City Council

About Us

Six Council members are elected to serve four-year overlapping terms.  As required by the City Charter, qualified candidates for City Council must be 21 years of age and a resident of the city for 12 months immediately prior to the date of the election of members of the City Council.  It is the duty of City Council to set policies for the operation of the city, to approve annual budgets, to set millage rates for property taxes, to adopt ordinances and to act on rezoning and annexation requests. 

Regular Council meetings are held on the first Monday of each month beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the council chambers of city hall, 456 E. Howell Street, Hartwell.  Work sessions or called meetings are convened on an as-needed basis.  Four councilmembers shall constitute a quorum and shall be authorized to transact the business of the city council.  A vote of a majority of councilmembers present shall be required for the adoption of any ordinance, resolution, or motion.  In the event of a tie vote by councilmembers, it shall be the duty of the Mayor to cast a deciding vote. 

Upon adoption of all ordinances by the City Council, the Mayor shall approve or disapprove of an ordinance within five calendar days of receipt of the ordinance and return the ordinance to the City Manager.  If an ordinance is vetoed by the Mayor, the City Council may adopt the ordinance by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members during the next general meeting, at which time the ordinance shall become law.