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SECTION 3.02 COMMISSION MEMBERS.
   (a)   Composition: There shall be a City Commission composed of five (5) members: one Mayor and four (4) commission members. Each commission member shall be elected from one of the four (4) districts within the city.
   (b)   Regular elections: The regular election of the City Commission members shall be held on the second (2nd) Tuesday of March in each even numbered year, in the manner provided in this Charter and shall be for four (4) year terms. Regular elections for the Mayor and Commission members representing District 2 and District 3 shall be held in 1996 and every four years thereafter. Regular elections for Commission members representing District 1 and District 4 shall be held in 1998 and every four (4) years thereafter.
   (c)   Residency requirements: Each commission member and candidates for City Commission, must be domiciled for at east one year at the time of qualification as a candidate within the district from which he or she is seeking election and shall be elected from the district in which he or she is domiciled by a vote of only the registered electors residing within that district. If, as the result of the most recent City redistricting, a candidate is not domiciled for one year within the district that he or she is seeking to represent, then the candidate may seek election in the district in which he or she resides at the time of qualification. The candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in a district shall be elected. The Mayor shall be domiciled anywhere within the City and be elected at-large. In the event no one qualifies for election for any designated district, a vacancy shall be declared and filled in accordance with Section 3.11 of the Charter.
   (d)   Composition of districts: The City of Pembroke Pines shall be divided into four (4) election districts. The geographic boundaries of the four (4) election districts shall be composed of roughly equal populations, and shall be compact, proportional and logically related to the natural boundaries of the neighborhoods within the City. The principles of nondiscrimination and one person/one vote shall be strictly adhered to. The boundaries of the districts within the limits of the City as now existing are continued and may be amended as provided in Section 3.02(e) of the Charter.
   (e)   Redistricting: Following the decennial census in 2010, and every ten (10) years thereafter, or sooner if it is determined by the Commission that districts shall have become unbalanced due to population shifts, the City Commission shall contract with an accredited four (4) year college or university located within the State of Florida for the purpose of identifying and designating the four (4) election districts within the City of Pembroke Pines. The City Commission shall adopt the redistricting plan as designated, provided that the plan incorporates the principles of nondiscrimination and fairness set forth above. In the event an elected commission member no longer resides in the district from which he or she is elected as a direct result of the revisions to district boundaries in accordance with this section, that Commission member shall complete his or her term. Nothing contained within this section shall be construed to alter residence requirements for any candidate including incumbents, during subsequent regular elections. (Adopted by electorate, 3-13-84; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-6-84; Amendment adopted by electorate, 3-11-86; Amendment adopted by electorate, 9-1-98; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-7-06; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-6-12; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-4-14)
SECTION 3.03 NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS.
   All qualifications and elections for the Office of City Commission or Mayor shall be conducted on a nonpartisan basis.
(Adopted by electorate, 11-7-06)
SECTION 3.04 QUALIFICATIONS, FILING FEES AND OATHS.
   (a)   A candidate for any elective position in the City government shall designate the office for which he/she has qualified and pay to the City Clerk a filing fee in an amount equal to three (3) percent of the annual salary of the office.
   (b)   A candidate for the office of Mayor shall file with the City Clerk a written notice of candidacy which shall designate that the candidate is a qualified elector of the City and a resident of the City for at least one (1) year immediately and continuously prior to qualifying for elective office.
   (c)   Candidates for City Commission districts shall file with the City Clerk a written notice of candidacy, which shall designate in which election district of the City that candidate resides. A candidate for one (1) of the four (4) Commission seats in the City shall be a qualified elector of the City and a resident of the City residing within their designated election district for at least one (1) year immediately and continuously prior to qualifying for elective office.
   (d)   The City, where not inconsistent with this Charter, shall adopt that form and manner of conducting election as shall be provided by the laws of the State of Florida.
(Adopted by electorate, 11-7-06; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-6-12)
SECTION 3.05 MAYOR.
   The election for Mayor shall be held on the second (2nd) Tuesday of March in even numbered years and beginning March, 1984, the Mayor’s term shall be for a four (4) year term. The Mayor shall preside at meetings of the Commission, shall be recognized by the Governor for the purposes of military law, for serving of process, execution of contract, deeds, and other documents, and is the City official designated to represent the City in all agreements with other governmental entities, but shall have no administrative duties except as required to carry out responsibility herein. The Mayor shall be a member of the City Commission, shall vote and have the right to debate on all issues coming before the Commission. He shall have the duties, powers, privileges and obligations possessed and imposed on a City Commission member.
