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II. Scope and applicability Since this handbook is not intended to be an exhaustive resource, finding additional places for information is a must. This handbook contains citations in the margins to Minnesota state statutes and other resources to help mayors find more information on a given topic. In addition to the city's administrative staff and attorney, mayors will find state agencies often have answers to their The League of Minnesota questions. Always remember when a problem comes along, it's likely someone Cities is the secretariat of the Minnesota Mayors Association. somewhere in the state has run Into the same sorts of Issues. Don't hesitate to Both can be reached at (651) consult fellow mayors of the Minnesota Mayors Association or the staff of the 281-1200 or (800) 925-1122. League of Minnesota Cities. They have decades of collective experience and are always eager to help. This handbook is, of course, for mayors of Minnesota cities. As such, it's written to generally describe the powers, authority, and responsibilities of Minn. Const. Artx11, § 4. mayors in most Minnesota cities. However, the state constitution allows for home rule charter cities, which can uniquely define mayoral roles and authority. On top of this, charter cities may have any administrative form of Minn. stat. § 410.16. government "not inconsistent with [either] Constitution or statute." Given the variables this creates, mayors of charter cities should review their city's charter to see if their authority, powers, or responsibilities deviate from what is presented in this handbook. Chapter 2: Legal requirements This chapter is intended to provide an overview of legal powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as some key areas of municipal law for mayors to know. There are some powers that all mayors possess by law but, many aspects of the office are affected by whether the city is a statutory city or a charter city. Additionally, a city's administrative structure will determine the extent of authority the mayor and council have over day-to-day affairs. I. Statutory or home rule charter The legal powers a mayor possesses mostly depend upon whether a city is governed by state statute alone, or by a home rule charter as well as state statute. The central difference between home rule charter cities and statutory cities in Minnesota is the enabling documents under which they operate: The Handbook for Minnesota • Statutory cities derive their powers from Minnesota Statutes, primarily Cities: The Statutory City. from Chapter 412. The Handbook for Minnesota • Home rule charter cities obtain their powers from both statute and a home Cities: The Home Rule Charter rule charter. City. Minnesota Mayors Association Chapter 1 4