The Mayor shall be recognized as the official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for military purposes. The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the City and shall have command and control of its police force. The members of such police force shall be nominated and appointed in the manner provided by the regulations of the Police Civil Service Commission. It shall be the duty of the Mayor to see that the laws of the state, the provisions of this Charter and the ordinances of the City are duly observed and enforced within the City, and that all other officers of the City discharge their respective duties and to that end may institute and maintain on behalf of the City any appropriate action or proceeding against any delinquent officer. Any member of the Council may question the Mayor concerning any matter pertaining to the City, and the Mayor shall thereupon respond to such question and give all of the information available to him or her pertaining to the matter which is the subject of the inquiry.
At its annual meeting in January following the biennial City election, the Council shall choose one of its members as Vice Mayor for the next two years. The Vice Mayor shall perform the duties of the Mayor during his or her absence or disability. If both the Mayor and Vice Mayor should be absent or disabled, the Council may appoint one of its members to act as Vice Mayor during such absence or disability. The Vice Mayor and acting Vice Mayor while so acting shall not vote except as this Charter provides for the vote of a Mayor.
During the month of February immediately following each biennial election as hereinbefore provided, the Council by resolution adopted by a majority vote of all of the members of the Council shall appoint a City Clerk-Treasurer and a City Attorney for a term of two years, commencing on the first day of March in each even-numbered year. The Council also may, if it deems it necessary, appoint assistant City Attorneys and assistant City Clerk-Treasurers who shall perform the duties of the City Clerk-Treasurer and the City Attorney during their absence or disability.
The City Clerk-Treasurer shall have the power to administer oaths and affirmations, take acknowledgments and certify instruments in all cases in which the same are required or sanctioned by law, and the Clerk-Treasurer shall keep the Corporate Seal of the City and all papers and records thereof except as otherwise provided in this Charter or by the Administrative Code, and attend all meetings of the Council in person or by his or her assistant and keep the records of all proceedings thereof. In addition to other duties as provided in this Charter, the City Clerk-Treasurer and the City Attorney shall perform all duties imposed by law upon their respective offices and all other duties consistent with their respective offices as the Council may direct by ordinance or resolution. No person shall be eligible for the office of City Attorney who has not been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the State of Minnesota for at least two years prior to appointment unless no other qualified applicant is available, provided that the Council shall have the right and power to employ special counsel for special matters or actions of law in which the City is interested without regard to the qualifications of such special counsel.