Title 11, Title 11 — Cities and Towns

The council shall elect from among its members a vice-mayor. The vice-mayor shall be elected in each odd-numbered year at the first council meeting held after council terms begin, or as soon thereafter as practicable, and he shall serve until his successor has been elected and qu…

council president. A. The mayor shall preside at meetings of the council and shall certify to the correct enrollment of all ordinances and resolutions passed by it. As councilmember at large, he shall have all the powers, rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities of a counc…

The mayor shall be chief executive officer and head of the administrative branch of the city government. He shall execute the laws and ordinances, and administer the government of the city. He shall be recognized as the head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes and …

The mayor may appoint himself, or the council or other authority may elect or appoint him, to other offices and positions in the city government, subject to regulations as the council may prescribe; but he may not receive compensation for service in such other offices and positio…

Except as otherwise provided in this article, all powers of a statutory strong-mayor-council city, including the determination of all matters of policy, shall be vested in the council. Without limitation of the foregoing, the council may: 1. Enact municipal legislation suject to …

The council shall meet regularly at least monthly at such times as it may prescribe by ordinance or otherwise. The mayor or any three councilmembers may call special meetings. Laws 1977, c. 256, § 11-109, eff. July 1, 1978.

A majority of all the members of the council shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day. The council may determine its own rules. Laws 1977, c. 256, § 11-110, eff. July 1, 1978.

When a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor, the vice-mayor shall act as mayor until a mayor is elected by the council and qualified for office. To fill the vacancy, the council shall elect a registered voter of the city, who may or may not already be a council member at the tim…

The compensation of all elective city officers shall be fixed by ordinance. Added by Laws 1977, c. 256, § 11-112, eff. July 1, 1978. Amended by Laws 1996, c. 79, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1996.

The city clerk shall be an officer of the city, appointed by the mayor for an indefinite term. The city clerk shall serve as clerk for the council. Subject to regulations the council may prescribe, the city clerk shall: 1. keep the journal of the proceedings of the council; and 2…

The council may appoint a temporary clerk of the council to serve during the absence from a meeting of the city clerk and acting city clerk, if any, or when it deems that the city clerk or acting city clerk is not properly performing his duties as clerical officer of the council.…

The city treasurer shall be an officer of the city, appointed by the mayor for an indefinite term. The council may provide by ordinance that the same person may hold both the office of city clerk and the office of city treasurer. Said council may also provide by ordinance that th…

Transfer of mayor's powers. A. The mayor, subject to any regulations which the council may prescribe, shall contract for, purchase, or issue purchase authorizations for all supplies, materials and equipment for offices, departments and agencies of the city government. Every contr…

In a statutory strong-mayor-council city, there shall be a police department, a fire department, a department of law headed by a city attorney, and such other administrative departments, offices and agencies as the council may establish. Laws 1977, c. 256, § 11-117, eff. July 1, …

Appointments and promotions in the service of a statutory strong-mayor-council city shall be made solely on the basis of merit and fitness; and removals, demotions, suspensions and layoffs shall be made solely for the good of the service. The council by ordinance may establish a …

In a statutory strong-mayor-council city, there shall be a personnel board consisting of three members elected by the council for staggered six-year terms. The council shall elect the three original members so that the term of one member will expire in each succeeding even-number…

At the time prescribed for the beginning of the term of a newly elected member or as soon thereafter as practicable, the members of the personnel board shall elect a chairman, a vice-chairman and a secretary. The secretary need not be a member of the board. The board shall determ…

All officers and employees of a statutory strong-mayor-council city shall be divided into the classified and the unclassified service. The unclassified service shall consist of: 1. The mayor and councilmembers, one secretary of the mayor, if any, the municipal judge, and one cler…

Review of alleged violations. A. Neither the mayor nor any other appointing authority may appoint or promote any person to any office or position in the classified service of the city for any political reason nor for any reason other than merit and fitness. B. A qualified elector…

employees in classified service - Removal for violations. A. No officer or employee in the classified service of a statutory strong-mayor-council city may actively influence, or actively attempt to influence, or work actively for, the nomination, election or defeat of any candida…

Successors. An officer or employee may be suspended, demoted, laid off or removed in the manner provided by law by the mayor or other authority which has the power to appoint or elect the officer or employee. The mayor or other authority which has the power to appoint or elect th…

Whenever the mayor or other authority lays off, suspends without pay, demotes or removes an officer or employee in the classified service who has completed a probationary period of six (6) months, the following procedure shall apply: 1. The mayor or other appointing authority sha…

The form of government provided by Sections 12-101 through 12- 114 of this title shall be known as the statutory town board of trustees form of government. Towns governed under the statutory town board of trustees form shall have all the powers, functions, rights, privileges, fra…

The town board of trustees shall consist of either three (3) or five (5) trustees who shall be nominated from wards or at large and elected at large. The governing body may submit to the voters the question of whether the town board shall consist of either three (3) or five (5) t…

The trustees who are nominated from wards shall be actual residents of their respective wards. Removal of a trustee from the ward for which he was elected shall not cause a vacancy in the office of that trustee. Laws 1977, c. 256, § 12-103, eff. July 1, 1978; Laws 1981, c. 14, § …

