The mayor and council members of the city shall be elected for terms of four years, to be staggered so that not more than one-half of the council and mayor shall be elected in the same general election. (Prior code § 1-2-1)

* For provisions regarding election of governing body, see Section 1.28.010 et seq. of this code.

Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term at the next regular election or at a special election if the vacancy occurs one hundred eighty days or more prior to the next general election. (Prior code § 1-2-2)

(a) Effective upon the commencement date of the terms of two or more council members elected during the general election held on November 4, 2003.
(1) The salaries of council members shall be the sum of two hundred dollars per month; and
(2) The salary of the mayor shall be the sum of three hundred dollars per month.
(b) (1) Council members and the mayor shall either receive payment in advance or obtain reimbursement of actual expenses incurred during the performance of their duties as council members and mayor.
(2) Expenses likely to be incurred by the mayor and council members shall be anticipated in so far as possible and shall be provided for in the annual budget.
(c) This chapter shall take effect upon its adoption by the mayor and council. (Ord.
O-01-04, 2004: prior code § 1-2-3)

The mayor and council members, before entering upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take the oath prescribed by the Constitution of the state for such officers, together with the following oath, to-wit:

“As mayor (or council member) of the City of Travelers Rest, I will equally, fairly and impartially, to the best of my ability and skill, exercise the trust reposed in me, and I will use my best endeavors to preserve the peace and carry into effect, according to law, the purposes for which I have been elected. So help me God.”

(Prior code § 1-2-4)

All legislative and administrative powers and determination of policy matters shall be vested in the council. Each council member, including the mayor, shall have one vote. (Prior code § 1-2-5)

Without limiting the powers and responsibilities vested in the city council, the council shall:
(1) Annually adopt a budget;
(2) Authorize the issuance of bonds by a bond ordinance, subject to such restrictions and limitations as may be prescribed by law;
(3) Enact ordinances of every nature and kind not prohibited by the law and Constitution of South Carolina or of the United States;
(4) Provide for an independent annual audit of the financial records and business affairs of the municipality;
(5) Provide for the general health and welfare of the municipality in accordance with the law of the state with reference to the general police powers granted to municipalities. (Prior code § 1-2-6)

The council shall, at the first meeting of the newly constituted council after any general election for municipal council, elect one of its members as mayor pro tempore for a term of two years. The mayor pro tempore shall act as mayor during the absence or disability of the mayor, or in case of a vacancy in the office of mayor. (Prior code § 1-2-7)

The council members shall attend all regular and special meetings of the council, except when excused from so doing by the council, and shall hold themselves at all times in readiness to perform any duty entrusted to them by the council. Council members shall perform the duties thus imposed upon them with dispatch and to the best of their abilities. (Prior code § 1-2-8)

* For provisions regarding meetings of council, see Section 1.12.100 et seq. of this code.

The mayor shall have a vote as a member of council on all matters presented to council. (Prior code § 1-2-9)

The mayor shall not absent himself from the city for more than forty-eight hours at any one time without notifying the mayor pro tempore of his intention to leave. (Prior code § 1-2-10)

A state of emergency shall be deemed to exist whenever, during times of great public crisis, disaster, rioting, civil disturbance, catastrophe or for any other reason, municipal police department authorities are unable to maintain public water or accord adequate protection for lives, safety, health, welfare, or property. (Prior code § 1-2-21)

Whenever in the judgment of the mayor, or the mayor pro tempore in the event of the mayor’s inability to act, it is determined that an emergency exists as a result of mob action or other civil disobedience causing danger or injury to or damage to persons or property, he shall have power to impose by proclamation any or all of the regulations contained within this article necessary to preserve peace and order. (Prior code § 1-2-22)

The mayor may order a curfew imposed upon all or any portion of the city, thereby requiring all persons in such designated curfew areas to forthwith remove themselves from the public streets, alleys, parks, or other public places; provided, however, that physicians, nurses, and ambulance operators performing medical services, utility personnel maintaining essential public services and police officers and personnel may exempted from certain curfew. (Prior code § 1-2-23)

The mayor may order the closing of any business establishment in the city during the period of an emergency. (Prior code § 1-2-24)

The mayor may designate any public street, thoroughfare, or vehicle parking area closed to motor vehicles and pedestrian traffic in an emergency. (Prior code § 1-2-25)

The mayor may call upon regular and auxiliary law enforcement agencies and organizations within or without the city to assist in preserving and keeping peace within the municipality. (Prior code § 1-2-26)

The proclamation of an emergency provided herein shall become effective upon its issuance and dissemination to the public by appropriate news media. (Prior code § 1-2-27)

An emergency proclamation, in accordance with the provisions of this article, shall terminate after forty-eight hours from the issuance thereof, or upon the issuance of a proclamation determining an emergency no longer exists, whichever occurs first; provided, however, that such an emergency may be extended for such additional periods of time as determined necessary by resolution of the city council. (Prior code § 1-2-28)

Any person who shall wilfully fail or refuse to comply with the orders of the duly authorized law enforcement officers or personnel charged with the responsibility of enforcing the proclamation of emergency authorized herein shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction therefor, shall be punished in accordance with the general penalty, Section 1.12.510. (Prior code § 1-2-29)

The mayor or council may, upon the request of the governing body or mayor of any other municipality of the state, send any law enforcement officer or officers to assist the law enforcement officers of such requesting municipality in the performance of their duties in cases of emergency. A complete record of the request together with the names of the officers sent shall be recorded in the minutes of the next regular meeting of the council. Such assistance shall be rendered only in emergencies, and such emergency shall be declared by the mayor of the requesting city or, in his absence, the person normally acting in his stead. (Prior code § 1-2-30)

Law enforcement officers sent to another municipality pursuant to this article shall retain the jurisdiction, authority, rights, privileges and immunities, including coverage under the Worker’s Compensation laws, which they now have, and these shall be extended to and include the area in which like benefits and authorities are or could be afforded, and the area between the two municipalities when acting within the scope of authority to make arrests and to execute criminal process as is vested by law in the law enforcement officers of the requesting municipality and of no other. (Prior code § 1-2-31)

The proclamation shall be issued in substantially the following form:

“I, _______________, Mayor of the City of Travelers Rest, by virtue of the power vested in me by the provisions of Sections 1.08.120 through 1.08.220 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Travelers Rest, do hereby declare and determine that due to mob action and civil disobedience, a state of emergency exists within the City of Travelers Rest:
“And I do hereby order and direct the following emergency regulations to be effective immediately, to wit:
“1. A curfew is hereby ordered from _____ o’clock until _____ o’clock of the following day (for the area located _______________) or (for the entire city)--and all persons other than police officers and personnel, physicians, nurses, ambulance operators performing medical services, and utility personnel maintaining essential public services, shall remain off the streets and away from public places during the period of said curfew.
“2. The following businesses are hereby ordered closed:
“3. All regular and auxiliary police officers are hereby ordered to report for duty immediately.
“THIS PROCLAMATION SHALL BE effective immediately and shall extend for a period of 48 hours.

“DATE AND TIME:
_________________________

“Mayor _______________”

(Prior code § 1-2-32)