The Mayor shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the City. He or she shall use his or her best efforts to see that the laws and City ordinances are enforced and that the duties of all subordinate officers are faithfully performed. He or she shall take care that the funds of the City are properly expended. He or she shall recommend measures and proposals for consideration of the Board of Aldermen, to ensure progressive, prudent, and efficient management of the affairs of the City.
The Mayor, when permitted by State law, with the consent of the Board of Aldermen, shall have power to suspend fines and costs, in whole or in part, in cases where the same are payable into the City Treasury, and shall cause the reason for such suspension to be entered on the City records. The Mayor shall have the power to administer oaths.
In case of the absence of the Mayor from the City or his or her inability to serve, the President of the Board of Aldermen shall act as Mayor. It shall be the duty of the Mayor to give the City Clerk due notice of the absence of the Mayor from the City and of his or her return, and said City Clerk shall duly notify the President of the Board of Aldermen. In case of the absence from the City or inability to serve of the President of the Board of Aldermen, the Board of Aldermen shall designate one of their number to act as Mayor.
In case of a vacancy in the Office of Mayor occasioned by death, resignation, removal from said City, permanent inability to serve, failure to elect, or disqualification of the person chosen, the President of the Board of Aldermen shall act as Mayor until the next annual meeting, and in case any of the causes above mentioned prevent the President of the Board of Aldermen from serving as Mayor when it becomes necessary for him or her to do so, the Board of Aldermen shall designate one of their number to act as Mayor until the next annual meeting and at such next annual meeting the legal voters of the City shall elect a Mayor from among their number to fill such vacancy.