[Amended 11-6-2012; 11-8-2016]
Neither the Mayor, nor any member of the City Council, School
Committee or board, committee or commission thereof and no officer,
agent or employee of the City or School Committee, or immediate family
member of a City or School Department employee shall:
(a)
Have a substantial financial interest, direct or indirect, in any
contract entered into by or on behalf of the City of Biddeford, or
the School Committee, except a personal employment contract, or in
the sale to or by the City, or School Committee of any land, materials,
supplies or services, when such officer, agent, employee or member
exercises on behalf of the City, or School Committee any function
or responsibility with respect to such contract or sale. All contracts
or sales made in violation thereof are void, and the City Finance
Director is expressly forbidden to pay any money out of the City Treasury
on account of any such transaction.
(b)
Purchase or accept anything from the City, or School Committee, other
than those items or services which are offered to the public generally,
and then only upon the same terms and under the same procedures offered
to and used for the general public. This shall not include those items
or services which are received as compensation, or as a part of such
person's employment contract, or which are necessary for the
performance of such person's duties.
(c)
Accept or receive from any person, firm, or corporation acting under
a franchise, contract, or license from the City or School Committee,
any frank, free pass, free ticket, or free service, or accept, directly
or indirectly, from any such person, firm, or corporation any service
upon terms more favorable than those granted to the public generally.
All ordinances, orders, or resolves in force at the time that
this Charter takes effect, not inconsistent with this Charter, shall
continue in force until amended or repealed. All rules and regulations
of the Municipal Officers, or of any office of the City of Biddeford
in force at the time that this Charter takes effect, not inconsistent
with the provisions thereof, shall continue in force until amended
or repealed.
All rights, actions, proceedings, prosecutions and contracts
of the City, or any of its boards, committees, commissions or departments,
pending or unexecuted when this Charter goes into effect, and not
inconsistent therewith, shall be enforced, continued, or completed
in all respects as though begun or executed hereunder.
[Amended 11-8-2016]
General meetings of the citizens qualified to vote in the City
affairs may from time to time be held to consult upon the public good,
to instruct their representatives, and to take all lawful measures
to obtain redress of any grievances according to the right secured
to the people by the Constitution of this State; and such meetings
may and shall be duly warned by the City Council, upon the requisition
of 100 qualified voters of said City. A moderator shall be selected
by majority vote of the citizens attending the meeting.
Any highway, town way, or bridge which has been, or may hereafter
be, located within the City between high and low mark shall nevertheless
be deemed to be legally located and established.
[Amended 11-6-2012]
The Charter may be changed in matters of form and substance
only by a duly elected Charter Revision Commission consisting of nine
members selected as follows: Seven members, one elected from each
ward and two appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council,
who shall serve in accordance with 30-A M.R.S.A, §§ 2101
— 2106, as amended. A candidate for the Charter Revision Commission
shall be a resident of the City of Biddeford for at least six months
prior to the date on/or before which nomination papers are to be filed.
Charter Revision Commission members may not hold another elected office
within the City.
All issues decided by referendum shall be binding on the City
Council and not merely advisory.
All referendum questions are to be decided at a general election
or special election called for the purpose of voting on the referendum.
All referendum questions shall be limited to one part questions
and be stated in the affirmative.
(a)
Bond issues. No order providing for the issue of bonds pledged on
the credit of the City of Biddeford shall be passed without notice
of the same having been posted in a public place in the City of Biddeford
and published at least once in a local newspaper of general circulation
in the City of Biddeford not later than 14 days before final action
of the City Council. No authorization provided for the issue of such
bonds shall take effect until ratified by a majority of the voters
voting thereon at a general or special election. A question seeking
voter approval of the issue of such bonds shall be accompanied by
a statement setting forth estimates of the total cost of such bonds,
total interest, total length of term and projected effect on the mil
rate. Tax anticipation notes are exempted from this provision.
(b)
Citizen initiated referendum.
(1)
Groups, organizations or individuals circulating petitions must
clearly indicate at the top of each and every petition sheet who the
group, persons or entity is and the purpose of the petition.
(2)
Fifteen percent of registered voters in the City of Biddeford
at the time of filing of the petition must sign a petition to bring
matters to a referendum.
(3)
A copy of the petition must be registered with the City Clerk
at the commencement of the petition drive. The petitioners will have
30 calendar days from the date of filing to gather signatures. The
petitions must be submitted to the City Clerk by the 30th day.
(4)
All referendum questions are to be decided by a majority vote
at a general election or special election called for the purpose of
voting on the referendum.
All meetings of the City of Biddeford shall be duly posted on
the central bulletin board of City Hall, at least 24 hours prior to
the meeting.
[Amended 11-6-2012]
Any and all members of boards, committees and commissions nominated
by the Mayor shall be residents of the City of Biddeford for at least
six months prior to their appointment, and must be domiciled in the
City of Biddeford throughout their term.
[Added 11-8-2016]
The City shall maintain an ordinance (to be adopted within six
months) establishing a Code of Ethics for all elected and appointed
City Officials.
