Mayor and City Council Members
Mayor
The Mayor for the City of Brown City is an elected two year position with elections occurring on even numbered years. The Mayor's responsibilities include:
- The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the City and shall be recognized as head of the City Government for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purposes of military law
- Shall be a member of the City Council and shall preside at meetings of the Council
- Represent the City in intergovernmental relationships
- Appoint with the advise and consent of the Council members of citizen advisory boards and commissions
- Present an annual State of the City message
- The Mayor shall only vote at a meeting of the City Council when the vote of the Mayor is necessary to break a tie vote
- The Mayor shall have no administrative duties
Mayor Laura Carpenter
Laura was elected to the City Council of the City of Brown City in April 1997. She was reelected in November 1999, and served as the Mayor Pro-Tem during both terms.
Laura was elected Mayor in November 2002, and reelected Mayor in November 2004. Laura moved to Brown City in 1970.
She is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Laura is also active on the Brown City Festival Committee.
City Council
The six City Council members are elected at large from the entire City, and each represents the City as a whole. They are elected by the registered voters of the City and serve a two year term.
The Council's duties and responsibilities include:
- Adopting and amending City laws
- Determining City policies and standards
- Determining how money is spent, and for what purposes
- Determining what City taxes shall be
- Approving contracts and agreements
- As a whole, representing the City of Brown City
A City Council Meeting is the process of making and amending laws, developing policy and making decisions. Governing your City by citizens elected by you.
The Council follows a regular order of business in the conduct of its meetings. The agenda is prepared in advance and subjects on it usually have been investigated by the City Manager or a Department Head, so that the Council can have all available facts. Copies of the agenda are available at City Hall.
Business presented to the Council is disposed of by one of the following methods:
- Communications: A motion is ordinarily used to indicate majority approval of a procedural action
- Public Hearing: This gives the public audience an opportunity to make comments upon a particular subject that the Council is considering
- Resolution: A resolution may be passed to approve contracts, to express the policy of the Council, or to direct certain types of administration action. It requires only one reading before Council action may be voted upon by a roll call or voice vote.
- Ordinances: An ordinance is a "legislative act" having the force of law. An ordinance becomes a law:
- immediately upon passage if it is determined to be an emergency to public health, safety, or welfare
- on the effective date specified in the ordinance, or 30 days following adoption of the ordinance, whichever is later.
The Current City Council
Dan Loutzenhiser
Christine Lee
William Walters
Ross McIvor
Julie Miller
Patricia Jacobson