CITY CHARTER

for the

CITY OF CHARLEVOIX

 

 

(Elected April 3, 1978)

EFFECTIVE JUNE 5, 1978

 

 

 

 

 

 

C I T Y    C H A R T E R

for

T H E  C I T Y  O F   C H A R L E V O I X

 

(Elected April 3, 1978)

EFFECTIVE JUNE 5, 1978

 

 

QUO‑NOJ‑WON AN‑DAH‑NOO‑KEE‑ING BAA‑KAD‑BEH‑NOT‑ZEE‑ING.

KEEN‑NAH‑WEH‑SAH  AN‑DAH‑NOO‑KEE‑ING  

SHANG‑GWOK‑O‑ZEE‑BEENG

BOK‑SAN‑DAH‑NEH‑CHEE‑ISH‑PAN‑DAH‑MONG 

O‑GEH‑MA‑WIN.                                                                              (OTTAWA)

 

Nature achieves beauty through order.  The Citizens of Charlevoix

desire to insure beauty in their lives through the good order of their government.

 

Submitted by

The Charter Commission           

City of Charlevoix, Michigan

Elected April 7, 1975

                                                                                      

                                                                                               AMENDED                      

                                                                                                                    November 4, 1980

                                                                                                                    November 3, 1981

December 6, 1982

November 5, 1991

April 6, 1992

February 18, 2004

November 7, 2006

 

ARTICLE I

ESTABLISHMENT OF CITY GOVERNMENT

 

SECTION      SUBJECT...................................................................................................... PAGE

 

1.1                   City Boundaries....................................................................................................... 1

1.2                   Ward Boundaries‑Alteration Thereof...................................................................... 1

1.3                   Powers ‑ General..................................................................................................... 2

1.4                   Powers ‑ Scope of.................................................................................................... 2

1.5                   Powers ‑ Intergovernmental.................................................................................... 2

1.6                   Public Welfare......................................................................................................... 2

 

 

ARTICLE II

FORM OF GOVERNMENT

 

2.1                   Council ‑ Manager – Plan........................................................................................ 3

2.2                   Council – Membership............................................................................................ 3

2.3                   Council – Qualifications.......................................................................................... 3

2.4                   Council ‑ Terms....................................................................................................... 3

2.5                   Council ‑ Definition of Vacancy.............................................................................. 3

2.6                   Council ‑ Fillings of Vacancies................................................................................ 4

2.7                   Council ‑ Judge of Qualifications............................................................................ 4

2.8                   Council ‑ Oath ‑ Filing Thereof............................................................................... 4

2.9                   Deputy Mayor ‑ Election of.................................................................................... 4

2.10                 Mayor ‑ Deputy Mayor ‑ Duties.............................................................................. 5

2.11                 Council ‑ Compensation.......................................................................................... 5

2.12                 Council ‑ Reimbursement........................................................................................ 5

2.13                 Council – Property.................................................................................................. 6

2.14                 Elected Officials – Recall....................................................................................... 6

2.15                 Council ‑ Meetings ‑ Minutes and Notices Thereof ................................................  6

2.16                 Council ‑ Powers & Limitations.............................................................................. 7

2.17                 Council – Investigations.......................................................................................... 8

2.18                 Council ‑ Overall Control of Municipal Operations ...............................................  9

 

ARTICLE III

ADMINISTRATION

 

3.1                   Administrative Officials........................................................................................ 10

3.2                   Administrative Officials ‑ Appointment ‑ Promotion – Compensation................. 10

3.3                   City Manager – Appointment................................................................................ 10

3.4                   City Manager – Removal....................................................................................... 10

3.5                   City Manager ‑ Filling Vacancy............................................................................. 11

3.6                   City Manager ‑ Temporary Absence .....................................................................  11

3.7                   City Manager ‑ Power and Duties.......................................................................... 12

3.8                   City Clerk ‑ Election ‑ Duties ...............................................................................  12

3.9                   City Attorney ‑ Appointment – Duties.................................................................. 13

3.10                 City Treasurer ‑ Appointment – Duties................................................................. 13

3.11                 City Assessor ‑ Appointment – Duties.................................................................. 13

3.12                 Police Chief ‑ Appointment – Duties.................................................................... 13

3.13                 Fire Chief ‑ Appointment – Duties........................................................................ 13

