Minutes 12/09/1969 - Laserfiche WebLink

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December 9. 196~ 6.07. High Constable. (a) The citycouncil shall appoint an officer to be known as the high constable, who shall serve at the pleasure of the council and who shall have such powers and duties ~n relation to the municipal court of the city as are now or may hereafter be granted by the general laws of this Commonwealth to city sergeants, and such other powers and duties as the council by ordinance may prescribe. He shall qualify before the court of hustings of the city and give bond in an amount to be determined by the council by ordinance. payable to the City of Portsmouth, and conditioned upon the faithful performance of his duties. (b) The high constable shall receive such fees as are now or may hereafter be prescribed by law for city sergeants. The fees collected by the high constable shall be paid into the treasury of the city regularly, but not less than once a month. All fees and commissions of every kind and character, whether payable by the Commonwealth, the United States, or by private persons, fi~s or corporations, now or hereafter receivable by law or ordinance by the high constable, shall continue to be paid to and collected by him and shall be paid into the treasury of the city, except that the city shall not be requir, ed to pay to him any fees or commissions for services performed for such city. (c) Notwithstanding any provision of general law, the high constable shall be paid a salary out of the treasury of the city as provided by law, which salary shall be in full compensation for his.services and shall be in lieu of the retention by him of any and all official fees and commissions of whatever kind or character, and from whatever source derived; the expenses of his office, including the compensation of deputies and employees, shall be likewise paid out of the treasury of the city. (d) The high constable may appoint such deputies and other employees as may be authorized. Each deputy shall give such bond as the. council by ordinance may prescribe. § 6.08. Collector of Delinquent Taxes. The city council shall appoint a collector for the purpose of collecting delinquent taxes due to said city and may prescribe his duties. He shall serve at the pleasure of the coUncil and shall be subject to the supervision of the city manager. ARTICLE VII Department of Law 7.01. Department of Law. There shall be a department of law which shall consist of the city attorney and such deputy and assistant city attorneys and other employees as may be authorized. 7.02. City Attorney. The head of the department of law shall be the city attorney. attorney at law licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth. He shall the council and shall serve at its pleasure. He shall be an be appointed by 7.03. Powers and Duties. The city attorney shall: (a) Be the chief legal advisor of the council, the city manager and of all depart- ments, boards, commissions and agencies of the city in all matters affecting the interests of the city and shall upon request furnish a written opinion on any question of law involving their respective official powers and duties; (b) At the request of the city manager or any member of the council prepare ordinances for introduction and at the request of the council or any member thereof shall examine any ordinance after introduction and render his opinion as to the form and legality thereof; (c) Draw or approve all bonds, deeds, leases, contracts, or other instruments to which the city is a party or in which it has an interest; (d) Have the management and control of all the law business of the city and the departments, boards, commissions, and agencies ~hereof or in which the city has an interest, and represent the city as counsel in any civil case in which it is interested and, together with the attorney for the Commonwealth, in criminal cases in which the constitt tionality or validity of any ordinance is brought in issue; (e) Institute and prosecute all legal proceedings he shall deem necessary or proper to protect the interests of the city; (f) Attend in person or assign one of his assistants to attend all meetings of the council; (g) Appoint and remove such deputy and assistant city attorneys and other employees as shall be authorized by the council;