[1]
Editor's Note: For additional information regarding the Legislative Branch of the County, see Administrative Code Part 3.
County Council shall have, but not be limited to, the following powers and duties:
a) 
Adopt, amend and repeal ordinances, resolutions and motions not contrary to the requirements of this Charter or law.
b) 
Make appropriations, levy taxes, fees and service charges, and incur indebtedness as permitted by law or by this Charter.
c) 
Adopt balanced annual operating and capital budgets as provided in Article VII.
d) 
Adopt an Administrative Code as provided in Article IV, § 1.4-406.
e) 
Override, by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the seated Members, any veto by the Chief Executive.
f) 
Confirm or reject appointments within 45 days. In the event that County Council does not confirm or reject an appointment within 45 days, the appointment shall be effective as though County Council had confirmed it.
g) 
Conduct investigations of County departments, agencies or functions and issue subpoenas as provided in Article XIII, § 1.13-1307.
h) 
Require, as it deems necessary, the attendance of the Chief Executive at one County Council meeting in each quarter of the fiscal year.
i) 
Require, as it deems necessary, the attendance of the Manager at County Council meetings and have the Manager provide such information as may be required.
j) 
Accept by ordinance grants, gifts or donations of real or personal property on behalf of the County.
k) 
By ordinance, lease, convey, vacate or abandon, or permit the use of County land, buildings or other real or personal property.
l) 
Make appointments to authorities and agencies as required by law or by this Charter.
m) 
By ordinance or resolution, modify or eliminate any department, agency or function that no longer meets the needs of the County's taxpayers.
n) 
Employ a County Council Clerk and other personnel to serve County Council in the fulfillment of its duties. County Council staff shall be subject to the personnel system. County Council, on a case-by-case basis, may contract for professional services within the limitations of its annual appropriation as provided in Article III, § 1.3-307(f).
County Council and its Members shall deal with the Executive Branch exclusively through the Chief Executive or Manager except for the purpose of obtaining information and advice. Individual County Council Members shall not give orders or instructions, either publicly or privately, to employees of the Executive Branch.
a) 
County Council shall organize itself on the first business day of January following each municipal election. At its organizational meeting, County Council shall elect one of its Members as President and such other officers as County Council deems necessary.
b) 
County Council shall hold regular and special meetings, and establish the time, place and conditions thereof. Regular meetings shall be held at least twice in each calendar month in separate weeks unless otherwise provided by ordinance.
c) 
County Council shall adopt rules necessary for its organization, procedures, meetings, public participation and committees.
d) 
County Council shall take no action in the absence of a quorum that shall consist of a majority of the seated Members.
a) 
Actions of Council, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, shall be taken by an affirmative vote of at least a majority of the seated Members.
b) 
County Council may override a Chief Executive veto by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the seated Members. Except as provided in Article VII, § 1.7-705, the override vote must occur within 30 days of the veto.
c) 
All ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced in writing. Each ordinance and resolution shall contain no more than one subject which shall be clearly expressed in its title.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See Administrative Code § 5-311.03.
d) 
County Council shall give public notice of the introduction of each ordinance or resolution as provided in the Administrative Code.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: See Administrative Code § 5-311.05.
e) 
No ordinance or resolution shall be voted on until it has been read, by title and summary, at two County Council meetings separated by at least seven days and the public has been given the opportunity to comment on the ordinance or resolution. County Council may act on ordinances and resolutions at the same meeting as the second reading. Except for ordinances levying taxes, the requirement of the second reading may be waived by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the seated Members.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: See Administrative Code § 5-311.04.
f) 
Except as provided in Article VII, § 1.7-705, all adopted ordinances and resolutions shall be signed by the presiding officer and delivered to the Chief Executive within three business days of adoption.[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: See Administrative Code § 5-311.07.
g) 
If the Chief Executive approves any ordinance or resolution, the Chief Executive shall sign and return it to the County Council Clerk within seven days after receiving it.
h) 
If the Chief Executive disapproves any ordinance or resolution, the Chief Executive shall veto it by returning it unsigned to County Council within seven days with written objections. The objections shall be part of County Council proceedings.
i) 
Any ordinance or resolution not returned within seven days shall be effective in the same manner as if the Chief Executive had signed it.
j) 
County Council shall establish a procedure in the Administrative Code for the adoption of emergency ordinances and resolutions.[6]
[6]
Editor's Note: See Administrative Code § 5-311.06.
[1]
Editor's Note: For additional information regarding official actions of the County Council, see Administrative Code Art. 311.
County Council shall adopt by ordinance, and amend as needed, an Administrative Code that shall provide a complete plan of organization, departmental structure and operation for the County government. The Administrative Code shall include, at a minimum, a procedure for the adoption of emergency ordinances, resolutions and appropriations, procedures for public notification of official actions, procedures for initiative and referendum, procedures for adjusting the compensation of the Chief Executive and reimbursing the expenses of elected officers, a personnel system, components of the comprehensive fiscal plan, sunset review procedures, the powers of the Manager while serving as temporary chief executive, a competitive procurement system and a table of organization for all departments and agencies.
[1]
Editor's Note: See the Administrative Code included in Division 1 of this Code.