CHARTER
OF THE CITY OF
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Wheeling, West Virginia Charter was approved by the voters on May 12, 1992. Dates appearing in parentheses following section headings indicate those sections were subsequently amended, added or repealed on the date given.
Sec. 1. Powers and rights of City as corporate body.
Sec. 2. Powers of local self government and home rule.
Sec. 3. Legislative power of Council; fines and penalties for violation of ordinances.
Sec. 4. Form of government.
Sec. 5. Wards. (11-1-11)
Sec. 6. Elections.
Sec. 7. Oath of Mayor and members of Council.
Sec. 8. Compensation of the Mayor and members of Council. (2-13-18)
Sec. 9. Term of Mayor and Council.
Sec. 10. Limitation on terms of the Mayor.
Sec. 11. Quorum, records and meetings of Council.
Sec. 12. Attendance at Council meeting required for voting.
Sec. 13. Ordinance form, passage, records and index; codification.
Sec. 14. Personal interest of members of Council; effect.
Sec. 15. Restriction on final passage of certain ordinances; use of streets, franchises.
Sec. 16. Specified ordinances; effective date; elector protest.
Sec. 17. Ordinances initiated by electors; public vote; publication.
Sec. 18. Council to grant franchises.
Sec. 19. Public utility franchises; conditions thereof.
Sec. 20. Grants for switches or tramways on streets.
Sec. 21. Assessment for public improvement; vote.
Sec. 22. Notice of proposed assessments to abutting property owners.
Sec. 23. Commissioners of loans and bond issues.
Sec. 24. Provisions for issuance of licenses.
Sec. 25. Continuation of departments.
Sec. 26. Appointments.
Sec. 27. Selection, powers and duties of Mayor.
Sec. 28. Development Committee; Mayor's Advisory Commission on Economic and
Industrial Development.
Sec. 29. Selection, powers and duties of Vice-Mayor.
Sec. 30. Appointments by Mayor.
Sec. 31. Traffic Commission.
Sec. 32. Zoning regulations and enforcement thereof.
Sec. 33. Appropriation of private property, levies for recreation purposes;
Wheeling Park Commission.
Sec. 34. Levy by class for Wheeling Park Commission.
Sec. 35. Boards and commissions. (5-21-15)
Sec. 36. Appointment, removal and qualifications of City Manager.
Sec. 37. City Manager; oath, bond.
Sec. 38. City Manager; powers and duties generally.
Sec. 39. City Manager contracts; ratification.
Sec. 40. Executive and administrative officials; qualifications, bond, compensation.
Sec. 41. Council seats for City officers; rights.
Sec. 42. Political activities; contributions by officers and employees; penalty.
Sec. 43. Appointment and removal of officers and employees; restrictions on Council.
Sec. 44. City Clerk.
Sec. 45. City Director of Finance.
Sec. 46. Assistant City Manager.
Sec. 47. Chiefs of Police and Fire Departments.
Sec. 48. City Solicitor; Assistant City Solicitors.
Sec. 49. Personnel Director.
Sec. 50. Licensing Officer; revocation of licenses.
Sec. 51. Appointment of Municipal Court Judge.
Sec. 52. Judge to appoint Clerk; Deputy Clerk.
Sec. 53. Duties of Municipal Court Judge; temporary judge.
Sec. 54. Jurisdiction of Municipal Court.
Sec. 55. Proceedings in Municipal Court.
Sec. 56. Enforcement of Municipal Court orders; judgments; execution of process; fees.
Sec. 57. Powers and duties of Municipal Court Clerk; fees.
Sec. 58. Municipal Court records and certificates; effect; seal.
Sec. 59. Payment of Municipal Court costs.
Sec. 60. Appeals from Municipal Court; bond.
Sec. 61. State Civil Service laws applicable to Police and Fire Department.
Sec. 62. Civil Service ordinance.
Sec. 63. Annual audit of books and accounts; publication.
Sec. 64. Audit of boards and commissions.
Sec. 65. Fiscal year fixed by ordinance.
Sec. 66. Transcript of county assessment to Council.
Sec. 67. Water rents; collection; delinquency.
Sec. 68. Suits for collection of taxes.
Sec. 69. City expenditures in excess of authority; penalty.
Sec. 70. Limitation on City indebtedness.
Sec. 71. Issuance and sale of bonds; penalty; advisory committee.
Sec. 72. City depositories. (2-20-07)
Sec. 73. Account and settlement of moneys collected.
Sec. 74. Recall of member of Council.
Sec. 75. Bribery of City officials.
Sec. 76. Attempted bribery of City officials.
Sec. 77. Demanding or receiving bribe by City official.
Sec. 78. General penalty for charter violations.
Sec. 79. Certified copies of ordinances; prima facie evidence of law.
Sec. 80. Fees of officials to be paid into City Treasury.
Sec. 81. Requirements for petitions issued under Charter.
Sec. 82. Separability.
Sec. 83. Inconsistent acts repealed.
Sec. 84. Transition.
P R E A M B L E
The City of Wheeling has been and remains an ideal locale in which to live, to work, and to raise a family. Its excellent schools, beautiful parks, low crime, incomparable fire department, efficient public services, and, most important, warm and friendly residents, make Wheeling a city without equal for its size.
It is the mission of the Charter Review Board, elected and empowered by the citizens of The City of Wheeling at an election held December 3, 1991, to build upon and improve our fair city, as follows:
1. To provide a leadership figure for the city, backed by the mandate of the electorate, to coordinate and advance our economic rebirth;
2. To provide for a council which is more accountable to the citizens it represents, more efficient, and more decorous in its actions;
3. To retain the city manager form of government to maintain the efficient services our citizens have enjoyed;
4. To more clearly delineate the duties, responsibilities and authorities of the administrative and legislative branches of city government; and
5. To retain unchanged and unaffected by political pressures the Wheeling Park Commission, which has provided our city with successful and beautiful parks for the enjoyment of our citizens and enrichment of our community.
In the hope that we have fulfilled our mission and our obligation, we, the Charter Review Board, have adopted and do propose to the electorate of The City of Wheeling the following charter.
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF WHEELING