All the powers granted to the city by this charter and by the
laws of this state, except as otherwise provided by this charter are
hereby vested in the City Council which shall exercise its powers
in the manner hereinafter provided; except that the general management,
care and conduct of the schools shall be vested in a school committee.
The members of the City Council constitute the municipal officers
of the City of Bangor for all purposes required by statute, and, except
as otherwise herein specifically provided, shall have all powers and
authority given to and perform all duties required of municipal officers,
and mayors of cities under the laws of this state.
There shall be elected at large from the qualified voters in
said city a City Council consisting of nine members. At each annual
municipal election there shall be chosen at large three members of
the City Council to hold office for a term of three years. No voter
may vote for more than three. Each member of the City Council shall
hold office until a successor is elected and qualified. Members of
the City Council shall receive the sum of $2,000.00 per year, same
payable quarterly, and the Chair of the City Council shall receive
an additional $500.00 per year.
The City Council may by ordinance increase the amount members
shall be entitled to receive as compensation, provided, however, no
such ordinance increasing the Council's compensation shall take effect
until the beginning of the next fiscal year following approval of
the increase by the voters at a public referendum. No member of the
City Council shall, during the term for which he or she shall have
been elected and for one year thereafter, be appointed to any other
nonelected office of profit or employment position of the City.
No person may serve as a member of the City Council for more
than three complete consecutive terms.
At the first meeting, or as soon thereafter as possible, the
City Council shall elect one of its members as Chair of the council
for the ensuing year, and until a successor is elected and qualified;
and the City Council may fill for the unexpired term any vacancy as
Chair that may occur.
If the Chair shall fail from sickness, disability, absence from
the city or other cause to attend to and perform the duties incumbent
on the Chair, the remaining members of the City Council may by unanimous
vote, after notice and hearing, terminate the term of office of and
remove said Chair therefrom and thereupon by majority vote may elect
some other member of said City Council Chair and such newly elected
member shall thereupon and thereafter hold the office and perform
the duties of Chair for the balance of that year, and until a successor
is elected and qualified.
The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the council, and
shall perform such other duties, consistent with this office, as the
council may provide. The Chair shall be entitled to vote, and the
vote shall be counted upon all matters and things as a vote of other
members of the council. The Chair shall be recognized as the official
head of the city for ceremonial purposes, and shall have the powers
and authority given to and perform the duties required of mayors of
cities for all purposes of military law, and shall act as mayor in
so far as representation is provided for the city by the mayor upon
any board or commission or otherwise provided by any statute. In the
temporary absence or disability of the Chair, the City Council may
select a Chair pro tempore from among its number who shall exercise
all the powers of the Chair.
The City Council shall meet at the usual place for holding meetings
at ten o'clock A.M., on the first Monday in November following the
regular city election, and at said meeting the councilors-elect shall
be sworn to the faithful discharge of their duties by the city clerk
or a dedimus justice. Members elected at other than regular city elections
will be sworn in at the first regular meeting of the Council following
their election.
The City Council shall, at its first meeting, or as soon thereafter
as possible, establish by ordinance or resolution a regular place
and time for holding its meetings and shall meet regularly at least
twice each month.
Special meetings may be called by the Chair, and in case of
the absence, disability or refusal of that individual, may be called
by a majority of the members of the City Council. The City Clerk shall
give to all members at least 24 hours notice of the time and place
of such special meeting. The method of notification for meetings shall
be established by the Council by resolve.
A majority of the members of the City Council shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business. In the event any meeting
is adjourned due to lack of quorum, the City Clerk shall give to all
members at least twenty-four hours notice of the time and place of
such adjourned meeting.
The City Council shall keep a record of its proceedings and
shall determine its own rules of procedure and make lawful regulations
for enforcing the same. The meetings of the City Council shall be
open to the public. The City Council shall act only by ordinance,
order or resolve; all ordinances, orders and resolves, except orders
or resolves making appropriations of money, shall be confined to one
subject which shall be clearly expressed in the title. The appropriation
order or resolve shall be confined to the subject of appropriations
only. No ordinance and no appropriation resolve shall be passed until
it has been read on two separate days, except when the requirement
of a reading on two separate days has been dispensed with by a two-thirds
vote of the members of the City Council. The yeas and nays shall be
taken upon the passage of all ordinances and entered on the record
of the proceedings of the City Council by the clerk. The yeas and
nays shall be taken on the passage of any order or resolve when called
for by any member of the City Council. Every ordinance shall require
on final passage the affirmative vote of a majority of the members
of the City Council.
