|
| |
I. Unified Metropolitan Government Proposal for the City
of Evansville and Vanderburgh County.
A. Interim Government
1.Prior to the referendum on Unified Government, the
Evansville City Council, the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and
Vanderburgh County Council will commission a qualified professional to draw
10 council districts that:
a. Are compact, and take into consideration
logical boundary lines that are either natural or manmade (such as
railroads, major highways, rivers, creeks, parks, and major industrial
complexes) and evidence of community of interest such as neighborhood
associations, rural, suburban, or urban conditions; and
b. Contain, as nearly as is possible, equal population.
c. Redistricting shall thereafter be effected by the Metro Council as may
be required by applicable state law.
2. The Councils and Commissioners will hold public
hearings on the proposed council districts.
3. In the first odd numbered year following passage of the City-County
Unified Government (“Metro Government) referendum, there will be a
county-wide election to elect the Metro Council and a Metro Mayor. The
existing City and County governments shall continue operating as separate
systems until January 1 (the “Effective Date”) of the year following this
election. On that date the offices of Evansville City Council, the
Evansville Mayor, the Vanderburgh County Council and the Vanderburgh County
Commissioners shall be dissolved and the Metro Council and Metro Mayor shall
be inaugurated.
B. All administrative authority in the Metro Government will
be delegated to the Executive Branch as follows:
1. A Mayor who shall be elected by the voters of the
Unified City (“City”) for a four year term on a partisan ballot. The Mayor
in office at the Effective Date (or Mayor-Elect) shall be the Metro
Government Mayor until a successor shall have been elected and qualified in
due course.
2. The Mayor shall have the powers and duties conferred upon mayors of
second class cities under I.C. 36-4-5-3 and all executive duties as defined
under the Indiana Code.
3. The Mayor may appoint, without review by the Metro Council, a Deputy
Mayor (“Deputy”). The Deputy Mayor shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor.
4. The Mayor’s salary shall be set by the Metro Council at a level no less
than that of the Evansville/Vanderburgh County Superintendent of Schools.
The Deputy Mayor’s salary will be set by the Metro Council at no less than
sixty (60) percent of the Mayor’s salary. Compensation for Metro Council
members will be set by the council at no less than twenty (20) percent of
the Mayor’s salary.
5. As of the Effective Date, the Metro Council shall establish
Administrative Departments by ordinance to manage, subject to board control
and supervision, all departments and agencies which were the responsibility
of the former City of Evansville and the former County of Vanderburgh.
Initially, these Departments, and their respective boards (where
appropriate) should be as follows:
a. Department of Public Safety (Fire, Police, Emergency Services, Safety
Board);
b. Department of Metropolitan Development, Redevelopment and Planning;
c. Department of Transportation and Services (Board of Public Works,
Licensing and Cemeteries);
d. Department of Health and Environmental Quality;
e. Department of Parks and Recreation, and Public Buildings (Parks and
Recreation Board);
f. Public Utilities, Sewer and Water (Utility Board);
g. Flood Control (Levee Board); and
h. Administration and Finance (All Support Services, Computer Service, the
Metro Attorney, and Metro Controller)
6. The Mayor shall appoint all directors of Departments.
7. The Mayor shall appoint all other agency heads.
C. All legislative authority or policy-making authority of the Metro
Government will be delegated to the Metro Council. The make-up of the Metro
Council shall be as follows:
1. The Metro Council shall be composed of 13 persons: Three at-large members
and 10 members elected by the Voters of the City from single member
districts. Each member shall be elected for a four-year term.
2. The members of the initial Metro Council will be elected at the general
election immediately preceding the Effective Date.
3. Each voter of the City may vote for three candidates for at-large seats
and one candidate from the district in which he/she resides. The three
at-large candidates receiving the most votes and the district candidate
receiving the most votes from his or her respective district shall be deemed
elected to the Metro Council.
4. In the second odd numbered year following the Effective Date, and at
every second odd numbered year following, a Mayoral and Metro Council
election shall be held.
5. The Metro Council shall begin its duties at the Effective Date.
6. The Metro Government Board of Public Works shall assume all statutory
duties of the Board of Commissioners relating to the purchasing of supplies,
the letting of contracts, and drainage projects. The County Surveyor shall
be an ex officio member of the Board of Public Works.
7. Committees The Metro Council shall be organized through a committee
system of two permanent committees and seven standing committees.
Additionally, from time to time, it may establish investigative and special
service district committees.
a. Permanent Committees The Committee on Committees and the Committee on
Rules and Public Policy shall make up the Permanent Committees. The
Committee on Committees shall be the President of the Metro Council and the
majority and minority leaders on the Metro Council from each political
party. The Committee on Rules and Public Policy shall consist of five
members chosen by the Metro Council including at least one at-large member.
b. Standing Committees The Metro Council shall have standing committees for
each of the Metro Government Departments. These committees shall have the
power to investigate policies and expenditures of those Departments. Each
committee shall have not less than five members, with each political party
represented proportionally to their number of representatives on the Metro
Council. All committee meetings shall be open to the general public, with
those exceptions permitted by any applicable Sunshine Law. Each Committee
shall establish at least one regular meeting per month.
