Manager in Bristol resigns as town moves prepares to move away from town manager system

Bristol is looking for a new town administrator after Town Manager Paul Weston resigned following a vote by residents to eliminate his position.

Weston's resignation was accepted by the selectmen Monday night. He had been town manager since 2008 and will remain a town employee until May 14.

"As I conclude over 30 years of local government management, I will always remember some very fine citizens who love Bristol and have worked cooperatively with me to better the town," he wrote in his letter of resignation, which was dated March 12.

Weston resigned after the March 9 town meeting saw a proposal to abandon the town manager form of government approved in a 254-233 vote.

The town meeting adopted the manager system in 2006. The proposal to abandon the system was submitted by petition.

Under state law, Weston will remain town manager until April 13. Weston will then take the title of town administrator until his departure.

There was some question whether the town's vote was valid because the question that appeared on the ballot wasn't worded as specified under state law.

The petition, which went before voters, read, "To have the Town of Bristol return to a selectmen form of government and dissolve the Town Manager Plan Chapter 37 as voted on in the 2006 Town Warrant."

But by statute, the question should have appeared on the ballot as, "Do you favor the continuation of the town manager plan as now in force in this town?"

A separate state law, however, establishes that the state's ballot language is "advisory only."

"I think it's our duty as selectmen to carry out the wishes and intent of voters," said Selectman Jeff Shackett.

Bristol will now look for an administrator to manage town departments and report to the selectmen, said Rick Alpers, who was elected last night as the new selectmen chairman. An administrator ran the town government before 2006.

Alpers and other selectmen last night said they don't envision much change in how the town government operates on a day-to-day basis.

Town managers have some powers, including hiring and firing town employees, which will return to the selectmen.

"The town administrator will continue to manage the departments. I don't want to micromanage the departments," Alpers said last night.