Pocahontas Mayor

Pocahontas Arkansas is a First Class City with a population of about 6,200. The city has a Mayor-Council form of government. The regular council meetings are the second Tuesday of every month at 6:00 P.M.

Mayor Keith Sutton

pocmayor@cityofpocahontas.com

Administrative Assistant
Charlotte Tribble
Tel: (870) 892-3924
E-mail: admasst@cityofpocahontas.com

Legislative Duties of the Mayor

In all municipalities in Arkansas, the mayor presides over the meetings of the council in cities and towns with mayor / council form of government. The mayor may vote when the mayor’s vote is needed to pass any ordinance, by law, resolution, or motion.
After the passage of an ordinance setting the procedure for special council meetings, the mayor has the authority to call the council into session for a special meeting.
The mayor is required to sign all ordinances, resolutions, and city council minutes.
If provided by council rules, the mayor may introduce ordinances and resolutions and recommend policy.
The mayor in cities and towns with the mayor / council form of government may veto and ordinance, resolution, or order adopted by the council. Councils may override the veto by two-thirds vote of the total membership of the council.

Administrative Duties of the Mayor

Mayors of cities and towns with mayor / council form of government are required to prepare and submit a budget to the city council for approval on or before December 1 of each year.
All mayors of cities of the first class must submit to the city council within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year a complete report on the financial and administrative activities of the city during the previous fiscal year. (State of the city report)
The mayor administers the day-to-day activities and supervises the city department heads and officers.

The Mayor's duties of Appointment and Removal

Legislative Duties of the Mayor

Appointment:

Mayors of cities of the first class without civil service have the absolute right to appoint the police chief, fire chief, and all department heads. The council has no say in the matter.

Unless otherwise provided by state law, mayors in all cities with the mayor / council form of government have the power to appoint and remove department heads. (City councils have the authority to override the mayor’s action by two-thirds votes of all members.)

The Mayor may appoint:

Airport Commission
Parks and Recreations Committee
Water Commission

Suspension:

The mayor of a first class city with mayor / council form of government with non – civil service fire and police departments may suspend the fire or police chief for inefficiency, misconduct, or neglect of duty until the next meeting of the city council. At that meeting, the mayor shall lay the matter before the council. Unless his action is approved and the chief is removed from office at the meeting within 5 days thereafter, by a majority vote of the council-elect, the suspension shall cease.