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Charter of Cuyahoga County




Charter of Cuyahoga County

We, the people of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, desire a reformed County Government to significantly improve the County's  economic competitiveness. With it, the taxpayers of Cuyahoga County can have: (1) focused, effective and accountable leadership; (2) job creation and economic growth as a fundamental government purpose, thereby helping the County do a better job of creating and retaining jobs and ensuring necessary and essential health and human services; (3) collaborative leadership with Cleveland, suburbs and others within the public and private sectors; (4) an improved focus on equity for all our communities and citizens; (5) long-term regional and global competitiveness; and (6) significant taxpayer savings by streamlining and eliminating unnecessary elected offices.

Desiring to secure for ourselves and for our successors the benefits of self-determination as to local matters that are afforded by the assumption of home rule powers for this County and the establishment of a county government that provides for the separation of administrative and legislative powers and for a more representative and accountable form of governance for this County, We, the people, adopt this Charter of Cuyahoga County.



 TABLE OF CONTENTS


ARTICLE I--CORPORATE POWERS, RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES
Section 1.01 Name, Boundaries and Powers.
Section 1.02 Powers Limited.
Section 1.03 Construction.

ARTICLE II--ELECTED COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Section 2.01 County Executive.
Section 2.02 Compensation.
Section 2.03 Powers and Duties.
Section 2.04 Vacancy.
Section 2.05 Investigations by County Executive.

ARTICLE III--THE COUNCIL
Section 3.01 Election.
Section 3.02 Term of Office.
Section 3.03 Residency Requirement.
Section 3.04 Council Districts.
Section 3.05 Council Vacancies.
Section 3.06 Council Vacancies; No Party Affiliation.
Section 3.07 Vacancies; Length of Appointment.
Section 3.08 Compensation.
Section 3.09 Powers and Duties of the Council.
Section 3.10 Organization, Rules and Procedures.
Section 3.11 Initiative and Referendum.
Section 3.12 Investigations by Council.

ARTICLE IV--ELECTED PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
Section 4.01 Prosecuting Attorney: Election, Duties and Qualifications.

ARTICLE V--APPOINTED OFFICERS
Section 5.01 Appointment; Confirmation by Council.
Section 5.02 Fiscal Officer: Powers, Duties and Qualifications.
Section 5.03 Medical Examiner: Powers, Duties and Qualifications.
Section 5.04 Clerk of the Courts: Powers and Duties.
Section 5.05 Director of Public Works: Powers, Duties and Qualifications.
Section 5.06 Director of Law: Powers, Duties and Qualifications.
Section 5.07 County Treasurer: Powers, Duties and Qualifications.


ARTICLE VI--BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Section 6.01 Budget Commission.
Section 6.02 Board of Revision.
Section 6.03 Other Boards and Commissions.
Section 6.04 Special Boards and Commissions.

ARTICLE VII--ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Section 7.01 County Economic Development.
Section 7.02 Department of Development.
Section 7.03 Director of Development: Appointment and Qualifications.
Section 7.04 Economic Development Commission.
Section 7.05 Economic Development Plan.








ARTICLE VIII--HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Section 8.01 Department of Health and Human Services.
Section 8.02 Director of Health and Human Services: Appointment,
Duties and Qualifications.

ARTICLE IX--COUNTY EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
Section 9.01 Personnel Review Commission.
Section 9.02 Authority of Personnel Review Commission.
Section 9.03 Classification.
Section 9.04 Appointing Authorities.
Section 9.05 Department of Human Resources.
Section 9.06 Director of Human Resources:  Powers, Duties and Qualifications.

ARTICLE X--PURCHASING
Section 10.01 Department of Purchasing.

ARTICLE XI--INTERNAL AUDITING
Section 11.01 County Audit Committee.
Section 11.02 Department of Internal Auditing.
Section 11.03 Director of Internal Auditing: Appointment,
Duties and Qualifications.
Section 11.04 Authority of Department of Internal Auditing.

ARTICLE XII--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 12.01 Effective Date of Charter.
Section 12.02 Removal of Elected Officials by Recall.
Section 12.03 Forfeiture of Office.
Section 12.04 Reporting of Offers to Influence Official Action.
Section 12.05 Meetings of Governmental Bodies to be Public.
Section 12.06 Records of Governmental Bodies to be Public.
Section 12.07 Equal Opportunity.
Section 12.08 Employee Rights.
Section 12.09 Charter Review Commission.
Section 12.10 Charter Amendments.
Section 12.11 Rearrangement, Reprinting of, and Correction of
Typographical Errors in the Charter.
Section 12.12 Severability.

ARTICLE XIII--TRANSITION TO CHARTER GOVERNMENT
Section 13.01 Offices Abolished.
Section 13.02 Initial Election of County Officers.
Section 13.03 Officers and Employees.
Section 13.04 Departments, Offices and Agencies.
Section 13.05 Pending Matters.
Section 13.06 Laws in Force.
Section 13.07 Transition Advisory Group.

ARTICLE XIV-CITIZENS' VOTING RIGHTS
Section 14.01 Fundamental Right.
Section 14.02 Voting Protection and Promotion

ARTICLE XV-AGENCY OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
Section 15.01 Agency of Inspector General

ARTICLE XVI-SHERIFF
Section 16.01 Sheriff

APPENDIX A INITIAL COUNCIL DISTRICTS

CERTIFICATION OF CHARTER AMENDMENTS