The town council shall be the policy-determining body of the town, and shall exercise all the powers of the town, except as otherwise provided by this Charter, or by the Constitution and laws of the state. Among the powers of the council, to be exercised in accordance with relevant provisions of this Charter and of the Constitution and laws of the state, shall be the power:
(a) To judge the qualifications of its members, and for such purpose it shall have the power to subpoena and require the production of records.
(b) To appoint standing and temporary committees, but no legislative powers of the council may be delegated to these committees.
(c) To create, change and abolish town offices, departments and agencies not established by this Charter or by the Constitution and state laws.
(d) To fix the amount of official bonds of all officers of the town who, in its opinion, should be bonded, the premium on such bonds to be paid by the town.
(e) To order the raising by a tax upon real and personal estate of such sums of money as may be required to pay town debts and defray the necessary charges and expenses of the town, and to order the assessment, levying or imposing of any other taxes for the support of the town which legally may be assessed, levied or imposed under any general or special laws which are now or may hereafter be in existence.
(f) To enact and amend a zoning ordinance.
(g) Bond Limitation Without Referendum. No bonds shall be issued pledging the credit of the town in excess of one hundred thousand ($100,000.00) dollars in any one fiscal year unless submitted to a vote of the electors at either a general or special election, and approved by a majority of the electors voting at said election.
(h) To authorize the hiring, pursuant to statutes now or hereafter in effect, of money in each financial year in anticipation of the receipt of the proceeds of the annual tax due or to become due in said financial year upon the ratable property in the town.
(i) To provide for the audit at any time of the accounts of the town or any department, and to provide for an annual audit as prescribed in section 1005.
(j) To provide for a personnel policy system as provided in article IX.
(k) To appoint the town administrator as provided in section 303.
(l) To confirm all appointments of the town administrator for which town council confirmation is required.
(m) To enact, amend or repeal ordinances for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, comfort and welfare, and for the protection of persons and property.
(n) To provide reasonable penalties for the violation of any ordinance.
(o) To exercise all additional powers, consistent and in accordance with this Charter and the laws and Constitution of the state, which have been or may hereafter be granted to the council by the Charter or to the town by the laws and Constitution of the state.
(p) Contracts for materials and services shall be awarded in accordance with the laws and Constitution of the state, and as established by town ordinance.
(q) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter to the contrary, the Town Council shall have the authority to merge common duties, functions and/or services of any agency or department of the Town and another department or agency of the Town including but not limited to any department or agency established by or enumerated in this Charter or by the Constitution and state laws. (Amended, September 15, 1980; Amended, November 4, 2008; Amended, November 6, 2012.)