A. Executive. The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the City. The Mayor shall supervise the administration of the City's affairs, and shall exercise control over all departments and divisions. The Mayor shall be the chief conservator of the peace within the City and shall see that all laws and ordinances are enforced therein. The Mayor shall be responsible for the preparation and submission of the annual estimate of receipts and expenditures, and appropriate measures, and shall at all times keep the Council fully advised as to the financial condition and needs of the City. The Mayor shall recommend to the Council such measures, as the Mayor deems necessary or expedient. The Mayor shall see that all terms and conditions imposed in favor of this City or its inhabitants in any franchise or contract to which this City is a part are faithfully kept and performed.
The Mayor shall serve as the Director of Public Safety for the City and he/she shall serve in that capacity unless and until the Mayor appoints another individual to serve as the Safety Director.
Subject to provisions of the Civil Service Regulations and the provisions of this Charter, the Mayor shall have the power to appoint, promote, discipline, transfer, reduce or remove any employee of the City except: (a) those required by this Charter to be elected, and (b) those whose terms of office may be fixed by this Charter. All appointive officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. Members of all Commissions shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and Council.
The Mayor shall review annually the wages of all City employees and appointed officers of the City and submit the Mayor's recommendations to Council.
Unless otherwise provided for in this Charter, the Mayor shall execute on behalf of the City all contracts, conveyances, evidences of indebtedness, and all other instruments to which the City is a party. The Mayor shall have custody of the seal of the City and may affix it to all of said instruments, but the absence of the seal shall not affect the validity of any such instrument. The Mayor shall be recognized as the official and ceremonial head of the City government by the Governor for military purposes and by the courts for the purpose of serving civil processes. The Mayor shall have his/her office at the City Hall.
B. Legislative. The Mayor shall be entitled to a seat in Council but shall have no vote therein except the Mayor shall have a vote on appointments to all Boards and Commissions. The Mayor shall have the right to recommend and introduce legislation and to take part in the discussion of all matters coming before Council.
Every ordinance passed or resolution adopted shall be signed by the President of Council or other presiding officer and presented promptly to the Mayor by the Clerk of Council. If the Mayor approves such ordinance or resolution the Mayor shall sign and return it to the Clerk of Council within ten (10) days after its passage or adoption by Council, but if the Mayor does not approve it, the Mayor shall deliver it, within ten (10) days, together with the Mayor's written objections thereto, to the Clerk of Council who shall forthwith return it to Council. The Mayor's objections shall be read at the next Council meeting and be entered in full on the journal of Council. The Mayor may approve or disapprove the whole or any section of an ordinance or resolution. When the Mayor disapproves any section of an ordinance or a resolution, it will not affect the remaining sections of such ordinance or resolution, but otherwise the Mayor's approval or disapproval shall be addressed to the entire ordinance or resolution.
If the Mayor does not return an ordinance or resolution within the time limit provided in this section, it shall take effect in the same manner as if the Mayor had signed it. When the Mayor disapproves an ordinance or resolution, or any part thereof, and returns it to the Council with the Mayor's objections, Council shall, but not later than its next regular meeting, reconsider it and, if such ordinance, resolution or section, upon reconsideration is approved by the vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of all members of Council, it shall become effective notwithstanding the veto of the Mayor.
C. Judicial. The Mayor shall have all the judicial powers granted by the general laws of Ohio to mayors of cities, unless and until other lawful provisions shall be made for the exercise of such powers.
D. Salary. The Mayor shall be entitled to all benefits currently afforded other full-time employees of the City. The salary of the Mayor shall be five percent (5%) above the salary of the highest paid Department Head in the City, excluding the Law Director, as established by ordinance adopted by Council. Should the salary of the highest paid Department Head decrease in any given year, the Mayor's salary shall not be reduced but shall only increase at the same percentage rate granted all other Department Heads.
(Amended November 6, 2001; November 4, 2014; November 6, 2018)