Ridgefield Town Charter

ARTICLE V. APPOINTIVE BOARDS, COMMISSIONS

AND COMMITTEES

Section 5-1. Appointive boards.

There shall continue to be the following appointive boards: The conservation commission, the parks and recreation commission, the building code board of appeals, the commission on the aging, the historic district commission, the housing authority, the pension commission, the youth commission, board of ethics and water pollution control authority.

Additional appointive boards may be created and their powers and duties specified by ordinance passed at a town meeting. Appointive boards, authorized by this section may be abolished or consolidated, their powers and duties may be altered and the number or term of office of their members may be changed by ordinance. (7)

Section 5-2. Appointments to appointive boards and commissions.

The board of selectmen shall appoint, whether for full terms or to fill vacancies, the members of all boards and commissions authorized by this Charter, herein referred to as appointive boards.

So long as the maximum number of members of the same political party permitted under the minority representation law is not exceeded, the board of selectmen may appoint a person to fill a vacancy without regard to the political party affiliation of the vacating member. During the last fourteen (14) days of its term, the board of selectmen may make no appointments to appointive boards. The board of selectmen may not make or substitute appointments for full terms which do no commence during the term of office of said board of selectmen.

All members of appointive boards shall be electors and residents of the town and shall vacate their positions on ceasing to be electors or residents of the town. Minors appointed to the youth commission are exempt from the requirement of being an elector.

All terms shall be established to expire as nearly as possible at regularly staggered annual or biennial intervals.

A member shall continue to hold office until a successor has been appointed and has qualified.

Membership on all appointive boards provided by this article shall be determined in accordance with the minority representation law as set forth in the General Statutes unless otherwise specified in this Charter. (8)

Section 5-3. Conservation commission.

The conservation commission shall consist of nine (9) members serving three-year terms ending February l. Three (3) members shall be appointed each year.

The conservation commission shall devote its efforts to insuring the sound development, conservation, supervision and regulation of natural resources, including water resources of the town, and shall be responsible for the duties of the flood and erosion control board as prescribed in the General Statutes and applicable ordinances.

Section 5-4. Parks and recreation commission.

The parks and recreation commission shall consist of seven (7) members serving three-year terms ending April l. Two (2) or three (3) members, as appropriate shall be appointed each year.

The parks and recreation commission shall maintain a comprehensive recreational program; shall be responsible for all park properties; shall prescribe a system of regulations, permits, and fees for recreational and park uses; shall appoint and employ a full-time superintendent and such other staff as is needed; and shall have duties and powers in accordance with the General Statutes and applicable ordinances.

Section 5-5. Building code board of appeals.

The building code board of appeals shall consist of five (5) members serving five-year terms ending January l. One member shall be appointed each year.

The building code board of appeals shall hear appeals of persons who feel the building official erred in issuing an order or in failing to issue a permit to construct, and shall have powers and duties in accordance with the General Statutes and applicable ordinances.

Section 5-6. Commission on the aging.

The commission on the aging shall consist of eight (8) members serving three-year terms ending April 1. Two (2) or three (3) members, as appropriate, shall be appointed each year.

The commission on the aging shall study the needs of the elderly and coordinate municipal programs to meet those needs; and shall have powers and duties in accordance with the General Statutes and applicable ordinances.

Section 5-7. Historic district commission.

The historic district commission shall consist of five (5) members who hold no salaried municipal office, serving five-year terms ending January l. One member shall be appointed each year. Preferably, at least one member of the commission shall be an architect.

The historic district commission may prevent erection, reconstruction, alteration, razing of buildings and other structures in the historic districts, and shall have powers and duties in accordance with the General Statutes and applicable ordinances. (5)

Section 5-8. Housing Authority.

The housing authority shall consist of five (5) members serving five-year terms ending October 31. One member shall be appointed each year.

The housing authority shall be responsible for the administration and operation of public housing projects, and shall have powers and duties in accordance with the General Statutes and applicable ordinances.

Section 5-9. Pension commission.

The pension commission shall consist of seven (7) members serving for three-year terms ending June l. Two (2) or three (3) members shall be appointed each year, as appropriate.

