(a) The mayor shall have the powers and perform the duties provided by this title and by other applicable provisions of law and shall keep an office in the city or town.
(b) The mayor shall receive such salary as the council may prescribe, which must be fixed by the council not less than six months prior to each general municipal election; provided, however, the six-month requirement in this section may be waived when necessary to comply with a mandate by the U.S. Justice Department pursuant to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, or with an order issued by a state or federal court.
(c) In municipalities which own and operate light and power systems, municipal water systems, municipal sewage systems, and municipal gas systems, one or any of them, may, by resolution of the governing body duly entered in its minutes, require the mayor to act as superintendent of such system or systems and to give so much of his time thereof as the governing body may direct. In any municipality in which a municipal board or municipal public corporation owns and operates a municipal light and power system, municipal water system, municipal sewage system, and municipal gas system, one or any of them, such board or municipal public corporation may, by resolution duly entered in its minutes, employ the mayor to act as superintendent of such system or systems and to give so much of his time thereto as such board or corporation may direct. The mayor, as such superintendent of such system or systems, shall serve as purchasing agent and make all purchases authorized by the governing body, board, or municipal public corporation therefor, and shall keep a check on meter readings and bids for service of the system and see that the collections thereof are made. He shall see that the system or systems are kept in proper repair and operation, shall keep an inventory showing the supplies and equipment on hand for such system or systems, shall keep a full and complete monthly financial statement of all operation costs and receipts and keep a proper inventory of the fiscal assets of such system or systems, and shall handle all such data and information relative to such system or systems available for the governing body, board, or municipal public corporation at such times as it shall require, but not less frequently than once every three months. For his service as superintendent of such system or systems, the mayor shall be paid, in addition to his salary as mayor, such sum as the governing body, board, or municipal corporation shall deem reasonable. The governing body, board, or municipal corporation may, at any time it deems best, dispense with the mayor's service as superintendent.
(d) The provisions of this section shall be curative and retroactive, and any employment of any mayor as superintendent of any such utility or utilities heretofore made by any such governing body, board, or municipal public corporation, and any such salary heretofore paid to any mayor by any such governing body, board, or municipal corporation for his services as superintendent of such system or systems, is hereby validated.
Last modified: May 3, 2021