There shall be a City Council, to consist of a Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
The Board of Aldermen shall consist of two members from each ward, to be chosen by the qualified voters, for two years.
No person shall be an Alderman unless at the time of his election a citizen of the United States, six months a resident of the State of Iowa, over the age of 21 years, and a resident three months within the limits of said City. If any Alderman shall, after his election, remove from the ward for which he is elected in said City, his office shall be thereby vacated. At the first meeting of the City Council, the Aldermen shall be divided by lot into two classes, the seats of those of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the first year, and of the second class at the expiration of the second year, so that one-half of the Board shall be elected annually.
The City Council shall judge of the qualifications, elections, and returns of their own members, and shall determine all contested elections. A majority of the City Council shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time, and compel the attendance of absent members under such penalties as may be prescribed by ordinance. They shall have power to determine the rule of the proceedings, punish their members for contemptuous or disorderly conduct and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members elected, expel a member. They shall cause to be kept a journal of their proceedings, and may from time to time publish the same; and the yeas and nays, when demanded by any member present, shall be entered on the journal. All vacancies that shall occur in the Board shall be filled by election.
The Mayor and each Alderman, before entering on the duties of their respective offices, shall take and subscribe an oath of affirmation "that they will support the constitution of the United States, and of the State of Iowa, and that they will discharge the duties of their office to the best of their knowledge and ability." Whenever there shall be a tie in the election of an Alderman, the judges of the election shall certify the same to the Mayor, who shall determine the same by lot, in such manner as shall be determined by ordinance. There shall be 12 stated meetings of the City Council in each year, at such times and places as may be prescribed by ordinance, and such special meetings as they may deem necessary.