About City Council
Lorain operates as a statutory City under the laws and regulations set forth under the Ohio Constitution, which is in contrast to the specialized charter forms of government. The form of government prescribed in Lorain is Mayor-Council.
Legislative authority is vested in an eleven (11) member Council with three (3) at large and eight (8) wards, all for (2) two-year terms. The Council fixes the compensation of City officials and employees, and enacts ordinances and resolutions, including but not limited to, services, tax levies, appropriating, borrowing money, licensing, regulating businesses, trades and other municipal purposes. The presiding officer is the President of Council, who is elected by the voters for a (2) two-year term.
Regular Council Meeting
The regular meetings shall be held in the Council Chamber of Lorain City Hall Building on the first and third Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. If the meeting falls on a federal holiday, it shall be moved to the following day. Council adjourns for the month of August.
Committee Meeting Schedule
The date and time for all committee meetings shall be set by the respective Chairman and announced at Regular or Special meetings of Council unless deemed an emergency by the Chairman.
Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Council may be called by the Mayor, or any three members of the legislative authority may call a Special Meeting upon at least twenty-four (24) hours advance notice to each member, served personally or left at his usual place of residence. The legislative authority shall not hold a special meeting unless it first gives at least (24) twenty-four hours advance notice to the news media that have requested notification, except in the event of an emergency requiring official action. In the event of an emergency, the Mayor or members of the legislative authority calling said meeting, shall notify the news media immediately of the time, place and purpose of the meeting in accordance with O.R.C. 121.22.
The business to be transacted at a Special and/or Emergency meeting shall be identified in the notice to each member of Council and no other business shall be transacted. Should the legislative authority wish to adjourn into Executive Session during a Special and/or Emergency Meeting, the topic of the Executive Session should be directly related to some manner expressly included in the notice.
The Clerk of Council shall mail advance notification of the Council's meeting agenda to any person who requests advance notice and provides self-addressed stamped envelopes for this service.