No person shall be eligible to hold or be elected to the Office
of Mayor unless he or she shall have attained the age of 21 years
and shall have resided within the corporate boundaries of the Town
of Oakland for at least six months next preceding his or her election.
He or she shall be qualified to vote in Town elections.
The Mayor elected at any regular election shall hold office
for two years from the first Monday in April next after his election,
or until his successor is elected and qualified.
[Amended 10-22-2009 by Res. No. R2009-14]
In the event that the Mayor, during the pendency of his or her
term, shall remove his or her residence from the Town of Oakland and
no longer reside within its corporate boundaries, that person shall
forfeit his or her office. If any vacancy shall occur in the office
of Mayor by reason of death, resignation, removal of residency from
within the corporate boundaries, removal from office for cause or
incapacity (missing three consecutive meetings), as provided for in
this section, or otherwise, the elected Oakland Town Council shall,
as soon as practicable, meet and elect, from among its members, someone
qualified to fill such vacancy and become the Mayor of Oakland. Such
Council person, so appointed, shall forfeit his or her elected position
on the Council. In the event that none of the existing members of
the Oakland Town Council agree to accept the appointment, then the
Oakland Town Council shall appoint, from among the qualified voters
of Oakland, someone qualified to fill such vacancy and become the
Mayor of Oakland. The individual, so appointed, shall be compensated
as the Town regularly compensates the Mayor, for the unexpired term
of office so vacated by the Mayor, and such appointment shall be filled
by the favorable votes of a majority of the members of the Council.
The results of the vote shall be recorded in the official minutes
of the Oakland Town Council.
The Mayor shall receive an annual compensation as set from time
to time by a resolution adopted by the Town Council in its regular
course of business; provided, however, that no change shall be made
in the compensation for any Mayor during the term for which he or
she was elected. The resolution making any change in the compensation
paid to the Mayor shall be finally adopted prior to the municipal
election to elect the Mayor and shall take effect only after the succeeding
(which shall include the Mayor's reelection) Mayor is elected.
The Mayor shall have no vote with respect to any resolution before
the Town Council affecting his or her compensation.
The Mayor shall have the power to administer oaths and certify
the same in all matters pertaining to the corporation and shall have
the power to sign and execute any contract or other document on behalf
of the Mayor and Town Council of Oakland, and his or her signature
shall serve as acknowledgment and acceptance of any such contract
or document on behalf of the Mayor and Town Council of Oakland.
No ordinance shall be valid without the approval of the Mayor,
unless the same be passed over his or her veto by a vote of four members
of the Town Council.
Before entering upon his duties, the Mayor shall take and subscribe
to before the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Garrett County, or any
District Court Judge of Garrett County, the oath being that prescribed
under Section 9, Article 1, of the Constitution of Maryland.
The Mayor shall have the right to vote on all matters brought
before the Mayor and Town Council of Oakland in the same and like
manner as the members of the Town Council themselves.
The Town Council shall have the power, by a majority vote, quorum
being present, to remove the Mayor for cause. Cause shall include,
but not necessarily be limited to, dereliction or willful neglect
of duty of the Mayor, his or her conviction of any crime of moral
turpitude, death or resignation, or the inability of the Mayor to
carry out his or her duties for a period of more than 90 days.