83A.130 Mayor-council plan
-- Powers and duties of mayor and council.

(1) The form of government provided in this section shall be known as the mayor-council plan and this section shall together with KRS 83A.010 to 83A.120 govern any city declared to be under the mayor-council plan by KRS 83A.020 or which has adopted the mayor-council plan pursuant to KRS 83A.160.

(2) Each city under this section shall be governed by an elected executive who shall be called mayor and by an elected legislative body which shall be called the city council, and by such other officers and employees as may be provided for by statute or city ordinance.

(3) The executive authority of the city shall be vested in and exercised by the mayor. The mayor shall enforce the mayor-council plan, city ordinances and orders and all applicable statutes. He shall supervise all departments of city government and the conduct of all city officers and employees under his jurisdiction and shall require each department to make reports to him required by ordinance or as he deems desirable. The mayor shall maintain liaison with related units of local government respecting interlocal contracting and joint activities. The mayor shall report to the council and to the public on the condition and needs of city government as he finds appropriate or as required by ordinance, but not less than annually. He shall make any recommendations for actions by the council he finds in the public interest.

(4) Subject to disapproval of the council, the mayor shall promulgate procedures to insure orderly administration of the functions of city government and compliance with statute or ordinance. Upon promulgation or upon revision or rescission of the procedures, copies shall be filed with the person responsible for maintaining city records as provided under KRS 83A.060.

(5) The mayor shall preside at meetings of the council. The council may set by ordinance the manner in which one of its number may be selected to preside at meetings of the council in place of the mayor. The mayor may participate in council proceedings, but shall not have a vote, except that he may cast the deciding vote in case of a tie.

(6) All ordinances adopted by the council shall be submitted to the mayor who shall within ten (10) days after submission either approve the ordinance by affixing his signature or disapprove it by returning it to the council together with a statement of his objections. No ordinance shall take effect without the mayor's approval unless he fails to return it to the legislative body within ten (10) days after receiving it or unless the council votes to override the mayor's veto, upon reconsideration of the ordinance not later than the second regular meeting following its return, by the affirmative vote of one (1) more than a majority of the membership.

(7) Any delegation of the mayor's power, duties or responsibilities to subordinate officers and employees and any expression of his official authority to fulfill executive functions shall be made by executive order. Executive orders shall be sequentially numbered by years and shall be kept in a permanent file.

(8) All bonds, notes, contracts and written obligations of the city shall be made and executed by the mayor or his agent designated by executive order.

(9) The mayor shall be the appointing authority with power to appoint and remove all city employees, including police officers, except as tenure and terms of employment are protected by statute, ordinance or contract and except for employees of the council.

(10) The mayor shall provide for the orderly continuation of the functions of city government at any time he is unable to attend to the duties of his office by delegating responsibility for any function to be performed in accordance with subsection (7) of this section, provided that the mayor shall not delegate the responsibility of presiding at meetings of the council and that approving ordinances or promulgating administrative procedures may only be delegated to an elected officer. With approval of the council, the mayor may rescind any action taken in his absence under this subsection within thirty (30) days of such action. If for any reason the disability of the mayor to attend to his duties persists for sixty (60) consecutive days, the office of mayor may be declared vacant by a majority vote of the council and the provisions of KRS 83A.040 shall apply.

(11) The legislative authority of the city shall be vested in and exercised by the elected council of the city. The council shall not perform any executive functions except those functions assigned to it by statute. Regular meetings of the council shall be held at least once each month at such times and places as are fixed by ordinance. Special meetings of the council may be called by the mayor or upon written request of a majority of the council. In the call, the mayor or council shall designate the purpose, time and place of the special meeting with sufficient notice for the attendance of council members and for compliance with KRS Chapter 61. At a special meeting no business may be considered other than that set forth in the designation of purpose. The minutes of every meeting shall be signed by the person responsible for maintaining city records provided under KRS 83A.060 and by the officer presiding at the meeting.

(12) The council shall by ordinance establish all appointive offices and the duties and responsibilities of those offices and codes, rules and regulations for the public health, safety and welfare. The council shall by ordinance provide for sufficient revenue to operate city government and shall appropriate the funds of the city in a budget which shall provide for the orderly management of city resources.

(13) The council shall have the right to investigate all activities of city government. The council may require any city officer or employee to prepare and submit to it sworn statements regarding his performance of his official duties. Any statement required by the council to be submitted or any investigation undertaken by the council, if any office, department or agency under the jurisdiction of the mayor is involved, shall not be submitted or undertaken unless and until written notice of the council's action is given to the mayor. The mayor shall have the right to review any statement before submission to the council and to appear personally or through his designee on behalf of any department, office or agency in the course of any investigation.

Effective:July 15, 1982 History: Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 434, sec. 4, effective July 15, 1982. -- Created 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 235, sec. 13, effective July 15,