Mayor-Council Form of Government

Miss. Code Ann. tit. 21, ch. 8
in effect

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-1 Adoption of mayor-council form authorized.

Any municipality, regardless of the form of government under which it is operating, may adopt the mayor-council form of government, as hereinafter provided, by the procedure hereinafter set forth.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-3 Initiation of proceedings for adoption.

The manner of effecting the change in the government of any such municipality from the form of government under which it is operating to the mayor-council form of government shall be as follows: One (1) or more petitions, similar in form and substance, addressed to the mayor, praying that an election be held to determine whether or not such city shall abandon its existing form of government and become organized under the mayor-council form of government, signed by at least ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of such municipality, provided, however, that any municipality with population of less than forty thousand (40,000) shall be required to be signed by twenty percent (20%), shall be filed with the municipal clerk who shall, within ten (10) days thereafter, check the signatures thereto with the registration books of the municipality and attach thereto his certificate showing the total number of qualified electors in said municipality and the total number of signatures to said petitions and deliver the same to the mayor. Such petition or petitions shall specify the number of councilmen to be on the council and the number of councilmen to be elected from wards and the number at large, if any. If on the delivery of such petition to the mayor it shall appear that such petition or petitions have not been signed by the required number of qualified electors of such municipality the mayor shall at once certify such fact and immediately return such petition or petitions to the person or persons presenting the same, who may thereafter procure additional signers thereto and again file such petition or petitions with the municipality clerk, as above provided, as an original petition. If it shall at any time appear from the certificate of the municipality clerk that said petition or petitions have been signed by the required number of qualified electors of said municipality, the mayor shall immediately refer the same to the municipality council or board and, if it shall appear that said petition or petitions are in proper form and have been sufficiently signed by the qualified electors of such municipality, the council or board shall within ten (10) days order and provide for the holding of a special election in such municipality not less than twenty (20) days nor more than sixty (60) days from the date of making such order, notice of which shall be given, and the same shall be held and conducted as other elections in such municipality. At such special election the propositions to be voted for shall be: (a) “For the present form of government” and (b) “For the mayor-council form of government.” No petition requesting that an election be held pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be presented to the municipality clerk within two (2) years after the date of the last election held pursuant to provisions of this chapter, provided that there is no waiting period for the presentation of a petition for a form of government other than the mayor-council form except that it shall not be presented to the municipality clerk until after the date of an election held pursuant to a previously filed petition.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-5 Conduct of election; certification of results.

All elections held for the adoption of the mayor-council form of government shall be held and conducted in accordance with the general laws for the holding of municipal elections. As soon as the returns of any election held hereunder for the adoption of the mayor-council form have been certified, and if a majority of the votes cast at such election were in favor of the mayor-council form of government, the mayor of such municipality shall immediately certify to the secretary of state that such municipality, by special election, has adopted the mayor-council form of government provided for herein, which certificate shall be recorded in a book kept for that purpose by the secretary of state.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-7 Election of mayor and council members; reapportionment; vacancies; offices; clerical assistance and expenses.

