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CITY OF TWINSBURG
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Notice: The Charter posted below is official as of November 2007. Charter amendments were approved by the voters in November 2009, however, they will not be published until they are received from our Codifying Agent in March 2010. Until then, please contact the Council Clerk for the latest amendments. TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLE IV THE MAYOR ARTICLE V CITY MANAGER (11-3-81) ARTICLE VI FINANCE ARTICLE VII ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS ARTICLE VIIA CHANGES TO ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS OR DISTRICT ARTICLE VIII NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS ARTICLE IX INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS TO CHARTER ARTICLE XI CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION ARTICLE XII GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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1.0 Sec. 1.0 Name and Boundaries. Sec. 2.01 Form of Government. ARTICLE III THE COUNCIL Sec. 3.01 Council - Number and Terms. Council members-Elect shall assume office at the first regular meeting of Council in December next following their election. The regular term of Councilmember shall be four (4) years, except as follows: Wards 1, 2 and 3 and Councilmember-at-Large: Sec. 3.02 Wards - Districting Commission. B. Districting Commission. The Council shall appoint five (5) qualified voters, one from each ward of the City, determined from the registration from the last general election, who shall comprise the Districting Commission. The voters chosen shall not be employed by the City in any other capacity excepting there from members of the Twinsburg Development Foundation. 1. Each ward shall be formed of compact, contiguous territory. E. Failure to enact ordinances. The Council shall adopt the ordinance as recommended or amended at least one hundred eighty (180) days before the next regular municipal election. If the Council fails to do so by such date, all Councilmembers to be elected at such election shall be elected at large and shall serve as Councilmembers-at-Large until their terms of office expire. After such an election at large, the Districting Commission shall convene and adjust the ward boundaries in accordance with the specifications, requirements and procedure earlier provided in this section, except that the ordinance shall be enacted at least one hundred eighty (180) days before the next regular municipal election following such election at large. F. Effect of enactment. The new Council wards and boundaries, as of the date of enactment, shall supersede previous Council wards and boundaries, for all purposes of the next election. The new wards and boundaries shall supersede previous wards and boundaries for all other purposes as of the date on which all Councilmembers elected at that regular election take office. At the same meeting, Council shall elect a Vice President of Council for a term of one year upon the concurrence of a majority of the members elected or appointed. The appointee shall hold office for the unexpired term of the member in whose office the vacancy occurred or until a successor to such vacant office is elected and qualified as required by this Charter. No person who resigns or is removed from the Office of Councilmember shall be reappointed for the balance of the term of office from which the member resigns or is removed. A successor to the vacated council seat shall be elected by the electors of the Municipality in the event the vacancy occurs in the Office of Councilmember at Large, or by the electors of the ward in the event the vacancy occurs in the Office of Ward Councilmember, at the next regular Municipal election for such seat provided that: 1. Such election occurs more than two (2) years prior to the expiration of the term of the office vacated; and; 2. Such vacancy occurs more than sixty (60) days prior to such election. A. Regular Meetings. At the first regular meeting of Council in December of each calendar year, the Council shall convene and organize at the Council Chambers of the City. Thereafter, the Council shall meet at such times as may be prescribed by its rules, regulations or by ordinance except that it shall hold regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month providing that when a regular meeting date falls on a holiday or holiday eve Council or, due to other extenuating circumstances, may, by motion, reschedule such meeting date. Meetings shall commence as close as possible to published starting time. After the first meeting in July, the Council shall not be required to hold another meeting until the last scheduled meeting in August. Notice in writing of each such special meeting called at the request of the Mayor, or the three (3) members of Council, shall be given to each member of Council and the Mayor, by serving on each of them personally or by leaving a copy thereof at his usual place of residence, not less than twelve (12) hours preceding the date and hour of such meeting. Service of such notice may be waived in writing. Sec. 3.09 Rules and Journal of Council |
