No person shall be an Alderman unless he/she
be at least eighteen (18) years of age, a citizen of the United States,
and an inhabitant and resident of the City for one (1) year next preceding
his/her election, and a resident, at the time he/she files and during
the time he/she serves, of the ward from which he/she is elected.[2]
No person shall be Mayor unless he/she be at
least twenty-five (25) years of age, a citizen of the United States,
and a resident of the City at the time of and for at least one (1)
year next preceding his/her election.[1]
The Board of Aldermen shall elect one (1) of
its own number who shall be styled "Acting President of the Board
of Aldermen" and who shall serve for a term of one (1) year.
When any vacancy shall happen in the office
of Mayor by death, resignation, removal from the City, removal from
office, refusal to qualify, or from any other cause whatever, the
Acting President of the Board of Aldermen shall, for the time being,
perform the duties of Mayor, with all the rights, privileges, powers
and jurisdiction of the Mayor, until such vacancy be filled or such
disability be removed; or, in case of temporary absence, until the
Mayor's return.
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen of each City
governed by this Chapter shall have the care, management and control
of the City and its finances and shall have power to enact and ordain
any and all ordinances not repugnant to the Constitution and laws
of this State, and such as they shall deem expedient for the good
government of the City, the preservation of peace and good order,
the benefit of trade and commerce, and the health of the inhabitants
thereof, and such other ordinances, rules and regulations as may be
deemed necessary to carry such powers into effect and to alter, modify
or repeal the same.
The Mayor shall have a seat in and preside over
the Board of Aldermen but shall not vote on any question except in
case of a tie, nor shall he/she preside or vote in cases when he/she
is an interested party. He/she shall exercise a general supervision
over all the officers and affairs of the City and shall take care
that the ordinances of the City, and the State laws relating to such
City, are complied with.
A.
The style of the ordinances of the City shall be "Be
it ordained by the Board of Aldermen of the City of Center, as follows:
. . . ." No ordinance shall be passed except by bill, and no bill
shall become an ordinance unless on its final passage a majority of
the members elected to the Board of Aldermen shall vote for it, and
the "ayes" and "nays" be entered on the journal. Every proposed ordinance
shall be introduced to the Board of Aldermen in writing and shall
be read by title or in full two (2) times prior to passage; both readings
may occur at a single meeting of the Board of Aldermen. If the proposed
ordinance is read by title only, copies of the proposed ordinance
shall be made available for public inspection prior to the time the
bill is under consideration by the Board of Aldermen. No bill shall
become an ordinance until it shall have been signed by the Mayor,
or person exercising the duties of the Mayor's office, or shall have
been passed over the Mayor's veto as herein provided.
B.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to
ordinances proposed or passed under Section 79.135, RSMo.
Every bill duly passed by the Board of Aldermen
and presented to the Mayor and by him/her approved shall become an
ordinance, and every bill presented as aforesaid, but returned with
the Mayor's objections thereto, shall stand reconsidered. The Board
of Aldermen shall cause the objections of the Mayor to be entered
at large upon the journal and proceed at its convenience to consider
the question pending, which shall be in this form: "Shall the bill
pass, the objections of the Mayor thereto notwithstanding?" The vote
on this question shall be taken by "ayes" and "nays" and the names
entered upon the journal, and if two-thirds (2/3) of all the members-elect
shall vote in the affirmative, the City Clerk shall certify the fact
on the roll, and the bill thus certified shall be deposited with the
proper officer and shall become an ordinance in the same manner and
with like effect as if it had received the approval of the Mayor.
The Mayor shall have power to sign or veto any ordinance passed by
the Board of Aldermen; provided that should he/she neglect or refuse
to sign any ordinance and return the same with his/her objections,
in writing, at the next regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen,
the same shall become a law without his/her signature.
The Board of Aldermen shall cause to be kept
a journal of its proceedings, and the "ayes" and "nays" shall be entered
on any question at the request of any two (2) members. The Board of
Aldermen may prescribe and enforce such rules as it may find necessary
for the expeditious transaction of its business.
The Board of Aldermen shall semiannually each
year, at times to be set by the Board of Aldermen, make out and spread
upon their records a full and detailed account and statement of the
receipts and expenditures and indebtedness of the City for the half
year ending with the last day of the month immediately preceding the
date of such report, which account and statement shall be published
in some newspaper in the City.
In the event the financial statement of the City is not published as required by Section 110.100, the Treasurer of the City shall not pay out any money of the City on any warrant or order of the Board of Aldermen after the end of the month in which such financial statement should have been published until such time as such financial statement is published. Any Treasurer violating the provisions of this Section shall be deemed guilty of a ordinance violation.
The Board of Aldermen shall have power to compel
the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers and records
relating to any subject under consideration in which the interest
of the City is involved and shall have power to call on the proper
officers of the City, or of the County in which such City is located,
to execute such process. The officer making such service shall be
allowed to receive therefor such fees as are allowed by law in the
Circuit Court for similar services, to be paid by the City. The Mayor
or Acting President of the Board of Aldermen shall have power to administer
oaths to witnesses.
The Mayor shall sign the commissions and appointments
of all City Officers elected or appointed in the City and shall approve
all official bonds unless otherwise prescribed by ordinance.
The Mayor shall, from time to time, communicate
to the Board of Aldermen such measures as may, in his/her opinion,
tend to the improvement of the finances, the Police, health, security,
ornament, comfort and general prosperity of the City.
The Mayor shall have power to remit fines and
forfeitures and to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses arising
under the ordinances of the City; but this Section shall not be so
construed as to authorize the Mayor to remit any costs which may have
accrued to any officer of said City by reason of any prosecution under
the laws or ordinances of such City.
[CC 1992 § 26.060; Ord. No. 156 § 1, 8-5-1992; Ord. No. 184 § 1, 8-11-2004]
The regular meeting of the Board of Aldermen
of the City of Center shall be held on the first Wednesday of each
month at City Hall, with the exception that if the first Wednesday
of the month falls on a State or National holiday, then the meeting
will be held at the same time and same place on the succeeding Thursday
of that month. The Board of Aldermen at any such regular meeting may
adjourn said meeting to a later date; provided, however, no regular
meeting shall be adjourned for a length of time greater than thirty
(30) days from the date of the regular meeting. The hour of the meeting
shall be 6:00 P.M.
[CC 1992 § 26.070]
A special meeting for the Board of Aldermen
may be called by the Mayor, or in the event of the absence of the
Mayor, by the Acting President of the Board of Aldermen, or by two
(2) Aldermen of the City as hereinafter provided. The Mayor, Acting
President of the Board of Aldermen, or at least two (2) Aldermen desiring
to call a special meeting shall file with the City Clerk not less
than three (3) days prior to the date of the special meeting a statement
in writing, duly signed by such officer or officers calling the meeting.
It shall then be the duty of the City Clerk to notify all Aldermen
in writing, or in person, of the date, place, time and purpose of
such special meeting at least two (2) days prior to the date of said
meeting.
[CC 1992 § 26.080]
The Board of Aldermen may, at any special meeting
called and held as hereinbefore provided, adjourn said meeting to
a later date; provided, however, no special meeting shall be adjourned
to a day more than ten (10) days from the date of the special meeting.
[CC 1992 § 26.090]
All committees shall consist of two (2) members,
to be appointed by the Mayor, unless otherwise provided in the bill
or resolution calling for the committee.
[CC 1992 § 26.100]
[CC 1992 § 26.130]
The Board of Aldermen, while in session, shall,
in all cases where not otherwise provided by ordinance for the general
laws of the State of Missouri, be governed by the general rules of
parliamentary procedure.