Each municipality operating under the mayor-council form of government shall be governed by an elected council and an elected mayor. Other officers and employees shall be duly appointed pursuant to this chapter, general law or ordinance. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of this section, the mayor and council members shall be elected by the voters of the municipality at a regular municipal election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June as provided in Section 21-11-7, and shall serve for a term of four (4) years beginning on the first day of July next following the election that is not on a weekend. The terms of the initial mayor and council members shall commence at the expiration of the terms of office of the elected officials of the municipality serving at the time of adoption of the mayor-council form. The council shall consist of five (5), seven (7) or nine (9) members. In the event there are five (5) council members, the municipality shall be divided into either five (5) or four (4) wards. In the event there are seven (7) council members, the municipality shall be divided into either seven (7), six (6) or five (5) wards. In the event there are nine (9) council members, the municipality shall be divided into seven (7) or nine (9) wards. If the municipality is divided into fewer wards than it has council members, the other council member or members shall be elected from the municipality at large. The total number of council members and the number of council members elected from wards shall be established by the petition or petitions presented pursuant to Section 21-8-3. One (1) council member shall be elected from each ward by the voters of that ward. Council members elected to represent wards must be residents of their wards at the time of qualification for election, and any council member who removes the member’s residence from the municipality or from the ward from which elected shall vacate that office. However, any candidate for council member who is properly qualified as a candidate under applicable law shall be deemed to be qualified as a candidate in whatever ward the member resides if the ward has changed after the council has redistricted the municipality as provided in paragraph (c)(ii) of this subsection (4), and if the wards have been so changed, any person may qualify as a candidate for council member, using the person’s existing residence or by changing the person’s residence, not less than fifteen (15) days before the first party primary or special party primary, as the case may be, notwithstanding any other residency or qualification requirements to the contrary. The council or board existing at the time of the adoption of the mayor-council form of government shall designate the geographical boundaries of the wards within one hundred twenty (120) days after the election in which the mayor-council form of government is selected. In designating the geographical boundaries of the wards, each ward shall contain, as nearly as possible, the population factor obtained by dividing the municipality’s population as shown by the most recent decennial census by the number of wards into which the municipality is to be divided. It shall be the mandatory duty of the council to redistrict the municipality by ordinance, which ordinance may not be vetoed by the mayor, within six (6) months after the official publication by the United States of the population of the municipality as enumerated in each decennial census, and within six (6) months after the effective date of any expansion of municipal boundaries; however, if the publication of the most recent decennial census or effective date of an expansion of the municipal boundaries occurs six (6) months or more before the first party primary of a general municipal election, then the council shall redistrict the municipality by ordinance not less than sixty (60) days before the first party primary. If the publication of the most recent decennial census occurs less than six (6) months before the first primary of a general municipal election, the election shall be held with regard to the existing defined wards; reapportioned wards based on the census shall not serve as the basis for representation until the next regularly scheduled election in which council members shall be elected. If annexation of additional territory into the municipal corporate limits of the municipality occurs less than six (6) months before the first party primary of a general municipal election, the council shall, by ordinance adopted within three (3) days of the effective date of the annexation, assign the annexed territory to an adjacent ward or wards so as to maintain as nearly as possible substantial equality of population between wards; any subsequent redistricting of the municipality by ordinance as required by this chapter shall not serve as the basis for representation until the next regularly scheduled election for municipal council members. Vacancies occurring in the council shall be filled as provided in Section 23-15-857. The mayor shall maintain an office at the city hall. The council members shall not maintain individual offices at the city hall; however, in a municipality having a population of one hundred thousand (100,000) and above according to the latest federal decennial census, council members may have individual offices in the city hall. Clerical work of council members in the performance of the duties of their office shall be performed by municipal employees or at municipal expense, and council members shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of their office.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-9 Council to exercise legislative power.

The legislative power of the municipality shall be exercised by the municipal council, except as may be otherwise provided by general law.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-11 Council officers; meetings; quorum; voting; council members shall not serve as members of commissions or boards under their control.

During the first council meeting of a new council, the council shall elect one (1) member as president of the council and one (1) of its other members as vice president, both of whom shall serve at the pleasure of the council. The president shall preside at all council meetings. In the event of the president’s absence or disability, the vice president shall act as president. In the event of the absence of the president and vice president, a presiding officer shall be designated by majority vote of the council to serve during such meeting. All councilmen, including the president, shall have the right to vote in the council at all times, even when serving as acting mayor. Regular public meetings of the council shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first day of July after the election of the members of the council that is not on a weekend and at least monthly thereafter on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in each month, or at such other times as the council by order may set. Special meetings may be called at any time by the mayor or a majority of the members of the council. At any and all meetings of the council, a majority of the members thereof shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum at any meeting shall be necessary to adopt any motion, resolution or ordinance, or to pass any measure whatever unless otherwise provided in this chapter. The quorum required by this section may be established by teleconference or video means as provided in Section 25-41-5(2). Upon every vote taken by the council, the yeas and nays shall be recorded and every motion, resolution or ordinance shall be reduced to writing before the vote is taken thereon. Upon request of one or more council members, any motion, resolution or ordinance shall be read by the clerk before the vote is taken thereon. No councilman shall be a member of any commission or board appointed or designated herein, or serve as a member of any commission or board under their jurisdiction except as otherwise provided by law.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-13 General powers and duties of council.

