A Civics Quiz from Former Alderman Josh Cohen
How many questions can you answer correctly?
1. How many wards (council districts) does Annapolis have?
Eight. (Charter, Article II, Sec. 1)
2. How many full-time elected officials does Annapolis have?
One. The mayor “shall devote full time to the duties of the office.” (Charter, Article V, Sec.1.) Aldermen are considered part-time positions.
3. What is the city’s chief executive officer called?
The mayor. (City Code, Chapter 2.12.020 A) Although the mayor appoints a City Administrator, the mayor is still the CEO by law.
4. Who sets the salaries for the mayor and aldermen?
The mayor and aldermen do. Not a bad deal, eh? Actually, it’s not as cushy as it sounds. Every four years the city council appoints a salary review commission made up of local residents. The city council can only accept, reduce or reject the commission’s recommendation. The city council cannot increase what the commission recommends. The new salaries take effect for the next council, not for the sitting council. (Charter Article II, Sec. 4.) Currently the mayor’s annual salary is $65,000 and the aldermen earn $12,000 annually.
5. How many times each year is the council required by law to meet?
Eleven times. The city charter only requires the council to meet on the 2nd Monday of every month, not including August. (Charter Article IV, Sec. 4.a.) In reality the council meets twice that often, holding an additional “Special Meeting” on the 4th Monday of each month. This Special Meeting is the public hearing night when the public testifies on bills.
Does the City Council have the authority to:
6. Issue alcohol licenses?
No. The city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board handles alcohol licenses. (City Code 7.12.070)
7. Annex land into the city?
Yes. (Charter, Article III, Sec. 3)
8. Adopt an annual city budget?
Yes. By law the mayor must submit a proposed budget to the city council by the second Monday in April of each year (City Code, Chapter 6.16.) The council has until June 30 to adopt the budget.
9. Approve a restaurant use permit?
No. Depending on the zoning, restaurants are approved either by the Planning & Zoning Department or by the Planning Commission, but not by the City Council. The actual use permit itself is issued by the Department of Planning and Zoning. (City Code, Chapter 21.)
10. Hire and fire department heads?
No. The city council’s approval is required for the mayor to hire a department head, but only the mayor can fire a department head. (Charter, Article VI, Sec. 2.)
11. Indebt the city by issuing bonds?
Yes. (Charter, Article VII, Sec. 8.)
12. Expel the mayor from office?
Yes. The city council may expel a member including the mayor for “disorderly behavior, misconduct in office, or crime of moral turpitude,” but only upon unanimous vote of the council (not including the member affected.) (Charter, Article IV, Sec. 6.)
Historical Trivia
13. What famous American once danced in City Council chambers?
George Washington.
14. Who was the first woman mayor of Annapolis?
Ellen Moyer.
15. Who was the first African American mayor of Annapolis?
John Chambers. When Mayor John Apostol left town in 1981 a few months before his term ended, the city council appointed Alderman Gus Akerland to serve out Apostol’s term as mayor. Shortly thereafter, Mayor Akerland committed suicide. The city council then appointed Alderman John Chambers to serve out the remainder of the term. In so doing he became Annapolis’ first, and so far only, African American mayor.
16. Who was the first Hispanic mayor of Annapolis?
Trick question – no one yet.
17. Who was the first Jewish mayor of Annapolis?
Noah Hillman. Mayor Roger “Pip” Moyer resigned a couple weeks before the end of his second term in 1973. This allowed the council to appoint his friend and well-respected Alderman Noah Hillman to serve out his term as mayor. Eight years later Noah’s son Dick Hillman became Annapolis’ first elected Jewish mayor, serving from 1981 to 1985.
18. Which mayor in the last 50 years left town before his term ended?
John Apostol, elected mayor in 1973 and again in 1977, left town in 1981 (see Question 15 above).
19. Who was the last member of the city council to go on to higher office?
Herb McMillan, Ward 5 alderman from 1997 to 2001, was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002.
20. Who was the last member of the city council to be elected in a write-in election?
Ward 6 Alderwoman Cynthia Carter was elected to her first term in 1997 as a write-in candidate.
Some of the answers can be found in the City Code which is online at http://bpc.iserver.net/codes/annapolis/. Other answers can be found in the City Charter which is online at the Annapolis Charter 300 website, under Read It..