3.14                 Employee Contracts – Severance Payments.......................................................... 14

                       

ARTICLE IV

REGISTRATION, NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

 

4.1                   Electors................................................................................................................. 15

4.2                   General Election................................................................................................... 15

4.3                   Primary Election................................................................................................... 15

4.4                   Nomination of Mayor and City Clerk.................................................................... 15

4.5                   Nominations of Council Members......................................................................... 15

4.6                   Primary Elections, Number of Candidates............................................................ 16

4.7                   Election of Mayor and City Clerk.......................................................................... 16

4.8                   Election of Council Members ...............................................................................  16

4.9                   Elections, Ties .....................................................................................................  16

4.10                 Special Elections ..................................................................................................  17

 

ARTICLE V

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

 

5.1                   Legislative Power .................................................................................................  18

5.2                   Legislation ............................................................................................................  18

5.3                   Ordinances ‑ Composition ‑ Hearings ‑ Publications............................................ 18

5.4                   Ordinances ‑ Emergency....................................................................................... 19

5.5                   Ordinance ‑ Penalty .............................................................................................  19

5.6                   Ordinance ‑ Effective Date................................................................................... 19

5.7                   Ordinance ‑ Codification....................................................................................... 20

 

 

ARTICLE VI

INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM

 

6.1                   General Authority ................................................................................................  21

6.2                   Commencement of Proceedings ............................................................................ 21

6.3                   Petitions ...............................................................................................................  21

6.4                   Procedure after Filing............................................................................................ 22

6.5                   Referendum Petitions ‑ Suspensions of Effect of Ordinance ...............................  23

6.6                   Action on Petitions ..............................................................................................  23

6.7                   Results of Election ...............................................................................................  23

 

ARTICLE VII

GENERAL FINANCES

 

7.1                   Fiscal Year ...........................................................................................................  24

7.2                   Capital Budget....................................................................................................... 24

7.3                   Previous Capital Budgets...................................................................................... 24

7.4                   Publication of Capital Budget ..............................................................................  24

7.5                   Adoption of Capital Budget.................................................................................. 25

7.6                   Operating Budget.................................................................................................. 25

7.7                   Summary of Operating Budget .............................................................................  25

7.8                   Public Hearing....................................................................................................... 25

7.9                   Review of Annual Operating Budget.................................................................... 25

7.10                 Transfer of Appropriations.................................................................................... 26

7.11                 Remaining Fund Balances ....................................................................................  26

7.12                 Emergency Appropriations.................................................................................... 26

7.13                 Expenditure of Funds............................................................................................ 27

7.14                 Deposits................................................................................................................ 27

7.15                 Audits.................................................................................................................... 27

7.16                 System of Accounts............................................................................................... 27

7.17                 Contracts and Bids................................................................................................ 27

 

ARTICLE VIII

TAXATION

 

8.1                   Taxation ‑ Limit ‑ Collection ................................................................................  29

8.2                   Taxation ‑ Subjects ‑ Rights.................................................................................. 29

8.3                   Taxation ‑ Power and Exemptions........................................................................ 29

8.4                   Tax Assessment..................................................................................................... 29

8.5                   Board of Review ...................................................................................................  29

8.6                   Board of Review ‑ Powers and Duties................................................................... 30

8.7                   Board of Review ‑ Notice of Meetings.................................................................. 30

8.8                   Assessment ‑ Notice of Change to Owners..........................................................   30

8.9                   Board of Review ‑ Meetings.................................................................................. 30

8.10                 Board of Review ‑ Appeals ...................................................................................  31

8.11                 Board of Review ‑ Second Meeting....................................................................... 31

8.12                 Board of Review ‑ Endorsement of Roll..............................................................   31

8.13                 Certification to Assessor ......................................................................................  31

8.14                 Spreading of the Taxes.......................................................................................... 32

8.15                 Taxes ‑ Collection of ............................................................................................  32

8.16                 Taxes ‑ Due ‑ Liens ..............................................................................................  32

8.17                 Taxes ‑ Power of Treasurer................................................................................... 32

8.18                 Taxes ‑ Penalties ..................................................................................................  33

8.19                 Taxes ‑ Payment of................................................................................................ 33

8.20                 Tax Roll ‑ Return to County Treasurer.................................................................   33

