[R.O. 1996 § C-3.1]
Except as this Charter provides otherwise, all powers of the City shall be vested in the City Council. The City Council shall provide for the exercise of these powers and for the performance of all duties and obligations imposed on the City by law.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.2; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
There shall be a City Council of the Mayor and six (6) City Councilmembers, two (2) from each of the three (3) districts, elected by the registered, qualified voters of their respective districts, as provided by Section 3.4.
District boundaries shall be established by ordinance following each Federal decennial census. Districts shall be compact and contiguous and contain, as nearly as possible, an equal number of inhabitants. The City Council shall approve any new district boundaries by majority vote.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.3; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
A City Councilmember shall be at least twenty-five (25) years of age prior to the election, a citizen of the United States, an inhabitant and a registered, qualified voter of the City for two (2) years next preceding election and shall be an inhabitant of the district one hundred eighty-two (182) days next preceding election.
No City Councilmember shall be delinquent in paying any County, or Blue Springs income, personal property, real property or sales taxes, nor have been removed from an elected public office, nor be a convicted felon, nor be a registered sex offender, except that a person recalled from office may again run for the office from which recalled following the expiration of the term from which they were recalled, or may at any time run for a different office.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.4; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
City Councilmembers shall be elected to serve staggered three (3) year terms.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.5; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
The City Council shall determine the annual compensation, allowances, and expenses of City Councilmembers by ordinance. Beginning in 1995, and at least every (5) years thereafter, compensation shall be reviewed by the City Council which may adjust compensation and allowances by ordinance. No ordinance increasing compensation shall become effective for a City Councilmember until the commencement of a new term of office.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.6; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
The City Council shall elect annually from among the City Councilmembers a Mayor Pro Tempore. The Mayor Pro Tempore shall assume the powers and duties of the Mayor during the absence or disability of the Mayor and, if a vacancy occurs, shall become Mayor until the next regular municipal election. The election shall occur in accordance with the election laws of the State of Missouri.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.7; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
A. 
Holding Other Office. Except where authorized by law, or pursuant to an agreement between the City and another entity of government, no City Councilmember shall hold any other City office, City employment or other elected public office during the term for which the City Councilmember was elected to the City Council, and no former Councilmember shall hold any compensated appointive City office or City employment until two (2) years after the expiration of the term for which the City Councilmember was elected to the City Council.
B. 
Appointments And Removals. No City Councilmember shall in any manner dictate the appointment or removal of any City administrative officers or employees whom the City Administrator or any subordinates are empowered to appoint, but the City Council as a group may express its views and fully and freely discuss with the City Administrator anything pertaining to appointment and removal of such officers and employees.
C. 
Interference With Administration. Except for the purpose of inquiry, information or investigation, unless specifically otherwise provided in this Charter, the City Councilmembers shall deal with the City administrative officials and employees solely through the City Administrator or their designee, and no City Councilmember shall give orders to the subordinates of the City Administrator, either publicly or privately.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.8; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
The office of a City Councilmember shall become vacant upon the death, resignation, forfeiture, or removal from office in any manner authorized by law.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.9; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
A City Councilmember shall forfeit office:
1. 
If at any time during the term of office the City Councilmember lacks any qualification for the office prescribed by this Charter or by law;
2. 
If the City Councilmember violates any prohibition of this Charter.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.10; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
A vacancy of a City Councilmember shall be filled by appointment by the Mayor and approval by the City Council. This shall occur at the next regular City Council meeting and shall be decided by approval of the City Council by a majority of the remaining City Council members. The person appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold the appointed position until the next regular municipal election for which the filing period has not closed and shall serve until the end of the current term.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.11; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
The City Council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members and of the grounds for forfeiture of their office and for that purpose shall have power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the production of evidence. A City Councilmember charged with conduct constituting grounds for forfeiture of office shall be entitled to a public hearing within thirty (30) days. Decisions made by the City Council under this Section shall be subject to review by the courts.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.12; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
A. 
