(A) (1) Upon the probable happening of any one or more of the following events:
(a) The formation of any unruly mob;
(b) The existence of a state of war, whether declared or not, or of any insurrection;
(c) The occurring of any tornado, hurricane, and cyclone, major fire, earthquake, flood, or any other act of God or force which disrupts or threatens to disrupt the normal activities of the community;
(d) The occurrence of multiple acts of arson or of any acts which unduly alarm and/or threaten the public;
(e) The occurrence of a nuclear accident; and/or
(f) Any other threatening event designated as an emergency by Council.
(2) The Mayor, or in his or her absence, the Mayor Pro Tem, may declare a state of emergency to exist within the corporate limits of the town. The state of emergency shall be declared by proclamation signed by the Mayor and posted on the town’s official bulletin board(s) and shall be legally effective immediately upon posting. The proclamation shall be in substantially the following language:
“It has been determined that (here state the event giving rise to the emergency) has occurred within the corporate limits of the Town of James Island, South Carolina, and that, accordingly, a state of emergency does, in fact, exist. I, therefore, proclaim a state of emergency and invoke the emergency powers of Mayor as defined by Ordinance 2015-03”.
(B) In the event a state of emergency is declared by the Mayor under the provisions of division (A) of this section, the Mayor shall become vested with the extraordinary powers listed below.
(1) To establish curfew to be effective, within the corporate limits;
(2) To prohibit the sale of gasoline, explosives, dynamite and/or any other type of inflammable or explosive materials, firearms, or any other materials or supplies or any component parts thereof which could readily be utilized as weapons;
(3) To mobilize and deputize the emergency safety task force under the command of the Mayor (or Mayor Pro Tem);
(4) To disperse assemblies or congregations of people;
(5) To suspend issuance of permits;
(6) To order evacuation of the town;
(7) To designate off-limit areas;
(8) To commandeer boats and vehicles;
(9) To restrict trade/commerce (tourism); and/or
(10) To make emergency purchases.
(C) If the Mayor is unavailable, the Mayor Pro-tem is vested in with the extraordinary powers listed in division (B) of this section. If the Mayor and the Mayor Pro-Tem are unavailable, then Council members shall be vested with the extraordinary powers listed in division (B) of this section. The line of succession is to be determined by the Mayor. In the absence of the official line of succession, it is to be determined alphabetically according to each member of Council’s last name.
(Ord. 2015-04, passed 3-19-2015)