Be it enacted by the people of the CITY OF JUNCTION CITY, Lane County, Oregon:
CHAPTER I: NAMES AND BOUNDARIES
SECTION 1: TITLE OF ENACTMENT
This enactment shall be referred to as the Junction City Charter of 1997.
SECTION 2: NAME OF CITY
The city of Junction City, Oregon, continues under this charter to be a municipal corporation with the name, "City of Junction City."
SECTION 3: BOUNDARIES
The city includes all territory encompassed by its boundaries as now exist or hereafter are modified by voters, by the council, or by any other agency with legal power to modify them. The city administrator shall keep at the city hall at least four (4) copies of this charter and shall maintain an accurate, up-to-date description of the boundaries as filed with the Lane County Department of Assessment and Taxation and/or Deeds and Records. The copies and boundary descriptions shall be available for public inspection at any time during regular office hours at city hall.
CHAPTER II: POWERS
SECTION 4: POWERS OF THE CITY
The city has all powers which the constitution, statutes, and common law of the United States and of this state now or hereafter expressly or impliedly grant or allow municipalities, as fully as though this charter specifically enumerated each of those powers.
SECTION 5: CONSTRUCTION OF CHARTER
In this charter no mention of a particular power shall be construed to be exclusive or to restrict the scope of the powers which the city would have if the particular power were not mentioned. The charter shall be liberally construed to the end that the city has all powers necessary or convenient to conduct its municipal affairs, including all powers that cities may assume pursuant to state laws and to the municipal home rule provisions of the state constitution.
SECTION 6: DISTRIBUTION OF POWERS
Except as this charter prescribes otherwise and as the Oregon Constitution reserves municipal legislative power to the voters of the city, all powers of the city are vested in the council.
CHAPTER III: FORM OF GOVERNMENT
SECTION 7: COUNCIL
The council is composed of a mayor and six councilors elected from the city at large or, in case of one or more vacancies in the council, the council members whose offices are not vacant.
SECTION 8: COUNCILORS
The term of office of a councilor in office when this charter is adopted is the term of office for which the councilor has been elected before adoption of the charter (or is elected at the time of the adoption). At each general election after the adoption, three council positions shall be voted upon, each for a four-year term.
SECTION 9: MAYOR
The term of office of the mayor in office when this charter is adopted continues until the elected successor to the office assumes the office. At each subsequent general election, a mayor shall be elected for a two-year term.
SECTION 10: TERMS OF OFFICE
The term of office of an elective officer who is elected at a general election begins at the first council meeting of the year immediately after the election and continues until the elected successor to the office assumes the office. When there is both a two-year and four-year vacancy to be filled, those candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall fill the vacancies with the longest terms.
SECTION 11: QUALIFICATIONS OF ELECTED OFFICERS
Additional officers of the city shall be a municipal judge, city administrator, and such other officers the council deems necessary. Each of these officers shall be appointed and may be removed by the mayor with the consent of the majority of the council. The council may combine any two or more appointive city offices. The council may designate any appointive officer to supervise any other appointive officer; except the municipal judge, who shall be supervised by the Mayor, except in the exercise of the judicial functions.
SECTION 13: COMPENSATION
Before assuming city office, an officer shall take an oath or shall affirm that he or she will faithfully perform the duties of the office and support the constitution and laws of the United States and of the state of Oregon.
CHAPTER IV: COUNCIL
SECTION 15: RULES
The council shall, by ordinance, prescribe rules to govern its meetings and proceedings.
SECTION 16: MEETINGS
The council shall meet regularly in the city at least once a month at a time and place designated by council's rules, and may meet at other times in accordance with the rules.
SECTION 17: QUORUM
The mayor and a majority of the members of the council constitutes a quorum for its business, but a smaller number of the council may meet and compel the attendance of absent councilors as prescribed by council rules.
SECTION 18: RECORD OF MEETINGS
The council shall cause a record of its meetings to be kept and authenticated in a manner prescribed by the council.
SECTION 19: MEETINGS TO BE PUBLIC
No action by the council shall have legal effect unless the motion for the action and the vote by which it is disposed of take place at meetings open to the public. All meetings of the council shall comply with public meeting laws established by general ordinance and state statute.
SECTION 20: MAYOR'S FUNCTIONS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS
Except as this charter otherwise provides, the express concurrence of a majority of the members of the council present, and constituting a quorum of the council, is necessary to decide any question before the council.
SECTION 23: VACANCIES - WHAT CREATES VACANCY
A vacancy in the council shall be filled by appointment by a majority of the council. If a tie vote of the council should occur, the mayor shall cast the deciding vote. The appointee's term of office runs from the time he or she qualifies for the office after the appointment and until the next general election, at which time that position will be voted upon for a two-year term unless it would have otherwise been up for election for a four-year term. During a council member's inability to serve on the council or during a mayor's absence from the city, a majority of the other council members may by appointment fill the vacancy pro tem.
CHAPTER V: POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS
SECTION 25: MAYOR
The mayor shall appoint:
The recorder shall serve ex officio as clerk of the council, attend all its meetings unless excused therefrom by the city administrator or council, keep an accurate record of its proceedings in a book provided for that purpose, and may sign on orders of the treasurer. In the recorder's absence from a council meeting the council shall appoint a clerk of the council pro tem, who while acting in that capacity, shall have all the authority and duties of the recorder.
CHAPTER VI: PERSONNEL
SECTION 29: RULES
Subject to council approval and to all collective bargaining agreements between the city and one or more groups of its employees, the city administrator shall prescribe rules governing recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, demotion, suspension, layoff, and dismissal of city employees.
CHAPTER VII: ELECTIONS
SECTION 30: STATE LAW
Except as this charter or a city ordinance prescribes to the contrary, a city election shall conform to state law applicable to the election.
SECTION 31: NOMINATIONS
A person may be nominated in a manner prescribed by general ordinance to run for an elective office of the city.
SECTION 32: COMMENCEMENT OF TERMS OF OFFICE
The term of office of a person elected to an office at a regular city election shall commence at the first regular council meeting in January of the year immediately following the election.
CHAPTER VIII: ORDINANCES
SECTION 33: ENACTING CLAUSE
The enacting clause of all ordinances shall be, "THE CITY OF JUNCTION CITY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:".
SECTION 34: MODE OF ENACTMENT
An ordinance enacted by the council takes effect on the thirtieth day after its enactment or on a later date the ordinance prescribes. An ordinance adopted to meet an emergency may take effect as soon as adopted.
CHAPTER IX: PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
SECTION 36: PROCEDURE
The procedure for fixing, levying, collecting, and enforcing the payment of special assessments for public improvements or other services to be charged against real property shall be governed by general ordinance.
SECTION 38: BIDS
Contracts for public improvements to be made by a private contractor shall be governed by rules prescribed by general ordinance.
CHAPTER X: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 39: DEBT LIMIT
The city's indebtedness may not exceed debt limits imposed by state law. A city officer or employee who creates or officially approves indebtedness in excess of this limitation is jointly and severally liable for the excess. A charter amendment is not required to authorize city indebtedness.
SECTION 40: CONTINUATION OF EXISTING ORDINANCES
All ordinances of the city consistent with this charter and in force when it takes effect shall remain in effect until amended or repealed.
SECTION 41: SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this charter is held invalid, the other provisions of the charter shall not be affected.
SECTION 42: PREVIOUS CHARTER PROVISIONS
All charter provisions adopted before this charter takes effect are hereby repealed.
SECTION 43: TIME OF EFFECT OF CHARTER
This charter shall take effect January 1, 1997.
Last update: January 25, 2002