8.21                 Protection of Tax Lien.......................................................................................... 34

8.22                 Tax Collection ‑ County, School & State.............................................................. 34

8.23                 Changes ‑ Additions .............................................................................................  34

 

ARTICLE IX

SPECIAL ASSESSMENT

 

9.1                   Determination ......................................................................................................  35

9.2                   Procedure .............................................................................................................  35

9.3                   Confirmation......................................................................................................... 35

9.4                   Refund................................................................................................................... 35

9.5                   Liens .....................................................................................................................  36

9.6                   Changes ‑ Additions .............................................................................................  36

 

ARTICLE X

BORROWING POWER

 

10.1                 Scope of Power..................................................................................................... 37

10.2                 Bonds ‑ Special Assessments .............................................................................. .  37

10.3                 Bonds ‑ Issuance of ..............................................................................................  37

10.4                 Indebtedness Limits .............................................................................................  37

10.5                 Use of Bonds ‑ Statement...................................................................................... 38

10.6                 Unissued Bonds..................................................................................................... 38

 

ARTICLE XI

FRANCHISES

 

11.1                 Franchises ‑ Granting of........................................................................................ 39

 

 

ARTICLE XII

UTILITY FRANCHISES AND MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP

 

12.1                 General Powers..................................................................................................... 40

12.2                 Management.......................................................................................................... 40

12.3                 Rates ....................................................................................................................  40

12.4                 Disposal of Utility Plants & Property.................................................................... 41

12.5                 Granting of Public Utility Franchising................................................................... 41

12.6                 Conditions of Public Utility Franchises................................................................. 42

12.7                 Regulation of Rates ..............................................................................................  42

12.8                 Use of Public Places by Utilities............................................................................ 42

12.9                 Sale and Assignment of Franchises....................................................................... 43

 

ARTICLE XIII

PLANNING AND ZONING

 

13.1                 Planning Commission ...........................................................................................  44

13.2                 Zoning................................................................................................................... 44

13.3                 Zoning Variances.................................................................................................. 44

 

ARTICLE XIV

TRANSITION

 

14.1                 Purpose ................................................................................................................  45

14.2                 Effective Date....................................................................................................... 45

14.3                 Initial Election & Terms of Office........................................................................ 45

14.4                 Vacancies .............................................................................................................  45

14.5                 Terms of Public Officials .....................................................................................  46

14.6                 Continuation of Rights ‑ Claims ‑ Contracts, etc................................................... 46

14.7                 Continuation of Ordinances, Resolutions and Rules ............................................  46

14.8                 Continuation of Boards, Committees and Commissions ......................................  46

14.9                 Status of Taxes and Assessments.........................................................................   46

14.10               Transition Authority.............................................................................................. 47

14.11               Submission to Voters; Form of Ballot................................................................... 47

 

ARTICLE I

ESTABLISHMENT OF CITY GOVERNMENT

 

Section 1.1   CITY BOUNDARIES

The municipal corporation heretofore established and now existing and known as "The City of Charlevoix", shall continue as a municipal corporation under the same name, and the boundaries of the City existing when this Charter takes effect shall continue in force until changed in accordance with law.

 

Section 1.2  WARD BOUNDARIES ‑ ALTERATION THEREOF

The City of Charlevoix, Charlevoix County, Michigan, shall be divided into three (3) wards, with their several boundaries described as follows:

     (1) First Ward:  All that territory embraced within the corporate limits of the City of Charlevoix lying northeasterly of the following described line:

 

Beginning at the north extension of the centerline of Grant Street at the shore of Lake Michigan  (on the north side of the Pine River Channel); thence southerly along the extended centerline of Grant Street to the centerline of Park Avenue; thence southwesterly along the centerline of Park Avenue to the centerline of Sherman Street; thence south along the centerline of Sherman Street to the centerline of Mason Street; thence east along the centerline of Mason Street to the centerline of Grant Street; thence south along the centerline of Grant Street to the centerline of Hurlbut Avenue; thence east along the centerline of Hurlbut Avenue to the centerline of State Street; thence north along the centerline of State Street to the centerline of Mason Street; thence east along the centerline of Mason Street and the extension thereof  to the shore of Round Lake; thence northeasterly to a point in the middle of Round Lake at the intersection of the southerly exten