Title 6, Cities And Towns

(a) Each ordinance, before being adopted, shall be read at two (2) meetings not less than one (1) week apart, and shall take effect ten (10) days after its adoption; provided, that, where an emergency exists and the public safety and welfare requires it, an ordinance containing a…

Every proposed ordinance granting any permit or right to occupy or use the streets, highways, bridges, or public places in the city for any purpose or granting any franchise, exclusive contract or other special privilege shall remain on file with the clerk for public inspection f…

(a) All ordinances and their amendments shall be recorded by the clerk in a book to be known as the “ordinance book,” and it shall be the duty of the mayor and clerk to authenticate such records by their official signatures. A separate record shall be maintained for resolutions. …

The council shall, within one (1) year after the adoption of this charter, and every ten (10) years thereafter, arrange for the codification of all ordinances and resolutions having a regulatory effect or of general application that are to be continued in force. Current loose-lea…

The council may by ordinance authorize the city manager to formulate and promulgate formal rules and regulations having regulatory effect or of general application on various matters, subject to such restrictions and standards of guidance as the council may prescribe. No such for…

In the construction of the ordinances of the city, the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the council. If any portion of an ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is found to b…

(a) Any municipality having an ordinance prohibiting retail sales or deliveries of merchandise on Sunday may repeal the same by a referendum election for the ratification or rejection of the ordinance. The mayor and council by resolution may request the county election commission…

(a) Every territory incorporating under chapters 30-36 of this title has all the powers and authority enumerated in §§ 6-2-201, 6-19-101 and 6-19-102. (b) In addition to the powers granted in subsection (a), any city incorporated under chapters 30-36 of this title has the power t…

(a) The city judge shall be a person licensed to practice law in the state of Tennessee and shall be elected by popular vote at the same time as provided for election of the governing body of such corporation, and in the same manner as provided for election to the board of educat…

A city court is created to be administered and presided over by a city judge. The judge of the city court shall have jurisdiction in and over all cases for the violation of and all cases arising under the laws and ordinances of the city. The city judge, in all cases heard or dete…

The city judge shall be subject to removal from office for the same causes and in the same manner as provided for the removal of public officers by title 8, chapter 47. In case of the absence or inability of the judge to serve, the city council may appoint and fix the compensatio…

The council shall by ordinance create a personnel advisory board and may create such other boards advisory to the council and manager with respect to specific municipal functions as it may deem necessary, prescribing in each case the number, manner of appointment, length of term,…

The council shall establish a planning commission, and may by ordinance within the framework of this charter, exercise authority in the fields of planning, zoning, subdivision control and related activities as provided by general laws of the state. The rules and regulations of th…

(a) In addition to other powers granted in this charter, the city council has the power to contract and cooperate with any other municipality or other political subdivision of the state, or with an elective or appointive official thereof, or with any duly authorized agency of the…

(a) The city council may exercise the powers conferred in § 6-33-107 by ordinance setting out the terms agreed upon by the parties to such a contract or cooperative action. The parties to such a contract or cooperative action, or any of them, may acquire, by gift or purchase, or …

All public officers acting under the authority of a contract or cooperative action under § 6-33-107 or § 6-33-108 are deemed to be subject to the same liabilities to which they would have been subjected for actions occurring entirely within their own territorial limits.

All money received pursuant to any such contract or cooperative action, under § 6-33-107 or § 6-33-108, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be deposited in the appropriate fund or funds and disbursed in accordance with such contract or cooperative action.

(a) No franchise or grant for the operation of a water, electric, telephone, steam, or public transportation or other utility that is not revocable at the will of the council shall be granted or become operative, except by ordinance. Such ordinance shall become effective thirty (…

The council by resolution shall designate a newspaper of general circulation in the city as the official city newspaper.

(a) The council shall appoint a city attorney, together with such assistant city attorneys as the council shall determine are required. (b) The city attorney shall:(1) Be responsible for representing and defending the city in all litigation in which the city is a party;(2) Be the…

The council shall establish an equalization board, and shall appoint each year three (3) persons who are property owners and qualified voters of the city for a one-year term.

(a) The equalization board may increase assessments made, and may add assessments omitted by the city assessing officer, but it may decrease individual assessments or strike erroneous assessments from the assessment roll only on appeals from interested parties. It may increase or…

The equalization board shall begin and end its work at times to be prescribed by ordinance, which times shall be so established that the assessment roll may be completed and tax bills may be prepared before the tax due date.