8. Legislative Powers The Metro Council shall be the sole legislative and
fiscal body of the Metro Government. It shall have exclusive power to adopt
budgets, levy taxes, and make appropriations for the operation of the Metro
Government. It shall enact, repeal, or amend local ordinances and
resolutions, including all existing ordinances, both municipal and County.
Unless repealed or amended by the Metro Council, all existing City of
Evansville ordinances will remain in effect for the area within the former
city limits of Evansville and Vanderburgh County ordinances will remain in
effect for the area outside the former city limits.
The Metro Council shall have the power to reorganize all aspects of local
government within the boundaries of the City subject only to the
requirements of the Indiana State Constitution, excepting that any city or
town other than Evansville, lawfully incorporated as of the effective date
(Darmstadt) will retain all powers previously held.
All ordinances and resolutions shall only be introduced by Metro Council
members. These proposals are introduced to the Metro Council and assigned to
the appropriate committee for consideration. The appropriate committee shall
hold a public hearing to receive citizen input, and then decide to table the
ordinance or bring it before the entire Metro Council, with a recommendation
to pass or not to pass. When an ordinance is passed by the Metro Council, it
is then sent to the Mayor for signature or veto. The Metro Council may
override a Mayor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote.
10. Budget Process Departments, County Offices, Agencies, and the Courts
shall prepare their own individual budgets. Prior to July 1 of each year,
the Metro Government Department Directors shall confer with the Mayor’s
staff and the various County officeholders with the County Auditor to work
out their respective office budgets.
On July 1, the budget ordinances shall be introduced to the Metro Council.
During the month of August, each Metro Council Committee shall hold public
hearings on the budget of the Department or Agency for which it is
responsible.
The Metro Government budget shall be combined into one ordinance to be
approved by the Metro Council pursuant to the Indiana Code.
The Mayor may veto single items of the budget. The Metro Council may
override a Mayor’s veto by a two-thirds vote.
D. Unified City of Evansville
1. When the City of Evansville becomes a Unified City, the former City shall
be abolished as a separate entity, and the territory of the Unified City
shall include:
a. all the territory that comprised the City before it became unified; and
b. all other territory in Vanderburgh County.
2. The new Unified City shall be known as the “City of Evansville.”
3. All of the City and County services provided to the public prior to the
passage of the Metro Government referendum shall be provided by the City by
those agencies designated by the Metro Council.
4. The office of Clerk of the City of Evansville shall be eliminated as of
the effective date. Thereafter the County Auditor shall serve as Clerk of
the Metro Council.
5. County Offices All of the remaining former County officeholders and their
respective offices shall remain essentially the same as before unification
as follows:
a. County Assessor
b. County Auditor
c. County Clerk of Courts
d. County Recorder
e. County Treasurer
f. County Coroner
g. County Surveyor
h. County Sheriff
6. The Metro Council shall review each existing City and County Boards
within 365 days after the Effective Date and determine, by ordinance, which
boards shall exist under the Metro Government and also determine who shall
be responsible for the appointment of members of such boards.
E. Taxing Districts
1. All property owners in the territory of the Unified City of Evansville
shall pay an ad valorem tax rate reasonably based upon the services provided
by the Metro Government. No such property owner shall, insofar as reasonably
possible, pay for additional non-revenue producing services and benefits
until such time as the services and benefits are being provided to him or
her by the Metro Government. The territory of the Unified City of Evansville
shall be divided into a General Services District, a Full Urban Services
District, and such Partial Urban Services Districts as the Metro Council
shall from time to time create or establish. The General Services District
shall consist of the total area of the Unified City of Evansville. The Full
Urban Services District shall initially consist of the total area embraced
by the corporate boundaries of the City of Evansville immediately prior to
the Effective Date. Partial Urban Services Districts shall consist of any
area outside the Full Urban Services District designated by the Metro
Council under the conditions and limitations governing such districts set
forth in Section E. 4. of this document
2. For the purposed of levying and collecting ad valorem taxes on property,
each of the services districts described in this document shall constitute a
separate tax district within which the Metro Government shall levy and
collect taxes in accordance with the kind, type, level, and character of the
services provided by the Metro Government in each of the services districts.
Except as otherwise provided in this document, the initial rate of ad
valorem taxation on property located within the General Services District
shall be the same as that imposed by Vanderburgh County and the township
within which the property is located. Except as otherwise provided in this
document, the initial rate of ad valorem taxation on property located within
the Full Services District shall be the same as that imposed by Vanderburgh
County, the City of Evansville, and the township within which the property
is located. The ad valorem taxation on property located within any Partial
Services District created or established by the Metro Council shall be
governed by the conditions and limitations imposed in Section E. 4. of this
document.
In the event that any area or property located within the initial Full Urban
Services District is not provided with one or more of the services covered
under Section E. 6. of this document, the Metro Council shall reduce the
rate of ad valorem taxation to a level commensurate with the kind, level,
and type or character of services provided.
