Common use of Legislative Branch Clause in Contracts

Legislative Branch. The City Council, composed of nine members elected at large for four-year terms, is the City’s legislative body. The City Council has the power to override the Mayor’s veto of City Council changes to the annual budget with a two-thirds majority of its members. The three agencies that aid the City Council in the performance of its duties are described below. The Auditor General is appointed for a term of 10 years by a majority of City Council members and may be removed for cause by a two-thirds majority. Any person who has held the position of Auditor General is not eligible for reappointment. By Charter, the principal duty of the Auditor General is to audit the financial transactions of all City agencies. However, since 1980 the City has retained independent accounting firms to perform that function. As required by State law, audits are performed annually; they are only required every two years by the Charter. The Auditor General may investigate the administration and operation of any City agency and prepares various reports, including an annual analysis for the City Council of the Mayor’s proposed budget. The Ombudsman is appointed for a term of 10 years by a two-thirds majority of City Council members for the purpose of investigating any official act of any agency (except elected officers) which aggrieves any person. The City Planning Commission, consisting of nine members appointed by the City Council for three- year terms, advises the City Council on such matters as the annual capital agenda, certain development or renewal projects and proposals for the demolition, disposition or relinquishment of, or encroachment upon, public real property or public interests in real property. The 36th District Court is responsible for adjudicating certain legal matters that arise within the City, including State felony arraignments and preliminary examinations, State misdemeanor and City ordinance violations, civil litigation for claims of $25,000 or less, and landlord / tenant disputes. The City is responsible for all funding of the 36th District Court in excess of fines collected by the Court, except for judicial salaries, which are funded by the State.