There shall be a mayor who shall be elected at the regular city election in each second year for a term of two (2) years, and until his successor is elected and qualified.
The mayor shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of the city and shall be responsible for the administration and management of all offices, departments, and agencies except as otherwise provided by this charter.
It shall be the duty of the mayor:
(a) To see that the laws and ordinances are enforced;
(b) To see that all terms and conditions imposed in favor of the city in any contract or franchise are faithfully kept and performed;
(c) To keep the council informed at all times concerning the financial condition and needs of the city and other pertinent matters relating to its administration;
(d) To recommend to the council such measures as he may consider necessary or expedient;
(e) To prepare and recommend to the council an annual budget;
(f) To prepare and present to the council a comprehensive annual report of the financial transactions and other activities of the city following the close of each fiscal year;
(g) To make any study or investigation which in his opinion may be for the best interests of the city of which may be ordered by the council by resolution;
(h) To review all rules and regulations of the several administrative officers and departments, and only upon his approval shall they become effective;
(i) To perform such other duties as may be required of him by ordinance or resolution of the council
The mayor shall appoint all heads of departments except as otherwise provided by this charter. All such appointments shall be for indefinite terms at the pleasure of the mayor.
(Election of 11-3-87)
In the event of the temporary absence or disability of the mayor, the president of the council shall act as mayor for the time being until the mayor shall return to his duties or until his disability shall cease.
While serving as acting mayor, the president of the council shall not have power to disapprove any action of the council or to make any appointments or removals, other than temporary appointments, until he shall have served as acting mayor for thirty (30) consecutive days.
Sec. 7. Vacancy in office of mayor.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of mayor, the president of the council shall be and become the mayor and his place on the council thereupon shall be vacant.
The mayor shall receive a minimum annual salary of eight thousand four hundred dollars ($8,400.00) or any salary in excess thereof which is prescribed by ordinance, but his salary shall not be changed after the filing of nomination papers for the office or during the term of office for which he was elected.
Every ordinance passed by the council shall be submitted to the mayor who, within ten (10) consecutive days, either shall approve the ordinance by affixing his signature or shall return the ordinance to the council by transmitting it to the city clerk with a statement setting forth his objections.
No ordinance shall take effect without the approval of the mayor unless (a) the mayor shall fail either to sign the ordinance or to return it to the council within ten (10) consecutive days after its passage, or (b) the council, upon reconsideration at its next regular meeting after its return by the mayor, shall approve the ordinance by vote of five (5) of its members, notwithstanding the disapproval of the mayor, in which case the ordinance shall take effect immediately.
The mayor may attend any meetings of the city council or the school committee, or he may delegate some officer to attend said meetings in his stead, and shall be heard by them on such matters as the mayor may determine pertinent.
All administration functions and services of the city government shall be allocated and assigned among and within the several departments under the control of the mayor except as otherwise provided by this charter.
The head of each department appointed by the mayor shall have supervision and control of the department subject to the direction of the mayor. Notice of any appointment by the mayor shall be in writing and filed with the city clerk.
The head of any department appointed by the mayor shall designate, with the approval of the mayor, a subordinate officer thereof to act in his place in the event of his absence or incapacity or whenever the circumstances may require.
The head of each department appointed by the mayor, shall appoint the subordinate officers therein or he may delegate such appointment to the head of any subdivision thereof subject to his approval.
The head of any department appointed by the mayor may organize his department and make such assignment of duties as he may consider advisable unless otherwise provided by charter or ordinance.
The head of a department may serve as head of any division within the department without additional compensation.
The mayor shall have authority by executive order to combine or abolish any departments established by this charter.
The mayor may transfer by executive order any functions and duties from one department to another except such functions and duties as are assigned by this charter to a particular department.
Any executive order to combine, abolish or transfer any functions between departments shall be filed with the city clerk and directed to the council. Such an executive order shall be effective on the first day of the second month after its filing with the city clerk unless the council, by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of at least five (5) of its members, shall disapprove such executive order or any part thereof.
Should the council fail to act on any such executive order within the time prescribed after the same has been filed with the city clerk, the approval of the council shall be conclusively presumed and the executive order shall have the same legal effect as an ordinance of the council.
All executive orders which shall become effective shall be printed with the ordinances of the city.
Editor’s note—Section 23, relating to appointment of heads of departments by the mayor, was deleted at an election held November 3, 1987. See § 4 of this charter for appointments.