The County is referred to in this Charter as "the County" or
"Jefferson County", but its official name is "Jefferson County, Missouri".
Jefferson County is a body corporate and politic.
The boundaries of Jefferson County upon adoption of this Charter
are the same boundaries as immediately before such adoption. The boundaries
of Jefferson County may thereafter change only as prescribed by Missouri
law.
The seat of the County Government is to be in the City of Hillsboro,
Missouri.
1.5.1.
Except as explicitly limited in this Charter or prohibited by the
Missouri Constitution, Jefferson County has all the powers of a county
of the State of Missouri of whatever class and all the powers of all
offices, agencies and departments of counties of the State of Missouri
of whatever class. These powers include those provided by Missouri
Law when this Charter was adopted and those provided by any Missouri
Law adopted later.
1.5.2.
Jefferson County has all powers necessary or incidental to the exercise
of any other power.
1.5.3.
The explicit stating of a power in this Charter or in any Missouri
Law is not to be construed as limiting or denying any other power.
1.6.1.
Except as explicitly stated in this Charter, Jefferson County does
not have any powers respecting the governance or operations of Municipalities
or Special Districts that first class counties of the State of Missouri
not having a charter form of government do not possess under Missouri
Law.
1.6.2.
Jefferson County may not discriminate on the basis of race, creed,
color, age, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or union
membership or non-membership.
1.6.3.
Jefferson County may not abridge any rights of the people that are
protected by the Missouri Constitution or the Constitution of the
United States of America.
1.6.4.
Jefferson County may not impose any tax that is not explicitly authorized
by Missouri Law to be imposed by first class counties of the State
of Missouri.
1.6.5.
Jefferson County may not impose or increase any tax except pursuant
to a proposition submitted for approval of Citizens at a regular or
special election that is approved by at least a majority of the votes
cast on the proposition.
1.6.6.
Jefferson County may not enter into any contract for the performance
of work for Jefferson County unless the contract requires that all
workers performing work under the contract are paid a wage that is
at least the prevailing hourly rate of wages for work of a similar
character in the locality in which the work is performed.
1.6.7.
The power of eminent domain may not be exercised by Jefferson County
to take property for any use except strictly in accordance with Missouri
Law. Jefferson County may not declare blighted for the purpose of
exercising eminent domain any real property primarily used for agricultural
or horticultural purposes. The power of eminent domain may not be
exercised by Jefferson County to take property solely for the purpose
of enhancing tax revenues. The power of eminent domain may not be
exercised by Jefferson County to take property for public use unless
the taking is authorized by an Ordinance by the affirmative vote of
4/7ths of All Council Votes, subject to the power of the County Executive
to veto the Ordinance as provided in this Charter, which veto may
be overridden only by the affirmative vote of 2/3rds of All Council
Votes. The power of eminent domain may not be exercised by Jefferson
County to take property primarily for economic development purposes
unless (1) the taking is authorized by an Ordinance by the affirmative
vote of 5/7ths of All Council Votes, subject to the power of the County
Executive to veto the Ordinance as provided in this Charter, which
veto may be overridden only by the affirmative vote of 3/4ths of All
Council Votes, (2) the owner of the property taken is paid compensation
for the taking equal to the highest of (a) twice the fair market value
of the property as determined in accordance with Missouri Law governing
condemnation awards, or (b) the amount of compensation required to
be paid under Missouri Law, or (c) if the property taken includes
a regularly occupied single-family residence, the cost of reconstructing
a new residence of like kind and quality on substantially similar
land, and (3) if the property taken is regularly occupied by one or
more Persons, whether owners or tenants, they are paid relocation
expenses that are the higher of $1,200.00 per individual or twice
the amount of the actual relocation expenses incurred by them. For
purposes of this Section, the taking of property primarily for economic
development purposes is not to be deemed a taking for public use.
In this Charter, these capitalized words have these meanings:
1.7.1.
Administrator Supervised: supervised by the Director
of Administration after the Transition Period as provided in this
Charter pursuant to policies established by the County Executive.
