ANNOTATED CHARTER
OF THE
TOWN OF HAMDEN
CONNECTICUT

Hon. Lauren Garrett
Mayor
Hon. Karimah Mickens
Town Clerk

Adopted by the electors of the Town of Hamden
and effective thereupon, November 8, 2022, unless otherwise set forth herein.

PREAMBLE

CHAPTER I: CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF HAMDEN

   Section 1-1:   Title

   Section 1-2:   Definitions and Titles Generally

   Section 1-3:   Time of Appointments and Meetings Generally

   Section 1-4:   Definitions

CHAPTER II: INCORPORATION AND GENERAL POWERS

   Section 2-1:   Territory

   Section 2-2:   Incorporation

   Section 2-3:   General Grant of Powers

   Section 2-4:   Continuance of Rights and Obligations

CHAPTER III: ELECTIONS, ELECTORS, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TERMS OF OFFICE

   Section 3-1:   Application of the General Statutes

   Section 3-2:   Electors

   Section 3-3:   Date of Election and Terms of Office for Elected Offices

   Section 3-4:   Eligibility

   Section 3-5:   Vacancies in Elected Offices

   Section 3-6:   Temporary Disability or Absence of the Mayor

   Section 3-7:   Reapportionment of Voting Districts

   Section 3-8:   Public Officials to Deliver Records to Successors

   Section 3-9:   Conflict of Interest and Ethics

   Section 3-10:   Removal of Elected and Appointed Officials

CHAPTER IV: LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

   Section 4-1:   Legislative Power

   Section 4-2:   Officers of the Council

   Section 4-3:   Procedures of the Legislative Council - Public Participation in Council Proceedings

   Section 4-4:   Clerk of the Council

   Section 4-5:   General Powers

   Section 4-6:   Counsel to Council

   Section 4-7:   Ordinances, Statutory Resolutions, Resolutions, Orders or Motions: the Role of the Legislative Council and the Mayor

   Section 4-8:   Public Notice of Final Action

   Section 4-9:   Petition for Overrule

   Section 4-10:   Selection of Independent Auditors

   Section 4-11:   Approval of Mayoral Appointments

   Section 4-12:   Interlocal Agreements and Regional Cooperation

CHAPTER V: THE MAYOR

   Section 5-1:   Election and Qualifications

   Section 5-2:   Duties

   Section 5-3:   Appointments, Terms of Office and General Powers

   Section 5-4:   Emergency Powers

CHAPTER VI: OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS

   Section 6-1:   Town Clerk

   Section 6-2:   Registrars of Voters

CHAPTER VII: BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

   Section 7-1:   General Requirements for Appointed Boards and Commissions

   Section 7-2:   Boards and Commissions Established by the Charter

         A.   Finance Commission

         B.   Civil Service Commission

         C.   Board of Ethics

         D.   Police Commission

         E.   Fire Commission

         F.   Zoning Board of Appeals

         G.   Planning and Zoning Commission

         H.   Building Board of Appeals

         I.   Personnel Appeals Board

         J.   Library Board

         K.   Inland Wetlands Commission

         L.   Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission

   Section 7-3:   Appointed Boards and Commissions Required by the Charter

   Section 7-4:   Appointed Boards and Commissions Established by Ordinance or as Otherwise May Be Prescribed by the General Statutes

   Section 7-5:   Boards Appointed by the Legislative Council

         A.   Board of Assessment Appeals

   Section 7-6:   Continuance of Boards and Commissions

   Section 7-7:   Merger or Consolidation of Boards and Commissions

CHAPTER VIII: THE TOWN GOVERNMENT: DEPARTMENTS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS

   Section 8-1:   The Authority to Establish the Departments of Town Government

   Section 8-2:   Appointment of Department Heads and Other Mayoral Departmental Appointees; General Requirements

   Section 8-3:   The Legal Department - Town Attorney

   Section 8-4:   Government Administration

         A.   The Department of Finance

         B.   The Tax Collector

         C.   The Assessor

         D.   The Purchasing Agent

         E.   Human Resources

   Section 8-5:   Public Safety, Health and Community Services

         A.   The Police Department

         B.   The Fire Department

         C.   C.   Health and Human Services Departments

   Section 8-6:   Government Operations and Infrastructure

         A.   Department of Public Works and Parks

         B.   Engineering Department

   Section 8-7:   Town Planning, Zoning Enforcement, Environment and Economic Development

         A.   Town Planning and Zoning Enforcement Responsibilities

         B.   Building Department

         C.   The Town Planning and Zoning Department

         D.   Other Departments

CHAPTER IX: EDUCATION

   Section 9-1:   Board of Education

   Section 9-2:   Budget

   Section 9-3:   Compliance and Cooperation

   Section 9-4:   Reporting Requirements

CHAPTER X: BUDGET

   Section 10-1:   The Budget Process

   Section 10-2:   Formulation and Submission of Town Budgetary Requests

   Section 10-3:   Mayor Submits Proposed Town Budget to the Legislative Council and Finance Commission

   Section 10-4:   Deliberations on the Proposed Town Budget

   Section 10-5:   Legislative Action on the Proposed Town Budget

   Section 10-6:   Approval, Veto, Acceptance and Veto Override of the Adopted Town Budget

   Section 10-7:   Petition for Budget Overrule

   Section 10-8:   Fiscal Year

   Section 10-9:   Expenditures and Accounting

   Section 10-10:   Public Funds and Finance

   Section 10-11:   Referendum on Borrowing of Funds

CHAPTER XI: TRANSITION AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

   Section 11-1:   Legal Proceedings

   Section 11-2:   Periodic Review of the Charter

   Section 11-3:   Existing Laws and Ordinances

   Section 11-4:   Amendment of Charter

   Section 11-5:   Saving Clause

   Section 11-6:   Effective Date

   Section 11-7:   "Transition Provision A" Pertaining to § 3-3.B(2) of this Charter - The General Election Scheduled for 2012

   Section 11-8:   "Transition Provision B" Pertaining to § 3-3.C(3) of this Charter - The Term of Office for the Registrars of Voter Elected in the General Election Scheduled for 2012

   Section 11-9:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for Regular Members of the Board of Ethics Derived from § 19-5.A of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-10:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for Alternate Members of the Board of Ethics Derived from § 19-5.A of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-11:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for Regular Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission Derived from § 13-1 of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-12:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for Alternate Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission Derived from § 13-2 of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-13:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for Members of the Personnel Appeals Board Derived from § 17-5 of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-14:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for Members of the Library Board Derived from § 14-1 of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-15:   "Transition Provision E" Pertaining to § 7-2.J of this Charter - The Inland Wetlands Commission

   Section 11-16:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for Members of the Board of Tax Review Derived from § 4-1 of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-17:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for the Six Members of the Board of Education Derived from § 12-1 of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

   Section 11-18:   Historical Note Regarding the Term of Office for the Three Members of the Board of Education Derived from § 12-1 of the Prior Revision of the Charter (Rev. November 8, 1983)

CHAPTER XII: SUNSET PROVISIONS

   Section 12-1:   Generally

   Section 12-2:   Ethics Commission

   Section 12-3:   Parks and Recreation Commission

CHAPTER XIII: HISTORICAL PROVISIONS

   Section 13-1:   Status of Present Employees