THE CHARTER OF THE CITY
OF THE VILLAGE OF DOUGLAS, MICHIGAN

Section

Preamble:

Ethical Principles for the Government of the City of the Village of Douglas

Chapter I
Names and Boundaries

   1.1   Name

   1.2   Boundaries

   1.3   Wards

Chapter II
General Municipal Powers

   2.1   General powers

   2.2   Additional powers of the city

   2.3   Intergovernmental relations

   2.4   Construction

Chapter III
Organization of Government

   3.1   Form

   3.2   City Council composition and power

   3.3   Qualifications of Council members

   3.4   Terms of office of Councilpersons

   3.5   Compensation of Mayor and Councilpersons

   3.6   Organizational meeting of Council; selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem

   3.7   Powers and duties of Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem

   3.8   Council’s dealings with administrative services; Council’s ordering of subordinates of City Manager

Chapter IV
Elections

   4.1   Qualifications of electors

   4.2   Procedure

   4.3   Precincts

   4.4   Date of regular city elections

   4.5   Date of special elections

   4.6   Notice

   4.7   Voting hours

   4.8   Nominations – generally

   4.9   Nomination – form of petition

   4.10   Nomination – approval of petitions

   4.11   Nominations – candidate to run for only one office

   4.12   Nominations – withdrawal of candidate

   4.13   Nominations – public inspection of petitions

   4.14   Nominations – Election Commission created; composition; duties; compensation

   4.15   Nominations – Form of ballot

   4.16   Custody and safekeeping of registration books and supplies

   4.17   Absentee ballots

   4.18   Determination of election ending in a tie vote

   4.19   Recount

   4.20   Purity of election; lawful and unlawful acts

Chapter V
General Provisions Regarding Officers and Personnel

   5.1   Eligibility for office

   5.2   Holding of appointive office or employment by relative or elective or appointive officer

   5.3   Oath of office and bond required

   5.4   Surety bonds

   5.5   Delivery of effects of office to successor or superior when officer or employee ceases to hold office

   5.6   Declaration of vacancy in elective office

   5.7   Removal from office

   5.8   Resignations of elective and appointive officers

   5.9   Filling vacancy in Council

   5.10   Filling vacancies in offices

   5.11   Changes in term of office or compensation

   5.12   Compensation of employees not provided for by Charter; bona fide expenses incurred in service of city

   5.13   Employees retirement system

   5.14   Merit system for employees

Chapter VI
Council:  Procedures, Powers and Duties

   6.1   Regular meetings

   6.2   Special meetings of the Council

   6.3   Business at special meetings

   6.4   Meeting to be public

   6.5   Quorum

   6.6   Attendance, conduct, Sergeant-at-Arms

   6.7   Organization, rules, and order of business

   6.8   Investigation into conduct of office, employee, etc; power to summon and complete attendance of witness and production of evidence

   6.9   Vote required

   6.10   Misconduct

   6.11   Public peace, health and safety, composition and powers of Board of Health

Chapter VII
Administrative Services

   7.1   Administrative officers generally

   7.2   Personnel system

   7.3   City Manager – appointment; compensation

   7.4   City Manager – function and duties

   7.5   City Manager’s – removal

   7.6   Clerk

   7.7   Treasurer

   7.8   Assessor

   7.9   City Attorney

   7.10   Police Department

   7.11   Fire protection

   7.12   City Planning Commission; zoning

   7.13   Planning and Zoning Administrator

   7.14   Other public authorities, boards or commissions

Chapter VIII
Legislation

   8.1   Status of chapter

   8.2   Prior village ordinances and regulations

   8.3   Legislative powers

   8.4   Forms of legislation

   8.5   Action requiring an ordinance

   8.6   Ordinance – enactment, amendment, repeal

   8.7   Ordinance – emergency

   8.8   Ordinance – record

   8.9   Ordinance – publication

   8.10   Penalties

   8.11   Initiatory and referendary petitions – generally

   8.12   Petitions

   8.13   Petitions – Council procedure, submission to electors

   8.14   General provisions; suspension

   8.15   Codification

   8.16   Recall

Chapter IX
Budgets and Finance

   9.1   Fiscal year

   9.2   Budget procedure

   9.3   Budget document

   9.4   Budget hearing

   9.5   Adoption of the budget

   9.6   Budget control

   9.7   Independent audit

Chapter X
Taxation

   10.1   Power to tax

   10.2   Tax limits

   10.3   Exemptions

   10.4   Tax Day

   10.5   Assessment roll

   10.6   Board of Review

   10.7   Duties and functions of the Board of Review

   10.8   Meetings of the Board of Review

   10.9   Notice of meetings

   10.10   Certification of roll

   10.11   Clerk to certify tax levy

   10.12   City tax roll

   10.13   Tax roll certified for collection

   10.14   Tax lien

   10.15   Taxes due notification thereof

   10.16   Collection charges on late payment of taxes

   10.17   Collection of delinquent taxes

   10.18   Failure or refusal to pay personal property tax

   10.19   State, county and school taxes

Chapter XI
Special Assessment

   11.1   Special assessment:  general powers

   11.2   Procedure fixed by ordinance

   11.3   Implementation

Chapter XII
Borrowing

   12.1   General power

   12.2   Limits of borrowing authority

   12.3   Use of borrowed funds

   12.4   Separation of special assessment collections; payment of deficiency in special assessments

   12.5   Bond interest rates

   12.6   Execution of bonds

   12.7   Records of bonds and other evidence of indebtedness; cancellation

   12.8   Preparation and records of bonds

   12.9   Unissued bonds

Chapter XIII
Contracts & Purchases

   13.1   Establishment of procedures by ordinance; City Manager responsible for purchases; authority

   13.2   Funds to finance public improvements

   13.3   Installment contracts

   13.4   Purchase and sale of real and personal property

   13.5   Restriction on power to lease property

   13.6   Restriction on powers to sell property

Chapter XIV
Utilities, Franchises and Permits

   14.1   General powers

   14.2   Administration of municipally owned and operated utilities

   14.3   Rates

   14.4   Collection of municipal utility rates and charges

   14.5   Accounts and finances of public utilities

   14.6   Disposal of municipal utility plants and property

   14.7   Public utility franchises

   14.8   Public utility franchises – granting

   14.9   Public utility franchises – conditions

   14.10   Filing of franchises

   14.11   Plans of facilities in streets and public places

   14.12   Temporary permits

   14.13   Existing franchises and permits

   14.14   Purchase – condemnation

Chapter XV
Miscellaneous

   15.1   Liability of city; procedure for filing claim

   15.2   Records

   15.3   Estoppel against city

   15.4   Processes against city

   15.5   Trusts for municipal purposes

   15.6   Quorum generally

   15.7   Saturdays, Sundays and city holidays

   15.8   Chapter, section and subsection headings of Charter

   15.9   Amendment of Charter

   15.10   Severability of Charter provisions

   15.11   Saving clause

   15.12   Definitions – generally

   15.13   Definition of publication and mailing notices

   15.14   Vested rights

Chapter XVI
Transition

   16.1   Purpose

   16.2   Election to adopt

   16.3   Form of ballot

   16.4   Effective date of Charter

   16.5   First election

   16.6   Subsequent elections

   16.7   Administrative officers and employees

   16.8   Transfer of property and records

   16.9   Council meetings

   16.10   Council action

   16.11   Initial expenses

   16.12   Pending matters

   16.13   Vested rights and liabilities

   16.14   State and municipal laws in general

   16.15   Government