Any City Officer, board member, Council member, commission member
or employee who has a substantial financial interest, direct or indirect
or by reason of ownership of stock in any corporation, in any contract
with the City or in the sale of any land, material, supplies or services
to the City or to a contractor supplying the City shall make known
that interest and shall refrain from voting upon or otherwise participating
in his or her capacity as a City Officer, board member, Council member,
commission member or employee in the making of such sale or in the
making or performance of such contract, other than his or her employment
contract as an officer or employee of the City. Any person who is
a City Officer, board member, Council member, commission member or
employee and who willfully conceals such a substantial financial interest
or willfully violates the requirements of this Section shall be guilty
of malfeasance in office or position and shall forfeit his or her
office or position. Violation of this Section with the knowledge express
or implied of the person or corporation contracting with or making
a sale to the City shall render the contract or sale voidable by the
City Manager or the City Council.
No City employee shall solicit any contribution for the campaign
fund of any candidate for Richmond Heights City office or take part
in the political campaign of any candidate for Richmond Heights City
office. All employees may exercise their rights as private citizens
to express opinions and, if a registered voter in Richmond Heights,
sign a nominating petition for any City candidate and vote in any
City election. Political affiliation, participation or contribution
shall not be considered in making any City employment decision. No
City Officer, employee or member of a board or commission shall use
official authority or official influence for the purpose of interfering
with or affecting the result of an election to or nomination for Richmond
Heights City office. No City Officer, employee or member of a board
or commission shall directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce,
command, advise, or solicit a City employee to pay, lend, or contribute
anything of value to a party, committee, organization, agency or person
for political or electoral purposes of any candidate for Richmond
Heights City office.
(a)Â
Activities prohibited.
(1)Â
No person shall be appointed to or removed from, or in any way favored
or discriminated against with respect to any City position or appointive
City administrative office because of race, sex, age, or physical
disability, or political or religious opinions or affiliations.
(2)Â
No person shall willfully make any false statement, certificate,
mark, rating or report in regard to any test, certification or appointment
under the personnel provisions of this Charter or the rules and regulations
made hereunder, or in any manner commit or attempt to commit any fraud
preventing the impartial execution of such provisions, rules and regulations.
(3)Â
No person who seeks appointment or promotion with respect to any
City position or appointive City administrative office shall directly
or indirectly give, render or pay any money, service or other valuable
thing to any person for or in connection with his or her test, appointment,
proposed appointment, promotion or proposed promotion.
No action shall be maintained against the City for or on account
of any injury growing out of alleged negligence of the City unless
notice shall first have been given in writing and personally served
upon the City Manager, or his or her designee, within ninety (90)
days of the occurrence for which said damage is claimed, stating the
place, time, character and circumstances of the injury, and that the
person so injured will claim damages therefor from the City.
All officers and employees of the City who receive, disburse,
or are responsible for City funds, and such other officers and employees
as the Council by ordinance may designate, shall, within such time
after election or appointment as may be fixed by ordinance, and before
entering upon the discharge of their duties, give bond to the City
in such sums and with such sureties as shall be prescribed by ordinance,
and subject to approval by the Council, conditioned upon the faithful
and proper performance of their duties and for the prompt accounting
for and paying over to the City of all monies belonging to the City
that may come into their hands. The City shall pay the premiums on
all such bonds.
Amendments to this Charter may be framed and submitted to the electors by a commission in the manner provided by law and the Constitution of Missouri for framing and submitting a complete Charter. Amendments may also be proposed by ordinance by the Council or by petition of not less than ten percent (10%) of the registered qualified electors of the City, setting forth the proposed amendment and filed with the City Clerk, in accordance with the same filing procedure as initiative petitions as stated in Section 9.3. The Council shall at once provide by ordinance that any amendment so proposed shall be submitted to the electors at the next election held in the City not less than sixty (60) days after its passage, or if none, at a special election held as provided by law and the Constitution of Missouri for a Charter. Any amendment approved by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon shall become a part of the Charter at the time and under the conditions fixed in the amendment; Sections or Articles may be submitted separately or in the alternative and determined as provided by law and the Constitution of Missouri for a complete Charter.
(a)Â
Improvements. The procedure for making, altering,
vacating or abandoning a public improvement shall be governed by general
ordinance, consistent with applicable State law.
(b)Â
Special assessments. The procedure for levying,
collecting and enforcing the payment of special assessments for the
public improvements or special tax bills evidencing such assessments
shall be governed by general ordinance, consistent with applicable
State law.
Any ordinance may be proved by a copy thereof certified by the
City Clerk under the Seal of the City; or, when printed and published
by authority of the City, shall be received in evidence in all courts,
or other places, without further proof of authenticity.
If any provision of this Charter is held invalid, the other
provisions of the Charter shall not be affected thereby. If the application
of the Charter or any of its provisions to any person or circumstances
is held invalid, the application of the Charter and its provisions
to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
