[Amended 11-2-2021 by election]
Every person elected or appointed to any city office, before
entering upon the duties of their office, shall take and subscribe
to such oath of office or affirmation as provided by law, which shall
be filed and kept in the office of the City Clerk.
[Amended 11-2-2021 by election]
Written notice of the election or appointment to any city office
or board shall be mailed (hard copy or electronic) to the individual
involved at their last known physical or electronic address, by the
City Clerk, within 48 hours after the appointment is made or the results
of any vote are certified by the Board of Supervisors of Elections
to the City Council. Said notice shall state that within 10 days,
the individual involved shall file with the City Clerk an acceptance
of his/her election or appointment and failure to do so shall be deemed
a refusal to serve, and the position shall thereupon be vacant.
[Added 11-5-2005 by election;
amended 11-2-2021 by election]
The City Council shall establish by ordinance a five member
Ethics Commission. The Commission will investigate complaints filed against members of the City Council, School Board, and members of standing city boards and commissions. If the Commission believes a complaint warrants further action or censure it will forward its recommendation to the City Council for adjudication or the school board for complaints made against school board members. The Commission may also provide advice to the Council, City Manager, and Superintendent on matters of ethics and shall coordinate where appropriate with the Personnel Advisory Board described in §
C7-6.
[Added 11-5-2005 by election]
In addition to the provisions of §
C11-3 City Councilors and members of standing city commissions and boards may be removed from office by a vote of the City Council upon such a recommendation having been forwarded to the Council by the Ethics Commission.
All records of the city and all meetings of the Council, boards,
committees, commissions, authorities or other municipal bodies shall
be open to the public, and their minutes and other records shall be
available to the public in accordance with the provisions of RSA 91-A
and amendments thereto.
The City Council is authorized, as provided by RSA 53-A, to
enter into agreements and regional compacts with neighboring cities
and towns for the purpose of resolving their common problems for the
mutual advantage and benefit of the city and its neighboring cities
and towns.
To the extent that any specific provision contained in this
Charter conflicts with any provision expressed in general terms, the
specific provision shall prevail.
The sections of this Charter and the parts thereof are separable.
If any portion of this Charter or the application thereof to any person
or circumstance shall be held invalid, the remainder thereof shall
not be affected thereby.
[Amended 9-5-1990; approved 11-6-1990 by election; 11-2-2021 by election]
Upon adoption, the Official Charter, duly authenticated by affixing
the signatures of all members of the City Council, and the City Clerk
and the City Seal, shall be filed with the City Clerk and remain in
the Clerk's office as the Official Charter of the City of Dover. All
amendments to this Charter shall be authenticated in a like manner
and filed with and remain a part of the Official Charter. The City
Clerk shall be responsible for the proper maintenance of the Charter,
under the direction of the City Manager, with advice of legal counsel.
Copies of the Charter shall be available to the public, and the City
Clerk may charge a nominal cost to help defray the printing costs.
Bids for the printing and binding of the Charter shall be in accordance
with the provisions of § C6-16 of the Charter.
[Amended 9-25-1985, approved 11-5-1985 by election]
Any amendments or revisions of this Charter shall be accomplished
in accordance with the provisions of RSA 49-B and any subsequent amendments
thereto.
A. Periodic Review. Not less than once every 10 years, commencing in
the year 2011, the City Council shall vote at its first regular meeting
of the year on the following question "Shall a Charter Commission
be created to review and make recommendations concerning the provisions
of the Charter of the City of Dover?" If a majority of the Council
shall vote in the affirmative, then the Council shall take whatever
action is required under state law to bring about the formation of
a Charter Commission prior to the next municipal election.
[Added 11-5-2005 by election;
amended 11-2-2021 by election]
[Amended 9-5-1990, approved 11-6-1990 by election; 11-2-2021 by election]
All willful violations of provisions of this Charter, unless
otherwise provided, are hereby declared to be violations, and all
such violations and all violations of city ordinances for which no
other punishment is provided shall be punishable by a fine of up to
$500, or imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both.
This Charter and any amendments thereto shall take effect immediately
upon the filing by the Board of Supervisors of Elections with the
City Council of its certificate of the results of the election, indicating
voter approval thereof, unless otherwise provided in the amendment(s).
The provisions regarding the city budget shall not take effect, however,
until January 1, next following said time. All elective or appointive
officers and employees of the city at said time shall continue in
the service of the city for the remainder of their terms, except as
otherwise provided in this Charter.