HOME RULE CHARTER 2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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in order to maintain the qualities that make Louisville a unique community, it is also important to protect and enhance the City's natural, cultural, and recreational resources, and preserve the City's scenic, historic, and aesthetic features. With the foregoing principles in mind, the following summarizes some of the key provisions of the Charter as submitted by the Home Rule Charter Commission to the City Council on August 21, 2001; future amendments may not be reflected in this summary. Article 1 - Definitions: This article defines words and phrases used throughout the Charter. Article 2 - General Provisions: This article contains a summary statement of the Charter's purposes, describes the home rule powers of the City, and provides for a Mayor-Council-Manager form of government. It also provides the procedure for amendments to the Charter; under that procedure, amendments may be initiated by ordinance or by petition, but must all be approved by the electors. Article 3 - City Council: This article provides for the organization and qualifications of the City Council. Six Councilmembers will continue to be elected, two from each ward. The Mayor will continue to be elected by the voters at large for a four-year term. Four-year overlapping terms of office also continue for Councilmembers. Beginning in 2005, terms of office will commence at the first regular meeting following the November regular election, rather than in January. Article 4 - Council Procedure: This article establishes meeting procedures for the Council. All regular and special meetings must be open to the public, and persons must be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard. Study sessions are also open to the public. The procedure for adopting regular and emergency ordinances is established. Article 5 - Ethics and Open Government: This article establishes ethical standards for members of the Council, boards, commissions, task forces, and committees, and for City employees. The standards embody and strengthen those that were in effect before the adoption of the Charter. This article also establishes requirements for executive sessions that reflect those in effect before the adoption of the Charter. Citizens will have access to the City's public records in accordance with state open records laws. Article 6 - Elections: Current municipal election laws are generally retained in this article. Regular elections remain in November of each odd-numbered year. The number of wards in the City remains at three. Any future change in the number of wards would be accomplished only by an amendment to the Charter. vi