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Duties & Responsibilities of the Mayor

Duties & Responsibilities of the Mayor

 

The Chief Executive Officer & Chief Elected Official of most villages in New York State is the Mayor. In Elmsford the Mayor is elected to a four year term.

Village Law Section 4-400 empowers the Mayor to:

  • Preside at the meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Mayor may vote on any matter before the board. In addition, the Mayor must vote in the case of a tie. While the Mayor has the power to preside over these meetings, the Mayor has only one vote, which is equal to vote of the trustees. Village Mayors do not have the power to veto any board action.
  • Appoint all non-elected officers & employees. Mayoral appointments are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees. The Mayor is permitted to vote on all Board approval of Mayoral appointments. The Mayor may delegate the power to appoint certain employees to other village officers or employees, but these appointments are also subject to Board approval.
  • Appoint one of the Trustees to serve as Deputy Mayor, who serves in the Mayor’s absence or inability to serve. This appointment is not subject to board approval. The Mayor should appoint the Deputy Mayor at the annual meeting. During the Mayor’s absence or inability to serve, the Deputy Mayor is vested with all the powers of the Mayor. If the Mayor’s office becomes vacant, the Deputy Mayor does not automatically become Mayor. Rather, the Deputy Mayor performs the duties and functions of the Mayor until the Board of Trustees fills the vacancy in the office of the Mayor. The Deputy Mayor should not be referred to as the “acting” Mayor or “temporary” Mayor.
  • Appoint individuals to fill vacancies in both elected and appointed offices when the vacancy occurs before the expiration of the term. Mayoral appointments to fill vacancies that occur before the expiration of the term are not subject to Board approval.
  • Enforce and prosecute all violations of the laws, rules and regulations. This is largely done through the Village Police Department and various enforcement officers, such as the Building Inspectors, Code Enforcement Officers, and Parking Enforcement Officers.
  • Supervise the Police and other subordinate Officers of the Village.

             Note that members of the Village Board of Trustees do not have any authority to  

             supervise or direct subordinate Village Officers or Employees.

  • Intervene in any and all actions, at the direction of the Board, where deemed necessary to protect the rights of the Village and its inhabitants.
  • Serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of each Board of Commissioners.
  • Serve as the Village’s Licensing Officer. The Mayor may designate another Village Officer to act as Licensing Officer by filling the designation with the Village Clerk.
  • Execute all contracts in the Village’s name.
  • Sign checks, only if the Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer are absent or unable, and when authorized by the Board of Trustees. If the Board of Trustees has authorized the Mayor to sign checks, the authorization must be by resolution or local law, a certified copy of which must be provided to the bank.
  • Investigate all contract claims made against the Village. To carry out the investigations, the Mayor may issue subpoenas to compel persons, including the claimant, to appear and testify before the Mayor Village Clerk, or Village Counsel.
  • Insuring that the local code of ethics is distributed to every officer and employee.
  • Requesting the service of outside Police.
  • Can Declare a Local State of Emergency.       
  • Perform marriages within the Village.           
  • The Mayor has other statutory responsibilities including, but limited to the above.