Title 6, Cities And Towns

The petition filed in accordance with § 6-1-202 shall be in substantially the form provided in § 6-1-209 and shall include a description of the boundaries of the proposed municipal corporation and the boundaries of the proposed wards, if there is only one (1) alderman to be elect…

(a) All registered voters of the municipality or of the territory of the proposed municipality are eligible to vote in the election. (b) The county election commission shall determine and declare the result of the election and shall certify the result in accordance with § 2-8-105…

(a) If the majority of the votes cast are in favor of the adoption of this charter, it shall be deemed to have been adopted. The newly adopted charter shall not be effective until the first board takes office as provided in § 6-1-207. Except for the provisions of this charter tha…

After certification of the election results, if at least a majority of the votes cast are “for charter,” the county election commission shall certify to the secretary of state that notice was duly given, and application in due form of law made, the description of boundaries, the …

(a) The county election commission shall call an election not later than sixty-two (62) days following the election for adoption of this charter, at which time municipal officials shall be chosen who shall take office immediately following the election. The qualifying deadline fo…

(a) (1) This charter shall take effect in any municipality immediately after the election and qualification of the first board of mayor and aldermen, and any then-existing charter of the municipality shall immediately become null and void.(2) The right, title and ownership of all…

Petitions for adoption of this charter shall be in substantially the following form:PETITION FOR INCORPORATION ELECTION FOR TOWN (CITY) OF , TENNESSEETO: The County Election Commission, County, TennesseeWe the undersigned, being registered voters and residents of the territory he…

(a) The adoption, heretofore accomplished, of chapters 1 and 2 of this title, before June 30, 1991, by any territory or municipality is hereby ratified and validated in all respects. No flaw or defect or failure to comply with any technical requirement of incorporation shall inva…

No informalities in conducting any election held under this chapter shall invalidate it if the election is conducted fairly and in substantial conformity with the requirements of this chapter and the general election law.

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, whenever a new municipality incorporates under any form of charter, the county or counties in which the new municipality is located shall continue to receive the revenue from all state and local taxes distributed on the basis of situs …

(a) After the adoption of this charter and the election of the first board of mayor and aldermen, no election for the surrender of this charter shall be called or held for a period of four (4) years from the date the first board takes office. (b) After the expiration of the four-…

The county election commission has the same duties with respect to an election for the surrender of a charter as it has with respect to an election to adopt a charter under this title.

If a majority of the votes cast in the election favor the termination of this form of government, this charter shall terminate at one (1) minute after midnight (12:01 a.m.) on the sixtieth day next following the date of the election, unless this falls upon Sunday or a holiday, in…

(a) If there was a previously incorporated municipality or if a new charter is adopted as provided in § 6-1-303, the county election commission shall call an election not more than sixty-two (62) days following the election for surrender of this charter, at which time municipal o…

(a) In case of a reversion to a former charter or adoption of a new one simultaneously with the surrender of the old, all assets, liabilities and obligations of the old municipality shall become those of the new municipality. (b) In the event a municipality reverts to unincorpora…

(a) If the property and funds are more than sufficient to meet the municipality's obligations, the surplus shall be paid into the treasury of the county to become a part of its general fund. (b) If the property and funds are insufficient to meet all the municipality's current obl…

A municipality may amend this charter for the sole purpose of changing the corporate name of the municipality, including the municipality's designation as a town or city in the manner provided in § 6-1-502.

(1) The corporate name of a municipality may be changed only in the following manner:(1) The proposed name change must be approved by resolution by a vote of not less than two thirds (⅔) of the board in the manner provided for ordinances in § 6-2-102;(2) If approved by the board,…

Any change in the name of any municipality under this part shall have no effect whatever on any obligations or liabilities of the municipality, in contract, tort, or otherwise, all of which shall remain the same as prior to the name change.

Each ordinance, or the caption of each ordinance, shall be published after its final passage in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. No ordinance shall take effect until the ordinance or its caption is published.

An ordinance shall be considered and adopted on two (2) separate days; any other form of board action shall be considered and adopted in one (1) day. Any form of board action shall be passed by a majority of the members present, if there is a quorum. A quorum is a majority of the…

(a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the governing body shall publish the annual operating budget and budgetary comparisons of the proposed budget with the prior year's actual figures and the current year's estimated figures, which information shall include the foll…

All ordinances adopted on or prior to June 30, 1991, are hereby ratified and confirmed.

