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McKenzie to Amend City Charter

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McKENZIE (October 11) — For the second year in a row, the City of McKenzie looks to request legislation to amend the city’s charter. In a formal workshop, municipal management consultant Dana Deem provided his recommendations for the amendments.
A large portion of the proposed changes are cleaning up of some language allowing the charter to better coincide with the laws of the State of Tennessee such as fines can not exceed $50 unless authorized by general law.
A point of interest occurs with the recommendation of adding wording to the charter allowing the city to move towards creating the position of a City Administrator. The purposed amendment states:
The Council may, by 2/3 majority vote, appoint a City Administrator who shall be under the control and direction of the Council. The City Administrator shall report and be responsible to the Council. The Council may, by ordinance, require the City Administrator to perform any or all of the following duties:
1. Administer the business of the Municipality;
2. Make recommendations to the Council for improving the quality and quantity of public services to be rendered by the officers and employees to the inhabitants of the municipality;
3. Keep the Council fully advised as to the conditions and needs of the municipality;
4. Report to the Council on the condition of all property, real and personal, owned by the municipality and recommend repairs to replacements as needed;

5. Recommend to the Council and suggested the priority of programs or projects involving public works or public improvements that should be undertaken by the municipality;
6. Recommend to the Council specific personnel positions as may be required for the needs and operations of the municipality, and propose personnel policies and procedures for the approval of the Council; and
7. Serve as the Certified Municipal Financial Officer of the Municipality.
8. Perform such other duties as may from time to time be designated or required the council.
If, in the future, the council were to move towards appointing a City Administer, the position of City Mayor would be that of a board chairman of the council.
An additional charter change will make the city in compliance with the State as an employment at-will municipality. The wording will read:
...the Mayor shall have authority to make appointments, promotions, and transfers, and to make demotions, suspensions and removals of officers and employees for reasonable cause.
The wording removed allowed for the terminated employee to request an appeal before the City Council within a ten day period.
The November 8 regular meeting will mark the first steps of adopting the charter amendments. If the council votes in favor of the proposed changes, the document is forwarded on to State Senator John Stevens and Representative Andy Holt requesting sponsorship of the legislation before the General Assembly. If the General Assembly signs off on the amendments, the document returns to council for final acceptance.

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