(A) All referendum petitions under Amendment 7 to the Constitution of the State of Arkansas must be filed with the Clerk-Treasurer within 30 days after the passage of any ordinance or resolution.
(B) Upon the filing of the referendum petition, the Mayor is directed to give notice by publication for one insertion in a newspaper having a general circulation in the city, and by posting in five public places in the city of a time not less than five days after the publication of such notice at which the Council will hear all persons who wish to be heard on the question whether such petition is signed by the requisite number of petitioners. At the time named, the Council shall meet and hear all who wish to be heard on the question and its decision shall be final unless suit is brought in the Circuit Court of Washington County, Arkansas within 30 days to review its action.
(C) If the Council finds that such petition is signed by the requisite number of qualified petitioners, it shall order a special election to determine by a vote of the qualified electors whether the ordinance or resolution shall stand or be revoked and fix a date which shall be not less than ten days after the date of the action of the Council calling the election. The Mayor shall give notice of the call of such election by publication in not less than one issue of a newspaper having a general circulation in the city and by posting in five public places in the city not less than five days prior to the date of the election. The notice shall designate by its number, caption, and date of passage, the ordinance which has been referred to the people for approval or rejection by their vote at such election. Otherwise, subject to the provisions of Amendment 7 to the Constitution of Arkansas and other applicable laws, the election shall be conducted in the manner provided by law for the conduct of a regular municipal election.
(D) If any ordinance or resolution referred to the people is defeated at the polls, the Council shall make note of such fact and shall expunge the ordinance or resolution from its files by erasing the same with red ink.
(Ord. 155, passed 10-23-01; Am. Ord. 2019-07-851, passed 7-2-19)