Title VII — CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES

79.010. Fourth class cities, incorporation of. — Any city of the fourth class in this state may become a body corporate under the provisions of this chapter, in the manner provided by law, under the name of "The city of ______", and by that name shall have perpetual succession, m…

79.020. City limits may be altered, how. — The mayor and board of aldermen of such city, whether the same shall have been incorporated before becoming a city of the fourth class or not, with the consent of a majority of the voters of such city voting on the question, shall have p…

79.025. Annexation of territory prohibited, when (City of Byrnes Mill). — No city of the fourth classification with more than two thousand three hundred but fewer than two thousand four hundred inhabitants and located in any county with a charter form of government and with more …

79.030. Election of officers. — An election for the elective officers of each city of the fourth class shall be held after the organization of such city under the provisions of this chapter, and on municipal election days every two years thereafter, except that cities may provide…

79.035. Primary election may be held, procedure, cost, exception. — 1. In all cities of the fourth class, except those in a county of the first class with a charter form of government and which adjoins a city not within a county, the governing body may provide for a primary elect…

79.040. Election ordered. — If, at any time, by reason of nonacceptance, resignation, refusal to qualify, or for any other cause, there shall be no officers of the city to order an election, any commissioner of the county commission, or associate circuit judge of the county, is e…

79.050. Elective officers, terms — chief of police or marshal, qualification — same person may be elected collector and marshal — board of aldermen, four-year term permitted, submission to voters required. — 1. The following officers shall be elected by the qualified voters of th…

79.055. City marshal, training requirements, fourth class cities. — 1. Any person who is elected to his first term as city marshal in a general election or in a special election in any fourth class city of this state shall, within six months of such election, cause to be filed wi…

79.060. City to be divided into wards — aldermen elected — aldermen at large permitted for certain cities. — 1. The board of aldermen shall, by ordinance, divide the city into not less than two wards, and two aldermen shall be elected from each ward by the qualified voters thereo…

79.070. Aldermen, qualifications. — No person shall be an alderman unless he or she is at least eighteen years of age, a citizen of the United States, and an inhabitant and resident of the city for one year next preceding his or her election, and a resident, at the time he or she…

79.080. Mayor, qualifications. — No person shall be mayor unless he be at least twenty-five years of age, a citizen of the United States and a resident of the city at the time of and for at least one year next preceding his election. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 7102, A.L. 1986 H.B. 1…

79.090. Board to select an acting president, term. — The board shall elect one of their own number who shall be styled "acting president of the board of aldermen" and who shall serve for a term of one year. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 7111, A.L. 1983 S.B. 234) Prior revisions: 1929 §…

79.100. Acting president to perform duties of mayor, when. — When any vacancy shall happen in the office of mayor by death, resignation, removal from the city, removal from office, refusal to qualify, or from any other cause whatever, the acting president of the board of aldermen…

79.110. Mayor and board — duties. — The mayor and board of aldermen of each city governed by this chapter shall have the care, management and control of the city and its finances, and shall have power to enact and ordain any and all ordinances not repugnant to the constitution an…

79.120. Mayor may sit in board. — The mayor shall have a seat in and preside over the board of aldermen, but shall not vote on any question except in case of a tie, nor shall he preside or vote in cases when he is an interested party. He shall exercise a general supervision over …

*79.130. Ordinances — procedure to enact — inapplicable, when. — 1. The style of the ordinances of the city shall be: "Be it ordained by the board of aldermen of the city of ______, as follows:" No ordinance shall be passed except by bill, and no bill shall become an ordinance un…

*79.135. Proposed ordinance by petition, procedure (City of Savannah). — 1. In any city of the fourth classification with more than five thousand but fewer than six thousand inhabitants and located in any county of the third classification without a township form of government an…

79.140. Bills must be signed — mayor's veto. — Every bill duly passed by the board of aldermen and presented to the mayor and by him approved shall become an ordinance, and every bill presented as aforesaid, but returned with the mayor's objections thereto, shall stand reconsider…

79.150. Board to keep journal of proceedings. — The board of aldermen shall cause to be kept a journal of its proceedings, and the ayes and nays shall be entered on any question at the request of any two members. The board of aldermen may prescribe and enforce such rules as it ma…

79.160. Board shall publish semiannual statements. — The board of aldermen shall semiannually each year, at times to be set by the board of aldermen, make out and spread upon their records a full and detailed account and statement of the receipts and expenditures and indebtedness…

79.165. No money of city to be disbursed until statement is published — penalty. — In the event the financial statement of any fourth class city is not published as required by section 79.160, the treasurer of such city shall not pay out any money of the city on any warrant or or…

79.180. Board may compel attendance of witnesses — mayor to administer oaths. — The board of aldermen shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers and records relating to any subject under consideration in which the interest of the city is i…

79.190. Mayor to sign commissions. — The mayor shall sign the commissions and appointments of all city officers elected or appointed in the city, and shall approve all official bonds unless otherwise prescribed by ordinance. ­­-------- (RSMo 1939 § 7104, A.L. 1993 H.B. 206) Prior…

79.200. Mayor shall have the power to enforce laws. — The mayor shall be active and vigilant in enforcing all laws and ordinances for the government of the city, and he shall cause all subordinate officers to be dealt with promptly for any neglect or violation of duty; and he is …

79.210. Mayor — communications to board. — The mayor shall, from time to time, communicate to the board of aldermen such measures as may, in his opinion, tend to the improvement of the finances, the police, health, security, ornament, comfort and general prosperity of the city. ­…

