The Mayor and the Councilmen of the city shall constitute the Council thereof and the Mayor shall be a member of the Council and a Councilman for all the purposes of this Charter.
[Amended 7-15-1981 by L.L. No. 4-1981; 7-9-2014 by L.L. No. 2-2014]
A. 
The legislative power of the City and the determination of all matter of policy shall be vested in the Council.
B. 
It shall be the duty of the Council to require that all City officers faithfully perform their duties, maintain peace and good order within the City, and cause the laws, local laws and ordinances to be enforced within the City.
C. 
The Council shall appoint the City Manager as hereinafter provided and shall appoint a Corporation Counsel or hire an attorney as an independent contractor. Such Counsel or attorney shall be engaged in the practice of law in this state for at least five years immediately preceding his appointment or hiring. The Council shall also have approval authority over the appointment of the Police Commissioner.
[Amended 10-9-2014 by L.L. No. 6-2014]
D. 
The Council shall supervise the work of the boards, commissions and officers appointed by the Council or the Mayor with the approval of the Council and such boards, commissions and officers shall be responsible directly to the Council.
E. 
The Council may require any officer or employee to render to it a verified account of all moneys received or disbursed by him and to appear and submit to an examination under oath by the Council or any committee thereof as to any matter in connection with his official duties. A willful refusal or neglect to obey any such order shall be deemed sufficient cause for a fine not to exceed $100, suspension without pay for a period not exceeding two months or removal from office or employment.
F. 
The Council shall award all contracts for public work and all purchase contracts, requiring competitive bidding under the General Municipal Law.
G. 
The Council shall have the authority at all times to examine the books, papers and accounts of any board, commission, department, office or agency of the City.
The Council may make investigations into the affairs of the city and the conduct of any board, commission, department, office or agency thereof and for this purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony and require the production of evidence. Any person who fails or refuses to obey a lawful order issued in the exercise of these powers by the Council shall be guilty of an offense punishable by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, and such offense shall constitute sufficient cause for suspension without pay for a period not exceeding two months or removal from office or employment.
The Council shall provide for an independent annual audit of all city accounts by a certified public accountant who has no personal interest, direct or indirect, in the fiscal affairs of the city government or any of its officers, and may provide for more frequent audits as it deems necessary.
The Council may declare the office of any member of the Council to be vacant if he absents himself from regularly scheduled meetings for three months or more, but no vacancy shall be declared except by the vote of at least five members of the Council after the delinquent member has been heard or failed to appear on notice.
A. 
Except where authorized by law, no member of the Council shall hold the office of City Manager or any other paid city office or employment during the term for which he was elected.
B. 
Except for the purposes of an official inquiry, the Council and its members and committees shall deal with the administrative departments and services of the city for which the City Manager is responsible solely through the Manager, and neither the Council nor any member or committee thereof shall give orders to, or require action by or information from, any subordinate of the City Manager either publicly or privately.
[Amended 9-15-1971 by L.L. No. 3-1971; 10-19-2000 by L.L. No. 6-2000]
A. 
The Council shall meet at the City Hall or at such other place in the city as the Mayor may designate at any time within the first two (2) weeks of January in each year, and at such other times as hereinafter provided. The Council shall hold stated meetings at least twice a month, except that for the months of June through September only one (1) stated meeting per month need be held. The Mayor, or any two (2) Councilmen, may call special meetings by giving at least a twenty-four-hour written notice thereof.
B. 
Meetings of the Council shall be public, except when public interest requires otherwise, but votes shall only be taken in public session. Its records shall be open to public inspection.
C. 
The Mayor shall preside at all meetings, but shall have no power of veto. Four (4) members of the Council shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time and compel the attendance of absent members. Each member present, including the Mayor, shall have only one (1) vote. The Mayor must vote when the votes of the other members are tied. The Deputy Mayor shall preside at all meetings when the Mayor is absent and, in such case, shall vote as Mayor but not as Councilman.
D. 
The adoption of local laws shall be governed by the provisions of the Municipal Home Rule Law. Notice of public hearings on local laws shall be given by publication once in the official newspaper at least five (5) days prior to such hearing.
E. 
The passage of an ordinance shall require the affirmative vote of at least four (4) members of the Council, except as otherwise provided by law, and such vote shall be taken by roll call. No ordinance shall be adopted on the same day it is introduced, except in an emergency. Any ordinance imposing a penalty or forfeiture for the violation thereof shall require a public hearing thereon, notice of which shall be given by publication once in the official newspaper at least five (5) days prior to such hearing, and such ordinance shall, before taking effect, be published at least once in the official newspaper, except as hereinafter provided. In the event of a situation requiring immediate operation of such ordinance imposing a penalty or forfeiture for the violation thereof, it shall take effect as soon as proclaimed by the Mayor and posted in five (5) public places in the city. The City Clerk shall keep a record of each ordinance, which record shall include his attestation and, when published, a certificate of such publication. Such record or a certified copy thereof shall be presumptive evidence of the proper passage of the ordinance.
F. 
The Council shall, by resolution, designate a newspaper circulated regularly at least once a week in the city as the official newspaper of the city.
G. 
The Council may prescribe rules to govern its proceedings.