July 19 City Council Meeting
Story Published:
Apr 2, 2010 at 11:16 AM CST
Story Updated:
Apr 2, 2010 at 11:16 AM CST
According to the Cookeville City Charter, the City Council will have five members, elected for their terms. Those elected must be qualified voters who are not working for any City of Cookeville municipal office.
If a councilman is convicted of a crime involving "moral turpitude," according to the Charter, "his office shall immediately become vacant."
The monthly salary of councilmen is approved by a two-thirds vote by the city council and is historically relatively small. Councilmen are not expected to earn living wages from this salary, and most work full time jobs elsewhere. The council is empowered to reimburse councilmen for expenses incurred in connection with city business.
The mayor, who is presiding officer of the Council, presides at meetings of the council and is recognized as head of the city government for ceremonial purposes. The City Council elects the Mayor -- typically the councilmember with the most votes.
The mayor has no regular administrative duties. The council also elects a vic mayor who acts as mayor in the mayor's absence.
Job Responsibilities:
- Appoint and remove the city manager
- establish administrative departments and distribute the work of city divisions.
- adopt a city budget
- authorize issuance of bonds
- conduct inquiries and investigations into any office, department or agency of the city involving municipal affairs
- appoint the Hospital Board of Trustees
- appoint the planning commission members
- appoint members of an Industrial Development Board
- appoint members of zoning board of appeals and adopt plats
- adopt and modify the official city map
- Regulate and restrict the height and number of stories of buildings and other structures, the size of yards and courts, the density of populations and the location and use of buildings for trade, industry, business, residence or other purposes
- Provide for safe and sanitary housing accommodations for families of low income;
- Appoint the members of the housing authority, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, and any other boards or committees necessary
- Adopt, modify and carry out plans proposed by the planning commission for the clearance of slum districts and rehabilitation of blighted areas
- Adopt, modify and carry out plans proposed by the planning commission for the re-planning, improvement and redevelopment of neighborhoods and for the re-planning, reconstruction or redevelopment of any area or district which may have been destroyed in whole or in part by disaster
- Provide for an independent audit.