The pension commission shall be responsible for the planning and management of a pension system for municipal employees, and shall have powers and duties in accordance with the General Statutes and applicable ordinances.

Section 5-10. Youth commission.

The youth commission shall consist of sixteen (16) members serving two-year terms ending July l. Eight (8) members shall be appointed each year.

The youth commission shall act as an advocate for the youth of Ridgefield, and ensure participation, planning and development by the community of youth services, and shall have powers and duties in accordance with the General Statutes.

Minors/youth are permitted to be members of the youth commission. (9)

Section 5-10.1. Water pollution control authority.

The water pollution control authority shall consist of five (5) members serving four (4) year terms ending April 1. Initially, two members shall be appointed for two year terms, one member for a three year term, and two members for four year terms. Thereafter one or two members shall be appointed at the expiration of each four year term. At least two (2) members must possess formal technical training appropriate to understanding the operation of sewer plants. At least one (1) member shall reside in a dwelling connected to the sewer and at least one (1) reside in a dwelling serviced by septic.

The authority shall have powers and duties in accordance with the general statutes and applicable ordinances.

The water pollution control authority shall be responsible for supervision of the town's sewer plants. The authority shall formulate and approve a fee schedule. The authority shall formulate and periodically update a water pollution control plan for the town. Such plan shall designate and delineate the boundary of: areas served by municipal sewerage systems; areas where sewerage facilities are planned and the schedule of design and construction anticipated or proposed; areas where sewers are to be avoided; areas served by community sewerage systems not owned by the town and areas to be served by any proposed community sewerage system not owned by the town. The authority shall determine any excess capacity of the existing systems and determine the appropriate use of such capacity. (12)

Section 5-11. Board of Ethics.

The board of ethics shall consist of five (5) members and one (1) alternate serving four-year terms ending December 31. Three members or two members and the alternate shall be appointed every two years. The members, electors of the town known for their integrity, shall be appointed by the Board of Selectmen, with at least three (3) selectmen voting in favor. Not more than three members of the board of ethics, including the alternate, shall be registered with the same political party. Members of the Board of Ethics shall not hold other town office or be employees of the town.

Initially, two members and the alternate shall be appointed for two-year terms and three members shall be appointed for regular four-year terms.

Section 5-12. Committees.

Committees may be established by vote at a town meeting or by vote of the board of selectmen. Committees established by vote at [a] town meeting may be either temporary or permanent. Committees established by the board of selectmen shall terminate thirty (30) days after the next regular town election, unless renewed by the vote of the board of selectmen.

Appointments and Terms: Except as otherwise provided by the ordinance or resolution establishing a committee, the term of office of appointees to committees shall terminate thirty (30) days after the next regular town election, and the board of selectmen shall act as the initial appointing authority, shall choose successors, and shall fill all vacancies, except that: If the committee was established by vote at a town meeting and the members of that committee were either elected or confirmed by the town meeting, the selectmen shall call a special town meeting for filling any vacancy or choosing successors, and the incumbents may remain in office until their successors have been duly chosen in this manner.

Powers: Committees established by vote of the board of selectmen shall have only those powers and duties which may be delegated to them by the board of selectmen or the first selectman; committees established by vote at a town meeting shall have such powers and duties as the town meeting shall determine, except that no committee shall infringe on the powers or impede the duties which General Statutes or this Charter assigns to town offices, boards and commissions.

Section 5-13. Removal for cause.

A member of an appointive board or committee may be removed for cause by the board of selectmen, but no such removal for cause shall be effected unless the member:

(1) Has received a statement in writing, prepared either by the first selectman or by the remaining members of the appointive board, of the reasons why such member should be removed; and

(2) Has, not less than fifteen (15) days after the delivery of the statement of reasons, been afforded an opportunity for a hearing before the board of selectmen, at which the member may appear with counsel.

Any member of an appointive board, commission or committee who does not attend at least two-thirds (2/3) of the regular meetings scheduled during the calendar year, shall be considered removed from such board, commission or committee and his or her place shall be considered vacant. It shall be the duty of the chair of that board, commission or committee to give prompt written notice of such a vacancy to the board of selectmen.

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