The oath of office shall be required and administered in accordance with the following:
1. Qualify for Office. Each elected or appointed officer shall qualify for office by taking the prescribed oath and by giving, when required, a bond. The oath shall be taken, and bond provided, after being certified as elected but not later than noon of the first day which is not a Sunday or a legal holiday in January of the first year of the term for which the officer was elected.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 63.1)
2. Prescribed Oath. The prescribed oath is: “I, (name), do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Iowa, and that I will faithfully and impartially, to the best of my ability, discharge all duties of the office of (name of office) in Mount Vernon as now or hereafter required by law.”
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 63.10)
3. Officers Empowered to Administer Oaths. The following are empowered to administer oaths and to take affirmations in any matter pertaining to the business of their respective office:
A. Mayor
B. City Clerk
C. Members of all boards, commissions or bodies created by law.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 63A.2)
Surety bonds are provided in accordance with the following:
1. Required. The Council shall provide by resolution for a surety bond or blanket position bond running to the City and covering the Mayor, Clerk, Treasurer and such other officers and employees as may be necessary and advisable.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 64.13)
2. Bonds Approved. Bonds shall be approved by the Council.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 64.19)
3. Bonds Filed. All bonds, after approval and proper record, shall be filed with the Clerk.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 64.23[6])
4. Record. The Clerk shall keep a book, to be known as the “Record of Official Bonds” in which shall be recorded the official bonds of all City officers, elective or appointive.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 64.24[3])
All books and records required to be kept by law or ordinance shall be open to examination by the public upon request, unless some other provisions of law expressly limit such right or require such records to be kept confidential. Access to public records which are combined with data processing software shall be in accordance with policies and procedures established by the City.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 22.2 & 22.3A)
All meetings of the Council, any board or commission, or any multi-membered body formally and directly created by any of the foregoing bodies shall be held in accordance with the following:
1. Notice of Meetings. Reasonable notice, as defined by State law, of the time, date and place of each meeting, and its tentative agenda shall be given.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 21.4)
2. Meetings Open. All meetings shall be held in open session unless closed sessions are held as expressly permitted by State law.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 21.3)
3. Minutes. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings showing the date, time and place, the members present, and the action taken at each meeting. The minutes shall show the results of each vote taken and information sufficient to indicate the vote of each member present. The vote of each member present shall be made public at the open session. The minutes shall be public records open to public inspection.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 21.3)
4. Closed Session. A closed session may be held only by affirmative vote of either two-thirds of the body or all of the members present at the meeting and in accordance with Chapter 21 of the Code of Iowa.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 21.5)
5. Cameras and Recorders. The public may use cameras or recording devices at any open session.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 21.7)
6. Electronic Meetings. A meeting may be conducted by electronic means only in circumstances where such a meeting in person is impossible or impractical and then only in compliance with the provisions of Chapter 21 of the Code of Iowa.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 21.8)
A City officer or employee shall not have an interest, direct or indirect, in any contract or job of work or material or the profits thereof or services to be furnished or performed for the City, unless expressly permitted by law. A contract entered into in violation of this section is void. The provisions of this section do not apply to:
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5)
1. Compensation of Officers. The payment of lawful compensation of a City officer or employee holding more than one City office or position, the holding of which is not incompatible with another public office or is not prohibited by law.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[1])
2. Investment of Funds. The designation of a bank or trust company as a depository, paying agent, or for investment of funds.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[2])
3. City Treasurer. An employee of a bank or trust company, who serves as Treasurer of the City.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[3])
4. Stock Interests. Contracts in which a City officer or employee has an interest solely by reason of employment, or a stock interest of the kind described in subsection 8 of this section, or both, if the contract is for professional services not customarily awarded by competitive bid, if the remuneration of employment will not be directly affected as a result of the contract, and if the duties of employment do not directly involve the procurement or preparation of any part of the contract.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[5])
5. Newspaper. The designation of an official newspaper.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[6])
6. Existing Contracts. A contract in which a City officer or employee has an interest if the contract was made before the time the officer or employee was elected or appointed, but the contract may not be renewed.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[7])
7. Volunteers. Contracts with volunteer fire fighters or civil defense volunteers.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[8])
8. Corporations. A contract with a corporation in which a City officer or employee has an interest by reason of stock holdings when less than five percent (5%) of the outstanding stock of the corporation is owned or controlled directly or indirectly by the officer or employee or the spouse or immediate family of such officer or employee.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[9])
9. Contracts. Contracts made by the City upon competitive bid in writing, publicly invited and opened.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[4])
10. Cumulative Purchases. Contracts not otherwise permitted by this section, for the purchase of goods or services which benefit a City officer or employee, if the purchases benefiting that officer or employee do not exceed a cumulative total purchase price of fifteen hundred dollars ($1500.00) in a fiscal year.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[10])
11. Franchise Agreements. Franchise agreements between the City and a utility and contracts entered into by the City for the provision of essential City utility services.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 362.5[12])
The terms of all appointed officers that are not otherwise fixed by law or ordinance shall be two (2) years, such terms expiring at the time of the organizational meeting of the Council in January following the regular municipal election and the appointment of a successor.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 372.13[4])
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