So *I* am ignorant about the city charter? Here, read it yourself online. This is the current charter as of 2002 when it was modified:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2001_02/fulltext/hb1362.htm

Make sure to pay attention closely to:

SECTION 2.12.
Council interference with administration.

NUK

You said the Mayor was a figurehead.

That is false.

Now you read what the duties and obligations of the Mayor are. Taking a section and trying to spin it to out of context meanings does not prove your case.

It is not a figurehead decorative position any more than the Council as a whole is.

You keep shopping cart issues to try get what you want. Does not work.

So did all the other Mayors before Steve Brown.

City staff does all the work following directives from Mayor and Council. Then, the Council votes YES, NO, TABLE. The Mayor has ONE vote. The Mayor by state law is required to sign certain documents. In other words, slightly more powerful than the Queen of England unless the Mayor decides to violate the city's charter and become involved in the administration of the City which the charter states is the responsibility of the City Manager and the Council cannot interfere.

NUK

The Mayor's authority goes well beyond that limited scope.

Read the list of his responsibility and authority!

I've read it more than a few times as I was involved in it being modified. Perhaps after you become informed and understand what the charter says, then you might be in a better position to describe someone else's opinion as meaningless.

I also see that your comprehension leaves a lot to be desired as you go on to mention in another post that I called the Mayor AND COuncil figureheads. Try reading a little more carefully: I said the Mayor is a figurehead, not the Mayor and Council. I said the Mayor has the same one vote the other council members have.

NUK

Now that is a real spinner.

The mayor is a figurehead not figurehead who presides figuratively over a Council that is not figurative.

You are ignorant of the difference between holding an equal Council vote but having superior rights of office.

I have already read your link. Now you read Section 2.3. Powers and Authority of mayor.

SECTION 2.3.
Duties and authority of mayor.

The mayor shall be the chief executive officer of said city and it shall be his duty;
(1) To preside at all meetings of the city council;
(2) To see that all meetings are conducted in a parliamentary manner;
(3) To preserve order and decorum in such meetings;
(4) To inflict such punishment upon any person guilty of contempt before said council as may be authorized by municipal ordinances;
(5) To see that all laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and resolutions of the city council of said city are faithfully executed and enforced;
(6) To appoint and be an ex officio member of all committees;
(7) To see that all funds are properly accounted for and that all revenues are properly and promptly collected;
(8] To inform the council from time to time of the general condition of said city and its affairs and recommend such measures as he or she may deem necessary or expedient for the welfare of said city;
(9) To inspect or cause to be inspected by one or more of the councilmembers of said city the records and books of accounts of the city and see that they are properly and correctly kept to require such reports to be made by such city staff and given to the council;
(10) To see that order is maintained in said city and that its property and effects are preserved;
(11) To convene the council in extra session as frequently as he or she may deem proper;
(12) To bind said city by signing any contract, obligation, or other matter entered into and authorized by ordinance or resolution of the council of said city, properly passed in accordance with the provisions of this charter; and
(13) To do acts and things as may be proper and necessary in the proper conduct of the affairs of said city and as may be hereinafter authorized.
Subject to the limitations contained in this charter, the said mayor shall exercise general supervision and jurisdiction over the affairs of the said city; however, the responsibility for the daily operation and administration of the city shall be delegated to the city manager who shall report on such activities to the mayor and councilmembers as hereinafter provided.

He holds a lot more authority and power than other Council Members.

While everyday operations are solely the responsibility of the City Staff the Mayor is their over sight.

And note (13). Additional authority in keeping with the Charter can be authorized by PTC itself.

The Mayor is bound by the Charter and governing documents laid out by the Council as long as the Council Members do not attempt to restrict authority given the Mayor under the Charter. They cannot do that.

But he is the day to day person who, other than functions of the Staff, calls the shots within the bounds stated above.

He does not have to get authorization from the Council for day to day but what he does must be legal under the above. He does not have to ask permission for every move or consult every time.

But he must report from time to time to the Council what he has done.

If you live in an HOA the Charter is the Declaration and the additional authorizations and defining of specifics is the By-Laws.

Talk to your President and/or Directors to get a clearer understanding of how this all works.

A HOA has nothing at all to do with a governmental charter formed under the state of Georgia. That's like saying because a sports association uses Robert's Rules of Order and has by-laws that it is setup like a City Council.

The Mayor can sign documents that other council members cannot. About everything the Mayor can sign legally only happen after it is voted on by the Council.

The oversight of the Mayor and Council over City staff is clearly defined. The City Manager is employed by contract by the Mayor/Council and serves at their pleasure. They can fire him if they don't like him but they cannot manage everyday affairs including personnel matters.
This is called "strong city manager, weak mayor" government.

Let's see what else: he gets to call meetings, run the meetings, cancel meetings so he can have a sham debate, re-schedule meetings. Recommend to Council stuff. I just don't see where that makes the Mayor much of anything besides one person and one vote.

