Saginaw Michigan Charter Chapter 3

GOVERNING BODY

The Council

            Section 12. The council shall consist of nine (9) members nominated and elected at large, and shall be vested with all legislative powers of the city except as otherwise provided by state law or this charter. The city clerk shall be clerk of the council.

Term of Office

            Section 13. The councilmen shall hold office for a term of four (4) years from the Monday next following the city election at which they are elected, except that the four (4) councilmen receiving the smallest number of votes at the first election under this charter shall hold office from January 6, 1936, until the Monday next following the regular city election in 1937 and the five (5) councilmen receiving the largest number of votes at said first election shall hold office from January 6, 1936, until the Monday next following the regular city election in 1939.

Qualifications

            Section 14. No person shall be eligible for the office of councilman unless he is a duly registered elector in the city and has been a resident of the city or any area annexed thereto for at least three (3) years immediately prior to the election at which he is a candidate.

Section 24 amended (Amendment No. 11) Effective April 17, 1959

3 year requirement unconstitutional by Federal District Court - Joy Hargrove v City of Saginaw, 1979- 30 days

Vacancies

            Section 15. A vacancy occurring in the council shall be filled within thirty (3) days by a majority vote of the remaining councilmen, the appointee to hold office until the Monday next following the next regular city election; provided that no appointment shall be made within sixty (60) days prior to any regular city election; and provided further that, if a vacancy occurs more than forty (40) days next preceding a regular city election in the office of a councilman whose term is not then expiring, a successor shall be elected at such election for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Procedure in Filling Vacancies

            Section 15(a). In filling a vacancy in the council the names of prospective appointees shall not be presented for seven (7) days, and no appointment shall be made for fourteen (14) days, after the vacancy occurs.

                       Section 15(a) added (Amendment No. 3) Effective April 24, 1953

Mayor

            Section 16. The council shall, at its first regular meeting following the first election under this charter, choose one of its members mayor who shall hold office until the Monday following the regular city election in 1937. Thereafter the mayor shall be chosen for a term of two (2) years. The council shall choose one of its members mayor pro tem who shall act in the absence or disability of the mayor. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of mayor, the council shall choose one of members mayor at the next regular meeting to serve for the unexpired term. The mayor shall be the official head of the city for all ceremonial purposes, for the purposes of military law, and for all other purposes required by law. He shall preside at all meetings of the council, and may speak and vote in such meetings as any other member of council.

Compensation

            Section 17. Each member of the council shall be compensated at the rate of five dollars ($5) per meeting attended, but not to exceed three hundred dollars ($300) per year. The mayor shall receive the sum of fifty dollars ($50) per month, in addition to his compensation as councilman.

MCLA 117.5c and D-1417 (1983) established Compensation Commission for local officials