0005 (Officers duties)ORDINANCr NO.
AN ORDINANCE PRESCRIBING THE DUTIES OF ThFP OFFICERS OF THE CITY OF
OKEECHOBEE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CIT( COUNCIL OF IRE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE,
FLORIDA:
SEC. 1. The Mayor shall perform such duties as are imposed upon him by the
City charter; he shall see that the ordinances are faithfully executed
he shall preside over the mime Mayor's Court; he shall have general
supervision over all City Officers and may examine into the condition
of the offices, the books and records and papers thereof, and the
manner of conducting official business, and it shall be his duty to
report without delay to the City Council all violations and neglect
of duty on the part of any official that may come to his knowledge.
By and with the approval of the Council the Mayor may appoint members of
the Police force, except that the Chief of Police shall be appointed
by the City Council. The Mayor nay make temporary appointments of
special policemen in his discretion, but such appointment shall hold
only until the next regular meeting of the City Council. The Mayor
may d ischarge at any time any Policeian or other employee. The Mayor
may suspend any City Official, except members of the City Council, in
the manner provided by law. The :Mayor shall communicate from time to
time to the City Council such information and make such recommendations as ho
may deem for the best interest of the City. In case of the death or the
absence of the Mayor from the City,, or his inability from sickness or any
other cause to discharge the duties of the mayor, the President of the
City Council shall discharge the duties of the Mayor as Mayor Pro Tempore,
or until the office of Mayor shall be filled as provided by law.
SEC. 2. The offices of the City Clerk and Assessor of Taxes are hereby
combined and shall be held by one person.
SEC. 3. The City nark ehall attend all meetings of the City Council
and shall keep a correct record of its proceedings; he shall attend
sessions of the Mayor's Court when required by the Mayor and shall keep
and make such records, of the proceedings of the Mayor's Court as may be
requested by the Mayor. The City Clerk shall affix his signature and mama
corporate seal to all licenses; he shall write all checks or warrants for
the payment of money by the City Council and shall affix his signature
and the corporate seal thereto and shall keep a record of all such checks
or warrants. Be Shall be the custodian of the books and records of the
City Council. He shall make such reports in such manner and at such times
as the City Council may require. he shalt proriptiy copy into a book for thal
purpose all ordinances passed by the City Council and shall :tee that all
ordinances are published as provided by law. He shall perform his
as
other duties /arelmposed upon him by 1 aw or by the instruction of
the City Council.
SEC. 4. The City Tax Assessor shall perform the duties incident to
this office as provided by law and by City Ordinances. The Assessor
shall assess all property both reul ad personal within the City limits
placing valuations thereon regardless of the assessment made by the
County Assessor, but such valuations shall not exceed its actual cash value.
The assessment of personal property shall be responsible for taxes on real
estate and real estate shall be responsible for taxes on personal rrop.erty.
The Assessor shall begin making the assessment roll for year 1915
immediately after passage and approval of this ordinance and shall complete
same as soon as practicable. In the year 1916 and each year thereafter
the Assessor shall begin making ,,,x-) assessment roll upon the first day
of April and shall complete sane on or before the first Monday in August,
or as soon thoreafter as is practicable. When said assessment roll is
completed the City Tax Assessor shall meet with the City Council for the
purpose of reviewing and A equalising said assessment. Notice of the
date of such meeting shall be given for tat two successive issues in a
newspaper published in the City of Okeechobee, Florida, or such notice
may be given by posting for two weeks at the door of the City Hall or
Council Chamber. At such meeting for reviewing and equalising said
assessment the City Council may raise or lower the valuation on any
item of real or persona'! property. Where the Assessor's valuation on
any item of property is raised at such meeting then a day shall be fixed
by the City Council to hear complaints as to why such increase should
not be made, and notice thereof, shall be given by publishing in a City
of Okeechobee newspaper at least ten days before the date of such meeting of
such notice may be given by posting for ten days at the door of the City
Hall or Council Chamber. Such notice shall reasonably describe the pro-
perty increased in valuation giving the kssessor +s valuation and the pro-
posed increased valuation and the sit name of the owner or agent shall be
given if known. Any person shall have the right to a ppe ar in person
or by leteer to Attorney and show cause why such increased valuation
should not be made. After the review and equalization of such assessment
roll, the City Counoil shall determine the amount of money to be raised
by taxes for general City purposes, and for that purpose may levy a tax
upon the real and personal property of said City but said tax shall not
exceed fifteen mills on the dollar. The City Council may levy an add-
itional tax for building purposes, for water, for sewers, for lighting
purposes, for laying out and.imprpvi'ng of streets and sidoralka and for
interest and sinking fund on bonded or other indebtedness. After the
amount of milleage tax has been fixed by the City Council it shall be the
duty of the Assessor to complete said assessment roll in the manner pro-
vided by law. Such assessment roll as completed shall be made in duplicate
On the first Monday in Oct. or as soon thereafter as practicable, the
City Council shall examine the original and duplicate rolls and if found =122
correct shall so certify on each roll as provided by law, one roll shall
be delivered to the Tax Collector with warrant attached, as provided by
law, While the other copy shall be retained by the City Clerk. The City
Tax Assessor and the City Council shall be guided in all matters pertaining
to the assessment and levy of taxes as near as may be by the law regulating
state and County assessments, exoept as modified by the City Charter and
the Ordinances of said City.
