City
of Buffalo
Charter
Article
4
The Mayor
Sec. 60. Election;
Term.
At the general election in the year nineteen hundred
twenty-nine and each fourth year thereafter a mayor shall
be elected by the electors of the city for a term of four
years.
Sec. 61. Present
Mayor Continues in Office.
The mayor in office when this act takes effect shall
continue to be mayor until the expiration of the term for
which the mayor was elected
Sec. 62. Eligibility.
Any mayor heretofore or hereafter elected as such
under this act shall be eligible for re-election. [Amended
by L.L. No. 1-1960]
Sec. 62-a.
Notification of Mayor's Absence from State.
The mayor shall inform the city clerk of his intended
absence from the state at least twenty-four hours in advance
of such absence. The failure of the mayor to give such information
shall result in a deduction equal to one three hundred sixty-fifths
of the salary of the mayor unless failure is excused by
the rules committee of the common council by reason of emergency
or impossibility. [Added by L.L. No. 6-1987]
Sec. 63. Disability.
In the event of the temporary inability of the mayor
to perform the duties of his office or his absence from
the state, the president of the council shall perform such
duties until the disability shall cease and during such
period the president pro tempore of the council shall perform
all the duties of the president of the council.
In the event of the temporary inability of the mayor
to perform the duties of his office or his absence from
the state and in the event of the temporary inability of
the president of the council to perform the duties of the
office of mayor or his absence from the state, the president
pro tempore of the council shall perform the duties of the
office of mayor until the disability of the mayor or the
president of the council shall cease, and the common council
may elect one of its members acting president pro tempore
who shall perform all of the duties of the president of
the council while the president pro tempore is so performing
the duties of the office of mayor. [Amended by L.L. No.
5-1956]
Sec. 64. Vacancy.
In case of a vacancy in the office of mayor, otherwise
than by expiration of his term, the council shall appoint
a qualified elector of the same political party as the mayor
whose place is vacant, to fill such vacancy until the first
day of January following the next general election at which
a mayor may, pursuant to law, be chosen for the balance
of the term. The person so elected shall take office of
the first day of January such general election. [Amended
by L.L. No. 1-1932; L.L. No. 6-1961]
Sec. 65. Duties
and Powers.
The mayor shall be the chief executive officer of
the city and shall maintain peace and good order and enforce
the laws therein and see to it that the duties of all other
city officers, departments, boards, commissions and other
city agencies are faithfully performed and shall have authority
at all times to examine their books, papers, records and
accounts and the moneys, securities and property of the
city in their possession and may in his discretion exercise
such authority through the director of the budget or otherwise.
He shall have the right to appear before and address the
council at any meeting. He shall have the custody of the
seal of the city and shall, except as herein otherwise provided,
authenticate all accounts of the council and all instruments
and papers authorized to be so authenticated. He shall also
exercise such powers and perform such duties as are imposed
upon him by this act and by any local law or ordinance and
by any provision of
general law.
Sec. 66. Appointments.
The mayor may appoint and at pleasure remove an executive
assistant and such other subordinates as may be authorized
by law or ordinance. The mayor shall appoint and employ
the municipal civil service commissioners. [Amended by L.L.
No. 5-1978]
Sec. 67. Public
Hearing on Local Laws.
No local law shall be approved by the mayor until
a public hearing has been had thereon before the mayor after
publishing of a notice of such hearing once in one or more
daily newspapers published in the city designated by the
mayor. The mayor shall fix the time and place of the hearing,
and the notice shall specify such time and place and shall
contain a copy of such local law and shall be prepared and
published by the city clerk at least five days before the
hearing.
Sec. 68. Investigation
by Mayor.
The mayor is hereby granted all the powers of investigation
conferred on the council by section forty-nine of this act,
and all the provisions of said section shall apply to such
investigations by the mayor.
Sec. 69. Reconfirmation
of Mayoral Appointments.
All mayoral appointments of department heads and
members of boards, agencies and commissions under this charter
and ordinances of the city of Buffalo
, or under any general, special or local law, which appointments
are subject to confirmation by the common council, shall
terminate unless otherwise specified by general, special
or local law herein, at the termination of the elected term
of the mayor; and shall require reconfirmation by the common
council. Reconfirmation shall be by majority or two-thirds
vote of the council consistent with the number of votes
needed for the original confirmation under the law or ordinance
providing for appointment. [Added by L.L. No. 8-1990]
