City Government

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The City of Carlisle has a Mayor-Council form of government. The Mayor, City Attorney, and and City Clerk are all part-time, salaried officials who are elected to four year terms of office. The District Judge is a full-time state employee who is elected to a four year term of office. Carlisle's Treasurer is currently a full-time, salaried employee who is appointed by and reports to the Mayor. The city is divided into three wards, each represented by two City Council members. Council members are elected at large and serve two year terms of office. All city officials, with the exception of the District Judge, and council members run as Independent candidates, and are popularly elected during the November general elections. The District Judge is a non-partisan office and is elected during the preferential primary elections.

The duties and powers of the Mayor include:
• Working with the City Council to decide policy and to formulate goals and objectives for the city.
• Functioning as the city's chief executive officer and presiding over City Council meetings.
• Voting when it is necessary to break a tie vote of the members of the Council.
• The power to veto any ordinance or resolution.
• Making appointments to city boards and commissions.
• Preparing and administering the city's budget.
• The hiring and firing of city department heads.
• Performing official ceremonies such as marriages.
• Signing city documents and representing the city at official proceedings.
• Delivering the annual "State of the City" address.

The duties of the City Council include:
• Considering any matters brought to its attention or initiated by a council member, city official or resident of the city.
• Making and amending laws in the form of ordinances.
• Making decisions and developing policy, usually in the form of resolutions.
• Approving the city's budget.

The duties of the Clerk include:
• Serving as the custodian of official city records, ordinances and resolutions.
• Recording the minutes of City Council meetings.

The duties of the Treasurer include:
• Serving as the city's bookkeeper and maintaining the financial affairs of the city in good order.
• Keeping the Mayor and Council informed of the city's financial status.
• Managing the city's human resources function.

The duties of the District Judge include:
• Hearing and rendering decisions in all small claims and civil actions brought before the Carlisle District Court.
• Hearing and rendering decisions in all traffic and criminal cases brought before the Carlisle District Court.
• Issuing warrants of arrest, criminal summonses, search warrants, and other official court orders and documents.

The duties of the City Attorney include:
• Representing the city in legal matters.
• Acting as legal advisor to the Mayor and City Council.
• Prosecuting criminal and traffic cases in the Carlisle District Court.