CHARTER

CITY OF

PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Parkersburg Charter was adopted at the special election held October 7, 1969. Dates appearing in parentheses following a section heading indicate those provisions were subsequently amended, enacted or repealed on the date given.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLE I INCORPORATION; FORM OF GOVERNMENT; POWERS

   Section 1.100   Incorporation.

   Section 1.101   Form of Government.

   Section 1.102   Powers of City.

ARTICLE II LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

   Chapter 1 The Council.

   Section 2.100   Powers.

   Section 2.101   Number, Selection and Terms of Councilmen.

   Section 2.102   Election Districts.

   Map

   Section 2.103   Precincts Defined.

   Section 2.104   Council Redistricting.

   Section 2.105   Qualifications of Councilmen. (8-23-16)

   Section 2.106   Organization of the Council; Officers; Rules; Employees.

   Chapter 2 Council Procedure.

   Section 2.200   Procedure Respecting Adoption of Ordinances. (10-15-85)

   Section 2.201   Submission of Ordinances to Mayor; Veto Power. (10-15-85)

   Section 2.202   Mayor or Representative Shall Attend Council Meetings.

   Section 2.203   Council Meetings to be Public. (10-15-85)

   Section 2.204   Council to be the Judge of Qualifications of its Members.

   Section 2.205   Creation of Departments or Offices; Change in Duties.

   Section 2.206   Vacancies in Council. (10-15-85; 11-4-08)

   Section 2.207   Compensation. (10-15-85)

   Section 2.208   Codification of Ordinances. (10-15-85)

   Chapter 3 Investigations by Council.

   Section 2.300   Investigations; Powers to Conduct.

   Section 2.301   Power to Administer Oaths, Subpoena Witnesses and Compel Production of Records.

ARTICLE III EXECUTIVE BRANCH 

   Section 3.100   Powers and Duties of Mayor.

   Section 3.101   Election and Term of Mayor.

   Section 3.102   Qualifications of Mayor. (8-23-16)

   Section 3.103   Acting Mayor. (11-4-08)

   Section 3.104   Vacancy in Office. (11-4-08)

   Section 3.105   Compensation of the Mayor.

ARTICLE IV ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS

   Chapter 1 Personnel System.

   Section 4.100   Merit System.

   Section 4.101   Civil Service.

   Section 4.102   Oath, Qualifications.

   Section 4.103   Personnel Policy.

   Section 4.104   Employees' Retirement and Benefit Fund.

   Section 4.105   Restrictions on Employment.

   Section 4.106   Prohibitions.

   Section 4.107   Appointment, Qualifications, Removal and Duties of Personnel Director.

   Chapter 2 Department of Public Works.

   Section 4.200   Director of Public Works, Appointment.

   Section 4.201   Director of Public Works, Qualifications.

   Section 4.202   Director of Public Works, Powers and Duties.

   Section 4.203   Building Code, Zoning and Related Ordinances.

   Section 4.204   City Engineer.

   Section 4.205   Qualifications of City Engineer. (11-4-08)

   Section 4.206   Powers and Duties of the City Engineer.

   Chapter 3 Department of Finance

   Section 4.300   Director of Finance, Appointment and Qualifications. (10-15-85)

   Section 4.301   Director of Finance, Powers and Duties. (11-2-04; 3-27-12)

   Section 4.302   Accounting Supervision and Control.

   Section 4.303   Fines and Fees Shall be Paid to Department of Finance.

    Section 4.304   Competitive Bidding. (11-2-04)

   Chapter 4 Purchasing Department. (11-2-04)

   Chapter 5 City Attorney.

   Section 4.500   Qualifications, Selection and Tenure. (11-4-08)

   Section 4.501   Powers and Duties.

   Section 4.502   Assistant City Attorneys.

   Section 4.503   Special Counsel.

ARTICLE V FINANCIAL PROCEDURES

   Section 5.100   Fiscal Year.

   Section 5.101   Submission of Budget and Budget Message. (8-23-16)

   Section 5.102   Budget Message.

   Section 5.103   Budget.

   Section 5.104   Capital Program.

   Section 5.105   Council Action on Budget. (10-15-85)

   Section 5.106   Council Action on Capital Program. (10-15-85)

   Section 5.107   Public Records.

   Section 5.108   Administration of Budget. (8-23-16)

   Section 5.109   Fiscal Planning Commission; Council Authorized to Create.

ARTICLE VI MUNICIPAL COURT

   Section 6.100   Jurisdiction. (10-15-85)

   Section 6.101   Municipal Judge, Qualifications.

   Section 6.102   Municipal Court Judge, Method of Selection, Term of Office.

   Section 6.103   Acting Municipal Judge.

   Section 6.104   Municipal Judge, Powers and Duties.

   Section 6.105   Municipal Court, Process.

   Section 6.106   Fines and Fees.

ARTICLE VII NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

   Section 7.100   General Election Laws to Control; Terms of Officers.

   Section 7.101   Primary Elections; Time, Place and Certificates of Candidacy. (11-8-05)

   Section 7.102   Terms of Members of Executive Committees. (11-18-16)

   Section 7.103   General Elections; Time and Place. (11-8-05)

   Section 7.104   First Officers Under This Charter; Nomination, Election and Terms.

   Section 7.105   Continuity of Present Governing Body.

   Section 7.106   Council to Provide for Independent Party or Group Participation.

   Section 7.107   Municipal Party Executive Committees; How Composed. (11-8-16)

   Section 7.108   Council to Canvass Returns. (10-15-85)

ARTICLE VIII INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL

   Section 8.100   Initiative.

   Section 8.101   Referendum.

   Section 8.102   Petitions.

   Section 8.103   Procedure.

   Section 8.104   Referendum Petitions; Suspension of Effect of Ordinance.

   Section 8.105   Action on Petitions.

   Section 8.106   Results of Election.

   Section 8.107   Power of Recall.

   Section 8.108   Election Under Recall Petition.

   Section 8.109   Filling Vacancy Caused by Recall.

   Section 8.110   Limitations on Recall.

ARTICLE IX SUCCESSION IN GOVERNMENT

   Section 9.100   Continuity of Administrative Personnel and Offices.

   Section 9.101   Continuity of Offices, Departments or Agencies.

   Section 9.102   Transfer of Records and Property.

   Section 9.103   Succession in Interest; Pending Actions and Proceedings.

   Section 9.104   Effect on Existing Law.

ARTICLE X GENERAL PROVISIONS

   Section 10.100   Chief of Police. (10-15-85)

   Section 10.101   Chief of Fire Department. (10-15-85)

   Section 10.102 Hospitals.

   Section 10.103   Sanitary Board; Appointment.

   Section 10.104    Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System.

   Section 10.105   Bonds.

   Section 10.106   Separability Clause.

   Section 10.107   Reference to General Law.

   Section 10.108   Sundays and Legal Holidays; Saturday Council Proceedings Lawful. (10- 15-85)

   Section 10.109   Loss of Qualification by Officer or Employee; Vacancy Created. (10-15-85)

   Section 10.110   Conflict of Interest.

   Section 10.111   Central Garage and Motor Pool.

   Section 10.112   Residency Defined. (11-4-08)

APPENDIX A

Certificate Ordinance Procedures.

APPENDIX B 

Report of the Charter Board.

APPENDIX C

Structure of Government Under Proposed Charter.

CHARTER

OF THE

CITY OF PARKERSBURG