The equalization board, upon completion of its work, shall submit a written report to the council, including total increases and decreases made by it and the final total assessment of each class of property.

The council may, by ordinance, provide for the assessment, by city assessing personnel, of property lying within the corporate limits, or may enter into any necessary agreements with the appropriate county officials for joint assessments by the city and county, or may elect to us…

(a) Every owner of property liable for taxes based on increased or new assessment shall be sent the notice thereof by ordinary mail or by personal service. If the owner of such property is unknown, or is a nonresident of the state with no known agent in the state, a notice statin…

Unless otherwise provided by ordinance, the schedule for levy, due date and delinquencies shall be the same as provided by general law for counties; provided, that the tax levy shall be set by council not later than sixty (60) days preceding the new fiscal year, except as provide…

In the event a tax levy for the fiscal year is found to be insufficient to meet the requirements of a school budget increased by reason of a referendum provided for in § 6-36-114, the council shall have authority to amend the tax levy ordinance so as to raise the levy contained t…

If no levy is made at the time fixed for the levy, the previous year's levy shall continue in effect.

(a) Within the framework established by this charter, the administrative organization of the city shall be organized into departments of general government, finance, and such other departments necessary to provide health, welfare, police, recreation, fire, library, public works, …

(a) The city shall not sell, exchange, lease, or in any way alienate or dispose of the property, easements, or other equipment, privileges or assets that are essential parts of any utility that it may acquire, unless and except the proposition for such purpose shall first have be…

(a) The council shall appoint a chief administrative officer of the city who shall be the city manager, and who shall serve at the pleasure of the council. (b) (1) The manager shall be selected on the basis of training, experience, and other administrative qualifications for the …

The council may designate a qualified administrative officer of the city to assume the duties and authority of the manager during periods of vacancy in the office, temporary absences or disability of the manager.

(a) The manager shall be responsible to the council for the administration of all units of the city government under the manager's jurisdiction and for carrying out policies adopted by the council. (b) (1) Except for the purpose of inquiry, the council and its members shall deal …

(1) The manager shall:(1) Supervise the administrative affairs of the city;(2) Be charged with the preservation of the public peace and health, the safety of persons and properties, and the enforcement of the laws, ordinances, and franchises, and the development and utilization o…

(a) Except as provided in § 6-36-115, the manager shall be responsible for all city purchasing but may delegate such duty to any subordinate appointed by the manager. (b) (1) Competitive prices for all purchases and public improvements shall be obtained whenever practicable and i…

(a) The management of all city property and equipment, except school property and equipment, shall be the responsibility of the city manager who shall prepare for the approval of the council regulations governing the acquisition, custody, use and disposal of all such property and…

The city manager or administrative personnel appointed by the city manager shall make use of every method provided by general law to ensure the collection of taxes due the city, and shall also be authorized to use and shall use, if necessary, the methods now available to cities o…

The city manager or an officer appointed by the city manager shall have charge of the administration of the financial affairs of the city. There shall be maintained such accounting controls over the finances of the city and such financial reports as may be required by this charte…

The fiscal year of the city shall begin on July 1 and shall end on June 30 of the succeeding year, but another fiscal year may be fixed by ordinance for the entire city government or for any utility.

(a) On or before a date fixed by the council, but not later than ninety (90) days prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, the manager shall submit to the council a proposed budget for the next fiscal year. (b) The budget shall present a complete financial plan for the ensuing …

As a part of the annual budget, the city shall include a statement of pending capital projects and proposed new capital projects, relating the respective amounts proposed to be raised therefor by appropriations in the budget and the respective amounts, if any, proposed to be rais…

(a) A public hearing on the budget shall be held before its final adoption by the council, at such time and place as the council shall direct, and notice of such public hearing shall be published ten (10) days in advance of the date of the hearing. All persons present shall be gi…

(a) Before the beginning of the next fiscal year, the council shall adopt an appropriation ordinance, based on the city manager's budget with such modifications as the council considers necessary or desirable; provided, that modifications in the school budget as submitted by the …

Amendments may be made to the original appropriation at any time during a current fiscal year after a public hearing before the council on five (5) days' notice published once in the official city newspaper; provided, that increased appropriations may be made only after the city …

Any portion of an annual appropriation remaining unexpended and unencumbered at the close of a fiscal year shall lapse and be credited to the general fund, except that any balance remaining in any other fund at the end of a fiscal year may remain to the credit of that fund and be…