   (a)   In the event of the death, resignation, or removal of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor shall vacate the office of Commission member and shall serve as interim Mayor until a successor is determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.11 of the City’s Charter.
(Adopted by electorate, 3-13-84; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-8-88; Amendment adopted by electorate, 3-10-92; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-7-06)
SECTION 3.06 VICE MAYOR.
   The City Commission, at the first regularly scheduled meeting in April of each year, shall elect, by majority vote, the Vice Mayor. The Vice Mayor shall have the privileges, powers and duties of the Mayor in the Mayor’s absence or disability.
   A vacancy on the Commission created by the death, resignation, removal or the elevation of the Vice Mayor to Mayor shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.11 of the City’s Charter.
(Amendment adopted by electorate, 3-11-86; Amendment adopted by electorate, 3-10-92; Amendment adopted by electorate, 9-1-98; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-7-06)
SECTION 3.07 PROCEDURE.
   (a)   Organizational. At the first regular Commission meeting following the certification of the election results pursuant to the Florida election Code, as may be amended from time to time, the Commission shall meet in the City Hall to hold an organizational meeting, at which time and place all newly elected officials shall take an oath of office and assume the duties of their office.
   (b)   Regular meetings. The Commission shall meet regularly at least twice in every month at such times and places as the Commission may prescribe by ordinance. The Commission may, by majority vote, declare some meetings during a fiscal year to be unessential to conduct the public business of the City.
   (c)   Special meetings. Except for Emergency Meetings, Special Meetings may be held on the call of the Mayor or any request of a majority of the members and, whenever practicable, upon no less than forty- eight (48) hours’ notice to each member and the public.
   (d)   Rules. The Commission shall determine its own rules and order of business.
   (e)   Voting. Voting, on ordinances and resolutions, shall be by roll call on final action and shall be recorded in the journal. A majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. No action of the Commission except as otherwise provided in the preceding sentence shall be valid or binding unless adopted by the affirmative vote of three (3) members of the Commission.
   (f)   Journal. The ayes and nays shall be taken upon the passage of all ordinances and resolutions and entered on the journal of the proceedings of the Commission.
(Adopted by electorate, 3-13-84;Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-6-84; Amendment adopted by electorate, 9-1-98; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-5-02; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-7-06; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-6-12)
SECTION 3.08 COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.
   The Commission may determine the annual salary of the Commission members by ordinance, but no ordinance increasing such salary shall become effective until the date of a commencement of the terms of the Commission members elected at the next regular election, provided that such election follows the adoption of such ordinance by at least six months. Any increase in compensation to Commission members or the Mayor shall be subject to a limitation whereby such compensation shall not be increased by more than twenty-five (25) percent in one calendar year. Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the right of any Commission member or the Mayor to be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred by him, with Commission approval, while performing duties on behalf of the City.
(Adopted by electorate, 3-13-84; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-7-06)
SECTION 3.09 PROHIBITIONS.
   (a)   Appointment and removals. Neither the Commission nor any of its members shall in any manner dictate the appointment or removal of any City administrative officers or employees whom the Manager or any of his subordinates are empowered to appoint, but the Commission may express its views and fully and freely discuss with the Manager anything pertaining to appointment and removal of such officers and employees.
   (b)   Interference with administration. Except for the purpose of inquiries and investigations, the Commission or its members shall deal with City officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the Manager solely through the Manager, and neither the Commission nor its members shall give orders to any such officer or employee, either publicly or privately. Nothing in the foregoing is to be construed to prohibit individual members of the Commission from closely scrutinizing by question and personal observation, all aspects of City government operations so as to obtain independent information to assist the members in the formulation of sound policies to be considered by the Commission. It is the express intent of this provision, however, that such inquiry shall not interfere directly with the ordinary municipal operations of the City, and that recommendations for change or improvement in City government operations be made through the City Manager.
   (c)   Holding other office. No former elected City official shall hold any compensated appointed City office or employment until one (1) year after the expiration of the term for which he was elected.
(Adopted by electorate, 3-13-84; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-7-06)
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