OF THE CITY OF
GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OHIO
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Garfield Heights Charter was approved by the voters on November 6, 1956. Dates appearing in parentheses following a section heading indicates that the section was subsequently amended, enacted or repealed on the date given.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sec. 1. Corporate boundaries.
Sec. 2. Nominations and elections.
Sec. 3. Nominations. (11-6-12)
Sec. 4. Petitions. (11-5-57)
Sec. 5. Selection of candidates.
Sec. 6. Recall. (11-2-65)
Sec. 7. Council powers, term and vacancy. (11-2-71)
Sec. 8. Division of City into seven wards. (11-6-18)
Sec. 9. Qualifications of members of the Council. (11-3-87)
Sec. 10. Meetings of Council and attendance. (11-3-92)
Sec. 11. Rules of Council. (11-3-92)
Sec. 12. President of Council (11-3-09; 11-8-22)
Sec. 13. President Pro Tem. (11-6-18)
Sec. 14. Clerk of Council.
Sec. 15. Legislative procedure. (11-3-70)
Sec. 16. Duties of Council.
Sec. 17. Revision and codification of ordinances.
Sec. 18. Effective date of ordinances and resolutions.
Sec. 19. Mayor's veto.
Sec. 20. Salaries and bonds. (11-2-76)
Sec. 21. Limitation on the rate of taxation. (11-6-01)
Sec. 22. Exception to tax limitation.
Sec. 22A. Sewer Fund and Street Fund established. (11-3-87)
Sec. 23. Mayor's estimate.
Sec. 24. Appropriation ordinance.
Sec. 25. Payment of claims.
Sec. 26. Custody and deposit of funds.
Sec. 27. Certification of expenditures.
Sec. 28. Public bidding. (11-2-99)
Sec. 29. Initiative.
Sec. 30. Referendum.
THE MAYOR
Sec. 31. Executive and administrative powers.
Sec. 32. Term and qualifications of Mayor. (11-3-87; 11-6-18)
Sec. 33. General powers and duties of Mayor. (11-6-79)
Sec. 34. Mayor's right in Council.
Sec. 35. Vacancy in the office of Mayor. (11-3-98)
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS AND DEPARTMENTS
Sec. 36. General provisions. (11-2-76)
Sec. 37. Department of Law.
Sec. 38. Department of Finance.
Sec. 39. Division of Purchases and Supplies.
Sec. 40. Revolving Equipment Fund.
Sec. 41. Department of Public Safety. (11-3-92; 11-4-14; 11-2-21)
Sec. 42. The Department of Public Service and Properties.
Sec. 43. Department of Public Relief and Welfare.
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Sec. 44. Board of Control. (11-3-92)
Sec. 45. City Planning Commission.
Sec. 46. Board of Zoning Appeals. (11-3-70)
Sec. 47. Recreation Board.
Sec. 48. Civil Service Commission.
Sec. 49. Removal of members of Boards and Commissions.
Sec. 50. Contracts and fiscal matters.
Sec. 51. Franchises.
Sec. 52. Amendments.
Sec. 53. Effective date of Charter.
Sec. 54. Savings clause.
Sec. 55. Effect of Charter upon existing laws and rights.
Sec. 56. Interpretation of the Charter.
Sec. 57. Charter Review Committee. (11-6-90)
Sec. 58. Use of land. (11-2-04; 11-8-22)
Sec. 59. Photo-monitoring devices. (11-2-10)
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF GARFIELD HEIGHTS
We, the people of the City of Garfield Heights, being grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, and being aware of our rights and duties as citizens, do, ordain, and establish this Charter in order to provide an efficient and beneficial municipal government that shall insure the full measure of self-government granted us by the Constitution and Laws of the State of Ohio, and that shall promote our common peace, safety, and welfare.
The municipality now existing in the County of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, and known as the City of Garfield Heights, shall continue to be a body politic and corporate under the name of the City of Garfield Heights, with the same boundaries as now exist, but with power and authority to change its boundaries in the manner authorized by the laws of the State of Ohio, except that no territory shall be detached from or annexed to the City, nor shall the City or any segment thereof be annexed to or merged with any body politic, nor shall the corporate existence of the City be terminated, without the assent of sixty per cent (60%) of the electors of the City voting on each proposal. Any such question shall be submitted to the electors at a regular election in such manner as the Garfield Heights City Council shall by resolution or ordinance prescribe.
The City of Garfield Heights shall have all powers of local self government now or hereafter granted to municipalities by the Constitution and laws of Ohio, and all such powers shall be exercised in the manner prescribed by this Charter, or by ordinance of the Council created hereby or in such manner as may now or hereafter be provided by the Laws of Ohio.
A general election for the choice of elective officers provided for in this Charter shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd numbered years. Elections so held shall be known as regular municipal elections. Such other elections shall be held as may be required by law, or provided for in this Charter.
Candidates for all offices to be voted for at any municipal election under the provisions of this Charter shall be nominated at a non-partisan primary election to be held on the second Tuesday in September. The filing deadline shall be at 4:00 p.m. ninety (90) days prior to the election. (Amended 11-6-12)
The name of an elector of the City shall be printed upon the ballot, when a petition shall have been filed in his behalf with the election authorities on or before 4:00 p.m. on the fortieth day before the primary election provided for in Section 2 of the Charter; said petition shall be accompanied by a written acceptance from the nominee. Such petition shall be signed by at least five hundred (500) electors of the City, if for the nomination of a candidate for an office filled by election from the City at large, and by at least one hundred (100) electors of the ward if for the nomination of a candidate for an office to be filled by election from a ward. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter the Laws of Ohio shall govern the nomination and election of the elective officers of the City.
(Amended 11-5-57.)
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