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B. Clerk of Council. The Council shall appoint the Clerk of Council. The Clerk shall attend all regular and special meetings of the Council and keep a record of its proceedings and all rules, bylaws, resolutions, ordinances and motions passed or adopted, which shall be subject to the inspection of all persons interested. The Clerk shall authenticate all records, documents and instruments of the City of which authentication is proper and for that purpose, shall have and use a seal, which shall be the seal of the City. Failure to affix the seal shall not affect the validity of any instrument. (Amended November 2, 1976) No bylaw, ordinance or resolution of a general or permanent nature, or granting a franchise, or creating a right, or involving the expenditure of money, or the levying of a tax, or for the purchase, lease, sale or transfer of property, shall be passed unless it has been fully and distinctly read on three (3) different days, and with respect to any such bylaw, ordinance or resolution, there shall be no authority to dispense with this rule except by a vote of five (5) members of Council taken by yeas and nays on each bylaw, ordinance or resolution and entered upon the journal. Whenever Council is required to pass more than one ordinance or other measure to complete the legislation necessary to make and pay for any public improvement, Section 9.02 of Article IX of this Charter shall apply only to the first ordinance or other measure required to be passed, and not to any subsequent ordinance and other measures relating thereto. Ordinances or other measures providing for the appropriation of the current expenses of the No action of the Council in authorizing the surrender of any of its powers or in granting any franchise, or in contracting for the supply to the Municipality or its inhabitants of the product or service of any utility, whether municipally owned or not, shall be taken as an emergency measure. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter, the adoption, rejection, amendment, authentication and recording, time of taking effect and the signing of every ordinance, resolution, bylaw or measure shall be in the manner provided by the laws of the State of Ohio as the same apply to cities. Sec. 3.11 Powers b. The method of calling special meetings of the Council. c. The method of giving public notice of the enactment of its ordinances and adoption of its resolutions, and of any other of its acts or proceedings which it deems proper to publish. d. The procedure for making public improvements and the levying of assessments, including the procedure for combining two or more public improvements in one proceeding if the Council finds that it will be economical and practical to undertake such improvements jointly. Sec. 3.12 Non-Eligibility to Hold Office ARTICLE IV THE MAYOR Sec. 4.01 Election of Mayor Subject to provisions of the Civil Service Regulations and the provisions of this Charter, the Mayor shall have the power to appoint, promote, discipline, transfer, reduce or remove any employee of the City except: (a) those required by this Charter to be elected, and (b) those whose terms of office may be fixed by this Charter. The Director of Public Safety, the Director of Public Service and all appointive officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. Members of all Commissions shall serve at the pleasure of the Council. The Mayor shall review annually the wages of all City employees and appointed officers of the City and submit the Mayor’s recommendations to Council. Every ordinance passed or resolution adopted shall be signed by the President of Council or other presiding officer and presented promptly to the Mayor by the Clerk of Council. If the Mayor approves such ordinance or resolution the Mayor shall sign and return it to the Clerk of Council within ten (10) days after its passage or adoption by Council, but if the Mayor does not approve it, the Mayor shall deliver it, within ten (10) days, together with the Mayor’s written objections thereto, to the Clerk of Council who shall forthwith return it to Council. The Mayor’s objections shall be read at the next Council meeting and be entered in full on the journal of Council. The Mayor may approve or disapprove the whole or any section of an ordinance or resolution. When the Mayor disapproves any section of an ordinance or a resolution, it will not affect the remaining sections of such ordinance or resolution, but otherwise the Mayor’s approval or disapproval shall be addressed to the entire ordinance or resolution.
