Brief Comparison of Selected Strong Mayor Charter Requirements A B C D E TAMPA ST. PETERSBURG ORLANDO WEST PALM BEACH

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1 2 POWERS OF CITY COUNCIL 3 CITY COUNCIL STAFF Budget Analyst and City Council Attorney. All other staff must be approved by the mayor. (Sec. 2.04) Attorney without mayor s consent. Other staff not specifically outlined (see Sec. 4.05(e) page24) Not addressed in charter. Not addressed in charter, but Mayor can appoint his own staff (Sec. 3.0(4)) 4 POWER TO AUTHORIZE LAWSUIT City Attorney has duty to commence and prosecute all actions and suits brought by the city City Attorney is appointed by Mayor with confirmation by council. (Section 5.0(a) and 6.03) City Council must approve all except ordinance violations (Sec. 3.06(2)) Not in Charter. Sec. 2. of the Code says City Attorney responsible for the prosecution and defense of all civil actions brought by or against the city. All powers of the City not enumerated otherwise are vested in the City Commission. (Sec. 2.03) 5 MAYOR'S ATTENDANCE AT COUNCIL MEETINGS Council has power to compel the attendance of witnesses as part of its legislative powers (Sec. 2.4) Mayor or representative required to attend all Council meetings. May take part in discussion but not vote. (Sec.4.04(b)(2)) Mayor is member of City Council. (Ch. 2, Sec. ) Mayor is a member of the City Council and presides at all meetings. (Sec. 2.05) Commission may summon department heads to provide information and answer questions at public meetings. (Sec. 2.04)

2 6 POWERS OF MAYOR SOME REQUIRE CONFIRMATION BY COUNCIL 7 8 APPOINTMENT OF DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS BOARD APPOINTMENTS Mayor appoints heads of all departments and certain administrative personnel and submits to Council for approval. If Council disapproves any appointmens, the Mayor submits another appointment within 5 days. Removal of such officers is vested exclusively in the Mayor. (Sec. 6.03) Vary depending on board. City Attorney, City Clerk and City Administrator appointed by Mayor and confirmed by Council. All other administrative officers appointed by Mayor. (Sec. 4.04) Mayor appoints with confirmation from City Council. (Sec. 4.04) Mayor-Commissioner appoints with confirmation from Council. (Ch. 2 Sec. 3) Varies depending on board, but generally appointed by Mayor and confirmed by Council. Police Chief, Fire Chief and City Attorney appointed by the mayor subject to ratification by Council vote of 3. Mayor can remove without Council approval. (Sec. 2.09) All other department directors appointed by Mayor. (Sec. 3.04) Varies. Mostly appointed by Mayor, some require confirmation by council

3 9 VETO & OVERRIDE PROVISIONS VETO & OVERRIDE Mayor can veto ordinances with comments and return to Council within 4 days of passing. Council can override with 2/3 vote. If Mayor does not return to Council within 4 days the ordinance is considered adopted. (Sec. 2.0) Mayor may veto any ordinance except an emergency ordinance as defined in Florida Statutes. Must do so prior to 5:00 pm on the fifth day after council adopts the ordinance. Mayor may veto any Mayor may has line item ordinance and submit veto power in budget. to Council at the next Council can override veto by Council meeting with vote of 2/3 by midnight of objections. Council can the fourteenth day after override with 5/7 vote. veto, or prior to midnight on (Sec. 29) the day of the next City Council meeting, whichever comes last. Can also override a line item veto the same way. (Sec. 3.05(d) and (e)) Mayor may veto within 48 hours after adjournment of the meeting. Commission may override with four votes. Budget appropriations, Mayor can disapprove all or portion of appropriation. Commission can override with four votes at next meeting. Mayor cannot veto emergency ordinances. (Sec. 3.02) 0 2 VARIES BY MUNICIPALITY AUDIT POWER Mayor appoints and negotiates annually a contract with an independent CPA to audit financial accounts, subject to the approval of the council. (Sec. 7.) City Council directs a CPA to audit finances at least once a year (Sec. 4.05(g)) CFO prepares CAFR to be reviewed by an external auditor annually (Code of Ordinances Sec. 2.33) Internal auditor appointed by City Commission. Can only be removed by majority vote by Commission (Sec. 4.05)

4 3 ELECTIONS & VACANCIES ELECTION AND PRIMARIES/RUNOFF Seven council districts. Districts -3 are entire city. Districts 4-7 elected by voters in that district. Mayor elected at large. Election held first Tuesday in March, runoff if necessary held, officials elected take office May. (Ch Article VIII, Sec. 8.02) 8 Councilmembers elected by district. Mayor is not a member of the council and is elected at large. Primary if necessary 0 weeks before general election. If candidate for mayor receives majority of the primary vote they are considered elected. If not, 2 highest vote getters go to general election. If a tie at general election, decided by lot under the direction of the City Clerk. Council Members elected by districts, same procedure. (Sec. 5.05) Mayor elected at large, 6 Council Members in districts. Majority required. No primary, if no candidate receives majority at General Election, a runoff is done approximately four weeks after the general election as scheduled by the City Clerk. (Ch. 2 Sec. ), (Ordinance Sec. 2.05) 5 Councilmembers elected at large from districts. Mayor is a member of the council and is elected at large. Majority required, no primary. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff is held 4 days after the first election (Sec. 5.05)

5 5 ABSENCE OR INCAPACITY OF MAYOR Temporary: Chairman of Council discharges duties of Mayor. Permanent: Chairman becomes acting Mayor until a special election is held. Chairman Pro Tem becomes acting Chairman. (Sec. 4.02) Temporary: City Administrator performs duties of Mayor during temporary absence or disability. If not due to disability, Mayor shall provide to the City Administrator, with a copy to the City Clerk, a memo delineating the exten to which the City Administrator may act on the Mayor's behalf. (Sec. 4.03) Permanent: Follow Sec Depending on time of vacancy in comparison to election, new mayor elected at either regular election or special election. (Sec. 3.04(a)(2) Temporary: City Council may designate one of its members to act as Mayor Pro Tem. (Ch., Sec. 3) Permanent: If unexpired term is less than one year, members of the City Council elect a person by majority to fill seat. If unexpired term is more than one year, council must either call a special election, or mayor elected at next general election if it will occur within 90 days. (Ch. 2, Sec. ) Temporary: President of City Commission becomes acting Mayor. (Sec. 2.05) Permanent: Remaining members appoint a successor to fill vacancy for up to 90 days until a mayor can be elected at next regular election or special election if necessary. (Sec. 2.06)