St. Tammany Parish

Shall Section 2-13(B) of the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows: "(B) Within fourteen (14) calendar days after the mayor's receipt of an ordinance, it shall be returned to the clerk of the council with the mayor's approval, or with the mayor's veto. The clerk shall record upon the ordinance the date and hour of its receipt from the mayor. If the proposed ordinance is not signed or vetoed by the mayor within fourteen (14) days after receipt, it shall be considered approved. If the ordinance has been approved, it shall be considered finally enacted and become effective as provided in Section 2-12 (ordinances in general). If the ordinance is vetoed, the mayor shall submit to the council through the clerk a written statement of the reasons for veto. The veto statement shall be published in full in the official journal by the clerk as soon as practical thereafter. All ordinances that the mayor vetoes shall be vetoed in full, except that the mayor shall have authority to veto individual appropriation items in the ordinances adopting the operating budget and capital improvement program?"

Shall Section 4-01 of the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows: "Section 4-01. General provisions. (A) Except as otherwise provided by this charter all departments, offices and agencies shall be under the direction and supervision of the mayor, and the heads of all departments created by or under this charter, including the city attorney, shall be appointed by the mayor, subject to confirmation by the council, and shall serve at the pleasure of the mayor. (B) The department head appointments shall be made by the mayor each term of office. The appointments shall be made on or before the second council meeting after the mayor is sworn in. In the event a department head appointment is not approved by the council, a new appointment shall be made on or before sixty (60) days from said disapproval and this process shall continue until the department head is approved?"

Shall the title of Section 4-02 be amended and Section 4-02(E) of the Covington Home Rule Charter be added as follows: Section 4-02. Legal Department. "(E) The city council may employ its own attorney by resolution approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the council?"

Shall Section 4-08 of the Covington Home Rule Charter be replaced by adding the following Section 4-08 to read as follows: "Section 4-08. Planning Department. (A) The head of the planning department shall be the planning director. (B) The planning director shall be responsible for planning and zoning and shall direct all matters concerning the planning and zoning commissions. The planning director shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the mayor." (Shall the current Section 4-08 be renumbered 4-09 and the current Section 4-09 be renumbered 4-10)?

Shall Section 5-04(D) of the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows: "(D) Transfer of Appropriations: At any time during the fiscal year the mayor may transfer such sum as fixed by City Council Ordinance annually from any expenditure account within an approved operating budget of a department, office, or agency except that no such action shall increase or decrease said budget. Any transfer exceeding such sum, during any fiscal year, from any expenditure account within an approved operating budget of a department office or agency must be approved by the council, by resolution, except that no such action shall increase or decrease said budget. An unencumbered appropriation balance may be transferred from one department, office or agency, to another only upon council action by ordinance?"

Shall Section 5-08 of the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows: "Section 5-08. Municipal Indebtedness. The city is empowered to incur debt and issue evidences thereof only in accordance with the constitution and laws of this state?"

Shall the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to create Section 5.11 as follows: "Section 5.11 Service Contracts. City Council may, by ordinance, require advertising and the submission of written proposals for contract services to be rendered to the city?"

Shall Section 7-03 of the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows: "Section 7.03. Code of Ethics. The city may adopt, by ordinance, a code of ethics in accordance with the constitution and laws of this state?"

Shall Section 7-06 of the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to read as follows: "Section 7-06. Judicial Branch. The judicial powers and authority of the City of Covington shall be vested in a Mayor's Court until such court is replaced by a City Court in accordance with State Law?"

Section 7.13. Initiative and Referendum. Shall the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to add Section 7.13 thereto regarding Initiative and Referendum as set forth in Ordinance No. 2008-28.0713 of the Covington City Council?

Shall the Covington Home Rule Charter be amended to add Section 7.14 as follows: "Section 7-14. Council Referendum. The council is hereby authorized to call a referendum on an issue or issues if approved by the favorable vote of at least four-fifths of the authorized membership of the council. The council may call no more than one (1) such election during a calendar year, and no more than three (3) issues shall be proposed at one election?"

Shall the City of Covington, State of Louisiana (the "City"), under the provisions of Article VI, Section 29 of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana of 1974 and other constitutional and statutory authority supplemental thereto, be authorized to levy and collect, and adopt a resolution or ordinance providing for such levy and collection, a tax of one-quarter of one percent (1/4%) (the "Tax") (an estimated $900,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year) upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the consumption, and the storage for use or consumption, of tangible personal property and on sales of service in the City, for a period of twenty (20) years beginning January 1, 2009, with the proceeds of the Tax, after paying reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of collecting and administering the Tax, to be used for paying salaries for the police and fire departments?

Shall Section 2-03(C) of the Slidell Home Rule Charter be deleted and reenacted to read as follows? "1. A vacancy on the Council shall be filled by appointment within fifteen (15) days after the vacancy occurs by a person meeting the qualifications for that office by the favorable vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Council. The appointee shall not have the right to seek the office at the next regular election held for the purpose of filling the office. 2. If the vacancy occurs more than eighteen (18) months before the expiration of the term, the appointee shall serve until the office is filled by the vote of the qualified electors voting in an election called by the Council for that purpose and the person elected assumes the office. In such a case, at the next regularly scheduled meeting after the vacancy occurs, the Council shall call an election to fill the vacancy. The election shall be held according to the timetable and procedures established by state law for the filling of vacancies in elected local offices. 3. The appointee shall be compensated at a rate equal to that of other Council Members for the period served."

