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Following each municipal election Council shall meet within five days after the beginning of the term of office of the newly-elected members of Council for the purpose of organizing. At such meeting, the newly-elected members of Council shall take the oath of office and the Council shall proceed to elect a Mayor and a Vice-Mayor and may transact such other business as may come before it. Thereafter, regular or special meetings shall be held as prescribed in the Council rules, and regular meetings shall occur not less frequently than once each month. All meetings of Council and its Boards and Commissions shall be open to the public except Executive Sessions as provided for by Ohio statute. A majority of the members elected shall constitute a quorum at all meetings.
The Council shall select biennially from among its own members one to serve as Mayor and one as Vice-Mayor for a term of two years and until their successors are chosen and qualified. The Mayor shall preside at Council meetings, when present, and shall have a vote on all matters which come before Council, but shall exercise no administrative authority. The Mayor shall be the ceremonial head of the municipality, but shall exercise no administrative authority. The Vice-Mayor shall preside over the meetings of the Council when the Mayor is absent and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by Ordinance.
There shall be a Clerk of Council, elected by vote of majority of the members of Council from outside its membership, to serve until a successor is chosen and enters upon the duties of the Clerk's office. The Clerk may be appointed to serve full time or part time and the Council may assign the duties of the Clerk of Council to any employee of the Municipality as an additional duty. The Clerk shall give notice of Council meetings, keep the journal, advertise public hearings, record in separate books all ordinances and resolutions enacted by Council and have the same published in the manner provided by this Charter. The Clerk shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by this Charter or by ordinance.
Among other powers the Council shall have authority to:
(1) Adopt ordinances and resolutions on any subject within the scope of its powers and to provide penalties for the violation thereof;
(2) Establish the internal organization, staffing and compensation of the departments, boards and commissions created by this Charter; set up such additional departments, boards or commissions as it may deem necessary and determine their powers and duties;
(3) Adopt and modify the master plan and official map of the municipality;
(4) Regulate the use of private real estate in the municipality by establishing zones, limiting the uses in each zone and limiting the height of buildings and the intensity of land use. Structures containing more than three dwelling units, as defined within the most current edition of the Ohio Building Code, are prohibited within the incorporated area as described:
Situated in the City of Oxford, Butler County, State of Ohio, bounded and described as follows: Beginning at the intersection of Chestnut Street and Patterson Avenue; thence northwardly with the centerline of Patterson Avenue to a point, which was the 1976 North Corporate line; thence with the 1976 North Corporate line to a point in the centerline of Brown Road; thence southwardly with the centerline of Brown Road to a point in the centerline of Sycamore Street; thence westwardly with the centerline of Sycamore Street to a point in the centerline of Locust Street; thence with the centerline of Locust Street southwardly to a point in the intersection of the centerline of Chestnut Street and Locust Street; thence with the centerline of Chestnut Street eastwardly to the place of beginning; excepting the following area described as beginning at the intersection of Church Street and College Avenue; thence southwardly with the centerline of College Avenue to a point in the intersection of the centerline of Walnut Street and College Avenue; thence eastwardly with the centerline of Walnut Street; thence northwardly with the centerline of Campus Avenue to a point in the intersection of the centerline of Church Street; thence westwardly with the centerline of Church Street to the point of beginning.
This prohibition shall not apply to existing structures containing more than three dwelling units which shall be permitted to continue as nonconforming as long as said use is continued, but the same shall prohibit the future construction or establishment of structures containing more than three dwelling units;
(5) Adopt a subdivision platting ordinance and approve subdivision plats which conform thereto;
(6) Enact a comprehensive building code;
(7) Authorize the levy of taxes and the issuance of bonds as provided in this Charter;
(8) Adopt an annual appropriation ordinance based upon the annual budget;
(9) Appoint and remove the City Manager, establish the Manager's salary and appoint an acting City Manager when necessary;
(10) Appoint and remove the Director of Finance and establish such Director's salary;
(11) Appoint and remove the Director of Law and establish such Director's salary;
(12) Inquire into the conduct of any municipal officer or employee in the performance of public functions of such officer or employee;
(13) Make investigations of any office, department or agency of the municipality;
(14) Grant public utility franchises by vote of 2/3 of the members of Council;
(15) Employ a public accountant to make an audit of the financial affairs of the City whenever such an audit is deemed necessary;
(16) Provide for the employment of engineering and other professional services on a consulting basis when deemed necessary;
(17) Issue subpoenas for witnesses and to require the production of books and papers which may be necessary in the conduct of any hearings or investigation.
(18) Council shall have the power to appeal the decisions of its boards and commissions on an affirmative vote of five (5) members of Council.
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