(a) The electors of this Municipality shall have the power to approve or reject at the polls any ordinance, resolution, or other action passed or adopted by the Council, whether legislative or administrative in nature, except as hereinafter provided.
Within forty (40) days after the final passage by Council or approval by the Mayor, whichever is later, of an ordinance, resolution, or other action, whether legislative or administrative in nature, a petition, signed by at least that number of electors which equals ten percent (10%) of the electors voting at the last preceding general Municipal election, may be filed with the Clerk of Council, requesting that such ordinance, resolution or other action, whether legislative or administrative in nature, be either repealed or submitted to a vote of the electors. If said petition is signed by that number of electors which equals twenty percent (20%) or more of such electors, the date of the election may be fixed therein, which shall be not less than ninety (90) days from the time of filing thereof. When said petition is filed, the Clerk shall first ascertain the sufficiency of the petition and if found sufficient, the Council shall thereupon, within thirty (30) days of the filing of such petition, reconsider such ordinance, resolution or other action. If, upon such reconsideration, the ordinance, resolution or other action is not repealed, the Council shall submit it to a vote of the electors on the date fixed in the petition or, if no date be so fixed, at the first general election in any year occurring more than ninety (90) days after the filing of such petition. No such ordinance, resolution or other action shall go into effect until approved by a majority of those voting thereon.
Ordinances and resolutions providing for a tax levy or for improvements petitioned for by the owners of a majority of the front footage of the property benefited and to be specially assessed therefor, and appropriation ordinances and resolutions limited to the subject of appropriations shall not be subject to referendum. Further, whenever the Council is required to pass more than one ordinance, resolution or other action necessary to complete the financing and assessment of the cost of any public improvement previously finally approved, only the first resolution, ordinance or other action relating to said financing and assessment shall be subject to referendum, and any subsequent resolution, ordinance or other action relating to the financing and assessment of the cots of said public improvement as previously finally approved shall not be subject to referendum.
If, when submitted to a vote of the electors, an emergency ordinance, resolution or other action be not approved by a majority of those voting thereon, it shall be considered repealed as regards any further action thereunder, but such ordinance, resolution or other action shall be deemed sufficient authority for payment, in accordance with the ordinance, of any costs or expense actually incurred previous to the referendum vote thereon, but not for any in future costs or expenses allegedly incurred or obligated with respect thereto.
(b) Each contract, consent agreement, compact or other means by which the City of Fairview Park cooperates with, is or becomes a member of any type of, or contributes to the operation, in any way, of any other governmental unit, agency or association, including a regional government or agency or group of governmental units, shall be terminable by the people at any time by a referendum as provided in Article X, Section 2 (a) and in no future obligations with respect thereto shall be binding upon City or its citizens if said referendum passes.
(c) All ordinances, resolutions, proclamations, motions, and Charter provisions inconsistent with this section are hereby repealed.
(d) This section shall be severable and if any subsection, part, word or application thereof is held invalid for any reason, such holding, shall not invalidate or affect the force and effect of any other subsection, part, word or application thereof.
(Amended 11-4-75.)