CITY CHARTER

   EDITOR'S NOTE: The Worthington Charter was initially adopted at the general election held on November 6, 1956. Comprehensive amendments to the Charter were approved at the general election held on November 8, 1983. Those sections or section headings with no dates or histories respectively at the end thereof indicate those provisions were amended on November 8, 1983. Dates appearing in parentheses following a section heading indicate those provisions were amended, enacted or repealed on the date given.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

   PREAMBLE

   ART. I.       INCORPORATION - POWERS

      Sec. 1.01     Incorporation. (11-8-60)

      Sec. 1.02   Powers.

      Sec. 1.03   Initiative and Referendum.

      Sec. 1.04      Referendum and Effective Date on Zoning Ordinances or Other Zoning Measures. (11-3-15)

   ART. II.    THE COUNCIL

      Sec. 2.01     Powers, Number, Selection and Term.

      Sec. 2.02      Qualifications. (11-5-96)

      Sec. 2.03      Vacancies.

      Sec. 2.04      Salary. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.05      President of Council, President Pro-tem of Council, Mayor, and Vice-Mayor. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.06      Salary of Mayor and Vice-Mayor. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.07      Specific Powers of Council. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.08      Appointment of City Manager.

      Sec. 2.09   Tenure of Office of City Manager.

      Sec. 2.10     Council Relations with City Manager. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.11      Clerk of Council; Salary.

      Sec. 2.12      Administrative Code.

      Sec. 2.13      Induction of Council; Organizational Meetings; Meetings. (11-6-07)

      Sec. 2.14      Election Contests.

      Sec. 2.15      Rules; Journal.

      Sec. 2.16      Ordinances and Resolutions; Procedure in Adoption of Resolutions.

      Sec. 2.17      Procedure in the Passage of Ordinances. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.18     Publication of Passage of Ordinances. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.19      Effective Date of Ordinances. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 2.20     Passage of Ordinances by Reference.

      Sec. 2.21   Ordinance Determining to Proceed with Public Improvement; Right of Referendum. (11-5-96)

   ART. III.       THE CITY MANAGER

      Sec. 3.01     City Manager; Qualifications.

      Sec. 3.02   City Manager: Powers and Duties. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 3.03     City Manager: Absence or Disability.

      Sec. 3.04      Administrative Departments.

      Sec. 3.05      Department Directors. (11-8-16)

   ART. IV.       FINANCE

      Sec. 4.01     Fiscal Year. (11-6-56)

      Sec. 4.02     Preparation and Submission of Budget Estimates.

      Sec. 4.03      Public Hearing On Budget Estimates. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 4.04      Date of Final Adoption: Failure to Adopt.

      Sec. 4.05      Budget as an Appropriation.

      Sec. 4.06     Appropriations.

      Sec. 4.07     Transfers of Appropriations.

      Sec. 4.08     Certain Contracts and Expenditures Prohibited.

      Sec. 4.09      Fees.

      Sec. 4.10   Purchasing. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 4.11      Supplies, Materials and Equipment; Construction of Improvements. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 4.12     Emergency Appropriations.

      Sec. 4.13   Short Term Borrowing. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 4.14     Characteristics of Short Term Notes. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 4.15     Accounting Standards.

   ART. V.       TAXATION AND BORROWING

      Sec. 5.01      Limitation on Property Tax Rate. (11-7-61)

      Sec. 5.02     Power to Incur Indebtedness. (11-5-96)

      Sec. 5.03     Issuance of Bonds or Notes.

      Sec. 5.04      Procedure in Bond or Note Issues. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 5.05     Fiscal Agent. (11-8-16)

   ART. VI.       BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

      Sec. 6.01     Authority of Council to Create Boards, Commissions and Committees and to Appoint and Remove Members. (11-5-96)

      Sec. 6.02     Municipal Planning Commission.

      Sec. 6.03      Powers and Duties of Municipal Planning Commission. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 6.04      Board of Zoning Appeals.

      Sec. 6.05     Powers and Duties of Board of Zoning Appeals. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 6.06      Parks and Recreation Commission. (11-6-07)

      Sec. 6.07     Community Relations Commission. (11-6-07)

   ART. VII.       NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

      Sec. 7.01      Municipal Elections. (11-6-56)

      Sec. 7.02      Conduct of Elections. (11-6-56)

      Sec. 7.03      Nominations. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 7.04   Ballots.

      Sec. 7.05     Watchers and Challengers.

      Sec. 7.06     Plurality: Tie Votes.

      Sec. 7.07      Statement of Expenses; Failure to File.

   ART. VIII.        RECALL

      Sec. 8.01     Recall.

      Sec. 8.02     Form of Petitions: Committee.

      Sec. 8.03   Filing and Examination of Petitions. (11-6-56)

      Sec. 8.04      Amendment of Petitions. (11-6-56)

   ART. IX.       GENERAL PROVISIONS

      Sec. 9.01     Oath of Office. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 9.02     Official Bonds.

      Sec. 9.03     Personal Interest. (11-5-96)

      Sec. 9.04     Amendments to the Charter. (11-5-96)

   ART. X.       TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

      Sec. 10.01      Fiscal Succession.

      Sec. 10.02      Continuation of Ordinances, Resolutions, Codes, Rules and Regulations.

      Sec. 10.03      Continuation of Officers and Employees.

      Sec. 10.04     Transfer of Records and Property.

      Sec. 10.05      Continuance of Contracts and Public Improvements.

      Sec. 10.06      Pending Actions and Proceedings.

   ART. XI.       MERIT SYSTEM

      Sec. 11.01      Merit System Established. (11-4-58)

      Sec. 11.02   Classified and Unclassified Service. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 11.03     Personnel Department. (11-8-16)

      Sec. 11.04   Personnel Appeals Board.

      Sec. 11.05   Duties of Personnel Appeals Board.

      Sec. 11.06     Solicitation; Compliance With Ohio Ethics and Election Laws. (11-6-07)

   ART. XII.        THE VILLAGE GREEN

      Sec. 12.01      History and Preservation. (11-5-96)

      Sec. 12.02      Boundaries. (11-5-96)

      Sec. 12.03     Control of Use. (11-5-96)

CHARTER OF

THE CITY OF WORTHINGTON, OHIO

PREAMBLE

   We, the people of the City of Worthington, Ohio, in order to provide a democratic and efficient form of governmental organization, to secure for ourselves the benefits of municipal home rule, and to exercise all the powers of local self-government, do hereby adopt for our Municipality the following Charter.