With a big job ahead of them that is expected to take at least six months, the Town Administrator Workgroup is looking to define exactly what it will be doing so it knows what direction it needs to take with its first steps.

To that end, before officially stepping away from the meeting table in the Municipal Center’s Council Chambers, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal gave the group its formal charge.

It reads: “Review the present executive structure of Newtown’s municipal government (first selectman) and consider if alternatives would enhance the management, oversight, and continuity of town government. The process should consider all options/forms of management, not simply a town administrator.

“It is possible your final recommendation will necessitate a Charter Revision process; however, your efforts would be additive to that process, so your work should not be limited to avoiding that.”

Rosenthal gave the workgroup its charge and remained to answer any questions the four workgroup members may have, before leaving. Rosenthal felt it was important to not lead the workgroup to a predetermined conclusion, so the charge, and his lack of presence at future meetings, gives the workgroup a lot of room to forge its own path.

Workgroup member Ned Simpson said the charge was “good to have,” as it’s easy for someone like him to “get off track” and into the weeds.

Workgroup member Pat Llodra said the “first thing we need to do is get a grip on ‘what is the work.’”

The workgroup then began discussing a list of tasks it would take on. Among early priorities are defining the types of government used by other towns in the area so that each workgroup member can understand what the others are referring to and so they can compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of those types.

That’s the first task for the group, according to Llodra. Llodra noted that defining the types of government even has differences between similar sounding positions, as the Town of Trumbull has a first selectman with more authority than Newtown’s.

“Even the first selectman has layers,” said Llodra.

The workgroup will parse the state’s 169 towns down to a more manageable list to review, looking for towns with similar populations that have the types of government they wish to look at and define. Some towns mentioned to review are Simsbury and Mansfield.

Simpson said it was important for the workgroup to define the difference between a town manager and a town administrator, especially in communicating to residents what they are doing, as the two terms sound similar but have key differences.

The New Hampshire Municipal Association — in an article on the subject — refers to the divide between town managers and town administrators as a “significant difference.”

“A town manager has the power and duties that are outlined by [state statute], while a town administrator (or administrative assistant, business manager or other similar titles) has no similar statutory authority, but instead works under the direct supervision of the board of selectmen, which retains all of its statutory authority,” states the article.

The town manager is essentially the chief executive officer of a town, rather than the first selectman; while a town administrator works as an assistant to the Board of Selectmen.

Llodra reiterated Rosenthal’s position on not wanting a “pre-determined outcome” and that the group may decide that the “current structure is the best structure.”

“Part of the struggle is to try and be open-minded,” said Llodra. “We are a research team, we need to decide whether to stay where we are or to make a change.”

Workgroup Chairman Maureen Crick Owen said that once the group gets past its initial steps, the “rest will fall into place.”

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.