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| County Mayor - Responsibilities |
| County Mayor Home Responsibilities |
The County Mayor is responsible for the County's fiscal management and other executive functions. Houston Patrick took office September 1, 2006. The Tennessee Constitution provides for the election of an executive officer in each county. A county mayor must have been a county resident for more than one year, must be at least 25 years old, and not otherwise disqualified from holding public office (by reason of criminal conviction or other legal disqualification). No educational or experience requirements apply to the office, and the County Mayor may serve an unlimited number of terms. The county mayor is elected by popular vote at the regular August election every four years and takes office on September 1 following the election, after receiving the proper certification of election, obtaining the official bond and taking the required oath of office.
The county mayor is a nonvoting ex officio member of the county legislative body and of all committees of the body, and may be elected chairman of the county legislative. If the county mayor is chairman of the county legislative body, the county mayor may break a tie by casting a deciding vote; otherwise, the mayor cannot vote on measures before the county legislative body. The county mayor who is not chairman may veto legislative resolutions of the county legislative body, but such a veto may be overridden by a majority vote of the members of the county legislative body. The county mayor may call special meetings of the county legislative body.
As the county operates under the 1981 Financial Management System, the county mayor is a member of the financial management committee. He has approval power over the delinquent tax attorney selected by the county trustee. The county mayor also serves on various boards and committees with multi-county jurisdiction, such as the development district board. Subject to the approval of the county legislative body, the county mayor appoints department heads and members of county boards and commissions when the general law or private acts do not provide for the election or appointment. This authority is limited, however, as the general law or private act creating the department or board usually specifies the method by which the various department heads or board members are selected.
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