The purpose of the following provisions is to provide a transition
from the present government of the City of Sikeston, Missouri, to
the new government provided for in this charter and to inaugurate
a new government under the provisions of this charter. They shall
constitute a part of this charter only to the extent and for the time
required to accomplish that aim.
This charter shall be submitted to a vote of the electors of
the City of Sikeston at a regular election to be held on the second
(2nd) day of April 2002. The election shall be administered by the
officials now charged with the responsibility for the conduct of city
elections. A simple majority of votes cast in favor of this charter
shall constitute its adoption.
Two (2) at-large council seats will be open for election on
April 2, 2002 under then-existing requirements for candidacy. If this
charter is adopted on the date above, the terms for these two (2)
seats shall be set as follows: The candidate receiving the most votes
shall have a three (3) year term, and the candidate receiving the
next highest number of votes shall have a term of two (2) years. If
this charter is not adopted, the terms for these two (2) seats shall
remain at three (3) years.
In either case, the mayor and mayor pro tempore to serve until
the April municipal election day in 2003 shall be elected by the new
council from among its members at its first meeting.
At the time of its adoption, this charter shall be in effect
to the extent necessary in order that the first election of members
of the city council and the mayor may be conducted in accordance with
the provisions of this charter. The first election shall be held on
the April municipal election day in 2003 and will include the following
offices:
a.
Two (2) council members shall be elected from wards for three (3)
year terms. At this time, two (2) council members elected in 2001
should be on the council with one (1) year remaining in their term
of office. If they reside in two (2) different wards, then the two
(2) wards in which they do not reside will be the wards specified
for this election. If this is not the case, then the two (2) highest
numbered wards not having one (1) of these council members as a resident
will be the wards specified for this election.
b.
A mayor shall be elected for a three (3) year term.
This charter shall be in full effect for all purposes on and
after the date and time of the first meeting of the newly elected
council in 2003.
The mayor and council members in office at the date this charter
is adopted shall continue in office until after the April municipal
election day in 2003, and within one (1) week thereafter shall canvass
the returns of said election, declare the results thereof, and induct
into office the mayor and council members declared elected. Thereupon
the newly elected mayor and council members shall forthwith become
the official governing body of the city and shall conduct the first
meeting of the newly elected council.
a.
One (1) at-large council member and one (1) council member from each
of the two (2) wards not having a council member elected in 2003 shall
be elected for three (3) year terms in the April 2004 election.
b.
One (1) at-large council member shall be elected for a three (3)
year term in the April 2005 election.
c.
Two (2) council members from the wards first conducting elections
in 2003, and a mayor, shall be elected for three (3) year terms in
the April 2006 election.
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In every year thereafter, expiring three (3) year terms shall
be filled at the April election. The following chart illustrates the
transition:
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"X" indicates the year the council member or mayor is elected.
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Existing
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At Large
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At Large
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At Large
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At Large
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At Large
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2001
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X Harris at large
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X Pullen at large
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2002
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X with highest number of votes
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X with 2nd highest number of votes
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Ward below represents ward in which Harris resides
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Ward below represents ward in which Pullen resides
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Charter
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At Large
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At Large
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Ward
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Ward
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Ward
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Ward
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Mayor
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2003
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X
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X
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X
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2004
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X
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X
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X
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2005
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X
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2006
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X
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X
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X
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Members of the council and the mayor shall receive an annual salary in the amount of one dollar ($1.00) until such amount is changed by the council in accordance with the provisions of this charter in Article III.
At its first meeting or at any meeting held within sixty (60) days thereafter, the council may adopt temporary ordinances to deal with cases in which there is an urgent need for prompt action in connection with the transition of government and in which the delay incident to the appropriate ordinance procedure probably would cause serious hardship or impairment of effective city government. Every temporary ordinance shall be plainly labeled as such but shall be introduced in the form and manner prescribed for ordinances generally. A temporary ordinance may be considered and may be adopted with or without amendment or rejected at the meeting at which it is introduced. A temporary ordinance shall become effective upon adoption or at such later time preceding automatic repeal under this subsection as it may specify, and the referendum power shall not extend to any such ordinance. Every temporary ordinance, including any amendments made thereto after adoption, shall automatically stand repealed as of the ninety-first (91st) day following the date on which it was adopted, and it shall not be readopted, renewed, or otherwise continued except by adoption in the manner prescribed in Section 3.12 for ordinances of the kind concerned.
