(A) All referendum petitions under Amendment No. 7 to the Constitution of the State of Arkansas must be filed with the City Clerk-Treasurer within 30 days after the passage of such ordinance or resolution.
2012 S-18
(B) Whenever any referendum petition is filed, the Mayor, acting on behalf of the City Council, shall give notice by publication for one insertion in a newspaper published in the County of Jefferson and having a general circulation in the City of White Hall of a time not less than five days after the publication of such notice at which the City 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 City Council shall meet, at its regular place of meeting, and hear all who wish to be heard on the question, and its decision shall be final, unless suit is brought in the Chancery Court of Jefferson County, Arkansas, within 30 days to review its action.
(C) If the City 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 not be less than ten days after the date of the action of the Council calling the election. The Mayor shall publish a notice of the call of such election in not less than one issue of a newspaper published in the County of Jefferson and having a general circulation in the city not less than five days prior to the date of the election. Such notice shall designate by its number, caption, and date of passage, the ordinance or resolution which has been referred to the people for approval or rejection by their vote at such election. Otherwise, subject to the provisions of Amendment No. 7 to the Constitution of Arkansas, and other applicable laws, such 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 City Council shall make note of such fact and shall expunge such ordinance or resolution from its files by erasing the same with red ink.
(Ord. 63, passed 10-10-72)
Statutory reference:
Provisions affecting initiative and referenda, see A,C, 7-9-101 through 7-9-104