The council shall appoint a clerk of the council and deputy clerks, as necessary, who shall compile the minutes and records of its proceedings, its ordinances and resolutions as this chapter requires, and perform such duties as may be required by law. At the end of each fiscal year, the council shall cause a full and complete examination of all the books, accounts and vouchers of the municipality to be made by a competent, independent accountant or accountants who shall be appointed by the council, and the report of said examination shall be typed or printed in pamphlet form. The council shall make available a copy of said pamphlet to all persons who shall apply therefor at the office of the municipal clerk and shall cause three (3) of the printed copies of said pamphlet for each fiscal year to be substantially bound in three (3) volumes which shall be kept and preserved as a record of the clerk’s office. Said pamphlets shall be published as now provided by law. If, at the beginning of the first term of office of the first city council elected by any municipality under the provisions of this chapter, the appropriations for the expenditures for the municipal government for the current fiscal year shall have been made, the council shall have power by ordinance, to revise, repeal or change said appropriations and to make additional appropriations. The authority of the council is otherwise legislative and is executed by a vote within a legally called meeting. No member of the council shall give orders to any employee or subordinate of a municipality other than the council member’s personal staff. The council shall deal with the municipal departments and personnel solely through the mayor.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-15 Mayor to exercise executive power.

The executive power of the municipality shall be exercised by the mayor, and the mayor shall have the superintending control of all the officers and affairs of the municipality, and shall take care that the laws and ordinances are executed.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-17 General powers and duties of mayor; approval of ordinances.

The mayor shall enforce the charter and ordinances of the municipality and all general laws applicable thereto. He shall annually report to the council and the public on the work of the previous year and on the condition and requirements of the municipal government and shall, from time to time, make such recommendations for action by the council as he may deem in the public interest. He shall supervise all of the departments of the municipal government and shall require each department to make an annual report and such other reports of its work as he may deem desirable. No member of the council shall give orders to any employee or subordinate of a municipality other than the council member’s personal staff. Ordinances adopted by the council shall be submitted to the mayor and he shall, within ten (10) days (not including Saturdays, Sundays or holidays) after receiving any ordinance, either approve the ordinance by affixing his signature thereto or return it to the council by delivering it to the clerk of the council together with a statement setting forth his objections thereto or to any item or part thereof. No ordinance or any item or part thereof shall take effect without the mayor’s approval, unless the mayor fails to return an ordinance to the council prior to the next council meeting, but no later than fifteen (15) days (not including Saturdays, Sundays or holidays) after it has been presented to him or unless the council upon reconsideration thereof not later than the tenth day (not including Saturdays, Sundays or holidays) following its return by the mayor, shall, by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting resolve to override the mayor’s veto. The mayor may attend meetings of the council and may take part in discussions of the council but shall have no vote except in the case of a tie on the question of filling a vacancy in the council, in which case he may cast the deciding vote.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-19 Acting mayor; filling of vacancy in office of mayor.

Whenever the mayor shall be prevented by absence from the municipality, disability or other cause from attending to the duties of his office, the mayor shall appoint a member of the council to assume the duties of the mayor. However, any acting mayor so appointed shall retain his right to vote in the council. Whenever the mayor shall have been unable to attend to the duties of his office for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days for any of the above stated reasons, or whenever the mayor shall be incapable of making such appointment, an acting mayor shall be appointed by the council from among its members and said acting mayor shall succeed to all the rights, powers and duties of the mayor or the then acting mayor. Such acting mayor shall serve until the mayor returns to office or until a new mayor has been elected to fill the unexpired term of the original mayor. A new mayor shall be elected at a special election to be called and held as provided by law for the holding of municipal elections; provided that the acting mayor shall complete the term of the original mayor if a general municipal election is to be held within six (6) months of the determination of the council hereinafter provided for in this section. Prior to the calling of a special election pursuant to this section, the council, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all members of the council, shall make a determination that the mayor is incapable of completing his term of office. In the event of the death of the mayor the council shall appoint an acting mayor as provided in this section to serve until a successor is elected. Within thirty (30) days of the mayor’s death the council shall call a special election as provided in this section to elect his successor; provided that the acting mayor shall complete the term of the original mayor if a general municipal election is to be held within six (6) months of the death of the original mayor.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-21 Mayor and councilmen to be qualified electors of city; compensation; overtime to members of police and fire departments.