3. The Metro Council may, from time to time, expand or extend the
territorial limits of the Full Services District to include all or portions
of any other services district.
a. In no case shall the Metro Council expand or extend the territorial
limits of the Full Urban Services District until:
1. The Metro Council has prepared and adopted a resolution specifying its
intention to expand or extend said district, the area to be included in the
Full Urban Services District, the findings of the Metro Council concerning
the need for additional services of the Full Urban Services District in the
area specified, and the ability of the Metro Government to extend such
services to the area specified;
2. The Metro Council has published the contents of said resolution at least
once a week for a period of three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of
general circulation in the territory of the Metro Government;
3. The Metro Council has conducted at least one public hearing at a time and
place other than the regular meeting of the Metro Council following the
publication of said resolution to inform and receive the views of all
interested persons concerning the proposed expansion or extension of the
Full Urban Services District; and
4. The Metro Council has prepared and adopted an ordinance specifying the
area to be included in the Full Urban Services District, the kind, type,
level, and character of additional services to be provided by the Metro
Government.
b. In no case shall an ordinance to expand or extend the Full Urban Services
District become effective until such time as all services to be provided by
the Metro Government have been provided in the area in question.
c. In no case shall an ordinance to expand to extend the Full Urban Services
District become effective for any incorporated city or town as described in
Section I. C. 9. except as ratified by a majority vote of the citizens of
that city or town.
4. Recognizing the various types and levels of services provided to citizens
in the areas adjacent to the City of Evansville as of the Effective Date,
the Metro Council shall be empowered to create or establish one or more
Partial Services Districts into which one or more of the services provided
within the Full Urban Services District shall be expanded or extended.
a. In no case shall the Metro Council create or establish a Partial Urban
Services District until:
1. Metro Council has prepared and adopted a resolution specifying its
intention to create or establish a Partial Urban Services District, the area
to be included in said district, the findings of the Metro Council
concerning the need for the additional service or services involved in the
area specified, and the ability of the Metro Government to extend such
services to the area specified;
2. The Metro Council has published the contents of said resolution at least
once a week for a period of three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of
general circulation in the territory of the Metro Government;
3. The Metro Council has conducted at least one public hearing at a time and
place other than the regular meeting of the Metro Council following the
publication of said resolution to inform and receive the views of all
interested persons concerning the proposed creation and establishment of
said Partial Urban Services District; and
4. The Metro Council has prepared and adopted an ordinance specifying the
area to be included in the said district, the kind, type, level, and
character of the service or services to be provided by the Metro Government.
a. In no case shall an ordinance to create or establish a Partial Urban
Services District become effective until such time as the service or
services specified in the ordinance have been provided in the area in
question.
b. In no case shall an ordinance to expand to create or establish a Partial
Urban Services District become effective for any incorporated city or town
as described in Section I. C. 9. except as ratified by a majority vote of
the citizens of that city or town.
5. Throughout the General Services District, the Metro Government shall
furnish, provide and maintain all services rendered by Vanderburgh County
and the City of Evansville as of the Effective Date. Among those services
and activities to be furnished, provided, and maintained within the General
Services District shall be: general administration, police protection,
courts, jails, and other detention facilities, probation officers, child
care, health and welfare services, parks and recreation, airports and such
other public transportation as may be established, civil defense, planning
and zoning, streets and highways, traffic engineering and control, public
libraries, public housing, licensing and inspection, building codes,
electrical codes, housing codes, plumbing codes, water and air pollution
control, agricultural services and other services and activities as may be
provided for the general use or benefit of persons residing in the Unified
City of Evansville.
The foregoing enumeration is intended as a list of those governmental
services and activities which shall initially be provided by the Metro
Government within the General Services District and shall not be construed
to limit the right of the Metro Government to furnish, provide and maintain
other governmental services throughout the General Services District as the
Metro Council may from time to time prescribe.
6. In addition to those service and activities furnished, provided and
maintained in the General Services District, the Metro Government shall
provide the following additional services within the Full Urban Services
District: sanitary sewers, water, street lighting, street cleaning, garbage
and refuse collection, fire protection, and such additional police
protection as might be required.
The foregoing enumeration is intended as a list of those additional
governmental services which shall be initially performed by the Metro
Government within the Full Urban Services District and shall not be
construed to limit the right of the Metro Government to furnish, provide and
maintain other governmental services throughout the Full Urban Services
District as the Metro Council may from time to time prescribe.
7. The Metro Council may extend or expand one or more of the services and
activities provided within the Full Urban Services District. Any action by
the Metro Council to provide an additional urban service or services to an
established Partial Services District shall be construed as an act to create
or establish a new Partial Services District, and shall therefore be subject
to the rules and procedures set forth in Section E. 3.of this document. Any
action by the Council that will result in the expansion or extension of all
services and activities provided within the Full Urban Services District
shall be construed as an act to expand or extend the Full Urban Services
District, and shall therefore be subject to the rules and procedures set
forth In Section E. 3. of this document.
8. Nothing shall limit the power of the Metro Council to redefine, add or
reduce the services and functions to be provided within the General Services
District or the Full Urban Services District, so long as such action on the
part of the Metro Council is applied uniformly throughout the territory of
said services districts.
|
