The Director of Finance shall be on a full-time basis, with their office to be conducted from the Municipal Building, and shall be the head of the Finance Department and the Fiscal Officer of the City. Commencing with the regular municipal election in the year 1977, and every fourth (4th) year thereafter, they shall be elected for a term of four (4) years. Their term shall begin and they shall assume office on the first day of January next following such election. No person shall be eligible to be the Director of Finance unless they shall have been a qualified elector and resident of the City for at least two (2) years immediately prior to the date of his/her election, and shall continue to be a qualified elector and resident of the City during their term of office. The Director of Finance shall, at the time of the Director of Finance's election and during the term thereof, maintain a license from the State of Ohio as a Certified Public Accountant. The Director of Finance shall have a minimum of five (5) years public or private accounting experience immediately preceding the Director of Finance's election.
In the event the office of Director of Finance shall become vacant for any reason, the Mayor shall appoint a successor, subject to confirmation by a majority of the members of Council, to serve for the unexpired term or until the election of a successor for the unexpired term at the next regular municipal election provided that, (a) such election shall occur more than two (2) years prior to the expiration of the unexpired term, and (b) the vacancy shall have occurred not less than thirty (30) days prior to the candidate filing deadline for said next regular municipal election.
The Council may remove the Director of Finance for conviction while in office of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude, adjudicated incompetency while in office, or a failure while in office to meet the Charter qualifications for holding said office. Such removal pursuant to this provision of the Charter may only be initiated by a written complaint signed by at least four members of Council. Thereafter, Council shall convene a meeting of its Committee of the Whole to hear said complaint for removal. Such removal shall not take place without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of Council nor until the Director of Finance shall have been notified in writing of the complaint against them at least thirty (30) days in advance of any hearing upon such complaint and they and their counsel have been given an opportunity to be heard, present evidence, and examine any witness appearing in support of such complaint. Council may, by rule, establish additional procedures regarding such removal proceedings not in conflict or inconsistent with this or any other provision of the Charter.
The Director of Finance shall serve the Mayor and the Council as finance advisor in connection with Municipal affairs, and may serve as Clerk of Council. In such capacity or capacities, they shall keep the records of said bodies, and shall authenticate all records, documents, and instruments of the City on which authentication is proper. The Director of Finance shall examine all payrolls, bills and other claims against the City and shall issue no warrant unless they find that the claim is in proper form, correctly computed and duly approved, and that it is due and payable, and that an appropriation has been made therefor; and shall perform all other duties now or hereafter imposed upon City Auditors or Treasurers by the laws of the State of Ohio unless otherwise provided by this Charter, or by ordinance of the Council, and shall perform such other duties as the Mayor may impose consistent with the office.
(Amended 11-2-10.)