The original charter of the Borough of Stonington was granted by the state legislature in 1801. The charter specified the form of government for the Borough – a warden and then six, now four, burgesses – that remains in place today. 

The Board of Warden & Burgesses is the legislative body that governs the Borough, while the warden functions as the chief executive and overseas daily operations. The Board approves ordinances, appoints members to Borough boards and commissions, and manages the Borough’s finances. Each April, the Board presents a proposed budget for the approaching fiscal year to the annual meeting, at which all real property owners can discuss, debate, and vote on the budget.  

 

Since the mid-Twentieth Century, when Connecticut passed so-called home rule legislation, the Borough – like the surrounding Town of Stonington – has operated under a charter drawn up and approved by its own residents rather than by the state legislature. The Borough charter was last revised in 2021.