Meetings. The City Council shall meet regularly at least once each month at such times and places as the City Council may prescribe. The Mayor upon their own motion may, or at the request of two (2) members of the City Council shall, call a special meeting of the Council for a time not earlier than twenty-four (24) hours after notice is given to all members of the City Council then in the City. Special meetings of the City Council may also be held with less than twenty-four (24) hours' notice by the consent of all the members of the City Council then in the City, and such consent may be given either prior to or during the special meeting.
B. 
Rules And Journals. The City Council shall determine its own rules and order of business. It shall cause a journal of its proceedings to be kept, and this journal shall be open to public inspection.
C. 
Quorum. A majority of members of the entire City Council shall constitute a quorum for its business, but a smaller number may meet and compel the attendance of absent members in the manner and subject to the penalties prescribed by the rules of the City Council.
D. 
Voting. Voting shall be by roll call for the second reading of an ordinance, for approval of minutes, for approval of a consent agenda containing items that are considered to be routine, or at the request of the Mayor or any Councilmember, and the ayes and nays shall be recorded in the journal. In each roll call vote, the names of the City Councilmembers shall be called in seating order and the name to be called first shall be advanced one position, then the name of the Mayor shall be called. Except as otherwise provided in the Charter, the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire City Council shall be necessary to adopt any ordinance or resolution.
E. 
Overriding Mayor's Veto. Every ordinance or resolution adopted by the City Council shall be presented to the Mayor for their approval; and if the Mayor shall sign the same, it shall be deemed approved and adopted. The Mayor may return an ordinance or resolution with objections to the City Council unsigned prior to the beginning of the next regular meeting; and such ordinance or resolution shall stand vetoed and shall not take effect without the approval of the Mayor unless adopted over their veto in the following manner:
At the regular meeting next following receipt of a disapproved ordinance or resolution, the City Clerk shall cause the objection of the Mayor to be entered upon the journal of the City Council and the Mayor Pro Tempore shall put to the City Council the question, "Shall the ordinance or resolution take effect, the objections of the Mayor notwithstanding?" The question may not be tabled, and after debate, the City Clerk shall proceed to call the roll. Should two-thirds (2/3) of the City Councilmembers cast their votes in favor of overriding the Mayor's veto, the ordinance or resolution shall take effect; otherwise it shall not take effect. The Mayor shall not vote on any action to override the Mayor's veto.
Should the Mayor neither sign nor return with objections any ordinance or resolution prior to the beginning of the next regular meeting of the City Council, it shall be deemed approved and adopted.
F. 
Form Of Ordinances. Proposed ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced in the City Council only in written or printed form. The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be:
Be it Ordained By the City Council of the City of Blue Springs. . .
The enacting clause of all ordinances submitted by initiative shall be:
Be It Ordained By the people of the City of Blue Springs . . .
No ordinance, except those making appropriations of money and those codifying or revising existing ordinances, shall contain more than one (1) subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title. Ordinances making appropriations shall be confined to the subject matter of the appropriations.
G. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: R.O. 1996 § C-3.12(G), Execution of Documents, was repealed 4-15-2019 by Ord. No. 4812 as it duplicated the provisions of § C-4.4(D). Ord. No. 4812 adopted the Charter amendments approved at election 4-2-2019.
H. 
Procedure. Except in the case of emergency ordinances, every proposed ordinance shall be read by title in open City Council meeting two (2) times before passage. These readings may occur at the same meeting. A copy of each proposed ordinance shall be provided for each City Council member and a copy shall be provided for public inspection in the office of the City Clerk until it is adopted or fails adoption. Persons interested in a proposed ordinance shall be given an opportunity to be heard before the City Council in accordance with such rules and regulations as the City Council may adopt. If the City Council adopts an amendment to a proposed ordinance that constitutes a change in substance, any member of the City Council may require that the proposed ordinance, as amended, be placed on file for public inspection in the office of the City Clerk for an additional one (1) week before passage. In the absence of such a request, the City Council may consider the amended ordinance at the same meeting.
I. 
