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A vacancy in the Council, whether it be in the office of Mayor or Council Member, shall be deemed to exist in case of the failure of any person elected thereto to qualify on or before the date of the second regular meeting of the new Council, or by reason of the death, resignation, removal from office, removal from the City, continuous absence from the City for more than three months, or conviction of a felony of any such person whether before or after his qualification, or by reason of the failure of any member of the Council without good cause to perform any of the duties of membership in the Council for a period of three months. In each such case the Council shall by resolution declare such vacancy to exist and shall forthwith appoint an eligible person to fill the same until the next regular municipal election when the office shall be filled for the unexpired term. In the event aCouncil Member moves his residence from the ward from which he was elected to the other ward within the City, no vacancy shall be deemed to exist during the unexpired portion of the current term, but he should serve to the end of such term as though there had been no such removal. Nor shall a change in ward boundaries as herein provided in any way affect the current term of any Council Member. However, a candidate for election or re-election to the office of Council Member must be a bona fide resident of the ward from which he seeks election and meet all other requirements of such candidate.
The Council may, by ordinance or resolution, establish and regulate any board or commission to advise the Council with respect to any City function or activity, to investigate any subject of interest to
the City, or to perform quasi-judicial functions. The Council may, by ordinance, establish and regulate any administrative board or commission, and by such ordinance specify the powers and duties of such board or commission. Any board or commission may be abolished by action of the Council similar to that by which it was established.
(Source: City Charter; Effective Date: 10-1-87)
The Mayor shall be the presiding officer of the Council. The Mayor shall have a vote, as a member of the Council, only in case of a tie, or in cases where by this Charter or by law an exceptional majority vote of more than 60 percent of the entire Council membership is required to take an action. He shall exercise all powers and perform all duties conferred and imposed upon him by this Charter, the ordinances of the City, and the laws of the State. He shall be recognized as the official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes, by the courts for the purpose of serving civil process, and by the Governor for the purpose of martial law. In time of public danger or emergency he may, with the consent of the Council, take command of the police, maintain order and enforce the law.
(Source: Ordinance No. 89, Third Series; Effective Date: 9-26-90)
The Council shall choose from the Council Members, an Acting Mayor, who shall hold such office at the pleasure of the Council. The Acting Mayor shall serve as presiding officer in the Mayor's absence and as Mayor in case of the Mayor's temporary disability or absence from the City. The Acting Mayor, while serving as presiding officer or performing other duties as Mayor, shall have full voting privileges as an Council Member.
(Ordinance No. 12, Fourth Series; Effective Date: 4-22-2020)