(A) The newly elected Board shall convene at the regular place of meeting on the second Wednesday of December in each election year immediately after the prior Board adjourns and proceed to organize themselves for the ensuing year. The Chairperson pro tempore shall call the meeting to order. The Board shall then proceed to examine the credentials of its members and other elective officers of the municipality to see that each has been duly and properly elected and to see that such oaths and bonds have been given as are required. After ascertaining that all members and officers are fully qualified, the Board shall then elect one of its own body who shall be styled as Chairperson of the governing body.
(B) The Chairperson pro tempore shall follow the following method for conducting the election of the Chairperson:
(1) (a) Chairperson pro tempore will ask for a motion as to the procedure to conduct the election (voice/secret ballot). If the body by a majority vote selects a voice vote, the Chairperson pro tempore shall open the floor for nominations.
(b) The Chairperson pro tempore recognizes the member making the nomination: Trustee: “I would like to nominate (name) for Chairperson.”
(c) Chairperson pro tempore asks the nominee if he or she consents to the nomination. If the nominee gives his or her consent the Chairperson pro tempore announces: “(name) has been nominated for the position of Chairperson. Are there any further nominations?”
(d) Continue until there are no other nominations.
(2) If there is only one nomination, the Chairperson pro tempore declares the nominations closed:
(a) “May I have a second motion to nominate (name) as the new Chairperson?”
(b) “Any discussion?”
(c) “All those in favor/opposed?”
(d) Motion carried. Passes or fails.
(3) If there are multiple nominations, the Chairperson pro tempore will take a vote on each nomination in the order they were made. After tallying the ayes and nays the Chairperson pro tempore will announce the nominee that received the majority of the votes.
(a) “(Name) has received the majority of the votes. May I have a motion and a second to accept the results of the vote?”
(b) “Any discussion?”
(c) “All those in favor/opposed?”
(d) Motion carried. Passes or fails.
(4) New Chairperson takes over the meeting at this point.
(C) The Chairperson shall then nominate his or her candidates for appointive offices, and said officers shall hold office until their successors are duly appointed and qualified. He or she shall then proceed with the regular order of business. It is hereby made the duty of each and every member of the Board or of its successors in office and of each officer hereafter elected to any office to qualify prior to the first Tuesday in December following the election, each officer elected at the regular municipal election shall take possession of his or her office. Each appointive officer who is required to give bond shall qualify by filing the required bond, approved by the governing body, in the office of the Municipal Clerk-Treasurer within two weeks from the date of his or her said appointment; provided, that on said bond shall be endorsed the same oath as required of a member of the governing body. Failure to qualify by elective or appointive officers within the time and manner provided in this section shall and does in itself create a vacancy in the office to which said person failing to qualify shall have been elected or appointed.
(Prior Code, § 1-514) (Ord. 653, passed 2-24-2021)