This was clarified in 2002 because it had been an issue that arose with the city manager Jim Basinger and Council. The biggest change in 2002 was (13) that cleared-up some confusion over matters involving who can do what exactly.
NUK

No matter what they say they could not legally override the Charter.

Have a link to this meeting so I can read in full?

The current Charter I posted from IS the revisions recommended and such back then.

Atlanta is a Strong Mayor and PTC is a Weak Mayor/Council/Manager government.

Now here is the powers and authority you chose to delete when you posted your list:
The mayor shall be the chief executive officer of said city and it shall be his duty;
(4) To inflict such punishment upon any person guilty of contempt before said council as may be authorized by municipal ordinances;
(5) To see that all laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and resolutions of the city council of said city are faithfully executed and enforced;
(6) To appoint and be an ex officio member of all committees;
(7) To see that all funds are properly accounted for and that all revenues are properly and promptly collected;
(8] To inform the council from time to time of the general condition of said city and its affairs and recommend such measures as he or she may deem necessary or expedient for the welfare of said city;
(9) To inspect or cause to be inspected by one or more of the councilmembers of said city the records and books of accounts of the city and see that they are properly and correctly kept to require such reports to be made by such city staff and given to the council;
(10) To see that order is maintained in said city and that its property and effects are preserved;
(13) To do acts and things as may be proper and necessary in the proper conduct of the affairs of said city and as may be hereinafter authorized.
Subject to the limitations contained in this charter, the said mayor shall exercise general supervision and jurisdiction over the affairs of the said city; however, the responsibility for the daily operation and administration of the city shall be delegated to the city manager who shall report on such activities to the mayor and councilmembers as hereinafter provided.

Doesn't say what you claimed.

The Mayor has far greated powers and authority than other Council Members.

"The governing authority of Peachtree City is the City Council, consisting of five elected members. The Mayor is elected to serve on a part-time basis and is elected to a term of four years. The remaining four Councilmembers also serve on a part-time basis and are elected to staggered terms of four years. While all five council members are elected at large, all must reside within Peachtree City. At their first meeting each calendar year the Mayor Pro-Tem is selected by the City Council. In their policy-making capacity, the City Council is authorized to perform the following functions:

allocate taxes levied by Fayette County

establish Millage rate for the City of Peachtree City

direct and control all property located within Peachtree City

establish, alter or abolish Peachtree City roads and bridges

fill vacancies in Peachtree City offices unless others are empowered to do so

examine, settle and allow claims against the City of Peachtree City

examine and audit the accounts of all officers having the care, management, keeping, collection or disbursement of money belonging to the City of Peachtree City

establish the costs of licenses

make such rules and regulations as necessary for the protection and preservation of health, safety, welfare and morals"

Now, where is problem understanding the part-time position of mayor and his position on the council???

I responded to someone claiming the Mayor and Council Members were largely figureheads.

Your own post, questionable, proves they are not.

Now, on the issue of part-time or more I created a blog on that very issue.

The result was that this issue of being more than part-time did not arise with Brown but was an issue at official meetings dating back at least to Mayor Lenox.

That Council said it was more than part time.

On that blog the agreement was it merited looking into by the new Council.

So, that is the answer to your demand there is no problem. There obviously is a problem. And a problem predating Brown.

Whether Brown overdid or not does not negate the point it bears looking into.

Now, as for your list, you forget contact and communications with constituents, representing PTC as appropriate to other government bodies, organizations and so on.

It needs looking into. Neither you are I are in any position to say either way.

The issue of the city charter has indeed arisen several times in the past and pre-dating Brown. However, what you claim the council said and what actually happened are different. The city charter was modified and the form of government that PTC has was NOT changed. PTC has what is known as a "strong city manager, weak mayor" form of government. It is stated very clearly in the city charter which you can obtain from the fine folks at PTC City Hall or by reading through the minutes online at the City's website.

Now, whether that charter needs to be changed or not is a different question. What I said and what you cannot understand because you have no idea what the city charter says is that Brown violates the city charter as it is written NOW. Not as it "should be" written, not as some may "wish" it was written, but the actual approved document.

NUK

My response was to the Mayor being called a figurehead.

I posted the revelant Charter provisions above. They outweigh any City level changes that imply otherwise.

Just as with an HOA, a change to the By-Laws in conflict with the Declaration is instantly null and void without affecting the rest of the By-Laws.

A charter itself supercedes all. The City cannot modify it or invalidate any part of it. The city itself cannot change the charter! The legislature has to approve it.

NUK

You don't read.

I said that.

A blog exists on that issue.

Please take your comments on that topic there.

You will see there was an agreement that it needed looked into. There was no declaration of what the outcome should be.

That is a recognition of the now standing governances concerning part-time.

The issue here is being a figurehead or not.