79.220. Mayor may remit fine, grant pardon. — The mayor shall have power to remit fines and forfeitures, and to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses arising under the ordinances of the city; but this section shall not be so construed as to authorize the mayor to remit any cos…

79.230. Appointive officers. — The mayor, with the consent and approval of the majority of the members of the board of aldermen, shall have power to appoint a treasurer, city attorney, city assessor, street commissioner and night watchman, and such other officers as he may be aut…

79.235. Appointment of nonelected board members by mayor, when, certain cities. — 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, for any city of the fourth classification with fewer than three thousand inhabitants, if a statute or ordinance authorizes the mayor of…

79.240. Removal of officers. — 1. The mayor may, with the consent of a majority of all the members elected to the board of aldermen, remove from office, for cause shown, any elective officer of the city, such officer being first given opportunity, together with his witnesses, to …

79.250. Officers to be voters and residents — exceptions, appointed officers. — All officers elected to offices or appointed to fill a vacancy in any elective office under the city government shall be voters under the laws and constitution of this state and the ordinances of the …

79.260. Officers' oath — bond. — Every officer of the city and his assistants, and every alderman, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and subscribe to an oath or affirmation before some court of record in the county, or the city clerk, that he possesses all…

79.270. Salaries fixed by ordinance. — The board of aldermen shall have power to fix the compensation of all the officers and employees of the city, by ordinance. But the salary of an officer shall not be changed during the time for which he was elected or appointed. ­­-------- (…

79.280. Vacancies in certain offices, how filled. — If a vacancy occurs in any elective office, the mayor or the person exercising the duties of the mayor shall cause a special meeting of the board of aldermen to convene where a successor to the vacant office shall be selected by…

79.290. Powers and duties of officers to be prescribed by ordinance. — The duties, powers and privileges of officers of every character in any way connected with the city government, not herein defined, shall be prescribed by ordinance. And bonds may be required of any such offic…

79.300. Treasurer, duties — bond. — The treasurer shall receive and safely keep all moneys, warrants, books, bonds and obligations entrusted to his care, and shall pay over all moneys, bonds or other obligations of the city on warrants or orders, duly drawn, passed or ordered by …

79.310. Collector to make annual report. — The collector shall, annually, at such times as may be designated by ordinance, make a detailed report to the board of aldermen, stating the various moneys collected by him during the year, and the amounts uncollected and the names of th…

79.320. City clerk, election — duties. — The board of aldermen shall elect a clerk for such board, to be known as "the city clerk", whose duties and term of office shall be fixed by ordinance. Among other things, the city clerk shall keep a journal of the proceedings of the board…

79.330. Offices of marshal and collector may be consolidated. — The board of aldermen may by ordinance provide that hereafter the same person shall hold the offices of marshal and collector, in which case his official title shall be "marshal and ex officio collector". ­­-------- …

79.340. Officers to report receipts and expenditures. — It shall be the duty of all the officers of the city to report annually to the board of aldermen, such reports to embrace a full statement of the receipts and expenditures of their respective offices, and such other matters …

79.350. Mayor or board may inspect books and records of officers. — The mayor or board of aldermen shall have power, as often as he or they may deem it necessary, to require any officer of the city to exhibit his accounts or other papers or records, and to make report to the boar…

79.360. Misdemeanor in office, penalty. — Any member of the board of aldermen or officer of the city who shall, in official capacity, or under color of his office, knowingly or willfully or corruptly vote or assent to, or report in favor of or allow or certify for allowance, any …

79.365. Compensation of certain board and commission members, how fixed. — Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in all cities of the fourth class, the board of alderpersons shall have the authority to fix the compensation, not to exceed two hundred dollars …

79.370. Board shall regulate sanitary conditions. — The board of aldermen shall have power, by ordinance, to secure the general health of the inhabitants of the city by any measure to regulate, suppress and abate slaughterhouses, slaughtering animals, stockyards, soap and other f…

79.380. Diseases, control of — condemnation for public facilities — police jurisdiction, city-owned property. — The board of aldermen may make regulations and pass ordinances for the prevention of the introduction of contagious diseases in the city, and for the abatement of the s…

79.383. Abatement of nuisance by civil action, city may be awarded attorney's fees. — 1. If any fourth class city shall enact an ordinance allowing for a civil cause of action for abatement of nuisances created by the accumulation of unsightly, dangerous, or noxious personal prop…

79.390. Powers — water supply, marketplaces, city hall, prison, parks. — The board of aldermen may establish, alter and change the channel of watercourses, and wall them and cover them over, and prevent obstructions thereon, and may establish, make and regulate public wells, cist…

79.400. Powers — regulation of lumberyards, fences, animals and poultry — may establish pounds. — 1. The board of aldermen may prescribe limits within the city within which no lumberyard or woodyard shall be kept, and may regulate, restrain or prohibit the erection or maintenance…

79.410. Powers — regulations governing. — The board of aldermen may prohibit and prevent all encroachments into and upon sidewalks, streets, avenues, alleys and other public places of the city, and may provide for the removal of obstructions from the sidewalks, curbstones, gutter…

[Repealed or reserved.]

79.440. Cemetery lots, how sold. — The cemetery lots shall be conveyed by certificates, signed by the mayor, countersigned by the clerk, under the seal of the city, specifying that the purchaser to whom the same is issued is the owner of the lot described therein by numbers, as l…