FOR THE CITY OF
BRIDGEPORT, WEST VIRGINIA
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Bridgeport City Charter was adopted on March 6, 1993. Dates appearing in parenthesis following a section heading indicate those provisions were amended, added or repealed on the date given.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1. Incorporation and Succession.
Section 2. Form of Government.
Section 3. Powers of the City, Self Government and Home Rule.
Section 4. Legislative Power of Council; Qualifications, Term of Office, Vacancies.
Section 5. Meetings of Council; Rules of Procedure.
Section 6. Attendance at Council Meeting Required for Voting.
Section 7. Selection, Powers and Duties of Mayor.
Section 8. Development Committee; Mayor's Advisory Commission on Economic and Industrial Development.
Section 9. Limitation on Terms of the Mayor.
Section 10. Recorder.
Section 11. Oaths of Mayor and Members of Council.
Section 12. Personal Interest of Members of the Governing Body; Effect.
Section 13. Appointment, Removal and Qualifications of Manager.
Section 14. Manager, Oath, Bond.
Section 15. Manager, Powers and Duties Generally.
Section 16. Manager Contracts; Ratification.
Section 17. Executive and Administrative Officials; Qualifications, Bond.
Section 18. Council Seats for City Officers; Rights.
Section 19. Elections.
Section 20. Recall of Mayor, Recorder or Member of Council.
Section 21. Continuation of Departments.
Section 22. Appointments by Mayor.
Section 23. City Director of Finance.
Section 24. Chiefs of Police and Fire Departments.
Section 25. City Attorney; Assistant City Attorneys.
Section 26. Superintendent of Public Works.
Section 27. Director of Recreation.
Section 28. Director of Library Services.
Section 29. Appointment of Municipal Court Judge.
Section 30. Judge to Appoint Clerk.
Section 31. Duties of Municipal Court Judge; Temporary Judge.
Section 32. Jurisdiction of Municipal Court.
Section 33. Proceedings in Municipal Court.
Section 34. Enforcement of Municipal Court Orders; Judgments; Execution of Process; Fees.
Section 35. Powers and Duties of Municipal Court Clerk; Fees.
Section 36. Municipal Court Records and Certificates; Effect; Seal.
Section 37. Payment of Municipal Court Costs.
Section 38. Appeals from Municipal Court: Bond.
Section 39. Annual Audit of Books and Accounts; Publication.
Section 40. Audit of Boards and Commissions.
Section 41. Fiscal Year Fixed by Ordinance.
Section 42. Gender.
Section 43. Separability.
Section 44. Existing Ordinances, Rules, Regulations and Practices to Continue: Inconsistent Ordinances, Rules, Regulations and Practices Repealed.
Section 45. Effective Date of Charter.
Bridgeport became an incorporated community on March 21, 1887, many years after having been carved out of the wilderness by our pioneer ancestors. From humble beginnings, it has become a small city of 7,000 friendly people who take pride in its growth, development, convenience and aesthetic values.
It was the mission of the Charter Board, elected and empowered by the citizens of Bridgeport at an election held June 3, 1992, to study and recommend such improvements in the city government as may be deemed necessary.
The study has identified the following two problem areas:
1. The lack of effective short and long term planning, as well as a lack of continuity and consistency, are the result of the short and unstaggered terms of the governing body.
2. City growth has created additional administrative needs in excess of the response capacity of the administrative authority which meets regularly two evenings per month. Inefficiencies result from the lack of access to an effective central authority on a daily basis.
The proposed charter contains the following remedies to the identified problems:
1. Retain as the governing body, with longer staggered terms, the present Council consisting of the Mayor, Recorder and 5 other members. The Council shall have full legislative powers and be responsible for governmental policy and citizen contacts.
2. Council shall be empowered and required to employ a Manager who is responsible for all the administrative duties of city operations.
In this charter we have provided for leadership of the city, as mandated by the electorate, and a government which is accountable to the citizens it represents, clearly delineating the duties, responsibilities and authorities, of the administrative and legislative branches of the city's government.
In the hope that we have fulfilled our mission and our obligation, we, the Charter Board, have adopted and do propose to the electorate of the City of Bridgeport, the following charter:
CHARTER OF
THE CITY Of BRIDGEPORT. WEST VIRGINIA