Chapter 9 - Merit System

Section 9-1 - Merit System Established

All officers and employees in the classified service of the Town as described in Section 9-2 shall be hired on the basis of merit and in conformity with recognized principles of public personnel administration.

Section 9-2 - The Classified Service

The classified service shall include all positions now or hereafter created except the following: elective officers and persons appointed to fill vacancies in elective offices; members of boards and commissions and other officers appointed by the Board of Selectmen; employees of the Board of Education; persons employed in a professional capacity to make or conduct temporary and special inquiry, study or investigation; and persons employed for a temporary period not exceeding three months. It shall be the duty of the Town Manager to cause to be prepared a statement of the duties and responsibilities of each position in the classified service and of the minimum qualifications for such positions. These statements shall comprise the classification plan of the Town, which shall become effective upon approval by resolution of the Board of Selectmen and which may be amended upon recommendation of the Town Manager, by resolution of the Board of Selectmen. New or additional positions in the classified service may be created and changes in the duties and responsibilities of existing positions may be made by resolution upon the recommendation of the Town Manager. The Town Manager shall also cause to have prepared a set of personnel rules which shall provide, among other things, for the method of holding competitive examinations, administration of the classification plan, probationary periods of employment, hours of work, vacations, sick leaves and other leaves of absence, removals, and such other rules as may be necessary to provide an adequate and systematic procedure for the handling of the personnel affairs of the Town.

Any person holding a classified service position shall thereafter be subject in all other respects to the provisions of this Charter.

Section 9-3 - Political Activity

1. No person employed in the classified civil service may:
   1. Use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for office
   2. Directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce, command or advise a state or local officer or employee to pay, lend or contribute anything of value to a party, committee, organization, agency or person for political purposes.
2. (b) A person employed in said classified service retains the right to vote as he chooses and to express his opinions on political subjects and candidates and shall be free to participate in political management and campaigns. Such activity may include, but shall not be limited to, membership and holding of office in a political party, organization or club, campaigning for a candidate in a partisan election by making speeches, writing on behalf of the candidate or soliciting votes in support of or in opposition to a candidate and making contributions of time and money to political parties, committees or other agencies engaged in political action, except that no classified employee shall engage in such activity while on duty or within any period of time during which such employee is expected to perform services for which he receives compensation from the Town, and no such employee shall utilize Town funds, supplies, vehicles or facilities to secure support for or oppose any candidate, party, or issue in a political partisan election.

Section 9-4 - Retirement of Town Employees

The Board of Selectmen may provide by ordinance a system of retirement allowances for the Town's regular full-time paid employees and for contribution by employees and the Town to a fund from which such allowances shall be paid, and the Board of Selectmen may authorize the transfer of the management and investment of the Town's pension funds to any fiduciary institution chartered or licensed to operate in the State of Connecticut. The Town may enter into a contract with any insurance company authorized to do business in this state for the purpose of insuring the whole or any part of its retirement plan, may elect to participate in the Connecticut Municipal Employees' Retirement Fund, or elect to participate in the old-age and survivors insurance system under Title II of the Social Security Act, in accordance with the provisions of part II of chapter 113 of the general statutes as amended, or may elect any combination thereof. The Board of Selectmen may by ordinance provide for employee retirement.