There are seven Councilors. Four are
elected at large from the entire City, and one each from the three
Wards. Each represents the City as a whole, and their respective
wards individually. The Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem are elected from the
Council by the Councilors and serve a one year term. Councilors are
elected by the registered voters of the City and serve a four year
term.
The Council's duties and responsibilities include:
- Adopting and amending City laws.
- Determining City policies and
standards.
- Determining how money is spent,
and for what purposes.
- Determining what City taxes
shall be.
- Approving contracts and
agreements.
- As a whole, representing the
City of Hancock
A City Council Meeting is the process
of making and amending laws, developing policy and making decisions.
Governing your city by citizens elected by you.
The council follows a regular order
of business in the conduct of its meetings. The agenda is prepared
in advance and subjects on it usually have been investigated by the
City Manager of a Department Head, so that the Council can have all
available facts. Copies of the agenda are available in the City
Clerk's Office.
Business presented to the Council is
disposed of by one of the following methods:
Communications: A motion is ordinarily used to indicate majority
approval of a procedural action.
Public
Hearing: This gives the public audience an opportunity to make
comments upon a particular subject that the Council is considering.
Resolution: A resolution may be passed to approve contracts, to
express the policy of the Council, or to direct certain types of
administration action. It requires only one reading before Council
action may be voted upon by a roll call or voice vote.
Ordinances: An ordinance is a "legislative act" and requires two
readings at seperate Council meetings, after which a vote is taken.
An ordinance becomes a law: 1) immediately upon passage if it is
determined to be an emergency to public health, safety, or welfare;
2) on the effective date specified in the ordinance, or 30 days
following adoption of the ordinance, whichever is later.
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