House File 2282 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2093) Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the election of mayor and city council members 2 in a city governed by the council=manager=at=large form of 3 city government. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5004HV 81 6 sc/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 372.6, Code 2005, is amended to read as 1 2 follows: 1 3 372.6 COUNCIL=MANAGER=AT=LARGE FORM. 1 4 1. A city governed by the council=manager=at=large form 1 5 has five council members elected at large for staggered four= 1 6 year terms. At the first meeting of the new term following 1 7 each city election, the council shall elect one of the council 1 8 members to serve as mayor, and one to serve as mayor pro tem. 1 9 The mayor is a member of the council and may vote on all 1 10 matters before the council. As soon as possible after the 1 11 beginning of the new term following each city election, the 1 12 council shall appoint a manager. 1 13 2. a. The city council of a city governed by the council= 1 14 manager=at=large form may adopt a resolution on its own 1 15 motion, or shall adopt a resolution if a petition valid under 1 16 section 362.4 is filed with the city clerk, proposing that the 1 17 city be governed by a mayor elected by the people for a four= 1 18 year term and four council members elected at large. After 1 19 adoption of the resolution, the council shall direct the 1 20 county commissioner of elections to put the proposal on the 1 21 ballot for the next general election or the next regular city 1 22 election, whichever occurs first. If the ballot proposal is 1 23 approved, the city council shall adopt an ordinance meeting 1 24 the requirements of paragraph "b", and the ordinance is 1 25 effective beginning with the next following regular city 1 26 election. 1 27 b. The ordinance shall provide that the mayor is a member 1 28 of the council and may vote on all matters before the council. 1 29 The ordinance shall provide that the term of office of the 1 30 mayor is four years and, after each regular city election, the 1 31 mayor shall appoint a council member as mayor pro tem. The 1 32 ordinance shall provide that the mayor is a member of the 1 33 council for purposes of maintaining staggered terms on the 1 34 council. A council member's term shall not be shortened or 1 35 lengthened as a means of initially implementing the ordinance. 2 1 c. An ordinance adopted and approved under this subsection 2 2 is not subject to repeal until the ordinance has been in 2 3 effect for at least six years. The question of repeal of the 2 4 ordinance is subject to the requirements of paragraph "a". 2 5 3. The council may by ordinance provide that the city will 2 6 be governed by council=manager=ward form. The ordinance must 2 7 provide for the election of the mayor and council members 2 8 required under council=manager=ward form at the next regular 2 9 city election. 2 10 EXPLANATION 2 11 Under current law, the council=manager=at=large form of 2 12 city government is required to have five city council members 2 13 who serve four=year terms. After each regular city election, 2 14 a mayor and mayor pro tem are chosen by the council from among 2 15 the council members. 2 16 This bill requires the city council of a city governed by 2 17 the council=manager=at=large form to adopt an ordinance 2 18 providing that the city be governed by a mayor elected by the 2 19 people to a four=year term and four council members elected at 2 20 large if such a proposal is approved at election. The bill 2 21 provides that the city council of such a city may on its 2 22 motion, or shall if petitioned for, adopt a resolution to put 2 23 the proposal on the ballot at the general election or the next 2 24 regular city election, whichever occurs first. 2 25 LSB 5004HV 81 2 26 sc:rj/je/5