Title 11 — Title 11

The council shall meet regularly at such times as may be prescribed by its rules, but not less frequently than twice each month. All meetings of the council shall be open to the public to the extent required by law. History: (Acts 1991, No. 91-545, p. 973, §18.)

Investigation; Judicial Review. The council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members and, for the purpose of investigating such election and qualifications, shall have the power to subpoena witnesses and to require the production of records, but the de…

The council shall determine its own rules and order of business, and such rules shall be established by ordinance. History: (Acts 1991, No. 91-545, p. 973, §20.)

Qualifications and Eligibility of Candidates; Runoff Election; Term of Office; Exception for Class 6 Cities. (a) In all cities to which this section applies, except Class 6 cities wherein the municipal governing body has elected to have a nine-member council, as authorized in Sec…

Other Meetings; Quorum; When Vote of Majority of Quorum Sufficient; When Vote of Majority of Council Required; Procedure; Record of Proceedings; Journal; Unanimous Consent for Passage of Certain Ordinances at Meeting Where Introduced; Publication of Ordinances. The council shall …

Publication at Expense of Grantee. No ordinance granting to any person, firm, or corporation any franchise, lease, or right to use the streets, public highways, thoroughfares, or public property of the municipality shall take effect or be enforced until 30 days after final enactm…

The council may provide for the codification of its ordinances and permanent resolutions and any revisions thereof. History: (Acts 1991, No. 91-545, p. 973, §23.)

Accounts; Publication of Results. The city manager shall each month make available to the council a detailed statement of all receipts and expenses of the municipality, and the council shall make available to the city manager a summary of its proceedings during the preceding mont…

Budget; Changes in Budget. (a) The fiscal year of the municipality shall begin on the first day of each October in each year and shall end on the last day of September. Such fiscal year shall also constitute the budget and accounting year. As used in this article, the term “budge…

Election; Assignment of Duties for City Clerk as Clerk-Treasurer. (a) The council may establish, by ordinance, the office of municipal treasurer and shall assign to such office the duties and responsibilities which it deems necessary. The treasurer shall be the custodian of the f…

The council shall prescribe, by ordinance, the method of paying out funds of the municipality. Checks and warrants shall be signed by at least two officers of the municipality who shall be designated by the council by ordinance. All funds of the municipality shall be deposited in…

Council; Redistricting Ordinances; Effect on Incumbent. Whenever there shall be a change in the population of any of the council districts according to the federal decennial census of population published following the last federal decennial census of population preceding the ado…

Departments, Boards, Etc. Nothing in this article, except as may otherwise be specifically provided herein, shall affect or impair the rights and privileges of the officers and employees of the municipality, or any department, board, or agency thereof, as those rights and privile…

Different Provision Made; Transfer of Powers and Duties of Abolished Offices. All persons holding any administrative office on the date that the council-manager form of government under this article is made effective shall continue in office and in the performance of their respec…

Within three months of the approval of this chapter the governing body of a Class 4 municipality by a majority vote of the members of that governing body may adopt an ordinance adopting the mayor-council form of government pursuant to the terms and conditions of this chapter. His…

The mayor shall annually prepare and submit a proposed budget to the council. After public hearing the council shall adopt an ordinance providing the municipal budget. Adoption of the budget shall constitute appropriation of the amounts specified therein from the funds indicated.…

Refusal to Act. The council shall elect from its members a president of the council. In the event of a failure or refusal of the president of the council to act, the council may appoint one of its members to act as president pro tempore with like effect, and this appointment shal…

In the event of a vacancy, from any cause, in the office of mayor, the council shall appoint a person to succeed to the office of mayor for the unexpired term. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the president of the council, the office shall be filled from the membership …

No ordinance granting to any person, firm, or corporation of any franchise or lease of right to use the streets, public highways, thoroughfares or public property of the city shall take effect and be enforced until 30 days after final enactment of same by the council and publicat…

The initial territorial limits of any municipality which adopts the mayor-council form of government as provided by this chapter shall be the same as under its former organization. History: (Acts 1985, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 85-926, p. 213, §14.)

The council shall be composed of seven members. The boundaries of the districts shall be established by ordinance adopted at least six months prior to the next regular municipal election. History: (Acts 1985, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 85-926, p. 213, §15.)

Corporate Limits. After the publication of a federal census of population or a substantial change in the corporate limits, if any council district contains a population which is 10 percent more or less than the total population of the city divided by the number of council distric…

Functions Assigned by Law. By ordinance, the council may establish city departments, boards, offices, or agencies and may prescribe the functions thereof, except that no function assigned by law to a particular department, board, office, or agency may be discontinued unless this …

No contract involving the payment of money out of the budget of more than one fiscal year shall be made for a period of more than five years, nor shall any such contract be valid unless made and approved by the council and signed in the name of the municipality by the mayor. Hist…

Nothing contained in this chapter, except as specifically provided, shall affect or impair the rights or privileges of officers or employees of the municipality or of any office, department, board, or agency existing at the time when this chapter shall take effect in the municipa…