Sec. 5. The offices of Chief of Police and City Tax Collector are hereby
combined and shall be held by the same person.
.5"'e. 6. The Chief of Police shall perform all the duties imposed upon
him by he City Charter and the ordinances of the City; he shall carry
out all lawful orders of the Mayor and City council ard it shall be his
duty to enforce the ordinances of said City. "e shall be the executive
officer of the Mayor's Court and he shall attend all sessions of the
Mayor's Court. The chief of Police shall have charge of the police force
of the City, and he shall also attend sill meetings of the City Council
and when required shall !summons members of the Council to attend meetings.
The Chief of Police may authorize any policeman to act as his deputy in
performing any of the duties required by him. The Chief of Police Whall
collect all fines, costs and forfeitures imposed in the Mayor's Court and
shall pay the same promptly into the City Treasury and shall make written
report thereof in such manner and at such times as the City Council may
require.
SEC. 7. The City Tax Collector shall perform such duties as are im-
posed upon him by the City Charter and by ordinances of City. It shall
be his duty to collect all city taxes, to issue all city licenses and
to collect payment therefor, and to collect all money due or to become
due the City in such manner and at such times as may be prescribed by
law, or by the instructions of the Mayor and City Council.
He shall
keep an itemized account of all said collections in books provided for
that purpose and shall make a report of all moneys received by him during
the preceding calender month at the first regular meeting of the City
Council in each month. Such report shall show the amount received from
taxes, from licenses from fined and forfeitures and from ether sources.
Said, report shall also show the proportion of City taxes belonging to
the general fund and to the interest and sinking fund. He shall make
such other and further reports in siich manner and at such times as may be
prescribed by the City Council. The City Tax Collector shall pay promptly
into the City depositary bank all moneys received by him and shall furnish
such bank with an itemized statement showing the different funds to which
such moneys belong.
7TEC. 8. The City Council shall perform such duties as are imposed upon
them by the City Charter and by the Ordinances of the City. The Council
by motion or resolution may require oral or written reports from any
officer or employee of the City inregard to his offical duties and may
require the attendance of any officer or employee of the city at any meet-
ing of the Council., The Council may by motion or resolution provide for
printed blanks and other supplies for the use of any City Official or em•
ployee. It may provide by motion or resolution for any work or service
aft for said City, and make appropriations for any City purpose and may
do any act or thing for the benefit of the City not specifically required
to be provided for by ordinance. The City Council nay adopt rules for its
procedure but any action taken by a majority of the Council at any regular
or special meeting shall be valid tiagkt though the same is in conflict
with said rules of procedure. Regular meetings of the Council shall be
held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7s30o' clock P. M. Special
meetings of the City Council may be held at any time upon call of the
President of the Council, or upon written r equest of three members of
the Council filed with the City Clerk. Timely notice of such special
meetings shall be given to each member of the Council. Any business
may be transacted at any meeting of the Council whether the same be zz a
regular meeting or a special meeting.
SEC. 9. All acts and *Dings of the Mayor, City Clerk and Tax Assessor,
Chief of Police and Tax Collector, and City Council done and performed
prior to the passage of this ordinance and not in conflict with the pro-
visions hereof are hereby n ratified, confirmed and validated.
SEC. 10. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect immediately
upon passage and approval by the Mayor.
APPROVED JULY 22, 1915.