The Governing Body is made up of the Mayor and four City Council persons.
Following is the Municipal Code in regard to the Mayor and Council:
30.015 MAYOR; SELECTION AND DUTIES.
The Mayor of the city shall have the general and immediate control over all property, and officials, whether elected or appointed, of the city. He or she shall preside at all meetings of the City Council, and may vote when his or her vote shall be decisive and the Council is equally divided on any pending matter, legislation, or transaction and the Mayor shall, for the purpose of the vote, be deemed to be a member of the City Council. His or her signature must appear on the City Clerk’s minutes of all meetings, and he or she must sign all resolutions which have been passed, and warrants for the payment of money when ordered by the City Council; provided, any ordinance vetoed by the Mayor may be passed over his or her veto by a two-thirds vote by the members of the City Council, but if the Mayor neglects or refuses to sign any ordinance, and returns it to the City Council with his or her objections in writing at the next regular City Council meeting, the same shall become a law without his or her signature. He or she shall from time to time communicate to the City Council the information and recommendations as, in his or her opinion, may improve the city. He or she may require at reasonable intervals any city official to exhibit his or her accounts and make reports to the City Council on any subject pertaining to his or her office. He or she shall have the power to remit fines or pardon any offense arising under the ordinances of the city. He or she shall remove, demote or suspend with or without pay any police officer, including the Chief of Police, upon the written accusation of the Police Chief, the Mayor, or any citizen or taxpayer under the policies as set forth in the city personnel policy. His or her territorial authority shall extend over all places within five miles of the corporate limits of the city for the enforcement of any health ordinance, and one-half mile in all matters vested in him or her except taxation. He or she shall also have other duties as the City Council may by resolution confer upon him or her, or in any other matters which the laws of the state repose in him or her. He or she shall be elected at the city election, and shall serve a four-year term of office. (Neb. RS 17-107) (Prior Code, 1-101)
30.016 CITY COUNCIL.
(A) The City Council shall elect one of its own body each year who shall be styled the President of the Council, and who shall preside at all meetings of the City Council in the absence of the Mayor. In the absence of the Mayor, and the President of the Council, the City Council shall elect one of its own body to occupy his place temporarily, who shall be styled Acting President of the Council. Both the President of the Council and the Acting President of the Council, when occupying the position of the Mayor, shall have the same privileges as the other members of the City Council, and all acts of the President of the Council, or Acting President of the Council, while so acting, shall be as binding upon the City Council, and upon the city, as if done by the elected Mayor. (Neb. RS 17-148) (Prior Code, 1-102)
(B) The members of the City Council shall be elected and serve for a four-year term. The City Council shall be the legislative division of the city government, and shall perform the duties, and have the powers as may be authorized by law. The City Council shall maintain the peace, regulate business, protect the public health and safety, and assess the taxes and fees as are necessary and appropriate in the exercise of these functions. (Neb. RS 17-104, 17-505) (Prior Code, 1-103)
(C) City Council members of this city shall take office, and commence their duties on the first regular meeting in December following their election. The newly elected Council members who have qualified as prescribed by law, together with the members of the City Council holding over, shall assemble in a regular meeting at the hour and place hereinafter prescribed and perfect the reorganization of the City Council as herein provided, and all appointive offices in which the terms of incumbents are expired shall be filled by appointment. After the meeting has been called to order, the City Clerk shall report to the City Council the names of all City Council members-elect who have qualified for their respective offices, and this report shall be spread upon the minutes of the meeting preceding the roll call. Each ward of the city shall be represented by at least two Council members. No person shall be eligible who is not at the time of his or her election an actual resident of the ward for which he or she is qualified and should any City Council member move from the ward from which he or she was elected, his or her office shall thereby become vacant. (Neb. RS 17-104) (Prior Code, 1-104)
30.017 VACANCIES.
(A) Every elective office shall be vacant upon the happening of any of the events specified in Neb. RS 32-560 except as provided in Neb. RS 32-561. (Neb. RS 32-560)
(B) Any vacancy in the City Council shall be filled as provided in division (C)(3) below. (Neb. RS 32-568)
(C) (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C)(2) or (3) below, vacancies in city elected offices shall be filled by the Mayor and City Council for the balance of the unexpired term. Notice of a vacancy, except a vacancy resulting from the death of the incumbent, shall be in writing and presented to the Council at a regular or special meeting and shall appear as a part of the minutes of the meeting. The Council shall at once give public notice of the vacancy by causing to be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the city or by posting in three public places in the city the office vacated and the length of the unexpired term.
(b) The Mayor shall call a special meeting of the Council or place the issue of filling the vacancy on the agenda at the next regular meeting at which time the Mayor shall submit the name of a qualified registered voter to fill the vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term. The regular or special meeting shall occur upon the death of the incumbent or within four weeks after the meeting at which the notice of vacancy has been presented. The Council shall vote upon the nominee, and if a majority votes in favor of the nominee, the vacancy shall be declared filled. If the nominee fails to receive a majority of the votes, the nomination shall be rejected and the Mayor shall, at the next regular or special meeting, submit the name of another qualified registered voter to fill the vacancy. If the subsequent nominee fails to receive a majority of the votes, the Mayor shall continue at the meeting to submit the names of qualified registered voters in nomination and the Council shall continue to vote upon the nominations until the vacancy is filled. The Mayor shall cast his or her vote for or against the nominee in the case of a tie vote of the Council. All Council members present shall cast a ballot for or against the nominee. Any member of the Council who has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Council shall have the same rights, including voting, as if the person were elected.
(2) The Mayor and Council may, in lieu of filling a vacancy in a city elected office as provided in division (C)(1)(a) and (b) above, call a special city election to fill the vacancy.
(3) If vacancies exist in the offices of a majority of the members of the City Council, the Secretary of State shall conduct a special city election to fill the vacancies. (Neb. RS 32-568, 32-569) (Prior Code, 1-105)
(D) (1) Whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of Mayor, or in case of his or her disability or absence, the President of the Council shall exercise the office of Mayor for the unexpired term until the vacancy is filled or the disability is removed, or in case of temporary absence, until the Mayor returns.
(2) When the successful candidate for Mayor shall be prevented from assuming office, the incumbent Mayor shall not be entitled to hold over the term, but the office shall automatically become vacant and the President of the Council shall exercise the office of Mayor until the vacancy is filled.
(3) If the President of the Council shall for any cause assume the office of Mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term, there shall be a vacancy on the Council which shall be filled as provided in division (C) above. (Prior Code, 1-106)