Adopted. An election for mayor and members of the city council shall be held on the second Tuesday in July, 1986, with a runoff, if necessary, on the third Tuesday next thereafter. Upon the qualification and assumption of office of the council and mayor on the first Monday in Oct…

Offices, Etc., Abolished by Chapter. All persons holding administrative office at the time the mayor-council form of government is adopted shall continue in office and in the performance of their duties until provisions shall have been made in accordance therewith for the perform…

Provided for in This Chapter; Applicability of Laws Relating to Existing Offices. Any office, department, board, or agency provided for in this chapter with a name or with powers and duties the same or substantially the same as those of an office, department, board, or agency her…

Chapter Not to Supersede Existing Civil Service System. Any person holding an office or position in the civil service of the municipality under any civil service or merit system applicable to the municipality when the mayor- council form of government shall be adopted shall conti…

All records, property, and equipment whatsoever of any office, department, or agency or part thereof, all the powers and duties of which are assigned to any other office, department, or agency by this chapter, shall be transferred and delivered to the office, department, or agenc…

All contracts entered into by the city, or for its benefit, prior to the adoption by such city of the mayor-council form of government, shall continue in full force and effect. Public improvements for which legislative steps have been taken under laws existing at the time of the …

No action or proceeding, civil or criminal, pending at the time of the adoption of the mayor-council form of government, brought by or against the municipality or any office, department, board, or agency or officer or employee thereof shall be affected or abated by the adoption o…

All laws and parts of laws relating to pension, retirement, and relief funds for any employees of the municipality, as the same may apply and be in effect with respect to the municipality at the time when it shall elect to be governed by the provisions of this chapter, shall cont…

Effect. All laws relating to the school board, library board, hospital board, airport board, industrial development boards or authorities, housing authorities, medical clinic boards, plumbers or electricians boards or other technical boards, planning commission, board of adjustme…

(a) The municipality shall have all powers granted to municipal corporations and to cities by the Constitution, code, and laws of this state, together with all the implied powers necessary to carry out and execute all the powers granted, as well as any other powers and duties whi…

and Sewer Board. In any Class 4 municipality which has adopted a mayor-council form of government pursuant to Chapter 43B (commencing with Section 11-43B-1) of Title 11, the membership of the city board of education and the waterworks and sewer board may be increased to seven mem…

Commission, Etc., Deemed to Refer to City Council. All ordinances and resolutions of the municipality in effect at the time of the adoption of the mayor-council form of government herein established shall continue in effect unless and until changed or repealed by the council. Whe…

The mayor and council members elected hereunder shall serve four-year terms with the first election being held as herein provided in section 11-43B-2 and every four years thereafter. History: (Acts 1985, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 85-926, p. 213, §3.)

Employees. Notwithstanding any statute or law to the contrary, any Class 4 municipality which adopts this form of mayor-council government may legally purchase or lease from any of the elected officials or employees of such municipality any labor, services, work, materials, equip…

Exercise of Powers and Duties of Other Form of Government; Chapter 44B of This Title Not Repealed. All laws and parts of laws, general, local, or special, relating to or affecting the city, its powers, functions, duties, and property, in force when this chapter shall take effect,…

Any person who willfully and intentionally violates a provision of this chapter shall upon conviction be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided by the laws of the state of Alabama. History: (Acts 1985, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 85-926, p. 213, §32.)

Requirements; Qualifying Fee; Statement of Campaign Expenses and Contributions. [Effective until October 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-586, EFFECTIVE APRIL 16, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. The initial elections provided for herein, and all subsequent elections, shall be co…

Hospitalization, Medical Care, and Insurance Programs. In addition to any salary set by ordinance, the mayor and council members shall receive their actual and necessary expenses as approved by a majority of the council incurred in the performance of their duties, but they shall …

of Compensated Appointive Office by Former Council Member or Mayor. Except where clearly authorized by law, no council member shall hold any other public office or be employed by the city during the term for which the member was elected to the council. No former council member or…

Office; Appointment of Civil Service Employees; Limits on Supervision of Employees by Council. Neither the council nor any of its members shall direct or request the mayor or any employee of the city to appoint or remove any person from office or position, or in any manner take p…

Vested in Council; Agenda of Meetings; Exercise of Powers; Quorum. The government of any such city operating under this chapter shall be known as the mayor-council form of government. Pursuant to the provisions and limitations of this chapter and subject to the limitations impose…

Audit of Books and Accounts; Publication of Audit; Submission of Audit to Mayor. [Effective until October 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-500, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. The mayor shall, from time to time, prepare a detailed statement of all receipts a…

This chapter shall apply to any Class 5 municipality in the State of Alabama. History: (Acts 1987, No. 87-102, p. 116, §1.)

When this mayor-council form of government becomes applicable to a city, said city shall continue as a municipal corporation, within the corporate limits as now established and as may hereafter be fixed in the manner prescribed by law, subject to all duties and obligations then p…

of City Vested in Council; Manner in Which Powers Exercised. The municipal government of any such city proceeding under this chapter shall be known as the “mayor-council form of government.” Pursuant to the provisions and limitations of this chapter and subject to the limitations…