§ 17 QUORUM OF COUNCIL.

   The presence of a majority of the Council shall be necessary to make a quorum for the transaction of business.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 18 PROCEEDINGS OF COUNCIL MEETINGS TO BE READ, SIGNED, AND COUNTERSIGNED; RECORDING OF AYES AND NOES.

   At meetings of the Common Council, minutes of the proceedings of the prior meeting shall be read and corrected, if erroneous, and signed by the presiding officer, and countersigned by the City Clerk. Upon the call of any member, the ayes and noes upon any question shall be taken and recorded in the journal, and the roll for that purpose shall be called alphabetically.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 19 PLACE AND TIME OF COUNCIL MEETINGS.

   Regular meetings of the Common Council shall be held on the first Monday of each month except when that day is a holiday, in which event the regular monthly meeting shall be held the following day. The time for said meetings shall be set by order of Council, with public notice. However, the Council shall have the power to change the regular appointed day and time of its meetings by ordinance. The Council may by ordinance provide procedures for the call of special meetings. No business may be conducted at either a regular or special meeting unless a quorum is present. All meetings must be conducted in compliance with the West Virginia Open Governmental Proceedings Law.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 20 POWERS AND DUTIES OF APPOINTED OFFICERS.

   1.   The City Manager shall be the chief city administrator, and shall supervise all city services, department chiefs, and all city employees. The City Manager, together with the City Clerk, shall develop and periodically revise a city personnel manual with qualification statements and guidelines for all appointed officer and employee positions. The City Manager shall conduct his duties in accord with policies established by the Common Council.

   2.   The City Clerk shall keep a journal of the proceedings, ordinances, acts, orders, and resolutions of the Common Council, and have charge of and preserve the records of the city, in the city building safe or vault, if there be one. The City Clerk shall also assist the Common Council and the City Manager in the supervision of all city services and shall be responsible for the keeping and periodic reporting of city record books. The City Clerk shall be the chief election officer for the city, and shall conduct all city elections in accord with the election laws of West Virginia.

   3.   The City Finance Manager shall assist the Common Council and the City Manager to supervise all city financial affairs and the annual audit of city fiscal records, and shall serve as Assessor of the value of properties for city tax purposes.

   4.   The City Attorney shall conduct city legal business, in accord with policies established by the Common Council, and shall advise the Mayor, Council, and City Manager on all legal matters pertaining to the city.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 21 APPOINTED OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; OFFICIAL BONDS.

   The Common Council may, by ordinance, define the duties of all appointed municipal officers and employees and allow them reasonable compensation, and shall require from all those whose duty it is to receive funds, assets or property, or have charge of the same, such bonds as they shall deem necessary or proper to ensure the faithful performance of their said duties. All officers and employees appointed by Council shall hold their office or appointment at the will and pleasure of the Common Council, but no appointee shall hold beyond the current year for which he shall have been appointed without being reappointed by the Council.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 22 CITY MONEYS; HOW EXPENDITURES TO BE MADE.

   All moneys belonging to the city shall be paid over to the City Financial Manager; and no money shall be paid out by him or her except pursuant to an appropriation by the Common Council, and upon an order signed by the Mayor and the City Clerk.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 23 REGULATION OF WARDS AND EXPENDITURES FOR STREET THEREIN; SPECIAL TAXES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.

   The Common Council shall adopt ward regulations, whether general or special, for the good of the citizens living within the wards. The Council also shall appropriate street expenditures for each of the wards based upon equity and need. The Council may authorize the collection of special assessments or taxes for specific purposes.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 24 FUNDS MUST BE ON HAND FOR APPROPRIATIONS AND TO INCUR DEBT; CONTRACTS INVOLVING FUTURE LEVY REQUIRES APPROVAL AT REFERENDUM.

   No money shall be appropriated, and no debt shall be contracted, for any purpose whatever, except that the funds to meet the same shall have been first provided by levy duly laid, in accordance with the laws of West Virginia; and no contract shall be entered into involving or anticipating future levies, unless all questions connected with the same shall have been first submitted to a vote of the people and have received three-fifths of all the votes cast for and against the same.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)

§ 25 REGULATION GOVERNING FRANCHISES FOR USE OF STREETS, ALLEYS, AND PUBLIC GROUNDS.

   The Common Council shall have the power to grant franchises and the power to compel compliance with franchise obligations in accordance with West Virginia law.

(Ord. passed 1-18-2002)