The City of Mason operates under a council / city manager form of government, which combines the strong political leadership of elected officials with the strong managerial experience of an appointed local government manager. General legislative power lies with City Council, the elected representatives of the citizens. Council hires the City Manager to be the government's full-time Chief Administrative Officer.

The city council consists of seven members of the community who are elected at-large to serve staggered four-year terms. Half of council is elected every two years. The council establishes law and policy by passing ordinances and resolutions. The Council also appoints the city manager, adopts the city budget, approves appropriations and contracts in the city's name, and levies taxes. The mayor is elected by Council, from among its members, for a two-year term and presides at City Council meetings. Council also appoints the clerk of council and law director.

City Council use a committee system to help with matters that come before the council. Committees research, discuss, and evaluate issues and topics and make recommendations to the full council.

The city manager oversees the daily operations of the city, implements council objectives, oversees the staff, prepares the annual budget and administers it after adoption by council, keeps Council advised on the financial needs of the city, and supervises the purchase of all materials, supplies, and equipment. The city manager is not expected to perform all these duties alone, and hires qualified individuals to help with specific tasks.

COUNCIL MEETINGS

City Council meetings are open to the public and held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers on the first floor of the Mason Municipal Center, 6000 Mason-Montgomery Road.

Click here to view council meetings on the web.

COUNCIL ACTIONS

There are several types of actions considered by Council during the meetings.

Ordinances are formal enactments of laws. They include regulations, purchases of equipment, authorization of contracts, and other formal action. Enacted ordinances are codified for easy reference.

Resolutions are non-regulatory actions by Council and are used to recognize noteworthy accomplishments or events, to state the intentions of Council, or to request action from other legislative bodies.

Proclamations are ceremonial acts, usually to proclaim an event recognized in the City of Mason.

SPECIAL MEETINGS

Public Hearings are required by the Ohio Revised Code for certain proposed changes to the Mason City Code, zoning map, use permits, and other issues. They provide an opportunity for citizens' views to be heard. Notices to adjacent residents are mailed by the city and public hearings are advertised in the legal section of the Pulse-Journal or the Community Press newspapers. Any resident may attend a public hearing.

Executive Sessions are closed meetings of City Council. They may be held only for the purposes specifically provided by law: discussion of specific personnel cases, disposition of publicly held property, investment of public funds, and consultation with legal counsel regarding pending litigation. No formal action is taken in an executive session.

Work Sessions are meetings of the full council to discuss matters coming before the council. They allow more time for in-depth review and discussion than would be available in a normal council meeting. Work sessions are open to the public. No formal action is taken in a work session.