Art. I. Corporate Existence, Form of Government, Boundary, and Power.
§ 1.01 Corporate Existence, Form of Government, and Charter.
§ 1.02 Description of Corporate Boundary.
§ 1.03 General Powers of City.
§ 1.04 Construction.
Art. II. City Commission.
§ 2.01 Composition of City Commission.
§ 2.02 Election and Terms
§ 2.03 Compensation of Commission.
§ 2.04 Mayor.
§ 2.05 General Powers of City Commission.
§ 2.06 Commission-Employee Relationship.
§ 2.07 Vacancies, Filling of Vacancies.
§ 2.08 City Commission Meetings.
Art. III. Charter Officers.
§ 3.01 Designation.
§ 3.02 Appointment.
§ 3.03 Removal.
§ 3.04 City Manager-Powers and Duties.
§ 3.05 City Clerk-Powers and Duties.
§ 3.06 City Attorney-Powers and Duties.
Art. IV. Elections.
§ 4.01 Electors.
§ 4.02 Nonpartisan Elections.
§ 4.03 Qualifying.
§ 4.04 Form of Ballots.
§ 4.05 Schedule and Notice of Elections.
§ 4.06 City Canvassing Board.
§ 4.07 Recall.
Art. V. General Provisions.
§ 5.01 Charter Amendments and Charter Review.
§ 5.02 Oath of Officers.
§ 5.03 Limitation on Employment of Commissioners.
§ 5.04 Budget Adoption.
§ 5.05 Limitation of Alienation of City-Owned Real Property.
§ 5.06 Citizens’ Petition Initiative – Ordinances.
Art. VI. Transition Schedule.
§ 6.01 Repeal of Former Charter Provisions.
§ 6.02 Ordinances Preserved.
§ 6.03 Continuation in Office.
§ 6.04 Pending Matters.
§ 6.05 Effective Date.
Preamble
This municipal government exists to protect the governed, not the governing, and exists in order to provide the public with full and accurate information, to promote efficient administration management, to make government accountable to the people, and to ensure fair and equitable treatment to all persons. The orderly, efficient and fair operation of government requires the participation of individual citizens. Citizens are encouraged to exercise their rights with dignity and restraint so as to avoid any sweeping acceleration in the cost of government because of the exercise of individual prerogatives, and individual citizens are encouraged to grant respect for the dignity of public office.
(Ord. No. 2011-16, § 1, 8-25-2011/11-8-2011)
ARTICLE I. CORPORATE EXISTENCE, FORM OF GOVERNMENT,
BOUNDARY, AND POWER
Section 1.01. Corporate Existence, form of government, and Charter.
The City of High Springs in Alachua County, Florida, which was created by the Florida Legislature, shall continue as a municipal corporation with a commission-manager form of government and with this document as the Charter for the city.
Section 1.02. Description of corporate boundary.
The boundary of the City of High Springs shall be all incorporated lands depicted on the City Of High Springs Future Land Use Map, Map 1-2, City of High Springs Comprehensive Plan 2000—2010, approved by the Florida Department of Community Affairs on January 9, 2001, together with all lands legally annexed by the City of High Springs subsequent to said date. The corporate boundaries of the City shall be as they exist on the date this Charter takes effect pursuant to records maintained by the office of the City Clerk, provided that the city may change its boundaries in the manner prescribed by law.
Section 1.03. General powers of city.
The city shall have all governmental, corporate, and proprietary powers to enable it to conduct municipal government, perform municipal functions, and render municipal services, and may exercise any power for municipal purposes except as expressly prohibited by law or this Charter.
Section 1.04. Construction.
The powers of the city shall be construed liberally in favor of the city, limited only by the constitution, general and special law, and specific limitations in this Charter.