(1) Every municipality incorporated under this charter may:(1) Assess, levy and collect taxes for all general and special purposes on all subjects or objects of taxation, and privileges taxable by law for municipal purposes;(2) Adopt classifications of the subjects and objects of…

(a) Any municipality incorporating under this charter after June 30, 1991, shall have at least one (1) ward but not more than eight (8) wards. Any municipality having a population of less than five thousand (5,000) shall, upon incorporation, have one (1) ward, and its board shall…

(a) (1) A municipality incorporated under chapters 1 and 2 of this title, on or before June 30, 1991, may, by ordinance, establish wards, increase or decrease the number of wards, increase or decrease the number of aldermen to no fewer than two (2) and no more than eight (8) in a…

(a) No person shall be eligible for the office of mayor unless such person has resided within the municipality for at least one (1) year next preceding the election. (b) No person shall be eligible for the office of alderman unless such person has resided within the ward for at l…

(a) The board may by ordinance change the date of municipal elections to coincide with the August or November general election. The ordinance changing the election date shall provide for the extension of the terms of members of the board necessary to meet the election date, but n…

The mayor, after the mayor's election, shall take an oath of office to support the constitution of the state and faithfully discharge the duties of the mayor's office, before any officer authorized to administer oaths. This officer or the mayor shall then induct the aldermen into…

(a) The mayor:(1) Shall be the chief executive officer of the municipality and shall preside at meetings of the board;(2) Shall communicate any information needed, and recommend measures the mayor deems expedient to the board;(3) (A) Shall make temporary appointments of any offic…

(a) The board shall elect an alderman to the office of vice mayor, who shall serve as mayor when the mayor is absent or unable to discharge the duties of the mayor's office, and, in case of a vacancy in the office of mayor, until the next regular municipal election. (b) (1) By af…

In the absence of the mayor and vice mayor, the board may elect an alderman to act as presiding officer.

(a) The compensation of all officers shall be established in the ordinance adopting the annual budget and capital program. (b) The compensation of the mayor may not be diminished during the mayor's term of office.

(a) (1) Subject to the further provisions of this section, the board of mayor and aldermen of any municipality incorporated under this charter which is located within a county that has adopted a charter form of government is authorized upon its own initiative and upon the adoptio…

(a) The board may appoint a city administrator who shall be under the control and direction of the board. The city administrator shall report and be responsible to the board. (b) The board may, by ordinance, require the city administrator to perform any or all the following dutie…

The board shall appoint a city recorder, who also may be appointed to the positions of finance director or treasurer, or both.

The recorder or the recorder's designee shall be present at all meetings of the board, and keep a full and accurate record of all business transacted by the board to be preserved in permanent form.

(a) The recorder or the recorder's designee shall have custody of, and preserve in the recorder's office, the city seal, the public records, original rolls of ordinance, ordinance books, minutes of the board, contracts, bonds, title deeds, certificates, and papers, all official i…

(a) The recorder shall provide, copy, and, when required by any officer or person, certify copies of records, papers and documents in the recorder's office. (b) Fees for copying and certification shall be charged as established by ordinance.

(a) There shall be a city court presided over by a city judge appointed by the board or elected as provided in subsection (c). (b) (1) (A) Where the city judge is appointed, the city judge shall have the qualifications, term of office, if any, and receive the compensation the boa…

(a) The city judge may impose fines, costs and forfeitures, and punish by fine for violation of city ordinances. (b) The judge may preserve and enforce order in the court and enforce the collection of all fines, costs and forfeitures imposed. (c) (1) In default of payment, or goo…

(a) The board shall appoint a treasurer. (b) The treasurer shall collect, receive and receipt for the taxes and all other revenue and bonds of the municipality, and the proceeds of its bond issues, and disburse them. (c) The board may appoint the recorder as treasurer.

(a) (1) The board, at a regular meeting, shall adopt a resolution to contract with a bank or banks making the best proposal to become the depository of municipal funds.(2) Before entering into a contract under subdivision (a)(1), the treasurer or an officer appointed by the treas…

(a) (1) “City,” in chapters 18-22 of this title, refers to any city that may adopt these chapters, and “county” refers to the county in which any such city is located; and(2) “This charter” refers to chapters 18-22 of this title. (1) “City,” in chapters 18-22 of this title, refer…

In the construction of any portion of chapters 18-22 of this title whose meaning or application is in dispute, it is intended that its phraseology shall be liberally construed to effect the substantial objects of these chapters.

(a) (1) The residents of any incorporated municipality or of any territory that it is desired to incorporate shall have the right to adopt chapters 18-22 of this title in the manner provided in this charter; and thereupon such city or territory shall be and become incorporated an…