all performance evaluations from all sources. The department head shall thereafter take such action as he or she shall deem appropriate with respect to all employees evaluated.
The Mayor shall have such additional powers and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be require of him or her by ordinance, provided that the same are not inconsistent with this Charter or the provisions of the Connecticut General Statutes.
[Amended 11-4-2008]
(a) 
In the event the Mayor is temporarily absent or temporarily medically impaired and is, because of such absence or impairment, unable to communicate with the Chief Administrative Officer or unable to perform the duties of the office of Mayor, the Chairman of the Council shall become Acting Mayor. In the event the Chairman of the Council is unavailable, and until such time as the Chairman of the Council becomes available, the Council Chairman Pro Tempore shall become Acting Mayor. The Acting Mayor shall assume the office of Mayor, and shall possess all of the powers of the office of Mayor, except that he or she shall not have the power to terminate or permanently hire any director or department head, shall not have the right to break ties of the Council, and shall not have the right to veto any ordinance passed by the Council, and shall perform the duties of Mayor until such time as the Mayor is able to resume the office of Mayor. The Council Chairman or Council Chairman Pro Tempore, while serving as Acting Mayor, shall retain their Council seat and all rights associated therewith.
Any person assuming the office of Mayor pursuant to Section 1.3 (a) for a period of greater than forty-eight (48) consecutive hours shall receive compensation in an amount equal to the pro-rated salary of the Mayor then in effect, retroactive to the first date of such service.
(b) 
The office of Mayor shall be deemed vacant upon the occurrence of any of the following events:
1. 
Death of the Mayor.
2. 
Resignation of the Mayor.
3. 
If the Mayor ceases to have his or her residence in the Town.
4. 
If the Mayor is absent or medically impaired such that he cannot perform the duties of the office of Mayor for any reason for a continuous period of not less than ninety (90) days.
5. 
If the Mayor is convicted of a felony during his or her term of office, which includes that period subsequent to his/her election and the commencement of his or her term.
6. 
Permanent or progressive incapacity of the Mayor, such that he cannot perform the duties of the office of Mayor, as determined by the treating physician of the Mayor, or in the event the Mayor does not have a treating physician, then upon the concurring opinion of three (3) physicians licensed to practice medicine in the State of Connecticut.
(c) 
If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Mayor pursuant to Section 1.3 (b), the Council Chairman shall vacate his or her Council seat, and serve as Mayor. If such vacancy occurs two (2) or more years prior to the next regular Mayoral election, a special election shall be convened by the Council to fill such vacancy in conformity with the provisions of Connecticut General Statutes § 9-164(b), as may be amended from time to time. If such vacancy occurs less than two (2) years prior to the next regular Mayoral election, the Council chairman shall serve until a successor Mayor is elected at the next regular election and takes office. The Council chairman serving as Mayor shall possess all the powers of the office of Mayor and shall be compensated at the salary of the Mayor then in effect.
[Amended 11-4-2008[1]]
(a) 
The Mayor shall nominate members to boards, commissions, authorities, agencies and offices as may be required by Charter, ordinance, resolution or General Statute. The Mayor shall, within two (2) business days of making the nomination, notify the Town Clerk, the Council Chairman and the Council Clerk, in writing of said nomination. Any person nominated to any such board, commission, authority, agency or office which has the authority, without the consent of the Town Council, to spend any appropriated funds, to enter into an agreement, or to render a final decision on any matter, or which board, commission, authority, agency or office is established pursuant to state or federal law, shall be subject to confirmation by a majority of the members of the Town Council. In the event that Town Council does not vote to confirm or reject the nominee within thirty (30) days of the notification by the Mayor to the Council Chairman, the nominee shall be deemed to have been confirmed.
(b) 
The Mayor shall nominate members to the Economic and Community Development Commission. The Mayor shall, within two (2) business days of making the nomination, notify the Town Clerk, the Council Chairman and the Council Clerk, in writing of said nomination. All nominees to the Economic and Community Development Commission shall be subject to confirmation by a majority of the members of the Town Council. In the event that Town Council does not vote to confirm or reject the nominee within thirty (30) days of notification of the nomination by the Mayor to the Council Chairman, the nominee shall be deemed to have been confirmed.
(c) 
The Town Council shall adopt a policy to publicize to the general public all vacancies on all appointed boards, commissions, committees, authorities, agencies or offices and the process for submitting applications.
[1]
Editor's Note: This amendment also redesignated former Section 1.6 as Section 1.5.
The Mayor, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, shall be a member, ex officio, of all boards, commissions and special committees, but he or she shall not have any voting power, except when such a body shall, as a result of a tie vote, fail to organize or elect necessary officers, in either of which case the Mayor shall have a tie-breaking vote. The Mayor is empowered to convene any or all of the appointed boards and commissions of the Town to review and coordinate activities and to plan operations of the Town government.
The Council and all boards, commissions and agencies shall exercise all its administrative functions only through the Mayor. The Council may, at a properly constituted meeting of which the Mayor has been duly warned, call before it any employee of the Town for the purpose of inquiry, consultation or advice.