(A) Elections.
(1) The regular municipal election shall be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered year, and such election shall be conducted in the manner provided by law for general elections.
(2) The candidates receiving the most votes for each office shall be determined elected. All tie votes shall be decided by lot.
(B) Qualifications. All officers shall qualify by taking and subscribing to an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and of the state and the provisions of this code.
(C) Bonds; employee fidelity insurance.
(1) The City Clerk and Deputy City Manager/Finance Officer shall be required to obtain and maintain, at the city’s expense, a public official’s bond conditioned upon the faithful and honest performance of all duties pertaining to their office, in the amount of $50,000.
(2) The city shall purchase and maintain insurance or bond conditioned upon the faithful and honest performance of duties and full accounting of all funds covering each employee, officer, commissioner or board member of the city in the amount of $10,000 per person.
(3) In the event that such bond or insurance coverage is not maintained for an employee, officer, commissioner or board member, the Council may declare the position vacant and proceed as in other cases of vacancy.
(4) The foregoing provisions concerning public official bonds and employee fidelity insurance shall not apply to the employees, officers, commissioners or trustees of the municipal utilities or the municipal hospital; who shall be governed by such separate resolutions as may be adopted by their governing boards.
(D) Residency requirement.
(1) All elected and appointed officers, commissioners and board members of the city shall be residents of the city. If such person ceases to be a resident during their term, their position shall automatically become vacant. If the position is elective, the vacancy shall be filled as provided by state law. If the position is appointive, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as original appointment was made. Persons appointed on or before December 31, 1988, who become non-residents of the city may complete their term, but shall not be eligible for reappointment.
(2) The foregoing residency requirements shall not apply to members of the Hospital Board of Trustees, who must be residents of the hospital facility service area, nor to members of the Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees.
(E) Resignation; reappointment. No person who has resigned or vacated any city position shall be eligible for that office during the remainder of the term, when during the term the emoluments of such office have been increased.
(F) Mileage. Each city officer or employee required to drive their personal automobile on city business shall be entitled to claim reimbursement at a rate per mile as determined by the officer’s or employee’s supervising board or Council for actual and necessary driving in pursuit of city business. Verified and itemized claims for mileage reimbursement shall be filed monthly and shall indicate the name of the claimant, their official capacity, the number of miles driven and any other expenses actually and necessarily incurred on city business. Such claims shall be paid only upon approval of the City Council or board with jurisdiction over the officer or employee.
(G) Gifts. The receipt and reporting of gifts received by or on behalf of city officers and employees is governed by the provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 68B. To the extent applicable to the city, those provisions are hereby incorporated and adopted as part of this code.
(H) Records; property. All city officers, commissioners or board members, upon leaving office, shall deliver to the City Clerk all books, papers, records and documents pertaining to their office, and other property of the city in their possession.
(I) Delay in appointment. If any appointment is not made at the time required in this chapter, it shall be made as soon as is reasonably possible thereafter.
(J) Appointment to fill vacancy. Any appointment made to fill a vacancy shall be for the balance of the unexpired term, except a vacancy on the City Council, which shall be governed by the applicable provisions of Iowa Code § 372.13.
(K) No compensation; expenses. Unless compensation is specifically provided, elected and appointed officials shall serve without pay. However, each elected or appointed officer, commissioner or board member shall be reimbursed for expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the performance of official duties. Reimbursement shall be paid only upon approval of the governing board or commission, or by the Council.
(L) Term or compensation not specified. If the term of office or compensation is not specified in this code, the term shall be indefinite, at the pleasure of the Council and the compensation shall be as the Council shall establish by resolution.
(M) Age. All city elected or appointed officers, commissioners or board members shall have attained the age of 18 years.
(N) Commencement of term. Unless otherwise provided, terms of office shall commence on July 1 and end on June 30.
(O) Confirmation of existing appointees. Incumbent city appointed officers, commissioners and board members serving on the effective date of the adoption of this code are hereby confirmed for their term as established in the records of the City Clerk.
(Prior Code, § 1-7-4) (Ord. 3, passed 12-7-1953; Ord. 28, passed 12-7-1953; Ord. 3.2, passed 6-3-1963; Ord. 185, passed 10-20-1975; Ord. 237, passed 10-13-1980; Ord. 352, passed 10-5-1987; Ord. 366, passed 10-17-1988; Ord. 372, passed 6-5-1989; Ord. 436, passed 3-15-1993; Ord. 446, passed 7-6-1993; Ord. 641, passed 1-3-2006; Ord. 698, passed 3-1-2010; Ord. 767, passed 7-7-2014)