ARTICLE 9
AMENDMENT
AMENDMENT
This charter may be amended by proposals therefor submitted by the council, or by the mayor upon initiative petition of the people as provided by the state constitution, at a general or special election, ratified by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon, and approved by the governor as provided by the state constitution. If more than one amendment is proposed, all of them except those which are so interrelated that they should be ratified or rejected together, shall be submitted in such manner that the electors may vote on them separately. A proposition to amend this charter may be either in the form of a proposed amendment to a part or parts of the charter or of a proposed new charter.
The council by ordinance may provide for the election of a board of freeholders to prepare and propose amendments to this charter. When an amendment proposed by a board of freeholders shall have been submitted by the council at a general or special election, ratified by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon, and approved by the governor, as provided by the state constitution, it shall go into effect.
If a majority of the qualified electors of the city voting on the question vote to ratify this charter in lieu of the heretofore existing charter, this charter shall go into effect immediately upon approval by the governor as provided by the state constitution; provided that section 31 (relating to operation of and accounting for the electric utility) shall go into effect at the beginning of the next succeeding fiscal year unless the council by ordinance provides that it shall go into effect sooner.
1. The five commissioners under the previous charter shall continue in office under this charter until the expiration of the terms for which they were elected, and until their respective successors have been elected and take office; but their title under this charter shall be "councilman" instead of "commissioner". They shall continue to draw compensation at the rate of $25.00 per month until the expiration of the terms which they are serving when this charter goes into effect;
2. All other officers and employees of the city under the previous charter shall continue in the offices and employments which they respectively hold, after this charter goes into effect, and until their services are terminated in accordance with the provisions of this charter; and
3. If there are six members of the library board at the time this charter goes into effect, they all shall continue as members until a vacancy occurs or until the terms of two members expire. At that time, the number of members shall be reduced to five. The city manager shall adjust the terms of the members so that the term of one shall expire at 7:30 o'clock P.M. on the first Monday in May each year.