Shall Section 2-12(B) of the Slidell Home Rule Charter be deleted and reenacted to read as follows? "1. Within seven (7) calendar days after the mayor's receipt of an ordinance, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and city holidays, it shall be returned to the clerk of the council with the mayor's approval, or with the mayor's veto. If the proposed ordinance is not signed or vetoed by the mayor within seven (7) days after receipt, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and city holidays, it shall be considered approved. The clerk of the council shall record upon the ordinance the date and hour of its receipt from the mayor. If the ordinance has been approved, it shall be considered finally enacted and become effective as provided in Section 2-11 (Ordinances in General). If the ordinance is vetoed, the mayor shall submit to the council through the clerk a written statement of the reasons for veto. The veto statement shall be published in full in the official journal by the clerk as soon as practical thereafter. All ordinances that the mayor vetoes shall be vetoed in full, except that the mayor shall have authority to veto individual appropriation items in the ordinances adopting the operating budget and capital improvement program."

Shall Section 3-04(C) of the Slidell Home Rule Charter be deleted and reenacted to read as follows? "1. If a vacancy in the office of mayor occurs less than one (1) year prior to the expiration of the term of office, the Council member at-large receiving the greatest number of votes shall serve as mayor for the remainder of the term. The appointee shall have the right to seek the office at the next regular election held for the purpose of filling the office. In the event both Council Members at-large received equal numbers of votes at the most recent election for the Council at-large seats, then the appointee shall be determined by a majority vote of the authorized membership of the Council. 2. If a vacancy in the office of mayor occurs more than one (1) year prior to the expiration of the term of office, the Council member at-large receiving the greatest number of votes shall serve as mayor until the office is filled by a vote of the qualified electors voting in a special election called by the Council within fifteen (15) days after the vacancy occurs. The election shall be held according to the timetable and procedures established by state law for the filling of vacancies in elected local offices. The appointee shall have the right to seek the office at the next regular election held for the purpose of filling the office. In the event both Council Members at-large received equal numbers of votes at the most recent election for the Council at-large seats, then the appointee shall be determined by a majority vote of the authorized membership of the Council. 3. The Council member serving as mayor shall not have a vote on the Council or otherwise participate in Council activities as a member thereof while serving as mayor. 4. The Council member serving as mayor shall be compensated at a rate equal to that of the mayor for the period served."

Shall Section 4-05(H) of the Slidell Home Rule Charter be deleted and reenacted to read as follows? "1. If a vacancy in the office of chief of police occurs less than one (1) year prior to the expiration of the term of office, the assistant chief of police shall serve as chief of police for the remainder of the term. 2. If a vacancy in the office of chief of police occurs more than one (1) year prior to the expiration of the term of office, the designated assistant chief of police shall serve as chief of police until the office is filled by a vote of the qualified electors voting in a special election called by the Council within fifteen (15) days after the vacancy occurs. The election shall be held according to the timetable and procedures established by state law for the filling of vacancies in elected local offices. 3. Should the Assistant Chief of Police move into the Chief position in the event that the Office of Chief of Police is vacant, the Assistant Chief of Police shall be compensated at a rate equal to that of the Chief of Police for the period served."

Shall Section 5-09 of the Slidell Home Rule Charter be deleted and reenacted to read as follows? "The city is empowered to incur debt and issue evidences thereof in accordance with the Constitution and laws of this State."

Shall Section 6-01(6) of the Slidell Home Rule Charter be deleted and reenacted to read as follows? "If an initiative ordinance is submitted to a vote of the electors as provided in Section 6-01(4) above, the election shall be held according to the timetable and procedures established by state law for such purposes, preferably in an election already scheduled. Otherwise, a special election shall be called by the Council within fifteen (15) days after the determination to submit the proposal to the electors as provided in Section 6-01(4)(b). The results shall be determined by a majority vote of the electors voting on the proposal."

Shall Section 7-03 of the Slidell Home Rule Charter be deleted and reenacted to read as follows? "The Code of Ethics for the City shall be the Louisiana Code of Ethics as administered by the State of Louisiana."

Shall Fire Protection District No. 11 of the Parish of St. Tammany, State of Louisiana (the "District"), levy a special tax of ten (10) mills on all property subject to taxation in the District for a period of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2010 and ending with the year 2019 (an estimated $130,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year), for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining and/or operating works of public improvement for fire protection purposes and, to the extent permitted by law, providing services to injured or ill persons in emergency situations?

Shall Sub-Drainage District No. 3 of Gravity Drainage District No. 5 of the Parish of St. Tammany, State of Louisiana (the "District"), levy and collect an annual parcel fee of Two Hundred Dollars ($200) on each lot, sub-divided portion of ground and/or individual tract located in the District for a period of twenty (20) years, beginning with the year 2008 and ending with the year 2027 (an estimated $59,600 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of said parcel fee for an entire year), for the purpose of constructing, acquiring, operating and/or maintaining projects, works, improvements and equipment to improve and facilitate drainage within the District and the District being further authorized to fund the proceeds of said parcel fee into bonds to be issued in series from time to time to pay for such capital improvements in the manner provided by law?