The mayor and the members of the council shall be qualified electors of the municipality. The compensation for the mayor and the members of the council shall be set by the council. After the salaries of the first mayor and first council have been determined by the council of any municipality electing to come under the provision of this chapter, such salaries shall be effective immediately. Thereafter, any increases or decreases in the salary for the mayor or councilmen may be authorized by the council at any time prior to ninety (90) days before the next general election for the selection of municipal officers. Such increases or decreases shall not become effective until the next elected mayor and council takes office. The salary of the mayor, councilmen and all employees of such municipality shall be paid at such periods as may be fixed by the council, but not less frequently than once a month; however, no salaries or wages shall be paid to any officer or employee of such municipality until after the same shall have been earned. Every officer or employee of the municipality shall receive such a salary of compensation as the council shall by ordinance provide, and the salary compensation of all employees of such municipality shall be fixed by the council from time to time, as occasion may demand. The city council shall have the power and authority to provide for and pay to any member of the police department or fire department of such municipality additional compensation for services and duties performed by any such member over and above the usual and regular number of days and hours per week or month ordinarily worked by such member. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to relieve any such member of the police department or fire department from being subject to call for duty on a twenty-four-hour basis whether or not additional compensation is paid. Provided, however, that no policeman or fireman shall perform any duties or other work during regular working hours for any person or association, group or drive, or during hours for which he is being paid for the performance of official duties as policeman or fireman.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-23 Municipal departments; surety bond.

The municipality may have a department of administration and such other departments as the council may establish by ordinance. All of the administrative functions, powers and duties of the municipality shall be allocated and assigned among and within such departments. Each department shall be headed by a director, who shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by an affirmative vote of a majority of the council present and voting at any such meeting. Each director shall serve during the term of office of the mayor appointing him and until the appointment and qualification of the director’s successor not exceeding the limitation period provided in Section 21-15-41. The mayor may, in his discretion, remove the director of any department. Directors of departments shall be excluded from the coverage of any ordinance or general law providing for a civil service system in the municipality; provided, however, all individuals serving as heads of departments at the time of the municipality’s adoption of the mayor-council form as described in this chapter shall continue to be covered by the provisions of the civil service system in effect at the time the mayor-council form is adopted. Directors of departments shall appoint subordinate officers and employees within their respective departments and may, with approval of the mayor, remove such officers and employees subject to the provisions of any ordinance establishing a civil service system where that system is effective in the municipality, or other general law; provided, however, that the council may provide by ordinance for the appointment and removal of specific boards or commissions by the mayor. Whenever the city council is authorized by any provision of general law to appoint the members of any board, authority or commission, such power of appointment shall be deemed to vest in the mayor with the confirmation of an affirmative vote of a majority of the council present and voting at any meeting. The council shall also require all officers and employees handling or having the custody of any of the public funds of such municipality to give bond, with sufficient surety, to be payable, conditioned and approved as provided by law, in an amount to be determined by the council (which shall not be less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00)), the premium on which bonds shall be paid by the city.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-25 Chief administrative officer.

The council of any municipality adopting the mayor-council form of government may, within its discretion, adopt an ordinance providing that the mayor shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the council, a chief administrative officer to coordinate and direct the operations of the various departments and functions of municipal government; such chief administrative officer shall serve at the pleasure of the mayor and shall possess such qualifications and experience as shall be set out in the aforesaid ordinance. The said chief administrative officer shall be answerable solely to the mayor in the performance of his functions and shall be subject to dismissal at the pleasure of the mayor and shall be excluded from the coverage of any ordinance or general law providing for a civil service system in the municipality.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-27 Control of mayor and his subordinates by council.

The members of the council shall not direct or dictate the appointment of any person to or his removal from office by the mayor or any department directors. Except for the purposes of inquiring or receiving information or advice, the council shall deal with the municipal departments and personnel solely through the mayor and no member of the council shall give orders to any subordinate of the municipality. The council shall have the power to investigate any part of the municipal government and for that purpose to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents and other evidence.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-29 Repealed.

