SECTION 7. EXPULSIONS AND VACANCIES.

   (a)    The Council may remove any member thereof for gross misconduct, malfeasance in office, conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, judicial declaration of incompetency, willful violation of this Charter, persistent failure to abide by the rules of the Council, or the unexcused absence from all Council meetings held during ninety consecutive days or from one-fourth of the regular meetings held during the calendar year. The Council may punish or expel from any meeting any member for disorderly conduct or violation of its rules.

   (b)    No removal or expulsion shall take place without the concurrence of six members of the Council and until the delinquent member shall have been notified of the charge against the member and shall have been given an opportunity to be heard on the charge. The accused member shall not vote on the questions of the member's punishment, expulsion, or removal.

   (c)    A vacancy shall be deemed to occur in Council upon and as of the time of the presentation of a written resignation to the Mayor or the President of Council, the death of a council member, the determination by the Council that a member of Council ceases to possess or has violated any of the qualifications of the office of Council member, the removal of a council member as provided in this section of this Charter, or upon the recall of a Council member as provided in Section 68 of this Charter. Any vacancy in the Council shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Council for the unexpired term. If the vacancy is not filled within thirty days after it shall have occurred, the power of Council to fill the vacancy shall lapse and the Mayor shall fill it by appointment immediately following the expiration of said thirty days. Any appointee under this section shall qualify under the provisions of this Charter and shall hold office and serve for the unexpired term and until a successor is elected and qualified.
(Amended 11-4-08; 11-6-18.)