Town Administrator

 

Interim Town Administrator
Shawn J. Brown
350 East Main Road
Middletown, RI 02842
sbrown@middletownri.com

(401) 849-2898

Related Information: Town Charter Article III. The Town Administrator.

Sec. 301. Status, and responsibilities generally.

The town administrator shall be the chief executive officer and head of the administrative branch of the government. He shall be responsible to the council for the proper administration of all affairs of the town.

Sec. 302. By whom chosen; qualifications; residence.

The town administrator shall be chosen by the council solely on the basis of his executive and administrative qualifications with special reference to his actual experience in, or his knowledge of, accepted practice in respect to the duties of his office as hereinafter set forth. At the time of his appointment, he need not be a resident of the town or state, but during his tenure of office he shall reside within the town.

Sec. 303. Appointment, term of office, suspension and removal.

The council shall appoint the town administrator for an indefinite term and may remove him by a majority vote of its members. At least thirty days before such removal shall become effective, the council shall by a majority vote of its members adopt a preliminary resolution stating the reasons for his removal. The town administrator may reply in writing and may request a public hearing, which shall be held not earlier than twenty days nor later than thirty days after the filing of such request. After such public hearing, if one be requested, and after full consideration, the council by majority vote of its members may adopt a final resolution of removal. By the preliminary resolution the council may suspend the town administrator from duty, but shall in any case cause to be paid him forthwith any unpaid balance of his salary then due. (Amended, November 5, 2002.)

Sec. 304. Enumeration of power and duties.

The town administrator shall have the power and shall be required:

(a) To submit to the council, not later than ninety days prior to the start of the next fiscal year, a proposed budget of receipts and expenditures and an explanatory budget message. For such purpose the town administrator shall obtain from the head of each office, department and agency except the school committee, estimates of its revenues and expenditures and such supporting data as he may request. In preparing the proposed budget, the town administrator shall review the estimates and may revise them as he may deem advisable. The budget as proposed by the town administrator shall show all anticipated revenue and all proposed expenditures except those for school purposes, and the total of such expenditures shall not be greater than the total of anticipated revenue. The town administrator shall request from the school committee its budget of estimated expenditures and revenues for transmission to the council. He shall incorporate the total of these expenditures and revenues with the total he has arrived at for general town purposes, but shall not have the authority to increase or decrease any item in the school committee's budget.

(b) To see that the laws and ordinances are enforced.

(c) To appoint, subject to the confirmation of the town council, the town clerk, town sergeant, tax assessor, town engineer, finance director, building inspector and heads of all administrative departments of town government provided for in this Charter or which shall be provided for in the future, but not including the superintendent of schools. He may remove any of the aforementioned officials for whom he is the appointing authority; provided, that any person so removed shall have the right, within ten days of receipt of written notice of his removal, to petition the town council for a hearing before that body. Following any such hearing, the council shall convey its conclusions to the town administrator, but his decision to confirm or rescind the dismissal shall be final.

(d) To determine the compensation of all officers and employees under his jurisdiction subject to the approval of the council.

(e) To assign additional duties to officers, agencies or departments established by the Charter, but he may not discontinue or reassign duties assigned to specific organs under this Charter.

(f) To prepare and submit to the council, as of the end of the fiscal year, a complete report on the finances and administrative activities of the town for the preceding year, which report shall be printed and made available to the citizens.

(g) To coordinate the activities and programs of all departments and agencies of the town including any and all boards or commissions whose members are chosen by the town council. All such departments and agencies shall submit periodic reports to the town administrator as he shall direct, and supply him with any and all information regarding their work which he may request.

(h) To perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this Charter or required of him by the council.

Sec. 305. Non-interference by the council.

The council or any of its members shall not direct or request the appointment of any person to or his removal from office by the town administrator or by any of his subordinates. Except for the purpose of inquiry, the council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the town administrator, and neither the council nor any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinates of the town administrator, either publicly or privately.

Sec. 306. Authority to perform duties of other administrative officers, and to assign duties of two or more administrative officers to one person.

The town administrator may exercise and perform the powers and duties of one or more administrative officers instead of appointing some other person or persons so to do, but he shall not be entitled to receive any additional compensation therefor. He may, with the approval of the council, assign the duties of two or more administrative officers to one person or divide the duties of any office among two or more persons.

Sec. 307. Who acts in absence of town administrator.

The town administrator may designate by letter filed with the town clerk a qualified administrative officer of the town to perform his duties during his temporary absence or disability. In the event of failure of the town administrator to make such designation, the council may appoint an officer of the town to perform the duties of the town administrator until he shall return or his disability shall cease.

Sec. 308. Filling vacancy in office; interim town administrator.

Whenever the office of town administrator shall be declared vacant by the council, an interim town administrator shall be elected by a majority vote of the council. He shall have all the duties and powers of the town administrator, except he shall not serve longer than six months, and may be summarily removed by majority vote of the council without charges or a hearing. Nothing shall prevent an interim town administrator from applying to be appointed town administrator.

Sec. 309. Compensation.

The town council shall set the compensation of the town administrator.