If you a considering
running for the office of Mayor or Council member please read these
responsibilities as the offices involve more than just one meeting a month. A
good candidate will have a desire to better the community. They will also need
to be thick skinned as they will be the “bad guy” to someone or some group with
every decision they make. Many times your biggest detractors will be the same people
who encouraged you to run in the first place. The Mayor and council are
restricted by State laws and City ordinances as to what they can or cannot do.
We have posted
the link to our source and encourage all candidates to read the entire link as
this is only an excerpt.
Mayor Responsibilities
The mayor
occupies the highest elective office in the municipal government. As political
head of the city, the mayor is expected to provide the leadership necessary to
keep it moving in the proper direction.
The mayor presides
over council meetings, is the signatory for the city, and is generally
recognized as the ceremonial and governmental head of the city for most
purposes.
Most of the
powers exercised by the mayor are created through ordinances and resolutions
adopted by the city council. Very few mayoral powers are prescribed by state law.
The office of the mayor involves a
variety of law enforcement responsibilities. The mayor is specifically
obligated by law to actively ensure that the laws and ordinances of the municipality
are properly carried out.
As signatory for
the city, the mayor is required to sign a variety of documents to give them
official legal effect. The mayor’s signature is required on all bonds,
certificates of obligation, warrants, and other evidence of debt, as well as ordinances,
resolutions, advertisements for bids on public works projects, contracts, and
similar legal paperwork. The mayor is also responsible for signing proclamations
recognizing special events and personal achievements. As a featured speaker before professional clubs,
school assemblies, and neighborhood groups, the mayor can expect to be
interviewed, photographed, and otherwise placed on extensive public display by
the media
The mayor serves
in the dual roles of administrator and political head of the city, going to
city hall on a regular basis, working with department heads on matters that
need attention each day, and performing the ceremonial duties that go with the
office. In some cases, ordinances approved by the council give the mayor wide
latitude to deal with the many problems that arise each day.
Council member
Responsibilities
Council members
are the city’s legislators. Their primary duty is policy making, which includes
identifying the needs of local residents, formulating programs to meet the
changing requirements of the community, and measuring the effectiveness of
ongoing municipal services.
Though foremost
in importance, lawmaking is just one of many functions council members perform.
They also wear several other hats, which one writer describes as follows:
·
Regulator—The
council exercises regulatory powers over the conduct and property of its citizens.
It has the power to declare certain conduct to be criminal, to require that
certain businesses and activities be licensed, and to tell property owners how
and for what purposes they may use their property.
·
Financier—The
council may levy taxes, assess fees and charges, and sell bonds in order to
finance the many functions of the city government. The council also has to
budget the expenditure of the city’s funds, and then explain to the people why
municipal government is a bargain compared to the price of rampant crime,
fires, disease, and all of the other problems that would flourish without
proper city services.
·
Employer—The
council is responsible for all of the city’s employees, and must see that they
are adequately paid and provided with decent working conditions and fringe
benefits.
·
Buyer—The
council is one of the biggest purchasers in the community, and must see to it
that the city gets the best value possible for dollars spent.
Professor Spoon
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