City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Mayor and City Council

Click here for more in-depth explanations of some issues raised during Council meetings.

The Cedar Rapids City Council consists of eight council members plus the mayor. The mayor and three council members are elected at large. The remaining five council members are elected by voters of their district. The council operates on part-time basis and meets regularly in both formal session and informal staff meetings.

Citizen participation is very important and is achieved through various methods, including the election process, serving on one of many advisory boards and commissions, speaking at council meetings and other public hearings, and personal interaction with council members and other city officials.

See below for annotated excerpts from the Cedar Rapids Home Rule Charter, relevant to the City Council duties, and limitations. Other provisions may be found in the Cedar Rapids Municipal Code, which is based on the Home Rule Charter.

Section 2.01. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES.
All powers of the city shall be vested in the city council, except as otherwise provided by law or this charter, and the council shall provide for the exercise of these powers and for the performance of all duties and obligations imposed on the city by law.

(b) Terms. At the first regular city election under this charter, all nine council members are to be elected, including the mayor. With respect to the three council members elected at large, the two elected council members who receive the highest number of votes are elected for four-year terms. The remaining council member will be elected for an initial term of two years. Council members elected from Council District 1 and Council District 3 and Council District 5 shall be elected for four-year terms and council members elected from Council District 2 and Council District 4 shall be elected for an initial term of two years. Commencing at the next regular election and at all subsequent elections, all council members shall be elected for four-year terms.

Section 2.06. MAYOR.
(a) Powers and Duties. The mayor shall be a voting member of the city council and shall attend and preside at meetings of the council and shall represent the city in intergovernmental relationships, appoint with the advice and consent of the council the members of citizen advisory boards and commissions, present an annual state-of-the-city message by February 28 of each year, appoint the members and officers of council committees and serve as an ex-officio member thereof, assign council agenda items subject to the consent of council, coordinate economic development activities of the city, and perform other duties specified by the council. The mayor shall be recognized as the head of city government for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purposes of military law but shall have no administrative duties. The mayor shall not have the power to veto city council legislation.

(b) Election. At each applicable regular election, the voters of the city shall elect a mayor at large for a term of four years.

(c) Mayor Pro Tem. The council shall elect from among its members a mayor pro tem who shall act as mayor during the absence or disability of the mayor and, if a vacancy occurs, shall become mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(d) Long Term Planning Commission. Once every three years beginning in 2006, the mayor shall appoint with the advice and consent of the council a commission of twenty persons at least fifteen of whom shall be residents of the city of Cedar Rapids. The commission shall be chaired by the mayor. The commission members shall be generally representative of the Cedar Rapids and regional community. The commission shall develop a long-term plan with recommended goals and objectives for the city. The commission shall complete its work within six months and submit its long-term plan to the city council. The plan shall be published in a local newspaper of general circulation in Cedar Rapids. The city council shall provide funds to cover reasonable expenses of the commission.

Section 2.07. APPOINTMENTS.
The city council shall appoint the following city officers:
(a) City manager.
(b) City clerk.
(c) City attorney.
(d) The city council shall fix the amount of compensation, if any, of persons it appoints and shall provide for the method of compensation of other city employees.

Section 2.08. RULES AND RECORDS.
City council shall determine its own rules and maintain records of its proceedings as allowed by law.

Section 2.09. VACANCIES.
The city council shall fill vacancies occurring in elective city offices as provided by Iowa law.

Section 2.10. COUNCIL ACTION.
Passage of an ordinance, amendment, or resolution requires a majority vote of all of the members of the council except as otherwise provided by law. Passage of a motion requires a majority vote of a quorum of the council.

Section 2.11. PROHIBITIONS.
(a) Holding Other Offices. Except where authorized by law, no council member shall hold any other elected public office during the term for which the member was elected to the council. No council member shall hold any other city office or employment during the term for which the member was elected. With the exception of a former city employee on leave of absence, no former council member shall hold any compensated appointive office or employment with the city until one year after the expiration of the term for which the member was elected unless granted a waiver by resolution adopted by the city council. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the council from selecting any current or former council member to represent the city on the governing board of any regional or other intergovernmental agency.

(b) Appointments and Removals. Except with respect to its advice and consent responsibilities in connection with the hiring or discharge of the chiefs of the fire and police departments, neither the city council nor any of its members shall control or demand the appointment or removal of any city administrative officer or employee whom the city manager or any subordinate of the city manager is empowered to appoint, but the council may express its views and fully and freely discuss with the city manager anything pertaining to the appointment and removal of such officers and employees. Further, a council member may not interfere with the supervision or direction of any person appointed by or under the control of the city manager.

Section 2.12. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.
Council members, including the mayor, may be removed from office as provided by Iowa law.