Emergency Ordinances. All emergency ordinances shall be read in full in open City Council meetings. An ordinance may be passed as an emergency measure on the day of its introduction if it contains a declaration describing in clear and specific terms the facts and reasons constituting the emergency and receives the vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the City Council. An ordinance granting, reviewing or extending a franchise shall not be passed as an emergency ordinance.
J. 
Effective Date. Every adopted ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage, adoption and approval by the Mayor, or any later date specified therein.
K. 
Authentication And Recording. All ordinances and resolutions adopted by the City Council shall be authenticated by the signature of the Mayor and City Clerk. The City Clerk shall record in a properly indexed book kept for the purpose all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the City Council.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.13; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
The City Administrator shall appoint a City Clerk with the advice and consent of the City Council. The City Clerk shall keep the journal of the City Council proceedings, authenticate by signature all ordinances and resolutions, and record them in full in a book kept for that purpose. The City Clerk shall perform such other duties as may be required by law, by this Charter, by ordinance, or by the City Administrator.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.14; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
A City Attorney shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of a majority of the entire City Council, and may be removed by the Mayor with the consent of a majority of the entire City Council, or by five-sevenths (5/7) majority of the City Council. The City Attorney shall be a licensed member of the bar of this State and shall have been in active practice for at least five (5) years. The City Attorney shall receive compensation as determined by ordinance.
The City Attorney shall represent the City in all legal matters in which it is a party or is interested. The City Attorney shall advise the City Council, any committee or member thereof, the Mayor, the City Administrator, department directors, and the boards and commissions concerning any legal questions affecting the City's interest and shall perform such other legal services as may be requested by the City Council.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.15; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
A City Prosecutor shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of a majority of the entire City Council, and may be removed by the Mayor with the consent of a majority of the entire City Council, or by five-sevenths (5/7) majority of the City Council. The City Prosecutor shall be a licensed member of the bar of this State and shall have been in active practice for at least five (5) years. The City Prosecutor shall receive compensation as determined by ordinance.
The City Prosecutor shall prosecute and defend all actions originating or pending before the Municipal Court.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.16; Ord. No. 4502 § 1 (Charter Amendment No. 2014-01), 8-18-2014, approved at election 11-4-2014; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
The Municipal Judges shall be appointed by the Mayor with consent of the majority of the entire City Council. The term of the Municipal Judge shall be for three (3) years. The Municipal Judges shall be licensed members of the bar of this State and shall have been in active practice for at least five (5) years, in addition to the other requirements imposed by State law. The Municipal Judges shall receive compensation as determined by ordinance. If a Municipal Judge is absent, sick, or disqualified from acting, the Presiding Municipal Judge may request the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court to designate some competent, eligible person to act as Special Municipal Judge until such absence or disqualification shall cease; provided, however, that should a Municipal Judge resign from office, that vacancy shall be filled by an appointment in the same manner as a Municipal Judge is appointed, with a consent of the majority of the entire City Council. The Presiding Municipal Judge may, by written directive, designate a written procedure delegating authority by which the Municipal Court Administrator or the Municipal Court Clerk is authorized to notify and request the Presiding Judge of the Circuit Court to designate a Special Municipal Judge.
Municipal Judges shall have such powers and duties as are conferred upon such officers by the laws of the State of Missouri.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.17]
The City Council may make investigations into the affairs of the City and the conduct of any City department, office or agency and for this purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony and require the production of evidence. Any person who fails or refuses to obey a subpoena issued in the exercise of these powers by the City Council shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished as may be prescribed by ordinance.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.18]
The City Council shall provide for an independent audit of all City accounts and a management report at least annually. Such audits shall be made by a certified public accountant or firm of such accountants who have no personal interest, direct or indirect, in the fiscal affairs of the City Government or any of its officers. A copy of the audit report prepared by the certified public accountant or firm of such accountants and management report shall be kept in the City Clerk's office, received and filed by the City Council, and shall be open to public inspection.
[R.O. 1996 § C-3.19; Ord. No. 4812, 4-15-2019, adopting amendments approved at election 4-2-2019]
Each year, all ordinances of the City of a general and permanent nature shall be reviewed. Recodification shall be periodically supplemented and updated at the discretion of the City Clerk.