Detroit Charter

The Detroit Charter and City Government

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ARTICLE 9. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

CHAPTER 4. SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Annotations By: Jacqueline Bejma

Sec. 9-401. Board of Review

The city council may serve as (if allowed by law) or appoint a board of review to hear appeals from property tax assessments

An appointed board shall consist of at least seven (7) members appointed from each district

The board has duties and powers as provided by law

Also, this section has been revised to clarify that City Council may sit as a Board of Review only to the extent permitted by law.

The City Council may, by ordinance, sit as a Board of Review to the extent allowed by law, or appoint a Board of Review to hear and determine appeals from property tax assessments. The board shall possess the duties and powers provided by law, which may be exercised by the whole board or by committees thereof. An appointed board shall consist of at least seven (7) members appointed from each of the non at-large districts.

Appeals from decisions of the board shall be taken in the manner provided by law.

Sec. 9-402. Hospitals

The city will provide for the operation of any city hospital or public health agency by ordinance

The ordinance may provide for administration by a commission that can appoint a director and deputy director

The City shall provide, by ordinance, for the operation of any city hospital by a division of a public health agency, by a department of hospitals, or by a non-profit public corporation.

Notwithstanding section 5-103, the ordinance may provide for the administration of a hospital by a commission which may appoint a director and deputy director, exempt from Article 6, Chapter 4. Such an ordinance and any amendment to it shall originate with the Mayor, except that an ordinance, providing for the operation of a city hospital by a non-profit public corporation, and any amendment thereto, may originate with either the Mayor or the City Council.

Sec. 9-403. Revision Question

The question of charter revision will be submitted to the voters every 4th gubernatorial election beginning in 2018

A primary election for office of charter revision commissioners will be held at the same time

The question of whether there shall be a general revision of the City Charter shall be submitted to the voters of the City of Detroit at the gubernatorial primary of 2018, and at every fourth (4th) gubernatorial primary thereafter and may be submitted at other times in the manner provided by law. A primary election shall be held for the offices of Charter Revision Commissioners at the same election and shall be void if the proposition to revise is not adopted. If the proposition to revise is adopted, Charter Revision Commissioners shall be elected at the ensuing general election for governor.

Sec. 9-404. Schools

Every resident has the right to an education

City government must help schools to provide this education

Every resident of Detroit has a right to an education that will permit the full development of his or her potential. City government has a responsibility to cooperate with the school districts serving the people of Detroit in the achievement of this objective and to exercise such influence and to provide such ancillary or supplemental services to the people or to the school districts as may be necessary or helpful in the furtherance of this objective.

Sec. 9-405. Elimination of Redundancy in Government

The city has the power of eminent domain

Eminent domain can be exercised with any procedure authorized by law or ordinance

Private property cannot be taken without just compensation

The city can provide supplemental compensation by ordinance

Within 180 days of the effective date of this Charter, the Executive and Legislative branches, and City Clerk shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its programs, services, activities, policies and operations to identify and eliminate any redundancy.

Similar evaluations should take place in the 1st quarter of every year thereafter

The evaluation should yield a compiled report for the City of Detroit entitled “Report on Elimination of Redundancy”, which, at a minimum, outlines the efforts and means taken to identify redundancy, makes findings on redundancy and details methods implemented to eliminate, reduce or avoid redundancy.

The report shall be published and presented to City Council and the Auditor General in April of the year of its completion.

As much as practicable attempts shall be made to realign service delivery systems and eliminate operational duplication and inefficiency, which may include cooperative agreements with other government entities as allowed by law.

Every effort shall be made by city elective officers, employees, and branches and units of government to reduce duplication of efforts and increase and maintain efficiency in the operations of city government.

Within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of this Charter, the Executive and Legislative branches, and City Clerk shall conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its programs, services, activities, policies and operations to identify and eliminate any redundancy. Thereafter, the evaluations shall be made within the first quarter of the year following the regular city general election. Each evaluation shall result in a compiled report of the City of Detroit entitled “Report on Elimination of Redundancy”, which, at a minimum, outlines the efforts and means taken to identify redundancy, makes findings on redundancy and details methods implemented to eliminate, reduce or avoid redundancy. The report shall be published and presented to City Council and the Auditor General in April of the year of its completion.

As much as practicable attempts shall be made to realign service delivery systems and eliminate operational duplication and inefficiency, which may include cooperative agreements with other government entities as allowed by law.

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