1.7.2.
All Council Votes: the number of votes that would
be cast by Council Members on any matter if no Council Members'
seats were vacant and all Council Members were present and voting.
1.7.3.
Bill: a proposition to enact an Ordinance that is
introduced by a Council Member or Council Members for consideration
for adoption by the County Council as provided in this Charter.
1.7.4.
Building Codes: codes, standards and regulations
relating to architectural and engineering design, electrical installation,
fire prevention, air and water pollution, and wastewater and sewage
treatment plant construction and installation, mechanical codes and
standards, codes and standards affecting plumbing and pressurized
pipe installation, and other codes, standards and regulations relating
to the construction of public or private facilities or structures.
1.7.5.
Citizen: a person who is a citizen of the United
States of America under the Law.
1.7.6.
County Council: The Jefferson County, Missouri,
Council that is the legislative body of Jefferson County as provided
in this Charter.
1.7.7.
Council District: each district of Jefferson County
from which there is to be a member of the County Council elected as
provided in this Charter.
1.7.8.
Council Member: A Person serving as a member of
the County Council as provided in this Charter.
1.7.9.
County Executive: The Person who holds the office
of County Executive as provided in this Charter.
1.7.10.
County Government: The County Council, the
County Executive, the Director of Administration, all County Officers,
all Departments and their Divisions, and all boards and commissions
established as provided in this Charter or pursuant to Missouri Law.
1.7.11.
County Officer: the County Executive, a Council
Member, or any other Person who holds an elected or appointed County
Office provided for in this Charter or by Ordinance adopted as provided
in this Charter.
1.7.12.
Department: The governmental functions and
the Persons performing those governmental functions for which an elected
or appointed officer has responsibility as provided in this Charter
or as provided by an Ordinance adopted as provided in this Charter.
1.7.13.
Division: The governmental functions and the
Persons performing those functions within a Department that are split
from other governmental functions and Persons performing those other
governmental functions within a Department as provided by an Ordinance
adopted as provided in this Charter.
1.7.14.
Electronic Form: The storage of a document
on any media as a computer file in a commonly used format from which
an accurate facsimile of the document can be readily displayed on
a screen or printed on paper by use of a computer or other device
running reasonably available software.
1.7.15.
Entity: A corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, trust, association or other form of organization
that is not a natural person and that has the right under any Law
to sue or be sued in its own name.
1.7.16.
Merit System: The personnel administration
system established as provided in this Charter.
1.7.17.
Missouri Constitution: The Constitution of
the State of Missouri.
1.7.18.
Missouri Law: The Missouri Constitution, the
statutes of the State of Missouri, and rules, orders and regulations
issued by departments, divisions, bureaus and agencies of the State
of Missouri.
1.7.19.
Municipality: any city, town, or village established
or existing under Missouri Law.
1.7.20.
Law: Missouri Law and the Constitution of the
United States of America, statutes of the United States of America,
and rules, orders and regulations issued by departments, divisions,
bureaus and agencies of the United States of America.
1.7.21.
Ordinance: A Bill enacted by the County Council
and signed by the County Executive as provided in this Charter, or
a Bill enacted by the County Council over the veto of the County Executive
as provided in this Charter, or an enactment by Registered Voters
as provided in ARTICLE X of this Charter.
1.7.22.
Person: A natural person, whether male or female.
1.7.23.
Registered Voter: A Person who is a resident
of Jefferson County and is registered to vote in Jefferson County.
1.7.24.
Special District: any fire protection district,
ambulance district, water district, sewer district or other district
established or existing under Missouri Law which has the power under
Missouri Law to impose or collect a tax on property or sales within
that district or which provides utility services within that district,
excluding school districts.
1.7.25.
Transition Executive: a Person serving as Transition
Executive as provided in this Charter.
1.7.26.
Transition Period: the period from the adoption
of this Charter until all Transition Executive offices are to be deemed
eliminated as provided in this Charter.
