Charter of the City of vancouver, Washington [Archive]

Chief

05-19-2007, 09:09 AM

Section 2.02 Qualifications: Councilmembers shall be qualified electors and residents of the city
for a continuous period of at least two years next prior to their election, and shall hold no other
public office or employment under the city government. If a councilmember shall cease to have
these qualifications or shall be convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude or shall be absent
from three consecutive regular meetings without being granted a leave of absence by the city
council, this office shall become vacant and be so declared by the city council.

Section 2.05 Powers and Duties: The city council shall have the power to enact ordinances or
resolutions, adopt rules and regulations, appoint and remove the city manager, fix all salaries, adopt
the budget, control indebtedness, and the issuance of bonds, and to provide for an independent
audit of any department or office. It may punish its members and others for disorderly or otherwise
contemptuous behavior in its presence, and expel for such behavior in its presence, any member by
the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of its members, specifying in the order of expulsion
the cause thereof. It shall at least once each year hear a report from the head of each city
department and division. All other powers of the city and the determination of all matters of
policy, whether enumerated in this charter or not, are vested in the city council. The city council
shall approve before payment, all bills, invoices and other evidences of claims, demands, or
charges against the city government, and shall approve and confirm payrolls. (As amended by vote
of the people on November 6, 1973.)

Section 2.06 Vacancies Defined: An office, either appointive or elective, becomes vacant upon
failure to qualify within the time limited by law; upon the death or removal from office or resignation
of the incumbent, or removal from or absence from the city for sixty days without leave of the
city council, or upon an adjudication of insanity; by a conviction of drunkenness, or by any permanent
disability, preventing the proper discharge of duty; by ceasing to be a resident of the city; by
conviction of an infamous crime, or any crime involving a violation of official oath; by refusal or
neglect to take the oath of office, or to give or renew the official bond or deposit such oath or bond
within the time prescribed by law; a decision of a court of competent jurisdiction declaring void the
election or appointment; or whenever a judgment is obtained against such officer for breach of
condition of the official bond.

Section 2.10 Council Meetings; Quorum: After each biennial municipal general election, the city
council shall meet for reorganization at the usual time and place on the day fixed by law for the
newly elected councilmembers to assume office. Thereafter, the city council shall meet regularly at
such times as its rules may prescribe, but not less often than twice each month. The city clerk shall
call special meetings of the city council upon the written request of the mayor or of any two
members. Any request shall state the subjects to be considered at such special meeting and no
other subject shall there be acted upon. All regular meetings of the city council shall be open to the
public. A majority of all the members of the city council shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser
number may adjourn from day to day or until the time of the next regular meeting and may compel
the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as the city council shall
prescribe.

Section 2.11 Procedure: The city council shall determine its own rules and order of business. It shall keep a journal of its proceedings and the journal shall be open to public inspection. It shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members and for such purpose shall have power to subpoena witnesses and require the production of records, but the decision of the city council in any such case shall be subject to review by the courts.

Section 2.12 Ordinances, Required for Certain Purposes, Title, Enacting Clause, and How
Amended: In addition to such acts of the city council as are required by statute or by this charter to
be by ordinance, every act of the city council establishing a fine or other penalty or providing for
the expenditure of funds or for the contracting of indebtedness or granting, renewing, or extending
a franchise for any purpose shall be by ordinance. No ordinance granting a franchise shall be
finally passed until thirty days have expired after its introduction; the expense incident to the
enactment of such an ordinance shall be paid by the applicant; and no exclusive franchise shall be
granted. When an ordinance granting a franchise is amended after it has been in force, the same
provision set forth in the preceding sentence applicable to proposed ordinances granting original
franchises shall apply. Every ordinance shall be clearly entitled and shall contain only one subject,
which shall be clearly expressed in its title. The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be: "Be it
ordained by the City of Vancouver." No ordinance shall be revised, re-enacted, or amended by
reference to its title, but the ordinance to be revised or re-enacted or the section thereof amended
shall be re-enacted at length as revised or amended.

