GOVERNMENT

Kirtland Residents are reminded to state "Kirtland, not Willoughby when zip codes automatically come up in computer systems or when asked for their place of residence, as that is how tax dollars are given to their residential city, for sales tax, license plates on motor vehicles and gasoline taxes.

Kirtland's school tax district is 4318, which also helps allocate state income tax collections, and needs to be placed on your individual Ohio State Income Tax Form at years-end.

Kirtland is situated in the 19th congressional district and 70th house district.

The city operates under and is governed by its Charter, first adopted by the voters in 1970 and which has been and may be amended by the voters from time to time, mostly recently in the November 2000 election.

The City is also subject to some general laws applicable to all cities. Under the Ohio Constitution, the City may exercise all powers of local self-government, and police powers to the extent not in conflict with applicable general laws. The Charter provides for a Mayor-Council form of Government.

Legislative authority is vested in a seven-member Council. since Kirtland is divided into four wards, three members are elected at-large and four are elected from wards (one from each ward), for two-year terms. The Council fixes compensation of City officials and employees, and enacts ordinances and resolutions relating to the city services, tax levies, appropriating and borrowing money, licensing and regulating businesses and trades, and other municipal purposes. The presiding officer is the president who is elected by the Council for a one-year term. The Charter establishes certain administrative departments; the Council may establish divisions of those departments, and additional departments.

The City's chief executive and administrative officer is the Mayor, who currently serves a four-year term. The mayor appoints, subject to the approval of Council, all of the directors of City departments. The major appointed officials are the Directors of Law and Finance. As permitted by the Charter, the Mayor currently also serves as the Director of Public Safety and the Director of Public Service. The Mayor also appoints members to a number of boards and commission, subject to confirmation by Council, and appoints and removes, in accordance with civil service requirements, all appointed officers and employees, except Council officers and employees. He may not remove the Directors of Finance and Law without the concurrence of two-thirds of Council. The Mayor may veto any legislation passed by the Council. A veto may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of all members of the Council. All elected officials serve part-time.