(A) All legislative power of the City shall be vested in the Council, except as otherwise provided by this Charter and the Constitution of the State of Ohio.
(B) (1) The Council shall have the number of members as are elected from the City at Large and the Wards of the City as provided in the General Laws of Ohio pertaining to General Statutory Plan Cities. A separately elected President of Council, in addition to the number of Council members elected, shall exercise those powers and perform those duties and functions as provided by the General Laws of Ohio.
(2) Beginning with the General Election to be held on November 3, 2009 and at the general election to be held each four years thereafter, the persons who are elected from the City’s four wards shall serve for a term of office of four years.
(3) At the general election to be held on November 3, 2009, the three persons that are elected to the Council from the City at large and the President of Council shall serve for a term of office of two years. At the next general election to be held on November 8, 2011 and at the general election to be held each four years thereafter the three persons elected to the Council from the City at large and the person elected as the President of Council shall serve for a term of office of four years.
(C) The Council shall have the powers, duties, and functions, as provided in the Constitution of Ohio, this Charter, and the General Laws of Ohio pertaining to General Statutory Plan Cities.
(D) The Council may create, merge, revise, or abolish departments, divisions, boards, commissions, and other units of the City’s government that are not provided for in this Charter or the General Laws of Ohio by ordinance or resolution; however the Council shall not merge or abolish any departments, divisions, boards, commissions, or other units of the City’s government that are provided for in this Charter or the General Laws of Ohio, pertaining to General Statutory Plan Cities, unless this Charter or the General Laws, as applicable, permit such merger, revision, or abolition; and provided further, that unless authorized by a majority vote of the people of the City of Fostoria, Council shall have no authority to abolish the Police Department or Fire Department, including but not limited to fire- based emergency medical services, or to contract with private companies or other law enforcement agencies or fire departments for such services, beyond entering into mutual aid agreements.
(E) The procedures of the Council to adopt ordinances and resolutions, to establish its rules, and in the exercise of its powers shall be those provided pursuant to the Ohio Constitution, and as provided in this Charter or the General Laws of Ohio.
(Amended November 6, 2007; May 3, 2011.)