Section 2.13 Procedure for Passage of Ordinances; First Reading: With exceptions of
ordinances permitted by state law to be adopted by reference, every ordinance shall be introduced
in writing in the form in which it is finally to be passed. The title of such ordinance shall be read
and upon request of any person present shall be read in full; after passage on first reading, every
ordinance shall be published at least once, in full or in summary form as prescribed by state law at
R.C.W. 35.22.288, together with a notice of the time and place when and where it will be given a
public hearing and be considered for final passage. The first publication shall be at least three days
prior to the time advertised for public hearing. Copies of all such proposed ordinances shall be
kept available to the public at the office of the city clerk. Provided, however, that ordinances
granting a franchise shall be published in full or in summary once each week for three consecutive
weeks prior to finally passing such ordinances. (As amended by vote of the people on November 7,
1967, and September 17, 1996.)

Section 2.14 Second Reading and Public Hearing: At the time and place so advertised, or at any time and place to which such hearing shall from time to time be adjourned, the title of such
ordinance shall be read, or upon the request of any person present, the clerk shall read the proposed
ordinance in full. All persons interested shall be given an opportunity to be heard on the proposed
ordinance. (As amended by vote of the people on November 7, 1967.)

Section 2.15 Further Consideration; Final Passage: After such hearing, the city council may
finally pass such ordinance, with or without amendment, except that if it shall make an amendment
which constitutes a change of substance, it shall not finally pass the ordinance until it shall have
caused the amended sections to be published at least once, together with a notice of the time and
place when and where such amended ordinance will be further considered, which publication shall
be at least three days prior to the time stated. At the time so advertised, or at any time and place to
which such meeting shall be adjourned, the title of the amended ordinance shall be read, or upon
the request of any person present, the amended ordinance shall be read in full, and a public hearing
thereon shall be held and after such hearing, the governing body may finally pass such amended
ordinance, or again amend it subject to the same conditions. The second passage of any ordinance
pursuant to this charter shall be final and no further passage shall be required. The final passage of
an ordinance requires at least a majority vote in its favor, and the vote shall be taken by yeas and
nays, and entered in the public journal of city council proceedings. Every ordinance or resolution
passed by the city council shall be signed by the mayor and filed with the city clerk, who shall
record the same. When an ordinance is put upon its final passage and fails to pass, and a motion is
made to reconsider, the vote upon such motion shall not be acted upon before the next meeting of
the city council. (As amended by vote of the people on November 7, 1967.)

Section 7.10 Prohibitions: No person in the service of the city or seeking admission thereto shall
be in any way favored or discriminated against because of race or sex or political or religious
opinions or affiliations. No persons seeking appointment to, or promotion in, the service of the city
shall give cause to be given any money or other thing of value to any person in connection with
such appointment or promotion. No person shall in any manner solicit or be concerned with
soliciting any contribution for any political purpose from any city employee. No person shall
commit any fraud or deceit tending to defeat the purposes of this article or in connection with any
appointment or promotion in the city service. Any person who is convicted of violating any
provision of this section shall, in addition to any other penalties provided by law, be ineligible for
appointment or employment in the city's service for a period of five years, and shall, if an officer or
employee of the city,

Section 11.06 Publicity: All records and accounts of every office, department, or agency of the city shall be open to inspection by any citizen, any representative of a citizen's organization, or any
representative of the press or radio at all reasonable times and under reasonable regulations
established by the city manager, except records and documents, the disclosure of which would tend
to defeat the lawful purpose which they are intended to accomplish.

Section 11.07 Personal Interest: No member of the city council or any officer or employee of the city shall derive a personal profit, direct or indirect, from any contract or in the sale to the city or to
a contractor supplying the city or any land or rights or interests in any land, material, supplies, or
services. Provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any contract or any work,
or the purchase of any material, goods, or supplies when the expenditure thereof in any calendar
month does not exceed the amount set by state law. Any willful violation of this section shall
constitute malfeasance in office, and any officer or employee of the city found guilty thereof shall
thereby forfeit the office or position. Any violation of this section with the knowledge express or
implied of the person or corporation contracting with the city shall render the contract voidable by
the city manager or the city council. (As amended by vote of the people on November 6, 1984.)

Section 12.03 Continuation of Property Rights: The public buildings, lands, and property, all
rights of property and rights of action, all monies, revenues, and income belonging or appertaining
to the City of Vancouver, are hereby declared to be vested in said city and it shall continue to have,
hold, and enjoy the same subject to all obligations, debts, liabilities, dues, and duties, of the
existing municipality.