Repealed by Laws, 1983, ch. 469, § 10, eff from and after July 1, 1983. [En Laws, 1973, ch. 328, § 15; Laws, 1976, ch. 355, § 13]

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-31 Election offenses.

Any municipal officer or employee, other than the mayor and councilmen of any such municipality, who shall, during hours of employment solicit or attempt to influence any person to vote for any particular candidate at any election held in such municipality shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or by imprisonment in the municipal jail not exceeding thirty (30) days, or both such fine and imprisonment.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-33 Existing laws unaffected by reorganization; application of civil service laws.

All laws governing any municipality coming under the provisions of this chapter which are not inconsistent with the provisions hereof respecting the mayor-council form of government shall apply to and govern such municipalities respectively when they shall come under the mayor-council form. All orders, ordinances or resolutions heretofore adopted by a municipality adopting the mayor-council form of government shall remain in full force and effect until altered or repealed by the council established hereunder, and all of the provisions of the civil service acts applying to any municipality adopting the mayor-council form of government at the time of such adoption shall continue to apply in full force and effect to such municipality after adoption of such mayor-council form of government. The board of civil service commissioners existing and operating under the former plan of government shall continue to operate without interruption or impairment under the mayor-council form of government. All rights, privileges, and advantages of all employees coming under the civil service acts applying to said municipality at the time of adoption shall remain in full force and effect and shall in nowise be impaired, altered, or changed by such adoption, except as otherwise provided by this chapter. After the election and taking of office of the councilmen and mayor under the mayor-council form of government, all functions and duties of every nature that would have otherwise been performed by the governing body under the previous form of government in relation to such civil service acts shall thereafter be exercised and performed by the municipal council under the mayor-council form of government except that all appointments of employees coming under the provisions of such civil service acts shall be made, subject to such civil service acts, by the mayor, but all appointments made prior to the change to the mayor-council form shall remain in full force and effect.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-35 Rights and liabilities of municipality unaffected by reorganization; police court and public schools unaffected by reorganization.

The territorial limits of any such municipality shall remain the same as under its former organization and any litigation concerning annexation in progress at the time any municipality shall adopt the mayor-council form of government shall not be affected by such change; provided that nothing herein shall affect the rights of such municipality to expand its territorial limits as provided by law. All rights and property of every description which were vested in every such municipality under its former organization shall vest in the same under the organization contemplated by the mayor-council form of government; and no right or liability, either in favor of or against such municipality, and no suit or prosecution of any kind shall be affected by such change. This chapter shall not in any manner, irrespective of other provisions hereof, affect the organization of the police court or of the public schools which shall continue to operate by and under the laws otherwise applicable. The police justice, as well as all other municipal employees, shall be appointed by the mayor.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-37 Corporate name.

The corporate name of every such municipality shall be “The City, Town, Village of (name of municipality)” under which name the mayor and council shall exercise and perform all the corporate powers, duties and obligations conferred or imposed on it by the members thereof.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-39 Provisions as to disability and relief fund for firemen and policemen to continue unaffected.

All of the provisions of law pertaining to policemen and firemen under the “disability and relief fund for firemen and policemen” as provided in Sections 21-29-201 et seq., shall be unimpaired, and there shall be no interruption or change in the operation or administration of the disability and relief fund for firemen and policemen, and other municipal employees.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-41 Applicability of general municipal law.

All of the provisions of law with reference to the government of municipalities not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to any municipality operating under the mayor-council form of government as herein provided.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-43 Inconsistent statutes repealed.

In the event a municipality adopts the mayor-council form of government as hereinabove set out, all statutes in conflict with the provisions of such form of government as set out in this chapter are hereby repealed.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-45 Election of officers; taking of office.

Any municipality voting to adopt the mayor-council form of government after adoption of this chapter shall have an election of municipal officers within the time and in the manner provided by statute, and such officers and the form of government shall take effect and be instituted at the time of the taking of office for the newly elected officials as expressly provided by statute.

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-47 “Ordinance” defined for purposes of chapter.

The term “ordinance” as used in this chapter shall be deemed to include ordinances, resolutions, orders and any other official actions of the council, except those procedural actions governing the conduct of the council’s meetings, appointing a clerk of council, and exercising the council’s investigative functions under Section 21-8-13(4).

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