ARTICLE VI FINANCES Sec. 6.01 Limitation on Rate of Taxation |
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Sec. 6.02 Salaries and Bonds The compensation of each member of Council shall be uniformly fixed by the Council, but no change in compensation shall take effect unless approved by Council more than 120 days prior to the commencement of the term to which such change applies. No elected official shall receive compensation for serving in multiple capacities, except Council may grant additional compensation to its President. The City shall have the following Commissions, Boards and Committees: The Council may, by affirmative vote of five (5) members combine or abolish any department, division, board, commission, non-elective office or job classification created by Council, but may not combine or abolish any department, division, board, commission non- elective office or job classification created by this Charter. The City shall invite eligible persons to apply for available appointments to boards and commissions by publishing notice of the terms of and qualifications for such appointments in a newspaper of general circulation within the City. Such notices shall appear once 60 days prior to the expiration date and once 30 days prior to the expiration date of the term of each such appointment. Advertising notices for other than full term appointments shall appear at least 30 days prior to the making of such appointment. Council shall make an appointment no later than the expiration date of the term. Applications shall be closed seven (7) days following the last published notice. C. “Investment Board” - The investment of the City moneys shall be managed by the Twinsburg Treasury Investment Board in such manner as Council shall prescribe. The composition of such Board shall be as prescribed by Council, except that one (1) member of Council shall be a member of the Board. B. The Division of Police shall consist of a Chief of Police and such other officers, police officers and personnel as Council shall deem advisable, all of whom shall be appointed from the Civil Service Register by the Director of Public Safety with approval of Council. D. The Director of Public Safety shall make and publish, with the approval of Council, written rules for the government of the Divisions of Police, Fire and the conduct and discipline of members and personnel thereof. A. Manage and administer when established, the municipal utility undertakings of the City; promulgate such bylaws and regulations as (s)he deems necessary for the safe, economical and efficient management and protection of such utilities, which bylaws and regulations, when approved by Council, shall be enforced as ordinances if not in conflict with other ordinances or this Charter or the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and otherwise perform the functions and duties of the Board of Public Affairs of the City except as may be provided otherwise by the Charter. B. Supervise the improvements, maintenance and repair of City streets, alleys, lanes, sidewalks, culverts, sewers, ditches, drains and bridges and water courses, the removal and disposal of rubbish and garbage, and the lighting and cleaning of streets and other public places. Sec. 7.05 Civil Service Commission 1. All officers elected by the people and those persons appointed to fill positions pending an election. 2. All Directors of Departments to include, in addition: 3. Clerk of Council. 4. The members of all boards and commissions. 5. Any temporary or part-time positions as defined by ordinances enacted by City Council. 6. Part-time Secretary to the Civil Service Commission. 7. All persons employed by any court of record. 8. Volunteer Fire Fighters. 9. One Clerk, Secretary or Administrator appointed to any board or commission. 10. One Secretary to the Mayor and each principal Executive Department Head. 11. All employees of the Public Library. 12. All persons who work without compensation. 13. The Clerk of the Board of Education and those positions granted unclassified status within the employ of the Board of Education according to the Ohio Revised Code. B. The Classified Service shall comprise all positions not specifically included by this Charter in the Unclassified Service. There shall be in the Classified Service, two groups to be known as the Competitive and the Non-Competitive group. The Non-Competitive group shall include: 1. All positions that require a license issued by an agent of the State or Federal Government. 2. All unskilled labor. |
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The Civil Service Commission shall make necessary rules and regulations for the appointment, promotion, transfer, layoff, reinstatement, suspension, removal and in general, for the enforcement of the merit system, in the Classified Service. The Commission shall report its proceedings to Council upon request and shall make a report to Council at the beginning of each fiscal year. All persons who have been continuously employed in the service of the Municipality in the same or similar position herein included in the Classified Service for at least thirty (30) days preceding the adoption of this amendment shall retain their position until discharged, reduced, promoted or transferred in accordance with the provisions of this Charter. Council may provide for such additional classifications of employees as it deems appropriate by future enactments. The Commission shall provide rules for the procedure of the Commission for the standardization and classifications of the positions, for competitive and non-competitive tests, for qualifications in meeting reasonable requirements as to age, sex, physical condition and moral character, for investigating and keeping a record of the efficiency of the personnel in the Classified Service and for requiring reports relative thereto from appointing authority, or their delegated authority, for such other rules as may be necessary and proper for the enforcement of the merit system and for appeals from the action of appointing authority in the case of transfer, reduction or removal and the action of the Commission in any such appeal shall be final. Any action by the Planning Commission may be nullified by vote of five (5) Councilmembers taken within thirty (30) days of such action by the Commission. ARTICLE VIIA CHANGES TO ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS OR DISTRICTS ARTICLE VIII NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS Sec. 8.01 Nominations Each person desiring to become a candidate for the office of Mayor shall, not later than 4:00 pm of the seventy-fifth day before the primary election date set by this Charter, file with the Board of Elections a nominating petition with the signatures of registered electors residing in the City of Twinsburg as follows: not less than fifty (50) nor more than one hundred and fifty (150). (Amended November 6, 2006) |
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Sec. 8.02 Ballots Sec. 8.03 Elections
ARTICLE IX INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL Sec. 10.01 Methods and Procedure ARTICLE XII GENERAL PROVISIONS Sec. 12.01 Effective Date of Charter |