Ordinance - Petition. A. The board of trustees may, by ordinance, provide for the nomination and election at large of the trustees of a statutory town board of trustees form of government; provided, however, that such ordinance shall not become effective until sixty (60) days fol…

Candidate elected. A. Whenever the trustees of a town are to be nominated and elected at large, the notice of election shall state the number of trustees to be elected for four-year terms and the number of trustees to be elected to fill unexpired terms, if any. Candidates for the…

The board of trustees shall elect from among its members a mayor. The mayor shall be elected in each odd-numbered year at the first board of trustees meeting held after trustee terms begin, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The mayor shall serve until his successor has been e…

The mayor shall preside at meetings of the board and shall certify to the correct enrollment of all ordinances and resolutions passed by it. He shall be recognized as head of the town government for all ceremonial purposes and shall have such other powers, duties and functions as…

All powers of a statutory town board of trustees town, including the determination of matters of policy, shall be vested in the board of trustees. Without limitation of the foregoing, the board may: 1. Appoint and remove, and confirm appointments of, designated town officers and …

The board of trustees shall meet regularly at least monthly at such times as it may prescribe by ordinance or otherwise. Special meetings may be called by the mayor or: 1. Any two trustees where the board has three members; or 2. Any three trustees where the board has five member…

A majority of all the members of the board of trustees shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day. The board may determine its own rules, and may compel the attendance of absent members in the manner and under penalties as the board…

The town clerk shall be an officer of the town. The town clerk shall: 1. keep the journal of the proceedings of the board of trustees; and 2. enroll all ordinances and resolutions passed by the board of trustees in a book or set of books kept for that purpose;and 3. have custody …

The town treasurer shall be an officer of the town. The town treasurer shall: 1. maintain accounts and books to show where and from what source all monies paid to him have been derived and to whom and when any monies have been paid; and 2. deposit daily funds received for the tow…

The board of trustees may appoint a chief of police, who shall enforce municipal ordinances and have such other powers, duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance. The chief of police may appoint police officers as he deems necessary, subject to the approval an…

town offices. In the town board of trustees form of government, there shall be such administrative departments, officers, and agencies as the board may establish. The board may combine, merge, or consolidate by ordinance any of the various offices of town government as it deems n…

The compensation of all elective town officers shall be fixed by ordinance. Laws 1977, c. 256, § 12-113, eff. July 1, 1978.

Appointments and promotions in the service of a statutory town board of trustees government shall be made solely on the basis of merit and fitness; and removals, demotions, suspensions, and layoffs shall be made solely for the good of the service. The board by ordinance may estab…

Any city or town containing a population of two thousand (2,000) inhabitants or more, as shown by the latest federal census or other census recognized by the laws of Oklahoma, may frame a charter for its own government. Laws 1977, c. 256, § 12-101, eff. July 1, 1978.

body resolution. The mayor of an incorporated municipality shall issue an order calling for an election on the question of whether or not the municipality shall frame a charter for its own government and elect a board of freeholders to prepare the charter when: 1. A petition sign…

The election on the question and board of freeholders shall be held at a general or special election to be held in the municipality within thirty (30) days after the order calling for the election. Notice of the election shall be given in the manner required for municipal electio…

The county election board shall canvass the returns and the secretary of the board shall, within five (5) days after the canvass of the returns of the election, certify the results to the municipal governing body. If a majority of the votes cast on the question are in favor of fr…

The board of freeholders shall prepare a charter for the municipality within ninety (90) days after their election. The charter shall be consistent with and subject to the Oklahoma Constitution and shall not be in conflict with the Constitution and laws relating to the exercise o…

Within twenty (20) days after receipt of the proposed charter from the board of freeholders, the governing body shall publish the proposed charter and an announcement of the date for the charter election in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality once per week …

by Governor. The question of whether or not the municipality shall adopt the proposed charter shall be submitted to the registered voters of the municipality at a general or special election. If a majority of the votes cast, as certified by the secretary of the county election bo…

After the approval of the charter by the Governor, duplicate copies shall be made and one shall be deposited in the office of the Secretary of State, and the other, after being recorded in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the situs of the municipality is loca…

Whenever a charter is in conflict with any law relating to municipalities in force at the time of the adoption and approval of the charter, the provisions of the charter shall prevail and shall operate as a repeal or suspension of the state law or laws to the extent of any confli…

All charter election expenses shall be paid by the municipality. The municipality may provide for the payment of the expenses incurred by the board of freeholders in the framing of the charter. Amended by Laws 1984, c. 126, § 24, eff. Nov. 1, 1984. d

Amendments to a municipal charter may be proposed by: 1. An initiative petition, signed by a number of the registered voters residing in the municipality equal to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the total number of votes cast at the preceding general election. Charter amend…

statutory form - Procedure. A proposal to revoke or abolish the charter of a municipality shall be made in the same manner provided for charter amendments and shall include the proposed statutory form of municipal government to be adopted when the charter is revoked, unless the p…